Tarns are fantastic: Thank you fantasy novels

I love Forgotten Realms fantasy novels, mostly because of R. A. Salvatore and his long adventured dark-elf ranger Drizzt. As I was reading some of the more recent novels that have come out in the world of the Forgotten Realms (they love the change the whole world up every couple of years) I ran across something totally out of my vocab and personal experiences – tarns.  I had to look the word up on the spot to even know what it was.  So today I find a great site with copyright free pictures and low and behold there are tarns!  Check it out.

Mountain lakes!  Now I love Ohio, I really do, but a Canfield boy turned Columbus man, even one whose been to a number of countries, just doesn’t run across tarns much.  So thanks to Paul S. Kemp and his novel The Godborn for expanding my world a bit and to the site New Old Stock for the pic!

The miscreant in me always wanted to run around and turn end construction sings into these into protest signs:

A simple stencil, spray paint and a lack of good sense and this brilliant idea can be yours!

Not quite sticking it to the man, but all I really ever wanted was to make people giggle at life.

May the places you get stuck in turn into the belly laughs of a respected life,

~B~

So life has been busy!  I moved in with Lady:)  It’s just as wonderful as I hoped and our new place is beautiful.  I have set up my new studio that overlooks the glorious Alum Creek:

from the patio

I also started a freelance job for Lionbridge Technology Inc. working helping them crowd-source information about search engine effectiveness.  Its an interesting gig that I can do from home.  Lot of work to get it to the point where I feel like I’m doing it well, but I’m getting there.  I have new place that I am looking into to sell some of my art work, its a neat concept from the people at ARTtwo50.  They have an app that lets you see the panting in your home before you buy it.  The iPad version already exists and they are working on the iPhone version.

Now I’m going to hit my new gym and get a work out in.  I’m feeling good, dreaming big and believing, hope you are too!

~B~

So I’ve been away for a bit.  In the mean time I had a cold, a truly rare thing for me, I studied and did some testing for a part-time, work from home job, I’m still waiting to hear back from them, and I’ve been working on a couple paintings.  Also, I’ve been listening to Cory Huff at The Abundant Artist, for tips and tricks to get better at selling my art work.  I’m looking at upgrading my equipment for taking pictures of my art and getting better at taking those pictures.  I’ve learned a bit and found some other places that I can sell on if I can get some better pics.  So, I’m still out here, still working hard and still looking forward to the success I honestly believe is on its way.

I hope this post finds you well and enjoying life.

Peace,

~B~

In this fourth installment of At Home On The Inside I created what I consider a full length meditation at around 24 minutes.  A chance to again seek the positive on the inside. It guides you into relaxing your body, leads you to summoning the feeling of your joy and then lets you relax in that joy.  So find a place to get comfortable and take a trip into your bliss.

Imagining the Positive

Had a great trip to Chicago this weekend.  It was the 2014 Beer-cation with friends. First night started with a hipster German gastro-pub/uncommon beers place called Das Raddler. The food portions were small and expensive, but it was awesome. Then we went just down the street to Revolution Brew Pub, a nice place with some shockingly good people watching.

We stayed at the Renaissance Blackstone which was glorious:

A beautiful lobby

The next day we hit Haymarket Brew Pub (thanks for the 4 oz beers!!),

It was a lot of samplers here and some good food.

The Lone Wolf  Bar (best place to Get 3 Floyds I’ve ever seen) then the Red Head Piano Bar,a happening party bar with odd amounts of security, it was a blast, but you can’t mind being packed in like sardines and drunk singing.

Piano Bars may in Fact be Magic

We also went to Goose Island Brew Pub Claybourn Location and got the tour and tasting for a shockingly reasonable price. That was a lot of fun. Also, hit Bubba Gump’s on the navy pier and I now have a very bright light up cup that my smoothie came in that actually projects a light version their logo on the table when you pick it up. Sadly pictures do it no justice. That with a little family time all in a Friday night to Sunday afternoon, not too shabby.

Now back to the podcast behind the scenes magic…

Hope you laughed as much this past weekend as I did,

~B~

I was hoping to get my meditations saved at Libsyn and create an RSS feed through Feedburner, but I wasn’t able to get that far this week.  I did however create a logo that I hope you’ll be seeing on iTunes next week.

My audio logo for Meditations:

My new logo

And now it’s off to the windy city in the middle of a notably chill February.  There will be good friends and good beer, who cares how cold it is :-]

~B~

The 1st was my birthday version 2014 and I had a wonderful weekend thanks to the people that care so much about me. It was wonderful. Friday, we went with friends to Flip Side and  World of Beer at Easton.  Saturday, my Lady created a day of art and fun for us both.  We went to The Columbus Museum of Art, wandered German Village and ate at Schmidt’s Restaurant Und Sausage Haus.  The autobahn buffet is well worth the price. Later we went to Aprons and Easels.  We brought our own mead and enjoyed it while getting some painting instruction. It was a lot of fun and so different than painting my own stuff at home.  I would definitely recommend it for a group night out or a date:) Then last night, even watching the least entertaining Super Bowl I can remember was a joy celebrated with people I care about and who kept my birthday weekend rolling. Thanks to everyone who was a part of a great weekend!

Check back here soon for the first full length Meditation. I’ve decided to start just making ones that I will be using myself instead of guessing what others need. This next one is going to be great. I look forward to finishing it so that I can use it.

In Joy,

~B~

So the  holidays were full of the good and the bad.  A lot of great family time partly created by some health issues that gathered everyone near.  I often take for granted all the amazing parts of being part of a big family.  For all the points of tension that years of knowing each other can create the amount of love that is there is still so much bigger than that.  This year included a mass family viewing of The Hobbit: The Desolation of SmAUg (for anyone that seen it the accent on the AU in Smaug’s purpose is clear).  I loved it, but not so much that it didn’t feel long.  It’s great LONG movie, be prepared.  Other notable events included a trip to my favorite beer store in Ohio as of last week, Vintage Estates and getting to see my nephew’s band play at Hard Rock Cafe Pittsburgh.  Here’s a pic of Somethin’ Tasty doing what they do so well:

If you get a chance see them, seriously.

Peace in the New Year to all.  May we all learn to serve in the ways that leave us fulfilled and other respected.

~B~