Near-Miss on National Croissant Day

 

1/30/25 Macrina Bakery, Maple Leaf neighborhood

I may have ambivalence about Facebook, but if it hadn’t been for my Facebook “Memories” reminding me of my past observances of National Croissant Day on Jan. 30 each year, I might have missed it altogether!

Gratefully spared of that tragedy, I gave myself a break from income tax work to observe the important holiday. Since we have a CPA who does the heavy lifting, the hardest part about tax stuff is just getting started with the tedious prep. As I’ve experienced many times with downsizing tasks, I have a bad habit of procrastinating and procrastinating, and the longer I do, the more onerous it becomes (in my mind). Once I get started, though, it doesn’t take much time because by then I’m motivated to finish quickly. So the chocolate croissant wasn’t just a national observance; it was also a reward for getting started earlier in the tax season than I usually do.

Art, Jazz and Introversion

 

1/29/25 Aljoya Thornton Place art gala

If you don’t know me personally and saw only my posts about outings with Urban Sketchers, drink & draws, and other sketch gatherings with friends, you might have the impression that I’m a gregarious extrovert. You’d be dead wrong. I’m actually one of the strongest introverts I know. I suppose I would label myself a “social introvert” (as categorized by people who like to categorize people): I prefer spending time alone or in smaller social settings. I generally avoid large gatherings, but if I’m in the right mood, I’m open to them. (But like all types of introverts, I need a long period of time alone after any socializing to recharge.)

Attending art exhibit receptions at Aljoya Thornton Place retirement community is a bit of a stretch for my introverted self, but the last time I attended, I had a good time. And just like my daily fitness walk is motivated by the potential for a sketch, so is pushing myself out the door for an event like this. (Bonus: The weather was beautiful that afternoon, so I even walked to the event at Northgate – win/win/win!)

After enjoying the art, I followed the jazz music into the library to finish my bubbly and excellent snacks. Walking into a room where everyone else is already engaged in conversation can be awkward, but that’s where my sketchbook is such a great companion. I found a seat where I could see the jazz trio performing and pulled out my sketchbook. Eventually another woman attending alone sat down nearby, commented on my sketch, and we started chatting.

I’ve heard many beginning (and not-so-beginning) sketchers lament about their fear of sketching in public – the fear of attracting attention, of having to reveal their work, or even of being criticized. I have the opposite view: In a potentially awkward or uncomfortable social setting, sketching puts me at ease. It also seems to give other people an easy way to approach me, so I don’t have to do that work. Some might call my sketchbook a security blanket, but it also serves as an icebreaker.

Best of all, I go home with a sketch.

Technical note: This is one of my favorite kinds of sketch journal pages: Some on-location sketches that show what I did, some space for writing, and a bonus bit of collage! (In case it's difficult to read my fortune, it says: "Good ideas will spring forth naturally from your mind in the coming week." I like that!)

Back to Morning Fog

 

1/29/25 Maple Leaf neighborhood, about 8:30 a.m., 31 degrees

Unless I’m planning to make a time-consuming, highly detailed drawing in graphite, which would require a range of grades, I tend to pick just one relatively soft pencil, maybe a 2B, for most sketches. I’ve had trouble, though, with even medium-soft pencils when sketching fog. It’s too easy to suddenly find myself going too dark (which is ironic, because in every drawing class I’ve taken, regardless of medium, instructors have urged me to go darker with values). In addition, it’s so tempting to draw in a few sharp details, but fog flattens everything into pale, blurry tones.

After several days of beautiful, well-earned sunshine, we were plunged into a deep fog again last Wednesday – so thick that I could barely see across the street. It was also frosty-cold. I tried a Mitsubishi Hi-Uni in grade H, but even that seemed too soft. It helped to use a blending stump to remove as much texture as possible, but that can also darken graphite if I overdo it. Next time, I’ll choose an even harder grade.

It Bloomed!

1/28/25 Paperwhite narcissus 

My paperwhite narcissus finally bloomed! Or let’s just say I got some blossoms . . . I seem to be missing a few, based on the kit package image.

Hmmm. . . I seem to be missing a few.

Thoughts on Social Media and Blogging

 

1/16/25 During the holidays, I donated to a food drive organized by
a neighborhood cake bakery. In exchange for my donation, I was 
given a coupon that I could redeem in January for a free slice of cake!

Many friends and others I follow on Facebook and Instagram are leaving those platforms due to recent changes in how our data are used, political stances of the platforms’ owners, and other significant reasons. I’ve long been ambivalent about all social media, and these changes are only deepening my concerns. I haven’t decided when or whether I’ll leave Facebook or Instagram, but for now, I’m staying. If I do leave, I will likely simply stay off social media altogether rather than flee to Bluesky as others are doing. I’m sure it’s better than FB and IG now, but who’s to say it won’t get gobbled up by a nefarious entity a few years down the line, and then we’d be back where we started. (That’s how I ended up on Instagram – it was seen as the social media darling that was so much better than Facebook – until it became Facebook.)

1/27/25 Light rail commuter, northbound

Regardless of my eventual decisions about any of that, what I am certain about is that I will continue to blog here indefinitely. My blog doesn’t serve the same purposes as social media (and sadly, it does not help me stay connected to certain people I would otherwise probably lose touch with if we weren’t on Facebook, which is one reason I remain there). But it has always been more satisfying to me to blog than to participate in social media. If it weren’t, I would not have kept this up nearly daily for close to 13 years (long, long past the point when blogging was declared dead).

Even though I don’t know most of my blog readers any more than I do my Instagram followers, I somehow feel safer and less vulnerable here on my blog compared to being “out there.” I share many things here that I don’t share on Facebook or Instagram. Most important to me, my blog gives me the space and time to reflect and think and write and revise (and proofread carefully!), none of which is easily possible when I’m trying to type with my finger and dodge autocorrections on my phone screen.

1/27/25 Light rail commuter, southbound

Anyway, this is all just a long-winded, thinking-aloud preamble to my real message today, which is to thank you for your readership. Whether you’ve been with me since the beginning or joined me more recently, I appreciate that you come along on my daily mutterings about sketching, pencils, walking, downsizing, my creative process or whatever else I’m going on about. I’d still be muttering here even if you weren’t reading, but it does make me happy to know that you are.

(Sketches shown here are apropos of nothing, but perhaps they reflect the rambling nature of today’s post.)

1/28/25 Roofers, Maple Leaf neighborhood

The USk Drink & Draw is Back

1/31/25 USk drink & draw at Project 9 Brewing Co. (After half a beer, I apparently lose my ability to spell!)

After a holiday season hiatus, the USk Seattle drink & draw is back! All summer and early fall, our “usual” table had been in Project 9 Brewing Company’s huge sheltered outdoor space, but I was afraid it would be too cold and wet last Friday afternoon. With all their heaters going full blast, though, it was perfectly comfy (and so much quieter than inside). The only surprise was the occasional splatter of rainwater from the tent roof, which must have had some tiny leaks. But all the sketchers took the drops in our sketchbooks in stride – we’re urban sketchers, after all.

An interesting trend I’ve noticed at our drink & draws is that they seem to attract first-timers who have not yet attended a regular Urban Sketchers gathering. I always explain that drink & draws do not follow the usual outing format; they are simply casual, informal opportunities to sketch while we chat.

From an introvert’s perspective, if I were a newcomer, I would find it much easier to attend an actual sketch outing where I’d spend the bulk of the time sketching on my own instead of talking with people I don’t know. For others, though, it’s apparent that they feel more comfortable getting their feet wet in a familiar social situation such as enjoying a beer and snacks while they socialize. I’m happy that USk Seattle has different ways of making newcomers feel welcome. We all had a blast, and I’m looking forward to more of these, especially as the days grow warmer and longer.

Play Date at US Bank Centre

1/27/25 US Bank Centre

As mentioned yesterday, Roy, Mary Jean and I had an art play date at US Bank Centre, where lots of comfy tables and chairs are available to spread out materials, and no one else seems to use them (at least on weekdays). One of my intentions with indoor play dates is to use chunky materials that are hard to use in the field, especially while standing. This time I also wanted to take my turn in the Seawhite of Brighton concertina book for our round-robin exchange because I hadn’t made any sketches in it since the last round. I was afraid the page size would be a bit too small for chunky materials, but I gave it a shot using Caran d’Ache Neocolor II crayons (top of post). The book worked out fine when I opened up several panels.

Later I stepped back from the room and sketched them sketching (below).

The best part was our throwdown when we all spread open our concertina books before the next round-robin exchange. All three books are full on one side, and one is already partially full on the second side. It’s so much fun to rotate the books and see the latest sketches the others have made in them.

Our round-robin concertina throwdown!

Maybe that wasn’t the best part of our day; it could have been lunch at Urara Japanese Cuisine, where I had (and sketched) the most beautiful chirashi I’ve seen in a long time! It was as delicious as it was colorful. Since I didn’t sketch it in full color, I’m including a photo for your heart-eyes emoji reaction. Even if you don’t like sashimi, you must appreciate the artistry in this meal!

1/27/25 Urara Japanese Cuisine

Edible art!