Shorts

Good morning --
it's Sunday,
and I'm up before the sun.

A hot day ahead
here in the
Valley of the Sun

I've been full of
introspection lately
i guess that's what
you'd call it

trying to figure out
the where's and why's
of life and love,
where its been,
where its going,

all while trying to
enjoy the moments
as well.

Life sure isn't easy
at times,
there are hard roads
for all of us.

In the book of life, 

the answers 

aren't in the back. 

 ~Charlie Brown

 (but don't you wish they were???)

It's HOT!

Hello there,  from a

very hot corner of the USA

I bet we broke records today
my backyard thermometer
read 120+  and my car readout
showed 117 at 5:30pm.

WAY too hot to do much of anything.
Yes, my house has A/C,
but when its this hot, its difficult to
feel as if you want to do very much.

I hope its cooler in
your part of the world

Happy weekend!

P!nk

 “Pink is a beautiful color, 

because it is one of the colors 

that the sun makes at twilight 

and in the dawns.”

― C. JoyBell C. 

It feels like its been forever
since I last posted here ....
did you miss me while I was gone?
*smiles*
it's good to be back,
and even better getting back
to normal again

Resting up...

Yay!  I have returned
from my vacation,
and it was lovely,
thank you :)
Just the normal
family stresses
that happen
when you travel
out of town.....

I'll be posting
when I get some of my
energy back up. 
Resting today,
and hoping the
rest of me feels
back to normal
by tomorrow!

Create!

"Go into the arts.
I'm not kidding.
The arts are not a way to make a living.
They are a very human way
of making life more bearable.
Practicing an art, no matter
how well or badly,
is a way to make your soul grow,
for heaven's sake.
Sing in the shower.
Dance to the radio.
Tell stories.
Write a poem to a friend,
even a lousy poem.
Do it as well as you possibly can.
You will get an enormous reward.
You will have created something."
*Kurt Vonnegut*

Real Beauty

“Beauty shouldn’t be about changing yourself 

to achieve an ideal or be more socially acceptable. 

Real beauty, the interesting, truly pleasing kind, 

is about honoring the beauty within you and without you. 

It’s about knowing that someone else’s 

definition of pretty has no hold over you.”

-Golda Poretsky

Just a few thoughts this week about beauty - 

not the media's version of it, but real beauty

of all people, everywhere.  Even you!

Thanks for stopping by :)   ~Gal

Quick Note

I'll be out of town
for a few days
and not sure
if I'll be able to post.....

In the meantime
here's one from
the archives!

Go out and enjoy
your weekend -
I intend to!

Self Acceptance

“When you're

a beautiful person

on the inside,

nothing in the world

can change that about you.

Jealousy is the result

of one's lack of self-confidence,

self-worth,

and self-acceptance.

The Lesson: If you can't

accept yourself,

then certainly no one else will.”

― Sasha Azevedo

Doorway

“Sometimes people are beautiful.
 

Not in looks.
 

Not in what they say.
 

Just in what they are.”

-Markus Zusak, I am the Messenger

Taking a Break

been on a
cleaning streak
started early
this morning

a rare moment
of having time
to myself....

 

took a quick break
and flopped out on
the couch
for a quick pic!
hah hah hah


enjoy your weekend!

My Phoenix!

Here is Marcos,
my tat artist,
in the stages of
applying my
Phoenix tattoo

It stings,
the curves are the
most painful, as the
artist doesn't lift
the tool while doing them.

In Greek mythology, a phoenix or phenix (Ancient Greek φοίνιξ phóinīx) is a long-lived bird that is cyclically regenerated or reborn. Associated with the sun, a phoenix obtains new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor.

Due to the legend attached to the Phoenix bird, it makes for a good example for anything to with survival, strength, patience, and to a large extent, even victory.

My reward to myself for achieving a long term goal was to have this tattoo'd on me.   Considering the work I put in,
yes, its all about
survival, strength, patience
and yes... victory!

Evening

A quick Friday night post,

life has been extremely

busy yet again!

I'm gonna be a

grandmother again

in February.

My son just moved

out today, and is

trying a new life

with his gf.

Sometimes, its not

easy being a parent.

Horn tootin'

Forgive me, but I'm gonna toot my own horn here for a minute.

After 15 months of workouts at the gym,

today I celebrate losing 50 lbs!
Here I am in my workout clothes...

before and after!

Scarf

Each body

has its own arts.

-Gwendolyn Brooks

Not Quite Ready...

Well hello,

Good morning to you,

and thanks for stopping by!



Hot day here in

the Valley of the Sun.....

early morning is the

best time to get out

and water my cactus!







Not quite

ready

for that

summer bikini ...


but I'm a work in progress!
















“When I was a kid, I thought I had my life figured out. I knew where I was going. I was sure of whom I was and what I was. I was wrong. See, life is a journey of twists and turns that mold who we are; however, it is not the twists and turns which mold us, but rather, how we take and handle the twists and turns thrown at us. It was not until life threw me flat on my face that I truly discovered who I am and what I am. I am a perpetual work-in-progress. And you know what? I am quite all right with that.”   -Cristina Marerro

(I'm quite all right with it too! Are you?)

Wild Side

ahhh Fridays -

time to relax and unwind

from a very hectic work week


As a teen, I used to look

forward to Friday Night--

that was "date night"

 

I don't know about you,

but that whole

"date night" ritual

is pretty scary sounding

when you're about to turn 54!

so here it is,

a very warm

Friday night

here in the

Valley of the Sun --

I hope you're

enjoying whatever

you're doing --

Happy Weekend!

Curvy!

  

A woman without curves 

is like jeans without pockets... 

You don't know where 

to put your hands!

Sometimes its not the nudity

that makes me keep a photo,

its a line, the curves

Sunday Morning

“My favorite color 

on canvas 

is nudity.

”

 --Jarod Kintz

"There is only you 

and your camera. 

The limitations 

in your photography 

are in yourself, 

for what we see is what we are."

--Ernst Haas

Happy Gardening!

Just a little early morning gardening!

Happy Monday to everyone :)

Little Rant

Nudity in art is nothing new. It has always been there since time immemorial and artists have had to do a tight rope walk whenever they have had to express something that might have offensive value for the onlookers.

Nudity does not automatically mean sex, or an invitation to it.






Pornography engenders lust, art engenders admiration for the glory and beauty of the human body, and thus the glory of its Maker.



There is very thin line dividing nudity in art and pornography and what may be art to some may be nothing but pornography to others.

The difference 

between porn and nude 

is in the eye of the beholder.

 Nude goes on your wall, 

porn goes under your bed. 

And it's my art, damn it
~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maybe some of you are wondering "What's up with Gal? Why the little rant?"  Well, there's nothing worse than having the same type of conversation over and over with people (errr, men) who view my blog and make assumptions.  I realize my art might be offensive to some (and my apologies for that).  I guess its small mindedness that bothers me the most.  Just because I post nudes doesn't mean that its entirely about sex, or even rooted in sex.  And its certainly not an invitation to engage in some cyber or phone/cam sex thing with those who make assumptions.  Its just me, my art and a human body that -- though imperfect -- is beautiful in its own way.   I like the way one person put it:  Nude goes on your wall, porn goes under the bed! *grin*