ArtPrize 2010

This weekend I went to downtown GR for ArtPrize 2010, an international art competition in which the public decides the winners.  There are over 1700 pieces of art displayed mostly in downtown GR in public places, restaurants, businesses, museums, etc.  It's almost overwelming to decide where to go so we tried to hit the major sites and stopped in at other venues walking from the Hub to the GR Public Museum and the BOB.  These are some of the pieces I really liked:

This is called Current and is made of blown glass at the Public Museum 3rd floor.

This isn't necessarily a favorite, but it's by an artist from Eureka, IL which is extended Klopfenstein family homestead area in central IL.

These are large metal flowers on the corner in front of the Holiday Inn.

 I'm guessing this will be a Top 10 as it's getting a lot of publicity.  It's a mermaid made from toothpicks.  I did really like it.

 This one proves I'm pretty pedestrian in my art appreciation as it's a penny made of pennies--over 84,000!  It revolves to show both sides, and yes the other side is reverse direction just like a real penny.

For GR locals, you really need to get downtown in the next week and half.

Friday Morning Couldn't Come Soon Enough!

During the night I was awakened by an old woman's crying and moaning.  It sounded as if it was coming from outside but was it inside?  Remember I have a 93-year old woman living next door so in my stupor I wondered if she'd gotten outside during the night or was she in my house.  It went on for several seconds and then there was a huge burst of wind.  Oh, the crying and moaning was just the whistling wind!

Of course, at that point I realized how hot I was.  Mentally I told myself to just lay still and cool off, but after a few minutes I couldn't take it anymore.  So in the wee hours of September 24 I got up and closed the windows, turned off the attic fan, and turned on the a/c.  Eeks, my house was at 80!!!  No wonder I couldn't sleep.  I went back to bed but couldn't cool off for a long time.  That made me start thinking that the a/c may have finally gone out.  I drifted off for a half hour or so, but woke up again still so very hot.

This morning when I woke up I was alarmed to see that my house was still at 79 until I realized in the dark I'd switched the fan from auto to on instead of the A/C to on.

Moral of the story:  Go ahead and turn on the light even in the middle of the night!!!

Thankful Thursday 9/23/10

1.  Mom's broken bones are now 40-50% healed compared to only 25%  4 1/2 weeks ago.
2.  Mom and Dad have found a house in SC.  Now for the inspections.
3.  Really enjoying the group of students I have currently.

Fall

Helping Renae open the pool is way more fun than helping her close it.

Bloglines v. Blogger

Ever since I started reading blogs several years ago I've used Bloglines to easily see when a blog had a new post. The blog name would be in bold and clicking on the name would make the post show up on the right side of the screen. It showed several paragraphs so often the entire post.

Several days ago when I logged on I was disheartened to see that Bloglines will be taken down on October 1. Now I need to find a new blog reader.

I've started using Blogger's Reading List, but so far I don't like it. I have to scroll down the entries to find where I last finished reading. Then I have to read a few lines and decide if I want to go to the blog to read the rest of the entry. Then I have to scroll back up to find the beginning of the next newest blog post.

Does anyone have a better blog reader? I need help!!!

Hope

Discouragement may be awful, bit it's not terminal.
Chuck Swindoll

Romans 15:4 - For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Captive

Held captive in my car at lunch by these until they at the same time flew into the pond. There were probably 50-60 ducks surrounding my car.

Thankful Thursday 9/9/10

1. Garbage disposal was jammed and not broken so I can take back the $99.99 one I bought.

2. Today was the first meeting of an interesting project group at work. Should make for a fun fall.

3. Had a couple of good networking conversations yesterday.

4. The NFL starts tonight.

5. Saturday is a great day of college football watching. Between AL/Penn State on Saturday and Bears/Lions on Sunday I think I'll be coming out of the weekend with two lunches!!!

6. Even when I see other vehicles that I would like to buy, I still have a very good car to drive that does more than just meet my needs.