Things are getting more and more eccentric at Casa de la Swain. Changing styles in my textile work, falling in love again with painting and photography...and then there is the ever illusive quest for continuing creativity through working with Eric Maisel. Still on the road teaching, posting now at the Ragged Cloth Cafe and taking the pledge to keep handmaiden up to date.

Friday, July 15, 2005

Girl Talk

"I feel totally female. I didn't compare with men and I don't want to look like a man! I love being a lady and dressing up and masquerading and wearing all the fineries. I am breaking down the idea that the artist has to look poor, with berets."
-----Louise Nevelson


Yeah, Louise, I am right there with you...see shoes below. Don't get me wrong: I have tasteful at home outfits for working in the studio but occasionally, I want to dispell the "artist mystique." No paint on blue jeans, tee shirts with all kinds crap on them....and my favorite days are the ones spent in my pj's. This is do as often as possible. To make a long story short, I decided to take charge and get myself together.

Two years ago I started losing weight....y'all have heard this story. A year ago hired a personal trainer...now have biceps..ya hoo. Got an erg rowing machine and passed the million meter mark (see below) and thought all was right with the world. I felt great, my stamina was amazing, I could lift my own suitcases and those of other quiltmakers who had back issues. Went down from size 12-14 to size 6...8 depending on how they are cut. I am a new woman....which required new shoes....even my feet got smaller. With less weight, I could wear heels again and am loving it.

Monkey wrench: Had my physical in January..doctor is pleased and delighted, ekg is absolutely normal and then comes the famous blood work. My cholestrol was 230; tryglycerdies too high...can't remember the number. His diagnosis is to correct diet and exercise more..huh? He laughed and said "Guess that won't work." Put me on Lipitor and gave a date for more blood work.

Last Friday had the blood work done. His report won't be here for at least another week. Cholestrol is down in 186 but my tryglycerides went up....yikes. Did some reasearch and they are related to sugar and carbs.....which I don't eat except the good kind. I have no idea what to eat now. Adding more exercise is impossible, I am working out six out of seven days. He reminded me that I was post menepausal...thanks, doc....and that lots of changes occur after that.

I am at my wits end about what to consume....can't even eat wood being a carbohydrate which increases sugar. To make me feel better, the summer shoe collection on parade. There are some holes in the collection surely but I am not leaving the house today. There is art to be made...just a few more stitches and another top finished...then off to the surface design and a new quilt.

Just a side bar, the on-slaught of anti-/pro blog conversation on QuiltArt list is beyond my comprehension. Several other of our members have already posted about this already...great posts....so I limit myself to is....why do you care what other people do? If you don't want to blog, no one is going to care.....if you do want to blog, then we will all be right there enjoying your thoughts and pictures of your work. As I used to say to my sons, "Get over yourselves."

Going off blog for the weekend....much work to do...see you Monday.

3 comments:

Gerrie said...

Way cool summer shoe collection.

Statins are great for cholesterol but do nada for tryglycerides. I finally got mine down by cutting out all white carbs. I haven't had a check lately - I must do it. I was a vegan for awhile trying to get my cholesterol down - didn't work - statins rule!!

Deb R said...

Ok, first and most importantly, those beaded orange high-heeled flipflops are to DIE for. I would have to restrain myself from mugging someone in the street for those shoes. They are orgasmic.

Second, I SO hear you on the triglyceride thing. I'm very frustrated about mine too. I've WORKED at it, dammit, and my overall cholesterol has come way down now (185 last time they checked, down from 230ish), but the stupid Tris are still way high (over 300) and there's only just so many foods I can (or perhaps I should say WILL) stop eating! Gggrrr....

And third, YES on the blog controversy. You read my mind.

Alison Schwabe said...

Being a bit of a shoe person myself, I love those pics. the orange/red pair remind me of a very snazzy pair I had way back 40 years ago... sigh.

And as for the blogging thing, I too found the defensive tone of the anti-bloggers on the QA list quite amazing, perhaps not surprising though, as I am always aware of a 'let's all be art quilters together', a sort of herd mentality that many on the list display. Unfortunately much of their work does, too.

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