Gretta Outside The Box

Well hello anybody out there who steps this way! I am reviving my blog because I have a lot to share these days. We shall see if I can keep it going better. There is a whole lot going on in the world, and also in my little corner of it. The world is quite overwhelming so I mostly just scan the headlines to get the gist and try my best to keep up. On my phone, I currently get breaking news notifications from the BBC and the New York Times (subscriber) at the moment, and the Guardian has a totally free wonderful one minute daily summary called "Got A Minute?" on the phone which pops up as a notification with wry photos and links to full articles if you have more than a minute time to catch up. I trust these sources more than most. On my computer laptop I read email from the Washington Post (subscribed), the NYTimes (subscribed) the Hill about Washington DC goings on. On YouTube I am subscribed to the White House, which allows you to watch pressconferences in full, as well ...

"Flaubert's Parrot" by Julian Barnes is seriously one of the best books I have ever started to read, it's a delight, and I found it recently on a pile of books in the street! Some kind person had just decided to divest themselves of their library onto the sidewalk and I was lucky enough to pick this one. I always wanted to know more about Gustave Flaubert who wrote "Madame Bovary" (and I've still to read that book) - there are so many joys ahead, I'm only on chapter 2, ..... eg. "memories of past anticipations", "fulfillment's desolate attic", "Language is like a cracked kettle, on which we beat tunes for bears to dance to, while all the time we long to move the stars to pity" (from Madame Bovary)

Guess what? I won a competition on the radio! Check out http://www.927rev.com/ for the BEST music today - all the top 20 hits and hardly any adverts. I'm serious I love love LOVE this techno hiphop beat to dance to, drive to, do housework to, etc.. The prize was 2 tickets plus a "meet and greet" with the stars playing at the Shoreline Amphitheater, Mountainview on September 2nd,2011. I thought that meant meeting (lilwayne) Weezy himself, but apparently that was impossible, and we got to meet Far East Movement ("So What"?) which to me is about as good, and 2 other stars new to me, Lloyd and Kelli Hilson (What time is it? "No Boys Allowed") who were both very fun and gave a great show later on. See this link for 3 photos of me with the stars http://997now.radio.com/2011/09/03/photos-mg-with-loyd-far-east-movement-and-keri-hilson/ My friend Westin Means came with me and we had a blast, never to be forgotten. There were 5 artists performing with the head...

Once again Berkeley City College has come to my rescue - I am now attending their Art Department from end of August through December, doing painting Tues and Thursday mornings, drawing Tues and Thursday afternoons, along with lots of homework. Juana Alicia Araiza, a muralist, is my painting teacher, and Jennie Burman is my drawing teacher - they are both adorable! I have to draw in my sketchbook every day, and I am taking lots more photographs. I feel like I just woke up to smell the coffee/roses - (whichever you prefer). The best part is that I go into a quiet calm place when I am working - my inner critic seems to have gone on vacation! And I am very pleased with my art work so far , the imperfections just add to the charm - I can say that the person resembling a fish is supposed to look that way, who's to know nowadays?

Do you all know about the fantastic courses at Berkeley City College? Summer school is starting June 20th, and I've signed up for 2 classes. I've been there before and the standard of teaching is pretty high, for an amazingly low price, $26 per unit.

Berkeley is stuffed with fantastic restaurants, and these are just a few good ones, all near Shattuck and University for lunchtime convenience. 1. Lucky House (Thai and Laotian) - does a fantastic Ginger Tofu Vegetables dish with brown rice for $6!!! 2. Biryani House (Indian) - check out their vegetable biryani and nan bread - you get good portions of food for under $6 but watch out for bits of cinnamon stick etc. in their biryani - makes for mindful eating... 3. People's Cafe (Mediterranean) - does a mean toasted bagel with avocado and also their chicken caesar salad with pita is great. 4. Sushi Ko (Japanese) is great for bento boxes with 2 or 3 choices eg tempura, chicken teriyaki and california roll - you get miso soup, salad and rice with it!