Well, my plan to post daily didn’t last long thanks to getting sick. Oh well, it is an ideal for which to strive. Today I cannot speak, so bad is this throat that I cannot practice the ventriloquism, not even to do the breathing exercises as they make me cough uncontrollably. Bummer. If you don’t know, I am trying to avoid a pity party but every time I try to distract myself, something else happens, Youtube videos work as a distraction. On a better note, it looks like I am the only one suffering like this. My friends all seem … Continue reading
Quicksilver
I’ve struggled this year with my health issues and am finding myself facing even bigger health challenges going forward. It has become vital for my spinal health that I strongly correct my posture. A better chair isn’t going to cut it anymore. I need to exercise in a manner that will push my body to hold healthy core strength and good posture. Answer: return to Weight Lifting, and Ballroom! I found a studio that is at my end of town and is parking friendly for my bigger vehicle. I have taken from this teacher before and while this is not … Continue reading
Our New Years Eve was spent peeking through the windows at fireworks set off by the neighbors, as was the night of New Years Day. The days were spent inside, hiding from the cold, and in my case suffering not very quietly. HAPPY NEW YEAR! WELCOME 2018! This is my year to contemplate SILENCE. Its meaning in a spiritual life. Its meaning in everyday life. What is the significance of Silence, which we have so little of these days? I think we’re not connecting with God or each other because we are over-whelmed by noise. We’re so shut down by … Continue reading
HAPPY NEW YEAR! We begin a full year of daily blog posts, and hopefully lots about puppets and ventriloquism. Goody’s creator is THE DUMMY DOCTOR, Alan Semok. I looked at a huge number of figure makers online, starting with the amazing list of makers found on Cybervent, a website that I have found useful. I read the comments, reviews, and studied the websites of the dummy builders. Nothing really clicked with me until I ran across the comedy, DUMMY, staring Adrien Brody. I liked the dummy in the movie, and scanned the credits to find out who made it. Along … Continue reading
I’m writing this early so it may or may not post after Jan 1, haven’t actually looked yet and don’t plan to before scheduling this post. I’m recognizing that blogs may be old tech but I need to start where I am. I enjoy watching video blogs and want to do some of my own, probably with puppet assist! Daily blog posts replace morning pages (Julia Cameron in ARTISTS’ WAY) for me in 2018. I did morning pages for years and didn’t get anywhere with it. Oh, it was good for the mental health and general creativity, but didn’t result … Continue reading
We learned to make mustard medieval style. The class was taught for our local Society for Creative Anachronism branch by one of our members who plans to teach this class at events. Really good class–and good for kids too! Our class used brown and white mustard seeds, a choice of vinegars, herbs to add flavor if desired, water, sugar or honey to sweeten, and a mortar and pestle to grind up the seeds. It ages on the counter for days or weeks, developing its flavor and mellowing. My effort used apple cider vinegar, honey, 2/3 white mustard seeds, 1/3 brown … Continue reading
November was quite the month for rainbows here. For weeks there seemed to be an afternoon rainbow on a near daily basis. Twice I raced outside to get pictures and captured a few decent shots. Amazing! Absolutely beautiful! And I even managed to get a picture of my beloved family, muddy from playing outside, to stand still long enough to grab several different photos I will treasure of them positioned so the rainbow came down toward them, my treasure at the end of my rainbow. Caught two in this example. Rainbows always bring to mind the story of Noah from … Continue reading
Our culture mocks modesty. It is said that modesty is frumpy but this is NOT true! Modesty is feminine and beautiful without being salacious or cheap. Just because you don’t see modest feminine and beautiful clothing in the ladies magazines and fashion magazines does not mean that it does not exist. How do I know this? Because there are clothing stores online such as Holy Clothing where you can find beautiful, feminine, modest clothing. They make their clothing in Maxi, Midi and Mini. The Maxi is ankle to floor length depending on your height, the midi is tea length and … Continue reading
Last year around October I found myself signing up for five free days of lessons by Tom Crowl titled, Learn-Ventriloquism. By the fifth day I was hooked and did something I never do–I dug out my credit card and PAID for an online course. Lessons were incremental, each one a manageable bite, and sent out one a day. Every morning I logged into my next lesson. Between lessons I practiced. I read everything I could get my hands on about ventriloquism and ventriloquists. I purchased every documentary I could find (I’M NO DUMMY is fun and informative). I haunted … Continue reading
I read Archbishop Chaput’s book STRANGERS IN A STRANGE LAND: Living the Catholic Faith in a Post-Christian World earlier this year and forgot to blog about the book. I don’t think it was as good as his previous book RENDER UNTO CEASAR but timely in its commentary. The author describes how our culture has abandoned its Christian roots so totally that like the first Christians, we are indeed living as strangers in a strange land. Citizens of the heavenly kingdom, we find ourselves living in a world of vice hailed as good, and virtue mocked as idiotic. Into this culture … Continue reading