No way around it…this anniversary always sucks. It has now been twenty three years since my brother lost his battle with leukemia. I try to remember him fondly and to focus on the good times we had together without dwelling so much on his illness. But what a horrible way to die. And before his adult life had even begun.
Forging ahead with five fine things:
- So moving and it makes perfect sense: Lincoln High School in Walla Walla, WA, tries new approach to school discipline — suspensions drop 85%. It is especially relevant to me now, with my son transitioning to junior high soon. But I think of all the students I went to school with who acted out, but clearly had deep-seated reasons for doing so that weren’t being addressed.
- Yeti Records opened in the Fall of 2012 and have been a great part of the local music community since then. I’ve enjoyed many art openings / shows there (including the recent Record Store Day festivities). Sadly the rent is too damned high. The husband and wife duo behind Yeti are moving out of the brick and mortar store front and looking to go mobile. The Luck’s are raising funds for Yeti Records on Wheels, the food truck of quality vinyl. Pitch in if you can. They are halfway there.
- Been listening to the new Lower Dens all week, Nootropics. Also, now on bandcamp International Novelty Gamelan. Thanks for the heads up Reviler!
- Yep. The boy discovered that Yellow Submarine will be on the big screen, for a limited engagement. And I’ve agreed to take him to see it.
- This is beautiful, which is the opposite of my personal experience (and the experiences of most, I imagine) with hospitals: “Flowers in the Hospital“
Last weekend I didn’t see the Super Moon (it was cloudy and stormy) but I’m still blaming its influence, among other factors, for my terrible headache - now on day five - and foul mood. Been attempting to snap out of it with varying degrees of success. I’ve had several stupid-ish stretches where everything feels vaguely unsatisfying and stressful, for no particular reason. Stress baking isn’t the answer but that didn’t stop me from baking two loaves of banana bread, and some other. food stuffs But I’ve also had much happiness in my life lately. This morning I chaperoned the boy’s class field trip to The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, which was lovely. And we enjoyed Free Comic Book Day last Saturday followed by a screening of The Avengers. And there are other good things as well. But I don’t want to jinx those.
Last weekend I received not one but two fun packages via the USPS, enjoyed an exceptional doom metal duo, an early morning anonymous choir in-store at Treehouse Records, Obscura Day at House of Balls, watching Alien with the boyfriend, and a burst of getting-things-done productivity. And yet I started this week off in such a downer mood. Feeling like I can’t keep my head above water. And no wonder. Just look at what I’d been reading!
Five discouraging, depressing or disheartening things plus one vaguely inspirational one:
- What Happens To 3 Out Of 4 Girls After Leafing Through A Fashion Mag For 3 Minutes? And that’s not just “girls” of course. Plenty of
- A highly enthusiastic letter was written by author Philip K. Dick in 1981. Dick had just seen a pre-release glimpse of Blade Runner — a movie that was based on his novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, and which is now regarded by many as the greatest science fiction film ever made — and, delighted by the footage, felt the need to share his thoughts with the production company responsible. The tragedy is, Philip K. Dick passed away 5 months after sending this letter. He never saw the final movie.
- Gen X Hits Another Bump in the Road. Yep.
- The city Chernobyl built - “I thought there would be a much bigger fear of radiation, but the bigger fear is the loss of jobs and the uncertainty of the future,†Crow said. So sad.
- Mile High Bummer Club - “A 52 year old Flilipino guy lost it on a Cathay Pacific flight from Bangkok to Hong Kong. He tried to attack the cabin crew with a knife (maybe the tiny one they give you to spread hard margarine on your dinner roll) and nearly made it fully into the cockpit, before he got taken out in a head lock by a fast thinking Mongolian business man.”
- More hopeful than helpless but still sad. A well written essay/obituary for John Grabski III by Steve Albini. Also, fuck cancer.
But hey, it’s May now. Time for happier shinier new things. This morning I registered the boy for classes for SEVENTH GRADE. Damn. Thankfully he’s way more excited than anxious about the whole thing. And we’re both stoked about Saturday’s Free Comic Book Day. Our annual family tradition is to make a pilgrimage to The Source (this year in their larger location just up the road from their old digs). Hopefully there will be plenty of cosplay enthusiasts to photograph. And Sunday is the Heart of the Beast’s annual May Day Celebration in Powderhorn. This year with oodles of friends who now live in that neighborhood, and the boyfriend will be performing at the festival as part of a marching band. Hooray!
My night owl tendencies are only worsening with the lengthening of the days. I can enjoy it for now but I’m going to have to seriously curb these bad habits come September. Next school year the poor kid and I will have to start getting up an hour earlier every school day. Boo to that! But yay to electives that will (hopefully) hold his interest. I’ll be heading to the school next week to register him for classes…for the beginning of his high school career. Eep.
Five good things for this fine Thursday:
The kid and I already have a busy weekend ahead. But now we have a forgotten deadline to boot. Since May is NEXT WEEK. I was hoping we could make some super short films together. In general, but specifically to submit for consideration in The Soap Factory’s Ten Second Film Festival, in conjunction with Northern Spark 2012. We better get cracking. Deadline is Tuesday.
Yesterday I saw Don Hertzfeldt’s It’s A Beautiful Day at the Riverview Theater, along with some of his other shorts. I’m always amazed by how he nails emotion just right, with his use of dialogue and sound and fairly simple animation. So expressive. And the man himself was there for a Q&A session afterward. The poor guy has been to 40 or 50 cities on this tour, and traveling since November. Despite being the absolute last stop on this very long tour he was remarkably engaging and enthusiastic. And very very interesting, as I suspected he might be.
Four more good things for this Monday, plus one stupid one:
Been a whirlwind of activity since last Thursday. Saw Sleeping in the Aviary perform at the MIA’s Third Thursday, then moved on to “Rectal” Night with Rana May and Dreamland Faces at the Black Forest Inn. Friday night was Mother of Fire’s “Feral Children” release show, complete with costumes and swordplay. And Saturday we started out Record Store Day 2012 at Hymies and moved on to Yeti Records. Did lots of socializing and listening to local bands play - more than taking photos. Then wound up at a housewarming party, a birthday party and the Hexagon for Hollow Boys. Busy busy.
Today has been a quiet day, aside from the delivery of my new (super marked down and super comfortable) boots from 6pm.com, but yesterday? That was an unexpectedly silly day at work. First with birthday cake and the company’s president giving the managing director a buck on a bike, and then fun with emergency vehicles!
Five other fantastic things:
Now for a tragic thing, with a slightly hopeful twist. From my dear friend Manny:
Last month some friends experienced a tragedy when their house caught fire. One of our friends lost his life while waking his housemates. A tremendous burden is left for these folks as they try to recover and rebuild their lives. Here is my contribution. I will be offering my hair for benefit. On May 10th I will shave my head if that is the will of the most donations.
Send money to saveapomp@gmail.com and I will not shave my head.
Send money to shaveadour@gmail.com and I will publicly shave my head at the Turf Club on May 10th, 2012.
All proceeds will go to help out the these folks.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Last night I took a little time out. Ran some errands after work. Had a quiet meal alone at home, while watching an episode of Castle (in which Nathan Fillion was reunited with guest star Adam Baldwin and it made me miss Firefly even more). And then everything fell into place. My ex dropped my son off. While we were all standing on the front porch together I noticed the mail had been delivered. I grabbed a stack of envelopes and noticed one in particular, on top. I opened the letter. From our first choice school letting us know Parker has been accepted for the Fall. Phew! A huge relief. And it felt good to find out together, as a family, cobbled-together such as it is.
Five good things for this extra bloggity week:
- I found out about this amazing weekend of Comics, Philosophy & Practice happening next month in Chicago. But registration is closed because of the “overwhelming” response. Well, duh. Did you see this line-up? Everyone from Lynda Barry to R. Crumb and Gary Panter and Daniel Clowes and Joe Sacco and Art Spiegelman and Chris Ware. Craziness.
- I’ve seen this done before but I particularly like the execution of this series - “Adding Monsters to Thrift Store Paintings“
- This is spot on and hilarious: We’re Not Young (a parody of Fun’s We Are Young)
- While I’m not a huge sports fan I do have a soft spot for the Twins. And I just learned about a way to enjoy the home games that doesn’t involve going into the stadium. I can plunk ass down in Fulton’s Tap Room, right next to the stadium, and enjoy the offerings of various food trucks. Yes please.
- An ok problem to have? Too many good movie options in this town! I still haven’t gotten to the film fest. And the Walker is in the middle of their Lawrence Kasdan series. And there’s the Trylon, now awarded “Best Theater” by City Pages. And international action movie mayhem makes its way to the Lagoon this weekend with The Raid. TOO MUCH AWESOME.
Though it’s only mid-week I’m getting really excited about Record Store Day on Saturday. I’ll be bouncing back and forth between Hymie’s (music starting bright and early at 10:30am with a marching band) and Yeti Records (music starting at 1pm) all day. Come out to support your local record stores, and your local bands!
Some days my job is so strange. Interspersed between the SysOps bits I could be capturing the Snack Jackals of Clockwork tearing apart a gift basket. Or snapping cute shots of Clockworklings. Or I might be asked to stay late for a “Calves and Asses” calendar photo shoot. Hmmm. We’ll see how that one plays out this afternoon.
Five fine things for this Tuesday:
After nearly six weeks away at Canon repair my favorite lens, a 17-40mm wide angle, has returned to me. For just $233. Replacing it would have cost a whole lot more but OUCH. It took us a little while to warm up to one another after being apart so long. There may have been some mutual resentment. But we got over it and have already been doing happy fun things together. And I’m looking forward to more, and better, times ahead.
The weekend was a busy one. As they often are. Friday the 13th fun was had with friends at On’s Thai and then on to the nearby Turf Club. Saturday saw us at the first birthday party (with a rented bouncy castle!) for the daughter of friends and then on to Clockwork’s family friendly ArtCrank pre-party. Saturday night I attended two more shows with the man-friend (still need to process those photos). By yesterday I was ready for some quiet, and so was the lad. He just wanted to stay home. We skipped the Alpaca Show. I went grocery shopping solo. I skipped Charlie Parr at Palmer’s and a going away party. Instead in the evening I turned off my music to listen to the storm, while eating hot hot curry with cold Vinho Verde. Not too effing bad.
Five good things for today:
The week ahead is another busy one. Finishing off my taxes (yikes). Getting through yet another stack of summer camp paperwork. And somewhere along the way I’ve got to squeeze in some Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Fest screenings, before Record Store Day busy times on Saturday. And maybe fitting in brunch times with friends somewhere. These are logistical/lifestyle problems I can manage.
I’m on another bittersweet Broadcast kick. Sad because of Trish Keenan’s untimely death. She was just 42. It’s all so fleeting. But her ethereal vocals are eternal.
Five good/interesting things for this Friday the 13th:
And now for some identity-related issues. The “Double Identity” project - stacked photos of identical twins - by photographer and twin Caroline Briggs. From her:
The battle between wanting to be alike, yet craving an identity separate from your real-life clone, is one I have lived. By creating a single portrait from two people poses questions about their relationship and their desire - or lack of desire - to live completely separate lives.
Less neat and more frustrating: Barbie goes bald, but don’t tell the “normal” kids:
Distributing the bald Barbies directly to children’s hospitals is a good way to get them directly and quickly to the kids that are being immediately impacted by hair loss. But it also serves to underscore the separation of these kids from children who have not lost their hair, treating them as something different, existing in a different world, instead of showing that just because you lost your hair doesn’t mean you are any less normal. I do applaud Mattel’s decision to make the doll, but I’d love it even more if anyone who wanted to could easily pick one up!
And another HELL YEAH to this wonderful lady - “Ashley Judd Slaps Media in the Face for Speculation Over Her ‘Puffy’ Appearance”
The Conversation about women’s bodies exists largely outside of us, while it is also directed at (and marketed to) us, and used to define and control us. The Conversation about women happens everywhere, publicly and privately. We are described and detailed, our faces and bodies analyzed and picked apart, our worth ascertained and ascribed based on the reduction of personhood to simple physical objectification. Our voices, our personhood, our potential, and our accomplishments are regularly minimized and muted.
Love her. Please read her piece.
More exhausted than I should be today. The undone To Do list tasks seem to be multiplying “The Trouble With Tribbles” style. But I’m allowing myself to crash and burn earlier than intended, out of sheer necessity. Before turning in for the night I’ll give you these five good things:
Tomorrow will be a shiny new day with ample opportunity to get on top of things. Yes, I will keep telling myself this before I drift off to sleep. Good night.
