So the other day I am sitting on the can as I am want to do from time to time. You know, mind my own business doing my business. Nothing really unusual about this. So I finish my "duty" and I move to the vanity to wash my hands. Out of the corner of my eye I see something move from behind the toilet to the side of the vanity. I look around the corner and there on the vanity is a little green lizard! Well is scared the bejesus out of me at first cause that was the last thing I was expecting. However, the next question was, "What the hell am I gonna do with this lizard?" I can't just stomp him like a bug because 1) I like lizards and 2) it would make a huge freaking mess of lizard guts all over the wall. So I go into the kitchen and get two plastic cups. Now the entire time I am thinking how fast this thing is and how the hell I am going to catch him with two plastic cups.
So I go into the bathroom and try and scoup the little guy up. As expected the little shit is fast as lighting, he also jumps. Not like little hops, I mean full on Air Jordan leaps tall buildings in a single bound kinda jumping. So whatever he jumped over my hand the first time so I had to reposition and adapt. I figured out that lizards don't "hear". I was able to tap on the wall behind it and he didn't react. So what I did was distract him with one cup in front of him by moving it around...like I was hypnotizing him and then while he was distracted scoop him up from behind. Well, it worked and I caught him. I then proceeded to run outside to a tree on my front lawn and let him go. Of course he didn't want to come out of the cup, but he did and ran off. Two things about this. One I felt pretty damn clever for being able to catch this thing, kind of like the Croc Hunter. Two, I was really happy that I didn't have to kill him. If it was a bug I probably would have taken him out and then cleaned up the mess, regardless of the size of the bug. But if felt good to solve the problem using non-violent means.
So ends my story.
PS this lizard was actually an anole I think rather than a gecko. Not that I know what he difference is
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Saturday, May 28, 2005
VACATION! and babies?
Today was my first day of vacation. The quarter is over and I think I did pretty well, although not as well as my first quarter. This vacation though is much needed, I did nothing but sleep today and to cap it all off I had a kick ass dinner at a place called Montana's, where I think I will be spending some late night come the weekends.
I don't really have any great stories to tell or things to write down, although it seems that everyone I know is having kids. My best friend Paul and his wife Brianne had a little girl a few weeks ago, named Isabella. Then my good friends Jamie and Michelle just had a baby boy named Justin Michael. Don't worry readers, pictures of these kids will follow! Just as soon as I get parental permission.
So my plans for vacation are simple, I have a lot of work to photograph and scan and get them online for the world to see! Or maybe just to show some of my friends the crap I produce on a weekly basis...
Anyway that is all from my corner of the world. I tried to watch some NASCAR today, and that is one aspect of southern culture I just can't deal with. It is the DUMBEST thing I have ever seen. So without any more interuption, I am going to watch Cartoon Network till I pass out.
Here is a topic of discussion for all my devoted readers, "Why is every girl I have the slightest attraction to, has a significant other?"
Edge
I don't really have any great stories to tell or things to write down, although it seems that everyone I know is having kids. My best friend Paul and his wife Brianne had a little girl a few weeks ago, named Isabella. Then my good friends Jamie and Michelle just had a baby boy named Justin Michael. Don't worry readers, pictures of these kids will follow! Just as soon as I get parental permission.
So my plans for vacation are simple, I have a lot of work to photograph and scan and get them online for the world to see! Or maybe just to show some of my friends the crap I produce on a weekly basis...
Anyway that is all from my corner of the world. I tried to watch some NASCAR today, and that is one aspect of southern culture I just can't deal with. It is the DUMBEST thing I have ever seen. So without any more interuption, I am going to watch Cartoon Network till I pass out.
Here is a topic of discussion for all my devoted readers, "Why is every girl I have the slightest attraction to, has a significant other?"
Edge
Thursday, May 19, 2005
A long time ago...
I know it has only been out for 24 hours but if you haven't seen Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, you NEED to. It was great. It tied up all the loose ends and also add some new questions to the mix. It was fun and it was dark and it was awesome. Go see it, you won't regret it. Also, I love Yoda
mark
mark
Monday, May 09, 2005
Tales of Savannah Part XXII: This shit ain't funny anymore
Savannah, GA was described in a local newspaper as being a beautiful woman with a dirty face. I agree with that statement whole heartedly but I would also go further and say that Savannah is a beautiful crack whore with a dirty face. She needs a lot of rehab.
In the past two weeks some serious shit has gone down both in my life and in SCAD community. Let me begin with the SCAD community. The student body received an email not too long ago relating that a young woman who is a Freshman at SCAD was abducted at gunpoint and raped around 1 pm about 100 ft from the entrance to one of the "secure" dormitories. She was forced to drive to South Carolina where she was then raped and was told that she was going to drive to Florida where she would be killed. After being violated the girl stopped at a traffic light and faked car difficulty then ran the light and crashed into on-coming traffic. After the crash she ran from the car and escaped with her life. Her attacker ran off and as of yet has not been aprehended.
Now I don't have the whole story, the school is very hush hush about this. Also, I don't know the victim and I am not about to look into her case. I think she would want privacy at this time and being that she is probably a minor she will not appear in any of the newspapers. But word on the street is she is back at school and for the most part, ok. The word also is that her attacked is a local serial rapist who has been doing this sort of thing for a while. Now I know a friend of this girl who said that she made a positive id to the police, but where it went from there I have no idea.
Folks this city is fucked up. Now I know shit like this happens in all sorts of cities but this brutal attack happen shortly after the mayor of Savannah held a town hall meeting about the violence and crime plaguing the city. Furthermore this attacker apparently has no fear because he did this crime in the middle of the fucking day, in a rather populated place, in front of a dorm that is surrounded by security shacks. This tells me the criminal element is not afraid of the law or the police which indicates that Savannah is clearly weak on crime and innocent people are paying for it. That cannot be tolerated. With every waking second I become more and more disgusted to the point where vigilantism doesn't seem like such a bad idea.
Let me tell you what else pisses me off. This girl should not have been attacked obviously but the fact it happened so close to a drom angers me. Everyday we are forced to show our ids to get into buildings, we are required to have passes on our cars, the security guards enforce these rules pretty strictly and I have a feeling things are even more strict in the dorms. Yet the reality is, the security force at SCAD is more like prison guards than they are protectors of the student body. The people they hire are a joke, I can't tell you the number of times I have caught the guard asleep at a buidling that is a high traffic area for students but also is in one of the worst neighborhoods in the city. Not to mention, that I am pretty sure I could bust down the door of any SCAD facility and cause a serious problem and not have to worry about the security guards controlling me. These people for the most part are a joke. They are mostly women, which far be it from me to be a sexist pig, but most of the time they are doing their nails or talking on the cell phone and they sure as hell aren't going to restrain me, what about a gun toting crack head!?
Furthermore I have had a few experiences with the Savannah Metropolitain Police and I can't say I am very impressed.
Case in point this past Saturday night while at the movies my car window was smashed and I was robbed. My book bag was stolen. Now there was not much in it other than class notes but the bag itself was custom made for me. My CDS and sunglasses were in the car but they were untouched. I was parked outside my friend's house and his neighbors were all home. No one saw a thing. The police arrived about 10 minutes after I called them. Not a bad response time. The officer asks for my id and registration, then looks at my car. That was about it. He gave me a brochure with the report number so I could file my insurance claim (A WHOLE OTHER DISASTER!) and was on his way. He told me to bring my car in the next for CSI guys to try and get a print. Yeah they are gonna get a print off of 100 lbs of broken glass!
So once again I am cleaning up broken glass out of my car, and I made a window out of saran wrap and duct tape, which did nothing for the noise on the way home.
Now in the grand scheme of things what happened to me could have been a lot worse. My run in with the criminal element is in no way as serious as my fellow female classmate. But the anger and the feeling of violation is still pretty great. I can't help but feel angry and yet I have no one to be angry at. That is truly a frustrating feeling not to mention the reality of the situation making me realize that I can not just live freely in Savannah. No I have to be constantly on my guard, aware of my surroundings and who is around. I essentially have to treat every waking moment I am in that city as being in enemy territory and everyone there is out to get me. THAT SUCKS! I am frustrated and angry and completely disgusted with myself, with this city and with the son of bitch who broke into my car. But the worst thing of all is that there isn't jack shit I can do about it and that is a truly sickening feeling.
In the past two weeks some serious shit has gone down both in my life and in SCAD community. Let me begin with the SCAD community. The student body received an email not too long ago relating that a young woman who is a Freshman at SCAD was abducted at gunpoint and raped around 1 pm about 100 ft from the entrance to one of the "secure" dormitories. She was forced to drive to South Carolina where she was then raped and was told that she was going to drive to Florida where she would be killed. After being violated the girl stopped at a traffic light and faked car difficulty then ran the light and crashed into on-coming traffic. After the crash she ran from the car and escaped with her life. Her attacker ran off and as of yet has not been aprehended.
Now I don't have the whole story, the school is very hush hush about this. Also, I don't know the victim and I am not about to look into her case. I think she would want privacy at this time and being that she is probably a minor she will not appear in any of the newspapers. But word on the street is she is back at school and for the most part, ok. The word also is that her attacked is a local serial rapist who has been doing this sort of thing for a while. Now I know a friend of this girl who said that she made a positive id to the police, but where it went from there I have no idea.
Folks this city is fucked up. Now I know shit like this happens in all sorts of cities but this brutal attack happen shortly after the mayor of Savannah held a town hall meeting about the violence and crime plaguing the city. Furthermore this attacker apparently has no fear because he did this crime in the middle of the fucking day, in a rather populated place, in front of a dorm that is surrounded by security shacks. This tells me the criminal element is not afraid of the law or the police which indicates that Savannah is clearly weak on crime and innocent people are paying for it. That cannot be tolerated. With every waking second I become more and more disgusted to the point where vigilantism doesn't seem like such a bad idea.
Let me tell you what else pisses me off. This girl should not have been attacked obviously but the fact it happened so close to a drom angers me. Everyday we are forced to show our ids to get into buildings, we are required to have passes on our cars, the security guards enforce these rules pretty strictly and I have a feeling things are even more strict in the dorms. Yet the reality is, the security force at SCAD is more like prison guards than they are protectors of the student body. The people they hire are a joke, I can't tell you the number of times I have caught the guard asleep at a buidling that is a high traffic area for students but also is in one of the worst neighborhoods in the city. Not to mention, that I am pretty sure I could bust down the door of any SCAD facility and cause a serious problem and not have to worry about the security guards controlling me. These people for the most part are a joke. They are mostly women, which far be it from me to be a sexist pig, but most of the time they are doing their nails or talking on the cell phone and they sure as hell aren't going to restrain me, what about a gun toting crack head!?
Furthermore I have had a few experiences with the Savannah Metropolitain Police and I can't say I am very impressed.
Case in point this past Saturday night while at the movies my car window was smashed and I was robbed. My book bag was stolen. Now there was not much in it other than class notes but the bag itself was custom made for me. My CDS and sunglasses were in the car but they were untouched. I was parked outside my friend's house and his neighbors were all home. No one saw a thing. The police arrived about 10 minutes after I called them. Not a bad response time. The officer asks for my id and registration, then looks at my car. That was about it. He gave me a brochure with the report number so I could file my insurance claim (A WHOLE OTHER DISASTER!) and was on his way. He told me to bring my car in the next for CSI guys to try and get a print. Yeah they are gonna get a print off of 100 lbs of broken glass!
So once again I am cleaning up broken glass out of my car, and I made a window out of saran wrap and duct tape, which did nothing for the noise on the way home.
Now in the grand scheme of things what happened to me could have been a lot worse. My run in with the criminal element is in no way as serious as my fellow female classmate. But the anger and the feeling of violation is still pretty great. I can't help but feel angry and yet I have no one to be angry at. That is truly a frustrating feeling not to mention the reality of the situation making me realize that I can not just live freely in Savannah. No I have to be constantly on my guard, aware of my surroundings and who is around. I essentially have to treat every waking moment I am in that city as being in enemy territory and everyone there is out to get me. THAT SUCKS! I am frustrated and angry and completely disgusted with myself, with this city and with the son of bitch who broke into my car. But the worst thing of all is that there isn't jack shit I can do about it and that is a truly sickening feeling.
Friday, May 06, 2005
OH BABY!
Just wanted to write a quick entry giving my congrats to Paul and Brianne. Brianne gave birth to a 8 lb 5 ounce 20 inch long baby girl who may or may not be named Isabella. My love and support goes out to both of them and I can't wait to meet the kid!
Edge
Edge
Monday, April 04, 2005
Chickens and Heartattacks
Ok, so I wake up today after being completely pissed off last night with my drawings. As soon as I get them back with a grade of F I will scan them in so you can see them. I wake up and my parents are gone. They are visiting for the next week or so. I think, no biggie, Dad always gets up early. Well about an hour or so later I get a call from my mom. Immediately I know something is up because she says "Hi Mark, it is Mom..." NO SHIT MOM, what is going on! It seems my father woke up with some chest pains early this morning and decided to get dressed and drive HIMSELF to the ER.
So after 5 hours of class and two hours of commute I get home and pick up my mom and go to the hospital. It doesn't look like he has had a heartattack but they are doing tests and hold him overnight.
This is where the story gets wierd. On the way home I stop to get dinner at Chick-Fil-a. I get home and I am eating my chicken strips with my sweet and sour sauce. For whatever reason I look down into the little cup of dipping sauce and the oil and grease have seperated in the sauce to form the exact portrait of a Muppet chicken, ala "Camilla". I starred transfixed at this image of a big eyed chicken and immediately knew that this is a sign of wierdness to come. I am going to get some ice cream now...I pray I see no cows
So after 5 hours of class and two hours of commute I get home and pick up my mom and go to the hospital. It doesn't look like he has had a heartattack but they are doing tests and hold him overnight.
This is where the story gets wierd. On the way home I stop to get dinner at Chick-Fil-a. I get home and I am eating my chicken strips with my sweet and sour sauce. For whatever reason I look down into the little cup of dipping sauce and the oil and grease have seperated in the sauce to form the exact portrait of a Muppet chicken, ala "Camilla". I starred transfixed at this image of a big eyed chicken and immediately knew that this is a sign of wierdness to come. I am going to get some ice cream now...I pray I see no cows
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Frustration
Let me tell you a little about frustration.
Frustration is staring at a 3 story birdhouse for 48 hours and not being able to draw it. Oh sure, I could draw the birdhouse, a fucking child could draw a birdhouse. No when I say I am not able to draw the birdhouse what I really mean is that I cannot sight and measure angles and lengths from across the room and draw straight lines without a ruler. What is this you say, sighting and measuring? lines without a ruler? Welcome to Draw 230-1 "Drawing for Design." This class is for designers, be they graphic or industrial, furniture, architects, etc etc etc. To be sure I love this class and find fascinating. It deals with geometry, planar analysis, ratios, proportions, and even touches on the sacred (but only those with the eyes to see shall). But the problem is this is an old school class. It based on old methods of drawing three dimensionally, drafting prior to computers, this is the type of shit Da Vinci did when designing his flying machine. Which by the way, for those of you who didn't now Da Vinci's "Helicopter" actually flies. The fucking thing actually fucking flies. Why then did we not have planes and shit earlier. Well poor old Leo wasn't able to find a power source strong enough to get the rotors spinning. Ain't that some shit...anyway back to me.
To truly discribe this class is not in my limited powers of communication. There is so much going on there and so many things to learn...imagine if you will walking into a classroom and beginning to study math for the first time. You get about 5 minutes into the lecture and you realize the infinite nature of what you are studying and the vast topics it covers. You wish your brain could just swallow it all in because you know that regardless of what you learn that the mere scope of what you are studying is like trying to know God on God's level. And you only have 10 weeks to do it in. That my friends is frustation.
There is something about geometry and art and that it entails that keeps me awake at night. I have started dreaming about shapes and lines, and sections, and angles and proofs. Do you know sounds can be expressed as a geometric shape...I wonder what polygon my scream of angst would form...
My fascination with these subjects is so great, that I actually find them on the same level of interest as the opposite sex. That my friends is a truly bold statement from me. For up until this point, nothing held my attention more than a fine set of legs...well maybe a fine set of legs and health set of breasts...or perhaps healthy breasts, nice legs, and a nicely shaped bottom...or even, oh well you get the point...
frustration
Frustration is staring at a 3 story birdhouse for 48 hours and not being able to draw it. Oh sure, I could draw the birdhouse, a fucking child could draw a birdhouse. No when I say I am not able to draw the birdhouse what I really mean is that I cannot sight and measure angles and lengths from across the room and draw straight lines without a ruler. What is this you say, sighting and measuring? lines without a ruler? Welcome to Draw 230-1 "Drawing for Design." This class is for designers, be they graphic or industrial, furniture, architects, etc etc etc. To be sure I love this class and find fascinating. It deals with geometry, planar analysis, ratios, proportions, and even touches on the sacred (but only those with the eyes to see shall). But the problem is this is an old school class. It based on old methods of drawing three dimensionally, drafting prior to computers, this is the type of shit Da Vinci did when designing his flying machine. Which by the way, for those of you who didn't now Da Vinci's "Helicopter" actually flies. The fucking thing actually fucking flies. Why then did we not have planes and shit earlier. Well poor old Leo wasn't able to find a power source strong enough to get the rotors spinning. Ain't that some shit...anyway back to me.
To truly discribe this class is not in my limited powers of communication. There is so much going on there and so many things to learn...imagine if you will walking into a classroom and beginning to study math for the first time. You get about 5 minutes into the lecture and you realize the infinite nature of what you are studying and the vast topics it covers. You wish your brain could just swallow it all in because you know that regardless of what you learn that the mere scope of what you are studying is like trying to know God on God's level. And you only have 10 weeks to do it in. That my friends is frustation.
There is something about geometry and art and that it entails that keeps me awake at night. I have started dreaming about shapes and lines, and sections, and angles and proofs. Do you know sounds can be expressed as a geometric shape...I wonder what polygon my scream of angst would form...
My fascination with these subjects is so great, that I actually find them on the same level of interest as the opposite sex. That my friends is a truly bold statement from me. For up until this point, nothing held my attention more than a fine set of legs...well maybe a fine set of legs and health set of breasts...or perhaps healthy breasts, nice legs, and a nicely shaped bottom...or even, oh well you get the point...
frustration
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Spring Quarter 2005
Well here it is, my second quarter at SCAD. Yesterday as the first day of school and it went really well. I like both of my professors so far, hopefully today I will be three for three. My Art History professor looks a lot like Hannibal Lector, except he doesn't have Anthony Hopkins' cool accent. He does however race motorcycles, which I find very interesting! My other class is all about drawing things in 3D, it is basically a draftsmanship class which looks to be da bomb. Unfortunately the workload is going to be high with all these classes.
Last quarter however, a momumental moment in the History of the Edge took place. For the first time ever in the history of my collegiate academic career I made the Dean's list with my 3.66 GPA. HOOYAH! I rocked last quarter and all the work certainly paid off.
Spring Break was good. I did pretty much nothing except read and watch some movies. Whitney and her man Frank came down for the Savannah, St. Patty's Day celebration. It was as cold as a well digger's ass. We were going to watch a little bit of the parade and then go party, but we decided to find a bar with heat and watch the parade on TV. For the most part it was pretty tame. The city closed over River St. where all the bars are. You get padded down, pay 5 dollars for a wrist band, and then you can go in and party. Thursday it was fun but by 4 in the afternoon I was beat and ready to go home for a nappy nap. Friday however was insane. All the people that were working on Thursday or that were out of town came in for the weekend and let me tell you it was packed. Luckily there were cops everywhere. In past years I guess Savannah had been having problems, well this year you would have thought we were under martial law. There was wall to wall cops and frankly I was glad that they were there. I don't like crowds or people for that matter but when you throw alcohol and guns into the mix, shit is bound to hit the fan. This year though it was well controlled. I saw a few fights but the cops would swarm like sharks attracted to the scent of blood and squash the evil-doers.
So all in all the break was relaxing and was a decent recharge for the up coming quarter. As an aside I am starting to train for a triathlon. They are pretty big down here so there should be plenty of races, which means I will be busting my ass between school and training to get ready for stuff. I worked out last night for the first time in two months and I can say for certain my performance was just awful. So here we go climbing the mountain again...lets hope I reach the top this time and not die in the valley of the fat asses.
I feel like I have more to say but as of right now my brain is at a loss. OH WAIT! I am reading a great book right now called "Masters of Chaos" which is a history of the Special Forces from WWII to now. The later stuff is all first hand accounts which is awesome. It is really an interesting book and it dispells the whole idea of "Rambo". Make no mistake though these guys are still ass-kickers! I highly recommend it and I haven't finished it yet. I also just bought for class a 100 dollar book called the History of Art for my Art History class. The thing weights about 25-30 lbs, but it seems pretty kick ass so far. I am trying to get some pictures up of my work from last quarter so that you can all check it out but I haven't had time to upload the pics yet. So stay tuned for our next exciting adventure...
Last quarter however, a momumental moment in the History of the Edge took place. For the first time ever in the history of my collegiate academic career I made the Dean's list with my 3.66 GPA. HOOYAH! I rocked last quarter and all the work certainly paid off.
Spring Break was good. I did pretty much nothing except read and watch some movies. Whitney and her man Frank came down for the Savannah, St. Patty's Day celebration. It was as cold as a well digger's ass. We were going to watch a little bit of the parade and then go party, but we decided to find a bar with heat and watch the parade on TV. For the most part it was pretty tame. The city closed over River St. where all the bars are. You get padded down, pay 5 dollars for a wrist band, and then you can go in and party. Thursday it was fun but by 4 in the afternoon I was beat and ready to go home for a nappy nap. Friday however was insane. All the people that were working on Thursday or that were out of town came in for the weekend and let me tell you it was packed. Luckily there were cops everywhere. In past years I guess Savannah had been having problems, well this year you would have thought we were under martial law. There was wall to wall cops and frankly I was glad that they were there. I don't like crowds or people for that matter but when you throw alcohol and guns into the mix, shit is bound to hit the fan. This year though it was well controlled. I saw a few fights but the cops would swarm like sharks attracted to the scent of blood and squash the evil-doers.
So all in all the break was relaxing and was a decent recharge for the up coming quarter. As an aside I am starting to train for a triathlon. They are pretty big down here so there should be plenty of races, which means I will be busting my ass between school and training to get ready for stuff. I worked out last night for the first time in two months and I can say for certain my performance was just awful. So here we go climbing the mountain again...lets hope I reach the top this time and not die in the valley of the fat asses.
I feel like I have more to say but as of right now my brain is at a loss. OH WAIT! I am reading a great book right now called "Masters of Chaos" which is a history of the Special Forces from WWII to now. The later stuff is all first hand accounts which is awesome. It is really an interesting book and it dispells the whole idea of "Rambo". Make no mistake though these guys are still ass-kickers! I highly recommend it and I haven't finished it yet. I also just bought for class a 100 dollar book called the History of Art for my Art History class. The thing weights about 25-30 lbs, but it seems pretty kick ass so far. I am trying to get some pictures up of my work from last quarter so that you can all check it out but I haven't had time to upload the pics yet. So stay tuned for our next exciting adventure...
Sunday, March 13, 2005
End of the Quarter
On Thursday I finished my first quarter at SCAD. Man am I glad it is over. They work you pretty hard here and it is very much unpredictible. I am hopefully looking at all A's or close there to. Now I am on break and pretty much all by myself. This is kind of a good thing cause I got tons of shit to do that I wasn't able to take care of over the last few months. There are bills to pay, things to clean, and areas to explore.
Sunday, March 06, 2005
My crib
It has been forever since I have posted. This is my last week of classes before I have my spring break. It is definitly crunch time and the pressure is on. I am about 40 plus hours into a pointilism project for my color theory class. That is one project for one class! Not too mention I have exams in all three of my classes, and a final project for my drawing 2 class. Needless to say I have been locking myself inside my house. Which as you can see, isn't so bad. However, the weather down here has just gotten gorgeous and sitting inside all day when I could take a ride and go exploring is a torture of another kind. Anyway hope all is well with you out there in cyberland. I will definitly be posting more, look for my pointilism project to make its way up here soon too!
Edge
Edge
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Memories of Childhood
One of the things that amazes me about life in general, or at least my life, is the way random things bring back memories like a crack in a damn brings the flood. I was channel surfing the other day and I happened upon a movie. It was Stephen King's Silver Bullet. Now I am not a big watched of horror movies, mostly because I think they are pretty stupid. But this one struck me. For whatever reason I decided to watch and their is a scene where two young boys are flying kites. One of those kites is a bright yellow with a smiley face on it and it was at that moment that I traveled back in time.
When I was a kid growing up, every Halloween friends of my family would have a party. This was one of those traditions that I actually liked as a kid and I looked forward to it every year. They stopped having the party when I got to be in junior high. Mostly because all the other kids were at least 5 years older than me and where growing out of it. Anyway, I really liked these parties because it was a chance for me to show off my costume. Every year I tried to out do my costume of the previous year. I thought this was great fun but it did cause my parents some headache because I was such a damned perfectionist that my costume had to be just right. I got the idea, and I think it was from watching those old black and white horror movies with Bella Lugosi, to be the "classic" horror characters. This one year I decided that I wanted to be a werewolf and that I was gonna look damned authentic. So I clued my Mom in and we set about putting together a costume. Ripped jeans and a tattered shirt worked well, but it was my face and fangs that were the real challenge. I have to say my Mother made one hell of a makeup artist and did a bang up job making me look like the Wolfman. I even had pointed ears!
So after trick or treating, it was time to go to the party. I couldn't wait to get there and show off. At this point in my life I was fascinated with monsters and mythology. Pretty heady stuff for a 10 year old. I was fascinated by werewolves especially and went out of my way to read as much on them as I could. Anyway I ecstatic to show off my costume. Arriving at the house it went as well as I had hoped. Everyone was in awe of my werewolf rendition. Now the owner of the house is a man by the name of Jack. He has a reputation of being quite the smartass and he provided me with endless entertainment growing up. I went into the basement of the house were most of the older kids hung out at the party and I discovered that I was the first person to arrive. Jack was down stairs watching a movie. He looked at me and I asked what he was watching. He told me that in the movie there was something that looked an awful lot like me running around in the woods. I thought that was funny and I just happened to glance at the TV. There was a cop reciting the "Hail Mary" and walking out of the woods carrying a bright yellow kite with a happy face on it, covered in blood. The image stuck in my head, not only because it scared the life out of me, but because it was such a powerful image to a 10 year old. After that night I always wondered what that movie was and what it was about. It bugged me for years that I never learned the name of the movie or what it was about.
Yet in that brief second of channel surfing, my childhood curiosity had been fulfilled. Not more than a second after seeing the two boys flying their kites did the next scene show a cop reciting the "Hail Mary" carrying a blood soaked, bright yellow kite with a happy face. A moment in my childhood had come full circle and was now complete. It only took close to 20 years to discover the movie's title or what it was all about. Just goes to show patience goes a long way and more so that life is a long and winding road of moments and memories that sometimes take years before you really understand them.
When I was a kid growing up, every Halloween friends of my family would have a party. This was one of those traditions that I actually liked as a kid and I looked forward to it every year. They stopped having the party when I got to be in junior high. Mostly because all the other kids were at least 5 years older than me and where growing out of it. Anyway, I really liked these parties because it was a chance for me to show off my costume. Every year I tried to out do my costume of the previous year. I thought this was great fun but it did cause my parents some headache because I was such a damned perfectionist that my costume had to be just right. I got the idea, and I think it was from watching those old black and white horror movies with Bella Lugosi, to be the "classic" horror characters. This one year I decided that I wanted to be a werewolf and that I was gonna look damned authentic. So I clued my Mom in and we set about putting together a costume. Ripped jeans and a tattered shirt worked well, but it was my face and fangs that were the real challenge. I have to say my Mother made one hell of a makeup artist and did a bang up job making me look like the Wolfman. I even had pointed ears!
So after trick or treating, it was time to go to the party. I couldn't wait to get there and show off. At this point in my life I was fascinated with monsters and mythology. Pretty heady stuff for a 10 year old. I was fascinated by werewolves especially and went out of my way to read as much on them as I could. Anyway I ecstatic to show off my costume. Arriving at the house it went as well as I had hoped. Everyone was in awe of my werewolf rendition. Now the owner of the house is a man by the name of Jack. He has a reputation of being quite the smartass and he provided me with endless entertainment growing up. I went into the basement of the house were most of the older kids hung out at the party and I discovered that I was the first person to arrive. Jack was down stairs watching a movie. He looked at me and I asked what he was watching. He told me that in the movie there was something that looked an awful lot like me running around in the woods. I thought that was funny and I just happened to glance at the TV. There was a cop reciting the "Hail Mary" and walking out of the woods carrying a bright yellow kite with a happy face on it, covered in blood. The image stuck in my head, not only because it scared the life out of me, but because it was such a powerful image to a 10 year old. After that night I always wondered what that movie was and what it was about. It bugged me for years that I never learned the name of the movie or what it was about.
Yet in that brief second of channel surfing, my childhood curiosity had been fulfilled. Not more than a second after seeing the two boys flying their kites did the next scene show a cop reciting the "Hail Mary" carrying a blood soaked, bright yellow kite with a happy face. A moment in my childhood had come full circle and was now complete. It only took close to 20 years to discover the movie's title or what it was all about. Just goes to show patience goes a long way and more so that life is a long and winding road of moments and memories that sometimes take years before you really understand them.
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Mounting Frustration
So today I met with a Professor from the Sequential Art department. For those of you who don't know what sequential art is, think comic books. I was planning on double majoring in graphic design and sequential art. Well after meeting with an advisor about this I have to say I am rather frustrated. In order to double major, I will have to take about 40 classes. Let's see, 40 classes divided up into four quarters at three classes a quarter is about... 4 academic years and one extra quarter. Whereas if I minored in sequential I would only have to take 30 classes. This sort of pisses me off...I am 26 years old, I would be thirty something by the time I finished school and I would still probably want to go back to get a masters. 3 BA's and an MA ain't so bad, but JESUS CHRIST I WILL BE HERE FOREVER! On top of that, people keep reminding me of the cost. Mind you, I am paying for this all through loans which I can defer for sometime. I don't know what to do. The dreamer side of me says double major. The practical side of me says to minor. The animal side of me just wants to break some furniture and then go get laid....TOO MANY VOICES TOO MANY VOICES!
Alas, any advice you have to offer would be wholly appreciated...
Alas, any advice you have to offer would be wholly appreciated...
Monday, February 07, 2005
been a while
Man it feels like forever since I have been able to make an entry. I don't like to neglect the blog, especially now that it is developing a cult following! :)
The one thing I am regretting about this whole back to school thing is not being able to keep in touch as well as I would like. School is all consuming and while I do enjoy that, in some ways it is getting to be a bit much. Anywho, those of you who haven't heard from me, I am working on it. My next task is going to be getting my xbox live back online, not that I will get to play it much but still....
By the way you all have to check out Something for Rockets. They are this great "new" band that I sort of stumbled upon. Of course in a strange confluence of events that only happens to me there is a story behind this. I saw SFR on this MTV news thing. I was skeptical at first because it was MTV but then seeing the band won me over. Well, as usual I can't remember shit, especially names, so later that day I tried to find out more and I couldn't find anything because of course I couldn't remember their name. So I was talking to my friend Alexis who of course has her hand on the pop-culture pulse of America. She had made me an "art school" cd mix. She is always trying to get me to be more librel and arty and I love her for that even though I do try and resist. Anyway I tried telling her about this band and just couldn't remember their name. So weeks go by and I was talking to her again. She tells me I should check out this band she saw in concert last night. They are called Something For Rockets. Well at that point I was screaming at the computer screen. As you all know the only way you can talk to me is over IM because I never answer my phone. I hate phones. Anyway I go on to tell Alexis that SFR is the band I was trying to tell her about previously and she has NO recollection of this conversation. Needless to say my frustration was at an all time high. Anyway she says they were awesome and that I should get the album which is now on iTunes. The next morning I wake up and check my email...I get an email from Alexis forwarding me an email thank you from Rami Perlman one of SFR's members. ONLY ALEXIS! That is all I have to say, not only does she dig the band that I heard first, she is now "in" with them. Unbelievable!
Right so in continuing the tradition of this blog, that was my really lame story about a whole lot of nothing. Just buy the fucking album.
The one thing I am regretting about this whole back to school thing is not being able to keep in touch as well as I would like. School is all consuming and while I do enjoy that, in some ways it is getting to be a bit much. Anywho, those of you who haven't heard from me, I am working on it. My next task is going to be getting my xbox live back online, not that I will get to play it much but still....
By the way you all have to check out Something for Rockets. They are this great "new" band that I sort of stumbled upon. Of course in a strange confluence of events that only happens to me there is a story behind this. I saw SFR on this MTV news thing. I was skeptical at first because it was MTV but then seeing the band won me over. Well, as usual I can't remember shit, especially names, so later that day I tried to find out more and I couldn't find anything because of course I couldn't remember their name. So I was talking to my friend Alexis who of course has her hand on the pop-culture pulse of America. She had made me an "art school" cd mix. She is always trying to get me to be more librel and arty and I love her for that even though I do try and resist. Anyway I tried telling her about this band and just couldn't remember their name. So weeks go by and I was talking to her again. She tells me I should check out this band she saw in concert last night. They are called Something For Rockets. Well at that point I was screaming at the computer screen. As you all know the only way you can talk to me is over IM because I never answer my phone. I hate phones. Anyway I go on to tell Alexis that SFR is the band I was trying to tell her about previously and she has NO recollection of this conversation. Needless to say my frustration was at an all time high. Anyway she says they were awesome and that I should get the album which is now on iTunes. The next morning I wake up and check my email...I get an email from Alexis forwarding me an email thank you from Rami Perlman one of SFR's members. ONLY ALEXIS! That is all I have to say, not only does she dig the band that I heard first, she is now "in" with them. Unbelievable!
Right so in continuing the tradition of this blog, that was my really lame story about a whole lot of nothing. Just buy the fucking album.
got this in an email...
WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO TURN ON THE TV AND HEAR ANY U.S. PRESIDENT,
DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN GIVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH?
My Fellow Americans:
As you all know, the defeat of Iraq regime has been completed. Since
congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in
Iraq is complete.
This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American
forces from Iraq. This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now
to begin the reckoning.
Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries
which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is short.
The United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Australia, and Poland are some of the
countries listed there.
The other list contains everyone not on the first list. Most of the
world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing
copies of both lists later this evening.
Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those
nations on List 2 ceases immediately and indefinitely. The money saved
during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the
Iraqi war.
The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world
Hell-holes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.
Need help with a famine? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France.
In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money
toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home. On that
note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt
you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the
earth. Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France, or maybe
China.
To Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Yo, boys. Work out a peace deal
now. Just note that Camp David is closed. Maybe all of you can go to
Russia for negotiations. They have some great palaces there. Big tables,
too. I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with
France, Germany, and Russia. Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are
retiring from NATO as well. Bon chance, mes amis. I have instructed the
Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles
located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites
where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care
about whatever treaty pertains to this. You creeps have tens of thousands
of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious
Benzes, Beamers, and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops
in the world. I love New York.
A special note to our neighbors. Canada is on List 2. Since we are likely
to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not
pissing us off for a change. Mexico is also on List 2. President Fox and
his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will
have a couple extra tank and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess
where I am going to put em? Yep, border security. So start doing something
with your oil. Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA
treaty - starting now.
We are tired of the one-way highway.
It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens.
Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, "darn
tootin."
Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the
world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the
planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America. It is time to eliminate
homelessness in America. It is time to eliminate World Cup Soccer from
America. To the nations on List 1, a final thought. Thanks guys. We owe
you and
we won't forget. To the nations on List 2, a final thought. Drop dead.
God bless America.
Thank you and good night.
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you are reading it in English,
thank a soldier.
DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN GIVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH?
My Fellow Americans:
As you all know, the defeat of Iraq regime has been completed. Since
congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in
Iraq is complete.
This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American
forces from Iraq. This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now
to begin the reckoning.
Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries
which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is short.
The United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Australia, and Poland are some of the
countries listed there.
The other list contains everyone not on the first list. Most of the
world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing
copies of both lists later this evening.
Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those
nations on List 2 ceases immediately and indefinitely. The money saved
during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the
Iraqi war.
The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world
Hell-holes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.
Need help with a famine? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France.
In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money
toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home. On that
note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt
you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the
earth. Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France, or maybe
China.
To Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Yo, boys. Work out a peace deal
now. Just note that Camp David is closed. Maybe all of you can go to
Russia for negotiations. They have some great palaces there. Big tables,
too. I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with
France, Germany, and Russia. Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are
retiring from NATO as well. Bon chance, mes amis. I have instructed the
Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles
located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites
where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care
about whatever treaty pertains to this. You creeps have tens of thousands
of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious
Benzes, Beamers, and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops
in the world. I love New York.
A special note to our neighbors. Canada is on List 2. Since we are likely
to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not
pissing us off for a change. Mexico is also on List 2. President Fox and
his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will
have a couple extra tank and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess
where I am going to put em? Yep, border security. So start doing something
with your oil. Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA
treaty - starting now.
We are tired of the one-way highway.
It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens.
Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, "darn
tootin."
Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the
world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the
planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America. It is time to eliminate
homelessness in America. It is time to eliminate World Cup Soccer from
America. To the nations on List 1, a final thought. Thanks guys. We owe
you and
we won't forget. To the nations on List 2, a final thought. Drop dead.
God bless America.
Thank you and good night.
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you are reading it in English,
thank a soldier.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Tales of Savannah, Part III. "Have I got one for you!"
Continuing in the tradition of telling stories of my new home, I have a rather interesting tale of danger, mystery, intoxication and my new favorite bar.
We find our hero (that would be me) working slavishly away at his color theory project. He has been at it for at least two weeks working a minimum of three hours at a time. His brow is quite furrowed, as he looks at his work and suddenly feels the urge to vomit. Suddenly the phone rings! Who could it be? Kelsey, our hero's new friend. It seems Kelsey and a few others are heading out for some fun times and wants to know if the Edge wants to go. Looking at his watch and feeling utterly frustrated with mixing colors and painting, the Edge immediately responds, I will see you in a bit.
Arriving at Kelsey's apartment, the Edge is met by Kelsey, his cousin and her man-mate, and Adam, another graduate student at the fine instiution at SCAD. Aftering taking part in some pregaming with "The Family Guy", our party of companions heads out for the night.
Walking to a place known as River St. they stumble upon a place called Kevin Barry's. Seeing a shamrock on the door, the Edge immediately makes the decision to go in. The pub has several rooms and the party decides they will go upstairs. As if finding and Irish bar wasn't enough, the enter a room called The Heroes hall which is dedicated to police/fire/and the military. With a special emphasis on SPECIAL FORCES. The Edge was most please with his new surroundings. After order a few drinks, talking to a few locals, we find it is time to move on and go bar hoping. What follows next is of no consequence, just a bunch of shit hole bars.
At around 3 am, our party has disbanded leaving our hero with Kelsey and Adam in Kelsey's apartment. Feeling rather sober the Edge decides to call it a night and leaves for his car. As he approaches the Edgemobile, which is parked not more than 60 feet away from the apartment, immediately The Edge's Edge-sense goes off and he knows something foul is afoot. It is then that he notices the rather large smashed area of his windshield. Springing forth ready to dispense out justice upon his car's attacker, the Edge surmizes that the crooks being of the cowardly nature have fled the seen. Two tired and track them down, the Edge drives back to his HQ and goes to sleep.
The next moring we find the Edge cleaning out the broken glass from inside his car. While vaccuming the Edge's keen eyesight spots something that does not belong. Bending down her finds a little copper ball, leaning closer for further inspection the Edge believes he has found a bullet. Immediately he takes tweezers and bags the evidence. After cleaning up the glass he takes the "bullet" to the local authorities, waiting to use their crime lab.
Instead a rather friendly officer confirms that it is infact a bullet (the Edge has never shot a gun) and after inspecting the windshield, tells the Edge that the culprit must have shot straight up and that the bullet enterted the windshield on its way down breaking the glass and landing in the backseat. With a cocked eyebrow, the Edge concurs secrety suspecting that this officer is full of shit. Upon talking with the officer some more it is revealed that, "Everyone in Savannah has a gun. On New Years at midnight this place sounded like Bagdhad with everyone shooting into the sky." The Edge is not amused at this point. Not only does he have a broken windshield from a bullet, but he apparently is the only one unarmed in this lawless city! A line has been crossed and a decision has been made. The Edge must now work outside the bounds of the law to dispense justice. The Edge is going vigillante. The only comforting thought is that no one was in the Edgemobile during the point of impact. If someone was it would be very likely that either the Edge or a passenger would have been seriously maimed, if not killed. Stay tuned for our next episode.
We find our hero (that would be me) working slavishly away at his color theory project. He has been at it for at least two weeks working a minimum of three hours at a time. His brow is quite furrowed, as he looks at his work and suddenly feels the urge to vomit. Suddenly the phone rings! Who could it be? Kelsey, our hero's new friend. It seems Kelsey and a few others are heading out for some fun times and wants to know if the Edge wants to go. Looking at his watch and feeling utterly frustrated with mixing colors and painting, the Edge immediately responds, I will see you in a bit.
Arriving at Kelsey's apartment, the Edge is met by Kelsey, his cousin and her man-mate, and Adam, another graduate student at the fine instiution at SCAD. Aftering taking part in some pregaming with "The Family Guy", our party of companions heads out for the night.
Walking to a place known as River St. they stumble upon a place called Kevin Barry's. Seeing a shamrock on the door, the Edge immediately makes the decision to go in. The pub has several rooms and the party decides they will go upstairs. As if finding and Irish bar wasn't enough, the enter a room called The Heroes hall which is dedicated to police/fire/and the military. With a special emphasis on SPECIAL FORCES. The Edge was most please with his new surroundings. After order a few drinks, talking to a few locals, we find it is time to move on and go bar hoping. What follows next is of no consequence, just a bunch of shit hole bars.
At around 3 am, our party has disbanded leaving our hero with Kelsey and Adam in Kelsey's apartment. Feeling rather sober the Edge decides to call it a night and leaves for his car. As he approaches the Edgemobile, which is parked not more than 60 feet away from the apartment, immediately The Edge's Edge-sense goes off and he knows something foul is afoot. It is then that he notices the rather large smashed area of his windshield. Springing forth ready to dispense out justice upon his car's attacker, the Edge surmizes that the crooks being of the cowardly nature have fled the seen. Two tired and track them down, the Edge drives back to his HQ and goes to sleep.
The next moring we find the Edge cleaning out the broken glass from inside his car. While vaccuming the Edge's keen eyesight spots something that does not belong. Bending down her finds a little copper ball, leaning closer for further inspection the Edge believes he has found a bullet. Immediately he takes tweezers and bags the evidence. After cleaning up the glass he takes the "bullet" to the local authorities, waiting to use their crime lab.
Instead a rather friendly officer confirms that it is infact a bullet (the Edge has never shot a gun) and after inspecting the windshield, tells the Edge that the culprit must have shot straight up and that the bullet enterted the windshield on its way down breaking the glass and landing in the backseat. With a cocked eyebrow, the Edge concurs secrety suspecting that this officer is full of shit. Upon talking with the officer some more it is revealed that, "Everyone in Savannah has a gun. On New Years at midnight this place sounded like Bagdhad with everyone shooting into the sky." The Edge is not amused at this point. Not only does he have a broken windshield from a bullet, but he apparently is the only one unarmed in this lawless city! A line has been crossed and a decision has been made. The Edge must now work outside the bounds of the law to dispense justice. The Edge is going vigillante. The only comforting thought is that no one was in the Edgemobile during the point of impact. If someone was it would be very likely that either the Edge or a passenger would have been seriously maimed, if not killed. Stay tuned for our next episode.
Saturday, January 15, 2005
Tales of Savannah Part II
It is about 8:50 pm and I am still at school. Just to give you an idea of what life is like here, there are no Friday classes at SCAD. You have three classes a quarter and they all meet from Monday to Thursday. Doesn't sound to bad right? Well my second week here is ending, and there hasn't been a day since school started that I have spent any less than 6 hours on campus. That includes the weekends! So here is Friday night, I should be getting my drink on and looking for honeys but instead I am here working on my color theory project. I have started this thing over twice. It is due Tuesday and overall I have easily worked over 20 hours on this fucking thing. I am no where near done. I could try and explain to you what I have to do...but I am gonna go out on a limb and say you wouldn't understand. So I am taking a little break to post on the bloggy blog. I am thinking that this is going to be the best way to keep in touch with me for now, or at least see what I am up too. I have been so damned busy I haven't had a chance to call anyone or do anything else. So consider this website a mass email to all you out there in the real world.
Savannah is increasingly an interesting place. First off, it smells here. I never thought I would say this but it smells worse than Statin Island (which I think I just spelled wrong). Shaolin smells like fucking sweet roses compare to this place. My new friend Kelsey has described the odor as really bad sourkraut. Not sure if that is acurate but it is really awful. It seems that for all of Georgia and South Carolina's beauty and preservation of nature they have a really shitty emissions rating (Thank you Emmy Lou). No doubt this odor is directly related. From what I gather, besides the equally nasty edition of low tide, there are several mills and industrial areas in Savannah down by the water. Two of which I blame are the paper mill and the coal power plant. When you add this obnoxious odors together on top of a recently discovered landfill plus low tide, you get something that is very acidic and can taste it in the back of your throat. It really makes me want to gag. However, it is better than coffee when it comes to waking you up in the morning.
Another funny thing I have noticed about Savannah is the crazy people. I already commented on the homeless folks and I am not sure the crazy people are a mutually exclusive group, but they are entertaining. I have seen and quickly walked by several older women who are talking to themselves. This in and of itself is not a big deal. What is a big deal is that they are actually screaming at themselves and someone who aparently they can see but no one else, or at least I, cannot. They (the crazy people) are very very upset by they actions of the invisible antagonizer. They are so upset that if you wanted to, you could easily spend a day sitting in one of Savannah's beautiful squares, and watch them for hours yell and cuss and shake their fist in the air. My personal favorite is when the crazy people stare down the invisible entity, and yell "Look at me! Do I look like I am foolin around!" The invisible person must certainly have a death wish, because if you were to look in the eyes of these very angry crazy people, you would certainly die of fright. Medusa has nothing on them.
Now I am not sure if all these people are crazy. Most of them sure, there was one lady that I passed who was screaming at her invisible "friend" and after about 45 minutes when I came back to the same spot, she was still tearing the invisible bastard a new transparent asshole. But I also thing talking to oneself is something that man older women in the black community do. I have seen and spoken to a few older black ladies, who didn't seem crazy but certainly did talk to themselves in a manner of thinking out loud, albeit really loud. So my study of this phenomena will continue. Look for a later post on the oddities of white southern married men.
That aside, my class are all very interesting however work intensive. I haven't really been able to set up my house because my furniture was delivered the night before school started. I don't usually get home till 10ish and usually I just say hi to my mom and then go to sleep. However, last night was the first night I slept in my bed and I have to say it was rather nice.
Oh, and just so all you people out there in TV don't think this is the tropical paradise of Eden (not that you would have meeting all the crazies and smelling the place) IT IS FUCKING COLD TODAY. In a way it reminds me of home, but people around here forget to shut the AC off. It is one of those wet colds too. Similar to Narragansett at night...it could be the middle of summer and if you go out on the beach at night and stick your feet in the dry sand, you are liable to get frost bite. It is that kinda cold. The kind that you underestimate and then it whoops your ass. Anyway I have turned the heat up in this room three or four times and the thermostat still reads 65. Not really cold, but when you combine the 36 degrees outside and the wetness (everything here is wet) you get really fucking cold. But I will stop my whining because this is the first rainy day I have had since I got here. Well I have to get back to my color theory project. Oddly enough since I started taking this class I have noticed colors a lot more. All you LSD fans out there should put the shit down and take one of these class...I can't take a shit now without comparing the hues and values of everything around me. Fucking education...
Savannah is increasingly an interesting place. First off, it smells here. I never thought I would say this but it smells worse than Statin Island (which I think I just spelled wrong). Shaolin smells like fucking sweet roses compare to this place. My new friend Kelsey has described the odor as really bad sourkraut. Not sure if that is acurate but it is really awful. It seems that for all of Georgia and South Carolina's beauty and preservation of nature they have a really shitty emissions rating (Thank you Emmy Lou). No doubt this odor is directly related. From what I gather, besides the equally nasty edition of low tide, there are several mills and industrial areas in Savannah down by the water. Two of which I blame are the paper mill and the coal power plant. When you add this obnoxious odors together on top of a recently discovered landfill plus low tide, you get something that is very acidic and can taste it in the back of your throat. It really makes me want to gag. However, it is better than coffee when it comes to waking you up in the morning.
Another funny thing I have noticed about Savannah is the crazy people. I already commented on the homeless folks and I am not sure the crazy people are a mutually exclusive group, but they are entertaining. I have seen and quickly walked by several older women who are talking to themselves. This in and of itself is not a big deal. What is a big deal is that they are actually screaming at themselves and someone who aparently they can see but no one else, or at least I, cannot. They (the crazy people) are very very upset by they actions of the invisible antagonizer. They are so upset that if you wanted to, you could easily spend a day sitting in one of Savannah's beautiful squares, and watch them for hours yell and cuss and shake their fist in the air. My personal favorite is when the crazy people stare down the invisible entity, and yell "Look at me! Do I look like I am foolin around!" The invisible person must certainly have a death wish, because if you were to look in the eyes of these very angry crazy people, you would certainly die of fright. Medusa has nothing on them.
Now I am not sure if all these people are crazy. Most of them sure, there was one lady that I passed who was screaming at her invisible "friend" and after about 45 minutes when I came back to the same spot, she was still tearing the invisible bastard a new transparent asshole. But I also thing talking to oneself is something that man older women in the black community do. I have seen and spoken to a few older black ladies, who didn't seem crazy but certainly did talk to themselves in a manner of thinking out loud, albeit really loud. So my study of this phenomena will continue. Look for a later post on the oddities of white southern married men.
That aside, my class are all very interesting however work intensive. I haven't really been able to set up my house because my furniture was delivered the night before school started. I don't usually get home till 10ish and usually I just say hi to my mom and then go to sleep. However, last night was the first night I slept in my bed and I have to say it was rather nice.
Oh, and just so all you people out there in TV don't think this is the tropical paradise of Eden (not that you would have meeting all the crazies and smelling the place) IT IS FUCKING COLD TODAY. In a way it reminds me of home, but people around here forget to shut the AC off. It is one of those wet colds too. Similar to Narragansett at night...it could be the middle of summer and if you go out on the beach at night and stick your feet in the dry sand, you are liable to get frost bite. It is that kinda cold. The kind that you underestimate and then it whoops your ass. Anyway I have turned the heat up in this room three or four times and the thermostat still reads 65. Not really cold, but when you combine the 36 degrees outside and the wetness (everything here is wet) you get really fucking cold. But I will stop my whining because this is the first rainy day I have had since I got here. Well I have to get back to my color theory project. Oddly enough since I started taking this class I have noticed colors a lot more. All you LSD fans out there should put the shit down and take one of these class...I can't take a shit now without comparing the hues and values of everything around me. Fucking education...
Thursday, January 06, 2005
Put up or Shut up
Two things and this will be a short post. First off, this is my blog and I will write about whatever the hell I want to. I will name names, I will tell it like I see it, and I will lie through my teeth if I want to. If you don't like it, fuck you. This is my webspace. I don't generally take to lying but I am not about to put kid gloves on to spare your feelings. Sometimes I am pissed and rather than shooting a bunch of people I choose to write here. You don't like it, fuck you. I got my first amendment so long as Bush and his Neocon lapdogs do not erase the Constitution. I am sorry if I make you mad, but you have to be an educated reader. It is your responsibility to realize that one entry does not sum up everything about me or how I feel. I come in many shades of gray, you want black and white? Go fuck yourself. If you don't like what I write don't read it. No one gets to edit me or censor me. I promise that I will never indanger you or give out your address...but that is it. So in short, Fuck you this my blog and I will do whatever the fuck I want.
Secondly, all of you regardless of your political bent should check this site out. WWW.OPERATIONAC.COM After reading it, do it. If not....fuck you!
Secondly, all of you regardless of your political bent should check this site out. WWW.OPERATIONAC.COM After reading it, do it. If not....fuck you!
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Tales of Savannah
It seems like it has been ages since I did a fresh post. My last post was actually composed in word while staying at a friend's house. I was there because I was waiting for the business end of my parent's vacation house to be completed. Until the bank gave the money to the lawyers involved, I would not be given the keys. So anyway, I am now in. Tons of shit has happened in the few short days I have been here. I have tons of emails I need to respond too. I keep promising to write soon, but I just got hot water in my house so things are moving a little slow. I just found out last night that all my stuff that I packed up and put on a moving truck won't be here for another two weeks. That means no clothes or furniture. I am slighly less than amused.
So here I am in Anderson Hall. I used to live at an Anderson Hall while I was at American U, now it seems my foundation studies courses will all be held at Anderson Hall, which coincidentally is the building furthest from everything and right smack in the ghetto. I walked here the other day and discovered a jewelry store that specializes in making gold teeth the same day. That is just one of the new things I am noticing about the south. Back in DC and Rhode Island, I never saw anyone with dental bling bling except for the occassionally hip hopper on MTV. Down here, everybody has gold teeth, or at least one tooth is gold. I think there is some correlation with status and the amount and quality of dental jewelry. I think tommorrow I will put an order in for me.
I haven't met too many people. I think it is plainly obvious to the undergraduate population that I am older than dirt. Which is fine, I have no interest in dealing with certain aspects of undergraduate life. However, there are some nice looking ladies down here. That being said they are all like 18 and that makes me a pedofile. Moving on...the most interesting person I met was on my first day here at school. Orientation was rather interesting at SCAD. It is divided into two sessions. The morning session from 8 am to 11 am is taking care of ID's, schedules, etc etc. I got there at 7:50 am. Found my way around as any bumbling idiot would do and with in about 45 minutes I was done with everything. That means at 8:45 am I was in the middle of Savannah, GA with no place to go and nothing to do. The afternoon session didn't start till 1 pm. This also happened to be on a Sunday. Which, unlike the North, everything, including the hooker's legs, are closed! Well my tired ass walked up and down the whole God Damned city. Finally I ended up at the school book store where I bought a magazine. I then continued to walk till I came to a rather nice square. Savannah is a city of squares, similar to DC being a city of circles. Take note you urban planners, circles and squares fuck up traffic. Here I am sitting in this nice square, the name of which escapes me, passing time reading a magazine about comics (WHATELSE!?) and a homeless man walks up to me and introduces himself as Charlie.
Charlie it seems, had spent the day out in Hilton Head trying to find a job. A few things struck me as odd. I live between Savannah and Hilton head and it took me about 30 minutes to drive to the city at ludacris speed. How the fuck did Charlie, the homeless guy, with no car get from Savannah, GA to Hilton Head, SC? Driving would have taken 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic and one's destination. BUT THAT IS DRIVING! To get to SC to GA through Savannah you have to cross a rather large bridge that does not allow pedestrians and I can quarantee he didn't swim his ass across the Savannah River. Anyway, Charlie sits down next to me on the bench and explains that while he tried to get a job out there, he doesn't think he was successful. He tells me he "I am one of the homeless here in Savannah..." and proceeds to explain it has been a really long time since his last meal. I gave him all the change in my pocket and wished him well. Then off he went. What struck me most was "I am one of the homeless in Savannah." It was almost as if they were an exclusive club but more in the vain of "those are my bastard children." Never in any city that I have been to have I ever seen as many homeless. What disturbs me more is that I am unaware of any support services for them. I get the feeling the city tolerates them as a great lion tolerates fleas. Scratches them when they get in his way but for the most part ignores there existence. I think this will require more investigation on my part.
On a more positive note my classes are at the very least interesting. I have Drawing II, Color Theory, and Art History 101. So far I have solidified my place in Drawing II as the kid who has no fucking clue. My professor in Color Theory seems to be a little spark plug who spits out information like a wood chipper. Art History is the one class that I care the least about but so far has been the most structured. My Art History professor seems like a very nice woman but a deep academic. She was definitly picked last in gym class if you catch my meaning.
Everything just seems a blur in the short week or so that I have been here. I have experienced so much and yet I get the feeling it isn't even a drop in the bucket. I promise to start posting more but as it stands right now, I don't have a desk and furthermore only a few rooms in the house actually have lights. Really, it isn't as ghetto as it sounds but it ain't the Plaza either. There will be more to follow...James Bond will Return...
PS...whoever Pancho Vista is, Thanks
So here I am in Anderson Hall. I used to live at an Anderson Hall while I was at American U, now it seems my foundation studies courses will all be held at Anderson Hall, which coincidentally is the building furthest from everything and right smack in the ghetto. I walked here the other day and discovered a jewelry store that specializes in making gold teeth the same day. That is just one of the new things I am noticing about the south. Back in DC and Rhode Island, I never saw anyone with dental bling bling except for the occassionally hip hopper on MTV. Down here, everybody has gold teeth, or at least one tooth is gold. I think there is some correlation with status and the amount and quality of dental jewelry. I think tommorrow I will put an order in for me.
I haven't met too many people. I think it is plainly obvious to the undergraduate population that I am older than dirt. Which is fine, I have no interest in dealing with certain aspects of undergraduate life. However, there are some nice looking ladies down here. That being said they are all like 18 and that makes me a pedofile. Moving on...the most interesting person I met was on my first day here at school. Orientation was rather interesting at SCAD. It is divided into two sessions. The morning session from 8 am to 11 am is taking care of ID's, schedules, etc etc. I got there at 7:50 am. Found my way around as any bumbling idiot would do and with in about 45 minutes I was done with everything. That means at 8:45 am I was in the middle of Savannah, GA with no place to go and nothing to do. The afternoon session didn't start till 1 pm. This also happened to be on a Sunday. Which, unlike the North, everything, including the hooker's legs, are closed! Well my tired ass walked up and down the whole God Damned city. Finally I ended up at the school book store where I bought a magazine. I then continued to walk till I came to a rather nice square. Savannah is a city of squares, similar to DC being a city of circles. Take note you urban planners, circles and squares fuck up traffic. Here I am sitting in this nice square, the name of which escapes me, passing time reading a magazine about comics (WHATELSE!?) and a homeless man walks up to me and introduces himself as Charlie.
Charlie it seems, had spent the day out in Hilton Head trying to find a job. A few things struck me as odd. I live between Savannah and Hilton head and it took me about 30 minutes to drive to the city at ludacris speed. How the fuck did Charlie, the homeless guy, with no car get from Savannah, GA to Hilton Head, SC? Driving would have taken 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic and one's destination. BUT THAT IS DRIVING! To get to SC to GA through Savannah you have to cross a rather large bridge that does not allow pedestrians and I can quarantee he didn't swim his ass across the Savannah River. Anyway, Charlie sits down next to me on the bench and explains that while he tried to get a job out there, he doesn't think he was successful. He tells me he "I am one of the homeless here in Savannah..." and proceeds to explain it has been a really long time since his last meal. I gave him all the change in my pocket and wished him well. Then off he went. What struck me most was "I am one of the homeless in Savannah." It was almost as if they were an exclusive club but more in the vain of "those are my bastard children." Never in any city that I have been to have I ever seen as many homeless. What disturbs me more is that I am unaware of any support services for them. I get the feeling the city tolerates them as a great lion tolerates fleas. Scratches them when they get in his way but for the most part ignores there existence. I think this will require more investigation on my part.
On a more positive note my classes are at the very least interesting. I have Drawing II, Color Theory, and Art History 101. So far I have solidified my place in Drawing II as the kid who has no fucking clue. My professor in Color Theory seems to be a little spark plug who spits out information like a wood chipper. Art History is the one class that I care the least about but so far has been the most structured. My Art History professor seems like a very nice woman but a deep academic. She was definitly picked last in gym class if you catch my meaning.
Everything just seems a blur in the short week or so that I have been here. I have experienced so much and yet I get the feeling it isn't even a drop in the bucket. I promise to start posting more but as it stands right now, I don't have a desk and furthermore only a few rooms in the house actually have lights. Really, it isn't as ghetto as it sounds but it ain't the Plaza either. There will be more to follow...James Bond will Return...
PS...whoever Pancho Vista is, Thanks
Monday, January 03, 2005
unplugged post redux
12/30
Here I am back in Hilton Head, SC. I am writing this in Word because I don’t have internet access. Actually, that is not true, I do have access but it is dial-up and rather than take the chances of losing my entry, I just assume write it here and upload it later.
I am watching Dragonfly with Kevin Costner. I remember when it was released, right around the same time as the Mothman Prophecies. From what I gather it is a movie about death and what happens next. I suppose, well rather I know I am far from qualified to speak of death and those that grieve. But to the grieving I can only imagine that death is viewed as an end. But I often wonder if it is a beginning. I am in no rush to find out to be sure and I certainly don’t possess the essence of faith that the devoutly religious have that affords them the comfort in believing in an afterlife. Certainly, I do hope there is something beyond the grave but I am neither a scholar nor a follower of theology. But it seems to me that death and whatever lies beyond is perhaps just a change. I once read somewhere that magic is just change and thinking back on the life I have lived and the changes that I have experienced, both subtle and drastic, than it would seem to me that death is similar. Obviously there is now way of proving this but if death is just a change of state than perhaps death is just the beginning of more changes. Who knows if there are more changes beyond the absence of a beating heart, a breathing lung? Only time will tell I guess.
Anyway, I am back in SC and there is something truly strange about this place. First off, after the sun goes down the place creeps me out royally. I am not afraid of the dark and God knows I have spent plenty of time in dark places but there is something eerie about this place. Walking outside there is a strange stillness and the only thing I can compare it to is the calculated stillness of a predator before it strikes its prey. This place is unlike anywhere I have ever been. I have traveled all over the world and nothing feels as foreign as the South. I know I have only been here a night but this place is so strange.
I am looking forward to going into Savannah in the next few days for school. That place also has strangeness to it. There is a kind of magic that seemingly keeps it protected and apart from the world around it. It is a beautiful city and I have a very strong feeling that going to school there will present many new adventures. My new home has a sort of melancholy loneliness about it. The fact that I am living in an empty house with no friends of family for miles certainly doesn’t help either. It is really a learning experience to completely uproot yourself and start somewhere completely new. Even though my car is packed full, the value of those possessions really becomes apparent when all you have is an empty house. More than ever I am learning that humans are truly social creatures. The people down here are characters all. The way they speak could alone occupy my attention for hours. This new start down here is promising to be very interesting. I only hope I have the strength to record it all.
Speaking of adventure, if you have to drive from Rhode Island to South Carolina I highly suggest you bring people with you. The drive is long, often times slow, and very lonely. There are many unique roadside attractions that I will surely write about in a later post. However, the one reason I wish I had someone to drive with is so that I could sleep. Being awake for 10 hours a lone in a car gives you a lot of time to think about things but never enough to time to bring those things to closure. If I have one weakness, it is being given time to think …
Here I am back in Hilton Head, SC. I am writing this in Word because I don’t have internet access. Actually, that is not true, I do have access but it is dial-up and rather than take the chances of losing my entry, I just assume write it here and upload it later.
I am watching Dragonfly with Kevin Costner. I remember when it was released, right around the same time as the Mothman Prophecies. From what I gather it is a movie about death and what happens next. I suppose, well rather I know I am far from qualified to speak of death and those that grieve. But to the grieving I can only imagine that death is viewed as an end. But I often wonder if it is a beginning. I am in no rush to find out to be sure and I certainly don’t possess the essence of faith that the devoutly religious have that affords them the comfort in believing in an afterlife. Certainly, I do hope there is something beyond the grave but I am neither a scholar nor a follower of theology. But it seems to me that death and whatever lies beyond is perhaps just a change. I once read somewhere that magic is just change and thinking back on the life I have lived and the changes that I have experienced, both subtle and drastic, than it would seem to me that death is similar. Obviously there is now way of proving this but if death is just a change of state than perhaps death is just the beginning of more changes. Who knows if there are more changes beyond the absence of a beating heart, a breathing lung? Only time will tell I guess.
Anyway, I am back in SC and there is something truly strange about this place. First off, after the sun goes down the place creeps me out royally. I am not afraid of the dark and God knows I have spent plenty of time in dark places but there is something eerie about this place. Walking outside there is a strange stillness and the only thing I can compare it to is the calculated stillness of a predator before it strikes its prey. This place is unlike anywhere I have ever been. I have traveled all over the world and nothing feels as foreign as the South. I know I have only been here a night but this place is so strange.
I am looking forward to going into Savannah in the next few days for school. That place also has strangeness to it. There is a kind of magic that seemingly keeps it protected and apart from the world around it. It is a beautiful city and I have a very strong feeling that going to school there will present many new adventures. My new home has a sort of melancholy loneliness about it. The fact that I am living in an empty house with no friends of family for miles certainly doesn’t help either. It is really a learning experience to completely uproot yourself and start somewhere completely new. Even though my car is packed full, the value of those possessions really becomes apparent when all you have is an empty house. More than ever I am learning that humans are truly social creatures. The people down here are characters all. The way they speak could alone occupy my attention for hours. This new start down here is promising to be very interesting. I only hope I have the strength to record it all.
Speaking of adventure, if you have to drive from Rhode Island to South Carolina I highly suggest you bring people with you. The drive is long, often times slow, and very lonely. There are many unique roadside attractions that I will surely write about in a later post. However, the one reason I wish I had someone to drive with is so that I could sleep. Being awake for 10 hours a lone in a car gives you a lot of time to think about things but never enough to time to bring those things to closure. If I have one weakness, it is being given time to think …
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Why I love William Gibson
William Gibson is a writer of Science Fiction. He is cited as the person who coined the term "cyberspace" and often writes in what is consider the "cyberpunk" genre. His writing is very detailed but the magic of it is that his highly detailed writing is often prophetic. By that I mean he takes concepts and ideas and puts them down on paper as what they could be. The easiest example I can use is Gibson's use of technology in his writing. When the internet was just being born, Gibson was writing about it as if it had been in society for decades. It's as if the Ford Model T just came out and Gibson is already talking about Ferrari's, and describing them in great detail. One of the greatest aspects of his writing is that it is believable. The things he writes about with respect to technology are crafted with such a realism that they are not only believable but conceivable in the near future.
But the reason why I love William Gibson, is that everytime I read one of his books or his stories or even his blog, I consistently learn something new. His last book, Pattern Recognition, required me to have access to the web so that I could look up and understand some of the things he mentions as well as major plot points. I think that is the mark of a good writer. The ability to not only engage me with a story but to also make me learn something new and to have me do it willingly is really a special quality. I encourage anyone to pick up some of his books, especially Neuromancer.
But the reason why I love William Gibson, is that everytime I read one of his books or his stories or even his blog, I consistently learn something new. His last book, Pattern Recognition, required me to have access to the web so that I could look up and understand some of the things he mentions as well as major plot points. I think that is the mark of a good writer. The ability to not only engage me with a story but to also make me learn something new and to have me do it willingly is really a special quality. I encourage anyone to pick up some of his books, especially Neuromancer.
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