This and That

I took today (Friday) off work to make a four-day weekend with Labor Day (Monday). Today was just a me-day with some chores accomplished and then painting. I have given myself permission to take risks in my art, hate the outcome, and throw it away. If I don't do this, I'm stuck painting the same old safe things like trees, or lying that I like some monstrously ugly result, putting it in my closet for months, and feeling guilty for not hanging it on the wall. Nope. I don't care what "real" artists say ~ I am gonna throw things away that disgust me (and I am not posting images here because I just don't want to). I learned from the experience, I think, so next time I paint a beach scene, hopefully it will be better. I did a pretty nice job on the waves, but I wrecked the sky because I haven't practiced clouds enough. After a couple attempts to fix it, I gave up, tossed the mess, and ordered lunch (scrumptious steak salad from Urban Plates; I was late, so it was soggy, but it was still utterly delicious). I no longer paint to YouTube tutorials, as that's way too boring, but instead I screenshot random stuff I like and go freehand. 

This morning I received my Covid jab... and I thought what the heck give me the flu shot too. They were really pushing them at CVS, and though it's a bit early, I have taken the vax early before, and all was fine. The only time I got the flu in the past 20 years was in January 2014, when I stupidly decided in the fall of 2013 that I didn't need the shot. The nurse wanted to give me one shot in the left arm and one in the right today, but I told her to do both in the left arm so I could have one non-hurty arm for driving, sleeping, etc. I like all my pain concentrated in one spot, especially because I hope to do more painting this weekend ~ it can only get better from here.

I'm getting comments at this blog now, which pleases me, and I've made a feed of those I enjoy reading as well, which is a work in progress. I will add more blogs as I find them, but no way in hell am I gonna have hundreds in there. Ridiculous (no offense if you follow hundreds; I used to do that at WP). I think the feed is private ~ it's not a blogroll ~ but supposedly other bloggers can see that I'm following them (not sure). I am not going to look at any stats here because that's the path to ruin for me. When I get a comment, I am grateful, and there's no reason to obsess over how many views a post has because you know what? It's completely meaningless! I learned this at WP where people rip through their feed and like every post, barely even reading them, in hopes of getting likes back. What is the point of that? There is no like button here ~ you either comment or you don't, end of story.

The other day I almost impulsively deleted my Bluesky account. It's sort of fun to be there, but I don't connect with folks like I do via blogging and FB. Partly it's because most people on Bluesky are using some silly nym, but that's not the whole story. People use blogging nyms, and I can still feel like I know them because of their writing. Bluesky is mostly memes and reposts, silly challenges, and just little blippets of interaction. Maybe if I stay long enough I will feel connected to some others there, but right now it's just eh whatever. One thing I find repulsive about the site is that people make lists of accounts they hate and post them publicly in order to encourage others to block and/or harass them. I'm on many hate lists due to my support of Israel ~ and I only said a couple mild things about the right to self-defense after 10/7. But that's enough. You know how people are. There are other issues too where if you dare to raise even a tiny objection to any of the dogma, you are a persona non grata forever. That's the internet for ya.

Oh, no one harasses me directly at Bluesky because I preemptively block. It's getting tedious though, and I am annoyed about the juvenile lists, so we'll see how long I stay.

My kitty Gatsby lost another smidge of weight, so we're watching him closely. He's over 13, so he's considered geriatric, but still... he isn't super old. I hope he has another decade of healthy, happy years, but we shall see. The weight loss is very slight, but healthy adult cats shouldn't be losing weight at all ~ usually their problem is weight gain. It's possible he is in the very early stages of hyperthyroidism, KD, or diabetes, the doc says, so we will stay alert for any new signs and proceed accordingly. I don't know what I would do without my kitty; he's been my steady sweetie for so long through so much of my post-divorce life.

I have a lot of "so" in this post. Is so my new just? Let's hope not. I certainly don't need another thing to obsess over.

Tomorrow I'm going to the Greek Festival in Long Beach with a friend; Sunday I'm seeing my family at the park; Monday I'm going to a concert with other friends. That's a lot! I seem to be doing more social stuff than ever, despite being an introvert who needs loads of alone time to recharge. But I am happy. So (ugh)… maybe I don't need that much alone time any longer, since I seem to be doing OK with less, as long as I have a few hours each week for crafts and TV. I have decided not to prioritize writing because (gasp!) it does not make me happy. Maybe after I retire I'll work on my novels again.

Or not.