It's Already 'Day Whatever'

I'm not on top of things today....

I wasn't yesterday either.

My plan was to paste a smile on my face and try to help get myself and the rest of us through this with pictures of puppies and quotes about 'hanging in there.' And two days into it all I kind of crashed....

It doesn't help that my brain cells have been hyper-preoccupied right now, trying to see the Big Picture and get a perspective on it. (Bottom line? They are over-feckin-whelmed....)

A friend explained that I'm in shock and experiencing grief for the demise of the old Normal. It made sense. I'm flailing around, trying to develop a new routine and make sense of it.

Maybe it would help if a Caribou barista hooked me up with enough Earl Grey Lemon Tea Lattes for the remainder of this thing.

And if Morgan Freeman FaceTime'd with me daily so that I can be reassured by his calming voice....

I need to know that all my people are OK and will continue to be OK.

I need to clone enough versions of myself that I can be sitting with a cat on my lap, dreaming the days away, and lolling submerged up to my chin in a hot bath, all simultaneously.

I need all chocolate to be healthy and calorie free until further notice.

I need to win the lottery so I can share it with my family and friends who are out of work and worried sick right now.

I need to know that the important things aren't being FUBAR'd by Those In Charge.

I need my bills to take care of themselves.

And I need everyone to vote their asses off come November....

My original plan to maintain a positive online facade during this shutdown was silly of me. In real life I'm about as positive as Eeyore's mother, and these unusual times have kicked my anxiety levels to new heights. But I swear my heart was in the right place! And seriously?, there are SCORES of folks out there with online businesses and blogs and capabilities, all offering to do just what I'd hoped to do: cheerfully try to help us through this. One less isn't going to make any difference, is it?

I'm so grateful for them all.

Know what else I'm grateful for? The thought that there is someone somewhere at the other end of this post right now.

Stay well for me, please, ok? And hang in there. I'm thinking about you.
...me.
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My First Ever ART-a-Thon!

I like to think I was a derring-do-er.

Like back in the day when I was a single mom, a Festival shop builder, a 'step-out-of-my-comfort-zone-and-rent-a-studio' artist, a 'travel-by-myself-to-England' girl, a 'college-at-age-50' student....

I don't derring-do much anymore. In fact, these days, the derring-do-iest thing I can think of is to sign up for as many straight hours of art and creativity as I can hopefully manage via the RumRiver Art Center's upcoming 62-hour ART-a-Thon event.

When I initially heard about it I thought, "How fun does this sound?? SIGN ME THE HECK UP." And only later did I remember that I like to sleep.

A lot.

No; I mean A LOT. Like if this was the 62-hour Sleep-a-Thon, I'd frippin' WIN it.

So what was I thinking?....

Actually, I was thinking about hanging out with creative people non-stop for an entire Friday-night-to-Monday-morning weekend.

And I was thinking about 'arting' alongside some curious adults and kiddoes who perhaps have never 'arted' before.

And I was thinking: "Hey -- I'm 62, and there are 62 hours in this -- it just sounds like something I'm meant to do."

And -- perhaps most importantly -- I was thinking about what it would be like to be that young woman again, the one with crazy hair and bags under her eyes from staying up all weekend drinking pots of coffee and playing with pencils, instead of the grandma she is now that needs her sleep. (I swear that crazy girl is still inside me somewhere.)

Anyway. I signed up for all 62 hours and am keeping my feathers crossed that I can manage them all without snapping at anyone, locking myself in my studio with a book, or falling asleep headfirst onto my art. Maybe I'll shop for some silly pajamas for the overnight hours. Maybe I'll locate some chocolate-covered coffee beans for extra 'awakeness.' Who knows? But my plan is to do ALL the hours. All the HOURS. All. The. Hours.... (Just typing that made me shiver....)

The ART-a-Thon is open to the public and will be held from 6:00pm Friday, March 15 until 8:00 am Monday, March 18 -- again, that's 62 hours of continuous artmaking! -- and is an event to draw attention to and benefit the RumRiver Art Center (a non-profit that is close to my heart).

As stated in the link above:

'There will be a variety of art activities to participate in throughout the 62 hours, including wheel throwing pottery, drawing, watercolor painting, acrylic painting, hand-built pottery, polymer clay, mosaic art, stained glass, weaving and more! Everyone who comes to the art center can contribute to our three collaborative community art projects that will be put on display at the art center when finished. The projects will be a stained glass mosaic window, an acrylic painting, and a hand weaving. We will also have a canvas that will be painted continuously for the full 62 hours.'

And YOU can help in other ways:

• If you live close and would like to, please visit the RumRiver Art Center during the ART-a-Thon and say hi! Take a tour, check out what the wonder-filled place has to offer, see my personal studio, make some art, help ME make some art! (Go **HERE** to get directions, more info, etc.)
• SPONSOR ME or one of our other artists! (Go **HERE** to sponsor an artist)
• Make a donation. Every little bit helps! The Art Center does so much for the local community.
• Take home a piece of my work. My plan is to create one new art piece every hour I can manage to stay awake and upright! All will be for sale.

This is the first time I've ever participated in an event like this and I'm looking forward to it! I have no idea what to expect. Care to join me? If you can't be there in person, no worries; I plan to live-stream and Tweet my progress!

And in the meantime, I welcome ALL suggestions for how to keep this old young girl awake and working!
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