A blog post of many colors

I've heard the debate about blogs being just about one thing...say about cats. I think that's fine and good but for me, I don't just write about cats. I have to write about all sorts of things...just the way my mind works, I suppose. My thoughts are fairly freeform when it comes to my blog. My website, I'm very focused on my art (I still need to fix a few links to my abstract art web pages). But here I feel sort of like I'll write about nearly any topic with in reason. I know some people feel there should be a line between business and personal feelings, and I can see the point. However, I hate to say this, but I do want to know if when I buy something where the money is going. For example, I do not buy things from Kraft. Why? Because they are part of the Philip Morris company. They make a huge amount of money spreading cancer to people, children and pets . Things like this tend to make me really angry and instead of holding it in, I will boycott products made by a company that is so perverse they send their beloved smokers HUGE packets of free cigarettes (I know, because one was accidentally delivered to our door stop).

I guess I think of it as a moral compass guide...oddly. America being a capitalist society needs to have some sort of guidelines that say, hey it's not right to sell products that cause cancer, it's not right to pollute (or ignore it), and it's not right to abuse employees and customers with poor wages and poorly made products.

Anyway, I'll step off my soap box and focus on my art and life. Phew...glad to get that off my chest.

Today is a wet and cold day. I didn't realize it was that cold till I stepped outside and started shivering. By then, we were in the car off to school. I'm going to have to finish cleaning out the heat vent and put the furnace on if this keeps up. Fortunately, the house is half way insulated and it feels so different. The sound is the biggest change...quieter and even Mr. Nelson barks less. Mr. Nelson got a shot the other day at the vet, poor guy. But he did really well! Only a little peeing; otherwise, happy, cheerful Nelson! :) Even the vet seemed surprised.

I've been working on crocheting little rounds of yarn. I've made them into pins for the boutique shows...I love them but my wrist was so stiff this morning when I woke up. I thought I had a sprain or something.

I also made Lydia's butterfly wings for her costume but I'm afraid it won't be waterproof if it's damp and rainy. We might not go trick-or-treating but to a few houses. There is a Halloween night (on the actual Halloween night, Oct. 31st) at a retirement home. We might just go there...it's warm, safe, and inside. Plus, we'd be visiting some of my friends there and cheering up a few people.

Lately, I've been using a lot of starch for the costumes and a Pikachu car (Pokemon style). I love this stuff as it's so much fun to slap newspaper in there and it sticks together so well! I can't believe how much easier this is than all the other stuff I've made/used. I wish I had used it for a lot of projects in the past...including the ill fated ice skater dolls I made in my late teens. I used flour and water with glue. It still attracted tons of bugs and I had to throw them out. So disappointing. I think I have a few pics of them...will have to look. I still miss those dolls.

Anyway, starch is so great. It dries really fast and holds the shape...if not making it stronger. I think I'll have to use some sort of sealer and otherwise, it'll be fine. I may have to try this for some art pieces.

I have to frame a few paintings for the show and I got my order of crystal clear holders for my bigger paintings!! So, I'll have those there too. I'm so happy about this! I wish I had new business cards but I still have a big stack of the older ones.

On a different note, I'm so sad to see California...I can hardly believe it. If we go in January, what will be there? I hope people will be all right and I pray there is enough aid for everyone. 500,000 people. That's bigger than the entire city I live in! We're only about 40,000 people. I'm shocked. My sister wrote to me last night and said she's so sorry for everyone. I feel like where are the US army reserves? Why are they in Iraq and not protecting our country? This leads to the question of why are we still in Iraq? I really don't know why.

Sometimes, I feel like a big part of America has forgotten to save for a rainy day. The part of America that's forgotten this, is our leaders. I work with a 93 year old woman and she tells me, every time I see her, our children are our future. She knows this with all her heart. Does she have kids? No. But she was a teacher for over 50 years and still thinks about how important children are. This is someone we should be listening to. We haven't saved for a rainy day and robbed ourselves of safety and care. My folks have had the worst of it...my dad's social security was cut (and he depends on it) because the state of California decided seniors don't matter. Schools were cut aid for programs that HAVE left children behind. When I compare this to PA, I'm amazed at the difference. I know hard times are for so many right now...and I pray, if anything is lost, it is only material items and not life.

Enough dwelling on things I cannot change. I will focus on what I can do...I'm sending prayers for strength to everyone in California.