What do you do?

Lately people, people I haven't ever met before, have started coming up to me and asking what sounds to me like "What do you do?" I think, "how nice" or on my good days, "I guess I look really interesting and artsy and they want to get to know me better." Then I launch into an explanation of my job and what it involves and as I elaborate I see them begin to look confused and their smile fades away. Then I realize that once again, someone has asked me not "What do you do?" but "When are you due?" And I tell them mid-November and try to think of an equivalent question for them, like "So when is your next big, life changing event?" or "Any personal experience coming up that you would like to discuss with a stranger?"

Run Eliza! Run!

I started reading Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Goodwin and am really enjoying it. The book references Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe several times which made me realize I hadn't ever read the book that by many accounts helped start the Civil War. (It somehow didn't make it into the SC curriculum.) I expected it to be overly sentimental and dated and while there are passages that fit that description I've been amazed at how gripping a story it is. I've been listening to it on librivox (here) while I work. Several times it's brought me to the edge of my seat or close to tears. The one down side is every time I mention it to Aaron he starts singing selections of The King and I and then I have "Run Eliza! Run!" or "Pooor Eliza" stuck in my head.

All The Men

I started my figure painting class at the local art center last week. I've gone twice now and have returned with over a dozen large watercolors. Most are pretty bad but there a few that aren't terrible. It's nice to get the practice and I'm enjoying the challenge.

Aaron took a look at my work and asked why all my paintings are of men. I'm not sure why, but so far all the models have been men. And I'm starting to wonder what I should do with the growing stack of male nudes floating around the apartment. I sat down to breakfast and found them scattered all over the table. Getting dressed I bumped into a couple laying over the dresser. There are several more cluttering the office. I feel like I should do something with them but I'm not sure what. Hang them on the wall? Use them to decorate the nursery-closet? Begin distributing them to friends and family members as early Christmas gifts? Any ideas?

Your Tax Dollars At Work

Aaron and I had a fun weekend together. We added it up and on Saturday, between my class and work and his work, we managed to spend a whole 6 conscious hours together.

As part of those six hours we visited the National Gallery of Art for the George De Forest Brush show. Brush was an American painter trained in the French academy. He returned from France and spent some time living in Wyoming and Montana with the Arapahoe, Shoshone and Crow. He eventually left the West, returned to NY city to set up a studio. His work has almost never left the hands of private collectors and this was the first public show. Brush was suspicious of the modernization and its production of mass produced, cheap goods which he worried was destructive to the environment and art. Most of his paintings contain messages about conservation and preservation. The National Gallery has set up a really good website for the show so you can see most of the work here.

Brag

I just have to brag about this. I rode my bike down to the art store to buy some supplies yesterday. When I came out of the store, I found that it had started to drizzle AND the new pallet I bought was about 3 inches too long to fit in my bag. So I strapped on my helmet and peddled back in the rain, one handed!! I held my pallet in one hand, steered with my other hand while carrying my heavy shoulder bag. The rain became heavier and the wind was gusting but I kept my balance. I was so proud!! Take that stupid pregnancy books that say you should stop riding your bike at 3 months!

Swallow Mobile

I really want to get this mobile "for the baby" which means for me. Having a baby is like getting an imaginary friend who can make demands. You can say things like "I'm fine with either car seat but the baby would like..." It's a cheap trick and I try to avoid using it but I might not be able to resist for such a cool mobile. I love, I mean the baby loves swallows! And aren't they the perfect color for a newborn's inept eyes?

Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall

Aaron's been telling me all week that he had a surprise for me on Wednesday. I told him I was 50% excited about it. That dropped to about 30% when he told me it was right by the White House and there were no animals involved (I was imagining a really awkward work party) then 10% after he told me it was a fund raising dinner for McCain. By yesterday afternoon I was feeling under the weather and ready to call off the whole date. But Aaron seemed so eager about the whole thing that I decided I would be a good sport and swallow whatever Republican event he was dragging me to.

Lucky for me, Aaron is much more fun than I give him credit for and he surprised me with Ben Folds tickets at the DAR Constitution Hall! It was a really fun show. Ben Folds is just as crazy as ever and the show really rocked. Almost all the material was new, which was cool, and the old stuff he played was just perfect. I was really glad I had a seat but there were several songs that made me sad we weren't on a dance floor.



As a bonus I REALLY liked the opener, Missy Higgins. You can check her out here.