I know, I know – could it be more trite? And yet… There’s so much research demonstrating the importance of community, friendships, and loose social networks to health and happiness. Anybody who claims to have pulled themselves up by their bootstraps is forgetting all the kind words, second chances, mentoring and plain old good luck […]
Turns out one of my favorite sayings actually has a name – Hanlon’s Razor. It says “never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” An article in The Economist recently recommended using it to squelch the urge for revenge against annoying or deceitful colleagues. Having found that advice to be useful over […]
We tend to travel at off times. It’s not just to avoid crowds, though that’s a plus. It’s also because we enjoy being home most of the year, hating to miss spring blooms, summer sailing, autumn leaves, or snow-covered scenes. So our trips tend to be November and March, the only ugly times here, and […]
Most of us have heard the term Nimby – not in my back yard. And most of us would like to believe we are more open-minded and welcoming than it suggests, even though we often live in towns with restrictive zoning rules. What struck me as ironic is the realization that many of us seek […]
It’s been a challenging few weeks, both happy (an adorable and highly energetic seven year old’s visit) and sad. The latter included energy-draining, time-consuming rotator cuff muscle tendon tears, memorial events for a friend taken too young, scary health news about two other friends, and a funeral for a favorite aunt, who lived long and […]
We finally took a vacation again, after nearly 2 1/2 years! As regular readers know, my painting inspiration usually comes from sunsets, water and travel. The latter has been in very short supply lately. As readers also know, we had bouts of COVID last month, fortunately mild since we are triple vaxxed. This means that, […]
On the bright side, I am no longer calling this shelter-in-place. The preferred term now is “artist-in-residence.” Of course, there are times when it would be nice to be in residence elsewhere, or to at least have the option. Plans for NYC and for Portugal were postponed, but with the vaccines we’re optimistic again. I’m […]
For those who remember the book, Catch 22 is a self-explanatory term for any situation that is basically an endless loop. These days, it’s frequently encountered when trying to deal with technology (which is why you haven’t seen a blog post in a while) and automated systems. I’ve found that painting, mystery novels, or chocolate […]
Nope, not a flying lesson. Though I did try that years ago and loved it, my budget and worries about poor depth perception were impediments to getting a pilot’s license. This title refers to the creative process and a brainstorm I had while trying to fall asleep (which is not my strong suit, being a […]
It’s always a wonderful feeling when my paintings find good homes, but sometimes the situation is extra special. A collector might tell me the piece is for a birthday or anniversary present, or it reminds them of a favorite vacation. A situation with a recent seascape was one such case. Our former neighbor became close […]
