Oh, I've moved. Official memo here.
http://sarahjanesemrad.blogspot.com
I'll leave this archive up. I don't know where I'm going with my online life and need a reliable place where I can post. Hence the move to blogger. A summer 08 overhaul. RIP old blog on Movable-Type-With-Malicious-Code..... Please update yer feeds.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008 @ 10:35 AM proof that i'm a nerd
Daily Rambler
Oh they'll be some in-depth updates soon, I suppose. We had a classic Semrad party last weekend. Belt Buckles. That's my commentary. There was a clean-up day at the LRTX land. Then Paulie and I were guests on Girl Talk. The podcast airs next Tuesday, I think. I'm not very public about my relationship with P, because, who cares, really? But it was fun to talk about it with our pal Leah for the show. What else? I survived a board meeting and am preparing for another next week for Art Con. The kids are splendid and that Eva is truly talented on piano. Shockingly good. I got my visa papers in for the Kazakhstan trip and am looking forward to other travels this summer. One trip next week out west to Marfa and another trip to NYC for a week this summer. Can't wait to visit all the residencies in the City. I knocked out a grant yesterday. I don't know what else to ramble on about. Hope all's well in your world. Peace.
Friday, May 16, 2008 @ 09:21 AM proof that i'm a nerd
sj does a headstand on the grassy knoll
look ma! no hands! just forearms. miz andrea took this on our first shutterbabes outing a couple of weekends ago. pal erica felicella rocks for organizing this.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008 @ 08:07 PM proof that i'm a nerd
a break from the jobs
I don’t know what’s up with all the old job posts. I have many more – from waiting tables to selling kids clothes and working in more coffee shops than I can count. I marvel at how all of these opportunities have brought awareness and awakening. For that, I am thankful.
Moving on. I’m somehow involved in an email conversation (thanks Scott!) about what – I can’t even remember at the moment. It brought out one of my favorite games I play in my head: The game where you see a random artifact like a thumb tack on the kitchen floor and you start back tracking it. Like, the tack-that-had-purpose-and-held-a-receipt-in-place fell off the peg board and rolled under the table. Before that it was in a box in my desk. Before that it was on a shelf at the office supply store. Before that it was on a truck. Before that it was at a distribution center. Before that it was in an assembly plant. Before that it was in at least two different manufacturing plants – one for plastic and the other for metal alloys – half way across the world of course. Before that the metal(s) were in a mine and the plastic was ancient organic matter in the form of petroleum. And then putting that in the context of a myriad of products in the kitchen and well, my little brain hurts.
The amount of energy the thumb tack holds in the form of shipping, jobs, engineering, chemists, and ancient life is fairly astonishing.
And then a pal sent this link about a pet project by a gal named Miwa Koizumi. I think I might have screamed out loud a little bit.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008 @ 10:02 PM proof that i'm a nerd
job part III
So the lab jobs clearly weren’t working out for me. That was the reality of my hard-earned and really, really expensive chemistry degree. Just when it seemed all hope was lost – I got a call about a potential gig up near the Galleria that seemed PERFECT. There was an opening in the “toppings” laboratory with a large, nationwide company that sells Pizza. In Huts, sometimes.
30 hours a week. Flexible days. Excellent pay and benefits. A healthy, but not cost-prohibitive commute. This was sounding great! I had just found out I was pregnant with my daughter (now 9) and this set up seemed ideal. The grin on my face must have been a mile wide!
Before I said “yes”, I had one question: What goes on in the “toppings” lab? I wanted to know. Various pizza toppings get quality tested. From green peppers to parmesean cheese, toppings must go through rigorous testing standards and sampled. There was one tiny, miniscule catch though. Toppings must be sampled. As in all toppings. And vegetarians need not apply, I was told.
Huh.
Those who know me well, know I have been a veggie since 15. By this time, I was wishing I was still in school and had gone after that philosophy degree like I wanted to.
More later. Happy Monday!
Monday, March 17, 2008 @ 02:26 PM proof that i'm a nerd
job part II
So when it poking puffed cheese snacks didn’t work out for me, I looked for work elsewhere. I applied with a company over in beautiful crime-free Irving that manufactures breast implants. The called me in for an interview and tour of the plant.
I met the plant manager at the entrance of a large, non-descript looking building with no windows. The lobby was plain and had a couple of green corn plants and maybe some tech mags, I can’t remember. The tour started by entering a long, wide hallway with large glass windows on either side looking into some really freaky high tech labs.
People in clumsy-but-sterile space suits were carefully assembling materials and using very fancy machines to pour liquid into membranes. The wide hall had turns along the way but always had windows looking into large labs where different phases of manufacture and assembly were happening. The space suits stopped at a certain point and ladies with hairnets and gloves appeared. Conveyor belts weaved through the space, slowly moving product through the labs. At the end of my tour, I was vaguely titillated at the prospect of wearing a space suit and I excitedly asked the man what my job would be. He smiled and said “Quality Control”.
Um, ok. So he takes me into another lab where cubicles were clustered in the center of the room with computers, papers, and random boobs acting as paperweights. He took me over to a hood and said as best as I can remember: “This will be your work station. A couple times an hour, you’ll pull an implant off the line after it’s been put into sterile packaging. You’ll first test the outer packaging using all this fancy stuff over here. Then you’ll take the implant and place it here in the hood. You hit this button and a platform will lower, slowing applying pressure to the implant until it bursts. You’ll record some deeply meaningful number and clean it all up before doing it again. And again. And again. By the way, you’ll work here from 11PM – 7AM.”
After the job description and the tour, I sortof smiled and “Wow. This is a lot to think about (not) and I’ll have to get back to you (not).”
I felt a little bewildered at turning down such lucrative, satisfying gigs twice in a row! Feeding grumbly tummies in Spain was one thing. Perpetuating the myth for people everywhere that big, fabulous boobs are mandatory was another. To convince not just men but women too that to imitate the size and shape of lactating breasts makes us more appealing was just too much. My training as a scientist and mathematician-ess was being wasted!
Maybe more tomorrow. It goes on and on folks. Have a great Saturday!
Saturday, March 15, 2008 @ 03:28 PM proof that i'm a nerd
job
I’ve told this story like a zillion times. And twice just this week. Time to post I suppose.
I got my degree from the University of Dallas over in Irving. Private Catholic school. My BA is in chemistry, although I did do intensive studies in philosophy, theology, art history, literature and the like. I lived in Europe and the full bit. Well, about half way through school, I realized I wanted to major in philosophy or art but it was too late with my degree plan. I’d had so much math, physics, and chemistry at that point, it wasn’t really going to work to switch mid-stream and still graduate on time. Besides, all the math and stuff comes really easy for me.
My first job out of college was at a certain snack chip company up in Frisco that also owns a certain soda company and a certain line of fast food places that serve everything from fried chicken to burritos. I had a security badge, a white lab coat, and a full lab at my disposal to quality test puffed cheese snacks… made with a “fat free oil” for the Spanish market. I don’t know if many folks remember this “fat free oil” that was popular years back, but it was fat free because your body doesn’t absorb it, therefore it comes on out as an “oily anal discharge.” Delightful.
So anyway, my lab was across the hall from the pretzel lab and my job was to receive large bag after bag of uncooked puffed cheese snack product and do testing. The first test was to do a moisture reading on a random 10 uncooked samples from each of the large bags coming up from manufacturing. Then on another 10 uncooked samples from each bag, I’d do a physical measurement – length, width, height. Last, I’d do a “crunch test”. I’d take all my carefully labeled samples down to another lab with big, fancy computers and such. I’d take one cheese puff out and place it on a platform where a probe connected to the ‘puter would come down and poke through the cheese puff. A graph would appear on a screen and I’d write down some number. Periodically, a team of really cute British guys would run up from manufacturing and see what different bags of samples were crunching.
Those were the uncooked puffed cheese products. I also had to do the same test on cooked and cheesed samples. After all the testing, I bagged them up for taste testing (and most likely bad stomach aches) for folks in Spain. I did this for three weeks. THREE WEEKS. And then I quit when they offered me a full time gig. That’s right, I did such a good job at this, they wanted me to stay.
And now here I am. I’m grateful for the experience and glad I’m using my skills to be ridiculously tedious and tidy for the common good and not oily butts. YAY! Have a great weekend folks.
Friday, March 14, 2008 @ 03:41 PM proof that i'm a nerd
Sitting here, being me
Speaking. I spoke in front of tons of people today. I wasn't nervous until half way through when I thought - 'wait, what am I doing here again? O.M.G.' Confession folks: I'm tired like I haven't been tired before. The absurdity of what I'm up to in life rattles me until my brains are scrambled - until a good night's sleep presents itself and I'm able to wake up refreshed and glorious again. I got a lot done today, but it's still physically painful when my to-do list totally runs down the page and I'm out of time. I'm rambling and showing weakness etc etc I know. Ok? I know, people. But last time I checked it was ok to be Sarah Jane.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008 @ 09:46 PM proof that i'm a nerd
dreaming
I was talking with a friend about Dreams. The kind with a capital D. Was laughing that I don’t have any Dreams. The ones you can name and tag and classify with specificity. You know, like when you’re a kid and there were things you wanted to be when you grew up. A doctor, a lawyer, a Pepsi truck driver, whatever. Me? I wanted to be an astronaut. Really, really bad. I wrote fan mail to astronauts and collected star books and dreamed of going to Space Camp. All of it. When the Challenger blew up, I wrote in my journal I still wanted to be an astronaut. And here I am in Dallas so totally not an astronaut. And it's fine actually. I mean, who wants to wear diapers in the car anyhow?
And so I’ve been struggling with all this dream talk lately. In church, with friends, and with thinking about my own kids. I don’t have dreams tied to physical things. Instead, I think I have visions. And they find me. They show up in my dreams. (The kind with a little d). I don’t generate the Visions. They are simply revealed. And it was pointed out to me the other night that perhaps that’s how I get to be an astronaut. I Dream of vantage points, being on the frontier, soaring. Whatever the form that takes. (whatever, it made me feel better.)
Tuesday, January 29, 2008 @ 09:33 PM proof that i'm a nerd
this is my charming living room
we talk. we type. we talk about who died form what overdose. we listen to the kinks. we joke about netscape and entourage. we comment on how opera isn't on leopard. etc etc. then there's the 'buckle rash' on barry's bass that paul will borrow for the undermain gig. which reminds me:
Undermain Theatre, through special arrangement with Wixen Music Publishing, is pleased to announce the theatrical premiere of Neil Young’s Greendale. The rock opera by the legendary singer - songwriter will be adapted for the stage by Undermain Theatre on March 29-May 3, 2008. This song cycle has been compared to Thornton Wilder’s Our Town and Sherwood Anderson’s Winesberg Ohio as a portrait of the changing face of small town America.
Performed with a live band headed by bandleader and lead guitarist Kenny Withrow (ex of Edie Brickell and The New Bohemians) featuring former Course of Empire bass guitarist Paul Semrad, and sung by an ensemble cast, Greendale explores the lives of three generations of the Green family through themes ranging from corruption to mass media consolidation to environmentalism. Described by Neil Young as a “musical novel”, Greendale was released in 2003 as an album (voted one of the best albums of 2003 by Rolling Stone Magazine), a film, and a rock tour. It is soon to be published as a graphic novel and this spring it will be produced as a play premiering at Undermain.
“The listener is left practically breathless with the beauty, hope, pathos and power of the music and the story.” – Neil Strauss, The New York Times
Undermain Theatre performances are Wednesdays-Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. and Fridays-Saturdays at 8:15 p.m. Previews are March 26-28. Tickets are Wed and Thurs $15, Fri $20, and Sat $25. Undermain is located at 3200 Main Street at Murray Street in Deep Ellum. Discounts are available for seniors, students and KERA members. Call 214.747.5515 or visit www.undermain.org.
but i might just love being with barry and how his commentary is endlessly awesome.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008 @ 10:13 PM proof that i'm a nerd
theories
So when one has a theory, it must be tested and argued about and proven, i.e. using the scientific method. My scholastic background and training is that of a scientist.
Moving on - I am working with an awesome gal who is formulating with me a series of experiments to test a few theories we have and maybe someday publish a paper. Individual - defined community - systemic. I watched Michael Moore's Sicko the other night and it got me going in another direction. (Good movie, btw. Wow.) Said another way - a new lens to view these experiments. In addition, I'm smack in the middle of Michael Pollan's book The Omnivore's Dilemma. Same stuff. And then there's the Farm Bill. And Art. And Supermarkets. And Land Conservation. And social entrepreneurs. And.. And.. And.. It's all in there swimming and swimming. THIS is proof I'm a nerd, folks. Peace.
Friday, November 16, 2007 @ 08:44 AM proof that i'm a nerd
muzak
I'd be hard pressed to say what my favorite band is. But for the week of November 12, 2007 it just might be Radiohead. For I can't even say how many days I've had on repeat: Ok Computer, Kid A, the Thom Yorke solo album, In Rainbows, and Hail to the Thief. the SJ is getting lots done with that soundtrack, folks. Paul and I did the math - we have every album. This is a good thing.
In other news, my favorite boy band - The Strange Boys - are doing an in-store at Good Records on December 1. Awesomeness. You should totally go hear them if you're in Dallas because, well, they're awesome. When Cari and I were in NY in August, we missed them by ONE NIGHT!! ARRRGHH. Now that those cuties have moved to Austin I don't get my fix like I used to.
Ranting over.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007 @ 08:14 PM proof that i'm a nerd
frontier life
Pushing the frontier is a fun place to be. Alive. To be the best we can and always scan the horizon but still enjoy right here. Right now. To participate in the journey.
Ok, maybe the music in Gachet (one of my remote offices) is just really inspiring today. Tearing up just thinking about it. Peace.
Monday, November 12, 2007 @ 02:00 PM proof that i'm a nerd
list
ginormous.
fabuloso.
amazing.
nasfabulous. (nasty + fabulous)
stupendous.
out of this world.
post-apocalyptic.
remarkable.
as seen on tv.
primo.
spectacular.
arresting.
hair-raising.
the future is now.
hella-good.
soon to be a major motion picture.
grilled to perfection.
no trans fats!
life-like.
husband pleasin'.
mad! mad! mad!
secret recipe.
family recipe.
exclusive.
market fresh.
banned in 7 states.
catch of the day.
england's top seller.
trusted.
mom-approved.
new and improved!
new non-stain formula.
no-stick.
now in winter-burst-melon-mint!
enviable.
now, with 20% more whiskers!
mit iodine.
economy sized.
2 pc. dark. one dollar.
gynecologist approved.
more flavor!
on sale now!
supplies are limited.
we finance!
all natural.
organically grown.
ok, that's a good start. if you can think of more, please let me know. k, thanks!
Saturday, July 14, 2007 @ 08:28 PM proof that i'm a nerd
semi-guilty pleasure
ok. all these social utility sites are making me seriously want to bang my head on my desk. linkedin. myspace. facebook. twitter. friendster. 43things. flickr. orkut. lastfm. i mean, honestly, the list goes on and on. some of them are useful, sure. even interesting to see how they work. heck, occasionally even fun and weird. every time i join one, i get bombarded with people wanting to be 'friends' and then i see one friend who is so-and-so's friend and feel like seeing if they want to be my friend too, which they always do. i could do it for hours if i wanted to (but i clearly don't.) searching and clicking and gathering every last person i know into my covey on all these various sites. what's funny is it's the same people on all the sites. ha! i did an internet purge once before. de-enrolled from a bunch of stuff i never log into anymore. i think it's time to do it again, my gosh.
this furthers my desire to go third world when the kids are teenagers. go be missionaries somewhere or something. poor things, by the time they're that age, they'll have to spend all their time updating and tweaking their social utilities and not enough time participating in conversation face-to-face and reading good books. youknowwhatimean?
Tuesday, July 03, 2007 @ 02:42 PM proof that i'm a nerd
dang
i just read my whole entire blog cover to cover and that means i'm a total nerd! it's cool to see the journey so far and oddly, i just got crazy perspective on current events. wowowow. i read other folks blogs cover to cover too. equally interesting. tempting to take some of it down. but nah, i say we honor who we are and who we have been.
Monday, July 02, 2007 @ 06:56 PM proof that i'm a nerd
wow.
the amazingly talented david clanton took this pic of me about 3 years ago. i think i might want to grow my hair out again.
Saturday, June 23, 2007 @ 02:56 PM proof that i'm a nerd
i still love me some bright eyes.
um, did i not just speak of such things?! see what happens when board meetings get postponed and i read all my feeds...
via information aesthetics.
dang. and here's this weird link i found too via alberto. say wha'? i can't stop laughing.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007 @ 05:37 PM proof that i'm a nerd
personal coach
i took a non-profit leadership certificate course this past spring at smu. as a part of this course, i get a few hours of personal coaching time. dang, folks. it's so nice to have a sound-board who gets what i'm talking about and doesn't tell me what to do. she prys the answers i already have in my head out and has me tell HER what i'm going to do. genius. i love our appointments. she has me hollerin' 'go-team-sarah-jane' at the end of every call (ok, but not literally.) i highly recommend this service to anyone.
Monday, June 11, 2007 @ 03:40 PM proof that i'm a nerd
anthropological study
hanging out with leah tonight yielded an awesome anthropological study in being a dallasite. we went to a posh open house for a company that rids you of any unwanted hair, cellulite, coffee teeth, pale skin, or other unsightly, unfashionable, or otherwise unwanted part of the human physical condition. we asked intelligent questions, witnessed demonstrations, drank free wine, and chitty chatted with beautiful people. we had a great time oddly enough and if i ever wanted the cellulite removed from my scrawny ass, i now know who to call.
most important about tonight? we bailed and just hung out together. we got to share similar stories, wisdom and relish in the all around fabulousness of our love to work hard and see the result of our hard work in the community. good times.
Thursday, May 31, 2007 @ 09:24 PM proof that i'm a nerd
we are serious about theatre
seriously sympathetic that is. jayme and i decided it was totally appropriate to go in full costume to the taming of the shrew.... (excellent production, btw. wow.)
and later at the old monk, we connected with one of the leads, tranio, who oddly enough i attended ud with. lookie! i got jayme's 'do!
i love to dress up. it's fun.
Monday, May 14, 2007 @ 09:00 PM proof that i'm a nerd
bright eyes. yes, i swooned.
let me not lie. the bright eyes show last night was stellar. my inner pre-teenager is still a little out of breath and b'cited. no cameras were aloud at the palladium for this event, but to my dismay all those little kids had badass camera phones, so they were getting all the shots, not me. alas.
speaking camera phones. at some point, with the backdrop of bright eyes blasting from the stage, i had an 'anthrolpologocal study' moment of the age group that surrounded us. within a 360 degree view of where we were standing, there was at any given time approximately 6 kids within grabbing range, texting on their phones. given the measurements of the room, an approximation of how many people were in the space, my unscientific sampling of texters, and a dash of sobriety, i suppose i could have calculated the probability of how many kids were texting in the room at any given moment. charting this out on a graph and watching the numbers rise and fall based on the popularity of a song would have been quite an interesting set of data. any music execs reading this should totally hire me.
another fun thing to watch was the parents. this one older dude strolled by and i commented to paul, "his daughter has no idea he is here. she's so busted for saying she was out with her girlfriends." then we played the fun game of picking out the teenage versions of eva and jiri. OMG. i immediately went into denial.
next entry? i swear it will be jayme and sarah jane's excellent adventure wearing wigs and attending the taming of the shrew. with pictures and everything!
Saturday, May 12, 2007 @ 10:29 AM proof that i'm a nerd
it might be my art that saves me
made a new collage last night. it's chaotic and weird. the others have had such a direct hit into my subconscious, it's frightening, and so i wonder what the time and space and perspective will tell me about this one. seriously, that's what i love about art : it reveals the Truth with a capital T in many ways. i was telling someone yesterday that the place i like to hang out in is the place where philosophy, mathematics, God, and art all sorta collide and reveal much of the same stuff. the chaos i feel is probably only a reflection of the chaos i may have caused. there's other stuff in there too, but prolly not appropriate for a blog that is, y'know, public.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007 @ 09:27 AM proof that i'm a nerd
home.
home from napa valley. refreshed, renewed, and ready to take it on. i have 30 new best friends from the retreat and can say i've finally met myself. yay for new friends, change, and serendipity. photo above? calistoga. {insert wide toothy grin here}
Monday, April 02, 2007 @ 09:08 PM proof that i'm a nerd
catch-up
perhaps i'll have time to reflect in a couple of weeks.... for now here are my notes to myself:
st. patricks day out with friends - see picture above!
the pre-development meeting
giving an awesome gift to my b-fry
anticipating a fulfilling couple of weeks.... more on that in april.
for now? i'm out for a bit. have fun dallas.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007 @ 12:11 AM proof that i'm a nerd
serious bummer
who knew a '91 volvo was such a hot car to rifle through. this time? instead of the stero getting stolen, it was my cloth bound book of cd's. which, since they were in the car and not in my house on a shelf, it was a set of REALLY good cd's. every day it occurs to me yet another one that was stolen.... here's my list so far:
american analog set
happy bullets
tah-dahs
kings of convinience
elliot smith
lonely dear
bright eyes
flaming lips
regina spektor
wedding present
the new year
beyond bummed. now i just have a bunch on lonely cases left.
Thursday, March 15, 2007 @ 08:10 AM proof that i'm a nerd
it's not done yet. but here's a taste of where i'm going
Thursday, March 08, 2007 @ 04:54 PM proof that i'm a nerd
process
so there's this series of collages i'm working on. as i pick the dried up adhesive and cat hair off all my fingers, i wonder what the hell the point is. they're way too personal to show. to sell. to DO anything with. they'll never see the light of day, most likely. too many secrets revealed. too many dark cobwebby corners of my brain getting a little sunlight. too many opportunities for mis-interpretation. and that's probably why i love them.
i kinda turned a corner last night. although i'm only on the second collage of a eight part collage series, i got stuck in trying to make it make sense and felt the frustration building. so i just chopped up all the elements and put them back together again... but in the most absurd way ever. my subconscious made it make sense finally. and i love the finished artifact now. and i love it when that happens.
the first one i made last week? there was this one part on it i loathed. and i thought the whole piece was ruined. but i sat on it a week and ripped off the top layer last night. i then put a whole new layer on the top and adhered 'chalk outlines' of these two figures. it's now so perfect i can't see straight. what a worthwhile re-visit.
so what was the point? oh yeah. i'm actually making stuff again. it's slow going because i'm really busy with other obligations but there's a bit of joy to be experienced when messing around with caustic spray adhesive and rubber cement and phototgraphs and oil sticks. for that, i'm grateful to be cycling into 'it' again, after being stagnant for so long. yay!
Saturday, March 03, 2007 @ 11:14 AM proof that i'm a nerd
to my sorely neglected website,
remember when we had interesting things to talk about? and life was about going to hear bands and hanging out with friends? yeah, i miss those days too. it seems all i do is go from one meeting to another and meet one interesting person after another only to have no moments to share with you... suffice it to say, the serendipity is high and although things aren't perfect, i'm hanging in there. i hope to have more time to communicate once i get through the 3 grants i'm working on, humongo meetings, leadership classes, and slew of appointments in between. get this, i'm even working on a series of collages. i've bought the prints and am ready to assemble. not all of them have crystalized in my head yet and i fear they'll be way to personal to post, but i'll see what i can do for you.
{insert hand on forhead here}
love,
sarah jane
Monday, February 26, 2007 @ 09:08 PM proof that i'm a nerd
lenten woe
wailing was heard through my house when the realization struck that there was no cream for our coffee due to our lenten sacrifices...
so black coffee it is... my grandma would be proud.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007 @ 09:02 AM proof that i'm a nerd
infosthetics
OMG. infosthetics kills me. i have a friend who would love this one. and this one as well. oh hell, me too for that matter - it's something i'm always trying to express in my own work. ooo, and this one turns me on because, well, it's local.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007 @ 06:53 PM proof that i'm a nerd
a day in the life
i have kicked ass the last couple of days, despite having a grandmother on the verge of death, some family drama, and a petty betrayal waving around over my head! wow. i don't know how i have gotten so much done. it's fairly astonishing. yesterday i climbed out of a mountain of paperwork and managed to still show up on time for a magazine interview that will hit stands in march.
this morning i was up bright and early and attended the oak cliff chamber of commerce economic development meeting. the director of the city of dallas economic development dept, karl zavitkovsky, was on hand to give an over view of past, present, and future of dallas development. it was interesting and my first time at something like that. i could go on and on for days about what it was like, but i'll save that for another blog.... !
then later this morning, i met a bunch of smu frat boys who were 'rushing' or whatever it is that one does when wanting to join a greek organization. they have to do 'x' number of community service hours. nothing scandalous - AND I KNOW! - i wanted them to be busted for a big kegger/scandal too! not the case, alas. they were nice enough and thoroughly confused by me hanging out taking pictures. HAHAHA:
they cleared tires and trash from the city r.o.w. in front of the lrtx land. they're lucky i didn't make them carry frozen grapes in their underwear or eat raw onions or drop them off naked with only a quarter or drive around with them in the trunk and make them drink everclear or blindfold them and make them eat worms or.... i'm kidding!
my day only kept getting better when i was finally able to drop off some lith prints to a buyer who's been expecting them since, like, march 06 or something ridiculous. i'm totally due a flakey artist now. it's official. but the damn prints are in her office and now i don't have to avoid her anymore! happy day!
last, i was able to swing by the framer's for a christmas gift a friend gave me, a drawing by local artist, M:
thank you, you. it's lovely. i don't know where i'm going to put it.
so here's to '07 looking up for me once again, after a very rough and rocky start.
Thursday, January 11, 2007 @ 05:51 PM proof that i'm a nerd
don't know if it's done or not
Saturday, January 06, 2007 @ 04:10 PM proof that i'm a nerd
song lyrics... and on a blog. geeze.
ok, nothing worse than song lyrics on a blog, but this happy bullets song has been in my head since i read andrea's blurb about new year's eve. something about it is appropriate to start the new year off with. especially that last verse. daaaang.
A Proper Rifle Assembly
Begin with step one
Let's assemble your new gun
count the pieces til there's none
we'll use them all before we're done
Make sure the bolt is clean
attach it to the firing pin
lube the bore and check the springs
Is the hammer functioning
for your proper assembly?
Take care the chambers free
to avoid an injury
thread the breach plug
clear debris
it's as easy as 1-2-3
With the safety locked
affix the trigger to the stock
undo the ramrod, pull it off
and keep a close eye on the clock
don't let this thing go off half cocked
We all get hurt
and we all get up
and we all move on
yeah we all move on
Wednesday, January 03, 2007 @ 10:10 AM proof that i'm a nerd
top ten of '06 - this list is making me not so depressed already!
10. the kate nelson show at continental. i think this girl is awesome. and i love her. and think she's super ballsy. she did a cast of me in february, which was one of the most surreal experiences ever. i felt like one of those plasticized bodies at the science place. i think she totally has it going on and look forward to working with her more in the future and seeing what else she has in store for us all.
9. roy and laura's wedding. it was my favorite event to shoot all year. i think they make a lovely couple and were so authentic in their vow exchange. plus, it was straight-up fun with catering by kalachanjiis.
8. yaris works. it was a ton of work but such a great thing to put on the resume. it was fun coming up with all the ideas with andrea and then seeing if they would work or not. and not on our dime! the only drawback? er, it was august and in texas. that was just dumb. check out the tah-dahs video that we shot as a community at good records using a ton of disposable video cameras. youmans did the editing.
7. primer. getting my hands on a 10,000 sq foot warehouse and putting on a multi-media art event was effing awesome. the artists were tim stokes, kate nelson, john holt, nevada hill, and ron radwanski. the band? an experimental noise ensemble called zanzibar snails. i thought they were genius live, albeit a little loud. eric sachs projected old 16 mm footage behind the band and dj sober played between sets. budweiser ponied up the booze and a few hundred people filled the space out the the max. the best part? it was my birthday that night.
6. travels with the family. this summer we went to visit my mother in missouri and brought home a new kitten. and in september, we went to my favorite place in planet earth... my grandmother's ranch in south texas. eva and jiri are always my favorite subjects to shoot. they're gorgeous.
5. parties at my house. there's nothing more wonderful than having people over. from paul's surprize party, to the off-the-hook halloween party and everything in between. i must have been martha stewart in another lifetime.
4. full moon croquet. what started as a lark in aug 05, turned out to be a super fun monthly gathering of assorted characters. dec 06 marked the last one... oi, i'm nostalgic already. the set is off my porch and it already looks a little lonely now. hmm. perhaps full moon scrabble? or baci ball? anyone? anyone?
3. art con II. holy crap. i don't know how we pulled that thing off. i still haven't dealt with the pictures i took. it's way too overwhelming. but allison v. smith took some photos that were absolutely stellar. over 1000 people crammed into the longhorn ballroom and literally FREAKING OUT about buying art. so much so that the poor bands didn't get much attention. i've never seen anything like it. as event producer and art coordinator, i was a non-eating, non-sleeping mess until it was over. it never would have been pulled off though without the slew of hard working volunteers and artists and musicians. a bow to jason roberts, my partner in crime on that deal. here's to art con III next year, dude.
2. la reunion. yeah, one year ago i had no idea that this thing would be off the ground and gearing up for an amazing year of programming in 07. it's really exciting to be a part of it and wonderful to have such great community support. it hasn't been easy in some instances, but it has been unimaginably satisfying. it's great to be throwing myself into something i believe in. not only are we forming an artist residency, but it'll be as green and off-grid as possible once built. the land is beautiful and all the people involved have been amazing.
1. living in dallas. this is such a great place to be right now. as tempting as it would be to move and reinvent ourselves, it's way cooler be able to head out any night of the week and catch a great band featuring personal friends. or check out an awesome art exhibit. or eat for cheap at one of the many veggie places we frequent. i'm thankful for all the blessings of 2006 and for paul and the kids who put up with me unconditionally.
Monday, January 01, 2007 @ 11:25 AM proof that i'm a nerd
sabbatical
i'm taking a little-mini-wanna-be-sabbatical at the end of january. i need perspective. and a world one at that. i just sent in my passport renewal because i'm tired of travelling with my maiden name and a marriage license. i'm literally ecstatic to have a new picture to show the customs officials. there's nothing like a lame-ass passport picture to put a damper on your spirit every time you have to flip open the thing. yeah. so paris. it's a city i've been to a few times before, so i'm comfortable there. it's beautiful and i always feel incredibly invigorated and inspired upon my return.
my first time there was in '95. i was travelling alone on a eurail pass and was hanging out in berlin a few hours before my train left for paris. being alone, i was always scoping out other backpacks and talking to folks with red maple leaves and australian flags. fearless, i was. i smoked at the time and my scam was to never have a lighter so i could strike up a conversation with just about anyone. i met this guy named tim that way in the berlin zoo station. turned out he was taking an overnight to paris too and was french canadian to boot! we had different departure times. no biggie, i thought. "hey, let's meet at 10:30 tomorrow morning at the such-and-such hostel..."
my train was the earlier train and i climbed aboard and locked myself into a cabin and settled in for the night. i sat on my pack and wrapped myself tightly in my coat and cracked the window letting in fresh air and the cold to avoid being gassed, which was the trendy way at the time to rob american kids backpacking. the train rattled on and at one point i opened my eyes only to see some young kid slowly opening my coat pocket. i opened both of my eyes and calmly said, "um, you need to leave at once. are you serious?" he muttered 'excuse me' or something and scurried off. as he left, i lept up and realized, holy crap! i was almost robbed! i sat awake the rest of the night with all the lights on.
exhausted and totally sleep deprived, i arrived in paris at 6am, navigating well enough to get some breakfast and arrive at the hostel at the designated 10:30 time. lo and behold, tim was there! we spent 3 days together, visiting all the sites and eating yummy food. i never had a language problem there because he spoke fluent french and always ordered my food and navigated the city for us. trust me when i say the whole thing was terribly g-rated. we were in a hostel and slept on our own bunks, among rows of bunks. when it was time for us to depart the city, we hugged good bye and exchanged addresses. he was off to calais and i was headed to amsterdam, both us alone on our respective journies.
i had one snail mail communication with tim the following summer when i lived in yosemite national park. tenative plans were made for me and a gal-pal to road trip to canada to visit, but it didn't happen. a subsequent trip a few years ago to paris was equally delightful in its own way. i look forward to this one though. i've got a lot on my mind and the escape is welcomed.
Saturday, December 30, 2006 @ 10:10 AM proof that i'm a nerd
philosophical musings on a cold, rainy texas day
it's hard to be made to pay for one's mistakes. and still go on to feel guilty. and worthless. hey, we all have our dirty little secrets. and we all have to find a way to look them in the eye and not be scared. it just sucks when they're not dirty or little anymore and suddenly you're just wishing you hadn't been so honest. so frank. it hurts coming clean, although it's part of our flawed human condition, i suppose.
i'm just commenting on the darker side of being trapped in a human form. and wishing forgiveness came a little easier. redemption is hard to come by these days for some of us. yowza.
there are a few of you with raised eyebrows. don't email or call me later. it's not what you are thinking. i'm making observations, that is all. it's uncanny how the weather is a reflection of my mood today.
Friday, December 29, 2006 @ 04:26 PM proof that i'm a nerd
december 2006 fullmoon croquet
Thursday, December 07, 2006 @ 06:03 PM proof that i'm a nerd
thank you universe.
stray cat thanksgiving was wonderful. good food. good mix of random people with scrabble and uno galore. i'm truly thankful for the people in my life. pictures soon.
Friday, November 24, 2006 @ 05:11 PM proof that i'm a nerd
october fullmoon croquet
Saturday, October 07, 2006 @ 09:05 AM proof that i'm a nerd
september full moon croquet
Friday, September 08, 2006 @ 04:20 PM proof that i'm a nerd
full moon croquet : one year anniversary
the gorgeous full moon on jefferson blvd.
Thursday, August 10, 2006 @ 11:41 PM proof that i'm a nerd
i think i might have sold my soul to camel
daniel's performance at the gypsy tearoom on friday was wonderful! not too many folks were there, but those of us who were there had a marvelous time. although i'm totally not a smoker, occasionally i indulge. and friday night was one of those nights. the camel dude saw me and came over and asked if i wanted a free pack of smokes.... sure! i'll pass them to my pal carissa, i thought.
so he asks for my ID. uh, ok, i think. he manually types in the info and then runs the magnetic strip through his hand-held machine. he takes a night-vision photograph of it and asks a series of questions about what my favorite brand is (i don't have one) and how often i buy cigarettes (never). then when i start to ask him what this info is for, he just shrugs and says they'll send me 'coupons and stuff.' so finally, after i've traded all but my social security number and shoe size, he offers me my choices for my free pack. awesome, so i got my free pack for my pal carissa. then he asks me if i've ever heard of spoon. duh, i say, and he passes me a couple of free tickets.
(picture by carissa) score! worth it to trade all my info? no, probably not. i'll most likely never qualify for insurance again. or something equally sinister. but i'm destined to have a rad time thursday night!
{8.10 addendum: no babysitter = no spoon. bummer.}
Monday, August 07, 2006 @ 06:25 PM proof that i'm a nerd
ahhh regrets.
regrets teach us much and i regret not going to the flaming lips dealio at conduit. check out these pics. holy cow.
Sunday, July 16, 2006 @ 10:48 PM proof that i'm a nerd
pointless commentary (cryptic and therefore pointless)
oh for heaven's sake. me getting pissy about a realization i had at least two years ago and shared with an art professional is silly (i could go back and look for the email i sent her as proof, but why?) it probably was already in the universe anyway, right? ideas are free, after all. you make the money by doing something about them, which i wasn't. it all seemed like a big 'duh' to me. i don't mind submitting ideas, thoughts, or anything for that matter if i could just get a little credit. credit-schmedit. i guess i should give that up too.
it's along the same lines as all the silly little teenagers who use my images (specifically all those converse pics) on their journals and such. i'm such a coward. i can't bear to post a link. but i bet you know who you are. ;)
in other news, i miss eva. she's at camp.
Thursday, July 06, 2006 @ 01:57 PM proof that i'm a nerd
dallas is small. the internet only makes it smaller.
warning: it's a classic sarah-jane-rant.
in the googlable age in which we operate, dallas (specifically the dallas art/music scene) shrinks to the size of a pin-head. negative commentary made by jaded (read: old and tired and pathetic) individuals is, i suppose, a necessary and yet uncomfortable part of trying something new and/or sustaining innovative projects in our fair city. questioning is a good thing. talking smack is another animal altogether. there's this notion that one can be critical (or flat out mean) and still manage to be "legit" through annonymity. or is it just a way to avoid taking responsibilty for opinions? whatever. the fact is, annonymity reduces credibility. the beautiful part about everyone i care to work with is that they are willing to act *and* slap their name on it. own it. in the end, my friends, jealousy doesn't contribute to creativity in our city. the end.
Thursday, June 29, 2006 @ 01:02 PM proof that i'm a nerd
theatre fire
my pal hal samples took some amazing shots of the fire at the arcadia. and here's more amazing shots by another friend george lacy, who lives around the corner from the theatre. it's sick, but it did cross my mind to drive to my old hood and snap a few pictures. to say good-bye. to close my eyes and remember standing in a long line out front. or whatever. luckily, i'm someone's mama and my better judgement kicked in and i stayed home. besides, the kids would have been late to swim class.
oh, wow. here's a link to the dallas morning news shots.
Thursday, June 22, 2006 @ 10:29 AM proof that i'm a nerd
june full moon croquet
more here on carissa's site.
more here on flickr.
and also here.
and here on hal's site.
good times. thanks hal and carissa and paul and daniel (and pavlov the dog).
Monday, June 12, 2006 @ 10:36 PM proof that i'm a nerd
i hope this does me good. it will sure be hard.
oh dear. it's the 'media diet' week while doing the artist's way. therefore, i'll be disappearing for a few days. i'll of course check email and perhaps write a little something here and there, but i'm keeping out the tv, the magazines, the books, the blogs, the npr, the rabbit hole internet searching.... yikes.
Monday, April 17, 2006 @ 05:20 PM proof that i'm a nerd
send in the clowns
look close, i'm the third one in from the left. i was so grateful to be put in a skirt and not the hot pants. my 30 y.o. booty is nice, but not that nice. maybe i'll post more pics later but first i gotta get this makeup off. i look like a freakin' clown.
Friday, March 17, 2006 @ 10:05 PM proof that i'm a nerd
gallery non-hop. lith printing.
so there were several art openings this weekend i skipped. didn't necessarily want to, but wasn't up for the schmooze part. one was at barry whistler, who incidentally, i seem to run into everywhere but we've never had a conversation. he was showing aquaintance and occasional mentor, john pomara. i'm sure the work was amazing. a neighbor and long-time collector in my neighborhood has one of his pieces and i was just marveling last night at it. i'm DYING to talk process with pomara, but have yet to be somewhere quiet and not mid-conversation about something else and there's at least a thousand people around.
one of the other big shows i missed was the grand opening of road agent, conviniently enough located right next door to barry whistler. i was curious to go, check out the space, an artist i no nothing about and see what kind of crowd came out. which brings me to my point.
the crowd. i wasn't up for it.
in other news, i have to lith print early this next week. a buyer's print was scratched during a recent mailing and she needs it reprinted. i'm (almost) jittery and nervous... going to visit an old glove. it'll be stiff at first, but i know everything i love about it will come flooding back. it's been a year.
Sunday, March 05, 2006 @ 09:21 AM proof that i'm a nerd
OMG - art conspiracy interview
Art Conspiracy
Dallas Art Dialogues
i have nothing else to say. except i'm totally self-conscious.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006 @ 01:40 PM proof that i'm a nerd
not sure why i'm posting this here, but...
so i have my annual exam in a couple hours. and for me, it's more like my-every-two-years-exam. i loathe going. DREAD. and here's the scoop: because i know everyone and it IS so 'comfortable', i hate it. i'd rather go to someone i don't know in some ways.
see, i used to run the office at a birthcenter here in town. i had eva there and delivered jiri at home under the supervision of one of the midwives. i've witnessed literally hundreds of births and totally understand women's health and breast feeding and std's and gross female medical equipment. the owner, cherie, and i are fast friends. when i worked there, i was able to bring my kids to the office and get paid to hang out with my children. it was a stressful job in some ways, due to the sheer volume of work, but i adored working with expectant mothers. as an aside: the two groups of women that let all their drama hang out and are highly emotional: pregnant women and women about to get married. i work with both and both have the potential of driving me out of my mind. but i digress.
i have many bizarre and yet still cute-n-innocent stories of bringing the kids to work with me for those 5 years. the thing they'd get into. the things we'd do to pass the time.
so i say to eva this morning: "mama has to go to the midwife for an exam and you guys are going to hang out in the exam room and quietly play while i talk to miss lynne."
long pause....
eva: "and we can play with the hand balloons! awesome!"
{the picture above is an outtake from a series i did a few years ago.... taking ob/gyn equipment and photographing it on the exam table paper by the light of the vag-light. seemed appropriate at the time.}
Wednesday, February 22, 2006 @ 09:24 AM proof that i'm a nerd
february croquet
Wednesday, February 15, 2006 @ 08:06 AM proof that i'm a nerd
beware: it's a rambler.
not too much to say lately. well, really a lot, but not fit for public consumption. the reality of how much my life is always changing is rearing its head: you should see the pile of girl scout cookies in my living room. my gosh. expect calls/emails soon, people. checks can be made out to 'girl scouts of tejas council.'
i could mention my weekend, i suppose. i whisked my sweet husband away to denton (of all places), a location only dictated by the close proximity of my sister, who watched the children while we were gone. we went to the coffee shop and gawked at college kids. and while it seems like just yesterday i was one, now they all look like little kids. we checked out the vinyl at the used book/record store and had dinner at the pan-asian place. we had a beer and a game of darts at 'the loop hole' and attended the art prostitute opening. after plunking down 10 bones, i got the back of my cute, but cheap, target corduroy coat screen printed. i feel all custom now.
there's a couple of openings this week, i should mention and that will most assuredly get more web time later in the week, but..... shannon sullivan at sozo on thursday PM from 7 to 9. i love this girl's work and cannot express how badly i want one. and i think i might just get one. it's the most lovely stuff. also, saturday is carissa's show at continental from 7 to 10. this girl is one amazing photographer. i adore her work and am very proud to be showing it. she's got 'it' people. go to www.pigeonstoneproject.com for addresses and teaser images etc etc.
ah, and lest i forget: i'm super excited to go see the SMU production of the vagina monologues. hey, if i'm gonna participate in such nonsense as a manufactured halmark holiday, what better way to do it? i'm glad paul is on board with this kind of cynical sentiment. not many folks get it. 'cause there's nothing cheesier than a bad pink ice heart pendant followed by a really bad steak dinner and some cheap roses. end of rant.
Monday, February 13, 2006 @ 09:03 AM proof that i'm a nerd
i need to print. it's been almost a year.
wow. i'm totally inspired to go back into the darkroom again.
Sunday, February 05, 2006 @ 06:03 PM proof that i'm a nerd
pictures. finally. warning: sarah jane is grumpy.
pictures finally posted.
not to complain, but i have too much to do. how can i ever make it through my list? if i can just get through the pigeon-stone phase-out sane and complete and with everyone not pissed at me for leaving the project, i'll be fine. i'm simultaneously over and under committed. and this gnarly scratchy throat is making me insane. *growl*.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006 @ 10:08 AM proof that i'm a nerd
i can't mention the other thing i'm doing tonight.
for mother and yvonne:
in other news, thanks to a great reception last night for matt hawthorne (read sales) i can now afford to pay a babysitter to go out tonight with my sweet husband and check out the and/or gallery opening and go hear peter schmidt and salim nourallah at the doublewide. yee-haw.
Saturday, January 28, 2006 @ 04:26 PM proof that i'm a nerd
seriously, this is proof i'm a nerd
of course the dreams were probably inspired by watching the yes men on sunday night and frontline wednesday night. the one about walmart : is it good for america? after vowing never to shop there again, with overwhelming guilt, andrea and i ended up at walmart last night.
our evening progressed until midnight and after coming home and collapsing into the fresh, clean sheets on my bed, i fell into a deep sleep. i can't wrap my head around the specifics, although i remember snipits. and i know my whole body hurts today.
if production of STUFF continues at current levels and profits continue to rise, enabling the need for more stuff, what happens to all the stuff? where does it go? i dreamed i visited the dump and after an awesome survey, was inspired to try these crazy experiments where i didn't throw anything away. i kept seeing the tofu tray and was trying to clean it properly and use it as some sort of drawer organizer. but then i couldn't figure out what to do with the lid. so oddly enough, i went shopping. it became a challenge to only buy things that i could re-use the packaging or that we could compost. we started eating only raw foods and i saw into the future when i was re-using the same dishsoap bottle over and over to meet the challenge of that weird experiment i set myself up on when i was 30.
i woke up exhausted and my whole body hurts even now. my throat. my chest. my gut. my brain. i know the silly factor is high, but this morning i'm left just feeling panic and fear, or something akin to it. blecht.
Friday, January 06, 2006 @ 10:03 AM proof that i'm a nerd
confession
so yesterday while i was gallery sitting... in between meeting buyers, artists dropping off portfolios, and meeting with a writer, i, ahem, created a fake profile on friendster. just to poke around and see this thing i once had an account with.
there was always something really dirty about friendster, even from day one. the look and feel of the thing seemed ripe for picking people up for annonymous sex or at least for hooking up with exes. and it was addictive. i hated it and the way it made me feel. about 2 years ago, i totally snapped and wiped myself clean off of the thing and never looked back.
a few months later, andrea invited me to myspace. whatever, i have an account. it's good for promoting shows etc and seems a little more legit, at least in my circles, in promoting art/music events and communicating information.
back to my fake profile on friendster: i logged in and began searching random folks. i found a few folks i used to know. a few folks i used to date (thank gawd i didn't marry one of them!), and clicked around in the circles i was once in. seriously, it's like a bomb went off and the whole place is deserted. only shadows of former selves are left. no one logs in anymore (it tells you the last time someone was on). i mean, a few folks do here and there. but it's scattered and few and far between. the whole experience equated to online urban exploration: searching an abandoned warehouse, where remnants of some bizarre party remained.
anyhoo, i was just wondering, you know, what happens to something like this when NO ONE uses it anymore. pictures of people that simply age by the day, with no one looking at them. interests change, music tastes change. the number of children change. marital status changes. does one log in occasionally to update this sort of thing? just in case someone might be looking? weird.
Sunday, December 18, 2005 @ 09:58 AM proof that i'm a nerd
filling in clever titles is always the hardest part.
in eighth grade, i dated this little dude who was born on december 8. and i was also the hugest beatles fan. in the same way friends my age were into NKOTB etc etc. i had posters everywhere, the beatles box-set on tape, listened to the vinyl records ('cause i didn't have a cd player like my friends did), the full bit. 'yesterday and today' was my favorite album. anyway, i always felt sorry for the guy because his birthday was the same day john lennon was shot. 'whata freakin' bummer!' i would think.
in other news, this book looks amazing. self-published by california photographer peter menzel, Hungry Planet explores what the world eats and shows photographs of a week's worth of food for a multitude of cultures around the world. from bhutan to california. very cool. and kinda shocking.
Thursday, December 08, 2005 @ 09:49 AM proof that i'm a nerd
amanset
wednesday. november 30. trees.
american analog set.
yay! i'm so there.
Monday, November 28, 2005 @ 01:40 PM proof that i'm a nerd
menu
appetizer
bruschetta with goat cheese and tomatoes
dinner
watercress and endive with lemon vinaigrette
green beans with boursin and slivered almonds
butternut squash galettes
dessert
pumpkin pie with fresh cream
chocolate angel pie
*POW* take that tofurkey!! and this stuff too for that matter.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005 @ 06:16 PM proof that i'm a nerd
birfday
ha! me and laura miller and owen wilson. and the day neils bohr died. and the same day as the jonestown massacre. nice.
Friday, November 18, 2005 @ 09:51 AM proof that i'm a nerd
i'm a scarecrow
my laptop died yesterday and it's being fixed today. really, what that translates to is that my entire brain is out of commission, in suspended animation, waiting and hoping and praying to all come back together in one piece, not unlike 'mike tv' in willy wonka and the chocolate factory. i should know something conclusive later tonight.
in the meantime, the three active photoshoots that i haven't given to clients as well as the 10 emails in my 'drafts' folder are just going to sit there until i get the laptop back in working order. i'm sure several folks are wonderng what the heck happened to me in cyberspace today.... those expected emails did not come through. it wasn't all a waste though: i did do some myspace fun-stuffs today that i would never ordinarily participate in, although not much else. luckily, we have two computers, so i'm not totally screwed. i mean, i can check bloglines and email. i just can't do anything about it.
Monday, November 14, 2005 @ 07:11 PM proof that i'm a nerd
damn. i didn't have a camera.
so this evening, i went to a certain high brow department store downtown for a cooking class, as an invited guest of a friend. (ok, it was neiman's) anyway, it was swank. the wine was pouring freely. the chef was witty, funny, and well-informed in matters of cheese and salts. we received lovely blonde and cream folders with a gold NM logo with all the recipes demonstrated. (did i mention the wine?)
so at some point, i need to hit the ladies room. i excuse myself and start wandering blindly around and finally just ask, "um, where's the ladies room?" the guy-who-doesn't-speak-english-too-well-but-is-probably-not-the-sterotypical-hispanic-but-then-again-i-can't-tell-and-it-doesn't-really-matter-anyway leads me through a maze of offices and timeclocks and finally we turn a corner and viola, there it is. it's dingy, dark and faaaaaar worse than ships lounge at ross and greenville (not that i'm dogging the place, cause paul and i had our first date there). far worse. it was, like, shitty chinese restaurant bad. drips, leaks, shaky door, rounded out by paranoia about the camera-in-the-ceiling-like-i-saw-on-20/20.
"yes, i just bought a $10,000 dress and just finished my over-priced salad, excuse me while i run to the ladies room..."
maybe this is a niche for me: public restroom critiques. for those who know me well, i already have an entire photo show based around this theme.
Thursday, November 03, 2005 @ 11:32 PM proof that i'm a nerd
undisclosed location
was thinking back to my urban exploration adventure last year. everytime we drive by, i say, "i can't believe i've been in there!" i think it too, whenever i wear the black chucks, like i am today. somehow, i squeezed in though a gap in a gate and after gingerly pushing through my backpack, which contained a flashlight, a hammer, a screwdriver, a tripod, and a Mamiya with 6 rolls of Tri-X Pan film. after climbing in through a second story window, i went through the building room by room, marveling at the gorgeous decay. i suppose i should have been afraid of spirits and such, especially in the morgue, but i just wasn't. after two hours of shooting long exposure pictures with a tripod and trigger, i snuck out the same way i got in and drove off in giddy pleasure.
Saturday, October 22, 2005 @ 04:47 PM proof that i'm a nerd
junk culture : people fascinate the $*#@ out of me
once a month it's bulk trash pick-up in my neighborhood. typically the last monday of the month. most months all we have to put out front is assorted limbs, bags of leaves, maybe some scrap wood or something. this month, i got inspired and cleaned out the office. among items in the pile are two completely delapidated bookshelves, in such bad shape they won't even stand up. also: a faulty step-ladder, some old screens, and an upright wire rack, among the typical branches and bags of leaves (i can only throw so many in the compost heap, people). it's unsaid, but totally understood that whatever's on the curb is up for grabs. (hey, i'm guilty, i scored a table a hundred years ago this way.)
sitting in the dining room at the computer, i can directly see the street. this morning, no less than 10 cars and trucks (some already LOADED with junk) have stopped to look at our crap. after each vehicle leaves, i go out front to check out how the stuff rearranged and/or what's disappeared. fascinating. the good stuff clearly went fast. (i actually prefer donating annonymously the smallish-big stuff this way, rather than with free-cycle.) check this: someone took the screen frames. not the screen themselves in their intact perfection, but the frames. the screens and the rubber trim are in a neat pile. bizarre. wonder what they're gonna do with them.
Monday, September 26, 2005 @ 11:01 AM proof that i'm a nerd
tiny update
website half-ass updated. much much more to do.
check it here.
and here.
and here.
you might see yerself!
Wednesday, July 20, 2005 @ 11:17 AM proof that i'm a nerd
house update
yep, we're in the thick of it for those who wanted to see a pic. i love to chat it up with the painters and the kids climb on furniture right in front of where someone is scraping and watch so close with their eyes agaist the glass right under the blade. (if i can get a shot, i will. ) i have so much respect and admiration for people who do this kind of work, and in texas no less. they're good people as far as i can tell, probably with wives and kids. i want them to know from the bottom of my heart that i value them as people in my life right now. ok, gotta take out some more ice water.
Thursday, July 14, 2005 @ 12:25 PM proof that i'm a nerd
purge!
anybody who knows me well is aware that i get rid of stuff all the time. today? FIVE black trash bags of crap and ENTIRE dumpster full of stuff. the only room i can't bring myself to tackle.....?
my darkroom. ugh. i need help!
Tuesday, May 10, 2005 @ 04:55 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 518
i'm faint.
people, armageddon may be upon us. i bought a Nikon D-70 today.
i may disappear for a week.
Friday, April 29, 2005 @ 05:35 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 678
mighty 1190
all beatles. all the time. AM radio! yay!
Thursday, April 21, 2005 @ 03:09 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 31180
sara(h) smile.
paul's birthday was yesterday! happy b-day, belated. (don't worry people, he got a nice dinner and a cake... :)
in other news, nyddia and i spent the better part of today painting the Continental Gallery space. my show is framed and in the order they'll be hung in. RELIEF!!! she's going to hang my show tonight and i'm hanging broadhurst's work tonight. (who, incidentally, got a super bad-ass write up in the observer.
and last, my hall and oates obsession continues.... other than they spelled 'sara' wrong, what's with this song?:
sara smile
Baby hair with a woman’s eyes
I can feel you watching in the night
All alone with me and we’re waiting for the sunlight
When I feel cold you warm me
When I feel I can’t go on you come and hold me
It’s you... and me forever
Sara smile
Won’t you smile a while for me
If you feel like leaving you know you can go
But why don’t you stay until tomorrow?
And if you want to be free, all you have to do is say so
When you feel cold, I’ll warm you
And when you feel you can’t go on, I’ll come and hold you
It’s you... and me forever
Sara smile
Won’t you smile a while for me
Wednesday, April 13, 2005 @ 05:39 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 480
future memories.
when i'm a crotchedy-old-mean-lady, i will look back on these days fondly. frames stacked 20 deep in my living room, frantically trying to get prints together. the kids being little. music and parties and art.
"everytime i see you walkin' i can tell you're talkin' to yourself"
chad and paul playing in the living room.
nyddia on the computer in the back.
moving on..... but more on that later.
Monday, April 11, 2005 @ 11:17 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 219
let's hear it for depth of field people!
shot mike graff tonight. loving some of these images. i think we'll have something to work with.
f1.4. yeah!
Sunday, April 03, 2005 @ 11:19 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 8534
problems in darkroom land
everytime i try to order my favorite lith developer, i run into this problem: scarcity
it seems it's only manufactured on a limited basis because no one uses the product. terribly unfortunate for me. in addition, my favorite paper, forte polywarmtone fibre in glossy, is no longer being made. and it's scarce. my backup paper? ilford. and they're getting out of the b&w business too.
looks like the days of me making paper, emulsion, chemicals from scratch are looming. yay! an excuse to justify the time!
one minor-tiny-little detail..... i have a show in about 3 weeks and enough lith to do about 6 prints.
dee-light-ful.
Friday, March 25, 2005 @ 06:02 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 15731
it's just hair.
saturday night : debauchery at the gallery
{paul is dying to get his hands on the scissors}
for those of you who have known me for a while, it was clearly time for another pixie cut. yay!
Tuesday, March 08, 2005 @ 06:02 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 1
10 theory
the tenth song on most cd's is typically one of the best.
case in point: Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band: the tenth song is Lovely Rita.
Thursday, February 17, 2005 @ 01:30 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 1106
ok, what's gonna make it into the movie....
yeah, i think i might just be overly optimistic. oh yeah. or it could just be the wine talking, whatever. got the spring/summer line-up set (or as much as i'm willing to reveal) for the gallery and there's some good stuff coming up. some of my favorite artists will be showing in the next year. how perfect. the april show at continental gallery will be the official/unofficial launch for all the creative goodness that's being born. it's funny, we're all doing the same thing, but it's manifesting itself in different ways. i wish i could post a reference, but yeah, the 30's will be ours. no one has ever accused me of dreaming little dreams.
Sunday, January 09, 2005 @ 10:33 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 450
prostitute garden
mara popped by today. she's also known as mary poppins in some circles. i was just commenting the other day to someone about how no one ever pops by anymore. it's a lost art. i think yvonne and i talked about it once too. i was so pleased that someone came by unannounced. it's such an honor that she feels like she knows me that well. she outta, she was at the births of both the kids.
anyway, we were talking about composting and such and i was telling her that i really want to have a vegetable garden this year. what, with the empty lot next door and all. did you know you can sprout just about anything? i mean, maybe my first grade teacher just sucked, but i didn't know this. or maybe i just forgot. whatever. onions, carrot, potatoes, garlic, beans. anything will grow! i know this is probably not news to anyone and a tad bit jessica simpson of me, but seriously, i'm pretty thrilled.
ok and this may not be much of a fantasy, but i often dream about a magnificent garden. full of flowers and vegetables and herbs and bees.
also. tonight. art prostitute talk at cityplace. 6pm. the guys from ap were on the glen mitchell show today. i missed it, but will be attending the talk tonight with nyddia. hell yeah.
Wednesday, January 05, 2005 @ 03:25 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 652
new year
yeah, so i was fretting and freaking out that i'm about to be waaay to busy with gallery stuff, artists, my own work, my hair brained ideas.... and then flip flopping to the crazy tsunami stuff. then trying not to get depressed about boring stuff like money and then the whole laptop fiasco was occuring and well, i just thought, 'man 2005 is just gonna suck.'
but then a glimmer of hope! i installed the linksys thing myself with no help from paul or the 800 number and i'm feelin' good again. sigh.
Saturday, January 01, 2005 @ 09:32 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 577
diary entry
excerpt from my diary 1986:
this is exactly how i have been feeling lately. disenchanted, but i still want to be an astronaut..... metaphorically speaking.
Monday, December 20, 2004 @ 10:23 AM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 439
visiting galleries does this to me....
is it just me, or was that a-ha video 'take on me' like, totally life changing? remember those days when mtv was awesome? i barely have a tv now. funny. like a-ha funny.
Saturday, October 30, 2004 @ 12:22 AM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 683
pledge week is a bore, everybody say hey-hey
people who know me really well know that i get kinda' restless during the fall pledge drive on KERA. my nerd-o-meter starts beeping and my whole week gets disoriented. i can not wait until friday when this thing is over! seriously.
not all is lost though! the fall membership drive is also when i tune-in to all my rap stations. 106.7 KDL 'the texas party station' is my new favorite. there's this one song where the guy starts listing names of his ladies.... 'moesha, lavonda, crystal, yvonne..... sabrina, cristina, charquinta, shavonne....' or whatever. there's also this classic line about, 'i'm spawnin' now'. the best part is cranking it up with all the windows down (no kids of course) just to see people's expressions. i always flash a purty smile and look in the rearwiew mirror just as i hit the gas. i'm laughing right now just thinking about it. gawd, i'm a nerd. yo.
{good lord, i just googled the words to the freaky-leak song. i'm blushing.}
Wednesday, October 20, 2004 @ 08:35 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 621
oh, blessed day!
i can finally listen to the album leaf and not feel all weird. how fabulous is that?
Monday, October 18, 2004 @ 06:42 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 1260
i'm so lame
i have no will power. i was attempting to do the stanley burroughs master cleanse, and well, i caved on day two. high five to anyone who can stick with that one, geez louise. i ate and ate and ate tonight. and it was soooo good.
Saturday, October 02, 2004 @ 08:58 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 21875
love/hate relationship with printing
i love printing. and i hate it. the difficulty of making hand prints is that time passes.... i shoot work and it may be months or years before i print. it depends on its priority. hand printing proves difficult when i have a deadline. i may be up at all hours of the night or as the case were today, while the kids watch cartoons in the morning.
that being said, the beauty of hand printing is that time passes. i shoot work and it may be months or years before i print. this is a good thing. perspective. if i look at a print in my darkroom and i am immediately transported to the time and place i made the image.... then i know it's a good photograph. if i look at a print in my darkroom and i'm astonished at what i did, then i know its a great photograph. this is true even with some of my most abstract work.
as long as i am able to get the needed supplies, i will continue to utilize a darkroom. printing is active and yet meditative. it's not hard, but a certain mastery is needed to keep the space clean the prints of good quality. my dna is in each print when i go through the trouble of handling a photograph.
the day may come when i can no longer purchase chemistry. most likely i will probably continue to make photographs, but sitting in front of a computer editing and clicking around in photoshop just doesn't sound like a blast to me. i suppose i should learn to paint.
{added later}
i have loads of photographer-friends who have gone digital. many of whom are trying to convince me to do the same (i'm lookin' at you barry). not me, not yet. i'm still really enjoying the hand process and i haven't heard a good enough reason to switch.... yet.
Friday, September 24, 2004 @ 09:59 AM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 538
airing my clean laundry
ok, so how i just cleaned up not one but two instances of cat vomit i'll never know....
by the same token, how i miraculously shot a whole roll of film of my clean laundry drying (at night) while picking up the backyard and then a spider web managed to sprout on my tripod is another mystery all together. (yeah, did that make sense?) i'm obsessed these days about the way the laundry drying out back looks. it's..... uh, pretty. i'm so freaking cheap and frugal, that i refuse to dry my clothes in the dryer while it's over 85 degrees outside. laundry takes up half of my day, but somehow, it's worth it. (?) i mean, i save like maybe 10.00 on my bill, but i get to enjoy the way it looks fluttering in the wind. somehow the math all works out and i'm happy with my decision.
Friday, September 03, 2004 @ 10:46 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 4
me-n-paris hilton
so. i've strated sleeping with an eye mask on at night. it started slowly... i had trouble one night simply keeping my eyes closed because my brain was too active. it worked so well, i put it on a few nights later. and then again, and again and well, now it's every night. like if i don't have it, i'm not sure i'd sleep. the corny part is this eye mask came from my delta airlines freebie travel kit that i scored when i went to paris in march. jiri loves to lift one eye up to see if i'm awake in the mornings. i'm usually not.
Tuesday, August 31, 2004 @ 10:06 AM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 0
why i can't finish a book, i'll never know
in the middle of:
the corrections by johnathan franzen
the elegant universe by brian greene
hamlet's mill by giorgio de santillana
a fine balance by rohinton mistry
and of course in the pike are:
the red tent by anita diamant
bhagavad gita
calgon take me away!
Monday, August 30, 2004 @ 08:23 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 3
huh
it's a good thing i made it home ok. confessions.... talk-abouts.... oh dear. the things i say. what a good night, though. seriously. the kids were about to make me bananas today and my rescue-er mary came in and swooped me up from soccer mommy boredom.... ptl. she gave me the free drink coupons, but unfortunantely or not it was the bud-light guy's night of generosity and so my little free drink coupons meant NOTHING. it's all good. i don't drink bud-light.
gory confessions, did i mention that? it's always a bite in the butt when i do it, but maybe not this time..... cross my fingers. the minc thing was ok. i mean, huh? but i'm glad i went and made an appearance, not that anybody noticed, but it's good to still go.... neighbors and all.
yeah, just re-read and NONE of this makes sense. whew! my spelling is atrocious. even better.... hi yvonne!
Friday, August 27, 2004 @ 12:06 AM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 2
9517. or was it 9715? no, 9157.
so i went! clint and i. clint has no hair and that is the beauty of going with him.
the waiting area: it's like a gym, complete with one of those gym lights that come on and then come on again... you know the type. there are sports team windsocks hanging from the ceiling and a selection of local sports teams stuff in two separate boutique areas. items such as liscense plate holders, pencils, featuring local teams like SMU, UT, the STARS, A&M etc... there are huge photographs of people cheering and waving their team's flag along with the big sponge-hand-thingie. an enormous HD-TV-something-or-other rests in the far right corner of the waiting area. incidentally, that's the 'love' area of the bagua according to feng shui. (more about the tv in a moment.) in the far left corner, the checkout-dugout is in the form of a batting cage complete with a chain link fence enclosure. the dominate color in the waiting area is blue with yellow and red accents. accents, you say? like what? like little signs everywhere that say things like, "point winning play system" (or something) then there's a diagram of some generic looking football plays and the haircutting experience is broken down for you, complete with a 'huddle' which i suppose is the equivalent of a consultation.
on tv: i think it might have been ESPN, but i can't be sure because i don't have cable. i watched and watched and watched and honestly, i have absolutely no earthly idea what the program i was watching was about. football was involved. so were these slow-mo moves of guys in uniform walking down into the stadium with dramatic music swelling behind every footstep, high fives, the coach with the clip board, a random-number-28-guy jumping into the air to catch a football with a beads of sweat spewing off him. the team colors might have been red and yellow, but i can't be sure. the same tire commercial with the token hot chick came on at every break, as did the wal-mart ad peddling game-boy football. at the very end of the show, the music climaxed and a voice said, "his leadership transcended football" and a still shot of a grey haired man appeared. i'm sure somebody, somewhere had goose pimples, but i just sat there feeling like an alien.
the 'cutting area': different floors. tile, this time, instead of a wooden gym floor. the lights have the little cages on them. the stylist stores her equipment in little gym lockers. clippers and clipper acroutrements abound. there is indeed an itsy-bitsy-smaller-than-a-25cents-for-ten-minutes-in-the-airport-tv for each and every patron getting a haircut. at the far end of the cutting area, there's an enormous sign that says "showers", where one gets a shampoo.
the stylists: surprisingly normal. they wear red and white jersey-esque tops with shorts and tennis shoes. clint's stylist was nice, although it did take her nearly an hour to cut off his almost non-existent hair. when the hair cut was over, instead of sweeping the hair off the floor, the stylist vacuumed it up with a vacuum cleaner that is built into the lockers. i was immediately intrigued. where's this hair going? so i excused myself and went to the restroom and lo and behold, a machine called 'suck-maid' or 'service-maid' or something like that was waiting for me. (either way, that's a pretty bad product name) a large container was at the bottom of several large tubes with a warning sign that said, 'do not open'. i wanted to, but i didn't because i was wearing a white shirt today.
the clientele: pretty normal 'guys'. khaki's, shorts, team shirts. some came in and seemed to know the drill. they'd sign in and nonchalantly pick up sports illustrated. some wandered in and had to be told to sign in. i periodically looked out the window to make sure no one i knew was out there. i was a tad embarrased, to be quite honest, and would have potentially been mortified if i'd been spotted.
in summary: someone put a lot of thought into this place. no detail was overlooked. everyone was courteous, including the other folks in the waiting area. the franchise seems to be geared toward little kids. that was the feel of the place. only grown men though, walked in the door and it seemed a little over the top and a rather decadent way to feel like a 'winner'. at the end of my friend clint's haircut, his stylist asked him to generate four numbers he'd remember. that way when he came back, she could replicate his haircut exactly.
Tuesday, August 17, 2004 @ 09:05 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 0
haircut, anyone?
let me not lie. i must go see this place:
ok, truth is i was listening to 92.5 kzps, 'your classic rock station' today in the car. sad, it's true, but i tend to clear-channel surf like mad in the car because it's my only chance to listen to music i would normally never ever listen to. any hip-hop, possibly some rap are also a guilty pleasures of mine and i'm sure to turn my guilty pleasure up as loud as i can (children not in the car of course) for full effect. so the song ends, who knows what, probably boston or styx, right? and this commercial comes on. at first i thought it was a real-american-hero bud light ad, but no, it's for sport clips, where 'guys win'. i couldn't take my ears away from what i was hearing. apparently, one can get a real 'guy haircut' while watching your favorite game on one of the many monitors they have in the salon. they feature free 'neck trims' in between cuts and yes, one can even get a hot towel wrap (or something like that) in lieu of girly salon stuff. most importantly, there's no 'talking', just game watching. this isn't a bad or good thing, just completely bizarre. that's why i want to go. i don't watch 'sports'. but i sure do want to watch a bunch of guys getting their hair cut while watching sports, you better believe it.
the only catch here is i'm serious. i need a volunteer. paul has said, "no way, under no circumstances am i getting a 'guy haircut'." that's a good thing, he's so cute with those side-burns and i'm a sucker for side-burns. i just need a way in! i need someone i know to get a haircut so i can go hang out for a while. read men's journal. sports illistrated. popular mechanics. i have to know if the folks cutting hair are men or if they are women in knock-off hooters uniforms. i must know. i'll pay for the haircut....
Friday, July 16, 2004 @ 09:16 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 2
the sweet smell of selenium
did i mention i love to print? i feel so sorry for folks that have gone completely digital and aren't participating in this part of photography. kay and i were talking about this subject in a round about way on saturday, before i fainted. she said her customers know the difference but don't know they know the difference. they always seem to prefer to real deal. yep. it's good stuff.
lith printing is especially fun because every print is a surprize. i rarely have to do a print over because the surprize is so much better than what i could have done using traditional chemicals. oh and the paper i use is divine. forte. i actually had a moment tonight where i put my hands in the sink and rubbed my hands all over the print and sighed. the texture of this paper is like a wet vinyl record, the kind that's square and red and flimsy..... remember those? so soft. then i pulled my hands out and took a big whiff. the rotten-egg smell of sulphur. nice. of course my hands are buring now, but whatever. nothing a little soap and water can't handle.
Tuesday, July 13, 2004 @ 08:49 PM proof that i'm a nerd | comments > 0
purkinje effect
a phenomenon associated with the human eye, making it more sensitive to blue light when the illumination is poor and to yellow light when the illumination is good.
page F-116, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 58th edition.
