Gretta Outside The Box

"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.