Strange dreams! I dreamt I was in my Mother's house, only Gramma was there. The floor had an extreme tilt to it. I asked her if the house would topple over. She said no, and in any case, we were insured. I was then doing something with a box of things I'd collected, trying to determine best placement should the house fall.

In the next scene, I am searching for a cheaper place to live. I was investigating wooden walled condos in which lots of 'seniors' lived. One older lady's apartment featured a short door inside, maybe only a yard or a meter high, leading to a storage area. I wanted to move aside the deco stand she had in front of it to take a look. She thought I was being a bit invasive. I was considering that this is the best we could do, even though it was so much smaller than our last place.

I hope these dreams were only brought about by waking to a chilly feeling, and are not a harbinger of things to come. Julia and I don't want to move, we've had so much of it in the past. But I suppose I should remain open to change.

Still, the dreams have left me with an uneasy feeling. I'd like to think I'm not a person rather attached to material items, and yet I know I am. The only balancing element is knowing that it is _I_, my mind and spirit, that gives meaning to them. So I enjoy them while I have them, in the _moment_ that is all we ever really have of consciousness.

I am jubilating! Two books have arrived! _Reading Egyptian Art_ and _Symbol and Magic in Egyptian Art_, both by Richard H. Wilkinson have arrived. Julia's perusing the later 'Symbol' book, and I'm slowly digesting his first such book. You won't see much of me on the web, nor will I of you, as I study these.

I've only gotten a short way into the first book, and I can say if you really want to understand ancient Egyptian imagery and (most of) what it's meant to convey, you'll find these books invaluable. Not only that, they may help my own artwork!

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

"Set Sightings via Wilkinson"
6:35am

There's several Set sightings in Wilkinson's _Reading Egyptian Art. I was able to find a better picture of one on the web.

"Two confronting sphinxes representing Horus and Seth"
Pectoral Ornament, Middle Kingdom, Dynasty 12, probably reign of Senwosret II or Senwosret III, 1897-1841 BCE (perhaps from Dahshur)
Electrum with remains of lapis lazuli, carnelian, and amazonite inlays; H. 1 1/2 in. (3.8cm)
Myers Museum, Eton College

This was from a special exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of items from Eton college. Sadly, the Eton College Myers Museum "closed permanently and will not re-open." Where these pieces will go next, I do not know. I did track the ‘The small masterpieces of Egyptian art’ at the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden from 7 November 2003 until 29 February 2004. But where now, that is a mystery.

The other piece, I will have to make do with the book print:

Seth animal protecting a king, Nineteenth to Twentieth Dynasty
EC No. CG 42993
(Click to see larger)

That is all the more info I can find on it. Does "EC" mean this is also from the Eton College collection?
Later note: no, 'EC' means the Egyptian museum in Cairo...

Thursday, September 20, 2007

"Elegance of Listening"
6:35am

I was reading about a fellow journaller that has been accepted for an 'artist's residency program'. I looked the place up and followed links. I took note of what one participant said:

"I push a lot in life, and it was enormously rewarding to let my muse and desire lead me each day, and to have a time and place where I could relax and get to know my developing plays better...." (from a playwright)

I thought to myself, "I might not go and take off for Montana or Wyoming or wherever that place is. But I could take time for my muse and desire to lead me." I picked up the book I've not touched since Wednesday morning. Its little line drawings were speaking to me, but in a way only I could hear. "Don't you want to go make some line drawings of your own?" And so I did:

When Julia looked at it, she thought the eyes were like peace symbols, but to me they look like windows.

Saturday, September 22, 2007 A

"Doubt"
5:37am

A raw sense of doubt pervades the borders of my consciousness. It is a sort of doubt that could enliven me if I gave it proper chance. I look at the art of the artists participating in the Friday Illos. Some of them are so good. I wonder, "How is my art, really?" Am I truly pushing my own borders? Can I truly be alert to the next steps my art should take? And what should they be?

How can I know if my art is really good? I don't want to get lost in delusions of grandeur, to think I have some sort of genius, and thereby lose any chance that I might, with hard work, ascend to something that COULD be of real significance. Someone perhaps wiser than I said "It's not 'truth', but doubt that sets you free." (*) Ah, but what kind of doubt and put to what use? I doubt doubt, too.

Roll the sleeves up, it's probably best to dig in and keep working, hoping for happy surprises.

(*) Seen attributed to a rather prolific science fiction writer by the name of Resnick.

Saturday, September 22, 2007 B

"Desire"
9:37am

This girl wants a taste of her boyfriend's ice cream bar...