Through the Looking Glass

What a surprise to find myself on someone else's blog! I'm sometimes linked to or quoted or mentioned, but this is ME -- a description of me! My friend Robin has touched on my appearance, my peculiarities and my personality in 50 words or less! Oh, my Goodness! It's not often we get to see ourselves as others see us.

She wrote:

Just when I thought I had caught up - me with my pro digital camera, my three pro printers, my new computer, updated software and Photoshop plugins, my lcd TV and digital music system. Just when I thought I was, well, not on the leading edge, but at least keeping up, my artist friend one-upped me. Annette Bush of the flowing silver hair and attention getting hats, Annette of the high heel sandals for sightseeing, of the feathers and felt and family stories for every occasion. Annette bought an iPhone. It's too big to fit in her bra, she says, but has so many cool features she'll find another place for it.

I'll never catch up.

Who IS this person? Certainly, it's not who I think I see in the mirror every morning. It's a view from the other side of the Looking Glass. It feels very strange.

And yes, I bought an iPhone. And yes, it is cool. And yes, it does fit.

Besides, it's a little nod to my new goal of living with "Joyous Naughtiness."

BTW, my friend Robin doesn't need to catch up. She is way ahead of the pack. Her wonderful blog is here. (Be forewarned; just reading about her daily creative output is exhausting.)

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Does It Matter What I Look Like?

As I count the days to my 65th birthday, I keep looking at my goals for the year which include weight loss, exercise and walking. "My clothes will fit better." "I will have more stamina and flexibility for standing at the easel." "I will not get as tired at the computer while working on writing projects." Reasons enough, I thought.

Now comes this!

"Do women have a tough time getting noticed in the literary world and, if so, does looking good give some women an edge over their competitors?"

Written for subscribers to the Writer's Digest newsletter, these words jumped from the email. Could it apply to women painters as well? Is a gallery director more inclined to look closer at your work if you look "arty?" Will there be better opportunities for publicity if you photograph well? Should your work "look like you?" Is this a consideration for men?

And this!

"'I remember a friend telling me that her publicist had said she was pretty enough to go on television, and I was horrified,' says Lisa Selin Davis, author of the novel Belly. 'I assumed this was one industry where it didn't matter what you looked like.'"

In the end, the words carry the book and the art makes the sale, but. . . .
I think I'll go do some stair-climbing . . . . Just in case!

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Read "Does This Book Jacket Make Me Fat?"