I'm back in business!

I got my scanner hooked up yesterday, so I'm able to post some art once more...yeah! This is a piece that I'm working on. I'm doing some painting on it in Photoshop and will try to post when finished. But this is the sketch.

Yesterday was interesting. I had to go downtown again to the temp agency I'm working with. Of course I got kind of lost, ended up on a REALLY seedy end of the street I wanted to be on, going the opposite way. I ended up having to stop in a bar and ask directions. Yes, there I am at 9:15 in the morning, in this totally seedy, dark bar full of men (me in my heels and skirt) asking them to tell me how to get to the address I needed. It was fun.

Anyway, I got there, in time too, and it looks like I'll be starting temp work next week. I'm ready to get back into the work force again and am actually looking forward to it. The "real" job search continues, of course, but this will give me some money coming in.

Now I'm off to lunch with a new friend here, so will post more another day.

Ok, that's funny

Well, after I finished that last post and turned around, there in the box behind me was the camera cord! So I'm posting a few photos of my life the past few weeks:


This was a truck I found out at ASU campus shortly before I left. Great texture and color!

This is a park in Ashland. Funny to have a park so thick with foliage in basically a desert landscape.

This is an overview of the town as I gazed on a rooftop.

This was on the way to Ashland. Spectacular mountain, isn't it? Now, if I could only remember its name...

Yes, I was driving and taking pictures. I know, I know....

This was July 4th at the beach. It was super windy and kinda cold, but wow, what a view!

Here's me on the beach. In my borrowed wool sweater. Trying not to freeze to death.

And here's a shot of the water lilies on the lake kind of behind the ocean being enjoyed by the dogs who accompanied us on our walk. They had so much fun, but they smelled SO BAD afterwards!

still unpacking

The unpacking continues. I wanted to post photos today that I've taken over the past few weeks, but I can't find my cord for the camera to transfer the pics. Sigh. I'll have to keep looking.

Things are coming together though. My place is really shaping up. IKEA just opened today in Portland, so I'll be getting my desks, etc. soon and be able to set up my studio (and find my errant camera cord!).

Hang in there with me...the best is yet to come!

I'm alive!

I finally have internet, so here I am! In beautiful, sunny Portland, OR. Yes, sunny! It's been beautiful since I got here a week and a half ago. From what I hear, this is summer in Portland. Yeah, I'm lovin it.

Let me start with my road trip. It was hard leaving AZ, there were a lot of tears, but once I got on the road, I started to feel excited. I drove by myself, and I'm glad I did. It was nice to have the time to myself, and only have to worry about me. I drove about 10 hours the first day, but hit a major traffic jam in California that set me back about 2 hours. Spent the night in a Best Western in the middle of nowhere. Seriously, there was NOTHING there! Flat farmland for miles in every direction. Probably much like Kansas in spots (remember "Children of the Corn"?).

Got up the next morning and hit the road early. In my travels that day I saw about 20 paintings I would've liked to have done. Many beautiful pastoral landscapes. Drove all day till I reached Ashland, OR and spent the night there. What a great little town! I took a walk in the park just around the corner from the hotel I stayed in shortly after I got there in the evening. It was filled with young families playing with their kids, some dreadlocked "travelers" hanging out playing guitars and drums, and older folks enjoying the trees and park benches. The next morning I walked up to town and stopped into the shops. They had some great little places there and I got a few things for my new home. Then I hit the road again around 1 pm and got into Portland about 5:30p.

July4, J and I drove up to Cape Meares for the day, just missing the July 4th parade. It started at 12N, and we arrived at 12:10p. Yep, it's pretty small. Then there was a town picnic/potluck loaded with yummy food that we enjoyed. A walk by the water after lunch, some visiting with new friends and watching the pelicans completed our day. It's so beautiful up there; rugged cliffs, crashing waves and a stiff wind. Wild.

The rest of the time so far has been spent getting settled, shopping for furniture and household goods and getting the cable,etc. hooked up. Am having a difficult time with my wireless router, so am confined to the living room floor to work online for now. I won't have a printer or scanner set up for a bit yet as I'm trying to fix my router. As soon as I have things set up, I'll post pictures and new art.