Moxy, The Proper Working Chair, and Lock-Picking

Monday 5
Sick day. Called in and the folks at the office agreed I should stay out. Wish I could say I did much with the free time, but I was ill. I stayed in, poked more at that video game, cleaned a bit, and laundered some necessaries, all with an ennui to do a snail proud. Primarily I slept a lot.

Called in to catch the boss before he left town. He thanked me for calling and relayed some skeletal instructions for the next couple of weeks. I reckon I can stretch it into two weeks' work.

n Aside: Brandini, Adrift My housemate Matt had some paperwork problems renewing his EMT license, so he is out of work for a week and a half waiting for the papers to clear. Its funny, even though everyone knows its just a formality, and he hasn't lost his job, he can't work until it comes through. So, as a result, we have both been strewn around at home. (I mean "strewn" in the least literal way. This living situation remains, even as a sick-house, the most pleasantly clean men's living quarters in which I have ever had the privilege of taking part.) He also has a cold, though not like my gunk, but is an incorrigible home-body, so he is reliably present at all hours for the next week or two.

Tuesday 6
I felt a good deal more energetic and the sun was out for once, but I still had the gunk and hadn't been cleared to work, so I started tackling things around the house more. I did a copious amount of laundry and some homework and reading, gave the lawn a close cropping and cleared some weeds out of the cracks in the sidewalk.

I don't really remember the whole day because it wasn't that memorable. Being away from work made me not want to do anything. By the end of the day my facebook status read:

I AM REALLY TIRED OF BEING SICK, STUCK AT HOME. Doctor appt. in the morning to find out what the heck is wrong with me.

Wednesday 7
Had an appointment with a Dr. Sullivan, ophthalmologist, about my eyes. Of course, by then they'd cleared up some. I liked his deportment and manner as much as I liked his name and the sense of humor I'd heard floating down the hall. He came highly recommended, and that clearly was because J. Sullivan, M.D., is highly recommendable. He happened to have a dropper-bottle of just the stuff I needed, Vigamox ("moxifloxacin hcl" is more fun to say) already sitting on his desk, so I walked away having paid only a $20 co-pay and no more. (I wrote an anecdote from this morning continued here. I got a lump in my throat when I was writing it. Yes, I am an intolerable sap.)

After being useless for two days, I was quite happy to be back at the office. I couldn't believe, logging in, that my time-card was really blank since the 2nd. Blah.

Someone left the perfect office chair out for free on the curb. I couldn't believe it. Yes, it's a mite rusty and dusty, but I cleaned it up and had all the parts moving soon. I just can't believe I was able to find just the thing. Now if only I could find a proper desk.





As I left the office I got a phone call from Jerry Brinson, an old Louisville friend with whom I had been feeling guilty about falling out of touch. We talked local politics and campaigns, and he told me the usual stories (in full technicolor cussing) in his heavily drawling middle-aged way, and explained how he had his seventh grandchild on the way now. I was so happy to hear from him, I could bust. I really ought to be praying for Jerry and Delois' family more.

Thursday 8
Went to my parents' place for dinner after work. On my way there Rob Evans, another old Louisville buddy who now lives in Atlanta, called me up. I was bummed out I could only talk for a couple of minutes. He's another guy I've been meaning to pray for, and catch up with. I haven't done that since a couple years ago after I visited.

I finished the leftover ham at my parents' house, THEN found out that they're completely broke and trying to figure out how to pay the mortgage this month. I think I would have eaten half the amount if I'd known. Sometimes I wonder about people who complain about the economy, if they really know what it's like to rely on God for money. You end up worrying a bit more but complaining a bit less. There is no reason in the world my dad shouldn't be paid, and there's also no money in the company that was employing him. What's a man to do? As kids I know we were lucky to have parents who even had a mortgage to pay. But many times growing up we ate and wore that mortgage. It makes one grateful for anything.

Friday 9

• I didn't quite finish the homework due at 11:00 AM. I don't know why I hadn't done it sooner.
• I also couldn't find the ol' moxifloxacin, the bottle of which is just too small. They ought to package it in a large, bright-red ball that you can't possibly misplace.
• I left for work in a rush, and realized halfway there that I'd left my phone.

It became clear that I was in the midst of a productivity downswing, a recurring pendulum-type thing just irregular enough that it can't be foreseen and calendared. It is characterized by a dratted absent-mindedness and mild physical clumsiness. I clearly need a return to method.

Went by home for a few minutes to pick up my moxy. Mom had some scriptures to share with me. Then I went to SaltWorks' Friday night study for the first time. I think I may have mentioned before that my friend Jared is going to start getting some much-needed fellowship there regularly, and I want to encourage him in that. Also a lot of my friends (read: members of Martha and The Chores) are involved in it. So, while I had forsworn "college ministry" activities, I may get involved there.

Saturday 10 - Monday 12

These days went by without much event of note, aside from the following. Saturday I cleaned a lot and cooked a mess of food so I will have something to eat. I made my brown ale meat-sauce angel-hair pasta. Matt liked that. I also got out the car cover for my wrecked Accord, since I decided to keep it and "part it out" to recoup some of its value. Of course, I don't want a wreck on my curb, so the car cover was the ideal solution. But it was locked, and the key missing. I felt very satisfied with myself for researching and picking the lock. The feeling of the barrel turning and the hasp opening was the feeling of conquest.



Sunday night's Martha and The Chores practice went well; we adopted two new (to us) songs, in Be Exalted and He is Jehovah. Our versions sound a good deal less corny than the linked recordings.

Chores and Chums

Sunday 21
Late Saturday night and back pain were enough excuse for my body to sleep through the alarm. Was mildly frustrated at not having gone to church. Spent a good part of the afternoon enjoying the sun and working in the yard. My war against the crab grass and weeds wages on, but in general things look a good deal better and less winter-scraggly now, which is rewarding.

The neighbor Michelle told me, very kindly, that I might get a traffic ticket if I park the wrong direction by the sidewalk in front of my house. However draconian the regulation, I am happy she told me.

Evening worship (Martha and the Chores) practice went generally well. Beth "Keybeth" Drew found she enjoys helping lead songs with a mic, so I think I will switch to keyboard on several songs this year. It has been a long time since I tickled the ivories much and I am happy for the chance to pretend at versatility.

Monday 22
Mild excitement at the office over the news my boss has a broken collarbone. Seems he will be out for a couple of days. Very unexpected development.

After work and class I dropped by the hardware store as quickly as possible and got my ammunition: crab grass and weed killer. Arrived home well before dark, changed into my old jeans, ancient Patrick Henry College Soccer long-sleeve tee, destroyed, decade-old Chucks, and yellow rubber gloves. Slight setback in that my quality-concerned roommate Matt had bought a new awesome hose sprayer nozzle that nevertheless does not have a male threading on it, so I had to go dig up the landlord's old busted sprayer head and hook it to the hose and my bottle of mild herbicide. Having carpet bombed the whole lawn with my weaponry, I went to work tackling the next problem.

Peter had been over the night before and woke up the next morning sick as a dog. So I disinfected the door-handles and knobs, and the remote, and a few other things. After that I hit up ol' Trader Joe's, had some beans and rice and a Redpop and called it a day.

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Tuesday 23
Went for physical therapy in the morning, worked, and went home to try to do a few things. Ended up letting Mom talk me into coming over for a family round of Ticket to Ride. Apparently Pete's feeling better.

Wednesday 24
Work, class. Got my exam back, marked 52 out of 50. Not bad.

Went home and met my neighbor/pal Ramsey Rhodes for coffee and discussions about God, among other things, which I think went well. Martha and the Chores and my roommates were meeting for burgers and then heading back to Preston & Ashley Langdon's house for dessert, but Ramsey and I talked for a long time, so I just met them for the second half. We bantered and laughed for hours till we glowed.

Week in the Knees

Wednesday, March 19th, was a boring enough work day. Very little occurred.

Thursday, March 20th, I went to class in the morning, dressed up in my slacks, the dress shoes I bought in that little shop in Rome, and my skinny sweater and tie. I was faux-interviewing for class. I showed my "tree" graphic design piece. Will get the video this Thursday. Then I ran some errands and met Grace for lunch at Pizza My Heart. Went to class and had class break snack for the last time with my classmates. Went home, tried to watch Farewell to Arms (Gary Cooper and Helen Hayes) but found it generally a butchering of Hemingway and went to do my homework, mid-film, before going to bed. Luckily the poster is pretty cool, and doesn't try to make Hayes look pretty.

Friday, March 21st, I worked, but I was worried about homework, so I left a little early. Went home and worked on some homework but had to clean up and go to Bible study before long. Came home from there and worked on homework late into the night.

Saturday, March 22nd, I got up and mowed the lawn, then worked on homework for a couple hours. Went over to the church to practice for Easter Service music, only to find out from Mike that the practice had been canceled. Went home for a couple more hours of homework, then drove over the hill to Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz for Silvanus' super-tame bachelor party. The lamest part of the party was the attempted Silvanus roast, because everyone knows there's nothing about Sil to roast. Overall it was a good gathering. Came back by 9 and worked on homework.

Easter Sunday was a sleepy morning. Went to church at 8:30 to help set up tables and chairs outside for the impending wedding reception, then went into church and half-worshipped, half-dozed. Note to self: even if it's awesome and amazing that I can pay attention even while fading in and out of consciousness, I probably shouldn't do it. Went home and napped. Went to Sil and Sarah Grace's wedding, enjoyed it more than I thought I was going to. One of the bridesmaids was drop-dead gorgeous and by all accounts a godly young woman, so I sent my little brother toodling over there as soon as the reception was underway, post-haste. He couldn't break the ice, which means her ice is amazingly thick. After, Octavia, Daniel, Bethany, David, Trent, Peter, Chris, Mike Abraham, Katie, Jenny and I went to BJ's for drinks and appetizers. We had a kumbaya sort of mushy talk where we all told each other how much we appreciate each other. Then went home.

Tight, Tight Chromallishment

Tuesday, 3/18/2008, I went to class in the morning, worked a bit, wrote a one-page paper, painted all afternoon, and got to color class a bit late. Met Peter at the Great Mall because we were going to look for dress clothing at H&M. Note to self: I do NOT fit in H&M 30-30 pants. And it isn't my weight. We spent a while driving around talking on our cell phones looking for a coffee shop, couldn't find one, and drove back from Milpitas to south San José. Went to the usual Starbucks, and ran into my old coworker Kellan there, as well as Tony. Went home, invented the new craze, called nourishmogging, and then crashed.

Today, 8/19/2008, I just worked. Going home to do homework soon. And I pretty much don't have time to do anything else.

Paperist Interviewiary Inketty Scotchal Museumine Theatricality

Monday I went to work. Worked. Prepared for an interview. Didn't finish my paintings for color class. Wished I had, but they're not technically due till next Tuesday.

Tuesday morning at nine I had an evaluation on the draft of my final paper for my "today's working artist" class. My prof had questioned whether I could fit all of the history of poster art into five double-spaced pages, but he liked the paper and conceded that the only changes needed were of a grammatical nature. At ten I had an interview with the Marketing/Communications department at De Anza College. They put me at ease for the most part and most of the review went smoothly, except it felt pressed for time and the discussions about politics were a bit awkward. But then, political discussions usually are; thus the career shift into something I actually love doing! Marisa, the Director of Marketing, also graciously introduced me to a gentleman who needs graphic design work done for a CD cover, but I doubt he'll actually contact me about it. Note to self: get some business cards, pronto. Worked on my paintings for the rest of the afternoon and then in color class studio. Still wasn't done at 5:30 for class discussion; the legato piece was done but the staccato and crescendo were both still partially painted.

Wednesday I worked. More mediation prep. The printer wasn't working by the end of the day. Needed more ink, we didn't have any. Seems like it's always the photo cyan that goes first. I will say this. The HP Photosmart 3200 printer is worlds below the Canon Pixma iP6600D. There is no comparison, even as a backup printer. I just couldn't publish my work on the HP, period. Went home late from work because of the printing problems, having not even finished.

Yesterday I had no classes. By a freak coincidence, both classes happened to be out. I spent the morning remedying the printing problems at work, and then spent the afternoon in Mountain View. I was on my way to the Community School of Music and Arts, but stopped at BevMo to see if they have my illusive favorite scotch whiskey. Why? Because in January when I needed scotch I couldn't find any Sheep Dip. Turns out they have it at BevMo, regularly stocked. So I know where to find it next time. Google maps ran me into a dead end about two blocks from where I should have been, and I had a helluva time trying to find the right road to the CSMA. I finally got there, and I folded my hands behind my back as I perused their small museum, then asked for help from the front desk. One of their resident visual artists, Kyle, gave me a tour and explained the organization's functions and purpose. An amiable sort of chap, he led me around their small but impressive facility and showed me their art studios, classrooms and private lessons rooms, and concert hall. I learned a lot about their mission and should have more than enough for the "today's working artist" group project I need it for. It should also double nicely as an extra-credit museum paper for my color class.

Went home, studied a bit, cleaned a bit, looked at the wrong clock the whole time. I say the wrong clock because I only know in hindsight that it's the only clock in the house that hasn't yet been "sprung" forward an hour. As a result, I was 10 minutes late to the community theater's delightful, sold-out production of My Fair Lady, in which my old buddy Brett Carlson plays several minor characters. Since I was late, I had to watch the first half of the play standing, but it was still worth it. I assume the production was sold out because it is brilliantly performed, but also because it is the inaugural production to be shown in Foothill College's absolutely beautiful new Lohman Theater building. Brett and I hung out after, past midnight, chatting about girls and career past midnight over Denny's burgers.

Projmedlasewhiteys + Nubile Onslaught

Yesterday, 3/6/08, I headed to class with my written assignments in my hands. Turned in some handouts, got some more. Met with my project group briefly; nobody knows what they want to do but they're less ambitious than I am, which is understandable since I usually set unrealistically high project goals. Talk talk talk. Dropped by the office, where mediation prep is in full swing on three cases simultaneously. Needless to say, there is occasional confusion. I went to see Dr. Choi again for my back and neck, and again got some laser treatments and physical therapy. Went home, didn't work on homework. Talked on the phone briefly with Rob, chatted online briefly with Hilary and swapped texts with Leah. Kenneth participated in the chat vicariously, or so I'm told. Received the usual crap from my brother for having too many friends in different parts of the country. Rob sent me a link to the following site, which made my week.


Stayed up a little late editing a paper for Trent.

Today has been relatively brisk, catching up at work on some graphics I hadn't polished up for print yet, getting binders ready for mediations. Went to Valley Fair on my lunch hour to look for some new work attire, dressier clothing, etc. Didn't come out with anything. No particular tie or pair of slacks or shoes was calling out to me. I hate malls. In a rare event, I will now present you with a piece of media. The following advertisement video made me tear up a little. It's just that right-on. The fact that they treat the beauty industry the way Nancy Reagan treated drugs, well, I find it appropriate and applause-worthy.

Sleep Dep, Poster Paper & Nitrous Branding

Monday - So Sunday night I stayed up late working on a 5-page paper draft, on the topic of the overarching history of poster art, that I thought was due Thursday. Because I thought it was due Thursday, I also spent some of the evening being social, but in retrospect I would have been better off asleep by midnight instead of ridiculous lateness, because I still had to get up in the morning and go to work. Called Grandma on the way to work, to tell her about the job interview on Friday. Work was normal, and I was generally awake and functional, so no harm done. Went home, then realized the five pages were due Tuesday, not Thursday, and tried to work on my paper, really couldn't get a good momentum going until after midnight.

Tuesday - On no sleep, I managed to finish the five-page paper on poster art history. I tied 16th century Japanese Ukiyo-e polychromatic prints through to Jason Munn, so I feel pretty happy with the historical breadth of the five pages, but considering they had to be double spaced, the depth wasn't what I would want. By 7:00 a.m. I had finished the paper. So I moved on to my other homework, which included researching local art communities for a half hour, then writing a paper reflecting on my experiences creating the poster for Hannah that she couldn't ultimately use anyway. That paper read a little bit like it might have been written by a Dickensian drunkard instead of a Nos (and Red Bull and coffee and RockStar) infused, sleep deprived art student. The rest of the day went fine. I went to my chiropractor again for physical therapy on my neck and back. He used laser treatments for the first time. I had to wear safety goggles. He skirted billing questions, so, so I skirted MedPay questions.

Wednesday - I woke up to an "I'm bummed" text from a friend, couldn't think of anything to say really, realized I hadn't really been spending time in scripture lately. Did a little of that. Work day again, slow and a little sloppy. Can't have much more of that or it'll catch up with me. Heard back from the department where I interviewed, accepted an invitation for a second interview next Tuesday. It's tougher this time since I am to "bring anything I want to show," which probably means I need to have better reasons for the fewer pieces I select. Director of Marketing. Gotta impress! Midnight found me still working on homework, a handout for "Today's Working Artist" class, on the topics of the MFA degree as a pyramid scheme, by Karen Kitchel (excellent article), and another on democratic education by bell hooks (which wasn't so compelling, actually.)

Rainy Museum Trip & Prep for Temptation

Saturday, February 23, 2008

• Driving in the Rain - I was going to wake up at 9:30 and drive to Berkeley, maybe with Brian. Instead I couldn't sleep Friday night so I woke up at 11:30, got ready slowly, and headed out without Brian because it had become to late and he couldn't go. Still needed coffee, so I went by the most comfortable Starbucks, Snell & Santa Teresa, to get a bev. That was kindof a bummer because I was trying to call Tony Buccino to come with me to Berkeley, but he was working a shift at the bux. So I hung with him while I ate my lunch there instead of on the road. Then I went and bought black umbrella with a curved handle, and some Skittles (personal favorite) of all three flavors, to smuggle into the museum. I drove my Accord to Berkeley, taking 85 to 17/880 to 580 to University avenue. Julia was eating a sandwich and told me to call her later, and several other people did not answer their phones. Jed picked up and we talked about everything but what we'd been planning on talking about. He actually got on Google maps and navigated me through Berkeley to my destination, the Berkeley Art Museum.



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• The Museum - You can see what time I actually arrived (that is, the 3:11, not the 4:11).
  
  
  Upon entry, I found that they had special pricing. $8 general admission, free for Berkeley students, $50 for registered Republicans, and $5 if you're a total stud. You can see which one I was.
  
  


• The Exhibit - Even though the museum currently has a huge collection of Francisco de Goya's etchings downstairs from Los Caprichos, and I was most interested in that, the exhibition I needed to see was Enrique Chagoya's Borderlandia exhibit, which is primarily comprised of political and social parody pieces copied from other iconic works of historical painters. There had been a field trip with my college class, but I had to work, so I needed to make it up on my own time.
  
   
   
  
  His work is acclaimed for its use of familiar images of French art and particularly American pop art (such as Mickey Mouse and Superman) as symbols of an oppressive American or "white" culture that condescends to and injures Mexican cultural and economic interests. I found this to be a very effective form of art, and I consider him to be very talented. The emotional response was repulsive, however, because while he showed American cultural icons trampling Mexican or native central American cultural icons, his work also mocks the culture of my fond memories, essentially spitting on childhood favorites like Captain America and Superman. I found this to an ineffectual way to rally sympathy for his position, because I did not feel that my culture was trampling his, but rather felt that his high art was derisively trampling my childhood associations. This raises the question, whose culture should be allowed to trample someone else's culture? Should a white person be trampled upon simply because someone thinks white people ought to be?


• Driving in the Rain, Part Deux - Driving back home I had meant to call Jed, but I'd also said I'd call Julia back. She was done with her sandwich, so we talked about a lot of stuff, mostly God and how to witness to Muslims and Hindus. That actually lasted longer than I thought, and I was almost home by the time I called Jed, who didn't pick up.


• Lecture Preparation - I spent some time into the night working on my lecture for the following morning. My church's leadership recruited me to help teach through a Bible study written by the late great Jean Gibson called BCT, or Basic Christian Training, the second in a series after Survey in Basic Christianity (SBC). Mine was a topic based on chapter 7, "Overcoming Temptation." The following are my lecture notes. According to my thinking, the best ways to overcome temptation are to know the sources of that temptation then know what helps you make that decision (and keep making that decision) not to give in.