Chalkfest: 2023
Today I went to see all the incredible artists at Chalkfest with my friend B. For those of you who have never heard of this festival, let me explain. The local college, that I also graduated from, University of Wisconsin: Eau Claire hosts a day long event that invites local artists to come and decorate a square of the sidewalk along the central area of the academic buildings on campus. Each artist pays a small fee and they get several hours to create these incredible works of art. They use art chalks to cover the pavement in vibrant hues that quite a bit of the community comes to see.
Chalkfest has become a family event, with area set aside for the kids under twelve to also get involved in sharing their creative spirits. Food stands were also up and running, several local favorites setting up booths. A crowd favorite was the cotton candy booth that was spinning the sugar fresh for each order. Of course the BluGolds (UWEC Mascot/Student name) had to get in on the action and set up several stands to serve up grilled food and fresh coffee. (Although the heat of the day made the coffee stand a lonely place to be.)
B. and I did two laps of the art while it was in the process of being created. On the second one I broke out my camera and took several photos of my favorite works. The detail and vibrant colors that the artist were able to create blew my mind and I was so glad I remembered to bring my DSLR so I could capture even just a bit of their beauty. (Hopefully I can get those photos up on my portfolio soon! Please check back) Also on the second lap B. was enjoying a small cupcake sized cheesecake from one of the food vendors. She said that the raspberry lemon flavor was very refreshing and helped cool her down.
Back when I would return to campus each fall, I would make guesses in my head about which square would last the longest. The colors are so rich that many of the works of art will only slightly fade with each rain instead of washing completely away like the sidewalk hopscotch we used to draw as kids. Since this was my first time seeing the art the day it was created, I welcomed the different perspective on something that I hold fond memories of from back in college.
B. and I finished out our adventure with a stop at Culver’s for lunch and a nice long chat. I am still thrilled that she decided to move back to the area after getting her advanced degree in Minnesota. My day was filled with warm sun, laughter, good music, and great food. The best part of going to see such incredible art, was sharing it with B. and getting her take on each one. Discussing art has always been fun form me, so I am happy to have another person to share it with. Thank you B. for a lovely day!
Phone Culture
This last week I got a new phone. My old one started to close out of apps that I was using and the battery life was pretty bad. Thankfully I had the option of getting one of the latest models, one of the Pixel 7 line. Obviously the new phone had updated features and a improved camera, which were big pluses for me when picking out which one to go with. But this whole process has brought a few things to mind that I didn’t think of before.
Since my phone was ordered online, and was being shipped to my house, I had to wait for it to arrive in the mail. I took the time to search Amazon for a new case that was both decent protection and still fun to look at. I ended up with a blue case that has some fun colors on the back. The drawback I found here is that my case wasn’t scheduled to arrive until Friday, the phone was projected to be in my hands by Thursday. That meant I would have some time where my phone wasn’t covered in a case, while it was in my hands.
I am a fairly clumsy person. This fact has always made me giggle due to the fact that I danced for color guard in high school, which required grace. Normally the two don’t match up. Anyways, this is the reason I have always tried my best to find a case that would really protect my phone. Lucky for me, I haven’t broken a phone yet, it is always “old age” that takes them out.
But the search for a case, and that time spent without, had gotten me thinking. Why would anyone choose to go without a case on their device? My mom always said, you pay quite a bit for that phone so it is worth your investment to pay for a decent case to protect it. So why, when you have the option of paying a little more to protect your phone, would you willing take the risk of making it easier to break?
Another thought that came to mind, is the amount of apps I have on my phone. When you have to transfer all your information and these days that incudes the apps, everything gets logged out or reset most of the time. So I have ended up deleting several apps that moved over and I realized that I hadn’t opened them in several months. So I got curious if that process is the same for everyone. Do you remove apps your not using periodically? Maybe I should start trying to implement that practice with my phone? Please let me know what you think.
One thing I will forever be thankful for though is that I am able to have a phone. That device allows me to stay in contact with my three best friends, and my friends from high school. I use it often to text my friend who lives in Virginia, sending her pictures just to make her smile when she has had a rough day. Because of my phone, I was able to send another friend a pride filled text when she graduated with her doctorate in veterinary medicine. Almost every day I get sent cute photos of my honorary niece and nephew and all their cute faces, thanks to their loving mommy, who is also my friend.
What comes to mind when you think of how cell phones are handled now, vs what they were when they first became a thing? Please let me know in the comments. I would love to hear from you.
Colored Hair: More Than You See
Today I put some cardinal red streaks back in my hair. I use these extensions that have keratin glue at the tops so I can glue them into my hair at the roots. They are also small enough to blend in most of the time, but then provide a pop of color when someone is paying attention. This kind of color in my hair is just perfect for me. I don’t damage my hair with dye, and they are a bit fun and funky without drawing too many eyes my way.
My sister on the other hand has put purple streaks in her hair. She enjoys having more of the color and being more outgoing with her hair. The tone of purple she picked this time is very cool toned, so it hits differently depending on the light that is around. In the sun, the purple is on full display, but if she steps into the shade, the purple blends well with her natural hair color and makes it look like she just has darker brown hair.
These are only two of the many ways that people put color in their hair that are deemed “unnatural” because genetics don’t allow us humans to grow hair in those colors. (On a more personal note, I kind of hate when employers have rules against these hair colors. They have their reasons, but I think it infringes on a person’s right to their own style.) No matter how you choose to put the color in your hair, I tend to love that people made that choice for themselves. They chose to embrace their unique style and add some fun to their every day life.
Opinions vary about the people who choose to put extra color in their hair. I have found them to be fun people who enjoy the tiny joys of life. Others say that because it is an unnatural color that it shouldn’t go on your hair. The idea that just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. I completely disagree with that sentiment. Hair is as unique to each person as their genetic code. What length they choose to cut it, how thick it grows, and the texture that makes itself known after every shower. These factures make our hair our own. They can be embraced or manipulated in various ways to compliment our style. Color is just another choice to make.
If you have the patience to put the color in your hair, and then maintain that color, then more power to you. Let people truly rock their own style and don’t try and force them to conform to what you think people should look like. No two people are exactly the same, even identical twins. As we grow, life shapes us and leaves scars that change more than just our skin. Choosing to add funky hair to the mix is just that, a choice. Allow hair to just be hair, an expression of style and personality.
Power to the funky hair people!