231 days down, 134 to go.
Happy Birthday Bill...I guess in a way he was our first black President. If you're wondering why I say this, in 1998, Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison in The New Yorker called Clinton "the first Black president", saying, "Clinton displays almost every trope of blackness: single-parent household, born poor, working-class, saxophone-playing, McDonald's-and-junk-food-loving boy from Arkansas", and comparing Clinton's sex life, scrutinized despite his career accomplishments, to the stereotyping and double standards that blacks typically endure. So there you have it.

All that aside though, President Clinton continues to remain as relevant than ever as evident by his successful rescue of the imprisoned journalists in N. Korea and his global initiatives. He still is the Democratic party's go to guy for campaign muscle even though there has been over two presidential terms since he left office. His charisma and charm continues to shine through even at the ripe old age of 64. So to a man whom many considered President to the world I salute you on your 64th Birthday and wish you many more to come. The world truly needs you more and more each day...thank you for your continued service to mankind.

So to honor President Clinton on his birthday I will be using what I already have to get what I want which is the number 64 to represent his age today. Borrowing the 4 from America's birthday on day 184, I will turn my outer earthquake seismic pattern from day 94 into a 6 by giving it an extension and this will be ideal because it rests right under my birthday candles from day 85. Also another important symbol here is that all this is below my medical symbol from day 80 which commemorated the current President's passing of the health care bill, something which Clinton tried and spent most of his Presidency fighting for but just couldn't get it passed. But many would say he laid the ground work for Obama's success with health care.

Here is a closer look.

230 days down, 135 to go.
It was a day many tearful US soldiers thought they'd never see. Seven years and five months after the US-led invasion, the last American combat brigade is leaving Iraq today. The departure is well ahead of President Barack Obama's Aug. 31 deadline for ending US combat operations in Iraq. As their convoy reached the barbed wire at the border crossing out of Iraq on Wednesday, the soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Division whooped and cheered. Then they scrambled out of their stifling hot Stryker armoured vehicles, unfurled an American flag and posed for group photos and it's about time. How can you ask a soldier to be the last person to die for a frivolous war. A war started on false pretenses. I hope the architects of this war never have peace until they are six feet under. I hope they are hunted ten times over by the souls of all those brave men and women that gave their lives for this unjust cause. There is a special place in hell for those behind this war and not just them but all those who selfishly risk human lives for personal gains.

So to mark this momentous occasion, I want to remember all those brave soldiers who lost their lives in these past 7 years of conflict in Iraq by painting a cross in the center of my 4th of July (America) and 49th birthday of our sitting President because when it's all said and done, the blood of every soldier is on the hands of the American people that elected the President and the President himself as the buck ultimately stops with him.

Here is a closer look.

229 days down, 136 to go.
I just learnt that a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit courts of California reversed a decision Judge Walker made on Aug. 12 in which he ordered his Aug. 4 ruling to take effect on Aug. 18. In a brief order, Ninth Circuit judges Sidney Thomas, Edward Levy and Michael Daly Hawkins, extended the stay until it has a chance to consider a full review of Judge Walker’s Aug. 4 order. The appellate panel did not elaborate on its reasons for granting the extension to supporters of the ban on same-sex marriage.

Like I said in my Aug 6th/day 217 post, this is not merely a gay rights issue but a civil rights issues. Everyone is protected under the constitution regardless of race, sex or creed...nuff said.

However to reflect these turn of events, I'm going to paint a pause button next to my rainbow 8 from day 217 to represent this reversal or perhaps stay of execution made by the Ninth Circuit court judges.

Here is a closer look.

228 days down, 137 to go.
Who knew staying fit was a full-time job. From watching what I eat to making sure I drink 8 glasses of water each day to monitoring my sleep patterns...not to mention daily trips to the gym no matter where I am in the country (thanks to 24 Hour Fitness), its a surprise that I have kept up with my fitness target this far. Now my trainer is telling me to put a weight scale in my bathroom or travel with one. I guess the reasoning behind it is to track my progress and motivate myself. I guess he has a point there...I do need to see factual results of all this persistent hard work.

So for today's addition, I will be painting yet another strength triangle in the color of Citrus because it is one of the fruits that my trainer tell me to limit from my diet due to it's high sugar content. So this color on my triangle will remind me of that instruction.

Here is a closer look.

227 days down, 138 to go.
I think I just saw the most exciting episode of True Blood ever...wow. Usually show get worse with time as producers begin to run out of ideas but man does this show buck the trend. If you're not a True Blood fan then you won't really get this post but for all my True blood fans, this show make our Sunday worthwhile.

So for today's addition I will be extending my Dexter blood splatter from day (a second best for me) to incorporate some True Blood.

Here is a closer look.

226 days down, 139 to go.
All day today was spent preparing and then taking a 4 hour drive to attend a friends wedding. all in all, I music have spent about 7 hours driving just so I can attend a friends wedding. Then things we do for love! Also if you have been following this Mosaic 365 journey from the start you will remember my post from day 43 when I had 'A Southern State Of Mind' due to a visitor flying in from Texas, So guess what people...she just got married so it was only fair that I too journeyed to attend.

So to mark this momentous occasion, I will be painting a veil on my 'lone star' star from day 43 to represent me dear friend's wedding.

Here is a closer look.

225 days down, 140 to go.
After the week I've had with the groggy and under the weather feeling, I'm glad that it's almost over. I just hope to spring back better than ever in the coming week because I'm beginning to see a backlog of my workload and believe me it's not pretty. So let's keep our fingers crossed. But on the other hands, it's Friday the 13th wooooooo...are you scared?

So for today's addition, I will be painting the number 13 into my Dexter blood splatter from day 214.

Here is a closer look.

224 days down, 141 to go.
OK I have been battling this cold for the better part of this week and it seems to be persistent. Every morning I wake up a little groggier that I did the night before. And because of that, today was a very slow day. no fast cars of loud music...just maintained a snails pace trying not to overexert myself and end up passing out. Suffice it to say I am quite low on my batteries.

Thus evidently for today's addition, I will be removing a energy bar from my battery to represent the way I am feeling today.

Here is a closer look.

223 days down, 142 to go.
Nothing much to say today except for the fact that this feeling is still yet to let up. Now add to the fact that the work doesn't stop even do I'm a little under, I had to hop a plane and head out to Vegas today for an hour and then hop another plane back all withing 3 hours. Now that wasn't a good idea and I am paying for it at this very moment. But I had to do it because that's what it takes to get to where you need to go in what ever career you are in...you have to always without fail be willing to go the distance.

So for today's painting, I'm gonna add some honey to my lemon painting of yesterday in the form of a honey comb. I'm still on that lemon and honey medication, no medications for me. I got to keep it all natural because nature has the answer.

Here is a closer look.

222 days down, 143 to go.
I guess all the running around, traveling and recording is beginning to take a toll on me. I have been slowly falling under the weather in the last few days and it doesn't seem to wanna let up. As an advocate for non prescription medication for most ailments, I've been taking a steady diet of what nature provides to counteract our everyday ills like Honey, Lemon, Echinacea, etc. It seems to be keeping my ills under control bun not completely eliminating it. I don't think I fell ill because my body is lacking Tylenol, Sudafed or any of the other myriad of drugs that a doctor will recommend me so I'm gonna stick with nature (lemon in particular for its abundance in Vitamin C) for as long as I can keep a handle on this feeling. Hopefully this too shall pass soon.

So for today's addition, I will be transforming my daisy from day 177 into a lemon because it look very similar to the inner part of a lemon.

Here is a closer look.