Day 67: Contours

He had no sharp angles. Every part of him offered curved lines. Every muscle had definition and volume. The model was perfect for drawing cross-contour lines… the lines which we practiced in the exercise for today, my first class in figure drawing. First, the “swoop” – the gesture line that describes the basic posture, following … read more Day 67: Contours

Day 66: To the other side, from this side

Day 66 of a fetus: “External genitalia are forming, and after this month, it will have physically developed into either a boy or a girl (though its gender was determined at conception).” So says SheKnows.com, which aims to educate pregnant women about what’s going on inside them. Except: Gender is not determined at conception.  A … read more Day 66: To the other side, from this side

Day 65: The browser bully

Today I wanted to give Microsoft some money, but they wouldn’t let me. Because I wasn’t using THEIR browser. I know that sounds paranoid. You decide: I was trying to add credit to my Skype account. The website refused to cooperate. The bottom line from Skype support chat was that I should switch browsers. To Internet Explorer. Owned … read more Day 65: The browser bully

Day 64: When I get older

For people of a certain age, the number 64 causes the Beatles song to immediately pop into our heads. When that song came out, 64 seemed like a truly ancient age. And now …. well, “When I’m 64” is less than eight years away from today, Day 64. Only 2,859 days. Not much more than a box of pennies. … read more Day 64: When I get older

Day 62: What is it with the music?

I love music. It’s always been part of my life, from the time I would play with blocks while Mom listened to “The Classics Hour” on the radio. I love all kinds of music. Rap, country, jazz. Glenn Miller, Whitney Houston, Hozier. About the only thing I don’t like is techno, and even that has … read more Day 62: What is it with the music?

Day 61: Smooth ride on a rough road

The road to Booger Hollow is about as bad as any road I’ve been on, including in Africa. We’ve actually named some of the tougher spots: Grand Canyon, Little Grand Canyon, Big Rock, Jagged Culvert. Booger Hollow is a 40-acre patch of private land smack in the middle of a national forest, where we have … read more Day 61: Smooth ride on a rough road

Day 60: When looks are fatal

My cousin killed this perfectly innocent spider yesterday because it was scary-looking. Good thing she’s never seen me after a Jeep ride in a hard rain. I felt so bad for that spider. I thought about her all day. She had a bright jaggy-patterned back and striped legs – a beauty, in her own way. But she got zapped with … read more Day 60: When looks are fatal

Day 59: Why they hate us (for liberals)

I would not have believed it possible, but I feel sorry for Kim Davis. Not because she’s in jail for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples. Her job is to carry out the duties of her public office, and she is in contempt of court. But oh, the nastiness. Liberals made fun of her denim … read more Day 59: Why they hate us (for liberals)

Day 58: Unsocial

Because I’m a journalist, I’m required to like social media. And I do, for some things. But… Well, social media isn’t worthless. Twitter is ideal for sending and receiving news alerts and story recommends. Facebook is wonderful for getting back in touch with people you haven’t seen in years. LinkedIn is an exceptionally good venue for adding … read more Day 58: Unsocial