MIA Me.

I've been a terrible slug about submitting mind-bending material to this silly little blog. BUT I did just start my second year, and hopefully final year, of this Master's Program in Education, Curriculum and Instruction. SO I'll be back on the keyboard for hours... and I'll be profound once again. :o) (Like that guy!)

Wow, how lazy summer can make me. As a teacher I (we?) so relished that summer break, a break from multi-multi tasking, thinking, thinking, thinking, 180 kids a day; ok, I can't list them all. Never truly remember "resting" my mind; just knew it was nice to relax, ie not whirling through the all encompassing work of "teaching." Now I reflect on those first two weeks of school, returning to the glorious classroom chaos, and returning home each day utterly spent, both physically and mentally. Drained. Flailed. Simply? Done.

Yep, I'm retired, enrolled and already working on twelve units. Easy peasy. Congrats, thanks, and you are awesome! to all of you have made it through these first few weeks once again. I'm jealous. Sorta. ;o)

Thanks Erika Gamboa for the wonderful charcoal illustration for this entry!

Richard Gerstl

While I've long known about Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt, and Oskar Kokoschka, I had never been introduced to Richard Gerstl . We stopped at the Belvedere Residence in Vienna on our recent trip.
This self portrait was an odd painting for which to stop consider. Although I thought it rather simple, I was chilled (what a surprise, hunh?) after reading about Richard Gerstl. This painting was completed in the last year of his short and tortured life. Upon a second glance, one must ask if he is happy, or if the smile is a cynical, last miserable laugh at his life as he saw it. Shortly after the this painting was done, Gerstl hung and stabbed himself in front of a mirror. He was 25.
More about Richard Gerstl, often lauded over Gustav Klimt, his biography, photographs and paintings.