She's of mixed feelings on them, and so am I. Sometimes I will make an effort to comment, but I usually just read. I'm not influenced by the number of comments a writer or artist gets, I only visit their work if I like their work, regardless of how many comments they acquire.

I've not yet succumbed to the temptation. I could have added links to a 'haloscan'comment box to each entry, but never got around to it. Has this been merely reluctance to try something new or my basic 'shyness' revealing itself even here in print? I dont' think so. I think the larger reason is I write each entry (even if it's just sharing a picture I created) from a place of solitude. I write from a place of solitude and I want the reader to receive it in a place of solitude. If they feel strongly moved to reply via email, I welcome that. But I never want anyone to feel obligated for such.

There are places I go to be more 'talkative', the discussion lists, etc, and I enjoy that. But for me, my journal has always been different.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 A

"In Three Words..."
6:50am

via Bob and Sheri of the Montage of "your 3 words" submissions that aired on i-CAUGHT. Listeners were then asked to call in with Three Words that summarized their life. I was busy sewing, and didn't call in. But here are my three words:

WONDER WITHIN, WITHOUT

How would you summarize your life?

Wednesday, October 17, 2007 B

"Rejoicing, Egyptian Style"
9:40pm

How much of my understanding of heiroglyphs is intuitive? I thought my early morning quick draw a bit resembling a hieroglyph. And sure enough, it is, and a most fitting one:

REJOICE, hai
Gardiner gives "be elevated, enjoy yourself" as the meaning, he also adds 'mourning', but
Wilkinson explains it's quite clear when the 'raised arms' expresses mourning, rather than rejoicing.

Not only that, Wilkinson writes:
"The positive and joyful side of the Egyptian personality is perhaps seen in the face that the Egyptian language contained over ninety words for happiness, rejoicing, and exultation." (_Reading Egyptian Art_, page 27)

This hieroglyph pose is familiar. I have a small "Nile Goddess" statue from Sacred Source which features a female figure in that exact stance. I'm not sure of the accuracy of their website's descriptions of it. However, they did give their model's source, housed at the Brooklyn Museum:

Female Figurine ("Bird Lady"). Egypt, from Ma'mariyah.
Predynastic Period, Naqada II, circa 3650-3300 b.c.
Terracotta, painted, 11 1/2 in. (29.3 cm) high. Brooklyn Museum, Museum Collection Fund, 07.447.505

My little bronze statue is only 3 5/16in (8.5cm), and to me, she's there on my altar, all about the rejoicing:

The Brooklyn Museum caption mentions her "beaklike" face. Perhaps this is fitting with the 'elevated' meaning Gardiner gives, the arms seen as falcon wings unfurled and soaring?

(Note of October 14, 2008:)
And now I have got to see her in person!

Thursday, October 18, 2007

"Happy Birthday, Julia"
5:43am

double nickle day!!

As I've noted earlier, today is Julia's 55th birthday. I am so grateful to have her in my life, in more ways than I can say. She is such a good companion to have at my side. She understands and appreciates all my weird interests. She even 'gets' my weird art. In a world where too often partnerships don't last for a variety of reasons, this is rare, indeed. For instance, they might fail because one grows and the other does not and feels threatened. But Julia enjoys seeing my growth, and I'm so appreciative.

Together, we have a wealth of riches.

Friday, October 19, 2007 A

"Photo of Julia"
8:09pm

Julia doesn't often ask me to take her picture. But tonight, after getting her hair done, she did. She said she wanted to commemmorate her birthday with a photo. I told her I couldn't promise much, because it was night, and the light wasn't good. Neither she nor I care for the harsh effects the flash makes. "Just see what you can do," she insisted.