Just creating lists today and decided to make this one to share with you all. :)
1. (Oh and this is number one by a MILE!) After more than 50 years, there is finally going to be a female Doctor Who! Jody Whittaker is taking the role in 2018 and I could not be happier or more excited! I still love to watch "my Doctor", the 4th Doctor Tom Baker, and I can't imagine anyone topping him for me. Though Peter Capaldi came very close the last three seasons with his dour, sarcastic leanings and those wickedly, wild eyebrows.
Anyhoo, this is lonnnng overdue and I have held out hopes we'd see our first female actor in the Doctor's shoes since the role of the Master was given, in a stroke of GENIUS, to Michelle Gomez a few seasons back.
I hope Ms. Whittaker will capture a whole new audience and generation with the role and I cannot wait to see her create the persona and make the role all her own.
2. Darci Lynne - Ventriloquism has always fascinated and, as a small child, frightened me. . . it's always been there on my periphery as a somewhat mystical talent/ability. . . then someone sent me this link to 12 yr old Darci Lynne's audition for America's Got Talent: All I am saying is, whatever you may think of these types of talent shows or of the art of ventriloquism, it's something you'll never have seen done so well before and the final few minutes of the video are a tear inducing, feel good moment. :) You GO Darci!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paIYpech9pY
3. Levar Burton Reads Podcast - I love a well told short story and I love the actor Levar Burton. This new podcast has just a handful of episodes right now but I suspect it will be around as long as Levar wants to read to us. This week the newest edition was a story that I read last year and would have listed in my top 5 short stories of all time but, after hearing Levar read it, I'd say it's now my all time favorite short story. It's a tear jerker, so be warned. But it's just beautiful. . . it's episode 11, " The Paper Menagerie" by Ken Liu. It's the most recent episode and the link to his podcast is below. I'd also suggest episode 9 called, "1,000 Year-Old Ghosts", which I had never read, but which is now also in my top 5 of all time. (it's getting crowded in that top five these days!)
http://www.levarburtonpodcast.com
4. Comic creator Gail Simone received an Ink Pot award for her work in the comics industry at SDCC last month. Gail has done so much for inclusiveness in the comic industry, writing diverse characters and bringing very modern storylines to the page that no one else would have thought of or written nearly as well. She's worked on Wonder Woman, Red Sonja, Batgirl and a host of others. If you don't know Gail's story, she is a former hairdresser who is now one of the biggest names in writing comics and, if I can share a little secret with you, Gail used to cut MY hair back in the day some 20 years ago. lol And I am not surprised at all that she has reached the heights she has. . . her compassion, fierce heart and fiery wit all combine to make her a force. . . and she just gets better, and more outspoken, with time. Cheers Gail! :)
5. Back to School - It's that time of year . . . again. Just walking into the store the other day and seeing all the notebooks supplies etc in the front aisles gave me that same feeling I always got as a kid. I've said here before that I feel like September is the start of my year. A reset and check in that is, for me, far more effective than the New Year's tendency of a lot of people. Some of it is truly that something, namely Autumn's essence, is in the air! I am sure that some of it to do with all the school years of my youth. What I remember most was that, coming from a family who did not have a lot, it was the one time of year I could ask for art supplies, paper etc etc and NOT get that "look". lol So that feeling of having what seemed like endless notebooks, BLANK paper, new crayons, gel pens or markers. . . whatever was cool at the time. . . and other implements for drawing and daydreaming, the possibility of it all. . . I don't think I will ever outgrow that nostalgic reminder or the way it rises in me again this time of the year.
6. County Fairs - Also took in our county fair in the past week. There is not much that compares to a county fair in a rural area like this. From the animals (cows, pigs, goats, sheep, ducks, chickens and more rabbits than you could ever hope to see!) to the beautiful fabric art (quilts, weaving, knitting) to the master gardener's garden and the exhibit halls (baking, canning, cake decorating, flower displays etc) it's a great time. And I won't even get into the food - will they never stop coming up new with things to batter and deep fry? :) I settled for a pronto pup and pizza. Passing on the favorites of old like elephant ears, curly fries and funnel cakes. Also, we tend to go on day one as early as possible. I imagine that by day three and four the usually smiling and delightful folk who work every facet of the fairs must be at wits end by then. . .
OK, New work coming in a day or two but I wanted to share that all with you and I hope there are dozens of such things in YOUR world making you Smile! Please feel free to share some of them here with me!
Until the next. . .
nicolas
I loved hearing your list.... even though I am unfamiliar with the first 4. And yes, that means I have never watched Dr. Who! My mother used to love it years ago and even knitted herself one of those incredibly long scarves and I embroidered that particular Dr. who's face on a quilt square of a memory quilt I made for her one year on Mother's Day. (I had all her friends and relatives each create a square and then I assembled it and hand quilted it. I was more energetic back then with elaborate projects.
ReplyDeleteAnyway I meant to say I feel the same as you about #5... yet this year those feelings are mixed as I am having to get a new sitter for Jace for after school, which for reasons you can imagine is a scary thing. Hard to trust a stranger with him.
Also your comment reminded me of the year we splurged and bought my second daughter (who has always been scatterbrained, in a charmingly frustrating way) everything she asked for that September. There were new art supplies, hole punches, scissors, pens paper, a huge trapper notebook etc, way more than she needed, in her new backpack. The first day of school she stopped at the playground on the way home and accidentally left the backpack there. It was long gone by the time we drove there to look for it when she remembered where it was. Ah well.
So for a positive end to this comment I will try to think of a few things from MY lists lately... 1. Rivers 2. This week off to watch Jace at home. So wonderful to have time at home to rearrange, remodel and also to just sit with him. 3. Jesse Stone movies, With Tom Selleck. We have the whole set I believe, and even though they are murder mysteries, they are peaceful to watch due to the wonderful cape cod scenery and the music and the camera angles. And of course Tom Selleck is endearing even though he is playing a depressed alcoholic cop. 4. Drives on the back roads as always 5. New paint colors in my newly taken over art/computer/guest room. 6. A new wooden art table being delivered next week!!!!
Take care, enjoy the season!
Andrea, thank you SO much for your comment and sharing the things making you happy too! So excited for your new art room and the soon-to-arrive table!
DeleteJust the name Tom Selleck invokes a time and place in my life, in my childhood. Isn't it funny how that works? I never watched his tv shows or movies all that much so it's not that. . . but it's impossible to hear his name without being taken back.
Rivers and back roads. We have a few places around here that combine both and they are among our favorite out of the way places to wander.
Oh your daughter's backpack story gets me. :( I had a sometimes less-than-understanding mother who was quite hard on me whenever she thought I wasn't being responsible. In third grade I was running after school and fell, breaking the thermos in a brand new lunchbox. . . might have been a Scooby Doo lunchbox. . . or Land of the Lost. . . anyway, I tried to hide it from her but, of course, the rattling of the glass in the thermos was a dead giveaway. lol I wasn't sure why she was so mad. It was just a thermos, the lunchbox was still fine. Sheessh. :) But art supplies? Oh I valued those so much then that they never left my sight. Once, mom tossed a full scratch-drawing notebook because "there were no blank pages left"!!!! WHAT?!!!! ! So it was more a hierarchy of what I cared more for and art supplies were wayyyy at the top! :)
It also reminded me of how, when I was 11 or 12, my one best friend and I used to play with all our action figures on the porch of my grandparents house and we'd build entire civilizations, houses, vehicles etc out of boxes for them. We'd even make tiny money, make clothing, the had jobs etc etc. We called it "The City". In the summer we just kept it all piled on the front porch since we played with it all almost every day. One day I was coming home with my mom and I saw this kid who I didn't know personally but who I had seen around the neighborhood and he was always by himself. He was "odd" and no one I knew had ever played with him. Anyway, as we drove by him I saw that he was carrying one of my toy cars from the porch down the street. My first instinct was to go after him and get it back but in a moment or two, I felt bad for him. Like empathically somehow. .. and I just didn't care about the toy. I didn't like that he stole it but I felt like he really needed it more than me somehow. So I just let it go. Don't know why that came to mind. . .
I will be sending love and light for your sitter situation. I can imagine it being a very stressful time for you all.
Thank you for sharing and welcome Autumn!!! :)
nicolas
Great list Nicolas! I also love September! Like you said, the start of a New Year! I always get excited around September. Well, it's my birthday month too! LOL!
ReplyDeleteI love Country Fairs as well!
I guess what is really making me smile these days, is the venture of doing my stickers, handbags, etc. Never thought I would! And, it's funny, spending time on designing these things, has inspired my painting as well.
The lady I did a special order in Finland, is buying another painting. And, she is giving it away, to her Finland customers, to correspond with her new book of poetry! I am very honoured!
Big Crow Hugs! Keep being you!
That all sounds A-MA-ZING! I can see how working on those other items, something other than canvas, can give you a different perspective on what you create! I love that! :) Thank you, as always, for dropping by and sharing!
DeleteBCH!
nicolas
Love this list, your writing is always so inviting. It's like a journal entry, of your observations & perspectives.
ReplyDeleteFabulous list, Nicolas....my fave? #1 - OH yeah! I knew it was a female just by the way "she" was walking. And I love this actress. Watched her on Broadmore with David Tennant. :D
ReplyDeleteHope you're doing well....it's been a few weeks since you've been out here. x
Alexandra, THANK YOU for dropping by! I am replying to you AND Michael below so please feel free to read on below! :)
DeleteHi Nicolas, I had to laugh, seeing Alex's comment above, as I didn't know she followed you too and had just found your fabulous comment on my art piece with your very own red riding hood type story! (I commented there btw after seeing it under awaiting moderation which I do after posts are a few days old so not to miss anything. So glad to see it. Thanks again.)
ReplyDeleteYes, as noted above, jsut by the walk we could tell it was going to be a female doctor but Alex was particularly delighted to see who it is. Never seen her myself but she's got a a good look to her and understand she's a great actor too. All I know is that anyone was better than yet another "toy boy" type actor, young for all the teeny boppers but lacking gravitas as I think the Dr. needs. Peter would have been good for that but never seen any with him in it, actually. And like you, our fave Dr. remain Tom Baker's 4th version.
Your reply to Andrea about the boy who stole one of your toy cars was quite moving and reminds me too of a similar situation when a kid.
Funny that you just mentioned Darci. I saw her story come up on youTube the other day and took a look. Amazing!
Never heard of Levar so can't comment there but going to his site, he does look somewhat familiar...I think!
That's super cool about Gail having cut your hair way back when! Wow. And look at her now! Way to go, lady!
Back to School time in September doesn't do anything for me as we woudl go back in August (having a lot shorter Summer hols in the UK but longer Christmases and a week at Easter too). Funny, I don't think my mother ever bought me any supplies, actually. All we were required to have for school was a pen and a notebook...and in later years a calculator. I suppose everything else was provided but I honestly can't even remember! Isn't that terrible? I'm not even old....yet! As it was, my mother was never really around, being a single parent home and always having to work. She never came to any school functions as such so I have no association with my family and school, oddly enough. Just remember how much I hated it overall and always being wet from pouring rain...and cold usually too!
Looks like where you live is pretty rural from what you wrote, but here, being a big "town," we still have fairs, The New West Fest as it's called, with all the offerings of food you mention but none of the animals! Ha. That's ok, as my city boy blood never left and, honestly, I really don't like being around farm animals other than if taking little kids for their own wonder. In a neighbouring city, there is this big rodeo where they parade down the road steers and such but never had a desire to go anywhere near it. Really not into that kind of thing but glad others are like you and they are even available this day and age.
You mention "new work." What kind of work? I found your profile compelling. What do you do that involves pleasing that inner child everyday? Also, the "only" mistake made....that's impressive! :)
Good chatting with you.
Oh, wait! i remember who you are--Alex has shown me your stuff before. You make those magical fairy houses! Love it. Anyway, like you, I long to capture that childlike sense of wonder (in my art) so easily lost in one's maturing years with the pressures of life and such.
ReplyDeleteHaha, one more thing. OK, congrats! This may well be the longest comment(s) I have ever left on a blog before!
ReplyDeleteMichael, I SO appreciate the time you took to write such a wonderful comment and I am replying to you and Alexandra here:
DeleteJody will be a wonderful doctor. I am more excited for this than anything Who related in awhile. I will say this. The best thing up to now about the "new" Doctor Who reboots has been the casting of Katherine Tate as the companion with David Tenant. I enjoyed Rose from the first seasons of the reboot very much too though.
Michael, I would encourage you to borrow (Library) the first Peter Capaldi Dr Who season. I think it will tickle a little of that Tom Baker nostalgia in you both as well. : ) He really nailed it for me and, being an older gent, he certainly brought that air of familiarity I was craving.
My mother raised me as a single parent too so, like you, I have little association of her WITH school. Though she DID always make it to these dreaded parent/teacher conference nights we had once a quarter. She heard the same feedback each year "Great student. . . talks too much!" Those words were written on several report cards over the years as well. Funny because I am so anti-social now though, obviously, I remain wordy as always. lol
Having been to the UK in the school year I can imagine the wet and cold walks home that you endured! For us it was bus rides.
Yes, I make fairy houses, gargoyles, Jizos, model railroad buildings and more. Anything that allows me to find the essence of my childhood again. My other Etsy shop features statuary and amulets crafted in the design of the ancient world (mostly Egyptain/Kemetic) deities - that's another connection to those days of childhood for me too.
You BOTH capture that sense of wonder and childhood in your work! I am drawn to it! As for how easily it s lost. I hope to one day tell more of THAT part of my story. . . How close I came to losing it for good and how, if I had not met Sofie, I might very well never have found my way back. I always held it near and close but to find my way to express it and become full time "maker-of-things" specializing in that magic? I never would have imagined it.
Adult life, with all it's pressures, have-to's, health scares etc can be a damning force of nature. For me, somewhere in the last 10 years, a slow unveiling (maybe acceptance is a better word) of life's simple truths seemed to hit home. I need not list the here as I am sure you are aware of them all too. But I thought, "Right, here's the story, x amount of years left, how do you want to spend them?" And I suppose I either never asked myself that question before or didn't have the the clarity I did then because, "creating magic and putting it into the world" was the sole answer I found there. Suddenly it all shifted. Instead of "Oh I'd like to live *name of place, type of house etc*" I said, I want to live wherever the cost of living affords me the opportunity to create more, work less, love and appreciate my life in deeper ways. Sofie and I followed that muse together and, yes, worked our behinds off every single day along the way.
Michael I am laughing about your aversion to farm animals! I grew up in a big city/factory town so it's not as though I had any farm experience myself. Just that, as a young boy/teen I did get the opportunity to visit such places, dairy farms, Amish country, etc and they left a deep impression on me that only resonated later in life. That bucolic serenity. A place quiet enough to hear the wind in the long grass and not be so surrounded by the pulse of humanity.
DeleteFunny thing is, where we live IS a small town, 600 people, more cows than people in the entire county, but our apartment is right on the major highway running thru it. It's far cheaper than anywhere else in the area because of that and because it's up above a shoppe, but it is very cozy with wood floors, high ceilings, large windows across the front and we don't mind the summer noise of traffic at all because we both lived with that in an urban setting for years. We just made the street side of the apartment the studio. The landlords are so happy to have good tenants and it continues to be a good situation all around. In the summer we see and experience folks from all over the world coming thru so we get our cultural "fix". lol
Alex described recently her draw to the seaside towns of the UK and I can relate. It may have ben my first trip to the UK at 19 that opened that same love of the sea in me. Much more so than any experience I had on our own East coast growing up. Small charming towns, the roiling sea, inclement weather too. All of it really. Moody settings to go with my then moody soul. lol
The only thing lacking here, in my opinion, is the quaint village feel of those small European towns. I visited a town in Switzerland along a lake once, then years later, somewhere, I came across a photo of the same town from the 1880's. I recognized the town and the viewpoint the picture was taken from immediately! It looks EXACTLY the same! With all the same buildings, streets, steeple, etc. My soul, for whatever reason, craves that antiquity and continuity of those touchstones of time.
As for pleasing the inner child everyday, well, our work certainly does that. I've taken to writing a fantasy novel and I read quite a bit. But really, at the heart of it, I just try and listen to that child inside. Little things, almost forgotten or left behind. When they arise, I will take the time to dive in and explore them. It might an old cartoon, a tv show, a favorite band/song. Those are internal memories but, out in the "real world", something like spending a day at the library, just browsing the toy section of a store, the possibility of a blank piece of paper in front of me, baking something from one of my grandmother's recipes written in her hand, planting a small garden as I did with/for her in her later years etc. So many things that I've rediscovered that do it for me and allow that child to come thru. Strangely enough that only exists inside me. When I go home to visit my mother, she lives in the house my grandparents built. Where so many of my childhood memories are rooted. But it's not the same. So much has changed. Trees cut down, gardens gone, all those touchstones, except for the house itself, are gone. It's a very empty feeling in some ways. So I find those all in memory only.
DeleteOh and one of the best I discovered? Doing my best to NOT look at the news daily. The essence of childhood, for me, was that blissful unawareness of so much of the adult world around me.
You mentioned farm animals and taking children to see them. When I was at the fair, I reveled in watching small children's eyes looking at a massive dairy cow or the way a small goat nibbled at their clothing or the many types of rabbits they may have never close up before. They're seeing something you and I don't, or at least, may not have since we were that age. :) They're living in their own paracosm. As I try to do now, every day. . .
I will be by to look for your reply to my comment! SO enjoyable connecting with you Michael (and Alexandra!)! And if you care to, I'd love to hear the experience you referred to in your childhood that my comment on Andrea's blog raised in you.
Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts, your world, your art and for commenting! In our busy worlds, I appreciate it greatly!
Definitely my longest reply EVER. :)