The thing is ... we are Always learning.

I randomly decided to sign up for two online classes from Gale Academy via the public library to boost my brain power and keep my neurons firing. I haven't taken an online class for years (not counting the art workshops I have been doing regularly since pandemic times). I signed up for a UI/UX class, and a WordPress class. I don't know how I will do with these mostly self-paced endeavors, but I will make an effort to do the work and complete them.

I got a manicure last week to celebrate losing a certain amount of pounds since November, and the polish has already peeled halfway off or chipped, because I use my hands and fingers and nails as tools. I had hoped it would stay nice until the Purity Ring concert at the end of the month, so I am disappointed, but I can re-paint them myself before then. I just had a weird memory of when I was either in a store or working in a store and a woman had very chipped nail polish, as did I at the time, and I commented that we had "the same nails." She reacted very confused, because the color was different (I think she had purple or blue and I had black), and I explained that we both had very chipped polish. The point was lost. I don't know why we recall such odd things.

Here's a couple of photos I took the other day that I really like:

I also have a black and white version of the sidewalk one, but I think I prefer the color one!

I don't know, but I've been told ...

 There is a right way to do things, and a wrong way. I think there are multiple right and wrong ways, and multiple ways in between those two too. I have in mind the Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz: Always Do Your Best, Don't Make Assumptions, Don't Take Anything Personally, and Be Impeccable with Your Word. If you can consider those concepts when interacting with others, it may be very helpful so that you don't react defensively, or feel hurt emotionally. He says in his book that it is natural and realistic to be imperfect, but if you keep these four ideas in mind, it will help you to live more fully and peacefully with yourself and other people. Like these two cats, from the video game Pentiment, where the scenes are decorated in the style of Illuminated Manuscripts. (This one is especially cool because it resembles our two cats, orange and black, except that they aren't in the cuddling-so-close stage of their relationship yet!)

Here are some more of my Black and White photo shots, which I think of as experiments, but are just me trying to capture something that caught my eye. Instead of playing with them in editing, I found I could change the filter on the phone camera to B&W before I even take the picture, which I've been trying to do, to reduce time messing around with the pics afterwards. Get out there and take some pictures! What caught your attention or made you do a double take because it was such an appealing scene or object? I'd love to take more portraits and candid-style shots in B&W, but I've always been shy about approaching people or asking for permission to take their picture. I hope to overcome that sometime, it's not that scary.