Just like a "Real" artist

A few weeks ago Jimmy and I walked through a yellow jacket's nest and were both stung multiple times as we hopped and slapped and danced from the sidewalk to the street, arms and legs flailing, yipping and eeeking our way down the road. It was funny and painful and a perfect story for a blog post.
Except I had no desire to write it.
And that's when I knew TPMII had reached the end of its run.

I have a new online presence though. One I have been wanting for a long time. A real website, with my name as the url, and my art as the subject. A place to send people when they ask "what kind of painting do you do?", a place to support me when I approach galleries.

And so without further ado, I give you www.nadinebuckinger.com

(No) Labour Day

A few photos from our afternoon at Pilot Mountain yesterday.
I have been having a terrible time with my internet connection for several weeks. Trying to post crashes the system (including our Vonage phone) so there's my excuse for the lack of blogging.
I am anxiously awaiting a brand new shiny Apple laptop which should arrive this week, and which I hope will clear up all my computer issues.

I am so not "Type A"

Well then. About time I wrote something don't you think?
The photo is one I snagged off of flickr, but I would have taken it myself if I'd had my camera with me this morning. This old Shell Station is a bit of a Winston-Salem landmark and just a few blocks from my new job. It is maintained, but not in use any longer. Too bad. Maybe we wouldn't mind gas prices rising if we got a value added experience, like this cool facade or live music while we filled up...

I love my new job.
Love, love, love.
I have been welcomed with hugs and smiles and enthusiastic "see you next week Nadine!"'s when they leave. And I can leave it behind when I go home. It's fun and no stress and does double duty of making me feel I am contributing a little sunshine to someone else's day at the same time as brightening my own.

I'm also working on constructing two mantras for myself. I'm not really a mantra person and I have no plans to stand in front of the mirror each morning reciting "I am a good and worthwhile person". I was recently inspired by this article in WIRED magazine about Dibert creator Scott Adams though, and thought a little saying to help remind me what direction I'm heading in could be a good thing. My two mantra categories are:
1) Art Career
2) Personal Growth

I'm just playing with them for now, trying to find something that doesn't just sound ridiculous and weird. And I'm having much trouble with the art one because I keep defaulting to "I will be a successful artist" but I can't seem to define what artistic success is to me. Selling X number of paintings? Getting into a gallery I admire? Getting into a juried art fair? Actually, at this point just painting a picture would be success. I haven't picked up a brush since before our trip.
And the personal one goes something along the lines of "I will be present for each moment and live my life skillfully." Doesn't exactly roll of the tongue does it? I want something that I can play in my head like a favourite song, when I need encouragement or decision making help or before I open my eyes in the morning.
A little reminder of what I want my life to be.

My other family :-)

We got back last weekend but just haven't made time to sit down and write.
I did however get some photos loaded onto Flickr, so here you go :-)

Pause

I'm on pause 'till we get back from Vancouver Island!

These are not my balls.

Hilda and I are driving to Judy's in Charlotte tomorrow for the big ball reveal.
Judy had the nerve to send us this website a few days ago.
What was she thinking???!!!
Just when I was feeling pretty good about my own balls too.
*sigh*

Ch..ch..ch..Changes

I have a new job :-)
It all came about quite quickly last week when I saw this posting on craigslist. I applied, was called for an interview and got offered the position all within a few days. For the next few weeks I will continue at the Enrichment Center in the afternoons and get training at Senior Servies in the morning. I have handed in my resignation to the EC though and will leave at the end of the term mid-August.
I had my first day of training at Belview yesterday... I think I am going to love it :-)