Saturday, December 13, 2008

Xmas Traditions


It's true. I LIKE xmas.

My apartment has a few xmas traditions:
1. We make a gingerbread house
2. We play dreamphone. Y
3. Watch a x-mas movie
4. Pass out.
5. Wake up thinking... "IT'SSS XXXMMMAAASSSS!!!!!!"
6. Eat pancakes
7. Exchange Gifts
8. Go to work. (Xmas is usually on a weekday)

The photo is this year's tree by Leeanne.

Friday, December 12, 2008

THE MOON



Tonight the moon will look 14% bigger and brighter.

Also, there will be a meteor shower for the next two nights.

Look up.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Numbers

I've gotten by for a long time with a very minimum understanding of math. It's sad really. I learned math in school...well, i was 'educated' in basic math; but i never fully comprehended it. Also, i have a fairly good intuitive sense of what an answer might be and so i squeezed by, learning just enough to do well on tests. When, though, in everyday life would i use the quadratic equation? I have a sense that math is a sort of secret language and the only words i know are "hello, how are you?"; "Where is the bathroom?" Anyone who's ever studied a language knows that those phrases are great until the person you're talking to responds.

Starting today..well, yesterday really, I am committed to learning math. Starting at the very beginning. Numbers. As part of this personal project, im going to attempt to visualize the explanation of mathematics and concepts that i never could really "see".

Let's see how long this lasts for.

I have, in my possession a math review textbook (algebra, geometry, and trig), a binder filled with graph paper, a calculator, a pen and pencil. I'm ready. I think im ready.

more to come

Thursday, December 4, 2008

The Economy (is) Stupid.

Fact: Buying less is GOOD for the PLANET.
Fact: Buying less is BAD for the ECONOMY.

Ways people feel about the the economic situation:
Optimistic.


Sad.


Angry


Thoughtful


My generation thinks like this.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Innovation Tips and Tricks














There are days like this. Yesterday was one of them. Maybe today too.

If you try to satisfy everyone you’re satisfying no one.

If you try to satisfy everyone you’re satisfying no one.

How many stories a day do you give full attention to?

Visualize math. How can you see numbers?

Here’s an amazing math thing. 1+2=3 one thing plus one thing means there will be three things.

What is this?

Math cultural things. Im giving you math hints and you’re not paying attention

Figuring out things on your own means that you’ve really learned something.

Learn new ways to learn things.

Simplify.

Monday, December 1, 2008

10 Tips and Tricks for Getting Through the Day While Being Mildly Entertained.

Have some time to wast--- i mean, UTILIZE? Try one of these fun activities:

1. General Epidermal Inspection. How is the skin on your forearm doing? What about your cuticles? Any new moles or ingrown hairs? Remember, don't pick too much. (5 min-1hour depending on amount of exposed skin)

2. Nail Biting. It's not sanitary or attractive, but it is satisfying to peal that top layer of nail off and to nibble away at any inconsistencies. (1-3 min)

3. Hair Removal. Notice any unnaturally long/dark/new hairs...pluck them away. (1-3min)

4. Change Your Altitude. Sit at the tallest table/surface in your area. Check out the new view, fresh air, and notice the effect this has on your social positioning. (20min-1+hours)

5. Draw. A writing utensil is really your greatest weapon against boredom. Drawing on paper, new scrap or otherwise, or on any non-paper surface (including yourself) is a great way to entertain yourself and you'll almost always have something to show for it. (1min-8+hours)

6. Change It Up. Cross your legs...now cross them the other way. see, wasnt that fun? Now sit up straight. Now slouch. Which do you prefer. How do you look/feel? (1-5min)

7. Take a Trip. Remember, you always need* water, coffee, "fresh air", or something from the supply closet. *While these may not be considered needs, they are your basic rights as an office worker. (5-20min)

8. Double Check. Go back to your desk. Look around, you probably forgot something that you'll need later. (2-3min)

9. Rearrange/Organize. Organize your tools. example: Writing Instruments. I suggest keeping your black pens together, maybe subdividing them into ball point and felt tip. Colored felt tips i like to to keep mixed up. Pencils should be seperated always. But think of a system that works for you and change it up as often as you like. (10-20min)

10. Look at the People Around You. There is a wealth of inspiration in both the idiosyncrasies and the commonalities of the people in your line of sight. Watch and learn. Take note. Draw pictures. Enjoy.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

The same shit.

Time does not change people, really. No matter now much you want it to.
Some people were meant to be on stage, and some are meant to build stages, and some are meant to be in the audience.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

No time?

I met a very interesting guy in LA who was telling me that time was one of the factors that gets in the way of mathematically creating a theory of everything. So maybe time doesn't exist.

More to come on this.

for now:
Radical Routes to a Theory of Everything

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

my job.

Figuring out what "ought to be" and how to get as close to that as possible.
-RER


Searching for a pure idea that can exist in its entirety as a thought.

Parents who scare their children.





Monday, November 17, 2008

Cities at Night

An orbital tour around the world of cities at night.

"The brightest spot on earth, Las Vegas, Nevada; our beacon for humanity." --that's embarrassing.

WATCH THE VIDEO SLIDESHOW THING

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Weird.

i just read previous two posts and realized the similarities. Also, as i'm writing this, i'm listening to someone reading the definition of a hurricane:

"The word hurricane was a name given to nature's strongest storm. A hurricane occurs when high pressure and low pressure masses of air come in contact with one another. There is often a significant difference in temperature between the two masses. One mass is warm, while the other is cold. The warmer air rises, and the cooler air falls. Likewise, the low pressure areas slides down the sides of the high pressure area. They swirl in and around one another, creating the beginnings of the storm."

My Power Animal.

I was talking to my brother today who told me that when he comes up for thanksgiving he's going to lead my family through a psychic exercise which will reveal our personal "power animals." Now, you see, I've always imagined that my power animal is a raccoon. It's not even that i like raccoons or want to be a raccoon... but i just thought that mine would probably be a raccoon. Since i can never wait for anything, i searched google for some tips on discovering your power animal and ran a beta-test at home. First of all, it took a whhiillleee. Visions don't just appear. It takes a long time to just relax. This becomes glaringly obvious, when you're laying down having to reapeat, "relax, relax, relax..." I'm not a relaxed person. ever. i dont know why.

It took a time, and then the waves of color came. almost like a screen saver, a blackness with washes of transparent colors that rise and fall like waves. Sometimes rushing into each other creating spinning vortexes that you feel yourself being sucked into. and you feel your whole body relax. finally. and because the colors and movement are so amazing you can focus on that and nothing else. finally. and that happens for a while, and it takes a while to really focus on not even the colors but just the movement you feel. Your body is floating. Everything disappears. and new waves of color fade in, seeming like soft focus photographs... green grass, yellow light and long grey hair being blown back by a strong wind. And the image, which was more like a slow motion video was zooming out and i could see it was a horse pushing through a storm on an open plane. White sky, green grass, and a grey horse alone in an empty field pushing against a hurricane of wind.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

What am I doing?

Staring at the white sky, listening to naked branches scrape at the wind. Collecting myself.

Friday, November 14, 2008

A new post. finally.

I dont know if i was cut out for blogging. but i think im going to start another. The new one will be updated even even more infrequently than this is. It's going to capturing the The Rules of My Life. It will serve as a notebook where i can capture, catalog, view, and store all of the rules that i, as an individual, set and try to live by. A personal set of commandments that change and evolve with time and experience. This is for me.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Theory of Everything


I had an art show. It was fun.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

I know, i know...

I'm a failure in completion. I make promises i dont keep to even myself. I've learned that i am a slow slow worker. It's disapointing. For as quick witted as i can be (and that is in no way a compliment to myself)--but for as fast as i can spout out bullshit, i do actual work extremely slowly. I think that my imganitation develops like a very slow polaroid. Images come to me, but over days or sometimes week. and i distract myself too often. Even now.

I need to learn how to work faster and to focus.

While i do work slowly, the questions and answers are constantly forming in my head. Im exploring as many possibilities, mentally, as i can think of before each and every action. It is a constant annoyance to have that endless stream of consciousness which is more often wrong than right.

Friday, July 4, 2008

Okay..so day 4...

...aaannd not as productive as i would have liked. I mean, i've been relllaaaxxxiiinnggg, maaannn... and it's totally worth it. I had a massage that was fucking amazing and needed. im basically the most selfish person ever. i know. my family reminds me whenever they get the chance. i wont even get into it. I'm working on my astronaut painting...trying it finish it and phase out the astronaut. Also, im going ot paint over my big square military painting witha fractured landscape. Time, light, and space are my themes this month. Today is fourth of july. i dont feel particularly patriotic. i think the fact that im about to paint over top of a military guy speaks to that. It's really the color that's killing me mostly. It's gross.

Idea: do that house silohette (also learn to spell that word)... but the houses with flickering TV lights in the window as a .gif or animation.
It will be easy. just do it.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Day One, half way through.

So what have I actually done today? I spent the morning easing into my day, i guess... well, that's not entirely accurate. i mean, i did wake up at 6. I dressed and packed up my stuff and walked over to the space where i dropped off my things before heading to the gym. I did a pussy-ass workout. ****** i walked to the space to paint. It feels good to paint. it feels good to move slowly. Though, really i should have made more progress than i did. i did do soommeethings today. I dropped off mail, paid some bills, bought a broom and a paper towel holder (it's called growing up, maybe you've heard of it.) I rented a movie. 10,000BC. It's about cavemen i think. It's weird being in blockbuster in the middle of the day.

Day 1: the plan

Exercise...cant decide if i should swim or run, but these are the options im giving myself. I'm thinking swimming at the gym as i do not feel like driving at all today.
Massage: what better way to start my vacation than to outsource relaxation.
Finish painting of triangles and astronaut.
Begin project on Time.

Monday, June 30, 2008

The Beginning

Discipline is what I lack most, I think. This blog is my first project of the month of July. My month of selfishness. I work for myself only. I must criticize myself with the same harsh honesty I've applied to the world around me. A daily record of events and maybe even thoughts. I must make time for me.

I finished work today at 6:05. My wristwatch reminded me to end my day, return home and start my vacation. Only I am not vacating. When I entered my house I found everyone as they should be. I was happy. The house was alive and content. I left to walk with gary and some music. I caught the last hours of sunlight walking quickly down crowded newbury street and into the park where i sat and watched the city go black and the sky weigh down on the buildings. Watching the signs of man's progress, the electric lights, the cars, the control of space, i relaxed for a little while.