Solitude

Perhaps I can get to where I really enjoy this time alone. In fact, I've been sitting here this evening with a glass of wine, reading a book...no TV, no music...in perfect solitude. And...it's kind of nice. The book I'm reading is called Living Alone and Loving It. A friend gave it to me. And the interesting thing is the author reminds me of myself. She talks about reaching out to people...friends and strangers, and relishing in hearing about their lives...and making connections.

That's pretty much what I've been doing and I'm never disappointed by the interesting people I continue to meet. Even when I least expect it, like the exercise guy from the other night. He is a limo driver...grew up on U street in Washington; had quite a different upbringing, background, and heritage than me. But nonetheless, we connected and he was interesting and kind and all of that. And most important...I learned a few things from him.

Today I ran into another old friend as I left the office. It was a guy I had worked with a few years ago...about five to be exact. He is an artist too...and as I told Lisa...he is actually "doing" art, not just talking about it like me. We sat there on a bench outside the building for quite a while comparing notes. He is also into pastels. So, I was telling him how I had learned to under paint with pastels, using turpentine to turn the pastel base into a wash. He had never heard of that before and I'm guessing now he will try it.

He has done about twelve portraits this year and I wonder how he has time for all that. He told me about a cool paper he uses that can be ordered in large sizes. He said it's kind of expensive...but I said, "Not as bad as buying canvas, right?" And he agreed! He is going to send me the information on ordering it and I plan to do a painting.

Soon, I will need to hop on a plane and go home to exchange my summer stuff for winter clothes, so I will also pick up my pastels and drawing board when I'm there and bring them back with me. I should be able to kill quite a bit of loneliness working on a few paintings here and there.

I'm really looking forward to my metal class in the morning. Because tomorrow I will FINALLY learn to weld. So, I should walk out of there in the afternoon with a metal sculpture in hand. How cool! How fun!

Tomorrow evening I've been invited to a friend's house for dinner and a movie. So I will head home from Annapolis and shower and change and get a few things done around here. Then I will head back out the door. It should be a fun evening and will fill up my Saturday to the max. And hopefully, this time, I won't fall asleep and miss the entire movie!

Sunday...I swear...I'm staying home all day and getting caught up...doing laundry etc. and getting ready for my busy Summit week next week! In fact, phew! What a weekend I've got planned...I'm exhausted already just thinking about it!