Black and white keys, saxophone, guitar, everywhere. The music has much more magnificence than can be tried to be explained through words…
Black and white keys, saxophone, guitar, everywhere. The music has much more magnificence than can be tried to be explained through words. This jazzy rendezvous has always been André’s favourite ear-food. He just loves the way its beauty, splendour, radiance is ‘unleashed’. André stares at the canvas for over a dozen times. Here he is staring at the blank space which is future marvel…or was it to be past marvel? Had he missed his chance, missed the boat which would have sailed to sentimental stardom? He refuses to collaborate more than a sentence for any one idea. Any idea that deserves a sentence must deserve no doubt. Any canvas is only worth the greatest ideas. Two André’s exist; though only one at any one time. The withdrawn analytical front, designed for most occasions. On rare occasions the other character may appear, the intensive, massively determined André who acts on impulses. Impulsive André must be begged out. A Pandora’s Box of surprises, his job will at least never cease to astonish. “Dearest André, Through years have you befriended my son Louis, so therefore I am offering an opportunity to benefit both of our interests (with intent towards your gain). Litton inc., my company has stepped up towards mainstream success. We require visual arts for our newly bought edifice. I understand you have been painting for the eight years since high school. To your discretion I would like to require a painting; just one will suffice. I would like something vibrant and colourful, yet deep and meaningful; Contemporise to your own vision. Much thanks, Dr. Raymond Fonck.” The commissioned paper lies stuck on the wall. André has read it. Now it is time for the future. It has been too long sitting around (or rather bouncing around); too get too much productivity from anything. Someone once said to him that anything is good experience. True perhaps, although he prefers productivity, especially in a time of intensity such as this; three days left until confrontation. His vigilant eyes stroll around the room, searching for advice. He is not bored, nor has he painters block, for such a term does not exist and will not ever for him. His eyes strike the clock. The clock glares 5:48 pm back. What a disgusting fierce look it has. Not 5:45, nor 6:00 and only one uncomfortable minute in-between. For at this time these uncomforting three digits add to the frustration in the actual time. “Aw!” André suddenly realizes the importance of the time. It is the one factor which never seems to be on his side but actually encourages his total progress. It is an epiphany like that of a mother to the newborn. André decides to let his hands take / control. They are the secret key, (sometimes the gatekeepers of unleashing impulsive André) His dominant left one picks up the brush (over time it has made up for its fault of statistically losing him seven years). His right hand decides to lose cognition. It dips itself into a little puddle of Sangria oil paint muck. Than it flies onto the near-centre of the canvas, smeared diagonally. His left hand takes initiative once again, waving lines of smudge to and fro. Right hand brings more paint to its destination. Myrtle, Indigo, Olive, Magnolia…and no, not that…Yes, yes, even black! (Well seal brown to be precise). All of these contextually beautiful colours unleashed! There are no thoughts in André’s mind now. This is impulsive André now; organised thought is of little importance! That colour is important here. This colour is unimportant there. A few lines of any colour are important right here or there, but perhaps a darker colour is better. More negative space up and down the edges. Shape is forming. Lines are bolding. Complete non-representational form is diminishing. Visualizations; the visualized images in mind are being…unloaded bit by bit. It is coming about. What is it though? No one knows. If anybody could guess it definitely would not be André. André knows he has the power to bring out the reality in it though. In a seemingly paradox situation he must not connect to reality at the moment though. Now, after these hours of painting, André is in the painting. He would not know it has been hours besides the constant glare of the illuminating digital clock staring from across the room; it unconsciously processes its recognition into André. The phone screams out, ‘br-ring, br-ring!’ Like the other external matter it creeps into André, until finally its screams become too annoying to ignore. It’s too late now…impulsive André has vanished; his conventional counterpart has replaced him. The phone persists though. André decides to take it (typical for his returned mannerism). He dives across the room horizontally attacking the corner where that nuisance phone lies. ‘Aw, aw, aw, aw!’ A tube of paint has squirt from underneath his stomach. Agonising that his material friend can be so painful at times (like any of his life long friends). He picks up the phone; only the tone. He has missed whatever, whoever it was. Once again, missing the boat… Now thought and all that comes with it has returned. Why now out of all times possible? There is only sadness, misery, all this escalated from these small miniscule misfortunes; all has turned to turmoil! What can one do, when feeling like crawling into a hole? His secret minor disorders such as his claustrophobia would prevent him from crawling into that hole, even if he had one. At the moment everything feels like one big hole. Not surprisingly André’s eyes begin doing the only thing they know to do in times of unrest; wander. It is impossible to ignore what is there; it has been there all along, yet has never been seen. It is beautiful! It is splendour! It is radiance!! It is interrupted by another scream of ‘br-ring br-ring’. André picks up the damn phone. Without contemplation he whispers, “Sir, madam, I’m very terribly busy, could you perhaps call back sometime?” A deep sophisticated voice replies, “Raymond Fonck, André. Listen, I need to know about the progress of the painting. How is it going; ready to sell on Friday?” Many emotions garner at the speed of light inside André allows these emotions to clash inside of him. The painting; it is beautiful, splendour, radiance! How could he give it away now, after an indescribable series of emotional contributions? It is something that has not been attempted before; yet it is new but the expression of old. It is everything, at the moment, hopefully containing more interpretive inoculations for the future. It is a subject, of just some time, yet it contains a collaboration of detail separated from time. It is…once again interrupted by screams, this time of another sort; the infuriating talking of man. “André. Are you there?” Feelings of great rebellion sweep André off his feet. He knows how he will revolutionize his life, because after all; this painting has revolutionized his thought already. “Mister Fonck. I am so sorry. Some things have come over me…a type of sickness…although I am sure you are not aware of this mad syndrome I am suffering due to it. Well to the point, I must say I will not be supplying you with your wanted artwork. Thank you for your understanding. Hopefully we can collaborate something in future.” André hangs the phone up without replies, without a stated understanding from the mister Fonck. Without even the knowledge of acceptance or approval from the mister Fonck…it does not matter. All that matters is this new painting, this contemporised vision. It is everything. Most importantly of all, it is…unleashed!
Hello and welcome to all Red Bubblers in this group! I am really excited about reading, exploring and debating artistic pieces of work…
Hello and welcome to all Red Bubblers in this group! I am really excited about reading, exploring and debating artistic pieces of work that are so typical of so many talented writers on RB. A few house rules: (1) Let’s try to keep it to 1-2 downloads per person on a daily basis to allow the work to be viewed and not flood the group page please. / (2) Have fun and be as creative as you like / (3) When commenting or feeding back remember to be sensitive – artists are sensitive people! / (4) Any queries about the group – send me a Bubblemail and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. / (5) Any ideas or suggestions – I’m all ears Most of all enjoy! Here’s to an unfolding magical journey of creativity and the inspiration that comes with being part of such a wonderful group of people! Suzanne
Many of you guys know my passion for the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda after visiting there as a photojournalist …
Many of you guys know my passion for the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda after visiting there as a photojournalist in April and May this year. Much of our time was spent at HEAL Africa Hospital in Goma, in the eastern province known as South Kivu. South Kivu is considered ‘lawless’ as the various militias roam the countryside and villages quite literally raping and pillaging. I say various because there are many. One consists of the remnants of those who slaughtered their fellow Rwandans 13 years ago, another is from Robert Mugabe’s private army (think ‘Blood Diamond’ – that’s their style). Yet another is secretly supported by the Rwandan government who are lured by the promise of diamonds and more land. You see D.R. Congo has the most natural resources of any country in Africa. This should be a cause for celebration. But it brings heartbreak, despair and the most overwhelming cruelty you could imagine possible. You must wonder at my obsession with this cause. The thing is, it’s invaded my mind and kidnapped my heart. Following is an article about D.R. Congo. It was published in the New York Times in October this year. You remember October. It was less than 4 weeks ago. I hope you read it. It’s not meant to make you sad and turn away. It’s an unashamed attempt to get you involved. In prayers and you bet, in money. These guys don’t want your sympathy they want your help. This is written about another hospital apart from HEAL Africa. But the story is exactly the story of the HEAL Africa hospital. And the people you seein my photos. Take my word for it. I stood in the victims urine and feces. I touched their macheted limbs. And I played with kids who suffer diseases we fix with one of those pesky little things we call needles. Ladies this is a call to action. In February (14th lunch time) my sister here she is… she is hosting a lunch for Lyn Lusi the head of HEAL Africa. Yep she’s going to be in Melbourne. And I am getting a table together. It’s $55 a head and Lyn will tell you first hand what is happening in Congo. Much of it will be about the treatment of women. I’d love love love to have some Red Bubble chicks at my table. $55 for charity, a great meal and words that will change your life, from one of the rarest people you will ever meet. Please please please come. Anyway to the article. Read it please. Knowledge is power. The New York Times October 2007 BUKAVU, Congo — Denis Mukwege, a Congolese gynecologist, cannot bear to listen to the stories his patients tell him anymore. Every day, 10 new women and girls who have been raped show up at his hospital. Many have been so sadistically attacked from the inside out, butchered by bayonets and assaulted with chunks of wood, that their reproductive and digestive systems are beyond repair. “We don’t know why these rapes are happening, but one thing is clear,” said Dr. Mukwege, who works in South Kivu Province, the epicenter of Congo’s rape epidemic. “They are done to destroy women.” Eastern Congo is going through another one of its convulsions of violence, and this time it seems that women are being systematically attacked on a scale never before seen here. According to the United Nations, 27,000 sexual assaults were reported in 2006 in South Kivu Province alone, and that may be just a fraction of the total number across the country. “The sexual violence in Congo is the worst in the world,” said John Holmes, the United Nations under secretary general for humanitarian affairs. “The sheer numbers, the wholesale brutality, the culture of impunity — it’s appalling.” The days of chaos in Congo were supposed to be over. Last year, this country of 66 million people held a historic election that cost $500 million and was intended to end Congo’s various wars and rebellions and its tradition of epically bad government. But the elections have not unified the country or significantly strengthened the Congolese government’s hand to deal with renegade forces, many of them from outside the country. The justice system and the military still barely function, and United Nations officials say Congolese government troops are among the worst offenders when it comes to rape. Large swaths of the country, especially in the east, remain authority-free zones where civilians are at the mercy of heavily armed groups who have made warfare a livelihood and survive by raiding villages and abducting women for ransom. According to victims, one of the newest groups to emerge is called the Rastas, a mysterious gang of dreadlocked fugitives who live deep in the forest, wear shiny tracksuits and Los Angeles Lakers jerseys and are notorious for burning babies, kidnapping women and literally chopping up anybody who gets in their way. United Nations officials said the so-called Rastas were once part of the Hutu militias who fled Rwanda after committing genocide there in 1994, but now it seems they have split off on their own and specialize in freelance cruelty. Honorata Barinjibanwa, an 18-year-old woman with high cheekbones and downcast eyes, said she was kidnapped from a village that the Rastas raided in April and kept as a sex slave until August. Most of that time she was tied to a tree, and she still has rope marks ringing her delicate neck. The men would untie her for a few hours each day to gang-rape her, she said. “I’m weak, I’m angry, and I don’t know how to restart my life,” she said from Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, where she was taken after her captors freed her. She is also pregnant. While rape has always been a weapon of war, researchers say they fear that Congo’s problem has metastasized into a wider social phenomenon. “It’s gone beyond the conflict,” said Alexandra Bilak, who has studied various armed groups around Bukavu, on the shores of Lake Kivu. She said that the number of women abused and even killed by their husbands seemed to be going up and that brutality toward women had become “almost normal.” Malteser International, a European aid organization that runs health clinics in eastern Congo, estimates that it will treat 8,000 sexual violence cases this year, compared with 6,338 last year. The organization said that in one town, Shabunda, 70 percent of the women reported being sexually brutalized. At Panzi Hospital, where Dr. Mukwege performs as many as six rape-related surgeries a day, bed after bed is filled with women lying on their backs, staring at the ceiling, with colostomy bags hanging next to them because of all the internal damage. “I still have pain and feel chills,” said Kasindi Wabulasa, a patient who was raped in February by five men. The men held an AK-47 rifle to her husband’s chest and made him watch, telling him that if he closed his eyes, they would shoot him. When they were finished, Ms. Wabulasa said, they shot him anyway. In almost all the reported cases, the culprits are described as young men with guns, and in the deceptively beautiful hills here, there is no shortage of them: poorly paid and often mutinous government soldiers; homegrown militias called the Mai-Mai who slick themselves with oil before marching into battle; members of paramilitary groups originally from Uganda and Rwanda who have destabilized this area over the past 10 years in a quest for gold and all the other riches that can be extracted from Congo’s exploited soil. The attacks go on despite the presence of the largest United Nations peacekeeping force in the world, with more than 17,000 troops. Few seem to be spared. Dr. Mukwege said his oldest patient was 75, his youngest 3. “Some of these girls whose insides have been destroyed are so young that they don’t understand what happened to them,” Dr. Mukwege said. “They ask me if they will ever be able to have children, and it’s hard to look into their eyes.” No one — doctors, aid workers, Congolese and Western researchers — can explain exactly why this is happening. “That is the question,” said André Bourque, a Canadian consultant who works with aid groups in eastern Congo. “Sexual violence in Congo reaches a level never reached anywhere else. It is even worse than in Rwanda during the genocide.” Impunity may be a contributing factor, Mr. Bourque added, saying that very few of the culprits are punished. Many Congolese aid workers denied that the problem was cultural and insisted that the widespread rapes were not the product of something ingrained in the way men treated women in Congolese society. “If that were the case, this would have showed up long ago,” said Wilhelmine Ntakebuka, who coordinates a sexual violence program in Bukavu. Instead, she said, the epidemic of rapes seems to have started in the mid-1990s. That coincides with the waves of Hutu militiamen who escaped into Congo’s forests after exterminating 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus during Rwanda’s genocide 13 years ago. Mr. Holmes said that while government troops might have raped thousands of women, the most vicious attacks had been carried out by Hutu militias. “These are people who were involved with the genocide and have been psychologically destroyed by it,” he said. Mr. Bourque called this phenomenon “reversed values” and said it could develop in heavily traumatized areas that had been steeped in conflict for many years, like eastern Congo. This place, one of the greenest, hilliest and most scenic slices of central Africa, continues to reverberate from the aftershocks of the genocide next door. Take the recent fighting near Bukavu between the Congolese Army and Laurent Nkunda, a dissident general who commands a formidable rebel force. Mr. Nkunda is a Congolese Tutsi who has accused the Congolese Army of supporting Hutu militias, which the army denies. Mr. Nkunda says his rebel force is simply protecting Tutsi civilians from being victimized again. But his men may be no better. Willermine Mulihano said she was raped twice — first by Hutu militiamen two years ago and then by Nkunda soldiers in July. Two soldiers held her legs apart, while three others took turns violating her. “When I think about what happened,” she said, “I feel anxious and brokenhearted.” She is also lonely. Her husband divorced her after the first rape, saying she was diseased. In some cases, the attacks are on civilians already caught in the cross-fire between warring groups. In one village near Bukavu where 27 women were raped and 18 civilians killed in May, the attackers left behind a note in broken Swahili telling the villagers that the violence would go on as long as government troops were in the area. The United Nations peacekeepers here seem to be stepping up efforts to protect women. Recently, they initiated what they call “night flashes,” in which three truckloads of peacekeepers drive into the bush and keep their headlights on all night as a signal to both civilians and armed groups that the peacekeepers are there. Sometimes, when morning comes, 3,000 villagers are curled up on the ground around them. But the problem seems bigger than the resources currently devoted to it. Panzi Hospital has 350 beds, and though a new ward is being built specifically for rape victims, the hospital sends women back to their villages before they have fully recovered because it needs space for the never-ending stream of new arrivals. Dr. Mukwege, 52, said he remembered the days when Bukavu was known for its stunning lake views and nearby national parks, like Kahuzi-Biega. “There used to be a lot of gorillas in there,” he said. “But now they’ve been replaced by much more savage beasts.”
I always knew that the RedBubble team had a big job on their hands. But recently, various piles around the office have been tipping me of…
I always knew that the RedBubble team had a big job on their hands. But recently, various piles around the office have been tipping me off as to just how big a job it is… / This is the board where I pin up all the cool ideas people add to the Feedback and Suggestions Forum and then refer to for ongoing nagging to get what we all want :) / ...and the ones that didn’t fit on the board! / Then Pete tells me that 2585 sales notifications went out in March and Group Activity is growing and growing / Just cleaning up Ed’s desk could be a 5 person job / We’re always trying out new products which results in the Bub Hub being taken over with samples ready to be played with and debated over. / And Peter has a more emails than I can count to deal with – 4294965818 to be precise. That explains why he never gets back to me. Sometimes finding the time to get through all the great ideas can be overwhelming, but it’s worth it. And it’s so satisfying to see artists and writers sharing their creativity. The staff may not be able to make magic happen overnight, but it’s inspiring to work with a bunch of people who are so focussed on helping artists connect with one another and sell their work. Jo
50 things about me…for fun. So following the journals by JC Montgomery...
50 things about me…for fun. So following the journals by JC Montgomery and Paul Rees-Jones, I couldn’t resist having a crack at it as well, and neither could Miri, Anne, Alix, Zolton, Gayla, Cathie, darkestartist, hahpistuff 1. Do you like blue cheese? / I’ve tried it at least, but I wouldn’t run out and buy it. 2. Have you ever smoked a cigarette? / Twice, so yes. But they were just excuses to go and talk to girls :) 3. Do you own a gun? / No, but I grew up on a farm where guns were just another tool, so weren’t glamourised or romanticised, and we were trained in safety with the threat of never touching one again if we broke dad’s rules. The rules included toy guns. 4. What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic? / So Sonic is a junk food chain? Never heard of the place personally. 5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? / Depends why I’m there. Not if it’s for things like stitches, broken bones, dislocations, or vaccinations. Skin cancer checks make me concerned though. Too many people, young and old, die in Australia from it. 6. Do you like hot-dogs? / Sorta. The last one I had was rubbish though. 7. Favorite Christmas Song? / Bah humbug. 8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? / A double flat white. 9. Can you do push-ups? / Yup. Not as many as I used to be able to do when properly fit though. 10. What’s your favorite meal? / Mmmm, pig on the spit! Drooling… / Pork is the stumbling block in anyones way to converting me to vegetarianism. I couldn’t do it. Nope, no way. 11. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? / My watch. 12. Favorite hobby? / Used to be martial arts, but that died so that I might complete my postgrad study. I’m also a reformed computer game addict, and don’t do that anymore (but I wish I was!). I love the cinema, but only get to go a couple of times a year now. I used to read all the time, but my urge has decreased since I started writing. So I guess writing and photography are my current drives. 13. Do you work with people who idolize you? / Hardly. But who works with those sort of people? Unless you’re a movie star? 14. Name a trait that you hate about yourself? / Pouring all I’ve got into my current obsession, and then waking up one day and walking away from it never to look at it again (because there’s this new obsession, and it’s sooo much more interesting…) 16. Middle name? / John 17. Name 3 thoughts at this moment: / 50 questions actually takes longer to answer than it looks… / I should be finishing some writing… / Hmm, I feel like playing with my camera… 18. Name 3 things you bought yesterday: / A PhotoShop magazine. / Realms of Fantasy magazine, August 2008 (it’s got some cool stories, anyone read it?) / An asthma puffer :( 19. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink. / Mainly water. Start the day with a nice coffee. Occassional fruit juice. Although wine is probably more common than juice really. 20. Current worry right now? / That if I quit work the bills won’t get paid while I change careers. 21. Current hate right now? / The way the media works, at all levels, to inspire a culture of fear in the masses. 22. Favorite place to be? / The Gold or Sunshine coast hinterlands (not the coastal cities). But Byron Bay is nice. So’s Fraser Island. But I’m also happy sitting right here with my camera next to me and my bookshelves surrounding me. 23. How did you bring in New Years? / I don’t believe I did. 24. Favorite place to go? / Japan. 25. What is your most recurring dream? / Depends on how I’m feeling. / I have dreams of water, where I’m on top and any and all types of creatures writhe and squirm below the surface. When I’m stressed they break the surface. / Then there’s the zombies. Desperately trying to make me one of them. Just a fear of being like everyone else I think. 26. Introvert or extrovert? / Introvert, but I talk a lot apparently. 27. What color shirt are you wearing? / Grey. 28. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? / I’m not sure. 29. Can you whistle? / Yep. 30. Favorite color(s)? / Blue, black, grey. 31. Would you be a pirate? / In some ways yes, but the reality of life on an old tall ship surrounded by people you couldn’t trust isn’t my idea of a good time. 32. What songs do you sing in the shower? / No, not me. 33. Favorite girl’s name? / Gwenevere (I know, the spelling’s not the old way) 34. Favorite boy’s name? / That’s hard. Anything that breaks away from using names from the ‘traditional’ western source of names. 35. What’s in your pocket right now? / Ah, that’s where I left my USB key! 36. Last thing that made you laugh? / Little Britain; The Umbillical Brothers. 37. Bed sheets as a child? / I guess so? 38. Worst injury you’ve ever had? / Broken bones, but a dislocation was more painful. I’ve got a crescent moon scar between my eyes. I think that’s cool :) 39. Do you love where you live? / It’s okay. It’s briliant in summer though, as Queensland is too hot everywhere else. 40. How many TV’s are in your house? / Just one. I try and avoid it. I hate advertising (oh, I found a proper hate!) 41. What is your worst habit? / Not getting enough sleep. 42. How many dogs do you have? / One big fluffy husky :) 43. Does someone have a crush on you? / I hope that I’m married to her! 45. What is your favorite book? / Stardust is right up there, but so is Wicked, Alice in Wonderland, Dune, Year of Wonders, Harry Potter, Interview With the Vampire. I could go on… 46. What is your favorite candy? / Chocolate. Nearly any sort will do… 47. What is your favorite sports team? / Sports schmorts. I’d rather do than watch, and team stuff wasn’t as satisfying as individual stuff. 48. What song do you want played at your funeral? / I’m planning not to die. 49. What were you doing at 12 AM last night? / Actually sleeping for a change. 50. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up this morning? / Damn, my dreams evaporated too quickly. So now it’s your turn…!
Yes, I know everone’s doing it!!!! / If everyone was jumping off a cliff would I do it? / Of course! ;p / 1. Do you like blue cheese…
Yes, I know everone’s doing it!!!! / If everyone was jumping off a cliff would I do it? / Of course! ;p / 1. Do you like blue cheese? / Mmmmmm, love it! Especially melted and smeared over steak!! / 2. Have you ever smoked a cigarette? / Yes, gave them up when I was 26. / 3. Do you own a gun? / No. / 4. What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic? / I think I’m too old to know what Sonic is… but lets just say I’ll put Raspberry in anything!! / 5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? / Yes. / 6. Do you like hot-dogs? / No but I love sausages in many other varieties!! ...and don’t turn this into a sexual thing!! / 7. Favorite Christmas Song? / O’Come All Ye Faithful. / 8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? / Yakult! / 9. Can you do push-ups? / Yes but only a couple at a time! / 10. What’s your favorite meal? / Pizza & Red Wine! / 11. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? / Anything leather. / 12. Favorite hobby? / Football, Cricket, Golf…. playing or spectating. / 13. Do you work with people who idolize you? / LOL!! No. / 14. Name a trait that you hate about yourself? / I overeat. I suck at self discipline. / 15. What’s your middle name? / Ummmm, I know you all think it is “Louis” but I have another!!!! It’s James!! / 16. Name 3 thoughts at this moment: / I love the Olympics. / I can’t wait to Marry my beautiful darling! / It’s Friday! ...and Friday means Pizza and Red Wine!!!! / 17. Name 3 things you bought yesterday: / Nothing. / 18. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink. / Decaf Coffee, Hot Chocolates and Water. / 19. Current worry right now? / Health & Finances. / 20. Current hate right now? / Unable to stop ageing process. / 21. Favorite place to be? / Apollo Bay or Dubai. / 22. How did you bring in New Years? / With my honey. / 23. Favorite place to go? / Noosa in Winter. / 24. What is your most recurring dream? / This is going to sound soooooo ridiculous… I keep dreaming that I am William Wallace, yes, Braveheart. ...and I keep being put into these weird situations where I have to save everyone from something. / 25. Introvert or extrovert? / Internally I’m an extrovert. Externally you all would see the opposite! / 26. What color shirt are you wearing? / It’s a uniform and It’s white. If it was up to me I would be wearing Tie Dye 24/7! / 27. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? / Not sure. As long as the sheets are not Flannelette I’m happy. / 28. Can you whistle? / Yes. / 29. Favorite colour(s)? / Black and anything that’s part of the rainbow. / 30. Would you be a pirate? / Most definitely. The hat, the clothes, the swagger… I know it’s all Hollywood but hey, it’s my fantasy! / 31. What songs do you sing in the shower? / You just like me ‘cause I’m good in bed!! By The Skyhooks ;p / 32. Favorite girl’s name? / Celeste. / 33. Favorite boy’s name? / Chopper! / 34. Who is your loudest friend? / My budgie, Jimi! / 35. What’s in your pocket right now? / 60 cents, a handkerchief and a proximity card. / 36. Last thing that made you laugh? / Mif Wurhurst. / 37. Bed sheets as a child? / Batman & Robin & Superman. / 38. Worst injury you’ve ever had? / LOL! Forget it, I’d get a finger cramp typing them… Just alot of ankles, shoulders and fingers. / 39. Do you love where you live? / Yes. / 40. How many TV’s are in your house? / One. / 41. What is your worst habit? / Bite my finger nails.. / 42. How many dogs do you have? / None, / 43. Does someone have a crush on you? / Yep! / 44. Do you own slippers? / No. / 45. What is your favorite book? / Anything by Tolkein. / 46. What is your favorite candy? / Chocolate. The darker the better! / 47. What is your favorite sports team? / Australian Cricket Team, followed by The Carlton Football Club. / 48. What song do you want played at your funeral? / Spirit in the sky by Norman Greenbaum / 49. What were you doing at 12 AM last night? / Snoring loudly and drooling! ;p / 50. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up this morning? / Ummmm, (blush) you know!!! hehe!
Ok guys, I’ve got a bit of an idea here. Basically it goes like this. 1. You tell me your two favourite things / 2. I majick up a pict…
Ok guys, I’ve got a bit of an idea here. Basically it goes like this. 1. You tell me your two favourite things / 2. I majick up a picture of them both and put it on a tshirt / 3. Everybody laughs. Oh, the times we will have. I don’t expect anyone to buy the tee, I just feel like doing something a bit different :) So tell me; what are your two favourite things?
This has to be one of the best things I’ve discovered about the camera and I just found it this morning. I’ve written an article on my bl…
This has to be one of the best things I’ve discovered about the camera and I just found it this morning. I’ve written an article on my blog detailing how this set of functions have saved me so much time out in the field. Here is the link to the article I hope the group finds it useful
Ragman has put together some journals covering some basics of doing it right when it comes to ar…
Ragman has put together some journals covering some basics of doing it right when it comes to art/photography. Here are some of the excerpts from his up-coming book. Very worthwhile reading, for everyone, IMHO! I’ll add this to my list of handy tips and tricks, so it’s easy to find from my profile page. Concept / Context / Content / Constructs / Composition / Capture / Chance / Canvas / Camera and Computer / Creative Connection
1.. I type terrible so I will have a lot of mistakes here / 2…. I have a skin disorder that supposedly Michael Jackson says he has..lol…
1.. I type terrible so I will have a lot of mistakes here / 2…. I have a skin disorder that supposedly Michael Jackson says he has..lol .makes me have polka dots all over my skin. / 3…I lived in Alaska for 18 years / 4.. was raised in the ghetto streets of New York City , and never felt I was poor. mom never let us in on that .. it was not important. / 4..I was married to the most annoying person when it came to driving he would rather be lost for hours and go around in circle until everyone wanted to throw up / 5.. I have 3 children, and 1 grandchild / 6.. until recently I was still carded.. now .. nope .. no / 7…i dont wear T shirts , except to bed / 8…and i usually sleep nude anyways / 9.. I wear tank tops all the time, unless I am going for a job interview or president obama comes around , or im going to a wedding. etc / 10…I believe God created this world / 11….i love to awoken by my husband wanting something.. i find nothing more sexy / 12…i hate the phone with a passion / 13… i dont know how to watch tv with anybody else in the room.. i like to watch it all alone.. and especially if I am watching a movie. / 14… I have been in a few choirs, and I have done praise dancing i churches / 15… dancing is one of my passions / 16 .. i am totally lost without the bubble / 17.. i have no friends anymore since I left Alaska.. it has been really lonely in that respect. / 18… i sometimes miss the mountains so much , i cry .. / 19… my kids can call me at 4 am or 2 am .as well as my friends.. but my health no longer lets me concentrate too much on one thing , so it is hard to hold a conversation unless it is my sister whom I relate everything to . / 20.. i have had 12 jobs since my big layoff in 2006 / 21.. i drink more coffee than most people / 22…. there are memories in my life i can still smell and hear / 23… my husband knows how to survive in the swamps and can kill an alligator , which he has done and had to kill a rattlesnake once in front of me.. and he loves nature and understands it perfectly .. / 24…. I have a son whom does stand up comedy for his comrades and he sings in karaoke bars / 25.. i have a daughter whom sings opera and plays the bassoon for symphonies / 26…..I dont know anything about layering photos , so I can only merge two photos together lol.. dont know how to cut and paste.. nothing like that. / 27… I am reading 6 books about photography right now , though , to learn. / 28… I have lived in New York, Puerto Rico , Alaska, Kentucky and Florida.. lol. / 29….I pole dance for my husband ..lol / 30…i now host 5 groups in rb.. / 31…. i could drive forever if I had the money ..I would go across this wonderful land and write a book. / 32….. I adore garage sales and flea markets / 33.. I could live on rice and beans / 34…. I once lived on a bag of sunflower seeds .. for five days .. and some water. / 35…. I edited a newspaper for my church and did the yearbook for my kids / 36… I wish I could visit Europe / 37….. I wish I could visit most places in the USA.. / 38.. one of the best experiences in my life was driving the ALCAN highway .. to Florida ..4999 miles later , here I am / 39….I love to ramble about nothing / 40.. I think we should do a group about this rambling stuff.. lol / 41…. I love breakfast.. it reminds me of daddy / 42…...I am trying to get into poetry , but I think I really suck at it.. / 43…... I belly laugh at times in the spirit / 44…. I love my friends on the bubble and have met such wonderful people, it makes me so happy / 45…. most people, when they describe me , they describe me as sweet.. and it makes me a little sad.. I wish they saw more to me than just that. / 46…. I have had jobs where I interview people, those were my favorite jobs / 47… I had a job in Alaska , where I taught people how to cook economically .. it was great fun, and I met some of my best friends through this job / 48.. I miss my friends I left as a young teenager in New York, and have not been able to find any of them / 49…. I love birds and cats.. / 50…... your turn now..
I saw something similiar to this going around a while back so thought I might as well do one as well…..... So , Here it goes…...........
I saw something similiar to this going around a while back so thought I might as well do one as well…..... So , Here it goes…......... LOL (1) My Eyes are Green. / (2) I was born in the wonderful state of Alabama…... Who wouldve guessed that ! lol / (3) I am a mom of the 3 most wonderful boys in the entire universe ! hehehe / (4) I was a straight ‘A’ student in school…....... I know that is hard to believe ! lol / (5) I was a cheerleader for 12 years…... Guess thats where I get alot of my WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOing LOL / (6) I Drive a 2008 4 door Ford F 150 …. Im built FORD TOUGH ! ROFLOLLLLL!!!!!!!!! / (7) My favorite movie like ever is the movie TITANIC and just like Rose, I can spit like a man ! LOL LOL LOL / (8) I love animals like you would not even comprehend ! I wish I could save them all and believe me, I try !!!!! / (9) I have a passion for photography and digital art that is so extreme is almost borders insanity ! LOL / (10) I sit and edit while listening to Christian music that tears at my heart strings and alot of times, I sit and cry all day while editing….... but not out of sadness, out of thankfulness !!!!!! / (11) Music in general is a passion for me ! Always has been ! / (12) I play keyboard/ piano and have done so practically all of my life ! / (13) I go out in the woods very often as we live out in the country . I will do the craziest stuff to get a shot I want… for instance but not limited to lol, Laying on the ground, getting knee deep in the creek, walking alongside poisonous snakes,( Although I do keep striking distance ) lol…...And yes Wendy, I wear my snake boots MOST of the time ! LOL / (14) Somedays I grab the Kawasaki Mule or a 4 wheeler, and I go wide open up the power lines through the woods from my house while chasing the next sunset ! LOL / (15) I feel the wind caressing my face while taking photos out and at times, it overwhelms to the point I cry , yes, I cry again! LOL Im very emotional !!!! / I find that beauty truly is everywhere, in everything, and I crave it and I INTEND on feeling every beautiful thing in this world that I have the chance to feel as long as I have one breath left in me ! I CHERISH IT !!!!!!!! / (16) I love ALL PEOPLE no matter what race, denomination or creed and there are no exceptions to that rule !!!! / (17) My greatest downside is my temper that sometimes gets the best of me…... But rarely does it do so anymore ! I have learned over the years to not let things get to me so bad and to trust in God more and more so each day ! / (18) Several years ago a man tried to kidnap me by gunpoint in Arkansas but I fought him, he ran, and I lived !!! Thank you LORD !!!!!!!!!! / (19) I have a way with the wildlife around here that is what most would deem to be NOT NORMAL ! ! LOL I can talk with them and its as if they sit there and hear me ! I can actually even get close to deer that come up in my yard most of the time !!! / (20) I have a pit bull named Row Your Boat roflollllllllllll, and My best friend named Cletus ! Cletus goes out with me each time I go what I call hunting , and we have a blast ! LOL / (21) I have a black cat that I am so mad at right now I could beat him ! LOL But neverfear, I would never lol…. He keeps killing my birds ! GRRRRRRRRRRR / (22) I have bottle fed at some point or the other practically every animal you can think of ! If my dogs or cats drag it up in the yard, and I can save it, Believe me, I WILL !!!!! / I am a mother to many, many animals ! LOL / (23) I love College Football and am an Alabama Crimson Tide fan like none you have ever known before ! LOL / (24) I am a floral designer and an interior decorator and I am very good at it I might add ! LOL / (25) I love Orange Sherbet Ice Cream with Ginger Ale…... Dude that stuff Rocks ! LOL / (26) I am a MT Dew Aholic and yes, I know, Its bad for me….........Im just much nicer of a person after having my morning Mt Dew. / (27) I have won numerous online photography awards and prizes. / (28) I have had my photography featured in a museum in an art exhibit and was extremely proud! / (29) I cherish my local friends and my online friends and would do anything in the world to help them or for them ! I am extremely sincere about my love for my friends ! / (30) I loveeeeeeeeee Mexican food although It doesnt always love me ! / (31) I am thinking of dying my hair tonight ! LOL / (32) My favorite tv shows are reality shows ! I cant wait to see the ending of The Bachelor ! LOL / (33) Man this is alot of stuff to write ! LOL….... Um, Oh I know, I collect Dept 56 Snowbabies! They are just adorable ! / (34) I love to bring nature into my home and I turn sticks and tree branches and stuff like that into beautiful artwork at times ! I love nature and everything about it ! / (35) My favorite colors are purple, mauve, jade green and beige ! / (36) I am licensed by the US of America Federal Comminications Commission as a Licensed Radio Operator ! Who wouldve thought that? LOL / (37) I can drive anything from a motorcycle, to a 4 wheeler, to a car, truck and 18 wheeler ! No joke ! LOL / (38) I have 2 pistols and a rifle and a shotgun….. Im a country girl and country girls can survive ! LOL / (39) Ive lived all of my life in the south except for living in Illinois once many, many years ago for a few months ! Im just southern born and southern bred I reckon ! LOL / (40) I love North West America with a passion and plan on living in Montana one day before all is said and done if the good Lord be willing !!! / (41) I have traveled ALOT across the USA and have been to every state except for Maine ! My favorites are Oregon, Colorado, Montana, Washington State and Northern California if I had to name em I guess ! LOL / (42) I love a window Seat when Flying although I havent flown in some time now due to being afraid to somewhat since 9/ 11. I love looking out the window and seeing how beautiful our world is ! Man its gorgeous out there ! Yall should check it out ! LOL / (43) I love to sit and put my thoughts on paper as it has become a very soul freeing experience for me over the recent years !!! / (44) I lay in bed alot and play on my cell phone ! I think I am addicted ! LOL / (45) I will probably edit like 50 photos today lol, before all is said and done lol, and I may post 3 or 4 ! LOL / (46) I have been known to play a video game or two and get really into it ! LOL But shhhhhhh…... dont tell ! LOL / (47) I love soft silky lotions on my skin and I love the soft fruity smells of them !!! WOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOO! They rock ! Lavender is calm and relaxing and Im a berry and fruit type lotion gal ! LOL / (48) I use Tide Washing Powder the majority of the time but have been known to switch out and use me some new Gain Apple Mango or whatever its called ! LOL / (49) I want each and everyone of you to always be blessed and happy in your lives ! ALWAYS ! And I mean that !!!!!!!!!!!! / (50) Finally , ROFLOL, I love spring, and I absolutely can not WAITTTTTTTTTTTT till it gets here ! WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :)~
I have a list of 50 mind blowing artworks, artists and websites. If you bubblemail me or leave a comment, I’ll share one with you. Yes, j…
I have a list of 50 mind blowing artworks, artists and websites. If you bubblemail me or leave a comment, I’ll share one with you. Yes, just one, that I think you would like. I’d post them all here, but sometimes it’s fun to keep secrets. share your favourite mind blowing art too
Hey there everyone in Bubbleland!! / There’s been a few of us celebrating our 2nd Bubble Birthdays recently and it got me going back throu…
Hey there everyone in Bubbleland!! / There’s been a few of us celebrating our 2nd Bubble Birthdays recently and it got me going back through my files and reminiscing… / I suddenly realized there were a bunch of images I never got to share with you guys for one reason or another but what the heck… / So here are some old newies for ya’s and lotsa bear hugs! :D / / 1 / / / / 2 / / / / 3 / / / / 4 / / / / 5 / / / / 6 / / / / 7 / / / / 8 / / / / 9 / / / / 10 / / / / 11 / / / / 12 / / / / 13 / / / / 14 / / / / 15 / / / / 16 / / / / 17 / / / / 18 / / / / 19 / / / / 20 / / / / 21 / / / / 22 / / / / 23 / / /
Some may say they are things not said, some say they are photographers secrets. I’m feeling a spirit of openness…. Here are a few de…
Some may say they are things not said, some say they are photographers secrets. I’m feeling a spirit of openness…. Here are a few details behind some of my artwork that may have had you thinking how. location was Telstra Dome its the external stairwell looking towards Southern cross pedestrian walkway focal length about 170mm bring a tripod curves adjusted heavily to bring out the lines and the blue hue from what was an otherwise black painted tank three standard mentos – no glue white paper background desk lamp lighting 100mm macro fibre optic lamp 50mm lens @ 1.4 with 12 mm extension tube image inverted Feel free to ask anything about my images that may have had you wondering and I’ll post the details that I can remember.
Night photography introduces new challenges, low light levels make exposure difficult, harsh lights add reflections, the slow shutter s…
Night photography introduces new challenges, low light levels make exposure difficult, harsh lights add reflections, the slow shutter speeds means difficulty in steadying the camera. Often night scenes lack the details needed to give depth to a photo so try adding a distinctive foreground object to give the shot some depth Night guard was shot with a Nikon D2H 14mm lens EI200 30sec f4.0 manual settings on tripod / Mounting the camera on a tripod usually eliminates the shakiness common to slow shutter speeds. Without a tripod brace yourself and experiment. Try holding the camera on a fencpost or wall for support. Use a remote shutter release to reduce vibration. / Compensating for bright lights in the scene will make for better exposures. Bright lights shining in the camera will fool your light meter so you may need to underexpose. Lightning shot with Nikon D2h 14mm lens EI400 4 sec. f5.6 aperture priority, minus 1.7 stops / When metering any night time scene remember that your light meter is trying to make everything 18% grey. So without exposure compensation the black night sky may look grey. To compensate I usually do a test of under exposures to find one I like. Shoot the scene at 1, 2 and 3 full stops under exposure then check the histograms or previews. / When shooting in automatic or program modes your camera will tend to choose wide open apertures. These large f stops reduce the resolution of many lenses so you might want to use manual modes. Shooting at f5.0-f11 will add sharpness and increase depth of field Special effects / Time exposures with action, A 1-2 second exposure during a fireworks grand finale will capture some rockets trailing skywards while other are exploding at elevation. Riverside fireworks was shot with a Nikon D2H 70mm lens EI200 1 sec f5.0 aperture priority, minus 1.3 stops / / Shooting over water adds the reflection of the rockets’ red glare. Zooming in during the exposure. / Boom was shot with a Nikon D2H 35-70mm lens EI400 1 sec f5.0 aperture priority, minus 1.3 stops zoomed in during exposure / Remember to stabilize your camera and experiment, make many exposures and check your results. “Fireworks and other things that light up the night sky” was featured in MAJOR EVENT 7/30/09
Right, so after the paramount success of “this pos…
Right, so after the paramount success of this post asking your opinions, I’m testing this new idea right here and now and here, now. Every Friday you can come here and shout about all the awesome new people you find. You get the whole day to stake your claims, which, due to interesting timezones, is about 50 something hours long. Pick your favourite new image, tee, or written work, (just one I say, one, otherwise I’ll get all flustered and overcome) and tell me who it’s by and why you think it’s marvellous. Then I’ll peruse all your suggestions and pick one tee, one image and one written work from three different undiscovered talents, to talk about over the course of the following week. The finder and the findee will both then get a free shipping voucher and of course, incredible publicity. Plus, the warm satisfaction that accompanies winning things. And maybe even some Limited Edition Certificates. Let’s see how this goes then. Regards, Mr Baxter – Ambassador of Trying New Things Out When the Boss Isn’t Looking —-—-—-- Follow my every exciting move on Twitter. / And add me to your watchlist.
A great BIG Thanks to everyone who responded yesterday to my request for thoughts and prayers. !http://images-0.redbubble.net/img/a…
A great BIG Thanks to everyone who responded yesterday to my request for thoughts and prayers. As I was undergoing treatment for skin cancer, I just felt such a peace. There was no pain, apart from the little injections. I was awake during the proceedure and without going into the gory details, they cut some tissue away, and kept cutting until after testing each time, there was no more cancerous tissue. Called Moes Surgery. I was surprised at the size of the hole above my right eye. But they stitched it and said I’d have a scar. Another one:-) LOL. Doesn’t feel too painful this morning though. Afterwards, I felt such a phoney, because there were other people at St Thomas’ for treatments that looked far more painful and extensive. One young boy, could only have been 10 or 11, had it on the side of his face and down his neck. Poor little thing, but he was sooooo brave, and his dad was very attentive. Chatting with people between cuttings, they were all quite positive and looking forward to recovery. We’re such an optimistic people. It was smiles all round when they came out and revealed that I’d reached the end and they could now stitch me up. Praise the Lord, and the wonderful and amazing nursing staff and doctors at St Thomases Hospital London. There was a girl there taking photographs of every stage of the treatment, I don’t think I’d really like that branch of photography, but she’d been to University in Edinburgh, close to where I used to live. Amazing. I feel good today, two black eyes, a few stitches and the wonderful sunshine. I’ll try and encourage people to enjoy life whilst they can, be good, praise the Lord, love others, talk to family and friends, and and and….. LOL. LOL LOL. As much as they can. It’s sooooo good for us. LOL. Thanks again for all your kind comments, and especially to those kind folks who actually put a smile on my face by purchasing some of my little works. You are very special people, and may the Lord richly bless you in every way. Success in life is living the way God intended you, enjoying His Creation to the full, and using the gifts He has given you to enrich the lives of others. Have a blessed, creative and fulfilled life my friends. So thankful! / Don.
The day I added my first image to RedBubble, some lovely people took a moment out of their lives to comment and tell me how much they lik…
The day I added my first image to RedBubble, some lovely people took a moment out of their lives to comment and tell me how much they liked it. They could see past my blurry focus and amateur composition and found something genuine and kind to say. When I realised that the whole community was like this, so giving of their praise and thoughts, I was instantly hooked. Before long, commenting back and forth turned into conversation, and conversations into friendships. We saw each other every day on RedBubble, we shared similar passions, and we all wanted to surround ourselves with creativity and be inspired. RedBubble was the fertile soil in which to grow relationships with other artists and creative people. Exhibitions, meet ups, holidays away together, creative successes – there have been far too many good times to comment on them all here. But I will mention just one. As happens in all good romance novels, I fell in love. I might sell 50 framed prints tomorrow, but nothing is going to beat that! A few weeks ago James proposed and this Sunday we are getting married. It’s going to be a small gathering of family and sprinkling of friends, overlooking the ocean. Then, we’re off to Italy for a month to take as many photographs as our several external hard drives can handle. Today is my last day in the office before all the festivities begin, so if I don’t answer your bubblemail, it’s because I’m sipping espresso on a terrace in Venice. Arrivederci!
Post a Question: / If you do not see your question in the Click Learning Centre / post it as a new…
Post a Question: / If you do not see your question in the Click Learning Centre / post it as a new topic in the Need Help? forum and someone will provide an answer Add Copyright to your photos on RedBubble: / Click on “my bubble” / select “edit your profile” / scroll to bottom of page, / and choose the “add watermark to my works” Edit a Photo or Information in your portfolio: / Go to MyBubble, click on Art. Rearrange the order of your photos: / On the right of the table, you can move an image up or down, or to the top or bottom. Statistics: / Next to that column is one that gives you the current statistics for that image. / Edit the photo, description, etc. / In the left hand column is the image, its title, availability and two buttons: edit and show public view. / Click on edit and make any changes: change the image; edit the title, description, tags, options, price and/or publication or delete the work. Save your changes. Edit your Journal/Blog: / Go to MyBubble, click on Journal. / All of your journal titles will appear and you can edit or delete them from here Clickable Text: / Frog in a Rose Click / Put the link name in quotation marks followed by a colon then the link Insert an Image: / Surround the url text with exclamation points! / !image url! / You will need to have your images hosted on the web to use this feature Make the Image a Link: / After the code for the image, add a colon followed by the url for where you want to go and add the closing exclamation point. / !http://image url!:destination url Resources and Formatting Guides: / by Official Documentation / Textism Tools Textile Click by webgrrl / format n found by accident Click by Stephen Mitchell / ASCII Characters in your RedBubble Journal Click
it was only aboot 9month ago wee got the mad pups an i wrote a fifty things aboot puppies thingy..i wondered if onythin hud changed an if…
it was only aboot 9month ago wee got the mad pups an i wrote a fifty things aboot puppies thingy..i wondered if onythin hud changed an if there was 50 differant things goin oan wi them ..probably naw just 50 things that are even worser (noo theres guid english for ye)..i will huv a go but might no reach 50 / 1. 2.15 am lick auld maddys face an make her get mad an bark / 2 2.16 am dad shouts at us frae upstair ta leave auld maddy / 3 2.18 am lick auld maddys face again an make her really pissed aff so she barks again / 4 2.18 an a half dad thunders doon the stair an tells us tae go tae sleep / 5 2.18 an three quarters me an jamie look at each other an wonder whit sleep is / 6 2.30 lick auld maddy again! / 7 2.30 an a half, lie in oor beds an pit cute faces oan an wiggle oor tails so dad disny explode at us / 8 6.15 whits goin oan its the middle o the day an dad isny up yet ….better lick auld maddy!!! / 9 6.16 dad comes doon like a half shut knife greetin / 10 6.20 go oot the back an dae a giant shite oan the patio / 11 6. 25 dad gets a bucket o water an scrubs the patio / 12 6.30 decide that theres still a wee bit poo left tae come oot an shite oan the patio again / 13 6.32 dads scrubbin the patio again / 14 6.40 go tae the park for a run .aye run we dinny walk onywhaur everythins a hunner mile an hour! / 15 6,41 spot a guy wi a bright green jacket oan aboot 3 mile awa oan a bike / 16 6.42 knock said person off his bike an see whit he has got for his dinner in his bag / 17 6.43 no pleased cos man on bike is callin dad an arsehole for no controlin his dugs..bloody cheek we never touched him / 18 6.50 spot the guy who gave us dug biscuits the day before.. / 19 6.51 attack said guy an stick oor heeds in his pocket an eat aw his wee dugs treats / 20 6.59 chase every dug in the park / 21 7.00 get park to oorsel cos everyone hus run awa / 22 7.01 get back tae van an give dad hunners o kisses cos he looks knackered / 23 710 dad makes oor breakfast an while hes no lookin stick oor heeds in the food bags an eat as much as we can afore gettin caught. / 24 7.12 get fed / 25 7 12 an twa seconds finish gettin fed an get a row for eatin maddy an bens / 26 7.15 poo oan the patio cos we didny huv time oan oor walk / 27 7.20 eat mums croisant when she nips up tae the loo / 28 7.25 da goes tae supermarket for mair croisants cas we ate them aw / 29 -33 7.30-8.00 chew oor beds cos were bored ..lick maddy cos were bored ..chew the leg o a chair cos were bored / 34 8.01 knock everybody flyin cos aunty margret next door is at the fence tae give us biscuits / 35 8.02get shouted at frae aunty margret cos we nearly took her hand aff gettin biscuits / 36 8.06 dad is late for work cos hes been shovelin shite aw mornin / 37 8.10 dads no here so we can anoy mum insteed / 38 8.15 trash oor beds that mum has just tidied / 39 8.16 millie gets shouted at for lickin bens willie / 40 8.30 get pit in oor kennel so we dinny annoy the auld dugs / 41 12.30 dad comes home an gets met by a ragin fiona / 42 12.31 fiona says that the dugs got up the stair an trashed her room / 43 12.33 we get off wi trashin fionas room cos dad canny see any differance frae whit its normally like! / 44-48 1.00 5.00doin general dug things likin oor bums lickin each others bums , humpin each other / 49 6.00pm watch dad paint the kitchen…. spy a paint pot….think that must be somethin tae eat…stick heed in paint pot…..take now cream coloured heed oot paint pot / 50 605 lick dad who has fainted dinny think i will see ma next birthday!
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-— / I’m sorry Mr. Kipling, but you just don’t know…
—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-— / I’m sorry Mr. Kipling, but you just don’t know how to use the English language. These were the words used by one of the editors of the San Francisco Examiner newspaper when rejecting one of Mr. Kipling’s short stories. Mr. Kipling is now a revered author and the San Francisco Examiner is…. / —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-— / Dune was rejected 20 times before successfully reaching print – and becoming one of the most beloved science fiction novels of all time / —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-— Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s (later Sorceror’s) Stone was rejected by a dozen publishers, including biggies like Penguin and HarperCollins. Bloomsbury, a small London publisher, only took it on at the behest of the CEO’s eight-year old daughter, who begged her father to print the book. / —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-— C.S. Lewis, received over 800 rejections before he made his first sale. Lewis’s works have now been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold millions of copies over the years. C.S. Lewis Quotes: What you want is practice, practice, practice. / —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-— Richard Bach has always said that this story, told from the point of view of a young seagull, wasn’t written but channeled. When he sent out the story, Bach received 18 rejection letters. Nobody thought a story about a seagull that flew not for survival but for the joy of flying itself would have an audience. Boy, were they wrong! Macmillan Publishers finally picked up Jonathan Livingston Seagull in 1972, and that year the book sold more than a million copies. A movie followed in 1973, with a sound track by Neil Diamond. / —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-— Pirsig’s manuscript attempts to understand the true meaning of life. By the time it was finally published in 1974, the book had been turned down 121 times. The editor who finally published Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance said of Pirsig’s book, “It forced me to decide what I was in publishing for.” Indeed, Zen has given millions of readers an accessible, enjoyable book for seeking insight into their own lives. / —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-— MA*SH by Richard Hooker / Before the television series, there was the film. Before the film, there was the novel. Richard Hooker’s unforgettable book about a medical unit serving in the Korean War was rejected by 21 publishers before eventually seeing the light of day. It remains a story of courage and friendship that connects with audiences around the world in times of war and peace. / —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-— / Carrie by Stephen King If it hadn’t been for Stephen King’s wife, Tabitha, the iconic image of a young girl in a prom dress covered in pig’s blood would not exist. King received 30 rejections for his story of a tormented girl with telekinetic powers, and then he threw it in the trash. Tabitha fished it out. King sent his story around again and, eventually, Carrie was published. The novel became a classic in the horror genre and has enjoyed film and TV adaptations as well. Sometimes all it takes is a little encouragement from someone who believes in you. / —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-— Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell The only book that Margaret Mitchell ever published, Gone With the Wind won her a Pulitzer Prize in 1937. The story of Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler, set in the South during the Civil War, was rejected by 38 publishers before it was printed. The 1939 movie made of Mitchell’s love story, which starred Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh, is the highest grossing Hollywood film of all time (adjusted for inflation). / —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-— oh, and just for good measure: Dr. Seuss got rejection letters, too. Here is one: / “too different from other juveniles on the market to warrant its selling.” / —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-— Here’s a rejection letter for THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK: / “The girl doesn’t, it seems to me, have a special perception or feeling which would lift that book above the ‘curiosity’ level.” / —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-— H.G. Wells had to endure the indignity of a rejection when he submitted his manuscript, “The War of the Worlds” that said, “An endless nightmare. I do not believe it would “take”...I think the verdict would be ‘Oh don’t read that horrid book’.” And when he tried to market “The Time Machine,” it was said, “It is not interesting enough for the general reader and not thorough enough for the scientific reader.” / —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-— Did you know that only seven of Emily Dickinson’s poems were ever published during her lifetime? A rejection early in her career said, “(Your poems) are quite as remarkable for defects as for beauties and are generally devoid of true poetical qualities.” / —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-— Edgar Allen Poe was told, “Readers in this country have a decided and strong preference for works in which a single and connected story occupies the entire volume.” / —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-— Herman Melville, who had written a manuscript entitled “Moby Dick,” was told, “We regret to say that our united opinion is entirely against the book as we do not think it would be at all suitable for the Juvenile Market in (England). It is very long, rather old-fashioned…”
well guys, for some of us around the globe the clock is officially ticking down for a new year and decade….2010…. / its been a tough y…
well guys, for some of us around the globe the clock is officially ticking down for a new year and decade….2010…. / its been a tough year for a lot over all, and we are all happy to see 2009 go! / all year long we have talked about how tough things were, and all the bad (if that is the right word) that has happened to us / but..somewhere in past 364 days…at least ONE thing had to be good or the best. / so name the best thing that has happened to you for 2009…doesnt matter how big or small it was, doesnt matter if it includes family, friends, personal, or material…at least one good thing has had to happen… the best thing that happened to me in 2009 / was in october, on my birthday, two of my very dearest friends were able to be here. turned out being the best birthday of my life..literally…so that..is the best thing that happened to me in 2009. what’s yours? :) happy 2010!!
The effervescent Doreen co-hosts a group called 50 Things...
The effervescent Doreen co-hosts a group called 50 Things / She created a survey (or more like an interview) of 50 questions, and I decided to have a go at it. / Geeze! it took a lot of thought, or maybe she didn’t mean for us to put so much thought into it. LOL 50 things / 1. What is Your Favourite Hobby? Keep it clean!.....x / Harassing teenagers- so much fun, and I tend to have a house full of them at any given moment so that means I get lots of practice. I’m waiting for it to become an Olympic sport… / 2. How Old were you when you left School? / Which time I left school? The last time I graduated I was 40. And I might go back again… (yeah I need my head examined) / 3. What was your first Pet? / A cat, and I still love cats. But I’ve had all kinds of pets- dogs, chickens, horses, and even a goat that liked to ride in my car (you should have seen the looks I got at the McDonalds drive thru window….) / 4. If you were a Fruit ,what kind would you be? / A tomato, only because everyone thinks it’s a vegetable, so why not be something that is controversial, misunderstood, and a topic of discussion? / 5. If you were a Drink,what kind would you be? / Oh definitely tequila… preferably Cabo Wabo because it sounds so fun. Can you imagine being in school and the teacher calling your name? Or filling out forms… last name Wabo , first name Cabo , middle name… slur… lol / 6. Have you ever Won a Prize? / I won $300 on a nickel slot machine in Vegas, does that count? / 7. What is your Favourite Food? / Besides tomatoes… Chips and Salsa, preferably washed down with tequila, specifically Cabo Wabo (see how funny that sounds). But really, the list of foods I don’t like is considerably smaller, just ask my hips. / 8. If you Ruled the World, what would be your First Words? / Let the games begin… / 9. What is your Favourite Film? / Fuji… oh wait, not that kind if film… gee I love to see a good movie and to pick a favorite? Maaaaybe The Italian Job (latest version) because I love the Mini Coopers in that movie. But really I enjoy a good movie of any kind and don’t mind seeing something I haven’t a clue what it’s about when I walk in. / 10. If everyone was born without the unhappy Gene,would you be happy about this? / Oh YEEEEEEES. / 11. If you were the Opposite Sex which celebrity would you be? / This one really throws me because I don’t pay much attention to celebrities and really don’t know any I would trade places with. But if I had to pick, it would need to be a healthy athletic good looking down to earth rich single comedian that could sing and play an instrument (not asking for much huh?). / 12. If you could Time Travel,what Time would you go to? / Toughie for me- I don’t want to go back in time because women are just now hitting their stride as far as living life to the fullest, not particularly in the future either, because I like not knowing what’s going to happen. So I guess I would briefly go back to when I was 18 and try to make a few different choices in life, but I want to come back to the present. / 13. What is your Favourite Flower or Plant? / The Peace Lilly. I love the name and it needs minimal care to thrive. Just give it some water (kind of like just take a freaking shower). / 14. What is your Favourite Name? / Rubyjo, which is not my real name btw. But if I would have had a daughter, I would have named her Rubyjo. Ruby because it is close to my real name and is my birthstone, and Jo was my Mothers middle name. / 15. If you won the Lottery what would you buy? / Plane tickets all over the world. / 16. What would you put on your Headstone? / I thought dying would shut her up / But I still hear her continually in my head / (just to f-K with the folks that f-ked with me while I was alive) / 17. If you had a choice of any ArtWork from RedBubble,who/what would it be? / omg- how does one answer that?? All i can say is my home would be filled with RedBubble art and writings. / 18. Dinner with Five: Who would they be? / God (does that count for 3?) / The President of the US (I have a few things to tell him) / My Mother (I would have to get God’s OK, as Mom is keeping him/her company now) Lucifer (I have a few questions for him, specifically just what is the punishment for certain sins… is it really like Dante thinks?) / Myself as a child (I would like to give her some advice) / 19. If you were a Recipe what would you be? / Oh hell, I don’t cook LOL! Is there anything that is a comfort food yet spicy and filling and makes your mouth water just thinking about it and goes well with alcohol? If so, I want to be that. / 20. What is your Favourite Art Medium? / Writing, Photography, Drawing and probably in that order / 21. Who is your Favourite Artist? / Believe it or not, I like simple lines so some of the minimalist cartoon artist, especially political cartoonist, draws my attention more so than some of the more elaborate famous artist of history, although I admire their work. And I like some of the outrageous art like Dali on drugs. / 22. Name the One place you would Love to Visit? / Oh that might get me in trouble. I pass. / 23. Do you prefer Daytime or Nightime? / Evening. I don’t do well without sleep and I can’t sleep during the day but I love to have fun in the evenings- although I can do mornings too. / 24. What is the funniest Typo you have typed? / hahaha- omg that is a running joke among my friends. I have typing dyslexia. They tell me I am typing a foreign language lol. It can really be gibberish sometimes. / But one typo had a good ending – bitterflies instead of butterflies, which Cassidy turned into a write. / 25. What is your Earliest Memory? / My Dad making me laugh. / 26. What would be your song for Karaoke? / It changes all the time but recently this one / Never Been Rocked Enough by Delbert McClinton / 27. If you were to write a Book,what would be the First sentence? / She flipped her life upside down and decided she liked the view. / 28. What is your Own Favourite ArtWork? / Oh dear, let’s see… I have several unpublished but if I had to pick one off RedBubble it would probably be love and peace as far as photography and I think I want to cry today is my favorite writing, although neither of those are my most popular. / 29. Pet Peeve,what is it? / People that don’t take responsibility for their own actions and always have to blame someone else for their lot in life. / 30. Your Favourite TV show? / I don’t watch much TV but I like Saving Grace, House, and… and… hmmmm / 31. If you were an Animal,which kind would you be? / A cat- think about it, they live life just like they want to, they don’t obey, they don’t learn stupid pet tricks, they allow you to pet them when they want to be petted otherwise forget it, they obviously get pleasure as evidenced by the purr, if you do something they don’t like their claws come out, and they take a lot of baths (good for my OCD). / 32. What kind of Super Hero would you be,what would be your Gift? / The Amazing Invisible Woman- the ability to cloak myself in invisibility / 33. If you could change something about Yourself,what would it be? / Besides certain body parts? My inhibitions. / 34. If you met an Alien what would your First words be? / Let the games begin… / 35. What is your best Subject for your ArtWork? / Myself, it’s easy to poke fun at yourself and know it wont hurt your feelings. / 36. If you seen a UFO would it change your life? / No, I don’t think so, I feel there is a lot about this world that scientist have no answers for even though they think they have all the answers. It would confirm that concept. / 37. What was the last thing that you laughed about? / A crazy photo I saw on RedBubble, I love someone that can make me laugh! / 38. Do you believe in the After-Life? / I believe in God and heaven. I don’t believe in religions, there is a write in my portfolio about that. / 39. Do you believe in Re-incarnation,if so ,what would you come back as? / Don’t particularly believe in re-incarnation but wouldn’t be surprised if it were so, and I would want to come back as a Kat. / 40. What is the oldest possesion you have? / My grandmother’s engagement ring, a Ruby :) / 41. Have you got any Tattoo’s,where would you have one? / No tats yet, but I will get one eventually and this is it. Not sure where to put it, anyone have suggestions? / 42. What is your Favourite Book? / Oh geeze! I’m a bookaholic. I usually have 2 or 3 going at once. Currently reading Poe and Rick Bragg and Lewis Carroll and Bill Bryson. But the fav?? gee- no way I can answer that. / 43. If Redbubble had its own TV channel would you still be online or both? / Both / 44. Sea or Land? / Land. I like to visit the sea but I love grass. / 45. What is the most Bizarre thing to happen to you? / I live in the US, but once was in Brazil, talking to a local veterinarian who said he went to school in Canada. I said “Oh really, my veterinarian is from Canada”. He said “Oh really, what’s their name”, and I said “Christie…..” (I couldn’t come up with her last name) and he said “Smith” and I said “Yes!” Then we both just stared at each other for a few minutes trying to comprehend the fact we had covered 3 countries and 2 continents and knew the same person. / 46. If you were a Fairy Tale what one would you be? / Rapunzel. I recently went through a period of time living in an attic room and it reminded me of Rapunzel. / 47. What is the most Funniest,Humourous thing that has happened to you? / Oh dear- I have funny things happen to me every day, I really think it’s your whole outlook on life that causes the funny things to happen. I could tell story after story after story… My patients provide lots of humor, as well as my co-workers, friends, kids, and I swear, my family is full of comedians, my Dad cracks me up. lol / 48. What is the longest time you have went without sleep? / 72 hours and I was a beast. I don’t do well without sleep. / 49. What is the Best thing that you Love about Redbubble? / The friendships, hands down. I have so much fun in the behind the scenes bmail. / 50.Did you like this Questionaire? / yes and no, it was hard! haha (a big mwah to Doreen :)
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