I'm Gonna Make It After All

I did it. I made it. I survived my first full week working a full-time job in almost ten years. Boy am I exhausted.

Now, I understand that people work this much or more all of the time so, like, what is the big deal? But I've also been staying late working in my studio. I'm logging some pretty long days.

I think I've got a good routine nailed down, though, so it's very manageable. It helps that my days are not boring. There is plenty of work to do and I don't mind doing it. Time pretty much flies by. I also like my co-workers which is helpful. So, all in all it's a pretty good situation for me.

A new chapter (or sub-chapter, perhaps) in my life has begun. I couldn't have guessed when I left the accounting world to test the waters in the art world that I would end up here but I'm liking it. A Lot.

Here's to taking the Road Less Traveled. You never know where it might lead.

Question of the Day:

What's another word for Pirate Treasure?

Quality Reading

Because of my work schedule and the current state of the weather I have been getting my regular cardiovascular workout at the gym instead of outdoors, which is my preference. The stationary machines are pretty boring, though, so I like to read while I use them.

Despite the fact that I have a shelf full of paperbacks from the used bookstore, I've been gravitating toward the magazines available at my gym. And usually I read the pointless, crappy ones at that (I'm looking at you People and US Weekly!).

Sometimes, however, I'll come across a fairly decent article on some topic that interests me. This morning I flipped through the March edition of Women's Health and came across an article titled "Get What You Want: How to Make the Big Ask".

I thought, "I want to get what I want". So I read it. Pretty good, actually. I'm happy that I've gotten better about asking for what I want. It's basically how I got my new job, for example.

As an artist I am constantly asking people to look at my art. And usually I want various things as a result: an emotional response, validation, money, constructive criticism - anything that will help further my career.

I have to accept that not everyone is interested in what I do so sometimes asking people to look at my art does not give me what I want. Usually what I get is rejection instead. The more I am rejected, however, the easier it is to not be negatively affected. I just move on to the next opportunity.

So, if you want something, go ahead and ask for it. The worst that can happen is you don't get it. And you'll be guaranteed that if you don't say anything in the first place. Life's too short to stay silent out of fear.

"Get Your Act Together" Request of the Day:

Hey, San Francisco Chronicle, if you spent more money hiring editors to catch DAILY typos and lay-out errors and less money on fancy, glossy paper and color comics you might stop losing so many print readers to the Internet subsequently causing you to continually raise subscription rates thus causing more people to leave.

I'm just saying!

So Cynical

Sometime last year this kid (late teens, early twenties) came knocking on our door early one evening. Eric answered and spent some time talking to him on the porch. Seems he was going door-to-door selling magazine subscriptions. Trying to better his lot in life or something.

Eric wrote a check for twenty bucks and signed up for a year's worth of Spin Magazine. Like I don't already have more magazines then I can keep up with coming in the mail each month. But whatever. It's cool. Help a poor kid out.

Months go by, no Spin. Dammit. We were scammed. I mean, really. Some random kid. A vaguely legit looking piece of paper. Check written to who-knows-what organization. "Magazine Subscription." Right.

Well, it's no big deal. I mean, it's not like we are super rich or anything but at the least we can afford to lose twenty bucks. I don't want to make a habit out of it but it's not going to cause me to miss a mortgage payment.

This is not new. I remember when I was around 12 or 13, it was the year Purple Rain came out, I spent the summer selling candy door-to-door. You know, peanut brittle, chocolate covered raisins - all the crappy stuff nobody would usually buy. I'm sure you've had someone like me knock at your door before.

The way it worked was there was a team of about 8 of us. Our "leader", some guy with a van, would drop us off in pairs to neighborhoods or commercial zones (streets with a row of car dealerships was a favorite) and we'd go around for a few hours with a big cardboard box full of our wares and see how much we could sell. All for cash.

I usually did pretty well, especially with the car dealer guys. I'm sure I had some kind of schpiel, just like the kid selling magazine subscriptions, that explained how buying this candy would benefit me and kids just like me. At the end of the day our leader dude took whatever cash we made, gave us part and kept the rest. Where did that money go? I didn't even ponder it. I had cash in my pocket!

Looking back the whole thing screams pyramid scheme. I'm sure the guy who drove the van had someone higher up who got part of the money. It was all set up to look real, though. I recall going to a big lunch and there were a whole bunch of other "teams" and prizes were given out for "top sellers" and the like.

I can't believe that this was one of my very first jobs. How shady. Because of this experience, however, I knew that there was no way we'd ever be seeing a Spin magazine in our mailbox any time soon.

That is, until Monday. There it was, the first issue of our subscription. Maybe I shouldn't assume that every kid selling stuff door-to-door is a fake. Sometimes things really are what they seem.

"Where Are They Now?" of the Day:

Justine Frischmann.

From the March 2010 issue of Spin magazine:

Then - Lead Singer/Guitarist of Elastica (1992-2001)
Now - Abstract Painter; San Rafael, CA

I wonder if I've ever passed Justine in the aisle at Whole Foods and didn't even know it.

TV on the DVD

We got rid of our digital cable the summer of 2006 and I haven't missed it since. Honestly, I have no idea how I found the time to watch the backlog that would accumulate in my TIVO.

But that is not to say that we don't watch television shows anymore. We do. Selectively, on DVD. As far as I am concerned this is the only way to go.

Pros:

•  No waiting a week, month, year between episodes (what's gonna happen?!? select "next episode")
• No commericials (yes, I know you can zip passed them on your DVR but you still have to pay attention and press a button)
• Unedited, extended or unaired versions of episodes (Family Guy without bleeps is awesome!)
• Special features (okay, I don't really give a rat's ass about this but some people might)
• Marathon viewing sessions (perfect for when you are sick or just bored)

Cons:

The only one I can come up with is having to wait until the DVD comes out. But lately this is happening sooner and sometimes, even, the first half of a season is released before the season is over. So, if you've got the patience to wait, it's really no big deal.

And Neflix has some shows in Watch Instant (the Office, 30 Rock, South Park). An entire series right at your fingertips.

Cable? Who needs ya?

"Where Are They Now?" of the Day:

Question: What Ever Happened to Suzanne Vega?

Answer: From her website:

Suzanne Vega reinterprets her best-loved songs in imaginative and intimate renderings. The first of 4 CDs in Suzanne’s Close-Up Series, Vol. 1: Love Songs includes: "Marlene on the Wall," "Caramel," "Gypsy" and "Small Blue Thing."

"These are songs that I have written over the years and now re-recorded. I wanted to give you, the listener, a small sort of gift. These are the songs I consider love songs, although they are also songs of attraction, flirtation, and confrontation. Thanks for listening."

With Love,

SUZANNE

I got to see her play at the Barnes and Noble in El Cerrito last night for FREE. It was absolutely phenomenal. Especially wonderful to hear was her updated version of "Tom's Diner."

Suzanne Vega - still rockin'!

New Beginning

Today starts my first full week at the new job. I'm not really counting last week - it was more like a warm-up - because it was short and, also, interrupted by my bout of food poisoning.

So now I get to see what it is really like to be working full-time again. I have not quite gotten into my groove yet. It still seems a little odd to me that my days are not as free as they used to be. Not that this job doesn't come with a fair amount of flexibility (this is not your typical office job). But still, I have obligations now, a set schedule.

I do like that I don't need to be there until 10am which lets me avoid commute traffic and also have a little "me time" in the morning. And working in my studio at the end of the day is pretty easy since I am right there. Less possibility of losing motivation and just going straight home, especially since staying a little later after work allows me to avoid the evening commute as well.

Oh My. Change is good; I know for a fact that this change is very good for me. But change is change and it does take some getting used to.

Latest Graphic Design Collaboration of the Day:

Baby Fish Mouth logo by Kitty Gordon and James Moore.

Happy Lifeday

Yesterday I celebrated my first Lifeday. Your Lifeday is kind of like your Birthday except instead of celebrating the Day of your Birth you celebrate the Whole of your Life. In addition, it can be held on any one day during the year starting from your birthday to the day before your next birthday. As such, you can conceivably celebrate two Lifedays in one calendar year.

Also, if you want, you can have your Lifeday be the same day as your Birthday for one big, blow-out event. That would, perhaps, be appropriate on a mile-stone Birthday such as the 50th.

My Lifeday this year was Fantastic! I had a super day from start to finish. I could not have chosen a more appropriate day then February 20, 2010 to Revel in my Life.

I hope your next Lifeday is as wonderful as mine was!

Favorite ALO Lyric of the Moment of the Day:

Let's put away the past and let the future set us free.

If He Could See Me Now

My father passed away in February of 1999. Enough time has passed that I no longer feel sorrow but I definitely do miss him. He's been gone for an entire phase of my life. It was only a year and a half after his death that I decided to stop being an accountant and start being an artist.

I have no idea what happens when we die. I am not even sure what I want to believe. Maybe he's watching me from somewhere up above and knows everything. Or maybe he's just dust - carbon-based matter mixed back into the elements of the universe. But I'm still here on Earth among the living and my dad is not. So, we can't talk about the course of my life since he left.

I think my dad would really dig that I make art. He always liked to watch me be creative. When I was little I would sit for hours drawing the same panoramic picture over and over again (it was really cool actually - multiple sheets of paper taped together depicting a scene that went from a farm with a barn and horses to a country house with trees and little people to a rural street with cars to a town with buildings and streetlights to a big city with skyscrapers...). Anyway, he always seemed to enjoy my artistic ways.

I really wonder what he would think about the art that I make now. And how he would feel about the fact that he is now contributing to it. When I was down in Los Osos last weekend visiting family I was at my mom's house and she was showing me what she was doing to organize and clean out my dad's old work shed. There were all of these hardware storage boxes (you know, the ones with a bunch of little drawers that you can put your screws and nuts and bolts in?) and they were full of stuff. Totally sorted and labeled, too. Right up my alley! I really am my Father's Daughter.

My mom wanted to get rid of it all so I asked if I could have some of it. That stuff will really come in handy with the art that I make. See, I detest having to buy new hardware for my sculptures. As much as I can, I use what I have on hand. Sometimes it's not the perfect item for the job but it will be close enough and that's more interesting to me anyway. As long as I can git 'er done. I took home four of the storage boxes. I now have enough hardware for a number of future projects.

I love making art with things that other people give me, whether it's bottle caps or used household items or strange aluminum disks. When people contribute material they become a part of the artmaking process and, in a way, a permanent part of the art.

It pleases me so very much to know that now I can use something that came from my dad. He will live on forever in every sculpture that I make using hardware that used to be his. I sure hope you can see this, Dad.

Fun, Pointless Website of the Day:

ShadyURL

Don't just shorten your URL, make it suspicious and frightening!

Here's a shady version of www.spungus.com:

http://5z8.info/toosexyfortv.mov_o2q7i_russian-brides

A Minor Derailment

Things started off so well.  It was the eve of my new beginning, that is, the weekend before I started my new job working "tenant relations", as we've dubbed it, at American Steel.

Eric and I went away for the three-day weekend to visit family in Los Osos and had a wonderful time.  Beautiful warm sunny days.  Delicious fresh fish dinners. Serene early morning hikes.  Nostalgic visits to SLO.  Fun and appreciated take-home gifts (bottle caps! screws, nuts and bolts! christmas gifts!).  Bucolic drive home along Highway 1.  Perfection.

Only one strange thing happened.  When we tried to buy gas on the drive home using our credit card it was denied.  We called the bank right away that night to find out what was going on.  There were a number of charges on our account that weekend that were not ours - mostly purchases at grocery stores and gas stations in some small town in Ohio.  Seems the bank caught on right away that something was not right.   Everything was taken care of quite quickly and easily, though.  The card was canceled and a fraud investigation is now underway.  We are not liable for a thing.  Done and done.

Tuesday began with a bright start.  It was a long day at work as I slowly became more and more overwhelmed with the magnitude of information that I was receiving but that was tempered by the knowledge that no one expected me to be an expert right away.  Actually, it was the most fun first day on the job that I've ever had.  Once I become more familiar with all of the who, what, where, when I think that this is going to be a perfect fit for me.

By about 4pm or so I started to feel a little odd.  Very tired and not well.  I assumed it was from a hard day's work.  Later, while driving home, the feelings of unwellness increased.  I called Eric to let him know I was on my way and he was not feeling well, also.  Strangely, we had the same symptoms: headache, nausea, chills, aches.  What was going on?

As soon as I got home I got very, very sick.  It was quite awful.  I will spare you the details.  As best we can surmise we were both victims of food poisoning.  I suspect it was the veggie deluxe sandwich that we shared at lunch on Monday at a roadside stop.  Bummer.  It was a very tasty sandwich (and a beautiful place, too.)

I didn't make it back to work yesterday.  What a way to begin.  I was on a roll and then -BAM- I hit a brick wall.  I'm a lot better today but still incredibly weak.  I feel like I was hit by a train.  But I'll be able to make it to work today, get myself back on track.

Quite a Week of Firsts.  I've never before been a a victim of credit card fraud; worked in property management or "tenant relations"; or had food poisoning.  Never a dull moment - and the week is barely half over.  I can't wait to find out what happens next!

Mild Disappointment of the Day:

I was not selected as an SF Weekly 2010 Mastermind.

Okay, the "prestige and money" would have been cool. But, really, I'm mostly disappointed because I just wanted to be able to say that I was a "Mastermind". Oh yeah, and I totally love the game of the same name.

The Five Little Pickles

It's been a crazy week so far and it's only Wednesday!  Here's a bit of bizarre humor to add to the mix.

Funny Pickle Animation of the Day:

Never Giving Up Can Be Painful To Watch

Have you seen "Anvil! The Story of Anvil"? It's amazing that this movie is so much like "Spinal Tap".  I mean, OMG, it even ends with them playing a major gig to thousands of enthusiastic fans in Japan!  It was so painful to watch because it's real.  It's more cringe-inducing then the British version of "The Office."

But I really have to give it to these guys for never giving up on their dream to be major heavy-metal rock stars.  Yet, but for a brief 15 minutes of fame in the mid-80's, they have never succeeded.  They've been trying for over 30 years, are in their 50s now, have released 14 albums and they just Keep On Rockin'.

The lead singer, Lips, has this boring day job as a food service delivery driver which he hates.  Yet he professes that his life could never get worse because he's still got Anvil and he keeps making music.  Even if he fails at making his dream come true he's lived a great life because he can say he never gave up.  He has no regrets.

How many people give up on their dreams?  A lot, I imagine.  It's easy to quit when things get rough.  But not Anvil.  Even when they go on this really poorly planned European tour using vacation time from work, miss their trains, go to gigs where the management refuses to pay them, play shows to a house full of about 10 people, they still refuse to quit.  (All the while, sporting some pretty awesome fanny packs, I might add.  Yeah, I have no idea what that was about.  Maybe it's a Canadian thing.)

I was inspired.  Horrified and embarrassed and amused.  But underneath it all, very inspired. I feel like quitting being an artist every single day and I've only been at this for about 10 years.  I've got a long way to go before I'm anywhere close to being like these guys.

So, I think I'm gonna Keep On Rockin'.  Check in with me after my 50th birthday and see where I'm at.  Just, please, slap me upside the head if I'm wearing a fanny pack.

Killer Fanny Pack Moment of the Day:

Lead singer Lips and drummer Robb Reiner both wearing fanny packs as they walk out of the EMI Canada building after a very important meeting with an A&R man who doesn't seem too excited about the new album.  That's so Metal!

The Experiment Is Back On

I'm a Gemini.  I'm fickle.  I'm super into something one day and then completely disinterested the next.  I'm easily distracted.  I flit about from people to places to things and back again.

So, it's no wonder that I joined the ubiquitous entity that is Facebook one day, left it another, and then went back again. When I quit I was adamant that I was Out For Good.  But immediately I regretted that decision.

Sure, I was overwhelmed by the constant stream of information that was pushed at me by others.  And I was very uncomfortable with my own outward expressions of self.  I mean, really.  I'm barely interested in me.  Why would anyone else be?

But then I thought about how much I would miss the connectivity.  If nothing else, you must give it to Facebook that they have created a very easy way in which to stay in touch with people.

And also, I think too much.  About everything.  And it occurred to me that Facebook is the last place in which one should invest any amount of deep thought.  Ever.

So, I reactivated my account and recreated myself there.  I removed all of my Wall postings.  I simplified my profile information.  I made myself a lot more generic and I quietly slipped back in.

I'm a lot more comfortable now that I realize that this doesn't have to be the Big Thing that I kept thinking in my head that it was.  It's just some website that I can visit from time to time for my own personal amusement.  Let people know what's going on with me or make some kind of cute response to what's going on with them.

Eh.  But then, who knows?  By next month I may be disgusted again (I've already seen spam postings) and go so far as to delete my account.  Who cares.  This is just one of many ways (this blog, for instance) that is out there to kill time, right?

So, like, what's the deal with Buzz?

Job Update of the Day:

I got one!

I have accepted an offer to work as office manager at my studio.  I start next week.  How convenient is this, right?  It's a little freaky because I haven't committed myself to anyone like this in a very long time.  But, the structure (not to mention the steady pay) will be good for me.  And, for the first time ever, I will be working with and for people who actually Get Me.  People who will understand, for example, why I need to take off two weeks to bring art to the desert, because they will be there, too.  That's pretty cool.

And, thus, the next Adventure begins!

p.s. My horoscope this morning read that a job would be offered to me.  Hmmm.  Maybe I am a believer after all?  But then, does that mean that every single person on the planet with a birthday between May 20 and June 20 all got job offers today?  Doubtful.  Chalk this one up to incredibly fortunate coincidence.   I'll take it.

Clean Slate

At Burning Man in 2008 I met a friend of one of my campmates who is this totally awesome Etch A Sketch artist. I couldn't remember his name but I found him on YouTube. It's been over a year but I am sure this is the same guy.  (I wonder if he remembers me?)

He does amazing work with an Etch A Sketch.  And he's really fast, too.  Check out this drawing that he did of me.

When I was a kid I had an Etch A Sketch.  And you know what my favorite thing to do with it was?  I liked to move the knobs so that starting from the top, row by row, I blacked out the entire screen.  That was my favorite drawing: erased.

I got such satisfaction from eliminating, so perfectly, every granule of whatever it is that coats the inside of the glass.  Then I'd give the Etch A Sketch a good shake and do it all over again.

I eat corn on the cob the same way: row by row.  Weird.  I know.  But I get every kernel that way.

I think this really makes a case that my detail-oriented, anal-retentive nature was something I was born with.  It's just who I am.

For a long time I never considered this to be artistic.  But in some strange way I think it is.  The erased Etch A Sketch is a reflection of my inner nature.  I was making a self-portrait and I didn't even know it.

I kind of feel like going to Toys R Us and buying myself a new Etch A Sketch.

Gemini Horoscope of the Day:

Your outlook brightens thanks to Mercury entering Aquarius. Say goodbye to that mental funk you've been in.

I don't really believe in all all this astrology nonsense (despite the fact that I read my horoscope every single day) but this I like.

New Glasses

Last May, while visiting friends in Pennsylvania, my glasses broke.  I was overdue for an eye exam so I immediately made an appointment with my optometrist when I got back home.  With prescription in hand I went to my local eyeglasses shop and set about getting a new pair of glasses.

I had been with the same style of frame (simple gold wire) for over five years.  It was time for something new.  So I ended up getting a more stylish-looking colored plastic pair.  I really love them.  And I get a lot of compliments, too.

Yesterday, after looking at my blog, I realized I wanted a new look in that department, too.  I had been using the same style template since I first created my blog in 2006.  It's pretty dated.

Now, I'd love to have a personalized and unique blog site.  But I have neither the time nor the inclination to do anything but apply a pre-designed template.  Blogger doesn't have a lot of templates to choose from but it's the easiest way that I could go about making a visual change.

So.  Here we are.  The new design.  I added the pink highlight color but other then that this is straight out of the box.  No doubt there are other blogs that look just like this one but I don't care.  It's new to me and that's all I needed.  An updated pair of glasses.  Something to make me feel bright and shiny and new again.

Same old Kitty, same old Blogger, but a slightly new style.  Enjoy!

Super Bowl XLIV Halftime Show Comment of the Day:
It was like the Who were a tribute band to themselves.

What happened to aging gracefully?

The Experiment Is Over

I made it twelve whole days on Facebook.  Then I quit.  It turns that I really am That Girl. Facebook really isn't my thing.  I feel certain in my opinion now because I played with it for almost two weeks and then realized that I wasn't enjoying myself.  Before, my not liking Facebook was just a hunch.  An accurate hunch, but still.  It's like insisting that I don't like broccoli (I don't) without ever having tried it (I have).

So, yesterday I spent some time eliminating my personal profile from the system.  I'll still maintain my fan page but that will be the extent of my participation in this social networking world.  Sure, I may miss out on invitations to cool parties or updates on the milestones in other people's lives.  But if it's really important the information will get to me some other way as it has for all of the years prior to my signing up.

Be warned, though.  When you want out you "deactivate" your account.  You don't delete it. Every post, every link, every bit of information related to you and your profile is still there.  In case, you know, you change your mind, come to your senses, realize what a mistake it was to leave the fold.  It's all still there.

I'm so anal retentive, though.  I needed to erase my existence as thoroughly as possible.  So I removed all of my wall postings and photo tags and deleted the images that I had uploaded  before I clicked the "deactivate" button.  I don't trust that the data is completely gone but it makes me feel better anyway.  Makes the end feel more complete.

There is no logical reason that I can come up with for why the whole thing makes me so uncomfortable, why I felt such a strong need to walk away after so short a period of time. But I did.  That's just me.

I have nothing against Facebook or its faithful users.  It just wasn't a good fit for me. So, to all of the people who accepted my Friend Request, sorry to just disappear like that (assuming you even notice that I am gone).  It's not you; it's me.

Additional Going Against the Grain Proclamation of the Day:

Avatar sucks.

I saw Avatar, finally.  I will say that it was the most amazing 3-D movie that I have every seen.  Ever.  It was incredible.  There's never been anything like it.  If this is the future of movie viewing, I am all for it.  Visually, this movie is stunning.  But the story.  Oh. My. God.  It was horrible.  A great example of technology over substance.  As Eric so eloquently put it, Avatar is "the most visually appealing, steamy pile of crap ever."  Yes.

Things Are Gonna Change, I Can Feel It

Quitting my job to go back to school and pursue a career as an artist when I was nearing 30 was one of the hardest decisions of my life.  Despite the fact that my friends and family were very encouraging (though probably a little perplexed, as well), I didn't know if I was making the right choice.

Now, almost ten years later, I'm still plagued with insecurity.  I am extremely happy with the direction my life has taken and all of the interesting adventures I've had as a result of my career change but that doesn't mean it's been easy.  If you've read this blog much you know that I've had my share of ups and downs.

But I keep going.  I don't let the nagging feelings of doubt hold me back for too long.  I really do love making art and I want to be successful.  That's a lot more then I can say for how I felt when I was an accountant.

It really is important for us to follow our dreams, go where our hearts lead us.  Even when it flies in the face of convention.  Even if it seems crazy.  Even when it's difficult.  Because that is the only way to find true happiness in life.

I read a great article in the February issue of SELF magazine about a woman from San Francisco who is doing just that.  It made me feel confident that maybe I am doing the right thing after all.

I'm full of hope right now.  I think I may be on the verge of doing something great.  I don't know what it is exactly but I believe that good opportunities are coming my way.  So, I can't give up now. The brass ring just may be in my grasp.

Or maybe I'll spend my whole life trying to get there and never quite make it.  But I assure you that, to me, that is still a life worth living.

Complete Fluff Book Recommendation of the Day:

"The Overnight Socialite" by Bridie Clark.

I picked this up at the library on Monday and I finished it yesterday. It's a modern retelling of "Pygmalion" set in upscale Manhattan. It may not be deep but it sure was fun to read.

Art Outing

I had a wonderful day out today.  And all before the rains came!

First, I had the pleasure of having lunch with a dear friend in Oakland and then we saw some cool art at the Berkeley Art Museum.  It was my first adventure out of the house since I got sick last week.  Boy did it feel good to be around people!

So. The Art.

We went to BAM today because the first Thursday of the month is their FREE day.  I am a big fan of going to museums for free.  They are so expensive.  And I am hoping to be inspired by the art there.  If I pay the admission and then don't like what I see, I leave feeling ripped off.  If something really moves me then, okay, it's worth the cost.  But, really, I just want to experience art for free.  Is that so wrong?  Well, I was in luck because not only did I see art for free but I loved the art that I saw.

We went specifically because I wanted to check out Thom Faulders' new installation BAMscape.  It's this totally cool, interactive piece that is made of wood painted bright orange and formed over a core of foam.  It's meant to be climbed over and sat on with undulating shapes that are very comfortable. You can bring your laptop, there are multiple electrical outlets on the installation, and just hang out. It's even okay to have food and drink. My friend and I were there, talking, for over an hour.  This piece gives new meaning to the phrase "Art Lounge". I loved it!

It's there until November 30, 2011.  Plenty of time to check it out.  Do it on the FREE day!

Before we left the museum we decided to wander upstairs to get an overhead view of BAMscape and discovered a James Castle retrospective.  I vaguely remember learning about him in art school.  I took one look at the work on display and was immediately drawn to it.  We spent a good amount of time wandering around.

James Castle was born deaf in rural Idaho in 1899 and though he went to a special school for the blind and deaf he didn't pay much attention and thus didn't really learn how to communicate via lipreading or sign language.  Instead he spoke with his art.  He made black and white drawings of landscapes and architecture, paper constructions of people and animals, and handmade books crafted from found materials like cardboard and wrapping paper and art tools of his own invention. He spent all of his life in Idaho and his work was virtually unknown until 20 years after his death in 1977. I was absolutely fascinated.

This exhibition will be on display until April 25th.

Cold Season Advice of the Day:

Wash Your Hands. A Lot.

Especially after working out at the gym.  I swear this is where I caught my cold.  Not everyone wipes down the equipment when they are done.  Just for the record: I do.

Step Away From The Computer

Well, I've officially been on Facebook for a week now and there is definitely a push/pull going on for me.  The pull has been coming from my inherent love of wasting time on the computer and also the anonymity in which you can play voyeur.  That is probably more the reason why it has taken me so long to get on the Facebook Train.  Not because of some higher moral ground: Oh, I am so above all of that pointless time-wasting.   No, I know my true nature.  I always knew the ease in which this entity would suck me in.

But it also still makes me a little uncomfortable.  That's the push.  It's sickeningly easy to sneak peeks at the lives of people I know, barely know or hardly remember.  And the ease with which I can click a button to request the friendship of someone who may or may not have any relevance in my life is just too damn appealing.  Yikes!  I fear I am becoming a Friend Whore (74 in 7 days).

But I do try to touch base with the people whom I Friend on Facebook that I haven't had contact with in many years.  Just, you know, so it's not all about some accumulated number.  And, frankly, that's been pretty fulfilling.  There have been a number of occasions where I am pleased to have reconnected with a blast from the past.  That was always a common thing I would hear from those who wished to count the ways in which Facebook was not evil - finding old friends.

I'm clicking away, reading people's profiles, viewing photo albums.  Next thing I know an hour has passed and I haven't even started my day!  I've got Art to make.  Grants to write.  Websites to update.  But wait.  Laughing Squid just posted an interview with Bill Watterson.  I loved Calvin and Hobbes.  It'll just take a few minutes to read that.  Then I'll get to work.  Right.

Time to get some discipline going on if I really want this thing to be a positive and not a negative.  It's okay to close the browser.  Walk away from the computer.  Get outside and live life.  Frankly, it's hard for me to remember what life was like before the Internet.  What on Earth did we do with all of that free time?

Blast From the Past Moment of the Day:

A picture of me from grammar school.

I ran across this photo while perusing the profile of an old school friend I just reconnected with on Facebook.  I figure since this was posted publicly and the other two people pictured commented favorably about it they wouldn't mind if I posted it here.  Pretty cute, actually.  That's me on the left.  What's up with my hair, though?  I look like a boy!

Playing Accountant

I was out of commission for a few days with an annoying head cold that seems to be making the rounds up here.  It really put me down.  I'm almost wondering if it was some kind of forced rest that my body put upon me because of how hard I had been working in January.  I realize that taking a break is a good idea but it would be kind of nice to do that without a runny nose and hacking cough. But, you know, whatever.

Today was my first day back really working since last Wednesday. It's nice to feel productive again.  I have no idea why I always feel like a lazy bum whenever I get sick.  I should just give in to it but I seem to have some strange need to always be active.  The truth is, I am a very restless person.

Sales at Bottlecap Bizarre are trickling in now and it has made me realize just how unprepared I am for the actual selling of the stuff that I've made.  I had not really taken into consideration how I was going to package and mail out the things that people bought.  I had only gotten so far as to price and list the items.  Each sale, so far, has felt like a scramble.

To combat that, today I went back in time.  I called upon my skills as an accountant and got myself organized.  Because of the unique sizes of a lot of what I have for sale I need unique-shaped boxes for mailing.  Since I can't find any for sale (and, frankly, don't want to spend the money), I made them myself out of old cardboard boxes.  It was time-consuming but worth the effort.  Now each item is ready to mail the moment it is sold.

I also decided that I'd better start keeping track of my sales and expenses.  That way when it comes time to pay the Taxman my records are up to speed.  Here's the part where having a business degree and a pretty healthy case of anal-retentiveness comes in handy as an artist.  Not only am I capable of doing this kind of stuff, I actually don't mind it.  Not that I would want to spend every day making excel spreedsheets (I already did that for six years, thanks) but it wasn't too terrible.

I feel like I can sit back and let the store work for itself for a little bit now while I continue to find other sourcing of funding for the rest of art project dreams.  Oh, the work.  It never ends.  I'd better not get sick again.

Health Remedy Recommendation of the Day:

Old Indian Wild Cherry Bark Syrup

The kind sales clerk at Pharmaca suggested this when I was looking for something to soothe my cough. Man, this stuff Works! And not just on the cough, it helped my congestion and sore throat, too. Fast. Get it.