Turpentine

"Its vapor can burn the skin and eyes, damage the lungs and respiratory system, as well as the central nervous system when inhaled ... can cause renal failure, among other things."
- Wikipedia

Among other things?!

I came up with the great idea last month that I would personally build or create all decorations for my apartment from now on 'cause I was frustrated with not ever being able to find exactly what I was looking for in stores. I planned to give myself a 2-month trial period to make sure I didn't unknowingly relegate myself to living in a room that resembled a toddler's who was allowed to paint his own walls.

I started that trial period this past weekend, and I think I passed the first test! I like to represent. Yeah, I think I'm a pretty good representer, so I wanted to find canvas paintings of three flags to hang up somewhere in my apartment (MD, DC, USA). I never saw anything I liked so I decided to make "learning how to paint with oils (on canvas)" my 1st project. I would've started with the American flag because I'm a very big fan of the states [and the very manly men who defend it*], and then ideally would have painted the Maryland flag next because it's the best state in the union and I spent 18+ years of my life there. I decided to go with DC first, though 'cause I figured my current artistic talent would only get me maybe 3 stars and a couple stripes into a painting before it expired in some tragic & irreversible way.

I did pretty well! [see above...] The only issue was that I chose turpentine as my paint thinner and failed to read the warning above until today. I read this warning today because I thought it was strange that 1) the small and unventilated room in which i sleep (and now paint, i guess) still smells like Turpentine himself has moved in and set up permanent shop, and 2) after sleeping in that room two nights in a row, I have a dull headache I can't get rid of. It only recently dawned on me that the two could be connected & now I'm just thankful I didn't end up on Reuters: Oddly Enough in a story about a girl who turpentined herself to death in an effort to honor the capital of her great nation.

I may have jumped the gun and tried to awaken my artistic side a little too quickly. For a math major, data analyst and scientific researcher, random acts of creativity can be deadly.

*I am also a fan of the women who defend this country, be they manly or not.