tourists

Chinese tourists, mostly. People 'seeing Europe in 14 days'. They're off to do this:

Plastic culture! It's forgivable in tourists. It really is. Most of us have substituted the Real Thing for instant culture, somewhere - I know I have, anyway. But is it okay for locals?! I'm not so sure. Yet where we are now, we're a 20-minute bike ride away from this place (click). And all those typical Zaans-green gables? That's the colour of my roots... (although I prefer looking at those little bits of heritage 'in the wild', so to speak; find the gems right next to an industrial monstrosity for example. But I know you can't 'do Europe in a fortnight' and have time for a treasure hunt like that. I get that!) I was born around here, and got my first flashes of people and the world in these parts. I never thought it mattered, but I'm slowly finding out it does.

So. I don't have an excuse. It was a gut-inspired moment of... 'I have to'. Squirt in all his glory, intimately acquainting himself with wooden shoes. Slightly too big. You would have, too. Admit it!

doing

Just a bit from my Morning Pages that I tried to illustrate. I don't want to give my inner mean guy floor space, so I'm just going to go with... how I love translating what I'm feeling or thinking to an image :) And it makes me feel good, to draw it out, to fill with colour.

I'm constantly feeling challenged when it comes to doing the things I want to do - all the things I want to do! - in the time I have going spare. So I end up doing nothing, at times... What a waste! I need to remind myself that drawing makes me feel good, and energised!
and that I could do with practise ;)

drugs

walk

I'm taking Brandi's e-course, MOVE. I thought it was about time for me to start paying more attention to my body, and stop treating it solely as a vehicle for my head. After 37 years, I've finally come to realise that I am more than my mind. And it's a good thing. It's timely, although a little late in life ;) I'm finding out it's much easier to relax when you actively use your body. As opposed to telling yourself to "relax already!!" You can actually, actively, take a break from yourself and the incessant voices in your head! Did you know that?!

I gifted my sister this course too, for her birthday. We're making it a point to do the weekly assignment together at least once. Two weeks ago, we sat behind my laptop to do sitting yoga :)

Last Tuesday had us outside for a walk in nature. And it was lovely! Pictures to prove :) I loved the way the conversation flowed because we were moving! We were meant to feel our muscles move, consciously, and I even got round to doing some of that! ;)

Nature walks won't be my weekly Thing. For no other reason than the fact that it actually takes a car to get to 'nature' from where I live. And I don't have my license. So that puts a spanner in the works right there...

But I've taken up yoga about a month ago, and love it! And I'm quite looking forward to whatever else Brandi comes up with - week 3 starts today, and there's another 3 weeks left!

bunnies

Bunnies :) Inspired by Carla Sonheim's Artspark tutorial! Except I didn't use a Tombow marker, I used a dip pen and bistre. But what's in supplies? I'm under a self-imposed embargo. I barred myself from the absolutely awesome little supply shop that is entirely too closely around the corner for comfort. For an undisclosed length of time. But it's a good thing. You see, I've got enough stuff. Quite enough. It's a lot of fun to see what you can actually do with all the stuff you've got, instead of running out - not even having to run far enough to be out of breath at the end of it... - and get the next newest best thing :) And that's a bonus bunny. Doing something... uhm... silly. Because Carla has just announced her 4th installment of Silly. And I'm considering it. Of course! After all, an online workshop isn't quite 'new supplies'. Now is it?!

;)