After a night of pretty much no sleep (why?) here I am again with the coffee, the dogs, the rawhide pencils and the word for today is recharge. Boy, that hit a chord, but I have no idea how to effect that — though I could definitely use it. (Another gulp of coffee.)
A few days ago I woke up and realized that the long covid had finally gone. It was a very strange feeling. Little by little over the past six months — that monster has finally completely wandered off.
But now what? I feel a little disoriented, awakening in a different world.
I started cleaning out/up the studio. Not with anything particular in mind. I have no inspiration and the paints are very very very cold, sort of like cold butter or margarine. My studio isn’t heated and it really is as cold as a refrigerator in there. I have a glimmer of a painting in the back of my mind and I think it will probably happen. It will be a landscape, of course. I sense it will have a backstory, though. It won’t be “just” a landscape. I think it’s going to be a picture of my life from last July to, well, more or less, now.
I keep wondering why I paint at all since everything just ends up packed carefully in boxes in the garage, but whatever. I like to paint. I could either work harder to find a gallery or accept that I’m painting things to box up and put in the garage. To be fair, though, a couple are wrapped carefully and kept in the spare bedroom.:-) My house is small; the walls are old-school lath and plaster. Hanging something is complicated AND the walls a pretty full anyway. One of the paintings needs a frame. That will happen when I’m paid for reading the books sometime this spring.
ChatGPT would say (of itself) that it’s designed to do what it does, so it does it. I guess I can look at painting the same way. It’s what I do; maybe I was designed to paint. 😀
Yesterday my neighbors and I met at E’s house for a tea party that turned out to be a birthday party for me. E made cheesecake for the event and gave me a pair of beautiful handmade wool socks. I haven’t really hung out with anyone for the past several weeks other than interviewing people. I’ve been reading books and writing an article oh yeah and getting sucked into ChatGPT. For various other reasons, the three of us haven’t been able to get together since before Christmas.
So… here’s hoping we all get the recharge we need so we can…
More Quotedium Musing…
“Summer is the season of inferior sledding” - Inuit proverb 
Glad that monkey is off your back at last and you’ve had a chance to celebrate with friends. Happy birthday-
Thank you!
I hope long Covid wanders off and gets lost. Glad you are starting to feel better.
Your thought about why you paint when your paintings just get packed up made me wonder about all my photos. My online filing system is pretty darn great, if I say so myself. But will my husband and kids huddle around the computer and look at them all? Doubtful, but I still keep on because it gives me joy and purpose. Weird what makes you stop and think…
I don’t think it pays to wonder about that stuff. ChatGPT has the right idea…if it’s an idea and that’s doubtful.
Happy Birthday and, I have to say, those socks look cozy. Sorry about the long covid, but glad it wasn’t any longer than it was…and that it is over! I’m working on my recharge too. It’s taking more time than I thought, but ya can’t rush these things. I’ve enjoyed your ChatGPT posts. Eegad. A whole new world.
My birthday was 3 weeks ago, but when someone decides to celebrate it’s all GREAT IMO. The recharge is challenging. I feel like the past 3 years have been a forced reassessment of everything. Resignation is a useful tool sometimes.
I like ChatGPT. There are a lot of ways it could go wrong, and its basic business messages could cause mass unemployment because they’re good enough. My hope is that it will wake up the education system (and continue to entertain me).
Well, the entertainment factor has to be worth something. 😉 Let’s hope it triggers change for the better.
Recharge is challenging and exhausting, but hopefully worth it in the end. It has been a long 3 years on so many levels.
Good-bye long COVID! And a surprise birthday party! And wool socks (very pretty too)! This is such a happy post – and that ChatGPT is starting to sound like a new online friend who is honest and funny…
ChatGPT is not a person but it is very intriguing. The birthday party was surprising and very lovely!