Who hasn't heard that good things come in threes? The Wise Men, French Hens, Musketeers, Blind Mice, Little Pigs, Billy Goats Gruff and any circus with rings know all about that. So did all of Charles Dickens' ghosts, but perhaps Ebenezer wouldn't agree they were good? Nobody quotes "life and liberty" from the Declaration of Independence without also mentioning "the pursuit of happiness". And, nobody - absolutely nobody - only plays "Rock, Paper". I guess sometimes you hear about disasters, bad luck and celebrity deaths happening in threes as well. But, seriously, who wants to focus on the negative when you already know what to accentuate?
I've had a very good 24 hours, and it's as simple as one, two, three.
One Good Thing - I've been in contact with a local school for mural 55. For several months, we talked about beginning in April. I always assumed it would be the first of the month. Who ever expected the April we've had in Ohio with rain, cold, snow, tornadoes, flooding, more rain and certainly more snow? But, plans for the project continue and it could not possibly be at a better school. And, whenever Spring eventually arrives, the work will begin.
This will be a mural first for me. The plan is to have every student in the school participate in the painting. It's going to take a lot of help from volunteer mothers. Not a problem at this school. I sat down to brainstorm with the principal and three art teachers about the mural's theme. They wanted student input, and I had a great suggestion. Sometimes, that happens. I suggested the students list events that happened in each grade level that they remembered most. That kind of coaching prompted excellent suggestions I could use. The mural will be divided into sections for each grade. It's a perfect fit. And, when I finally presented my vision of the mural, the principal said support for my design was off the charts. Do you know how hard it is for a committee to agree on anything? Yep, I'm very happy with "off the charts". And, if the snow ever stops, it's going to be an amazing experience.
There was almost a bad thing to tell you about when a mural project unexpectedly collapsed, but . . .
Two Good Things - It took less than twenty-four hours for the universe to correct the situation. Yep. All it took was one little e-mail. I have to admit I'm kind of addicted to e-mail. I'm one of those people who turns on the computer almost as soon as my feet touch the floor in the morning. And, my morning started when a local art teacher contacted me to see if I might be interested in painting with her students. Could I supply more information?
You know I did.
I'm very pleased when I hear from art teachers. The last person with toes that I don't want to step on is the local art teacher. I know they are talented, but usually too busy to do what I do. I want to support them every way I can. This art teacher wrote back before the day was over. She said, "I know things need to move fairly quickly to make this work before school is out . . . So I need to ask, do you even have availability to work with us the week of May 7th?
Um, that would be a big yes! And, I just couldn't be happier to paint in the location where the universe knew all along I was supposed to be. Sometimes, it just all works out right.
Three Good Things - And, the day got better.
It had been almost two years since I had any embassy project for my murals. Just like everyone else pretty much everywhere, budgets have been tight. Nobody seemed to have funding for a very amazing community experience with murals. So, I sat in Ohio, networking among Buckeyes, painting murals in Columbus, drawing nearly thirty portraits from my travels, blogging, writing books about my travels in Liberia and Brasil, illustrating a folktale collection of Liberian stories and not using my passport. But, all of that is about to change thanks to a late afternoon e-mail message. I may not see their bobsledding team or meet Usain Bolt, but I'm guaranteed a good dose of Reggae music, a taste of Ting (not Tang) and maybe a sip of a Bob Marley Shot this summer in Jamaica thanks to an invitation by the US Embassy. Hallelujah, man!
Now, as long as I'm looking for groups of three to write about, there is another absolutely warm and tropical group of threes that I'd really like to come my way. I have already contacted two other embassies in the Caribbean who have expressed an interest in my muraling. As long as I'm in the "neighborhood", perhaps they'll want to bring me on over to Barbados and Haiti? If I must, I'm willing to stay longer in the Caribbean. And, I could live with murals on THREE Caribbean islands if I just have to.
For sure, I don't want to get into a series of bad luck three situations that lead to things like prison or celebrity deaths. My clip art might be all over the world, and students in every continent except Antarctica recognize my cartoons, but nobody knows my name. I remain the most non-famous world-famous artist on the planet. I don't think I have to worry about anything celebrity. Just to be safe, I'll say a prayer that my guardian angel will protect me from malaria, pickpockets, bus wrecks, earthquakes, typhoons, rogues with knives, prison in Haiti and taxis without breaks. It should be no problem since he's already done that for each of these in the past. Why worry about threes when I appear to have nine lives?
I've had a very good 24 hours, and it's as simple as one, two, three.
One Good Thing - I've been in contact with a local school for mural 55. For several months, we talked about beginning in April. I always assumed it would be the first of the month. Who ever expected the April we've had in Ohio with rain, cold, snow, tornadoes, flooding, more rain and certainly more snow? But, plans for the project continue and it could not possibly be at a better school. And, whenever Spring eventually arrives, the work will begin.
This will be a mural first for me. The plan is to have every student in the school participate in the painting. It's going to take a lot of help from volunteer mothers. Not a problem at this school. I sat down to brainstorm with the principal and three art teachers about the mural's theme. They wanted student input, and I had a great suggestion. Sometimes, that happens. I suggested the students list events that happened in each grade level that they remembered most. That kind of coaching prompted excellent suggestions I could use. The mural will be divided into sections for each grade. It's a perfect fit. And, when I finally presented my vision of the mural, the principal said support for my design was off the charts. Do you know how hard it is for a committee to agree on anything? Yep, I'm very happy with "off the charts". And, if the snow ever stops, it's going to be an amazing experience.
There was almost a bad thing to tell you about when a mural project unexpectedly collapsed, but . . .
Two Good Things - It took less than twenty-four hours for the universe to correct the situation. Yep. All it took was one little e-mail. I have to admit I'm kind of addicted to e-mail. I'm one of those people who turns on the computer almost as soon as my feet touch the floor in the morning. And, my morning started when a local art teacher contacted me to see if I might be interested in painting with her students. Could I supply more information?
You know I did.
I'm very pleased when I hear from art teachers. The last person with toes that I don't want to step on is the local art teacher. I know they are talented, but usually too busy to do what I do. I want to support them every way I can. This art teacher wrote back before the day was over. She said, "I know things need to move fairly quickly to make this work before school is out . . . So I need to ask, do you even have availability to work with us the week of May 7th?
Um, that would be a big yes! And, I just couldn't be happier to paint in the location where the universe knew all along I was supposed to be. Sometimes, it just all works out right.
Three Good Things - And, the day got better.
It had been almost two years since I had any embassy project for my murals. Just like everyone else pretty much everywhere, budgets have been tight. Nobody seemed to have funding for a very amazing community experience with murals. So, I sat in Ohio, networking among Buckeyes, painting murals in Columbus, drawing nearly thirty portraits from my travels, blogging, writing books about my travels in Liberia and Brasil, illustrating a folktale collection of Liberian stories and not using my passport. But, all of that is about to change thanks to a late afternoon e-mail message. I may not see their bobsledding team or meet Usain Bolt, but I'm guaranteed a good dose of Reggae music, a taste of Ting (not Tang) and maybe a sip of a Bob Marley Shot this summer in Jamaica thanks to an invitation by the US Embassy. Hallelujah, man!
Now, as long as I'm looking for groups of three to write about, there is another absolutely warm and tropical group of threes that I'd really like to come my way. I have already contacted two other embassies in the Caribbean who have expressed an interest in my muraling. As long as I'm in the "neighborhood", perhaps they'll want to bring me on over to Barbados and Haiti? If I must, I'm willing to stay longer in the Caribbean. And, I could live with murals on THREE Caribbean islands if I just have to.
For sure, I don't want to get into a series of bad luck three situations that lead to things like prison or celebrity deaths. My clip art might be all over the world, and students in every continent except Antarctica recognize my cartoons, but nobody knows my name. I remain the most non-famous world-famous artist on the planet. I don't think I have to worry about anything celebrity. Just to be safe, I'll say a prayer that my guardian angel will protect me from malaria, pickpockets, bus wrecks, earthquakes, typhoons, rogues with knives, prison in Haiti and taxis without breaks. It should be no problem since he's already done that for each of these in the past. Why worry about threes when I appear to have nine lives?
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