My mom got an interview!

On Monday, my mom got called
to interview for the Art teacher position.

She had the interview yesterday.

She would be totally awesome at this job
and it would be good for her too.

Please say a little prayer for her to San Pancracio,
or to whomever you generally pray.

If your creative urges are of a speculative nature

Brown Rab Fish Girl posted this announcement of a travel grant for writing speculative fiction.

Brown Rab Fish Girl rocks. Me, I woulda kept the information to myself.

Make mine blue and bronze...

The sorting hat says that I belong in Ravenclaw!

Said Ravenclaw, We'll teach those whose intelligence is surest

Ravenclaw students tend to be clever, witty, intelligent, and knowledgeable.
Notable residents include Cho Chang and Padma Patil (objects of Harry and Ron's affections), and Luna Lovegood (daughter of The Quibbler magazine's editor).

Take the most scientific Harry Potter
Quiz ever created.

Get Sorted Now!

Ravenclaw: 94
Hufflepuff: 86
Gryffindor: 72
Slytherin: 55

Being Queer and talking about Breasts will move you out of a G Rating

My Mom is an Artist

(as is my girlfriend)


I've been e-mailing with my mom yesterday and today. She's applying for a position as an art teacher in a small town near where she lives.

And I've also been reading--I think I've mentioned this--The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron, and it's all about how to get your creativity unblocked: to see what's standing between you and your potential and how to get around it.

Two things she mentions in this are Poisonous Playmates and CrazyMakers.

And I've just been thinking that it's amazing that my Mom ever became an artist living with my dad. Because he's---well---how can I say this? He obsessively finds fault. He sees himself as this great proofreader, and he's going to circle everything in red so that you can see your faults and become a perfectionist like him.

And for an artist, it's all about turning down the Critic and turning up the Creator, otherwise you'll never have the courage to paint, draw, sing, because it won't be perfect. You need to be able to say, "I don't know where this going" without someone standing over your shoulder.

L* has this portrait she did of me that we call "Caesar." She painted it when we were visiting my parents, and after she had the color she wanted for the skin tone, she outlined the picture. While the eyes were still blank, my dad walked by and said "you're painting a picture of Caesar!" Fortunately, My L* did not let this deter her, and painted on.

Good Stretching by Good Friends

L* and I have been real homebodies this past year. I think we always have that tendency, and partly it's just because L* always makes our home so warm and loving and nurturing, and also she's such a good cook!

But with everything that happened in the past year, it became so central to have a retreat.

Now, though, we need to stretch and grow, to move out of the comfortable routine. Our friend Yoli is visiting this week, and we've also recently got together with Josie & Trish, and they've all really rocked our world.

L* and I always says that we go out to maybe one movie a year. (Last year it was AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH and CHILDREN OF MEN--a busy year for us!). In the last two weeks we've gone out to THREE films: one with J&T, one with Yoli, and one with all together. And it's been so much fun! We've also watched more movies on video than we have in months and months. In fact, we've had 3 netflix sitting unopened on our sideboard for at least four months, before I sent some of them back.

In the theatres: Shelter Me (Italian, part of the LGBTQ film festival), Waitress, Sicko
In the home: Mi Madre Les Gustan las Mujeres (at T&J's house), Reinas, and Laura Aguilar' video on her art.

Both Mi Madre and Reinas made me want to write musicals. When my mom was visiting, we went to see Legally Blonde: The Musical in San Francisco, and it was a lot of fun like these Spanish movies. (Great song: "Gay? or European?") In fact, both of these films fall in the category of Queer Films fun for the Whole Family.

I think I've mentioned that I've been feeling more ambivalent about the blog lately. Partly that's just because now that this past year is behind us, everything else seems so mundane. How can I talk about knitting and movies, after writing about chemotherapy and homophobia in the medical establishment?

But that's really the nature of blogs. It's not keen investigative reporting. It's what's going on in life. And we're adjusting to "the new normal" and figuring out what that's going to look like.

Good neighbors

Good neighbors--

when they see you picking plums from the one branch of their tree that hangs over into your yard--

--bring you plums!

Okay, I lied: I'm not giving these up

50%

Digital Diva had this one her website, and then I saw it and had to try it. I betcha those girls in Miami will score pretty high on this, whereas the team in Denver...well, the have lots of loved ones around them... Although I can definitely see El Paso gunning down zombies with determination.

Now, L* I bet s/he would score way higher than me. S/he certainly can run faster and longer and had the forethought to lay in the foodstuffs.