the iPad, revisited with Brushes

One of the reasons that I was all keen on getting an iPad was to have the chance to use a program (oh, excuse me, an app) called Brushes, which I'd read about off and on in the past couple of years. In particular, I'd heard about artist David Hockney's work with the program, and while some of his drawings on the iPad seem a touch on the cheesy side to me, I was excited about the idea of having a fairly portable painting studio that I could leave and come back to without any cleanup to speak of.

And then, right as we got the iPad, the news came in of the explosion in the nearby factory that produced it. The world news cycle has, of course, moved on, and we've had other things going on with our lives as well, but I'm still intrigued with the story. So while it might not be the prettiest subject for a set of paintings, I decided to make the explosion, and the events and landscapes surrounding it, the subject for my first experiments with the program. Here are some of my first attempts, presented without comment for now...

The big news!

About a month ago now, we found out that Xander will need fairly major surgery within the next year to correct some bone growth issues in his forearms. (One of the other big reasons this blog was silent for a bit recently...) After many many calls back and forth, and many many people who have been invaluable in helping us in so many ways, we got confirmation that he is covered to have the surgery at Shriner's Hospital in Philadelphia at the end of July. Nervewracking, but good news, indeed.


We weren't actually in this department ever, but ya gotta love China sometimes for telling it like it is...

And just a couple of days ago, we got our plane tickets booked, so it looks like we're doing this, doesn't it? We'll be in Chicago for a bit to get acclimated, then on to Philadelphia for the surgery, then recovery after that. There will be a tricky shuffle as Jane comes out with Zekey and Ysa for a couple of weeks, then I go back with Z and Y at the beginning of September to start the school year, while Jane stays in the US with Xander until he gets the green light to travel back to China. (Although arranging all of this via email, and Skype calls back and forth has made it all seem very virtual indeed..)

So the upshot of all this is that Xander and I will be in the States for most of this summer. Starting in just a bit more than two weeks! I don't know what I'll end up writing on the blog coming up in the next couple of months, though I'm guessing that I'll keep more of the personal hospital-related news over on Facebook for those that know us. I've got a big backlog of China related news and interesting links to keep me busy posting, that's for sure. Or maybe you'll get a lot of links to YouTube videos and pictures of cats with funny sayings underneath. Or I might save my energy and not post at all until the fall, who knows? (Though this doesn't mean I don't like you. I do, really and truly!)

Some drawings I've been doing

No particular titles so far, and none with any concrete meanings that I've figured out yet. Some of them do look more Chinese than others, though..







Oh gosh, I guess this next one is a slow boat, isn't it?

I'm not an introvert, but I play one on TV...

An interesting post about me, as well as 25% of the population. And it mentions brain chemistry, so you've gotta love it.

10 myths about introverts

Dance Dance Fever

June first is children's day in China, so the day before, schools across the country are preparing their choreographed dance routines. The kindergarten and primary school on our campus were no exceptions, so Jane and I spent a fun-filled (and sometimes surreal, and okay, I admit it, a little boring at times) morning and afternoon watching our kids join in the festivities. And of course, there were bucketloads of cute.





And a lot of stage makeup, even for the boys.



A wonderfully synchronized time was had by all.

Jane Z, teaching ninja

Yet another way that Jane rocks the house, now with new added teaching mojo...


When she finally gets her interview in the New York Times Magazine, this oughta be the cover picture, don't you think?


This photo will accompany the article, of course...

Can I interest you in an eye care massager?

What I love about China: I can be sitting in my office in the English department, grading papers, and someone can walk in out of the blue and try to sell me a pair of opaque sunglasses with bumps on the back. Thankfully, my Chinese is good enough that I could A: understand the main gist of what she was asking me, and B: politely tell her that I was not interested.