Learning New Stuff. Hard Process

I've been debating what I want to do with this blog. I do post on the other blog, not as much as I could or should (whatever that means) and I keep a public journal on my favorite site Calorie Count. I don't want to stop this one though, so I think today I'll talk about what's up at the moment with my creative process.

Some years ago, I really got going with art work, learning to draw, sorta, and doing pastel paintings and silk painting. At some point I guess I burned out on it a little bit. At the moment, I seem to be in another period where all that pent up art is pressing on me to come out. I'm writing a lot and in the last couple of years gotten quite interested in photography.

Four weeks ago, I started a class in Photoshop. I've been using Photoshop Elements, and taught myself quite a bit just using a manual, but decided I wanted to take the next step up. I've really been enjoying that class, and have learned a lot - but mostly that at the moment I've barely scraped the surface of what it can do.

Meanwhile, I decided to buy a new camera, as I've been a little frustrated with the little unit I had. Got some good photos out of it, but again, time for an upgrade. This time, I really took a leap and bought a Canon 7D. I realize that I basically have no clue what I'm doing and spent the better part of today in a state of utter frustration. With the help of my husband, who does know what he's doing, we methodically sorted through my problems with focus and figuring out what buttons do what.

This was exhausting. I didn't get any decent photos today. But ultimately,I don't really mind that. I didn't stop learning. One balled up knot of a problem got unsnarled and the path is ahead of me. Tomorrow, I'm going on a Valentine's Day hike with my sweetie, we're going to do some birdwatching and yep, I'm taking the new gadget. Must.

Today's photo is from the old camera, but the new Photoshop. When a friend saw this, she said: "Seventies much?" Maybe so.

A few weeks ago, I bought these wonderful dolls from one of the galleries in Oakhurst. They are made by a local artist, Julie Mitchell. I just picked them up the other day from the frame shop, who put them in a fabulous shadow box frame and today, we'll be finding the right place to hang them.

Well, it looks like all that resting and recuperation after the surgery has not had the niftiest effect on my weight, I'm a tick over my "happy" range, so I'm going to start doing something about that as of today. I must say that I feel strong and back to normal, although the ear still looks a big larger than the other, but it will be a couple of months yet for that to change.

Here's a tasty recipe for Chickpea and Cauliflower Soup:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 1/2 cups tomatoes, diced
4 cups cauliflower, cut into .5 in pieces
4 cups vegetable broth

In a large pot, saute the onion in the olive oil until it starts to get tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, ginger, cumin and coriander and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add the vegetable broth, tomatoes, cauliflower and chickpeas. Heat to a bubble, then reduce the heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is somewhat tender, but still retains a bit of crunch.

Definite Improvement

I can say that today I feel something approaching normal. My ear still looks huge and swollen but overall there's a big surge of energy and very little pain. Lots of itchiness - and if I hear one more time that means it's healing, I'll have to bop someone. I am not a fan of itching - have had too many bouts of poison oak to view it as anything but intolerable.

I felt good enough to take a decent almost hour-long walk, although I stayed on the road which meant the exertion level was low. I ran into a neighbor coming down the hill; we hadn't met before so I was somewhat embarrassed to be doing so with a cotton ball still stuck in my ear. Just when you think you're far enough out in the middle of nowhere, you get caught.

I have my followup doctor's appointment tomorrow, I am very much looking forward to getting the stitches out and the other cleanup items that will be taken care of then also.

Found This in One of My Notebooks

A quote from Thomas Merton:

"Then it was as if I suddenly saw the secret beauty of their hearts, the depths of their hearts where neither sin nor desire nor self-knowledge can reach, the core of their reality, the person that each one is in God’s eyes. If only they could all see themselves as they really are. If only we could see each other that way all the time. There would be no more war, no more hatred, no more cruelty, no more greed…I suppose the big problem would be that we would fall down and worship each other. "

Frankenstein's Monster

This is day two post-surgery, and this afternoon the bandage came off to my great relief. The bandage involved a hard shell placed over the surgicized ear, then miles of gauze and tape to hold it securely on. Honestly, the bandage itself is more of a pain than the actual ear cuts. Now that it's off I feel about half-normal as long as one doesn't count the fact that I haven't showered in three days (I will later today, I promise) or the fact that my right ear is about twice the size as the other one.

Since we went back to the Bay Area for the surgery, it was lots of fun when I had to make a bathroom stop on the way home yesterday - got a few shocked stares. It's getting close to Halloween, right, just a little early hellish headgear.

Actually, of course, I am very grateful to have come through this third procedure so well. There was, indeed, another cholesteatoma, and I did get the more complex surgery, so supposedly from here on in, any clean-up can be done outside the operating room.

Here's a morbid little shot from our last weekend's walk - someone stuck this cow skull on a fence post.

Not Really Looking Forward to Next Week

Wednesday, I will have ear surgery number three to remove another cholesteatoma. This time, the procedure will be a "canal wall down" surgery, which is a bit more complex, a longer surgery and possibly a longer recovery time.

The upside is that this version means that additional surgery will not be required as the required followups can happen with office visits. The downside is that it's a bloomin' nuisance.

I love that word for this, by the way. It's the term my doctor used in describing this condition, since there is really nothing that can be done to prevent it (other than this surgery I guess) and it can recur at anytime (if you don't do this surgery). If you don't have the surgery, well. Possible growth into the brain, meningitis, and other icky stuff. I like the phrase because it reminds me not to feel sorry for myself.

I've got my strategy for my week + of down time all worked out. Reading, watching DVDs, fiddling with photoshop, sitting on the front porch watching the birds. I may even go so far as to nap during the day!