Never Enough Time!
I used to paint and draw a lot, but it seems as the years went on and I got more involved with shelters and then went back to work full-time, I don't have the time to do it any more.
I've always loved to draw and paint ever since grade school. I wanted to go to art school after high school, but my Mom said, "Oh, that's a hobby, what kind of job can you get." So, I went to college as a psychology major, quit after two years, went to business school for a year (a total waste other than I learned how to type really fast), then joined the Air Force. When I got out and moved here, I got a job designing signs at a sign business, so I ended up in a graphics job (ART, MOM!).
The pencil sketch above is one I did from a photo I took on a trip to Memphis. We stopped at a small town on the way home and I spotted an elderly woman sitting outside her daughter's shop on the main street. She was holding a little dog and she and he reminded me so much of my Mom and little Bennie.
Over the years I have had several paid painting jobs. When I first moved here and before I got a job, I painted a lot of scenes for people on saw blades. All kinds of wildlife and also people's homes or old homesteads. I have done some people,but I don't like to do that. I prefer animals and landscapes. I also painted murals at Southside vet clinic and in a friend's kitchen. I asked Southside to give me a services credit instead of paying me, and though I had a lot of "payment" for my job in the bank, with so many pets it didn't take me long to go through my credit!
I was talking to Tina on her gardening blog about how much I love white birch trees because they remind me of where I grew up in Pennsylvania. They are all over the place. She said they don't do well here, so I got the itch to do a mural in my bedroom. But when will I find the time????
I'm sure you all feel like you don't have enough time for things you want to do. I feel guilty that I don't spend enough quality time playing with and walking my dogs, to name just one of many things I have let slip lately.
So, what don't you have the time to do that you'd like to do? Learn a new language? Take a class in something? Volunteer more?
posted by Sandy at 12/04/2007 10:40:00 AM
Pet People
14 Comments:
Gosh Sandy, When I read your blog entry today I felt like I was reading my resume or something,ha. I was told I should do something else that would make more money. I started out just like you did, I loved Art, Phychology, and nursing, wasn't sure which one I wanted to do the most. I majored in Phychology then switched to Art then ended up going to Nursing school. I gave that up to be a stay at home Mom and have never regreted that for one second. Now I am not physically able nor do I have to desire to go back to the medical field but my favorite reading material is medical thrillers.
I never stopped loving art. For years I planned to design our Christmas cards but didn't ever get to it till the last two years. This year was so wild and crazy and I had a lot of pain so didn't take time to do a new design. I even started a small card design business and sold some cards and even designed a business card, and stationary for a doctor. I had to give that buisiness up with all that was going on this year but hope to get back into it before long. I am so out of practice on my art that I get frustrated with myself so I need lots of practice to get better again. I'm like you, I don't enjoy drawing or painting people.
You went into the military and I was a military wife so we sure do have a lot in common. Oh yea, we have husbands who love to work on classic cars and think we're nuts to be so nuts over our babies although they like them too.It's a small world.
I took technical drawing in high school because I can't draw worth a darn. My people always end up looking like Popsicles with heads. I have always enjoyed photography. I can FIND a picture and snap it but I could never draw it.
I wish I could volunteer more. But I don't feel any regrets for not doing some things I had dreamed about as a child. I wanted to be a marine biologist but didn't like the idea of killing things to study them. So I switched to botany. I also thought about astronomy but the math was just too hard for me to comprehend. I also thought about being a lawyer but there's too much work with late hours.
Sandy, I enjoyed your drawing very much! It's a wonderful gift!
Well, let's just say it all up front--THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH HOURS IN THE DAY!!!LOL. I am beginning to feel the December crunch with all the CRU projects and Lucys Birthday and our anniversary and trying to find my in-laws something for Christmas. I have no clue in blazes what to get Jeremy as he has everything he needs and much more . GOD IS SO GOOD TO US!!!! I make a tombstone topper for my grandmothers grave every year, and I haven't even started that. I'm trying to crochet one of my CATS R US "foster" cats a blanket for his little home, but i've made such a mess out of it I may chuck it and go buy him one. Work is a nightmare--I don't want to be here. We are at the end of our contract and everything is going to heck in a hand basket. I hate spending two hours a day in the car, and I worry about my babies all day long, and I want to be near them. I wish I could be at the shelter more, but Saturday seems to be all I can pull out of the hat right now. Yeah- I'm a mess.
I used to draw and paint and all that jazz, but I was never anything special at it. I've always been mediocre at all my hobbies. If I could have a wish, I think I'd wish there were two of me--one to work and one to play.Of course I would want to be the one that played and have no mental conncetion with the work one. He'd probably slit his throat the first week-LOL
Sandy,
Your drawing is great. it looks like you are quite talented. I have never been into the Southside clinic but now want to go and see your mural. I wish I had a talent like that. I used to love to smock when my girls were small. They got too cool for smocking and I just don't have the time for it anymore. I always wanted to play the violin. I almost bought one last year in order to take lessons but quickly talked myself out of it when I realized there was no time slot to put a lesson into.
I am hoping someone can give me some advice. My daughter was kind enough to give one of my stray kitties I had collected a home. She has had Sky now for about 2 years and they live in AZ. She called me today to say that she had taken Sky to the vet because she has been peeing on things. The vet gave her a completely clean bill of health. Sky has peed on their bed, pillows, the couch and laundry baskets of clean clothes. My daughter says nothing hs changed as far as her surroundings, food, etc. She is racking her brain trying to figure out what she can try to get Sky to not do this. Sky is spayed and about 5 years old. She has 2 litter boxes and because my daughter is home during the day, she is able to clean it as soon as she uses it. So I don't think a dirty litter box is the problem. She is an indoors only cat and she gets along perfectly with me daughters rat terrier Petie. They have known each other since Pete was a brand new puppy. Anyways, just trying to give lots of details in case anyone has anything that will help her. She is at her wits end and I really don't know what to tell her. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated!
Hi Sandy,
Great picture! I want to go see your mural at Southside too! You really need to make some time to paint a mural in your bedroom. We have clouds and the sea in ours and just love it. I can see some restful birches with your dogs running around in there, maybe a pond in the distance. Maybe over the holidays you can get the time?? I love the painted saws and to do a bunch of wildlife pictures you must be pretty talented!
I am hoping I can start painting again too. My first project will be a landscape of my house. While I am in school I will be doing landscape design and hope to use some art skills there, but it is not the same. Time is always so short and I wonder where it goes all the TIME!
Sandy, I paint and draw too! Not as much as I used to. I do more paper art now, Cards and ststionary, some scrapbooking.
Shannon, I would try cleaning everything with a pet enzime, including the carpet. There might be a smell from a previous cat in the house.
OK, I have found the web site to beat all web sites. This is a true and total violation of S.A.F.E. WWW.yourdogsclothes.com They have anything you can think of! They even have clothes for our plesently plump pets. Brett check it out. You might find something more stylish for Lucy.
Sandy, I am impressed at your artist abilities! You should work with your Hobby more then you do as you do have talent!
No ties with being an artist in this house! The Saint nor I either one can draw worth a darn! I am creative in many ways but not with a pencil. I can put a mean coat of pain on a wall though!
O'Malley, if nothing has changed in the household, I might suggest that your daughter get a second opinion on her cats clean bill of health! My moms cat's were misdiagnosed this past year for several things from the Vet she has been using and trusting for over 10 years! Needless to say, she will never be going back to that Vet again! I will not name bash on here but will tell y’all all about it the next time we meet…
Alice, when I was back in college as an adult several years ago, I took astronomy for one of my science credits. My sister and her husband are big astronomy buffs too. I love watching shows on the Science channel about space as well! I liked the class, but you are right--the physics of it wasn't my cup of tea! Did know there is a local astronomy club that meets? I believe they now meet at APSU's science building/planetarium. I belonged to it for a while and one year we went out in the country to watch (all night) the Lenoid (spelling?) meteor shower.
Brett, you are so funny! Both you and Dragon always crack me up.
Tina, I won't have any more time over the holidays to paint than I do any other time. The paper goes 365 days a year and I'll be working on Christmas and on New Yeas. But I promise I will try to at least start things on my days off. The house chores can wait, right? Who cares if there's dust all over?
Shannon, cat peeing problems are SO common! Call Suzanne at Cats Are Us--she can give you all kinds of advice! A special food might be in order too. I'd also search the Internet for more information. Stacey can tell you about this problem, as she had it, and so has my sister Daisy.
Adrienne, I love the Dog Formal wear red velvet tuxedo! Oh Dragon, you do need to check in on the sight!
Daisy and Stacey have a peeing problem!!! YEE GADS!
My thoughts exactly Sandy-who cares about house chores-they will still be there tomorrow!
Well shannon, I wish I could say I have a great solution for you. I haven't been able to figure out the cause of my cat's pee problem other than she's just lazy. So my solution has become adding lots of extra litter boxes around the house, and finding the areas she does like to pee, and changing them to make them un-cat friendly. Tin foil works great, or a rubber mat. I have hardwood floors and now use smaller area rugs so if she does have an accident I could simply throw it in the washer. I also put her in the basement at night. Accomodations have to be made if it's a long-standing problem.
Is the cat a boy or a girl? spayed/neutered?
We had no solutions either, Daisy. That is why we built the cat fence and the two offending cats are now outside 24/7. Hubby said they either moved outside, or they were GONE. He finally reached the breaking point. We had to replace the carpet AND the entertainment center, which was one of those ready to assemble (not real wood) types. They had pissed on the bottom of it so much, it was literally disentegrating before our eyes.
So, Shannon, the prognosis from my standpoint isn't too good. Sorry to say. Ours were both older cats, neutered, and had been together for years and years. We had brought a new dog into the house, but the peeing didn't start until after she had been here for a year or so. I don't know if that was the cause or not.
Shannon, I agree that a second opinion is needed here. When my Tiger who was neutered sarted peeing outside his box at 6 years old we found out he ws diabetic but other kidney and bladder problem s cann be the cause.
And I know who the doctor is that Skeeter is talking about as he used to be our vet too. You just need to be very careful about taking the first advise you get sometimes.
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