10 Simple rules for living my life

This has been borrowed from another blogger. "north does not mean up", she simply identifies herself as kristina and I find her entries rather inspiring and wanted to pass it on to anyone else that reads my blog.

This is from The Complete Life’s Little Instruction Book. How many of these can you say you honestly accomplish? Stop judging others. Look at yourself. Are you doing all of these 10 things every day? You may find you are better at some than others. Do your bit – but don’t expect these of others. It’s not your place. Change yourself, change the world.

1. Do battle against prejudice and discrimination wherever you find it.
2. Be romantic.
3. Let people know what you stand for and what you won’t stand for.
4. Be insatiably curious. Ask “why” a lot.
5. Measure people by the size of their hearts, not the size of their bank accounts.
6. Don’t forget, a person’s greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.
7. Don’t waste time grieving over past mistakes. Learn from them and move on.
8. Keep your promises.
9. Seek out the good in people.
10. Take good care of those you love.

“Sometimes I lie awake at night and I ask, ‘Is life a multiple choice test or is it a true or false test?’… Then a voice comes to me out of the dark and says, ‘We hate to tell you this, but life is a thousand word essay.’” — Charles M. Schultz

Sketches from Chicago and October Peppers

Felt it necessary to draw the lamp I use to hang my three peppers. Even more reason to complete a studio. Mary gets inpatient with my drawing material all over the place, even though I only take up 30% of our table. Not to complain, I understand...but should I be sequestered in the studio all the time? I'm letting the peppers dry up so I can do at least one more drawing. She loves my work, that I know.

Some sketches from my trip to Chicago in July. So interesting drawing people, some ignore me as I draw, others become very uncomfortable and re-locate. I try to catch some of their personality in the drawings. A little of who they are. No name, no background. I moment of their life in this place with me on this day in our lives.

Illustration Friday 11-5-2009 Skinny Pepper

Re-posted this image at a smaller resolution so I can submit to Illustration Friday. I've been monitoring the peppers and I am almost ready to draw more in their current whithered state. Then on to something new. Still looking for a reputable figure drawing session.

Life is so fun...thank God he invited me.

Yellow banana pepper

Banana pepper hangs off my desk lamp, drying, changing colors, whithering, drying. Probably one or two more studies left before it becomes seasoning.

Pepper Studies

Prismacolors, graphite pencils and ink.


Pencil and graphite penicls

Pencil study for my the two peppers I've been drawing. I had cleaned up my drawing area so we can eat, I've had my papers and pencils sprawled out on the dining room table. As i was cleaning I laid one pepper on top of the other and looked at it again and decide they looked great together... and the notion hit me that they should be suspended.

Orange Pepper

Same orange pepper as below. It is a very mature Hot Banana Pepper. I think this drawing has more form.

Orange Hot Pepper

Drew this before I went to Chicago. Pencil and prismacolor with ink .

Flying to Chicago - Pencil Sketch

Flew into Chicago. Drew only two images; I usually do more drawings, but I felt like reading.

Hot Banana pepper

I've drawn 3 peppers so far as well as the small grouping I posted around September 27. I finally broke down and purchased a new back pack. Not exactly what I was looking for, but most important it is very sturdy.

 Not sure what will be next, I am thinking about letting the peppers dry and shrivel and then perhaps draw them again. I'm getting ready to go to Chicago and will probably draw people at the airport again. Love doing that - makes me feel good to look back at the drawings. Remembering the people, the things they did while I drew them, as well as their nuances while I secretly observed them.


Finished reading my spy thriller...in between interest right now. Not Sure if I want to read fiction or non-fiction.



I did buy some new colored pencils and am looking for something new. I want to be able to apply lighter colors over dark colors and not sure what medium to use.

Red Hot Pepper

We made stuffed peppers today and I kept some to draw. Pencil, Prismacolors and ink in my Moleskine.