Practice

Still life on newsprint.
Things are not always what they seem.
At first glance, this might look like a watercolor. It did to me. However, on closer examination, you'll probably pickup on the fact that it's just some black ink on newsprint. The color is just what is on the newspaper page behind. It just showed up one day on the easel in the kitchen-- a bit of J's work.
I'm quite guilty of shooting from the hip at times. The results, many times, are not flattering. Often a ring of apologies follow and some sort of inner statement to myself that that will never happen again. Guess what? I usually can't help myself, and sure enough, I find myself talking without thinking again.
Sometimes, if I've committed a large, social faux pas, I'll get some 'constructive criticism' from a close and personal friend.
... and that's a good thing.
You see, when it comes to figuring me out, it's often a puzzle.
But at least, I think, the pieces are all there.