Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Zen


h/t Sadly No!

From what I can gather, this is a Japanese version of Disney's child star factory and American Idol.

Actually, Mini Moni reminds me of The Killer Japanese Seizure Robots (bookmarked for years on my computer).


Once at work, in an effort to entertain her, I played the robots for a friend's 2 year old—it made her cry...

Monday, December 27, 2010

Poetry



A friend at work is a poetry reader/writer(?), Seidel, Larkin, etc. I confessed to him that I am not a big reader of poetry. From reading, I do get the occasional blast of recognition or imaginative journey, but I regret I don't understand poetry like other forms of expression—I am unfamiliar with poetry's politics and traditions. Maybe I'm a lazy reader...maybe I'm trying too hard.

Yet, I do enjoy hearing it read—the cadence and emphasis of the author's voice is always engaging. (Although, I don't think this is Lowell's voice.)

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Bob Mould—Sugar

Sugar, short-lived but fantastic.








Note: I realize my posts are increasingly disconnected—zigging, zagging. But, it reminds me that the only real purpose of this blog is to nail things down (digitally) before I forget or stop caring.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

1968—Louisville

I have never forgotten this ridiculous song.

I first heard it when I was 10-11 years old. A friend's older brother—the perfect hippie, who had just returned from study in Heidelberg, Germany—played it for us on an old reel to reel tape player/recorder. I've always thought that it was an obscure Frank Zappa song.

I know now that Zappa only produced the record.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Painting #11 (continued)

States #1 and 2 (from September)























State #3 (December)





















This one has moved along without a record of individual states. As I've looked at previous paintings (#7, 8, 9, and 10) there is some good and bad—again, it has always been the case that I would need to paint up to the present—to work out (and through) past hooks, etc.

I'd like to push this next group ahead by using paint differently—more liquid and less controlled application of paint, alongside the scraping and drawn marks. I should also figure out how to work 2 canvases simultaneously. More of a studio space issue.

Updated: Painting #11 (final)

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Cheery Prose

"...Senators, as a class are insufferable cretins whose self-regard and pomposity and belief that they are not horrible loathsome shitheaded troglodytes stand in precisely inverse proportion to the fact that they are, often enough, James Inhofe."
                                            ...
"Angry, pointless, non-constructive, antiquated, incomprehensible, malevolent, inane, crazed, and douchey: John McCain is the US Senate."

I thought these were such entertaining and caustic quotes, I couldn't just let them languish on a widely read and popular blog

h/t Thers

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Home

Plants aren't a substitute for my cats—still, something to do.

                                                                                                                 

RIP Captain Beefheart

...and of course Frank Zappa.



Bongo Fury!

A nice memorial.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Another Soundtrack: 1981-86

WLOU (Louisville) and WBLS (New York).
Painting studio music.

WLOU played gospel in the morning and proto hip hop the rest of the day. WBLS had marathon hip hop mixes that went on for hours—perfect for studio all-nighters in New Brunswick, NJ.








Also...



Update:
If I recall correctly, the studio music was pretty diverse. Included a lot of Velvet Underground and The Clash (didn't play on the radio in Louisville). But WRSU at Rutgers had a pretty good play list.

Thursday, December 09, 2010

A Work-life Soundtrack



This has been my work-life soundtrack for the past 20 years or more. It must have something to do with my relationship to both "work" and "life."

Curious...

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Political Metaphor...

The Third Way knocks out Progressive Politics!  Down goes Progressive Politics!


I think the middle class is screwed.

(I saw this fight on tv when I was 14. I wasn't a big fan of Frazier. I preferred Ali (which riled up the racist elements in family).

Saturday, December 04, 2010

Independently Wealthy or on SSI Disability?



Probably packed up his van to follow Olivia Newton-John's Long Live Love tour of the midwest in 1974.

Friday, December 03, 2010

My Boys















Walter (on right) 11-29-09. Truman (on left) 12-10-09.

These guys were the best.
They are with me, and in my thoughts daily. They're regularly in my dreams, walking on me as I sleep, pushing against my hand, laying on my chest.














Sometimes I think about adopting a couple of shelter kitties, but the more I think about moving on, the more I miss them. I need more time.

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