tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18724836640702856532024-03-13T21:47:10.826-06:00Life of an Artist... and Kick-Ass Stylist Chick!Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-59432527635917480712013-05-03T23:31:00.000-06:002013-05-03T23:31:06.264-06:00COMIC CON!I realize that its been a really long time since I've blogged anything, but I've been occupied...<br />
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Helping Sean get ready for this:<br />
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<a href="http://www.denvercomiccon.com/2013/sean-tiffany/" target="_blank">The DENVER COMIC CON!!!</a><br />
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He's been trying to get the site back up and running after having a minor digital meltdown after some mishaps in the world of "upgrades". But, <span class="userContent">the New Book has started! Please check out the book via <a href="http://oilcandrive.com/" target="_blank">www.oilcandrive.com/ </a> </span><br />
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<span class="userContent">This is the beginning of a whole
storyline... There's more freaks, more music and above all, more fun! </span><br />
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<span class="userContent">But the whole reason that I haven't been posting has been "Hero Support"... I've been working on extras for the booth... good stuff all around! Chocolates and punking out t-shirts and banner stands and more... Whew! Plus, I'm starting management training right after the comic book convention... so, yep, the fun never stops at the Tiffany residence... *tired* </span>Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-3487407233186152182013-03-24T10:59:00.002-06:002013-03-24T11:02:45.316-06:00My head, the can of wormsLike anyone, I have my own opinions on what is good and what is bad. Its the perpetual filter of my life thus far that colors these perceptions. Other people are entitled to their own opinion, and I understand that these are hot button topics. I apologize in advance.<br />
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There are a few things that have been bothering me this week. As only a few people read this, I'm not too worried about being regarded as unprofessional for airing this to the world. <br />
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<b>First things first: Treat others as you would have them treat you.</b><br />
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This sounds like a simple thing. I agree. Be fair and courteous to others. Be conscientious of their needs, if not their desires, and be courteous about them. Having a fairly lengthy background in customer service positions, I'm pretty good at this. Even when people are openly rude or using covert machinations to sabotage a situation for their own gain, be courteous. I am not opposed to working hard and climbing the ladder of corporate management in order to gain a better position. There are many good, positive ways of going about this. Good performance, being helpful and courteous to your fellow employees and being a beacon of creative and educational resource, for example. There is no reason to look down on others or sabotaging in order to bolster yourself up.<br />
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I'm against using wheedling comments and backstabbing through either action or inaction. Another way of looking at this is to be careful, especially in the case of divorced parents, that you are not poisoning your children against the other parent. The human brain is not done developing/solidifying into its adult form until 25 years old. Look it up... I wrote a paper on this in college, actually. The developing brain is extremely sensitive to stimulus such as bias, especially during the last 5 years. Ever wonder why kids in college are so passionate about their subject matter? This is part of the reason.<br />
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Be kind. Be courteous. But above all, be patient. Not everyone sees things the way that you do. Which leads me to my second issue of the week... <br />
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<b>Secondly: Whether you agree or not, everyone is entitled to their <u>opinion</u>.</b><br />
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I am not Christian. I'm not an Atheist. If anything, you could call me Agnostic. There are things beyond my ability to comprehend, but I don't feel the need to put a label on them. Shakespeare wrote: "There are more things in Heaven and on Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy." This is true. From a purely intellectual standpoint, we as human beings are infinitesimally small. We are a speck on a small rock amidst a galaxy that is one of the smaller ones in the UNIVERSE. To think, even for a moment, that we are A. Alone or B. Super Special is asinine.<br />
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I have no beef against anyone wanting to believe in whatever they want to believe. I take issue with those who would start wars or rail on others because their beliefs do not line up. Part of why I left the church was actually due to something that my pastor at the time said to me. During our confirmation classes, I asked him what he thought of other people believing in a "God" of some sort, just a different view. He replied that "Anyone who doesn't believe in OUR God, is going to Hell." Simple as that? ...Excuse me? <br />
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This goes along with what I was saying at the beginning of this tirade: The perpetual filters of a person's life thus far colors their perception of the world around them. A person is a sum of the experiences, lessons that they've had in their lives and what they've learned along the way. No one is devoid of these filters as some of them are imposed through parenting and through education. If you were taught your entire life that the earth was flat, and then shown a video of the earth from space, you would probably think one of two things: A. I've been lied to this entire time, or much more likely, that B. This video is fake.<br />
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I mentioned a bit earlier that I am not an Atheist. I feel that I'm educated to a high enough degree that I can no longer be considered Christian (for many many reasons that I won't go into here). However, that doesn't automatically make me believe that there isn't <i>something</i> out there. For all of my faults, narcissism, nepotism, etc... I don't think of my lack of a socially acceptable religious label to be one of them. I will say this, however. Whatever your beliefs, even within your own separate sect of your own specific branch of your religion, I guarantee you're not praying to the same "God" as anyone else. Everyone has a different concept, or image, of the divine and that does not make one person any more accurate than the other.<br />
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Along this same vein is perception of action versus the spoken word. If a person is told their entire life that they need to be clean and clean their room while the entire rest of the house is left to fester in filth, then which one is the stronger message? "Do as I say, not as I do." If you are clean and pick up the house while extolling the virtues of cleanliness, then the verbal message is reinforced by the action. This is also true in the case of a sedentary (not necessarily an overweight one, but just one who is inactive) parent telling the child to go out and exercise. Or, in a similar scenario, of a parent who takes joy in derogatory and intellectually demeaning television programming telling a child to study so that they'll get into a good college.<br />
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Which leads me to number three of my rant...<br />
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<b>Thirdly: Confidence is great, but competence and capability are better.</b><br />
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This is not to say that each of us isn't unique or special in our own ways. I am very bad at sports. I get much too competitive and usually end up hurting myself because I play too hard. This is not to say that I don't enjoy working out or physical activities like dancing or riding my bike. They are hobbies, and I'm not particularly exceptional at them. I excel at the arts. Always have. I can sing fairly well (I do have a degree in it), I can act (degree in that too), I can sculpt just about anything (using a wide variety of mediums) and I like to think that I'm a pretty good writer. <br />
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I will never be a professional athlete. I won't be the prima ballerina or prima donna of the opera either. At least, these things are very much out of the realm of current possibility. Most anything is possible, given the adequate latent talent and drive to accomplish these things. As I don't have the drive to do those things, I have little hope that I will get there. Most success is 90% hard work/effort and 10% actual talent.<br />
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I am disgusted at the level of belligerent stupidity in the world. Let me explain... Belligerence is "<br />
<div class="dndata">
<span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">a</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">warlike</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">aggressively</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">hostile</span> </span>nature<span id="hotword">, <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">condition,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">or</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">attitude.(Dictionary.com)" It can be summed up as a willingness to start fights or hostility for any reason. Belligerent stupidity is the state of being woefully inept in a situation but being openly hostile about it. Generally, these are the people that are so determined to be right that they start confrontations about something even though they already know that they are wrong. You know they're wrong. They know they're wrong... but by golly, they're going to be right.</span></span></div>
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<span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;"><b>My Solution to all three of these... or at least, my thought on how to solve this.</b> </span></span></div>
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<span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;">What I propose is this: If a person is competently capable, humble to the opinions of others, and treats others with dignity and respect, then they are worthy of respect in turn. Be good to others. Respect yourself by treating others with respect. Behave in a professiona<span style="color: #333333;">l manner and <span style="color: #333333;">observe a sense of decor<span style="color: #333333;">um and <span style="color: #333333;">etiquette. </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="cursor: default;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="color: #333333;">You're allow<span style="color: #333333;">ed to have fun and to let your<span style="color: #333333;"> hair down from time to t<span style="color: #333333;">ime<span style="color: #333333;">. Don't sacrifice your <span style="color: #333333;">own wel<span style="color: #333333;">l being for perception and don't hold <span style="color: #333333;">people to standards that you're unable or <span style="color: #333333;">just unwilling to live up to yoursel<span style="color: #333333;">f. I'm not say<span style="color: #333333;">ing that we all need to tak<span style="color: #333333;">e other<span style="color: #333333;">s down<span style="color: #333333;">;</span> I'm proposing t<span style="color: #333333;">hat we raise the bar for ourselves and live by example instead of by belligerence or perceived entitlement. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </div>
Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-67812150942951495742013-03-17T23:54:00.000-06:002013-03-17T23:54:39.388-06:00Wine and phrasesI've been so busy lately that other than being tired, I really have
nothing new to report... So, irony of ironies, this was the phrase of
the day on Friday: Sie arbeiten zu viel. Which means "You work too
much." The weekend phrase was less exciting: Er ist ganz gruen vor Neid.
Which means "He is green with envy."<br />
The wine are two new bottles
I tried this week. I love going to my two favorite liquor stores in
boulder, liquor mart and asking whatever clerk I can find to suggest a
new wine for me. These were two recent suggestions. The one on the right
is I will not drink bad wine; Chardonnay and the one on the right is
Formula 1 E a Spanish Red blend.<br />
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Both very good and
both very reasonable. The Chardonnay especially is very easy to drink,
especially with chicken dishes or light pasta.<br />
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<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Xk9EcqKTF2A/UUZhhR8QlNI/AAAAAAAAAZg/oc75q0xaOBY/s1600/1363566357194.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a>Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-20379153089320018582013-02-26T11:50:00.002-07:002013-02-26T11:53:44.995-07:00Yay Momma! Happy Birthday...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesturday was my Mom's 70th birthday party! We surprised her with a bit of an impromptu gathering at Applebee's in Littleton, CO<br />
Originally, her friend Beverly Wise had invited her out for her birthday and Mom had invited me to come along. Now, little did she know that Thomas, Stephen, Carrie and Dianne would all be there as well! Surprise!<br />
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I was actually really lucky, because after posting on Facebook that I was going out to dinner with Mom that evening, my brother Thomas called me to ask if I was going to Mom's party. I asked him which party that was, and he told me their plan. Good thing too, because I lucked out and was able to get a 1/4 sheet cake from our favorite bakery (<a href="http://www.indulgebakery.com/" target="_blank">Indulge Bakery</a>) for Mom's party. You might think you don't like cake... I think its just because you've never tried theirs before... trust me, its amazing. They also did our wedding cake. Best cake ever. Hands down.<br />
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Clockwise from the top left: Beverly, Thomas, Dianne, Carrie, Stephen and Momma Edith.<br />
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It took Mom a little while to get to the restaurant, because she found out at the last minute that she had another patient to help across town and ended up getting there about an hour and a half later than planned. We were all having fun, though and were all about two or three drinks in before she got there. It was so much fun, catching up and telling hilarious stories about mystery gas and the adventures of youth. By the time Mom got there, we had finished our appetizer smorgesbord and were ready for dinner and the guest of honor.<br />
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Once dinner was done, we were ready for cake and candles. At first, Mom was fighting us on how many candles to put on the cake. We finally settled on 7. One for every decade she'd been around. She tried to tell us that if we put all 70 on the cake that it would burn down the restaurant. It would have been pretty until then, though. LOL<br />
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A Beautiful occasion for a Beautiful Lady!<br />
Happy 70th Birthday Mom... and here's to many, many more to come!<br />
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<br />Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-77221201432757289542013-02-24T12:34:00.000-07:002013-02-24T12:34:38.612-07:00Pancakes, Snowstorms and IKEA... Oh my!Hello again!<br />
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C'est Moi...<br />
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I'm writing this as I cook pancakes and watch the snow accumulate on my porch here in Boulder. Its beautiful, but I'm not looking forward to going to work in it. Been out already today for an 8am meeting, and the snow has only gotten worse since then.<br />
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I guess I should say that I'm actually making crepes. When I was a kid, I'm still fuzzy on why we did this, but crepes were "thin pancakes" and regular pancakes involved grated potatoe. We'll chalk it up to a "quirky German" thing. :D<br />
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Two things I have to stress when making crepes, as they were an issue today: 1. make the batter a little runny so that its easier to coat the bottom of the pan, and 2. Use MILK! Fellow lactose intolerants will agree that Almond milk, while better on the tummy when eaten with cereal or drank, doesn't cook well. Plan accordingly.<br />
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Here's a really good recipe and a tutorial, btw: <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/crepes/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=crepes&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e13=A%3aSearch%20Results-List%28control%29&e7=Home%20Page" target="_blank">Basic Crepe Recipe</a>, <a href="http://allrecipes.com/video/623/basic-crepes/detail.aspx?e11=crepes&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&event8=1&prop24=SR_Showcase&e13=A%3aSearch%20Results-List%28control%29&e7=Home%20Page" target="_blank">Easy Tutorial</a><br />
<a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/crepes/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=crepes&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e13=A%3aSearch%20Results-List%28control%29&e7=Home%20Page"><br /></a>
Snow always makes me want to do two things: Wax poetic and rearrange my house... and sometimes to bake cookies, but we won't go there today. The rearranging thing usually takes the form of "trying to get organized." Its quite the uphill battle for me, as I tend toward the pile in the corner system. Not very effective when trying to find things.<br />
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The other problem I run into is that I like things to be pretty in their functionality. Enter... IKEA! I'll admit it, I have a little bit of an addiction. Its a good thing that its in Centennial, or there would be a greater addiction at hand.<br />
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Here are some pics of my new shelves and some pretty frames. Now I just need to put pictures in them!<br />
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Shelf one, from IKEA, and surprisingly heavy but easy to assemble.<br />
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Shelf two from Bed bath and beyond... also very easy! This one is designed by Martha Stewart... I'm thinking she went to IKEA before designing it, though...<br />
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And pretty pretty frames! Sean helped me arrange them on the wall to look artistically off kilter. I think it works very well with the chest of drawers and salt rock. Chic and pleasant... Good stuff!Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-88064603423464945432012-08-03T14:54:00.001-06:002012-08-03T14:59:34.768-06:00Little Peter cottontail... Hopping round the coffee table<div><p>Now that I've done a trial run with the less expensive clay and molding materials, I'm ready for a more detailed piece.</p>
<p>Meet Peter rabbit, or just a rabbit in a bowtie if you're a negative Nancy. :)</p>
<p>In any case, I made him last night with a crude wire frame covered in plastillina #3, a much harder and quicker to cool material. It also should hold up better during the molding process.</p>
<br/><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-b7f49TSrcIk/UBw7MPSdcwI/AAAAAAAAAVA/RLl4GBqzedk/IMAG0636.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BB7_iE23-GI/UBw7NCz1WMI/AAAAAAAAAVI/rTEudOpFPNw/IMAG0635.png' /><br/><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HjZ4Nhhk0nc/UBw7OJUAQgI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/H-47bkQk8EE/IMAG0637.png' /></div>Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-38041025244254313142012-08-02T02:00:00.002-06:002012-08-02T02:00:51.470-06:00A dog's life... as a sculpture, that is...From time to time, I get a wild hair and decide to dabble in a new art form. Sometimes, its just a new take on some old ideas. Sometimes, its taking up a new hobby, like scrap booking or learning how to make a wedding dress. I'll post a bit about those endeavors later, seeing as I haven't blogged here in a while.<br />
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But today, its all about sculpting and molds!<br />
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Oh, what a cute litttle doggie...<br />
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Well, it sure would be swell to have another one... maybe I should make a mold? *giggles* Yeah, duh, I guess...<br />
<br />
I had a couple of options for this, as I'd been thinking of doing some sculpting/molding with the lady that I was working on before. I didn't end up being very inspired to finish it, so instead of letting it sit in a corner, gathering dust, I decided to cannibalize the plasticina from the project and try and figure out molding. Originally, I wanted to make something that I wouldn't care about too much, but that would be cute. Actually, I ended up loving this little doggie. He turned out really cute.<br />
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I put this little guy in the freezer to harden him up and then I put the molding epoxy on the doggie after testing it on a little star guy I made.<br />
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Next was cleaning out the mold and casting a trial run... I couldn't find my plaster, so I ended up using the other mold mix that I had. Since the yellow 2 part epoxy is an oil based mold and the other brand is a water based mold, there was no chance of them sticking.<br />
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<br />Then, voila! Or, Ta-dum... or presto... or whatever. LOL<br />
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Not quite what I had set out to make when I started earlier this afternoon, but cool none-the-less. Next stop will be Meinningers tomorrow to see about getting some molding resin and some mother mold casting epoxy. Should be good! I'll keep you posted.<br />
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<br />Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-54874300106717874262012-04-04T12:06:00.000-06:002012-04-04T12:06:22.045-06:00I LIVE!!As a general rule, if something tastes a little funny, I won't eat it. But, as it happens, I was very, very hungry at dinner on Monday evening. Its not an excuse, just a logical reasoning as to why I kept eating even though the chicken strips were very old and mealy and the ranch I was putting on them was god knows how old out of a refrigerator that has a tendency of not getting closed all the way.<br />
<br />
I got food poisoning from that meal. Or, as I like to call it: a supremely painful pyrotechnic event in which my insides became my outsides and my outsides just cried in pain... I'm still amazed that I didn't seriously injure a few of my organs. Even after the evacuation of my system subsided for the night, I felt like I had been run over by a mack truck, repeatedly. All said, as of this morning, I slept a total of 23 hours. <br />
<br />
I feel fine now. A little shaky, a little weak, but fine. I also feel like a jerk for not finding a replacement for my shift on Tuesday. But, again... I really thought I was going to die. Honestly, I'm surprised that I didn't. Glad... but surprised none the less. <br />
<br />
There were repercussions, obviously. My boss is very upset with me, and I'd be surprised if I didn't get written up or worse once I finally get in touch with her. Also, I'm reasonably sure that I've lost about 5-10 lbs in this endevour. Most of it was undoubtedly water weight. I could actually feel my body drawing from the fat stores of my legs and behind to aide in the evacuation process. I was throwing up much more than the amount of liquids that I'd taken in the past week. It was really scary. I tried to call my Mom at 2am, but was unable to get a hold of her. <br />
<br />
If the waves of nausea and diarrhea hadn't stopped by 4am as they had, I would have gotten Sean to take me to the hospital. As it was, I'm still pretty wiped out. But food is staying down, and I'm taking it easy today. Yesterday was a complete wash, as I was in bed til 4pm, got up for some chocolate milk and a restroom visit, then went back to bed til 7pm. I parked myself on the couch for the rest of the evening, dozing here and there, then went back to bed a few hours later. 23 hours of sleep is only counting the actual time I was in bed. I don't count the time I spent on the couch, though I was sleeping much of that time too.<br />
<br />
But, the important part is that I LIVED! Yay! Now, time to clean up and try and eat something. Gotta get my strength back up... Whew... that coffee I made earlier is really hitting my system, so I think maybe I'll not drink the whole thing. Half the cup should do it... WowMonika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-68018614157532611852012-03-02T23:50:00.001-07:002012-03-02T23:51:03.157-07:00New Website!So, technically this could be posted on any of my three blogs (Overkill, I know... LOL). But I think that this should suffice for now.<br />
<br />
After four days off, I have a cleaner house, a slightly cleaner mind, and some plans in place for my future.<br />
<br />
I won't spoil the surprise, however, as to what I'm doing... that wouldn't be much fun. However, step one was to fix up/spruce up my web page. Please let me know what you think!!<br />
<a href="http://www.monikagraf.com"><br />
www.monikagraf.com</a>Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-10370034348924129862012-02-26T08:58:00.001-07:002012-02-26T09:34:20.739-07:00What to do?<div><p>It occurs to me lately that I may have lost sight of the big picture. It's a grand statement I hear a lot on television and in referrence to young people's directions in life.<br></p>
<p>The next question is what to do about it?</p><br>
<p>But "therein lies the rub!" I suppose that this could be an occasion to make a list of pros and cons. An evaluation of what I have going for me and what needs to change. I guess it could be yet another example of my narcissism and hubris, but even with all I have going for me, I'm still not content. </p><br>
<p>Question: How does a person find happiness with their current situation or place when they're constantly looking to the horizon for something more? "Stop looking and be happy" is the answer I get fairly often from the wise-types in my life. Stop worrying is another common answer. But above all, I hear "be patient. It'll make more sense when you're older."</p><br>
<p>I'm gonna call shennanigans on that one... Bullshit. Suck it up and just stop trying?</p><br>
<p>If something is not right, then something is wrong. True, there are shades of grey in every seemingly black and white case. But, I stand by my statement. If I can't move forward, I get nervous and start to over-analyze my situation. It's a sort of defence mechanism against boredom that I've developed since childhood.</p><br>
<p>But, it still begs the question. What is it that I should do with my life?
<font color ="#000000">a</font></p>
</div>Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-47764491166725831632012-01-26T14:09:00.000-07:002012-01-26T14:09:24.750-07:00Fly fly awaySome days you just want to fly, fly away... <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1e4hr_lou-reed-dirty-boulevard_music">Lou Reed!!!</a><br />
<br />
I'm not saying that I live on the Dirty Boulevard by any means, but I can understand the desire to get away. Not a vacation, but a whole departure from all that is the same old thing and comfortable and familiar. Fly fly away from the world I know and do something completely different.<br />
There are times that I wonder if there is something missing in my heart that might be somewhere else. Its a search for completion that drives me to keep going, keep striving, keep looking for different things and different experiences. Striving for that one illusive something that is just over the horizon, and just out of reach. <br />
Not sure if I'll ever find it, or if this stupid insatiable aspect of my soul will ever be sated or if it will kill me... either that or the grammar police will get me with that last run-on sentence. <br />
Like many other artists, I often find myself in these kinds of situations. The search for that illusive spark or passion. The one that will finally satisfy that itch that makes me so uncomfortable in my own skin. Maybe if I find it, I can start to like myself. Who knows?Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-37755304292659440622012-01-21T13:45:00.000-07:002012-01-21T13:45:56.741-07:00To blog or not to blog...That is the question, isn't it?<br />
<br />
Lately it seems that there are more and more things to complain about and less and less things to celebrate. Could be the gloomy weather, and it could be just me. In either case, here's whats up with me:<br />
<br />
Working as much and as hard as I can. There is always room for improvement, and being that business isn't as booming as we'd like, I'm not working as much as I'd want.<br />
<br />
Health problems with family are always interesting. Dad is the most recent recipient of heart attacks in the family. A stent and a partial blockage later, he's back at home. Needless to say, he's not a fan of his new "heart friendly" diet. No more butter and whole milk... But he can still have garlic, which is good.<br />
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Wedding planning is going well, and we have a caterer now! Johnny Carinos is officially doing our catering as of today. I still have to put down a deposit and sign the paperwork, but it looks good. Simple fare for simple people. They were unable to provide a bartender, but I'm optimistic about finding a good one.<br />
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Dress construction plans are going well too. I'm going to the gym again, albeit not in any discernible pattern. <br />
<br />
So, all things considered, its going pretty well. Now I just need to figure out some sort of routine that I can do around my flexible schedule and try and make some sense out of the chaos. Maybe the key is to keep breathing and just keep chipping away at the things that need to get done. <br />
<br />
Slow and steady... <br />
<br />
That, and to keep writing. I think that helps too.Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-13480122938702656772012-01-02T11:49:00.000-07:002012-01-02T11:49:43.186-07:00Happy New Year!Happy New Year internet! <br />
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Every year that goes by is bittersweet, to me at least. There are new faces coming into our lives, and beloved faces leaving them. To look back in regret is something that no one should do, unless you're on a killing spree, then yes... regret the killing part and go turn yourself in. Right now.<br />
<br />
Most of us do not look back at the previous year and think "Damn, I really shouldn't have done that" or "Man, I know that was a dumb thing to try". Actually, most of the people I talk to around New years are saying: "This next year I'm going to..." Fill in the blank.<br />
<br />
New Year's Resolutions!<br />
<br />
They range from anything as trite (and redundant) as losing 5, 10, 50 lbs to endeavoring to buy a small island. But its a goal. A dream, if you will... and I won't begrudge anyone their dreams. I've had the weight loss one so many years in a row that I don't count it as a resolution anymore. I did make one, though.<br />
<br />
Don't worry, its not "blog every day" cause we know thats not going to happen.<br />
<br />
Actually, I'm going to finish one of my stories and try and get it published. Hell, in this age of digital publishing, I might just do that part myself. <br />
<br />
Whether or not anything gets done is not really the relevant part of the resolution. Its more that things are being done in the spirit of self-improvement. Its sort of like what my brother, Thomas always used to say when I was a kid "Shoot for the stars, and even if you never quite make it that far, you'll still be further than if you had never tried at all." <br />
<br />
I like that.Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-6216835748485750852011-11-14T21:31:00.000-07:002011-11-14T21:31:12.888-07:00Wine of the day!Alright! New wine today... :D<br />
<br />
Todays wine is Old Vine Red. Lot Number 55, California Red Wine, Bottled by Marietta Cellars. <br />
<br />
Smell: Oaky with a light fruit note. Very light and fragrant. Beautiful and simple. Fruity and jammy. <br />
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Taste: Wow jamborie goodness! Lovely balance of jammy goodness and light oak finish. I dare say that I could drink the entire bottle in one sitting if I wasn't careful. <br />
<br />
Think I've found my new favorite wine, actually... This one is probably better than the Gnarly Head Red Blends or Klinker Brick Old Vine Zins... <br />
<br />
Very tasty goodness!<br />
<br />
The label on the back says:<br />
"Old Vine REd is a proprietary red wine made to replicate the field blends of many of the old vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties. Predominantly comprised of Zinfandel, Old Vine Red is characterized by intense spicy aromas, bright fruit, and a solid structure. Since 1978, this wine has been the 'red house pour' in many fine restaurants across the nation."<br />
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Woo! That is some good stuff! Okay... I'm doing feeling pretty good now, so I think I'll have some more wine and eat some dinner. Yep yep!Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-15806691185210081812011-11-09T18:39:00.000-07:002011-11-09T18:39:54.562-07:00Wine of the day!In wedding planning, I've decided that to make it special, I'm going to add a few little special touches instead of going over the top and making it some sort of fete or gala or something else equally ridiculous. <br />
<br />
So, I'm going to get some really good wines. Today I went to the local liquor store (Liquor Mart) and picked the brains of the assistant wine manager. I picked up four bottles to start. Tonight, I'm trying the first one.<br />
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Oraison, a Cotes-du-Rhone wine from Vin De La Vallee Du Rhone. Made in 2009.<br />
<br />
Smells very soft and clean, especially for a red. There is an underlying jam scent with a lilt of spiciness. Its very inviting in its soft scent, which makes the taste an even bigger surprise.<br />
<br />
The first sip is very peppery mid-tongue. The scent carries up through the taste a hint of fruit. There is a lingering body throughout my whole mouth. A nice meaty red that has enough complexity to give up a little more flavor with every sip. This is the kind of wine that could hold its own against a serious steak or a heavy Italian dish. <br />
<br />
The label says: <br />
"This rich and round Cotes-du-Rhone wine is made from Grenach (80%), Shiraz (10%), and Mourvedre (10%). It is produced on one of the best pebble terroirs of the Rhone valley, where poor soils and strong Mistral wind naturally concentrate the grapes. With flavors of black cherry, thyme and cinnamon, this wine pairs perfectly with cheeses and red and white grilled meat. *In French, Oration means prayer"<br />
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I feel like the pepper outweighs the fruit, but after 1/2 of the glass, its a lot easier to taste the black cherry and cinnamon. The thyme is harder to pick up, but it could be what I'm tasting as the pepper note. <br />
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Good all around. Would be better with a steak or heavier meal, I think...<br />
Still like Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin better. :DMonika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-61658040551162893572011-08-28T16:04:00.000-06:002011-08-28T16:04:24.586-06:00Busybusybusy!Ah... life is back in full swing once again.<br />
<br />
I had a short hiatus during my recent, and unplanned, unemployment, which left me in a bit of a funk. <br />
<br />
But no more! Along with starting therapy, I've also started at Great Clips in Longmont. We've been busy with the back to school season and it is the second busiest salon in Colorado, so I'm optimistic about it staying pretty steady. <br />
<br />
This is my last full weekend for a while, so I'm making the most of it by updating my website and cleaning/organizing the house. As a nice break, I was perusing a website from Key West Florida, and found a nice little extra that I'd like to try: <br />
<a href="https://bestonkeywest.com/newest-personal-sub-tours.html">Sub Tours!</a><br />
<br />
They're basically in one of those yellow bubble mini subs, like the one that Andy Samburg from SNL was driving around during <a href="http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/shark-week/">Shark Week</a> on the Discover Channel.<br />
<br />
Well, I better get back to it! Have a great week everyone!Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-6554948679664586122011-08-11T11:37:00.000-06:002011-08-11T11:37:49.491-06:00Writing!What better way to get things out of my head? I started writing a new story a couple of days ago. This one features a character named Rebecca. She's a little crazy...<br />
<br />
That, along with reading my books seems to be helping get things right. I'm also applying like a fiend. There has to be something to be said for persistence, right? Now, where did I put that paperwork? Hmm... Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-18499378716437081112011-08-07T00:04:00.000-06:002011-08-07T00:04:17.406-06:00Jobs and the future...I guess the long and short of it are that I should get a part-time job... at the least. Maybe two. One way or another, I've figured out that I need to start making about $1300-$1400 per month. Thats $350 a week. If I'm figuring hourly, that could be anything from $10 an hour (take home) for 35 hours, or $14 an hour for 25 hours.<br />
<br />
Obviously, if I could do the the second of those, would be the best. That way, any other freelance that I might do, as with my company, Goddess To Go, would be extra. Also, I would be able to pay an equal share of utilities and mortgage and be an equal partner with Sean. <br />
<br />
I'm not really sure, beyond knowing what I need, of what to do... What do I do now, seems to be the big question.Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-3780055148825864132011-08-04T11:10:00.001-06:002011-08-04T11:14:05.833-06:00Be Nice! ...wait, what?Everyone has their own little idiosyncrasies that make them who they are. Mine are different from yours, and yours are different than mine. A lot of people have ones that line up and thats where you get your lifetime friends or most celebrated rivals. <br />
<br />
I've noticed recently that a fair amount of my characteristics and idiosyncrasies are based on my need for honesty. On a base level, I don't trust people when I first meet them, or I trust them too much and get burned. Any time someone has to "put on a face" or "act as someone" in an environment that isn't related to theater, my guard goes up. That contrived and forced niceness feels fake and somewhat malicious. <br />
<br />
I know that its a defense mechanism because I do it too. Trying to cater to everyone and be the best, most glowing example of whatever it is that I'm attempting has been a crutch of mine since before I can remember. Because the best get noticed. The best get praised. The best get attention, and therefore, are loved.<br />
<br />
Its a silly notion, that attention = love, but how can there be love without that, right? <br />
<br />
The idea reminds me of those if-then questions on standardized tests from when I was a kid. If Blue is always Green and Green is always Yellow, then can Yellow be Red? Or some such question. <br />
<br />
Love is always attention, but attention is not always love. <br />
<br />
I'm reading an amazing book from a woman named Sonia Choquette, about balancing your chakras and renewing your spirit called: "True Balance" Its an interesting approach to not only rediscovering balance, but also in finding out who you are and ways to balance that in order to find peace with yourself. This passage about an overactive third chakra, or power/intelligence center, caught my eye this morning:<br />
<br />
"Another indication of an overinflated power center is an overbearing personality. An expanded energy field does have a strong influence on others, but often in undesirable ways. Sometimes, this imbalance reveals itself in subtle and manipulative behaviors, such as using flattery and gift giving and always being the nice guy (unless crossed), in order to gain quiet control over others and consequently feel safe."<br />
<br />
Did you just hear that exploding sound?? That was my mind. My mind is blown. Not only have I done exactly that, for YEARS, but it was all, in fact, a way to exhibit a kind of quiet control. I didn't want to muscle my way into a place of power, but I did want a sort of subversive control of the situation... so I'd needle, and I'd prod, and then when people would call me on my crap (which always happened eventually), I'd get extremely upset. <br />
<br />
Why so sad? Fear of losing control, fear of losing attention, and fear of not being the best. Because if I'm the best, most attentive, most needed, most in control, then I'll be beloved above all others, right? Not so much... <br />
<br />
...and thats kind of the point. Love is not contingent upon being the best, it just is what it is, and it doesn't care if you win the competition or are the prettiest or are the best singer or whatever. Thats what I'm learning. Its a pretty nifty thing.Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-1616330194940955552011-07-11T14:22:00.000-06:002011-07-11T14:22:18.386-06:00A tree falls...On Friday, one of our large trees in the courtyard in front of our building fell. At 2am. After the rain had stopped and so had the wind, actually.<br />
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What we didn't see was that the other tree had tried to fall as well, is still teetering and is very close to falling too. What's keeping it up? The dumpster shelter next to it. Our grounds people have blocked off part of our parking lot for our safety until the tree can be removed. That was supposed to happen this last weekend. Tree is still there. LOL <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FWsKPhsv1e0/ThtbGfTdswI/AAAAAAAAASo/4ze4Sk9BpqE/s1600/IMG_1513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="320" width="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FWsKPhsv1e0/ThtbGfTdswI/AAAAAAAAASo/4ze4Sk9BpqE/s320/IMG_1513.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZfswINZwOvE/ThtbGwFutII/AAAAAAAAAS4/-4KJQ8aphTc/s1600/IMG_1515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style=""><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZfswINZwOvE/ThtbGwFutII/AAAAAAAAAS4/-4KJQ8aphTc/s320/IMG_1515.JPG" /></a></div>Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-3836603441610284312011-05-01T18:16:00.000-06:002011-05-02T18:18:40.713-06:00May 1st!"Hurray, hurray... the first of May! Outdoor "smootching" starts today!" LOLMonika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-8861962904205056882011-04-26T09:11:00.001-06:002011-04-26T09:11:00.352-06:00Adventures in Sculpting, Part 8Okay! Two things to remember when sculpting women: First, their shoulders and hips should work out to be fairly close in circumference, and second, they have muscles too, they're just much more smooth. <br />
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You might have noticed that the neck is a lot shorter now and the shoulders are not nearly as wide. I'm going to trim up the head shape a bit too, but I'm also going to add hair. One thing I'm noticing as I look back at the pictures is that I really need to change the hands... but that can wait, I think... For now, I need to work on those hips, and maybe add some hair. Yeah. Really long hair is what I'm thinking...Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-4797243375997511352011-04-25T21:08:00.000-06:002011-04-25T21:08:05.765-06:00"Easy A"If you haven't heard about it yet, there is a fairly new-ish movie out from Director Will Gluck by the name of "Easy A". Normally, I avoid modern teen movies much like I avoid people I suspect might have the plague. <br />
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Yes, I rented "Twilight", but only to see what the hype was all about. Actually, when I was watching it drag on and on, I was tempted several times to throw my shoe at the television. As a hairstylist, I was coerced into watching it by several of its fans, a few of which were my age, and a few that are much older than me. No, I didn't like it. Insipid is a word I really like for the plot and vapid is a word I really love for the female lead... but this isn't about that.<br />
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If you have any love of John Hughes movies (Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, or Some Kind of Wonderful to name a few), GO WATCH Easy A. It had the quick wit, smart plot and breezy humor of a tribute to John Hughes. Of course, no one could match his stark honesty and brilliant storytelling, but this really came through for me. <br />
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Starring Emma Stone, who was also in Superbad, its a rollicking take on High School Drama. This is what Netflix says: "High school is the setting for this freewheeling comedic twist on Nathaniel Hawthorne's 19th-century novel The Scarlet Letter. Ambitious student Olive decides to boost her popularity by pretending to be the school slut."<br />
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Check out the trailer here:<a href="http://youtu.be/KNbPnqyvItk">CLICK HERE!</a>Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-20046535105433070742011-04-22T06:42:00.000-06:002011-04-22T06:42:00.574-06:00Adventures in Sculpting, Part 7Get some meat on those bones!<br />
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I'm still thinking that I want a different pose for the arms, but at least with the telescoping arms and head, I have options.<br />
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The next step in sculpting a figure is to add musculature. Every figure has some sort of muscle structure, even if its underneath a layer of bulk and a larger set character. We're doing a female nude, so we have to rough in the muscles first, and soften them later.<br />
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Something to keep in mind when you're doing this: Don't worry if the neck is too long or the shoulders too wide or whatever. Just get the clay on there and rough it in. Its just like sketching, but with forms instead of charcoal. Detail comes later...Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1872483664070285653.post-48978450706391785422011-04-21T06:15:00.001-06:002011-04-21T06:15:00.780-06:00Adventures in Sculpting, Part 6Clay!! Whew! Finally time to put a little clay on this thing. <br />
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Oil-based clay needs to be warmed up in order to make it more pliable and easier to work with. This generally involves a small oven. Lucky for us, they're very easy to build. Get a file or paper box, line it and the inside of the lid with aluminum foil. Using a standard clip-on lamp that you can buy at any hardware store, measure and cut a hole that is about 1" smaller than the diameter of the metal bell on the light. Don't forget to line the hole with foil as well. A 60 watt light is perfect for this.<br />
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Cut smaller sections of the clay and place in the oven. After about 15 minutes, you should be ready to get started. Start with a basic skeletal structure to begin. Pelvis, skull, arms, legs, feet, ribcage, etc.<br />
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This would be a good time to check out a book about anatomy. That way, you can use the pictures as a reference for where structures reside.Monika CG Tiffanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04808820670577950683noreply@blogger.com1