Tuppy Lawson, ceramic artist
Tuppy in her studio/showroom
One of the enjoyable side effects of art collecting is artist collecting. Gail and I are fortunate to know many of the artists who create the works we enjoy, and Tuppy Lawson is high on that list.
Her real name is Antonia, and I have no idea how you get from Antonia to Tuppy. She was born in Hong Kong, educated in England, France and Taiwan. Speaks English, French and Mandarin. Has fun in Chinese restaurants since the waiters never think she can understand what they say to each other.
Tuppy is from a family of artists–her mother and two sisters are all working artists. She lives in San Rafael with husband Alex (a Maserati salesman, but he can’t get me a demo to try out for a week or so), has one daughter just graduating Stanford and another just starting UC Santa Barbara. When she’s not creating whimsical art she’s a top selling wizard at the Corte Madera Apple store.
Okay, that’s the facts, and Jack Webb would be happy. Here’s what sets Tuppy apart from the crowd:
Consistency is a virtue in a CPA, it’s death to an artist. Notice how Tuppy has figurative work, surrealistic figures, her bikini series, decanters and hearts. Creativity bubbles out of her like ash out of an Icelandic volcano. She recently fired a piece too early, and needed to add “something”. Although she had never painted in her life (not caring to be competitive with her very accomplished mother), she picked up a brush and started–now she loves painting her creations as well.
We were visiting because this was Open Studios weekend in Marin, but she will be at the Ruth Bancroft Garden sculpture show Fathers Day weekend, too. Be sure to see her there.
Not dead yet
I’m not yet dead. Which is a song from the first act of Spamalot, and if I was really clever I could link to it and make it play while you read this. Maybe it’s better that I can’t……
Still coughing, though considerably less. My voice left me a week ago, and is very slowly coming back. Truth is, I think I like the new voice, which doesn’t project so much. It’s fun to be able to talk to people without the entire world hearing me.
Mostly, I’m tired. Deep down bone weary. This living in the fast lane is fun, and I’d hate to let a little thing like a touch of black lung disease slow me down, but I’m starting to consider spending two days at the Holiday Inn Express in Modesto with just a stack of magazines and two bottles of Nyquil. Incessant coughing is tiring–there isn’t a muscle in my body that doesn’t ache. You’d think with all that exercise I might lose some weight, but that isn’t happening either.
I haven’t been writing not only due to lack of energy, but lack of brain power, too. All these good things happening (at least from a blogger point of view), and I didn’t have anything to say. John McCain says “I never considered myself a maverick”. Some homophobic Bible thumping Evangelist gets caught touring Europe with an escort hired from rentboy.com. Glen Beck says “social justice is code for communism and Marxism”. I should be having a field day with these clowns, and here I am whining about the ineffectiveness of Robitussin.
I think I’ll take a nap.
Tidiness is my life
Tidy is my life. I didn’t plan it that way, it just happened.
I met this girl playing bridge, and somehow my entire life got tidified.
Here’s the pantry in our house. While I was working on the computer this afternoon planning a party, Gail got busy in the pantry. She’s already “organized” my desk and closet into submission, now it was time for the food.
Everything is neat. I think it’s all alphabetized, or sorted by color, or shape, or expiration date, or something. Mostly, I know I’ll never find anything again.
The world has tidy people, and those of us who work best with large unruly piles of stuff. But why is it that couples tend to have one of each? Yes, I drive Gail crazy. But she thinks it’s a one way street……….
What if the TSA ran security in New York?
James Fallows writes:
The point of terrorism is not to “destroy.” It is to terrify. And for eight and a half years now, the dominant federal government response to terrorist threats and attacks has been to magnify their harm by increasing a mood of fear and intimidation.
It always seems to me that the entire security apparatus is misguided, incompetent and going in entirely the wrong direction. Every time we lose another freedom in the name of “security” it’s like our own forces are doing the work of Al Qaida for them.
Day 24
Went to Kaiser again today. Another new doctor, this one from Iran. That makes a Swede, a Chinese and an Iranian. Three nations, not one decent idea whats going on.
Sunday night we came home from the day, and my voice just went away–at 7:oo I could talk, at 8:30 I could only whisper. Most people think that’s an improvement.
So todays medical marvel gave me antibiotics, after noting that this is most likely viral and they won’t help. A different inhaler, which feels like it does something.
Kaiser service continues to be incredible–I called at 11:40 Sunday night, had a 9:45 appointment Monday. The doctor was on time. No line in the pharmacy–I was back in my car by 10:30. They may not cure anything, but at least they do nothing quickly.
. . .
It’s STAC week. Sectional Tournament at Clubs. People are supposed to turn out in droves to earn silver points. Monday night at the Bridge Center, there were 8 tables, about normal, I think. I was playing because Mike called–he never misses a chance to stock up on the silver points, for some reason. I thought once you had 10000 points the colors didn’t matter, but what do I know?
. . .
Years ago Mike B and Mike Katz and Manfred Michlmayr and I went to Montreal to play in the Rosenblum Cup, an open World Championship. After we got beaten by everyone but the French, Manfred critiqued my defense with the immortal {imagine Austrian accent her} “Chris, you don’t lead trumps enough.” If only that was my only failing on defense…..
But the point of this reminiscence is that today Billy Miller offered an online class on the subject of opening leads. Students logged into a chat room Billy set up on Bridge Base, then listened and responded to him on a Skype conference call. Gail took the class, and darned if Manfred wasn’t right–I don’t lead trumps enough. Billy’s classes are only $25 for 90 minutes of wisdom and a little wit. Gail has taken 2 of them, and they are a great deal for the money.
. . .
Ally’s BridgePartner499 group as taken off like a shot–50 members in the first day alone. I put a button on the side so you can join easily, since I assume that everyone will want to be a member. It may well start to include discussions of what to bid with different hands, too.
.
Better living through Google
Bridge would be a great game if you didn’t need a partner. Okay, I like the partnership part, but I hate the idea of calling people up to get a partner. Which is why I never do–I’m like one of the old ladies of Boston society, I don’t get my partners, I have my partners.
Now Allie Whiteneck has taken a great leap forward in modern social media to make life easy for us. She has started a group at http://groups.google.com/group/bridgepartner499. Go there and join (it’s free, natch, and takes about 10 seconds)
The point of the group is that you can post a quick note to say “looking for a game on Wednesday”. Everyone else will see it, and you’ll get a partner. Or at least that’s the plan. Clearly, the more people who join, the more successful the partnership board will be. Tell you friends. Tell you neighbors. Tell your neighbors friends and your friends neighbors.
You can see what is going on by going to the site, http://groups.google.com/group/bridgepartner499, and you can also opt to have all new postings emailed to you.
This is a great idea, Allie seems to have a lot of great ideas. Remember, that’s http://groups.google.com/group/bridgepartner499 for all your bridge partnership needs.
The board does a good thing
Membership directories are available now
People who complain as much as I do have a responsibility to give credit when it’s well deserved. The new Unit 499 directories are out, and they are beautiful.
Sharon Tarpinian was in charge, and what a great job she did. The books are good looking, spiral bound so they won’t break with use, printed in large enough type for old guys like me and just generally perfect.
Whether or not to include email addresses is always a major debate–I’m in favor, but I understand the position of those against. Nobody wants more spam, but I just don’t envision Ivan the Russian spammeister getting a copy of our directory and manually entering all the email addresses to sell us more Viagara. The gold bullion and coins you can get from Glen Beck, anyway.
. . .
Susan Rowley writes that I don’t blog enough. But does she send me pictures to print? Funny stories? Trenchant analyses of modern society and the political ecosystem? No. I need something to work with here.
. . .
Mentoring session this morning at the Bridge Center. 15 tables of students. Allie told me it started at 10, then told everyone else it started at 9:30. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Eight hands, analyzed by Mike Bandler. Even without my help he did a pretty good job. The problems were mostly bidding oriented, but he talked about declarer play and planning the defense as well. I hope the people I was mentoring were able to hear over my coughing.
It’s a brilliant program, which Allie is managing spectacularly. Mike told me there was a waiting list for mentors, which made me proud the people of our unit who are trying to help others learn the game.
. . .
About the directories: I had to look for the mysterious Wayne Rechnitz. Yes, he’s a unit member, with a listed address. But no phone number. Finding him is my new campaign. I may have to go knock on his door, there in the rich part of Orinda. The power of the press (blog?) will not be denied.
. . .
The Fresno High school class of XX is having its annual mini-reunion here today. All of Gail’s friends are visiting. Our house is full of people I don’t know, who drop by for 3 hours a year. They keep telling each other “you haven’t changed”, which means that they must have been a very funny looking group of 18 year old kids. Local bridge player Earl Reeve is among the group–that’s how they found us in the first place. I’m spending the day giving art tours and making sure the BBQ works. What I’m really thinking of is escaping to the Embassy Suites so I can take a nap.
Tired and sore
This guy coughs less than I do.
Well, I’ve found a new way to get exercise–wracking my body incessantly with paroxysms of coughing. Yep, three solid weeks I’ve been hacking like a retired coal miner, with no end in sight. Two trips to Kaiser, inhaler, cough syrup, cough pills, Thera-Flu and bourbon, nasal spray, and it’s getting worse, not better. Every day I think I’m about to cough up a kidney.
Yes, I’m whining. It doesn’t help, but it makes me feel better–which is more than the quacks at Kaiser can do, it would seem.
… (note my pallid attempt at 3 dot journalism. Good enough for Herb Caen and Willie Brown, good enough for me.)
The stupidity continues. A Congressman from the LA area, Duncan Hunter, speaking in front of a Tea Party rally last weekend, decided to grab some glory by supporting deporting US citizens who were the children of illegals.
Besides the obvious illegality and unconstitutionality of deporting a citizen, one might wonder just one little thing:
Where the heck do you deport a US citizen to? His country of birth? DUhhhhhhhhh
….
Another mentoring session at the Bridge Center this Saturday morning–I think Allie has about 15 tables signed up. I’m supposed to be on my best behavior and be nice to people, so I’ll try to fake it for 2 hours.
This program has been a raging success. Are you participating? You’re either a student or a teacher, tutor or tuttee–there really isn’t any middle ground. It’s hard enough to get people in the door to learn the game, once we have them we owe it to ourselves to keep them interested and moving forward. Step up and do your part.
…
Small world department–the volcano in Iceland had effects close to home. Larry Ledgerwood, BJ’s handsome husband, was supposed to go to France for work and the entire event was cancelled when he and many others couldn’t get there. Poor guy was forced to stay home and go sailing.
…
I can’t think of anything else to write. Guess I’ll chug some cough syrup with codeine and hit the sack–have to be brilliant in the morning, Bandler can be a heavy load to carry.
Dreams do come true
My buddy Tom Jacobson is a big time golfer–bridge is what he does when he can’t walk around hitting an insignificant ball into a meaningless hole with implements ill-suited to the purpose.
But he sent me this picture along with a note:
Here we are on the 18th tee at Pebble Beach Golf Links yesterday for my free round of golf from the Lexus sweepstakes. We had a wonderful time. I had a great round of golf, and Barbara got to walk along and take hundreds of pictures. Here’s one of the best ones.
I’m more in the Mark Twain school, thinking that golf is “a good walk, spoiled”, but that’s what makes Tom happy, so good for him. I didn’t even know that there was a Lexus sweepstakes–could there be a 5-year-old Chrysler sweepstakes? Maybe I could win 3 free games at Antioch Bowl.
Stretching her limits
Hadn’t seen Iris Libby around lately, and I was wondering why. Then this letter came in, and just knocked my socks off:
Okay, this is what I’ve been up to while not playing bridge. There were 15,000 entrants for the combined Marathon and miniMarathon. My son, Mark Scott, his lady friend, Laura Peck, her mother and sister and I were all in the miniMarathon – they ran, I walked. It was an amazing day, weatherwise and in most other ways. There was a moderate rain falling at 6:30 a.m., as we lined up to board the many buses that took participants to the starting line. As we stood in a VERY long line for the porta-potty, the race actually started, but it made little difference to us. The bibs we wore on our shirts had a one-use chip to register the time as we started and then as we finished the race.
We started close to and then moved through a lovely park — Iroquois — where we were encouraged by bystanders and folks waiting at various points with cups or bottles of water. The park was hilly, but the foliage on the trees kept the rain from falling too heavily on us; it actually stopped raining while we were still within the park. The sun shone brightly and warmly, and I was grateful when the clouds once again covered the sky, creating a pleasantly cool walking/running environment.
Once out of the park, we were surrounded by lovely old homes from a most gracious period in Louisville, many of them with pillars and welcoming front porches. Again, the streets were lined with well-wishers, especially appreciated by those of us who were among the slower participants.
We entered the grounds of Churchill Downs, where quite a few horses were being exercised, preparing for the annual Kentucky Derby race that will take place this coming weekend. Beautiful horses they are, too, with their sleek coats almost reflective in the now-and-then sunshine.
By this time, I was one tired walker, each quarter-mile a new triumph, as I had never before walked more than eight miles at one time — and that time occurred only once.
Now, my son is encouraging me to go with them to Toronto in October for another miniMarathon, and I’m actually considering it! Any of you want to start training?
Back to California on Thursday, and I’ll be seeing most of you very soon.
Best wishes, Iris
She included the official web page:
| 2010 Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon & miniMarathon – miniMarathon
Login to rate Rated 123 times April 24, 2010 Last updated on April 25, 2010 10738 Finishers – 4655 M / 6083 F
displaying: 1 – 1 of 1 records per page [25 \/]
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Pretty amazing!!! Just about 4 miles an hour for the entire 13 long miles. Iris is amazing.
Totally Unauthorized 