Things I’ve been reaching for in the bathroom cabinet:

1. Face Stockholm nail polish: It was about time I replace the chipped nail polish that have been on my fingers for over a month now.
2. Mario Badesco Enzyme Cleansing Gel: One of the few face washes that doesn’t leave my skin dry, has few ingredients, and it smells good!
3. Malin + Goetz Face Moisturizer: Originally bought for BJ but I stole it. Super moisturizing without being greasy

Having fun painting some of our favorite places in Houston. The list keeps growing.

clockwise: Agora, Domy, El Rey, Down House, Cy Twombly gallery, Mam’s House of Ice, and Jus Mac.

Nothing beats soft tees and tunics that pass the Houston Weather Test: light, comfortable, and easy to layer.

A few watercolors from a series I finished some time ago. More here.

Boy, what a tough week. People are being let go and our department is getting smaller.

I made these watercolor paper cuts while brainstorming lessons for my students. We’ll see how they turn out. Now I have to make some more “masculine” examples for the boys :)

– C

We must love one another or die.

from W.H. Auden’s “September 1, 1939“

Some things I’ve been working on. I find that working in groups of 15 helps me concentrate and stay focused. I’m excited to see how it’ll progress and evolve.

At the same time, I have lots of unfinished projects both work-related and personal that are in the middle or almost done. Finishing has always been a struggle for me. Over the last week I’ve tried working with a timer, writing lists, using post-its on my desk, and making notes on my phone. Intense, but I need all the help I can get! Then there’s the creative block and feeling totally unoriginal… pff. I’ll save that for another day.

— C

Tuesday, I drove downtown to pick BJ up from work and we stopped by the farmer’s market on campus. We ended up buying a couple of macarons, raspberry marshmallows, and one of my favorite meals this week—polenta with some sort of tomato and cheese from Maison Burdisso. BJ bought baby-back ribs and grilled them up. So delicious. The roasted tomatoes on the polenta reminded me of how my mom prepares them with catfish.

We also were gifted with tickets to New York City for our honeymoon! B’s mom made it all possible, and I’m so excited to do all the things we usually make plans for—when we do go there—but never get the chance to do. No more 10-minute run-throughs in the Met. We’re already setting aside one day for that. (With breaks of course.) Eeek!

Happy Friday!

I had a nice weekend. I only wish there were more hours in the day! On Saturday, I bought several rolls of film and fell in love with a Mamiya 645, picked out fabric and ribbon, went to the bookstore, ate a delicious dinner at Empire café, and got beignets for dessert. Oh and I added a shirt to my collection of all things striped. Thanks BJ and Thuy for spending the day with me!

Sometimes if I know things will be a little crazy at school, I’ll do a pen illustration related to our class project the night before. Then, for a few minutes each period, I’ll squeeze in some watercolor time. Trust me, it’s these small things that make a huge difference in terms of mental wellness! (But I really can’t complain much about my kids, they’re a good bunch… it’s the 6 classes in a row that’s exhausting!)