This is a test.  It is only a test.  I am still on dial-up and putting this process together is beginning to stretch my nerves.  I will remain hopeful that Comcast actually shows up on April 18th unlike the last time, a month ago, when 2 reminder postcards and a reminder phone call to be sure *I* was home, did not make them schedule anyone to come out.  Perhaps Comcast is not home.  I have heard that.  But they are the only fish in the sea here in my corner of the outpost known as Southern Maryland and so I must wait.

When things get a little easier; when I’ve figured out how to configure everything else here (with the help of my handy-dandy hand-holders who I will tell you about later when I figure out if their hand holding was helpful) I will share with you the life of an emerging artist.  A friend defined that as an artist making less than $20K a year.  I hope you will tag along with me through all my ups and downs, a down currently being that this particular creation, called a blog (what does a sculptor know of a blog – it’s two dimensional…which may be good because if I could get my hands around its neck at the moment I might choke it) will not be off and running today or probably even tomorrow.

In the meantime, let me invite you to visit me where I have been practicing for this "real thing":  http://blog.myspace.com/TamsOriginals.  Have been there long enough to figure it out and I can unequivocally say pulling up pages and posting daily are much faster and easier than I’ve found this so far, which keeps sending me a little:  some secure/some not do you want to continue notice.

I’m hopeful it will get better.  Typepad obviously understands the Learning Curve and generously offers a free trial.  Which is, at the moment, a real trial.  But it will get better once I get off dialup.  At least that’s what I’m telling myself.  Did I mention that I spent a bit of time writing a biography which I then managed to erase?   I think.  Some of my preview buttons aren’t functioning.  Or maybe they are and I just don’t know where to see it.

Am off to spend the day in the studio.  Things to fire, new work to be made:  new torso.  Keep your beliefs off my body.  Will be the first with words.  Liberal and obviously political words – except that having control of one’s body isn’t political, it’s personal.  Which is probably why I totally buy into:  the personal is political.  And have been too long quiet about that in the art arena (but not in the political arena.)  That will keep me from finding a home for it here in beautiful downtown Southern Maryland.  But that’s ok.  The Muse doesn’t require hanging space; she simply requires that the energy move from abstract to concrete.  That’s my job.  I am a sculptor.

Meet Chelsea, who named herself in a dream. Something to do with the "sea" which is why she’s wearing pearls (politically correct fake pearls not born from the oyster’s pain).