: About Me

As a water media artist for the last quarter century, I have been teaching people to smush, smear, spread and swoosh puddles of water and paint around on a piece of paper. They are able to create something gorgeous and we all set our spirits free. Now, that's what I call artitude.

In the quarter century before that, I sang opera in concerts, musicals and other such exhibitions of musical virtuosity. In order to please my mother and use my music degree, I taught voice and piano to other aspiring divas and divos. Too bad there was no American Idol then.

Some of my favorite body parts have gone on the fritz these days, but I keep my brain percolating by making up versifiable and verisimilitudious words for my poetry and children's stories. I may even one day finish the epic fantasy novel that's been marinating in my head for years.

My present puerile passion is penning preposterously playful personalized poetry for people's parties and other particularly pleasurable proceedings.

My passion is ...

My family, watercolor painting, writing silly poetry, reading, teaching.

I know too much about ...

The art of procrastination. I'll tell you all about it later. . .

My parents always told me ...

"There's sunshine on the wall." It meant the sun was beginning to come out. I take it as a metaphor for looking at life. Mom was continually quoting rhymes at us too. Guess we know what got me started on silly poetry.

My childhood ambition ...

To be Beverly Sills or maybe Julie Andrews. Now all I want is to be able to get some sleep!

My favorite memory ...

A hair-raising vacation we had with our kids in a pop up trailer, traveling around the country. They call it "The trip from Hell." They're right, of course, but we had a ball! All my favorite memories involve my family.

Why I write ...

I write because I love words, especially making up new ones. I guess being crazy about poetry would make me verserk, right?

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

Just now I'm reading Phillip Pullman's trilogy, His Dark Materials. Also, books on watercolor and collage. I get a charge out of reading all sorts of slightly off-kilter blogs like BoingBoing.net, Makezine.com, Edge.org, KurzweilAI.net. I'm addicted to the Daily Show, Stephen Colbert, Boston Legal and the Big Bang Theory.

My first job ...

My first real job, after babysitting, was car hop at the A&W

My best moment ...

Singing the mad scene from Lucia di Lammermoor with a full orchestra behind me. Glorious!

My inspiration ...

Love for and from my wonderful family.

Home & Garden > Cleaning (Other) Avoid household cleaning: Creative tips

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"There's no need to do any housework at all. After the first four years the dirt doesn't get any worse!" ~ Quentin Crisp • For your own mental health, you should avoid all contact with dirt. Dirt is neurotic. In fact, it's downright deranged. Did you ever notice how "clingy" dirt is? Wherever you walk it clings to your shoes. It hugs your furniture. It lingers in the bathtub. It gloms onto the dog. It envelops the kids. But this is not a completely independent behavior. Children, animals and husbands literally beg icky dirt to collect all over their bodies. These culprits are known in...

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