Commission!

Have I mentioned how much I love commissions? Not just because they mean I'm getting paid to do what I love, but because they're like getting assignments. I never thought I'd say I miss getting a lesson plan, but things can get a little stagnant if you're the only one dictating what you do. Maybe it's just me. 

Even if I'm working with the same medium a lot, it's nice to get photos of a subject that I haven't spent much time looking at before. Without the help of commissions, I'd be painting my animals all the time. I love them and all, but I've already painted them. Not that I couldn't make a challenge out of that, but whatever; I'm rambling.

These are a couple of sweethearts that I painted for a mother to give her two daughters for Christmas. Her grand-cat and grand-dog, Murphy and Hugo. 

I'm not sure if I've blogged about my reaction to getting a commission before. It's very Fiddler on the Roof. If you haven't seen that gloriousness, you simply must. It's only the most wonderful musical of all time. Anyhow, I break into my own little version of "Tradition." Commissiooooooon! Commissioooon! Commission!

I'll stop being weird via blog now.

Standing In The Light

I've loved this song for a very long time, and I thought it was about time to share it.




It's completely gorgeous, but my favorite lines are:

-I've known folks as smart as dogs, I've known folks like bumps on logs, and they're all fine by me.

-I've got room enough to die.

Anonanimal

I just adore Andrew Bird, and the way he communicates. His brain makes me happy, and I like seeing things the way he sees them. I wish someone would say those things about me.

I can't tell you how many articles I've read arguing the fact that he makes no sense. First of all, art for art's sake, people! Some things are just beautiful, whether you understand them at all. I don't understand children most of the time, but their gibberish thrills me to my core. Second of all, this man makes more sense than most. He's a poet and a musician, and he does gorgeous things with the English language.

That being said, if you have any trouble figuring out what he's celebrating in "Anonanimal", I'm pretty sure I've got the lyrics right.

I see a sea anemone
The enemy
See a sea anemone
And that'll be the end of me...

While the vicious fish was caught unawares
In the tenderest of tendrils
Underneath her tender gills

And I will become this animal
Perfectly adapted to all music halls
I will become this animal
Anomalous appendages
A non-animal...

Hold on just a second
Don't tell me this one, you know
I know this one, I know this song
I know this one, I love this song
Hold on just a second
Don't tell me this one, you know
I know this one, I know this song
I know this one, I love this song
I know this one

Underneath the stalactites
The troglodytes lost their sight
Uh oh

The seemingly innocuous plecostomus
Though posthumous
They talk too much
They talk too much

See a sea anemone
The enemy
See a sea anemone
That'll be the end of me
That'll be the end of me
Vicious fish was caught unawares
In the tend'rest tendrils
Underneath her tender gills
 
And I will become this animal
Perfectly adapted to all music halls
Oh, and I will become this animal

Anomalous appendages
A non-animal...

Maybe it's just me, but I think this man is a genius. I've seen him in concert, he carries a sock monkey in a suit around with him, wears scarves, has a farm and is all kinds of adorable. If you don't like him, well, that's fine. I might beat you up, though. Just sayin'.

Reach Out & Touch Faith

Aaaaand I can't get enough of Johnny Cash right now.
I'm pretty sure the three members of Depeche Mode were beyond stoked when they learned that Cash had done a cover of their song. He didn't ask, and Depeche Mode didn't mind. While they were inspired by Elvis & Priscilla Presley, Johnny Cash was singing it for an entirely different reason.

When The Man Comes Around

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Johnny Cash? Well, I do. I've been singing his songs since I was a little bitty girl, and I love his "gospel" music as much as the rest. His voice combined with the words of the Bible seriously move me.

I Don't Roll On Shabbos III

Life has been so incredibly hectic, lately. I realize life happens and all, but I've totally been neglecting Mimsy here. For shame, I know. I'm already back to not rollin' on the sabbath, and you know what that means. Beautiful music.

Switchfoot's "On Fire"


I fully intend to blather about what's been going on with me as of late, medically and otherwise. Nothing gross, promise. It's just going to take more time and energy than I have to offer at the moment. In the meantime, enjoy the music.

I Don't Roll On Shabbos

As most of you folks already know (Isn't it adorable how I assume there's a plethora of you avid Mimsy subscribers?) , I'm a Christian that observes Saturday as a day of rest. It's called Sabbath. I've blathered about it before here, if you're in the least bit interested/confused/concerned.

I've run into a number of people that initially assumed that I was Jewish, because of the whole sabbath deal. Some of my dear friends like to tease, usually making reference to The Big Lebowski, calling me Walter and talking about not rolling on the shabbos. Cracks me up. I do love John Goodman, even as a foul-mouthed post traumatic stress disorder sufferer. Seriously, I know cursing is something a lot of people do, but oh my goodness, do the Coen brothers like to pack it into a movie.

Anyhow, it looks like I'm starting a little tradition here on the old blog called I Don't Roll On Shabbos. It'll be a little bit o' Saturday loveliness, some music, photos, etc. Last week it was the incredibly poetic Sufjan Stevens, and this week...



Ben Harper. The man could sing about liposuction and it would bring a tear to your eye, but his spirituals truly are beautiful. Enjoy!

Beautimus

I love Sufjan Stevens. Do you love Sufjan Stevens? Yes, of course you do. And I love his version of "Come Thou Fount". Love it. You can love it, too! It's not a very impressive video, but it's all I had time to find. Enjoy.



P.S. Be expecting an update on the gloriousness that is Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland. Going tonight with a variety of wondermous people. Squee!

Should I Bring Back The Music?

I would like to know what you lovely bloggers think about this. I had the glorious musical blog for a while. Some people loved it. Some people tweeted about how much they loathed it. I may or may not have cried a little, and I most definitely deleted the musicalness.

Should I bring back the music? I'll make it optional. It will so not just start playing without your permission. What say you?

The Prestige

Alright folks. How the heck are ya?! I dropped off the planet (out of the state rather) for a while, but now I've returned and think it's time for a comeback.

Had a great time in Michigan and Indiana. We spent some much needed time away from work, with friends, family and at the beach. Any of you blessed enough to have already seen the documentation of such on Facebook, I hereby apologize for any photos of me in swimwear. I can assure you all pictures were taken against my will, and I am seeking retribution.

Where were we? Oh yes. I left you last with a shuffle of obviously unpopular music. :P You're all very sweet for commenting, even if you didn't know the music. I tend to listen to a pretty wide range of musical goodness. So, can't say's I blame you for not recognizing too much.

So, without further adieu, here are the song titles and artists that you all need to be familiarizing yourselves with.

1. You Know My Name by The Beatles

2. Who'll Stop The Rain by Creedence Clearwater Revival

3. Her Majesty by The Beatles

4. Change by Muse

5. The Places We Lived by Backyard Tire Fire

6. The Blues by Switchfoot

7. Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana

8. Colonial Boy by Devin Townsend

9. Joseph Campbell by Warm In The Wake

10. Jack & The Water Buffalo by Head of Femur

11. Say "Hey" ( I love you) by Michael Frantee and Spearhead

12. My Dear Country by Norah Jones

13. What's This by Danny Elfman

14. Miracle Sun by Anthony Green

15. The Smell of Pajamas by Animal Collective

16. You're A Wolf by Sea Wolf

17. Polly by Nirvana

18. We Are Real by Silver Jews

19. By The Way by Red Hot Chili Peppers

20. Five Fleas by Rasputina

Bonus: Young Pilgrims by The Shins

Oh! None other than the lovely Ari will be receiving a bit of handmade goodness for getting the most right answers.

I like this giving away prizes thing. I'll have to come up with ways to do it more often. Maybe once I get more on MadShiny (my Etsy shop) I can give things away monthly!

Shuffle

My dear Ariana ganked this last week, and now it's my turn. Here's how it works.

Step 1: Put your iPod/MP3 player/whatever glorious musical device you've got on random.

Step 2: Post the first line from the first 20 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing the song.

Step 3: Let folks guess what song and artist the lines come from.

Step 4: Post the song info after they've had their chance.

Step 5: Give them some incentive.

Okay. I hereby state that googling or researching in any form or fashion is cheating, and will be met with swift and certain death. ^_^ Oh, and whoever guesses first/the most will get a prize. Some handmade goodness to cuddle or gift.

1. You know my name.

2. Long as I remember the rain been coming down.

3. Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl, but she doesn't have a lot to say.

4. I watched you change into a fly.

5. Cuttin' through the corn field, I've got my row picked out.

6. Is this the new year, or just another night?

7. Load up on guns. Bring your friends.

8. If you ever need a friend in me...

9. My new clay sculpture was taken home by an art vulture whose soul had been sold.

10. Oh...20 shades of green.

11. Hey. How's it going today?

12. Twas Halloween and the ghosts were out...

13. What's this?!

14. Where do you go when it gets dark, and is there room for me there?

15. Are you waiting for me at the end of the airport?

16. I'm walking down the southern stream...

17. Polly wants a cracker.

18. Up the hill past 694 at the stone wall make a left.

19. This is my time. This is my tale.

20. Five fleas band together against all odds to form a new company.

Bonus: A cold and wet November dawn, and there are no barking sparrows.

Okay bloggers, get to it! I've got a bit of handmade goodness to send the winner! ^_^

Oh, and I made a new owlie (not your bit of handmade goodness) with a 3-dimensional beak.
Not sure what I think of it. A little too Frosty the Snowman carrot nose-ish? What say you?

I Me Mine

Posting has become somewhat of an abstract concept to me as of late. I love to write. I love ANY form of communication. I love feedback. So, blogging is SO my thing. I just haven't had the time.

I know I've been saying that forever. I think maybe this oh, so dark and shiny musical blog o' mine may just exist to help me realize my time management issues. Maybe. I seriously have problems with jumping head first into 5 things at once, and deadlines? Yeah. College almost killed me because of my aversion to deadlines.

Anyhow...Ari posted a nice little meme a while back, and I thought I'd pass it along. It's a refreshing little exercise. You should do it too.


. . . I can't . . .
-remember the last thing I said to my Grandma before she died, and that really bothers me.
-manage time very well.
-understand prejudice.


. . . I can . . .
-create from now until doom's day, and still have more ideas.
-make just about any situation seem brighter.
-pop the bone in my nose, and it's really loud and gross.


. . . I won't . . .
-be treated like a cog.
-make another pbj sandwich as long as I live.
-let the past ruin my future.


. . . I will . . .
-be a children's book author/illustrator.
-one day have things for sale in my Etsy Shop.
-be happy.


. . . I shouldn't . . .
-worry sooo much.
-be late all the time.
-be so hard on myself.


. . . I should . . .
-stop telling everyone yes all the time.
-paint more for me.
-let God handle things more often.

Your turn.

27

(The wonders of a little free time at work...and hilighters.)

My birthday is on the twenty-seventh. Of June. I'll be twenty-seven on the twenty-seventh of June this year and, though I feel that this is some sort of doom's day event, I'm feeling pretty good about being a year older. Well, pretty good about my life. Not necessarily being older.

It may sound awful to some of you happy shiny people out there, but every year that goes by I find that I'm comparing myself to my mother.

When she was 16 she had run away from home, dropped out of school, gotten married and had my sister.

I was painting in my room, rocking out to The Beatles, The Doors, The Wallflowers, Metallica and thinking about my future.

At 25 she'd been divorced, remarried to my father for eight years, and welcomed me into the world...on June 27th, 1982.

I was finished with college, married about 4 years, adopting every stray animal that crossed my path, painting, rocking out to The Beatles, The Doors, The Avett Brothers, Andrew Bird and thinking about my future.

I don't know what it is exactly that makes me want to compare my life to hers, or why I feel good about my life in contrast to hers. Don't get me wrong, my Mom has made some seriously detrimental decisions, but she also rocks. She's 4 foot 11.5 inches and all Trouble. Take notice of the capitalization, or else.

She's been through a lot. Married for almost a decade to a raging alcoholic. Put up with an abusive boyfriend for the next thirteen years. Raised two daughters. And then went back to school when I was nine, and got her nursing degree.

Now she has a good job, a house that's paid for, and a very mild mannered fiance. So, I certainly don't wish she'd changed too much, or else my sister and I wouldn't have the luxury of griping about her now and again. ^_^

Still, I find myself unintentionally comparing our lives. I suppose it's because for years she was the only person I really felt like I knew. We moved so often. I'd make friends. We'd move. I'd make friends. We'd move. My Dad wasn't around. My Mom was all I had. So, I guess it makes sense.

Anyhow, my birthday is Saturday. Yay! ^_^

Oh, and Ben. We had a failure to communicate. Probably my fault, as most all miscommunications are. The newf shares a birthday with my best friend's little sister. MY birthday, and Helen Keller's, is June 27th. Sorry to revoke his "newf"ound birthday prestige.

What Say You, Music Lovers?

Google Reader is great, right? Blogspot's even moving up in the world. I can read all you folks I follow right there from my dashboard...at least in part. Still, I like to visit all your pretty little blogs. Some of you even have music! Which brings me to my point.

I couldn't resist the urge to add music to my blog. Seeing how I consider myself to have wonderful taste, I imagine you will all love the music I chose to share. Yet, I know we are often creatures of habit. Change is something I like...if I'm in control.

So, this whole music player on my oh so dark and shiny blog might not be your favorite. You might hate the music I listen to(for this you should be banished, but I will be gracious:P), and that's not something I'm willing to suffer.

What say you? I have lots for you to choose from. It's all just a scroll away. Maybe you can find something tolerable? Can I have my music and keep you lovely people happy? xoxo