Teeter Totter : Jill Berry Blog

In the last few weeks I have been up and down so often it feels like the teeter totter I used to ride in Lacy Park. It has been the kind of ride that means I am way heavier than the one facing me, who is up. I am keeping her there. Then suddenly, I get light, and fly up, looking down on her.
Today I got off. I feel even and stable. Today I feel like Nanny, in the book Eloise, who is quite enthusiastic about most everything and so must must must repeat everything three times.

I love love love the scarf my friend Lorri Scott sent to me. OMG OMG OMG I really really really do. She makes them with finesse, and magic. I have been lusting after these scarves for two years now, and here it arrives at my door. The magic part is that is makes me so happy, it is like a beautiful security blanket. I wear it to the hospital to see Nancy, I run up and get it when I feel stressed. I wear it when I hug my dog.

Lorri teaches at some of the same places I do, so I will get to see her a few times this year. I want to wear only clothes she makes.

Kathy sent me a Valentine’s box. What a surprise! Map stationery because I am cartographically compulsive, Sweet note candies and a Japanese sachet that I am keeping right next to me now. Ooolala Ooolala Ooolala!

I love love love Kathy, and her exquisite venue, Valley Ridge Art Studio. I am g0ing to teach a one-time-only class there in September. Kathy is connected to the people who teach for her in a different way than most other venue hosts. She is like the Avatars in the movie. She sees you. I am so happy to be seen by Kathy.

Sometimes I need a slam in the head to get to noticing and embracing the fortune in my life, but not today. I have the most interesting friends and am surrounded by love and talent. I get to look at these guys all day too, here in my studio. Some of them were made by friends of mine, some were made by artists in other countries. They are a shelf full of ideas manifested in colorful spirits. Smokey the Bear is in the back, who I have loved since I was three. One critter is from Puerto Rico and is a rat that turns inside out and becomes a purse. When you reach inside you have a rat head at the bottom of your handbag. Everyone needs a rat bag.

It has been busy here preparing for teaching this weekend at Denver University and Artfest next month. My trades for Artfest are finished, and so are my notebooks for one of my classes there. Here are my trades:

So now I am leaping into my lecture, “Crime and Cartography” that I will present this weekend. Needless to say, most of the history we were taught in school is just a tad too heroic, and there are lots of funny cartographic tales to tell. While I am preparing, I am not forgetting the grace, not forgetting the mystery that keeps me engaged in the teeter totter we call real life.

Comments

One Response to “Teeter Totter”

Elizabeth on February 25th, 2010 8:20 pm

Hi Jill! I was in your class on personal geogrpahies in Phoenix this past summer. Your new lecture looks really interesting! Have you read the book “How the States Got Their Shapes” by Mark Stein? It’s really eye opening (and often entertaining) and full of fabulous maps!

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