POISON

Another one of my photos made it in the Globe and Mail. It’s in there today #6, I believe. It’s a pic I took in the Taman Negara Jungle–we were visiting a Batek Tribe settlement far down the Trembling River. The pic is of the inside of a poisonous blow-dart storage case. It is made from bamboo. The darts and case are 100% formed from various trees in the jungle, including the poison which is a boiled sap from yet another tree. I watched a man in the tribe make these darts from start to finish… I miss the jungle! The poison is enough to stop a human heart. They actually aim for as close to the heart as possible so as to not have the poison spread through the victim’s body and make it toxic to eat. Although the Batek tribe is one a few tribes still allowed to hunt tigers in Malaysia, they choose not to because of their rarity. They mainly hunt monkeys and smaller creatures.

So, April cannot get any crazier. My thesis defense is April 11. My paper is only now being read by my supervisor and internal committee. I am leaving for Seattle tomorrow, to train for 2 Zumba instructor courses (adults and kids). I get home late, Sunday evening and have my committee meeting the very next morning. Then, I have until the 11th to perfect my thesis and prepare my defense (1/2 h Power Point on my thesis). I leave on the 13th for a ten day silent meditation retreat in the mountains off the Coquihalla–between Merrit and Hope. I have one day to make any changes needed for my thesis before it must be sent in to UBC in order for me to graduate this spring (April 15 cut off for this year).

Yes, I am a little freaked by it all. But I will do it. Up, day and night to get it perfected.
And I am going to complete 3 painting by June 1 so I can show this fall at Lake Country Art walk. It is a juried show, so let us hope I make it in. Then, I will complete 3-7 more for September 1. I am still planning to get to France this summer for the Renaissance course. I figure it won’t be long until I can make a decent income from my paintings alone. Add that to income from teaching and it will be nice. And of course, when my writing starts to generate an income….It will be even nicer.