Despite the lack of updates, I am constantly on my blog page. Doing what, you may ask? Oh, just staring mostly. Maybe hoping a new entry magically appeared, drenched in cheeky prose and riddled with fancy adjectives. Alas, every time I check, it's still the same last entry. Magic my ass.
Ok, so I probably shouldn't blame my lack of magical abilities, but more so my drive and focus. I need to be more disciplined. So I have an idea. Actually, I'm stealing an idea from Amy Earles. She's an artist who's work I've bought, who's blog I read, and who's artistic drive I really admire. She usually has a sketch pad by her bedside, and draws before she goes to bed. Great idea. I usually read before I go to bed, but now writing (and drawing) will be my new nighttime activity. Feel free to steal what I've stolen, and tweak it to fit your own needs.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Today...
Today...
> I feel like I'm high on something. I've been in a fog all day long- zoning out, stopping in mid-sentence. It's like my mind and my body are going in opposite directions.
> I couldn't relax during my chiropractic massage until Katherine did some wacky positional release movement on my neck. The relief I felt was so intense, I felt as if I had just finished having a huge sob session, and was ready to just curl up into a blanket and sleep.
> I had to draw a scene that included a giant tub of Greek yogurt. I didn't like what I drew, and I'm probably going to scrap the whole thing. I couldn't think of anything inspiring, and while I was trying to brainstorm,images of chickens kept creeping into my head. I wanted to draw chickens.
> I didn't draw any chickens.
> I feel like the sky looks like a blank piece of recycled paper, and I like it. It's like someone drew me, my house, and my street, and nothing else exists. If I travel outside of my 8 1/2 by 11 inch world, I'll fall into oblivion. It's my own little isolated world, and today, that makes me feel peaceful.
> I enjoyed my lunch outside in the rain.
> there was a man in the waiting area of my chiropractor's office. He kept flirting with the receptionist and it was making her feel uncomfortable. Then he started flirting with the clinic's masseuse. She felt uncomfortable, too. All of this was making me feel uncomfortable.
> I felt kind of frumpy when I realized that the guy in the office was not going to flirt with me.
> my pants are too big, and my shirt is too tight.
> I'm really craving crab, or sushi.
> I've had "The Wind" by Cat Stevens stuck in my head all day long. It makes me want to play the guitar better.
> I've noticed my breathing more than on other days.
> Chickens are pecking their way back into my brain. I think I should draw some chickens.
> I feel like I'm high on something. I've been in a fog all day long- zoning out, stopping in mid-sentence. It's like my mind and my body are going in opposite directions.
> I couldn't relax during my chiropractic massage until Katherine did some wacky positional release movement on my neck. The relief I felt was so intense, I felt as if I had just finished having a huge sob session, and was ready to just curl up into a blanket and sleep.
> I had to draw a scene that included a giant tub of Greek yogurt. I didn't like what I drew, and I'm probably going to scrap the whole thing. I couldn't think of anything inspiring, and while I was trying to brainstorm,images of chickens kept creeping into my head. I wanted to draw chickens.
> I didn't draw any chickens.
> I feel like the sky looks like a blank piece of recycled paper, and I like it. It's like someone drew me, my house, and my street, and nothing else exists. If I travel outside of my 8 1/2 by 11 inch world, I'll fall into oblivion. It's my own little isolated world, and today, that makes me feel peaceful.
> I enjoyed my lunch outside in the rain.
> there was a man in the waiting area of my chiropractor's office. He kept flirting with the receptionist and it was making her feel uncomfortable. Then he started flirting with the clinic's masseuse. She felt uncomfortable, too. All of this was making me feel uncomfortable.
> I felt kind of frumpy when I realized that the guy in the office was not going to flirt with me.
> my pants are too big, and my shirt is too tight.
> I'm really craving crab, or sushi.
> I've had "The Wind" by Cat Stevens stuck in my head all day long. It makes me want to play the guitar better.
> I've noticed my breathing more than on other days.
> Chickens are pecking their way back into my brain. I think I should draw some chickens.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
New York City
Now that Greg is home, I have my camera back. So now, ladies and gentlemen (or the three of you that read these), I can share some of my photos from my trip to New York City....
We took a ferry to the Statue of Liberty. It had been sprinkling all day long, but I kid you not, the minute we stepped foot on the island, it started POURING. Luckily, I had bought a cheap umbrella from a stand in the city. Unluckily, it was a really cheap umbrella that kept flipping inside out. We were soaked by the time we were done with the tour.
I love Central Park. I had gone there the last time we visited NYC, and even though there are so many other sites to visit, I wanted to go back to the park. Greg teased me: "You've traveled across the country, from a state that's filled with parks, and you want to hang out at a park." What can I say? I love parks. But Central Park is way beyond an ordinary park. We ended up walking around the park for hours. Wow, this caption has the word "park" in it a lot.
Ok, don't laugh, but this was at another park. This time, it was Greg that wanted to stop at the park. It's called High Line Park. It stands about thirty feet above the city streets, on top of an old railroad line. The top photo was taken under a covering, and I thought the glass in the background was interesting. I thought the integration of urban and wild was well done.
There are many beautiful cathedrals in New York. We passed by a few, but the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine was one we really wanted to see . It was enormous and absolutely stunning. The unique blend of Romanesque and Gothic style gave the cathedral a look that was uniquely it's own. We tried taking a lot of pictures inside, but alas, my little Casio camera does not take the best pictures in dim lighting. Yes, I'm blaming the camera and not it's operators.
One positive about the rainy weather was the gorgeous night sky enhanced by the city lights and the hazy clouds. I shot these as we were walking back to the hotel. The ACE is only a couple blocks from the Empire State Building. Greg had been frequenting a Walgreen's while he was in NYC. It was about day three when he took another exit of Walgreen's and POW!- he was in the front lobby of the Empire State Building.
We took a ferry to the Statue of Liberty. It had been sprinkling all day long, but I kid you not, the minute we stepped foot on the island, it started POURING. Luckily, I had bought a cheap umbrella from a stand in the city. Unluckily, it was a really cheap umbrella that kept flipping inside out. We were soaked by the time we were done with the tour.
I love Central Park. I had gone there the last time we visited NYC, and even though there are so many other sites to visit, I wanted to go back to the park. Greg teased me: "You've traveled across the country, from a state that's filled with parks, and you want to hang out at a park." What can I say? I love parks. But Central Park is way beyond an ordinary park. We ended up walking around the park for hours. Wow, this caption has the word "park" in it a lot.
Ok, don't laugh, but this was at another park. This time, it was Greg that wanted to stop at the park. It's called High Line Park. It stands about thirty feet above the city streets, on top of an old railroad line. The top photo was taken under a covering, and I thought the glass in the background was interesting. I thought the integration of urban and wild was well done.
There are many beautiful cathedrals in New York. We passed by a few, but the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine was one we really wanted to see . It was enormous and absolutely stunning. The unique blend of Romanesque and Gothic style gave the cathedral a look that was uniquely it's own. We tried taking a lot of pictures inside, but alas, my little Casio camera does not take the best pictures in dim lighting. Yes, I'm blaming the camera and not it's operators.
One positive about the rainy weather was the gorgeous night sky enhanced by the city lights and the hazy clouds. I shot these as we were walking back to the hotel. The ACE is only a couple blocks from the Empire State Building. Greg had been frequenting a Walgreen's while he was in NYC. It was about day three when he took another exit of Walgreen's and POW!- he was in the front lobby of the Empire State Building.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Free Write: Trailing off and Back Again
The clouds are gray and heavy. The ground is drowning in a endless rainfall. The house is dark and quiet, except for the tick tock ticking of the clock on the wall. I'm trying to start my day, but I feel like it is already night. I am not entirely sure how I'm feeling at this moment- content? Drained? Lonely? Rested? Calm? Tired? My heart is slowly beating, my lids are heavy, my breath is deep and steady. Peaceful. Not ecstatic. The rain is soothing, needed, and welcomed, but it's working too well. I am becoming lethargic, indolent, slow-moving. I am a sloth. I like sloths. Sloths are cute. There is a tea house I like to frequent, and the welcome sign has a painting of a sloth, and he's enjoying tea with his other animal friends. I like that painting. My cat has been letting out a whining meow every forty-seven seconds for the last two hours. I am at my breaking point with him...I don't know what that means. He is breaking the calm, the meow is piercing this silent home, and drowning out the methodical tick tock ticking of my old clock. I like my clock. I like the painting of the sloth more.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
(Almost) Success
Last night was my first night of cooking dinner in the new house.
There were few catastrophes.
The meal consisted of lemon pepper and herb chicken atop a bed of orzo and sauteed mushrooms, with an heirloom tomato and cucumber salad. The salad turned out great. The chicken was tasty, but a little dry (I always worry about under cooking chicken), and the orzo - which should have been the easiest part- was salvageable.
I guess I don't read directions well. I looked at the package of orzo (yes, I needed to read the package to see how to cook pasta), and saw: In a large pot, add four cups of water and heat to a rolling boil". Well, I added four cups of water and a little broth for added flavor, allowed it to hit a rolling boil, added the orzo, and waited for the water to return to a boil. Seems simple enough. But no, not for my poor misguided brain. As the orzo cooked, I noticed less and less liquid seemed to be in the pot. Now, I've made spaghetti, penne, and many other more common pastas plenty of times- I know what it's supposed to look like- and this looked wrong.
Just plain wrong.
I reached for the empty package and re-read the directions: Add four QUARTS of water to a large pot.
Dammit!
I quickly heated more liquid in a separate container, and then added that liquid to the already heated pasta. In the end, it tasted all right, but there was a good amount of orzo charred on the bottom of the pot. Pot ruined. Small oopsie, but it did make me a little discouraged. Well, I guess discouraged is the wrong word. I'll say, rather, it made me realize that I need to pay better attention to directions. When it comes to making my way around a kitchen, I am the man who constantly gets lost and refuses to ask for directions. Lesson learned.
There were few catastrophes.
The meal consisted of lemon pepper and herb chicken atop a bed of orzo and sauteed mushrooms, with an heirloom tomato and cucumber salad. The salad turned out great. The chicken was tasty, but a little dry (I always worry about under cooking chicken), and the orzo - which should have been the easiest part- was salvageable.
I guess I don't read directions well. I looked at the package of orzo (yes, I needed to read the package to see how to cook pasta), and saw: In a large pot, add four cups of water and heat to a rolling boil". Well, I added four cups of water and a little broth for added flavor, allowed it to hit a rolling boil, added the orzo, and waited for the water to return to a boil. Seems simple enough. But no, not for my poor misguided brain. As the orzo cooked, I noticed less and less liquid seemed to be in the pot. Now, I've made spaghetti, penne, and many other more common pastas plenty of times- I know what it's supposed to look like- and this looked wrong.
Just plain wrong.
I reached for the empty package and re-read the directions: Add four QUARTS of water to a large pot.
Dammit!
I quickly heated more liquid in a separate container, and then added that liquid to the already heated pasta. In the end, it tasted all right, but there was a good amount of orzo charred on the bottom of the pot. Pot ruined. Small oopsie, but it did make me a little discouraged. Well, I guess discouraged is the wrong word. I'll say, rather, it made me realize that I need to pay better attention to directions. When it comes to making my way around a kitchen, I am the man who constantly gets lost and refuses to ask for directions. Lesson learned.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Baby Steps
I am setting a small goal for myself. Very small. Teeny tiny, but for me, it's a good step in self-improvement. Are you ready for it? Are your inner drum rolls a-rolling?
I am going to cook a meal once a week.
Insert "oohs" and "ahhs" here.
I know, I know. For many people, perhaps everyone, this is not a feat that deems much recognition. For me, it is an accomplishment I can be happy with. I don't cook. I don't think I've cooked a real meal in my new house- ever. Tonight my dinner consisted of Flaming Hot Cheetos and a couple glasses of water, and a meal of this caliber is a normal occurrence. NOT something to be happy with. I'm not talking gourmet here (maybe gourmet every now and then, but let's not get ahead of ourselves), just a meal that involves more than piercing film with a fork and a microwave. So I will plan. I will try. I will cook. I will shine.
Baby steps, people. Baby steps.
I am going to cook a meal once a week.
Insert "oohs" and "ahhs" here.
I know, I know. For many people, perhaps everyone, this is not a feat that deems much recognition. For me, it is an accomplishment I can be happy with. I don't cook. I don't think I've cooked a real meal in my new house- ever. Tonight my dinner consisted of Flaming Hot Cheetos and a couple glasses of water, and a meal of this caliber is a normal occurrence. NOT something to be happy with. I'm not talking gourmet here (maybe gourmet every now and then, but let's not get ahead of ourselves), just a meal that involves more than piercing film with a fork and a microwave. So I will plan. I will try. I will cook. I will shine.
Baby steps, people. Baby steps.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Out on Holiday
Life is too short to sit inside and blog. Well, maybe that's a little too dramatic. Let me try again...
Portland summers are too short to sit inside and blog.
That's better.
I've been under the sun, soaking up rays, floating in rivers, strolling through street festivals, and just admiring the beauty that is an Oregon summer.
My brain is too focused on "WEEEEEE! SUMMER!" to try and put fluid thoughts onto the screen.
I'll be back when the weather cools, the sky becomes gray, and everything feels damp and depressing- so goth. I do my best work when I'm feeling goth.
Portland summers are too short to sit inside and blog.
That's better.
I've been under the sun, soaking up rays, floating in rivers, strolling through street festivals, and just admiring the beauty that is an Oregon summer.
My brain is too focused on "WEEEEEE! SUMMER!" to try and put fluid thoughts onto the screen.
I'll be back when the weather cools, the sky becomes gray, and everything feels damp and depressing- so goth. I do my best work when I'm feeling goth.
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