Not lots of it, just, like ... fish sticks and chicken nuggets. Neither of which I ever normally buy.

I have soup and bread here, but I don't seem able to eat that anymore. Maybe it's the protein I need.

I think I'm doing well enough to make a quick run to the Cub.

After feeling so much better yesterday, I barely slept at all last night because I couldn't stop coughing. Today has been just tired, constantly hungry but hardly able to eat, constantly thirsty no matter how much I drink. And I've been pretty much unable to think or function.

Anyone I haven't spoken with or responded to, that's why. Jillsmyth, I got your note and will be sending your drawing out next Monday.

I'm very frustrated right now because I thought I was really getting better and then it turned out I wasn't.

*hugs*, y'all.

I really, really like this show. And I'm noticing that it shares some guest actors with House. Tonight, the fellow who plays Lucas appeared as a lunatic mathematical genius named Spencer. Very entertaining.

Not going to say much more about the episode so I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it.

For dragonflypony . :-) My scanner skews the colors a bit, particularly making that green look way brighter and more saturated than it is.

Thanks to everyone who chimed in on my earlier post. I was too out of it to respond to everyone, so here's the Update.

Shortly after I made that post, I got a reading of 103.3 and took a good dose of ibuprofen. It's official: fever does respond to meds. It's over 4 hours later and I'm down to around 99.4.

I did call a couple of the free clinics in the area and talk to a couple nurses. They said not to bother coming in because all a clinic would do is give me Tylenol and send me home. Also, the consensus is that I Can Haz Swine Flu.

Kelly was good enough to bring me more meds and some groceries when she got off work. For which I am incredibly grateful, because I didn't feel safe to drive, and yeah, there's that whole not-spreading-the-virus thing too.

I need some input.

I started running a temp on Tuesday evening. Thursday afternoon and I am still running a temp. Currently bouncing right up around 103.

I'm kind of scared and am looking up community clinics. But ... is this premature? I don't know, because I was a little kid the last time I had a temp like this.

ETA that no, I'm not currently taking anything to reduce the temp. That's because I know that the fever is my body's defense mechanism, which it uses to help kill the virus. If I go over 103 I'll pop some ibuprofen, though.

I spoke with a clinic nurse and she said it sounded like flu and could take up to seven days for the fever to break. If I went to a clinic at this point, she said, chances are they'd just send me home with Tylenol.

Perspi! I thought you said you couldn't infect me over the computer! GAH.

Yeah, I'm a little ill. Me and everyone else in the Midwest, I think. It's not severe but I really hope it doesn't get any worse, because I have work to do. Specifically, a commission to finish today, class to teach tomorrow, gallery tending and (if I get any students) another class on Thursday evening, and then Friday I'm starting this year's window painting job at the Honda Dealer.

Right now, I am on my way out the door to take three paintings to the Art Dealer, with a stop first at Michael's to finish the wiring, because NOBODY IN THIS TOWN SELLS CRIMPING SLEEVES to fasten the vinyl-coated wire on the back. Not that I find this frustrating or anything.

Okay, so it's 2 in the afternoon and I still feel like it's morning.  Probably because of lack of sunshine today.

But given that this is still morning, in my brain, I definitely need to make moar coffeeeee.

Meanwhile:  I have finished the big pear painting, taken photos, Photoshopped the thing back to reality (fixing distortion, mostly), photographed & 'shopped the Pomegranates, and emailed both to the Art Dealer. 

While waiting for Art Dealer's response, I got an email from my friend at the Honda Dealer, asking if I could come and do the holiday window painting thing again this month.  I said yes, and have a meeting to discuss ideas on Monday afternoon.  

This year, I want to make a nice sign for myself, to put up while I am working.  A little "Artist at Work" thingie with some information about me, some cards, and perhaps my class schedules.  I'll ask about that on Monday.  Last year, I loved doing the job but I got nothing else out of it, despite lots of people wanting and taking my cards.  I'd like that to change this year.

The Giant Pears of Doom.  Okay, that's not the title, but this is 18" x 18" (size by request of client), and it feels weird to me to be painting realistic pears at that size.  

I don't think this actually has a title yet.

  

Happy Pomegranates.  Oil on panel, 9" x 12". See how much difference the photo makes?  First is from last night; second, this morning.  Both have glare problems but the color in the second is much more accurate and the contrast less harsh.

So I have to go to the barn in a moment, and then I have to come back soon, because I've got three works in a juried show and the reception is this afternoon.  I do really need to be there.  :-)

There are currently four paintings in progress here in my little upstairs room.  The pears, the landscape with the big tree, the sunny pumpkin, and a bright happy pomegranate-thing.  Which I was just playing with a minute ago but must quit now because, you know, barn.

It's sunshiny here this morning and I am pretty happy.  Will look forward to catching up with everyone around five when I'm home again.

Someone on Freecycle is offering a "Whinnie the Pooh baby crib."

*snorfle*

I used to pick a lot of that out of horse stalls, back when I worked at the barn in Tampa.

This concludes my pointless post for the evening.  Actual post will arrive shortly.  Stay tuned!  Or don't.  You may wish to spare yourselves.  :-)

Not sure how late it was when my overly-active brain finally let me get to sleep last night.  And then, this morning, it was overly active again and kept waking me up over and over, well before I needed to be awake.  Now I need to be awake and UGH, although otherwise I feel okay.  It's just ... I need presence of mind, focus, because I must get together a whole stack of drawings, for starters.  And that means touching up said drawings as I go.  

Already showered & dressed, but, yeah, coffee.  Coffee will help.

Heard from Art Dealer this morning.  Her client did not buy the two pear paintings last night, as she thought they might.  But.  They loved them and want an 18" square version instead of the 8" ones.  Guess I'll be picking up some 18" square panels today.

So. Art Dealer is so awesome.

We spent a few hours just gabbing away, much longer than I'd expected.  She took five paintings to sell -- the two Pear Pairs and three of my Toy Horses series -- and I'm to bring a stack of drawings tomorrow afternoon.  The Artichokes and a bunch of other things.  I think I've stumbled into a Very Good Thing, and couldn't be happier, and also?  She took me to lunch at the cafe at IMS!  God bless her. 

Then I had to go buy some makeup, on account of needing to get Dressed (yeah, with a capital D, due to the nature of the event) for the Bridge for Youth thingie, for which I must leave in ... just over an hour.  

I miss y'all today, but it's a good day indeed. 

'Cause I am off to see the Art Dealer and had to get some things ready, which sort of, well, ate up my breakfast hour.

Still.  Happy me.

See y'all in a couple hours.

'Cause they have free wi-fi.

Happy computer-addicted Mare.  :-)

Icky stuff: I am still a little bit sick, and have to go teach class anyway.

Better stuff: 2nd workshop scheduled for Dec. 5th!  Also, working on outlines for other classes.

Better stuff 2:  Got email telling me all three of my pieces for Extremely Minnesota show got juried in!  And I saw some of the other submissions, and they were getting very nice things.  


And with that, I guess I'm off, since class begins in an hour. 

I've spent basically all day on the computer, working on my website, putting together the "demo" page for my painting workshop, doing my materials list, and updating other things on the site.

I CAN HAZ SCHEDULE NAO.

First workshop is on Nov. 21st, Saturday.  There will doubtless be many more.  I'm very excited.

Also very hungry, but my dinner is in the oven and should be ready any minute.