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Invisible Wo!

I read this in my new library book, "The Poe Shadow" by Matthew Pearl, a crime novel about Edgar Allan Poe's life. How's that for Halloween reading, huh? I didn't even plan it; the book just came in off the reserve list for me. Mr. John Lemley, afternoon host of All Things Considered on WABE 90.1 FM recommended it, and I think highly of him, not just because he does a mean Cher impression.

I think "invisible woe" was Poe's way of describing the body's process of biodegrading after it dies. I don't really see how it causes any woe because you're already dead, so you can't really be woeful about anything at that point. Maybe it's woeful for the undertakers. I just thought it would make a kewl interjection--like your friend buys a new pair of shoes and says how do you like my new shoes, and you say "Invisible Wo!".

Look at my new banner!

ES UN MILAGRO!

Thank You, Renee

I know more about Photoshop than I did when I started. And that is no mean feat, Renee.

Photoshop Tortoise

I am verrrrrrry sloooooowly inching toward understanding enough Photoshop Elements 4 to fit on a pin head. However, compared to what I knew before, this is leaps and bounds forward! I'm not sure this whole color scheme fits my photos very well, but this is a learning experience; I can buy all the fancy Rhona Farrer I want once I know how to use it.

Studio Friday: My Collection(s)

The amazingly inventive folks at Studio Friday (hi Tine!) have this week asked for a glimpse of what we collect. Although in truth I will collect anything pertaining to Cuba (except things pertaining to Cuba Gooding Jr.), I decided to feature (in my uniquely out-of-focus way) my collection of Cuban cigarbox art. Mind you, this is only a representative sample; I also have a t-shirt, postcards, and coaster art celebrating Cuban cigarbox art. I wish I knew that I would be collecting this stuff before I went to Cuba in 2002 (legally, for all you Treasury Dep't lurkers) because I could've bought some original stuff at the Partagás cigar factory in Havana. At least I got a box there--the staff thought I was C-R-A-Z-Y--they were like, "You want an empty box?" Oh, yeah, I also have a huge poster of the Partagás factory hanging on the wall next to my computer. If you are also interested in Cuban cigarbox art, the Ybor City Museum in the Ferlita Bakery building in Tampa, Florida, has an extensive collection, and you can also see a cigar-rolling demonstration there. The sidewalks of Ybor City even have a tobacco leaf design. I wish I lived there.

Some other things I collect:

• The 50 state quarters (this is a sickness; I don't know how it started, but now I have to look at every quarter I receive to see if it's one that I "need");
• Patent leather shoes (I'm now down to 4 black pairs and 1 red; I have also had grey and navy);
• Malapropisms, made-up words and funny misspellings (perennial favorite: "we are in agreeance on that");
• Rosie the Riveter memorabilia (highest compliment ever: someone at work suggested that I look like Rosie);
• Wrought iron;
• Foot health and hygiene products (this burgeoning collection is due to my flamenco dance habit).

So as you can see from many of the items I collect, I remain a faithful LATINA-WANNA-BE.

Studio Friday: Autumn Inspiration

Studio Friday challenged us to show what it is about autumn that we love and that inspires us. My post is a bit of a fudge because the photo was actually taken last year, and these trees are not near my art studio but rather on the way to my flamenco instructor's studio. I will see if I can find any trees to beat these this year, but so far, I ain't seen nothin' yet.

I really need to learn F-O-C-U-S.

Eurotard

Is it just me, or does this seem vaguely like a slur of some kind? It's the tag on a red skirt I bought to wear for my extra special first experience dancing flamenco FOR MONEY on October 21st. I know it's supposed to be referring to "leotard," but I'm not sure that's politically correct either. After all, it's not the lion's fault.

Jerez en Directo

As Rina Menosky said when she introduced these artists, I felt lucky to be there and felt sorry for those who weren't. As soon as I heard that Rocío Soto would be singing, I knew I would have to be there, because she'd sung for a workshop last year and gave us all goosebumps. Well, that was nothing compared to hearing her sing full-out yesterday. Her voz afillá soared up to new heights on tangos, and I was absolutely transfixed. Singer, guitarist, and percussionist José Galvez also sang some gorgeous cante jondo, including a seguiyiras that brought tears to my eyes, a soleá por bulerías, and a granaína ending in a rondeña (thank you to Martha SidAhmed for helping me identify that last one). José de Guadalupe's baile made the perfect accompaniment, giving emphasis with footwork where needed but not overwhelming the singers. He was a seamless part of the cuadro and added a touch of elegance to each song he danced in.

The bulerías were what really made the show, though. Everybody in the group let down their hair and sang, danced, and gave jaleos. Maybe because I was on the front row, I really felt included in the performance as the audience around me joined in the jaleos. This was definitely not your average performance in the U.S. where the audience sits quietly in their seats removed from the action that is taking place within a tightly-defined space on a stage. Gracias a Dios! And gracias to José de Guadalupe for bringing this group of artists to Atlanta. 

Yippee! I can use Photoshop!

These are my very first scrapbook pages thanks to the magic of Renee Pearson's "Doing it Digi!" class at Big Picture Scrapbooking. You know what this means--I will have a banner soon! Thank you, Renee; you are like a balm to my soul bruised and achy from trying to read Photoshop Elements books. This is exactly what I was looking for.