BLISS

If I have one gift it is probably that, for the most part, I wake up excited every day -- especially now that I don't have anywhere I have to be each day! Even when I was still working, however, I was lucky in that I almost always had jobs where I was able to do creative things and learn lots of new stuff -- which is pretty much all it takes to get my engines revved. Imagine, then, how these online classes are affecting me.

Even those first few lessons, where all we did was sketch radishes, had me all a-twitter. I go back to admire my handiwork at least twenty times a day, and wake up each morning thinking "Wow! I wonder what we get to do today?" And, if it happens to be a day when some new art supplies or books are winging their way to me in the mail? Well, on those days, I can barely control myself! To tell you the truth, I'm pretty sure that's why my hubby married me. He has trouble getting excited about stuff, so I think he loves it when a little of my delirium rubs off on him.

I have never experienced that surge of endorphins some people get while exercising -- that thing they call a "runner's high", nor do I get that nice fuzzy-headedness from alcohol that so many people talk about. And, though I have never used tobacco or recreational drugs of any kind, I did have to take Vicodin for a few weeks when I boogered up my neck so badly, so I'm guessing that the feelings people get from these substances is akin to what I get from color and creativity -- that blissful feeling of euphoria and a powerful surge of energy flowing through every part of one's body.

I wrote here once before, about my fortunate knack for summoning a sense of euphoria almost at will, and being able to send happy shivers up my very own neck, but I didn't realize its connection to creative energy until I started taking these classes. My feet have barely touched the ground since! My eyes were opened when I happened to hit a lull this weekend. I had finally come to one class project that I just wasn't into, and was dragging my feet about starting, plus I had a busy weekend ahead, with guests coming and a music festival to attend, so I put my art supplies away for a while and "snap!", my euphoria evaporated and my feet went kerplop on the the ground. I was also seriously worried because I was already more than halfway through the lessons in this particular class, and hadn't yet found another I wanted to take. What if I never found any as good as this one? Would I ever feel this blissful again? The more I fretted about it, and the longer I went without painting or sketching, the glummer I became.

Sunday night I finally had a chance to get back on the computer. I finished watching the lesson video for the project I wasn't excited about, took a few notes on different techniques that were used, then gave myself permission to move on to the next lesson -- one I couldn't wait to get started on. Then I did a little blog-hopping, and one of the very first things I stumbled upon was this. Yabba-dabba-do, I've found my next class! And just like that -- snap! -- I'm high as a kite again, with delicious little tingles coursing up and down my spine. As if that weren't enough, there's another little package (containing a few stencils, one stamp, and some canvasses I need for upcoming class projects) on its way to my house, and my daughter and I have begun a cooking course being taught by Heather over at Beauty That Moves, which should result in some yummy meatless meals at both our houses (though none of us are turning vegan, I promise). I see a blissful week ahead!