Time to refocus

Here is the final painting. The top image is from before I softened the feathers on the edge of Chica...it is correct in the full length image.  The tail feathers are not cropped off in the original either but my camera distorts a bit when trying to photograph a long, thin object like this canvas shape. I cropped out the wavy edge, but you get the idea. If I have to start editing my editing in this blog it will cease to be fun and I'll stop doing it.  I have emotionally already moved on from this painting. I don't know, yet, what is next, but I have several good options.  I'll be cleaning the studio and getting this and other paintings ready to take for exhibit next weekend. I have to get mat board and cut new mats for several life drawings that I'm framing for a show in March. 
  I have several books to get back to reading. I generally read for a while every day, mornings and later at night, but lately I haven't put in much time doing that. I have eclectic taste and hop back and forth from psychology, philosophy, ecology, mysteries, humour, historical, and biographies. I don't retain much of the specific details but the general feel of a book stays with me. I once had an excellent memory but I need to rely on clues now to remind me of things. It's irritating but has to be accepted. I do try to use visualization to remember people's names but it often doesn't work because I forget what objects I visualized. Ban Ki-moon is a case in point that did work - finally. I visualized a tube of Ban roll-on deodorant, a key, and the moon. I did the same to remember Kofi Annan by thinking, coffee and Queen Anne. I am getting good at remembering who UN Secretary Generals are but I need to move on to remembering people I actually meet.  At least if I should ever run in to Ban or Kofi I'm all set to not embarrass myself by asking "...and you are?"