Week 5/52 - Getting Outside and Freezing

Icy rain.

Two days away from the office.

Working from home and drinking beer.

Breaking out the "good" camera.

Ma calls and says that Jim Cantore is in Charleston.

I answered emails.

I have two phones in hand trying to answer "warm shelter" questions.

My force support troops took care of business at the dining facilities. 

They kept lodging going.  No issues.

They are awesome

It was painful to walk outside in that cold.
The fireplace was really warm and toasty.
A pot roast was delightful.  Thanks to mommy for talking me through the recipe.
My flight chiefs were amazed at the crazy questions; it's a part of life.
Must keep smiling in the face of cold toes.
Keeping smiling at the end of the storm.
Leon's over. 
Life is good in Charleston.
Bring on spring.

Week 4/52 - More Than Just a Word

I am, apparently, a person of authority.
I have my own parking spot.
I sit at the head of the table sometimes.
People stand up when I walk in the room.
"Ma'am" doesn't make me feel old; it's just normal.
I get 200-300 new messages in my inbox everyday.
I send about 50 new messages everyday.
My battlerhythm of meetings and visits and paperwork is intense.
Combat boots are my daily shoe of choice (or, rather, policy) and they match my outfit.
I don't carry a gun or fly a plane.

I'm a person with responsibility for mission, people and resources.
Defining the mission is hard.
Living within limited resources is harder.
Ensuring the health, safety and satisfaction of the people in my unit is even harder.
Balancing all that with helping the people in my unit take care of the customers of my unit--i.e. the entire population of our joint base--is, well, kinda impossible.  
That's my job.  
I'm a commander.

Seeing a face light up when someone has solved her own problem brings me joy.

Finishing a meeting that met its objective and generated new ideas brings me greater joy.

Knowing I've positively influenced someone's view of the word is the best.

The parking spot is cool.

My office is a mess.

My teams are amazing--even when they're not.

Laughing at drama is my favorite response to stress.

Making other people own the drama and laugh is my other favorite response.

I know a lot about leadership.

The art of actually leading can only be understood with experience.

I'm an artist.

I own my mistakes, add new layers, and sometimes end up with a final product that is awesome and unexpected.

And then I go home and take a nap because I'm tired.

Fly, fight, win...and proudly support the force.  :)

Week 3 - B&W Selfie - Skinny is an Option

- Starting the year skinnier and fitter
- Hope to stay that way.
- This morning calls for the Shrimp & Grits 5K!

My secrets?

- Get a new mattress so your back doesn't hurt.
- Run.  A lot.  But, start with little jogs and walks.
- When you get random leg numbness:  ignore it.
- Try a piercing...belly button.  Instant motivation to not have extra rolls.
- Pay big $ to a weight loss clinic team approach that includes eight pills a day.
- Face the threat of losing your job because your waist is too big.
- Dig out "skinny" clothes from years ago and enjoy the reunion.

- Reward yourself with art supplies and fancy panties.

- Learn to love being sweaty.

- Run some more.
- Direct all your subordinates to get rid of the candy in their offices because you have no self control when you're working after 1700.
- Spend $10's of dollars at a time on iTunes.
- Don't be afraid to dance in your driveway.
- Sign up for random races and actually do them.
- Believe massages are therapy and get them often.
- p.s. That's not my nipple...it's my ID card jammed in my bra just in case I pass out and someone needs to know my name and that I'm an organ donor.  haaaaaaaaaaa

Week 2 - Silhouette Simplicity

Challenging week.
Ended with laughs.
Thursday evening at Frothy Beard.
A pint of Zingeber.

Cold-ass mornings.
Hot, steaming coffee.
Frozen pipes.
0630 breakfast meetings.

Combat Airlift.
Cold french fries.
Lunch with friends.
Appreciating a Friday.

Week 1 - Minimal

Mini-beers.

With friends.

On a Thursday afternoon.

In the Holy City.

Lager love.

Tots amazeballs.

Blue, Grey & White. Plus a Couple of Hours.

I had a friend pick three colors...off the top of his head.  Blue, grey and white.

Not very exciting...at least I thought so, until I got into my palette!!!

A girl with big dreams BRINGING IT ON...

And some crazy ass earthmother face.  

She was super-creepy starting out...

But then got a lot more normal.

And then went swirly & squirly...

I used the leftovers on the palette to make some backgrounds.  Soooo ocean and sky and awesome!!

Facing it at Starbucks...with a pile of Stabilos and some Christmas Blonde

After experiencing Dina Wakley's creative energy, teaching style, and overall passion for expression, I had to have more.  So, I signed up for her "Facing the Facts" online class.  She is all about tapping into your abilities and stripping away the "I can't draw"filter.  She uses women and faces a lot in her art journal page designs and this course explains "the formula" for them.  

The first video lays out the challenge...draw 100 faces.  Practice with different media, practice with different colors, practice with different sizes, practice with different perspectives.  It's a little daunting, like being directed to practice playing the piano (which was, apparently, sheer torture for me when I was little.)

Today was my first sit-down-and-draw session down at the local Starbucks.  I got to have a big table space all to myself and I used it.  I took a selection of journals that have random, assorted backgrounds or colors tossed on them.  Dina's "magic pencil" is the Stabilo All pencil.  It's flippin' amazing.  I bought every color they had at my new favorite art store downtown--Artist & Craftsman Supply.  I just discovered this shop and could camp out in there for days.  It's amazing.  But, more on that some other time.  Today it's about the faces.  My first out of the chute... 

She has a kinda long neck, but I still like her look.  The black and yellow makes me happy.

 I went with the grey pencil and like the softer look.  Tried coloring the eyes, too.  

 I started getting bolder with the crazier backgrounds.  I also worked on getting her to smile more.

 Rockstar coffee drinker diva...

I'm ready for more.  Tonight I'm working on more collages that I imagine having done in time to mail for Christmas.  Uh, yeah.  It's probably not happening.  I realized I have 18 different canvases/boards going right now.  I probably need to shove some aside so I don't feel quite so overwhelmed.  Multiple works in progress is a good method, but having them covering every surface probably isn't the point!  haaaaaaaaaa

I think my Christmas resolution is going to be more blogging. I miss my blog friends!  

Luvs

Jenny J.