Field Trip!

Hey people. Last week an old art pal of mine (okay- she's not old, but we're pretty good buds is what I mean) came up to my place and we went on a little expedition to a junk yard one town over.

For those of you who've never been to a junk yard-- if you're going (for art purposes anyway), be sure to bring a couple buckets, some gloves, shoes you don't care about getting dirty (this actually goes for all your clothing), a camera, and a big smile-- because until you win them over the junk yard guys are going to think you're a total weirdo & not want to let you in.

You need to convince them you aren't going to be a big pain in the butt, or try to make off with any saleable parts, or sue them if you get a scratch or whatever, and you aren't going to be high maintenance and need a whole bunch of help that will take them away from their actual work.

Once we convinced them to let us into the inner sanctum (the main yard), and that we were only after basically garbage (to them)-- little rusty do-dahs laying around on the ground etc, we began scavenging. That's when I first saw her---

The first thing I said was, "Oh honey..." because to me she was beautiful, and a little dangerous looking, with her chicken wire windshield. What kind of a life did she live before winding up here? Then I saw the remains of her race number.

Her and everybody else probably thought she was done for. End of the line. Wrong. Not now that I've seen her. WAY too cool to let her just up and die in a field somewhere. I'm plotting how to haul her to my place, maybe in one piece, maybe in sections. The junk yard main cog told me I can have her cheap. She's not restorable. All I see is beauty here-- and stories.

She has friends too. Check out this crackling paint. Pretty cool huh?

Hmm. Same age as me. Maybe it's no coincidence I find all the "flaws" and "destruction" on these old beauties are what makes them the most interesting. The broken glass shone like jewels.

Look at this design. You just don't see this anymore-- well, that's not totally true-- there is good design out there, but it's kind of like music I guess-- I have a deep appreciation of the roots, even as I enjoy the new. Look at the moss growing on the frame. Cool.

When I saw this hood I thought "Blue Roan." I've got a big horse in my brain right now. I recently saw a half-Percheron, half-Frisian-- huge and gorgeous-- thick arched neck, sculpted muscular legs, kind of a short back for his height, compact head. I see it dappled-- blue, white, & blue-gray steel. But roan would be cool too.

Look at this transformation-- the bleached paint with rust coming through, like a beach-- waves on a beach.

After filling our buckets we headed over to some other art bud's place to see what they've been up to. There was so much more awsomeness it won't all fit in one post. I decided to do a whole post just dedicated to that visit over on the art blog, so check over there later today.

In other SueNews:

Around the old hacienda it's the cat's favorite time of year-- when they find little spots in the perennials or underbrush to take a nap jungle style.

That is when they're not sacking-out on the deck...
(This is Ray.)

Rough life huh?
(This is Tootie, Mike's main squeeze- Yes, they're still a "thing".)

This was funny-- the other day me and Trusty Pam went up to St. Cloud to check out the "Jail Trail". (We're trying to expand our horizons.) No sooner had we got the bikes off the car than this young guy, about 20 or so, goes, "I think I've heard of you-- Is that Penny?"

I almost died laughing! "Yep-- this is her. You can touch her for a quarter." That's right, Penny is now famous.

The Jail Trail was fun, interesting, lots flatter than our normal trail (Hillside), but TONS of trees super tight against the trail, and tons of twists etc. Very, very tight trail. Pam was in the lead, and I was just thinking how she should probably always lead when we check out a new trail because I'm way more cautious and it would probably frustrate her to follow me. I'd for sure do a slow recon run, then maybe hit it again if I still had any gas in the tank, or just come back and be bolder next time.

I was just thinking of some witty remark to make like, "I may be more cautious, but you def get more bloody," (I have the record for the most spectacular, bone breaking crash, but Pam def has the record for the most blood spilled, and most "dismounts.")-- when WHAM. She totally nailed a tree with her knee. She got a point-- blood all the way to the sock = 1 point.

We walked for a while until it seemed to bleed a little slower at least. We didn't get very far before we got to this weird rickety bridge with no sides and missing boards going through a swamp. At the end it dropped off into a patch of really gnarly, super bumpy roots. I was leading now and Penny bucked like a champ but we made it. A little while along I go, "Wow-- those were bumpy huh?" -- Nothing.

I look back and no Pam. I stop and wait. No Pam. I get off my bike and jog back down the trail-- here comes Pam, looking a little shaky-- she went over the bars into the roots. By now she was kind of a wreck, so we walked a bunch more. Of course we had no bug spray. Eventually she felt up to riding again and we took whatever shortcuts we could find back to the lot. We'll have to go back and try for a clean run someday.

My times at the trail are stuck at the 55 minute mark. I can now ride some stuff I couldn't last year, so there is progress being made, but I am not in great shape yet, and probably carrying some extra weight. Next week I'll weigh in and face the music.

Kate though--- sent me this awesome pic of her and Megan riding in a 30 mile ride at their place! They've never ever tried anything like this so it was huge for them. They actually made it the whole ride. Megan said after she probably could have had a better time on her own bike, not having to wait for her mom. (Hmm, not too sure about that, but approve of her spirit.) She's the kid I never had-- she got all riled-up when people would pass them and want to pour it on. Next year she may get a chance to try it on her own bike.

I think it's awesome they were both willing to go outside the box and risk failure to try something new. I'm so glad they had a good experience! Kate-- your seats are kind of low for road riding though! (God-- everyone in this pic's are.)

Cat Drama, and glasses...

Hey people. This is Camper and Ray. You can't really tell from this pic, but they pretty much hate each other. Nothing personal, just some asinine male imperative they can't seem to overcome. They spend a lot of time within feet of each other-- the whole "keep your enemies closer" thing.

The other night I went to let them in. There they sat, side by side, inches apart, looking both guilty and pissed off, soaking wet and caked with mud.

They'd gotten into anther little tussle, in the stream bed this time, apparently. It's the only place on our property with that kind of black, goopy mud. This pic of Ray was taken after I'd tried to wash him off with a rag. They both wound-up needing kitchen sink scrub-downs.

The next day they went back to their usual Spy v.s. Spy mode.

Meanwhile, Mike and Tootie's cuddlefest continues.

Believe it or not, all these were taken on different days.

Yesterday I dug though our box of Halloween get-ups. I've almost talked Dan into going in this Halloween mountain bike race with me. Of course anything that involves costumes, and is active-- I want to do.

Anyway, I found an old pair of my mom's reading glasses. I used to call them her "birth control glasses" when I was in high school. Nice huh? (I am so lucky I don't have some snotty kid lurking around my house to remind me of how old I am. Sorry mom.) Anyway, I'll probably be needing reading glasses sometime this year. And now I think they're kind of cute in a nerdy way. Trippy to say the least. This is def one of those moments I would have issued the "if I ever ____, just kill me" sanction on when I was young. Glad I've lived long enough to become ridiculous.

Geek chic?

In other SueNews:

I'm getting kind of fried, but still have lots to do in the next three weeks. The joint that tends to wear-out that connects my thumb to my hand is getting cranky, and I think I'm suffering from the cumulative effects of the lousy air quality in my shop. The suck-wow (my work bench/ exhaust system) is working pretty good, but there is still a coating of metal dust and spray paint particles on every surface in my shop, so... not super pure air.

I've had what's left of a cold for 4 weeks now-- the last vestiges refusing to let go, mostly in the form of rubber cement in my lungs. Any time I get sick it really attacks my lungs and usually turns into bronchitis, probably because they're always a bit compromised. Dan is really on my butt about this lately. There is probably a respirator mask in my future, even though I know I'll feel all claustrophobic and hate it.

Also I'm just getting a bit burned-out. I've been working pretty full blast since the beginning of June. So have all of you right? But when I'm getting ready for something (like I have been since then, one event after another) I wind-up working weekends & some evenings, and spending a lot of my "off" time working in my head. I wind-up never really feeling like I'm off, and I get worn-out physically too. Anyway, reaching the end-- getting to that hitting the wall point and hoping I get everything done before I hit it.

I have to say I have a few people in my life who will just never really get what I do, and their little jabs about my work schedule etc ("must be nice" "some people have to have real jobs" "what are you doing today?" "working" "on what?" (like it's just some hobby of mine) etc) that I usually take with a grain of salt are wearing pretty damned thin about now. I wouldn't belittle someone else's job. Why do people feels it's acceptable to do to me? Do other creatives get this attitude?

I know being self-employed looks pretty appealing compared to working for some doofus at a job you hate-- but come on. It's still hard work.

Wurkin'

Hey people-- Behold the SuckWOW. It's 99% done. Yesterday I did a lot of cutting and what I did on the bench top as shown went fine, but when I hung the steel out over the edge and tried to work that way it wasn't sucky enough and the room filled with metal dust and fumes. Boo. The next modification will be cutting a couple of slots on the sides I can close off with magnetized "doors". But admit it-- awesome no? Tadaaaahhhh!

Here's how the next commission is progressing. Hopefully you can tell it involves birch trees. They're going in that wheel rim. The clients want to mount it on the wall of their sunroom. (These are the very nice Unitarian Wisconsinites who've been waiting for about a year and a half-- I know-- I am suck-- wow.)

Some leaves and a view of the SuckWOW's top.

Work itself went pretty smooth the last couple days. No more fires, getting a lot done, but yesterday was a bit disappointing in the jamming out department. I got myself a little treat and downloaded "Keep It Hid", Dan Auerbach's new album. I listened, and it was alright, but Dan--wtf dude? I still have a face! You DID NOT rock it off.

Apparently, even though you are massively, virtuostically talented, Pat's rock/punk influence on you is a big part of what I enjoy about the Black Keys. (check the player) I can only take this less than rockin' solo debut as a sign you've finally managed to get over me and move on. I get it, you needed to try something totally different, all on your own, to help you get out of your box. This is good, and healthy, even if I don't like it as well as other stuff you've done.

Maybe now we can move into the much more fun bromance phase of our relationship. No more weirdness, just hanging out, goofing around, and sometimes socking each other on the arm affectionately.
Whew.

In other Sue news-- Ray continues to try to poison us with cutosterone. Still up to his evil fuzzy geniusing tricks.

Here he is with Mike (aka Meathooks). Yes, we don't have a sun room, but the cats do. Priorities...

God this is random, but -- too bad, I'm going for it.

So last night I got together with a couple of my arty/writery buddies and they asked me if I'd learned the drum solo from "InnaGoddaDavida" (or however you spell it) yet, and I said we actual drummers, who've had 3 or more lessons, feel huge extended drum solos are a little showboaty and the mark of an amateur. (You know, in retrospect I think they may have been secretly mocking me... ~simmer~)

Anyway, later they asked me about my leg-- how it's been holding up with the running (which I've been pwning lately btw). I said fine and we got to talking about injuries and stuff and I was like, "It's a bone. It should heal by itself." But secretly inside I was picturing myself in some kind of Charlton Heston God get-up thumping my staff booming, "Tibia-- heal thyself!" -- and my tibia sort of quaking with fear and getting on it.

Then last night I had this dream where I was getting a drum lesson from this old Moses-y dude. I busted into this giganto fill and he was all, "NO NO NO! You're not playing the silent beats. Like this--" then he forces my to play just three, painfully slow beats with miles of space between. Hmm, deep? or just trippy?

Oh brain, sometimes I wonder just who is entertaining who here.
Take it easy people. Shake something if possible.

Collage Party - And- Christmas Not Complete suckfest...

Here they are people-- My fabulous Wed night gal pals. (I just can't say yaya's anymore, sorry.) We had a great time, as always, eating, drinking and doing our collage-y thing last night at my place. Dan was sequestered upstairs, thanking the good lord he had another room to escape to, to avoid estrogen poisoning.

So here's my new collage. The legs in the center are me- looking forward, wind at my back. (I want an outfit like this.) Click for bigger, better view. The upper left is a weird surrealist landscape with naked people watching a giant movie screen. This represents dreams. I like to pay attention to these. Great creative fodder. You'll notice $ falling into the "writey zone" in the lower left-- hello universe. Above the legs it says, "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." Yep. There's also running, and the underwater girl is my subconscious/muse. There is a pic of people floating on a river, and some woodsy scenes-- all from the setting/s of my stories. This is basically all about my creativity-- living it. It's pretty inseparable from me right now. I'm just going to follow it and hope it takes me where I need to get to.

I should ad, you don't need any artistic ability to do this project. Someone emailed about that. There really isn't any way to screw it up, and it's made of fun.

In other Sue news-- Put up the tree yesterday. Wasn't super into it to be honest, but some parts were really fun. Hello elephants.

Hi'ya glittery pomegranates.

Welcome back improbable birds.

At the end of the night one of my friends looked over and two of the "girls" had decided I had put the tree up specifically for them. Take that cute overload.

Today I'm in sue Hefner mode (writing in bathrobe) until Trusty Pam calls and we go running- or maybe sliding. Hang in there- remember, set that holiday expectations bar low and your stress will be too.

Lyric-less Friday

These pics aren't in order because I don't have time to jigger with this post today-- so sorry, you're getting the low tech version. Also, sorry, no lyrics today-- tune in next fri for Cloud Cult though...

This is Annie giving me the cat version of a dirty look. She's not happy about the rain / snow mix today and trying to guilt me into doing something about it.

This is the new necklace design I came up with the other night. I like-y.
This is what a partial bajillion looks like. There is another "raft" of these waiting downstairs.


Hi everybody-- Ok, It's official-- I've hit the wall. The last couple of days I've reached that state where I'm semi-zombie-like, barely hygienic, and this weird combination of amped-up and exhausted. Yesterday at the local jewelry supply store I speed-walked over to the earring findings, knowing what I was looking for, barely waving hi to the owner who looked slightly alarmed at my abrupt entrance. I feel like handing out tinfoil beanies to those who have to encounter me the week of this show to protect them from my insanity vibes.

When I went to pay her I realized I had a jumbo safety pin stabbed through the arm of my jacket from my last run (keys-- hey fool me once) (but it looked like-- "Check out how punk I am!"), super dirty nails (sorry-- comes with the welding territory), and two bloody fingers from unnoticed glass cuts. This doesn't cover my going-on-day-three bedhead nest-like hair and probably black-smudged face. Oh well. Glam I'm not, not when I'm at this stage. Sorry to any townies I've frightened this week.

I just ran out of leading, so the stained glass factory is officially closed, but I still have about a bajillion earrings to make. (That's slightly less than eleventy-million to you math whizzes.) Today I have to load everything up and go set up my space at the show, finish making all the necklaces and earrings, and change around the art blog to look more websight-y for the show people who take my moo cards home, and make all my signs / prices etc, -- oh and do laundry. Also, did I mention it's actually starting to snow?

I can't really remember when my last day off was, but there's a good chance tomorrow the weather will totally suck. I can't, despite what my cats seem conviced of, control the weather. All I can control is how hard I'm willing to work, the determination with which I persue my goals, and how fearlessly I project myself into my creativity. You feelin' me fellow art / writery types? All we can do is give it all up-- throw our whole selves at it. If nothing comes of it, it's sure as hell not going to be because I lamed out.

Tally freaking ho!

This weather is trying to make me fat!

I'm really not one of those weather complainer people who whine about winter-- honest. I actually like having four seasons and enjoy outdoor activities year round. But today is the first day this year where it's actually cold-- as in, have seen a few snowflakes cold-- and 30mph winds, plus sleet? Come the heck on man. I am not running in this today. I know I have to "woman-up" pretty soon because it's going to get progressively colder, but it's not going to be today.

In other news-- my new Moo Cards arrived. These are the ones for the Slag Hammer blog, so feature some of the characters from my novel, and the ubiquitous "Hubbard's Sunshine" sign, also from the novel (You know-- my novel? The Crimson Cord? Hopefully to one day be published-- You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll get creeped-out, you'll go "awe", you'll even maybe get a little turned on -- That one.) , along with other slices of sue-life. Anyhow, nifty eh?

This is what I've been talking about in the utter chaos department. I've totally taken over the dining table, and part of the living room, and, ok, kitchen too. If you click to enlarge this you can see Dan running around in the background. He's been busily working on my soon to be shop which you can also make out behind my trusty subaru (yes, I completely fit the profile-- artist, public radio listener, tree hugging greeny, subaru driving lefty.)

Oh-- the weird colored things dangling off the backs of the chairs? Cat toys of course.

Work has been coming along, with the aid of some occasional head whippage. Don't be a rock scaredy-cat-- check out "Cannon" by The White stripes (Jack flippin' White!- come on!) in the player (It's only 2 1/2 minutes. You can take it.) He likes to rock him some Bible. His guitargasmic "WOO!" comes in at :35 -- so whoop along and shake it people.

A reminder this Fri is Halloween, and I'm having a little blog costume party. Stay tuned for more info, soon, very soon. Stay cool people.

"There is absolutely no reason for this not to go extremely well..."

That's what I tell myself all the time-- when I'm about to do a tricky weld or cut an expensive and fracture prone piece of glass, or flying down a hill at the mountain bike course-- and, I'm usually right. Things generally do come out alright.

I'm happy to report Dad is about as fine as a person can be and still have the "C" word mentioned. His doctor literally said, "This is nothing. You should forget about it. We'll just check you every year in case." I was there, ready with all my internet researched questions about bladders and prostates, but, I was glad I didn't need to pull out my arsenal of info. He's fine, pretty much. Just needs some radiation for the prostate thing which I guess is pretty common. Maybe he'll wind-up with some kind of super power! Hmmm....

Speaking of survivors-- This is Mike-- aka-- "God's Favorite Cat." He's survived being shot, getting run over, liver failure, and endured being used as a pretend lawn mower (pushed around the living room rug after I "started him" by pulling his back leg, making motor sounds, and being used as an electric guitar when he was younger for jamming out (which i think he secretly liked -- kind of.) (And ok, yeah, there may have been some beer involved in the lawnmower incident. Good times... Good times...) OH-- and numerous brawls I can only assume he was victorious in. He's fifteen and still wields his dudely powers, sometimes slow-mo chasing Ray, his most devoted underling, around the yard. He still has the best menacing stare in the cat business.

This was actually a practice shot for MY NEW ART BLOG live as of today so check it out!
Please feel free to forward the art one to anyone you know who's into art. It's not going to be edgy and weird like this one so you don't have to worry about scaring anyone. Thanks for all the positive Dad vibes-- and for supporting ye old blog.

Hey-- on the super power thing-- what would you pick if you could have one?

Mid-day Addendum

OK-- So it actually wound up being pretty nice today so I am in the driveway after all. (Time to weld the doughnuts)

I just heard a tremendous squeaking squawking cacophony so naturally went crashing blindly into the underbrush to see what poor woodland creature one of my cats was torturing to death and arrived just in time to see a blue jay fly right out of Camper's mouth into a nearby tree.

I looked at him, and pointing and using a harsh tone so he'd know how very much I disapproved of his behavior said, "Camper-- that was very VERY naughty."

He kind of licked his chops and just looked back at me calmly, tail still twitching and said, "Actually it was delicious-- almost."