New Images

Here are some images of my latest alabaster carvings. You can also see them with detail information at my website http://www.kittygsculpture.com/.

The Journey Begins

The Path To _____

Self-Accumulation

I am definitely pleased with how these first three sculptures have turned out and look forward to continuing this series after the first of the year. For now, I am taking a week break and enjoying time with my family and friends. See you in 2008!

New Year Resolution of the Day: Cultivate positive relationships.

Not that I am much of a Resolutioner but I think that this is going to be a goal of mine in 2008, to continue to develop relationships with people who add a positive element to my life. And to try and add a positive element to theirs as well.

U.S.A. For Asinine

Back when I was in junior high, the song "Do They Know It's Christmas?", recorded by a group of musicians calling themselves Band Aid, was very, very popular. I even have the 1984 recording on 45.

A little background about the song, courtesy of Wikipedia.

"Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a song written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 specifically to raise money for Ethiopian famine relief. The original version was produced by Midge Ure and Trevor Horn, and released by Band Aid on December 3, 1984.

In late 1984, a BBC report by Michael Buerk was aired highlighting the famine that had hit the people of Ethiopia. Irish singer Bob Geldof had seen the report and was moved so much that he decided that a pop record should be used to further increase awareness of the famine and to raise money. Aware that he could do little on his own, he called Midge Ure from Ultravox and together they quickly co-wrote the song, "Do They Know It's Christmas?".

Geldof kept a November appointment with BBC Radio 1 DJ Richard Skinner to appear on his show, but instead of discussing his new album (the original reason for his booking), he used his airtime to publicise the idea for the charity single, so by the time the musicians were recruited there was intense media interest in the subject.

Using powers of persuasion which have since become a major part of the Geldof legend, he put together a group (Band Aid), consisting of leading Irish and British musicians who were among the most popular and recognised of this era.

I haven't thought about that song in years but KFOG played it on the radio on my drive in to work this morning and I started to listen to the lyrics and realized: Wow, this song sucks! First, it just seems like such a privileged person's view of how to help unfortunate people from a third-world country, specifically Ethiopia. And then, musically, it's just really weak. The lyrics are completely ridiculous. Here are the lyrics, with my comments:

It's Christmas time
(Yes. It is Christmas time - for all the people that happen to celebrate that religious/commercial holiday.)
There's no need to be afraid
(Afraid of what? Santa? That I won't get a Wii?)
At Christmas time, we let in light and we banish shade
(Because shade is evil - you know it's true.)
And in our world of plenty we can spread a smile of joy
(Right, that's all we need to do to help those less fortunate then ourselves - SMILE.)

Throw your arms around the world at Christmas time
(Forget about doing something altruistic any other time of the year, though.)

But say a prayer
(What?!? You don't believe in prayer? Heathen.)

Pray for the other ones
(Yes, please, pray for the "other ones" that are most likely very unhappy about the fact that they aren't Us.)
At Christmas time it's hard, but when you're having fun
(You are right. Christmas time is hard. I mean what if I don't get everything I want on my List? What will I do?)
There's a world outside your window
And it's a world of dread and fear
(You know, that world? Outside your window? Yeah, it's closer than you think. You know like in your own Western, privileged country. But I don't think they are referring to that.)
Where the only water flowing is the bitter sting of tears
(Because poor people in starving nations who don't have Christmas are crying their eyes out right this very minute at the thought of you gorging on turkey dinner and playing with your brand-new iPhone. Right?)
And the Christmas bells that ring there
Are the clanging chimes of doom
(Holy Crap. I don't even know where to begin with that line. All I can picture in my head is some poor villagers forced to hear the ringing bells of some Salvation Army Santa all day and all night. That would be doom.)
Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you
(Hell yeah I thank God I'm not them. Do you know how annoying those Christmas bells are, especially when they signify impending doom. Fortunately, we here in the western world believe in Jesus and Santa so we are not going to Hell.)

And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmas time
(Um, I'm thinking there won't be snow in Africa any time. Unless the climate has changed drastically in Ethiopia.)
The greatest gift they'll get this year is life
(And also some proceeds from a pointless song about Christmas.)
(Oooh) Where nothing ever grows
(I'm pretty sure that things do grow in Africa. For instance, Ethiopia's major staple crops include a variety of cereals, pulses, oilseeds, and coffee.)
No rain nor rivers flow
(According to BBC World, Ethiopia's rainy season is from April to September. And except in the hot lowlands the climate of Ethiopia is generally healthy and pleasant, although the constant cloud and rain during the height of the wet season can be rather depressing for the visitor.)
Do they know it's Christmas time at all
(Yeah. DO they know it's Christmas time? About.com states that in 2003 the religious break-down was Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%, and other 3%-8%. So, I'm thinking probably yeah they know but do they care?)

(Here's to you) raise a glass for everyone
(So, here's to you, rich musician man. You rock! Raise your glass 'cause singing this song really helps with the guilt I am sure.)
(Here's to them) underneath that burning sun
(Hey, poor, suffering poor people. You rock too!! Raise your glass. Oh, wait you don't have one. Oh Well.)
Do they know it's Christmas time at all

Feed the world, feed the world, feed the world
Let them know it's Christmas time again

Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmas time again
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmas time again
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmas time again
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmas time again
(Nothing helps hunger like a meaningless yet catchy chorus sung over and over again by a bunch of pretentious British musicians. Man, I am Stuffed!)

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!

Bah Humbug Complaint of the Day: Christmas Cards from friends who have drifted away.

Look. We haven't seen nor talked to each other in, like, five years. How is my knowing that I am just a line in your database supposed to make me feel like we are "close"? It's okay, you can delete me. You don't need to waste the paper and a stamp on me. I don't mind.

Goin' Back To Sioux Falls

This Just In. I was informed last week that my latest marble sculpture, Sayulita, has been selected for inclusion in SculptureWalk 2008 in Sioux Falls, SD.

I had a good experience being a part of this year's SculptureWalk so I am excited to be in it again next year. I think Eric and I will drive there for the installation and make a road trip out of it. That will be fun. And I won't have to deal with crating or shipping the sculpture like I did last year! Cool.

Holiday Energy Saving Tip of the Day: LED Christmas Lights.

Yes, they are expensive to buy but in the long run they can save a lot of money. I don't know about you but my gas and electricity bill was sky high for the month of November just because I am now running the heater in the morning and evening. Imagine what the bill must be like for Joe Massive-Lights-Display next door. Do yourself a favor if you really wanna be a part of the annual holiday displays and invest in LEDs. Saves money, saves electricity. It's win-win.

At What Point Should Child Labor Laws Be Applied?

So I'm in Petaluma yesterday working on my latest alabaster sculpture. I was sanding and polishing, a total no-brainer activity, and my mind started to wander. I had a craving for Girl Scout cookies and that began a chain of thoughts that I cannot believe I have not had before. Here's how it went.

Thinking about Girl Scout cookies got me reminiscing about my days as a Girl Scout and all of the hours I put in going door-to-door selling cookies. I was pretty good, actually. I often got a top seller patch. Anyway, it occurred to me that the Girl Scouts don't go door-to-door anymore. These dangerous times, you know. Now you just see them in front of grocery stores or maybe a mom or dad brings the order form to work or you know someone who has a kid who's a Girl Scout. This is how we get our cookies these days.

That got me to ponder just what is the purpose of girls selling cookies, and now it seems they have branched out into other snack items. Obviously it's to raise money for the Organization. I mean patches and pins aren't cheap and someone's gotta pay for the use permit to hold all those Jamborees. But why put the pressure on the girls to raise the funds? Is it to teach a skill? Get them ready for a future in sales? This strikes me as a little odd.

And then I began to contemplate all of the various and sundry items I was at one time or another put to the task of selling to family, friends and neighbors. You name it, I've hawked it: chocolate bars, apple pies, frozen pizzas, holiday wrapping paper, magazine subscriptions. Usually for the purpose of raising money for some youth organization or club I was involved in. Pretty standard stuff but it never occurred to me then that I was Working and Not Getting Paid.

The magazine subscription thing was a little odd. I remember that it was magazines as well as music cassette tapes and it was when I was in the seventh grade and it was a school-wide project. What were we raising money for? The school? Isn't that, like, what the government is for? Isn't that what property taxes do? Well, this was post-Proposition 13 in California.

But us little 12 and 13-year olds were charged with harassing people into buying this crap that they most likely didn't need. And what was our incentive? If I recall correctly it was for really stupid stuff like little stuffed animals and stickers. What the hell? There we were, busting our butts, trying to get the next door neighbor to buy a two-year subscription to The Reader's Digest all so we could get some gold stars and a fuzzy critter toy? That's crazy!

However, the strangest thing I did was participate in the MS Read-A-Thon to raise money for multiple sclerosis, a disease I barely understood at the innocent age of 8. Why, as elementary school children, should we be put to the task of raising money like this? To get us to read more? So, not only do I have to read more books (which by the way I always loved and still love to do and didn't need to be forced into it) but now I have to go door-to-door (again with the traveling brush salesmen routine - why did I need to develop this particular skill?) trying to get sponsors. This is a lot of pressure for a kid. Does anyone but me think this is completely insane?

Movie Recommendation of the Day: The Golden Compass

Okay, so I don't know if this movie is any good (it opens this Friday) but the main reason to see it is just 'cause the Christians are telling us not to. Apparently this movie is based on the first book of a trilogy called "His Dark Materials". I haven't read them but apparently they question the ideas of faith and religion. Anyway, check out what Mark Morford said about the situation. And if you get a chance, see the movie, even if it's just so you can stick it to those meddling Focus on the Family folks. But I've seen the trailer and it looks totally cool so I bet it's a pretty fun movie. Bonus!