January is taking forever

How are we not yet in February? Ugh. I'm feeling pretty done with this month already...

It wasn't all bad though. Adam and I caught the Cirque show Kurious, which was delightful. I was distrustful when someone told me it had great clowning, but really, it has great clowning! Mesmerizing! Would recommend the show.

This was followed up by the Edwardian Ball. I swore last year I wouldn't go but there I was again, all dressed up two nights in a row, hauling my sketching supplies. This year's new reveal: LED tea lights! Solves the "can't see my sketch" problem! Would be nice if they were a pinch brighter, but the grip, size, and slightly fluctuating luminosity are great.

There was a sketch artist there, officially set up in the VIP balcony. I spent the entire second half of Saturday night camped out behind him, enjoying lovely dressed folks standing still for long periods of time with excellent lighting for them and my page. (Friday sketches posted over here) The artist was Ben Walker and his ability to knock out full body sketches of two people in such a brief period of time was impressive.

Most people ignored me sketching off to the side but there was one couple who made a point to come over before their pose, say hi, and request a sketch. Very nice, very friendly, pretty drunk people. I took a cell phone photo afterwards, comparing Mr. Walker's style to my own. It's a shocking reminder that I need to learn to draw FASTER. At the end of the night I tore the sketch out of my book and happily handed it over the the couple and-- I swear, for the first time ever-- someone tried to tip me. True, he was pretty drunk, but hey! It made me happy! I politely declined, but it's the thought that counts. Later he came back around again with a tarot deck he had purchased and was randomly handing out cards to folks he had talked with. Was a cute idea, I still have my Temperance that I drew propped up on the desk.