Surgery--Again

Good luck!

is it art therapy day???

Lurking
Joe(and working around the corner)Nation

Go well Umfundisi.

Hey, Joe. You're working around the corner? Glad you got a job. Who knew?

Yes, today was art therapy day. It's been a year since I started. We had a retrospective. The nonverbal ramblings of yours truly. Saw a visible progression. Saw some amazing changes in self-portraits. Tres interesting.

Love to hear more if it's not too private.

Yes.
Me, too, Roberta.
(If it's not too personal for you.)

I don't mind sharing a little.

My first self-portrait reflected a lot of pain. A throat on fire. My hair spikes of purple and hot pink, reflecting what they'd done to my brain. The portrait bears no real resemblance to me.

Now, no matter what I'm conveying in a self-portrait, the picture always has a ponytail (that's me). There are also facial expressions other than distress.

Although I'm hardly an artist, I'm able to convey feelings and ideas in facial expressions and other aspects of what I'm drawing.

Colors tend to represent things for me, although I'm not conscious of it when I choose a color.

The process fascinates and invigorates me. Thinking without words. This is powerful stuff.

I certainly sounds that way for you, Roberta.
Thank you for sharing.

Awake. I think the med is helping. Less coughing overall and fewer choking incidents when I'm awake. None when I've been sleeping.

Barium swallow test on Wednesday.

are you gonna practice by eating some chalk???

glad you're breathing easier.

not breathing kinda sucks...

((B))

Au contraire (do you like my non existent french yet?), I think those drawings that you've ever posted here show clear ability - they're somewhat minimalist, have good lines, quite convincing. You've seen a lot of art in your time and have an instinct for it. (So there.)

And "thinking without words" pretty much fits one of the odder threads I've started recently - on making things -
http://able2know.org/topic/169416-1

This is so encouraging to hear Boida... so please... even if small steps, 'tis good to read from this side of the poind.

<Barium meal - ack!>

(((((((Boida))))))x

You'd think by now they'd make it chocolate flavored..
oh, wait, that wouldn't work.

pepsi flavoured would be good for the goil a?

Or oreo flavoured! <gah, that's hard to say>

((Osso))x

You gotta remember who you're dealing with. I really don't care what the barium tastes like. I've had a million tests. This one is no big deal. At least I don't have to fast first or drink twenty gallons of yucky stuff first.

osso, You gotta remember who you're dealing with. When I was taking my painting and drawing classes, I could never get it right enough. Drove myself and my teacher insane. The kind of drawing I'm doing in art therapy has nothing to do with ability or getting it right. It took me a while to be able to not care. But when I see it, it all looks like one step up from scribbles. Let's face I'm a pain in the ass.

You've loosened up since art classes because you really don't care, are just drawing. Are you drawing fast (you may have said but I don't remember - I am guessing somewhat fast). How's that for cheapo instant analysis?
Anyway, I like them, both for the art therapeutic aspect and their beauty.

Very fast in a session. A little slower when I do something at home. Fast, spontaneous. I surprise myself and occasionally make myself laugh. Sometimes cry.

Like I said, powerful stuff.

Yeah.

Awake. More coughy than I've been the last couple of days. Coughing woke me up. Don't think I was choking.