Well, I'm writing again. Joined a local writers group and have 'assignments' using writing prompts. So a story is forming. Very loose and already full of loose ends which will have to be tied up but must admit it is good to be writing again. It won't be like before when I would sit down first thing in the morning with a cuppa and punch out 1000 words. Life just doesn't work like that anymore, other commitments, different schedule - but I am starting to carry a small notebook and a pen on our afternoon walks as that's when the best ideas come.
It's fun.
No pressure.
Like the guitar. Have started over. Somewhere I read that one should use a mirror to help with placement of the left hand. That however has turned out rather awkwardly as I became dependent upon it and couldn't find the notes without it. So have put the mirror away and am retraining without it. It's muscle memory. Finding the exact positioning of the fingers near the frets; too far away and the note buzzes, too close and it's dead. Really difficult. Odd too as a song came on and I grabbed my air guitar and I STILL hold it the opposite way to the way a guitar is to be played. Thought as I had no bad habits to break I may as well learn to play with the left hand fretting and the right strumming. But my air guitar is exactly the opposite; right hand fretting and left plucking. Oh well.
Still drawing too. Have one I rather like up on the easel and another on the floor waiting for the final touches. Two people keep insisting I apply to have a show at Art Post Uki. Thought no no no, as I don't do Opening Nights - get quite anxious and claustrophobic at other people's opening nights. It's such a small space and it's always packed. How would I cope if it was mine and I couldn't run away as I usually do? That is if my work was accepted in the first place. One makes an application which goes away to be independently evaluated by artists not associated with APU.
Actually got on their website to have a look for an entry form. I could have an opening night where I wasn't there - but it all seems so childish and precious - and a bit pretentious - to not attend my own opening night.
The idea of showing my work? No worries! Either people like it, don't like it, or don't care either way. That's fine. Because as conceited as it sounds, most of my work I like. Sure I recognize the failings of them but they speak from and to me so I'm fond of them.
Time to walk Mikaela.
My birthday yesterday and my birthday wish was to take Mikaela to the beach. A grand day. She is such a good and funny dog. She runs and grins and leaps and bounces, crashes into me or cuts me off while running. But whatever she does she doesn't run away and comes when she's called. That's with no dogs on the beach. Not sure she would be so amenable if there was a white fluffy within chase distance. Hopefully we'll never find out. Find if we go on a weekday there are hardly any dogs!
Anyway, 63 years old and life is god.
