Books and other distractions

I keep repeating some bad behavior (okay I consider it bad mostly because I do this on a monthly basis, fix it then tell myself not to do it again. So naturally I do it again).

Over the course of a couple days, whatever I'm working on in the library draws my attention to a number of books. I check them out planning to read them and at the end of maybe three days, I have a stack of at least six books on my kitchen table waiting to be read.

And they sit there, sit there, sit there...still there about a month to six weeks later.

I've been trying break the cycle, so instead of creating little pieces of mediocre art to mail out, I've been reading....and reading and reading....

So, two cheers for me, I cleared my latest pile. (Of course some I simply returned, others I read the first paragraph and said no way....) but the important thing here is for once I made it throught the stack and half of it got read. (Instead of sitting around even longer and then getting returned without reading).

So here's a list of what was in the pile (I won't tell you what got read or re-read or returned without being opened or skipped due to disgust to the first paragraphs -- that might be helpful but why should I be helpful here?):

• The Whisperers, John Connolly
• Raziel (The Fallen), Kristina Douglas
• Unfamiliar Fishes, Sarah Vowels
• The Physic Book of Deliverance Dane, Katherine Howe
• The Darkest Secret, Gena Showalter
• Quicksilver, Amanda Quick
• Blood Oath, Christopher Farnsworth
• Predatory Game, Christine Feehan

Not included are the two books I checked out but never made it off my desk at work....
(St. Lucy's Home for Girls raised by Wolves or the Peanut Butter Murders)

Work in Progress

I am currently working my way through the Charlie Parker series by John Connolly and the art side of my life is slowing down, but just a bit. I have three pieces hanging out in the house, under books or drying in the sun or stalled due to mediocrity (as defined by me...after all who's opinion matters more).

Also due to my work schedule I'm locked in to sending some stuff out on Thursday, my day off. Of course I don't know which ones to send, who to send them to or if I can really consider them finished...

But here's my mental list of what is sitting around the house...

1. Keyhole collage
2. Modern Pastoral
3. Trees, attempt number 1
4. Champagne & Dorothy Parker

(I know not the most descriptive of lists, although the trees one is pretty easy to connect some dots on...)

Only one has a definite person to which it will be sent....so the conclusion here is I need to get in gear and do some things.

I don't know if this is a thing or a feeling or a consequence (which are all things of a sort huh? I speak English I swear) but sometimes when I pick up a piece and do a touch here or there on it or sort through the scraps I've already clipped out of a magazine I can end up creating something totally new. No planning, no thinking that "I'm going to create a new piece..." Just a hmmmmm and oh, and how 'bout that and suddenly I realized I've been working for a long time (ignoring the rerun of NCIS playing in the background) and I have a whole new project started...It's one of those good feelings.