Moving On

Okay, so the Paper Bag Monster Project was a bust. After about a week of monsters, I grew bored with the whole thing. So..... Moving on, I guess. I'm back in school this semester, finishing up my M.A.

Current reading list: Will Durant's The Story of Philosophy (read this in high school, but afraid much is forgotten), Memories, Dream, Reflections by Jung, Touched With Fire by Kay Redfield Jamison (a look at manic-depressive illness and the artistic temperament; very interesting).

I'm also currently perusing a whole slew of cookbooks that I won off of eBay.

Here's Moshe getting ready for a nap on his favorite doggy blanket. 

Today's Paper Bag Monster has been pre-empted to bring you a quick tour of garden happenings at my house. The monsters will continue, where they left off, with Monster #9, tomorrow. The first garden picture is of one of two camellias just acquired and not yet planted.  

A gourd birdhouse that someone built in last spring. Guess I should clean it out and get it ready for this year.  

A new bed of sage (not pictured), rosemary, ornamental cabbage, and pansies. Not sure how this will look when it fills in, but I guess we'll find out. 

The lantana, as usual, has gone crazy this summer. The butterflies love it! 

The pomegranate moved from my mother's house is not looking too good. I'm a bit worried about him. 

My carnivorous children are doing well in their galvanized tub. Always fun to have a few meat-eaters in the gang. 

This pineapple plant was a tiny baby when I potted him and set him out on the deck this spring. Look at him now! 

Happy, happy violas!!  

The hens and chicks in my goat pot are filling in nicely. The goat pot, on the other hand, is not doing as well, having lost both feet and part of his goatee this year. 

Day 8 of the Paper Bag Monster Project

Day 8's monster is "Scooter," a monster who likes to hang out in laundry rooms. He's anal about having his clothes neatly pressed at all times, and, of course, he likes to chow down on socks. Scooter also collects stamps and enjoys building "snowmen" out of lint. His goal is to see all humans traveling the planet sockless (I told him the human "footprint" will be just as big if we go barefoot, but he's not having any of it).

Paper Bag Monster #8 - "Scooter" 

Day 7 of the Paper Bag Monster Project

Here's "Mort," a monster who enjoys eating punchlines and the points of stories (he stays full when visiting my mother, whose stories always seem to lose their point). His favorite game is "Who's Got Your Nose?." His life goal is to make at least one person laugh before he dies (he will most likely live to a ripe old age).

Paper Bag Monster #7 - "Mort" 

Shopping Day!!!!

My monster posted late today because I went shopping.

Stuff I Got: a birdfeeder that I hope will not be eaten (again), a bag of cinnamon-scented pinecones (mmm, nice), a spiffy little Quik Vac to clean up my kitchen messes after I make bread, more mums to plant (can't have too many mums), a sock monkey (okay, its intended use is a dog toy, but I like it), candy (ostensibly for trick-or-treaters, but I doubt any of it will be left by then), a desk lamp, some chicken plates, a "see-no-evil, hear-no-evil, speak-no-evil" applique, and ... I think that's it. But it was a fun trip.

Stuff I Still Seek: an antique desk chair, a really good electric juicer, Spray 'n' Wash (which I actually just forgot to buy), and something with Strawberry Shortcake on it (haven't decided exactly what yet).

Day 6 of the Paper Bag Monster Project

This is "Geoffrey," aka the "Blog Monster." Geoffrey loves to eat your blog posts, and otherwise tinker with a good thing. His goal in life is to tour Europe via Moped.

Paper Bag Monster #6 - "Geoffrey" 

Day 5 of the Paper Bag Monster Project

"Lars" is Paper Bag Monster #5. He spends most of his time sucking freon out of air conditioners and ice-fishing. His goal in life is to bowl a perfect game.

Paper Bag Monster #5 - Lars 

Day 4 of the Paper Bag Monster Project

On Day 4 of our project, we meet "Prissy," a monster who lives inside bathroom mirrors. She likes to try on our makeup at night (and you thought the dog was eating your lipstick)and sends us subconscious signals that we need to buy more. Her goal is to conquer the world (she's already singlehandedly taken southern California).

Paper Bag Monster #4 - "Prissy" 

My Trip to the Bookstore

Just back from the bookstore, where I spent way too much money, as usual.

What I Got: Bob Dylan's new memoir, Chronicles: Volume One
A new calendar for 2005 by the National Gallery of Art
Lives of the Poets, by Michael Schmidt
Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter, by Thomas Cahill
Song: Poems, by Brigit Pegeen Kelly

My yen for books is sated for maybe the next ten minutes.

Still on My Wish List: Guji Guji, a children's picture book, by Chih-Yuan Chen. It still hasn't arrived, but the bookstore swears it's on its way.

Day 3 of the Paper Bag Monster Project

Here's Wink, a monster who never changes out of his pajamas. He likes to rob people of sleep so he can dream about being a cowboy in the Old West. His goal is to sleep his life away (funny, that's similar to my goal of not getting out of bed unless I have to).

Paper Bag Monster #3 - "Wink" 

Day 2 of the Paper Bag Monster Project

Today's arrival is Gordo, a retired Yugo salesman who likes to sing karaoke to Desi Arnaz records. He hopes to become a famous nightclub crooner, so he can "get some babes."

Paper Bag Monster #2 - "Gordo" 

Day 1 of the Paper Bag Monster Project

In the spirit of Hallowe'en, I've begun the Paper Bag Monster Project, in which I will bring to life a monster a day from a lunch bag and basic art supplies until I can't stand to do it anymore. Day one's monster is "Curly," an accounting-monster with a taste for Hershey's Kisses and small, plump children. His goal in life is to open a landscaping business that will specialize in organic gardening.

Paper Bag Monster #1 - "Curly" 

Jack's ready for Hallowe'en!! 

Current Reading

Currently reading: The Monk in the Garden by Robin Marantz Henig. This is a book about Gregor Mendel and is way more interesting than it sounds. Also reading three books on the British poet John Clare: one a collection of his poetry, one a collection of his non-fiction writings, and one a biography. Interesting guy - went nuts, as so many of us writers seem to like to do.

Me and Jack (yes, he is wearing a bonnet and apron).