20 years

Lesson planning never ends, especially when you have to clean a restaurant every morning to pay the bills.
Last night I had dinner at Vaughan's and will eat the leftovers tonight. Ron and I went to Theatre Beyond Words for a script reading. Here's the premise: After the American Civil War, the elected Confederate President and several other officers moved to Niagara-on-the-lake. Considering the play has a basis in historical fact, I wanted to check it out.
Today was full; after cleaning I had Mad Science in Welland, where I saw Dan Brown. He's a teacher there. Dan was preparing a project for his students - the artist-trading-cards. He says the students have been enthusiastic about this project for years. I had told him years ago about this website and that we had a club doing it at the NAC. Dee and some Suitcase in Point people were into it too. Well, folks are STILL into it. The kids will actually send their cards away, and get someone else's randomly selected cards in return.
I showed Kim to the Fine Grind for an Art Under Glass proposal. Mori has sent me alphabet images too, but I haven't opened them yet.
I saw one of my old art class students at one of the schools today. She teaches now. After teaching for 20 years, I guess I can't be surprised. Where's my anniversary party?

Picture

www.niagara.com/~elbows/pics/t.gif

Convergence day

Monday was some kind of weird convergence day. People who needed to get back to me for whatever reason all did it yesterday.
Here's the list:

1. A guy who owed me money for a painting dropped off a cheque at the Strega (Summer)
2. A guy who wanted a commission last year got back to me (December)
3. A hostess for a Halloween potluck returned my dish (a two-fer)
4. She also dropped off photographs from a photo exhibit (since last year)
5. LTTA officials explained their payment schedule (since August?)

Weird.

I got to do a Mad Science show in Crystal Beach - as a reward for some students who did some fundraising.

Mad Science Christmas

Sunday was a long day. The meditation group met at Sue's at 10 a. m. to do a Chenrezig practice with Fred. Then I was off for breakfast, and a Mad Science Christmas show at the Electricians' Union Hall in Port Robinson. There's a ferry across the canal there! Then right away, off to Market Square in St. Catharines for a 2 hour Mad Science slime giveaway after the Santa Claus parade. We got swamped! Then, off to clean the Mansion House. I had an apple/walnut/bacon salad at the Fine Grind, and told Rob about a photographer Matt Vizbulis recommends for the Art Under Glass. Then a Jackie Chan movie and bed. There's my weekend.

Four star day

Four star day.

I cleaned for a while, then went to Rodman Hall for my classes - with 2! thermoses of green tea! Yum! The kids in the classes were great. My 'client' came after class and paid for the painting. She thinks it is great and went to go have it framed. Then I had to zip to the Lab to pick up gear for a bunch of Mad Science shows.

Then I had to finish cleaning.

There was time, so I treated myself to dinner at the Strega. (Stella! Ste-eh-eh-lla!)

Now it gets interesting. A table of four sat down during dinner and had some wine and salads waiting for their food. I was done my pasta and was reading the paper, when a woman started to raise her voice. Not unusual, but I looked up. The yelling continued. She yelled that a fellow at her table was having a seizure, but that wasn't really clear to me. He seemed rather calm when I looked. She started to exclaim that he was diabetic and that he needed some honey. The staff were getting water, and were on the phone. I knew where the honey was, and brought it over. She asked for someone to call 911, but another at the table said that wasn't really necessary. I hoped she knew what she was talking about, because she was the only person anybody could hear. Lots of stuff happened quickly now. The fellow fell to the floor from his chair and she got really loud. "His head hit the floor! His head hit the floor!"

I moved the tables away from the fellow, and went to the front door to flag down the coming ambulance, in case they couldn't find the place. Kelly's brother was on the floor next to him making sure he didn't swallow his tongue.

I had to be in Thorold in a half hour at this point, for Mad Science. When the paramedics arrived, I had Kelly let me in the back door, to get my stuff. (There was no way to pay her what with the to do, so I left a book behind as a hostage.) This Thorold event was to be a 40th birthday party, and I was to entertain the kids. I was feeling my mortality the whole way there. The show was amazing and I got more compliments from the kids than ever. Then I drove back to the restaurant and paid up. Everything was back to normal, with Bill Wong and Cathy Evans there performing for charity.

How's that for a Saturday night? I hope I can fall asleep, because I have a 2 hour Christmas show tomorrow at the Market Square after the Santa Claus Parade. I would like to think that if I was ever in an emergency, that there could be people around who would know what to do.

June Etta rawks!

So, I'm still carrying around a painting, after I finished it days ago. It's a habit - this way I can get tired of it and won't mind selling it. Tomorrow the new owner will pick it up. I tried a few times to scan it, but the thing is too large for any scanner bed I could find. June Etta at the Strega offered to scan it for me, and took it upstairs. She'll give me a disc this week - it looks good, but 63 MB is too big for me. I can't display it yet, because the thing is a Christmas present for someone. I can send a mini version to people who want to see it next week, if they promise to keep it a secret. Lots of people are still giving me compliments - another reason for the Elbowsarts portable gallery!
Bought a used stainless steel thermos today, complete with a electricians union sticker. I masked the sticker, and spray painted the thing. Good as new.

vegan Fridays

I got a bit of neat news tonight, during my art class at the Strega. A family had come in to learn to draw, and the daughter was wearing a vegan shirt, complete with a definition and pronunciation key. The mother told us about a vegan potluck that goes on at a church next to the Delta Bingo. They started in September, and have people bring in their food on the 1st Friday of every month. St. Catharines isn't Guelph yet, but it may get there eventually.
I also heard a rumour about a vegetarian restaurant that may be opening up next to the Party Bar! ("Party Bar" is actually the name of a bar on St. Paul Street. We have so many bars now that I suspect they ran out of names.)

From my mail....

...The kids are having a blast, and I know they will no matter
what you make. Any man who can come up with those musician sculptures from
pool noodles should be running the country!
Your plan for the next weeks sounds great - I will save some tubes for you
this week.
Have a great night, Laurie!
M.

TuTuTango

Well, there was nothing wrong with the washing machine. I just did a load - it's fine. I talked with the lady and the gent, and we all figure it had just been overloaded.
Last night, I went to the TuTuTango to paint. Some ladies asked me to show them some more of my work, so I took them to see my stone carvings. (One of them was sitting there, broken!) I showed them a carving of Natalie doing some yoga. (How did it get broken? Steve needs to tell me this stuff!) The ladies loved it, and the paintings too. (I've taken all of my stone works out as of now! This is the 2nd time one of my works have been broken!) The ladies asked what I was working on and I showed them a maze someone has commisioned. It's almost done.

Advice, please

So, I'd like some advice. I have new neighbours downstairs, underneath Matt's place. A fellow, a lady, a dog, and occasionally some children. This week the lady asked if she could borrow my washing machine, as she hasn't got one yet, and her baby needs a new blanket. Matt pays the hydro bill for the washer and the washer is mine. Matt and I are fine with this arrangement. I told her this one time should be okay, but let her know that Matt might later express concerns about a higher hydro bill. The next day she told me the machine wouldn't drain - that it was broken. I haven't looked at it yet. Yesterday, Matt was in the hallway and told me the same thing, but added that the machine had been overloaded. He told me it ought to drain if it is only used for 'delicates' since the'delicate' cycle does not spin the clothes, as spinning creates wrinkles. I will also be needing clean clothes; this is why I own a washer and a dryer. I don't have the inclination or cash to call a repair professional, and I have fixed the machine myself in the past.

Should I just fix the machine and add a lock to the machine's lid? Should I ask her for money to repair the thing?

mmmmm, free pasta....

Whatever may have been going wrong earlier today was completely wiped out of my mind tonight, when Kelly asked me if I was staying for pasta. There is a new menu at the Strega Cafe and Kelly and Steve wanted all the staff to know what the food actually tasted like. 12 pasta sauces were served on various noodles with a beverage, foccaccia and dipping oil. We sat around for over an hour ooo-ing and ahh-ing. Right away my favourite is the Stella - smokier than Tennessee Williams with chunks of chicken. There are shrimp sauces, pepper sauces (actually hot!) and more, mushroom sauces, faux boulognaise, garden vegetable......
AND I found a 1994 magazine at the Port Colborne dump with an unplayed Beastie Boys vinyl record inside!

Backwards day

efgecCba
defdbag
cd ee ee ee fd
cc ed cc

Yesterday the 2/3s got to make their first prints using styrofoam plates. The teacher told me one of the kids had announced Tuesday was going to be "Backwards day" and I confirmed it without warning. All their writing and pictures would be backwards before printing! I can only imagine what is going through the little guy's head.
Found a great book of Chinese Fables in the used book store, all wrapped up like a library book. There are some very literate people out in Port Colborne, somewhere....
Then, on the way to the next gig, while stopped at the lock bridge by a giant red lake ship, Marcie called from Rodman Hall to ask if I'd like to so a Christmas-time workshop. I told her we could do Christmas cards with styrofoam plates and ink, just like the Port Colborne kids.
I saw a flock of turkeys near the Stelco plant south of Welland, and went to see if I could collect a feather. No feathers, but I did find a cool rock. Turkeys are HUGE!
Met Ron at the Merchant Ale House for $5 dinner and literary reading. The darts didn't work out so good - the plastic tips seem designed for softer targets than we could find.
Today was all about the Mad Science. One of the teachers pretended to be horrified at my Crystal Beach Comets book bag. I told her I would accept one from Ridgeway if she was offering...

Did you vote?

I voted today! I'd like to thank ArtsVote Niagara for giving such useful advice.
On my way back home from voting I spotted a graffiti tag on the garden wall next to my house. I contacted Mountainview Homes to see if they wanted my help getting rid of it. I understand that some folks believe that graffiti tags can de-value a property. When I spot graffiti at the Mansion House I go directly to the Downtown Association and borrow their camera to record the tags before I clean them, so the police can have a record. I had to leave a message on the machine at Mountainview, so this blog will be my record for now.
Last night I watched a workshop for a Suitcase in Point production. The interaction between a live performer and live musicians can't be beat. They wanted feedback from various profs, and other pros. I can't wait to see the finished work. Usually I will skip pre-production stuff like rehearsals but I'd already seen much of this in Cabaret form, so there were no 'spoiler' issues for me.
No Mad Science today because the kids have an early release day. Sounds like parole, doesn't it? I will be out in Port Colborne though, so the 1/2 kids can add faces and textures to their animals.

Crystal Beach Comets win 4-1

Saw Groovy Food last night at the Duck! (The Golden Pheasant on Ontario Street).

New neighbours downstairs seem friendly enough. Matt is away in Toronto so I don't believe he's met them yet. While cleaning the Mansion House today I spotted a couple of photos of Matt's (uncredited) murals on a newsletter published by the Winner's Circle. This newsletter has a big ad on the back for Preston Haskell's mayoral campaign. I'll be voting for 2 tomorrow. An old neighbour has to work out of town tomorrow and has asked me to vote on her behalf. I am honoured to do so.

I took a break today from cleaning to bike down to Haig arena to watch the Crystal Beach Comets win 4-1. I also picked up my Maze jackets from the NAC. Steve says there ought to be a DVD available of the fashion show, so there may be images yet!I've just had a great dinner of beans and rice (homemade TVP chili on thai rice vermicelli - I rock!) and will see if I can't make it to a theatre workshop downtown.

Coffee is NOT a substitute for sleep

Coffee is NOT a substitute for sleep. Last night I had the new coffeemaker all set so that when I got up in the morning all I would need to do would be to turn on the stove. It worked! But getting up at 5 a.m. so I can teach art classes after cleaning the Mansion House is going to be a chore. An advantage to getting up at 5? I noticed that I need to enable the comments section if I want people to leave me messages. I also got to change Yoko's sister's water. She really needs a name.
Today, the kiddies at Rodman Hall are going to start with pool-noodles in the sculpture class, and stretched gauze in the drawing class. Lucky lucky! Later on, I'll head over to the NAC to see the Wearable Art Show up close. I really should get some pictures.

Baba Ganouj jacket

http://www.brockpress.com/media/storage/paper384/news/2006/11/08/Culture/Niagara.Artists.Centre.Strutts.Its.Stuff.At.Wearable.Art.Show-2444051.shtml?norewrite200611102223&sourcedomain=www.brockpress.com

Just in case you missed it, the Brock Press almost mentions me near the end of this article. They do refer to the Baba Ganouj jacket I made, inspired by Vaughn's. He had made some baba ganouj for the OPIRG event the week before I had painted it. If the article doesn't come up, here's the quote:

"The evening even included namedropping to other cultural corners and independent establishments of the city including a jean jacket in tribute to baba ganoush from Vaughan's International Cuisine in the downtown core."

Rebecca Lazarenko

Lost and Found

If you found $20 would you report it? $50? $100? $5?
I once found two fifty dollar bills rolled together, on the sidewalk, while I was walking to high school. I held on to them all day in my pocket, and phoned the police when I got home. They very seriously asked me if there were any identifying marks on them, and when I said "none that I can see" they told me to keep them. Sometimes it depends on where you find it too. Outside, cash on the ground is fair game I figure.
I got to do a short Mad Science birthday party 2 blocks from my house this afternoon. There were a couple of American boys in the party, so I had to identify one material as "soda" instead of "pop". They appreciate little details like that.
Found a great percolator coffee maker at the Value Village today. At $3.99 it will pay for itself by tomorrow. It's already made me 2 fantastic cups of coffee today, and I expect 3-4 more tomorrow. Fresh coffee will go straight into my pre-heated stainless steel thermos tomorrow morning, and Timmie's can #@%! in their own pots. They don't need any more of my money. (smiles gleefully) One more step towards official crackpotdom!

Port Colborne

Well, I drove to Port Colborne first thing in the morning so I wouldn't be late for my... first class at 12:22 pm. Lots of planning time in the staff room meant I got to meet lots of new teachers. The 4/5s studying The Human Body and Canada's Habitat's made shoes out of card after listening to my Manitoba story.
"doodlydoo-doodlydoo-doodlydoo"
(flashback/dream-sequence music from Wayne's World)
"So back in Manitoba, in Grade 4, my french teacher was Metis. That was in Winnipeg. She told us that when she was in Grade 4 she got to do an exchange student thing with the Inuit from up North. Now, it's a lot colder up in the Arctic than it is, even in Winnipeg. Of course, no one knew what we were dressed as for Halloween, because we were covered in snow suits, but it still wasn't as cold as it was up in the Territories. When this exchange student girl came down to Winnipeg for the summer, she came with all her parkas and boots and everything she figured she's need for clothing. The poor girl was so sweaty in those clothes we didn't know what to do! She didn't have clothes to wear in Winnipeg!"
I had already told the kids a vivid little story about how water expands when it freezes, and how there is water in your cells, and if you leave your skin exposed in the winter in Winnipeg those little cells will all burst when frostbite hits, and that the radio traffic reports are always followed by frostbite warnings ("You have 20 minutes today before your exposed skin freezes, and you are listening to CJOB am). The kids in Port Colborne looked truly amazed that the Arctic could be colder than that, and that someone acclimatized to the climate of the Far North could be over-dressed in Winnipeg.
The month prior, the Port Colborne kids had been hit with a freak "weather event" that dropped Lake effect snow from Lake Erie all the way from Buffalo to Wainfleet, onto the trees' leaf covered branches, knocking out power for over a week in some places. Knowing a little bit about making your own clothes suddenly became more significant.
The 5/6 split made a huge mess making their own paper with gauze stretched on frames and a special blend of shredded newsprint, water and glue. Next week, the 5s will bring a picture of a provincial or territorial 'person of significance', and the 6s will do the same with 'persons of significance' from one of Canada's trading partners. I'll lead them in a little bit of cross-hatching technique so we can start putting faces on our own home-made $$$$!
In Honour of the latest election, I figured out this tune:
GAGEEDC
CDBAG
GGEEDC
FFED
GAGEEDC
CCDBAG
AFECEG
AFEDDC

A Brayer for Owin' Money

The Grades 2 and 3 students made leaf prints today using Steve's ink brayers. They loved the word brayer and used it with such immediate familiarity like it was the word spoon or pencil.
I showed them the woodcut I made of Yonge Street after the two hockey teams had won gold in the Winter Olympics. Next week the plan is to have them make their own prints out of styrofoam.
Made it to the Port Colborne dump on the way to Welland and picked up a great shiny deco-ish bread box.
This one is for the droogs! Who can tell me what it is?
bbcddcbaggabbaa
bbcddcbaggabagg
aabgabcbg
abcbagad
bbcddcbaggabagg

Re-assessed!

Ever get an envelope from the federal government, and then when you look inside you see that your income taxes have been reassessed? That special jelly-like feeling I got in my knees is something I'll never forget. It's like the time you got dumped by your girlfriend, or, the time you finish your business in the stall and realize you have no toilet paper. Unforgettable. Well, time to move on. I am as of today doubling the prices on my paintings.

The Grades ones and twos made cute little clay mammals, and the Mad Scientists made glow-in-the-dark slime. The classes went so well today, I wish they paid the bills a little better. I'm actually wondering if I should quit one of my jobs and put myself in a different tax bracket. I will admit to fantasizing on the drive home about getting my various bosses to start bidding a little more seriously for my services. "Weekends? No, no, we would never ask you to work weekends! You need that time off to relax, Laurie! Take it easy for a change." Might be nice to see an art gallery that didn't have my own work in it.

First Day twice today

eeg eeg egCbaag defd def dfbagbC ccC afg ecfgag ccC afg ecfedc

Can you name that one? The capital 'C' is for a higher 'C' than the lowercase 'c'.

Off to my first session at Edith Cavell school. (Where is that, anyway?) My first session as an LTTA artist starts at Port Colborne's St. Patrick school starts today as well. We will be starting off with the 5 senses, and animals. They already know me there as a Mad Scientist. Memorial School is trying to re-book me for a rocket launch this week. We had to reschedule once already, and both times so far have been rained out! The only time I have free this week is the 10th, so get out your umbrellas for Friday.

EGGGAGE DFFFGFED

Kyle came through with the Cotton Candy maker yesterday. Seems he had booked 2 mega-parties this weekend, and both needed the machine.

The STRUTT fashion show was well worth the effort, of course. Standing room only meant lots of socialization. I should have brought a camera so you could see the models wearing my maze jackets. Anna Kraevska's newspaper dress was my favourite piece. Saw Monica and Greg. June Etta Chenard has sent a nice compliment about my jackets. Laura MacDonald told me last night that sitting in the front row, she was amazed, and said to her companions, "Can you see this? It's amazing! This really IS wearable art!" She could actually read the Baba ganoush recipe and see it was integrated into the maze. Went out afterwards and discussed the show with Michelle and Catherine(sp?), art teachers from Ridley College. Also talked about the good old days with Shawn Lane, a friend of mine since Grade 6. He had prepared some of the food for the Fashion Show.

Today has been all about lesson planning for tomorrow. I need to colour code my lesson planning pages - they all look alike in my book. I'd like some space on the forms for some visuals.

Taught myself a riff from the Siouxsie & the Banshees tune - no idea what it is called. Here are the notes as I play them on my kalimba: EGGGAGE DFFFGFED - then she starts singing. If anyone can tell me the tune, I'd appreciate it.

Cotton candy ? where?

The kalimba is tuned, and I can pick out the theme from Sesame Street, the alphabet song, and some riff from a ska tune I can't name for the life of me.

Looks like I'll have to go back to the lab to pick up the cotton candy machine for today's birthday party, or else the kids at the party won't learn about heat transfer and material state change. Hello Vineland!

Debut entry

This is my first time putting out a blog - so let the chips fall where they may.

Long day tomorrow - Mad Science found out I have a day off from teaching the kids at Rodman Hall, so they've booked a birthday party for me. And then there's STRUTT! I have 5 pieces in there, a carved stone pendant wrapped in silver, and 4 denim jackets with picture mazes painted on the backs. All for sale.

I went out to Oakville today to pick up some clay for Monday. I only realized today that there wouldn't be time Monday morning to do that before the class started. Thank God I realized in time to beat the rush hour traffic to Oakville. And of course, what good is a trip to Oakville without a trip to the Whole Food store? Blueberry tea, catnip, cornmeal, tofu, plus something else but I can't remember.

I also found a glaze applicator at the Pottery Supply House that ought to work well with henna paste. Temporary tattoo anyone?

June Etta Chenard had an incredible show at the Strega last night. I ordered some art.

Now, I'm of to try and tune my kalimba in a scale of "c" - and I'm not sure how well I'll take advice on this folks, ause I've never done this before either.