nice video from my company

This video might give you insight into why I like my work so much. Sickening, isn't it, to like one's work? But I do.

Great new site for 50s advertising images

Found while browsing the website for the fabulous magazine, ReadyMade (based in Berkeley!), this site has tons of great bright images of ephemera.

More on la Chenoweth + East Bay thoughts

This blog has some interesting reactions to the NY Times article about our darling Ms. Chenoweth. I'm finding that having a google news alert for her and getting the daily Sojourners email newsletter is giving me more sources for intelligent liberal Christian (and non-Christian) voices, which I enjoy.

Had a nice chat with my sponsor last night on my drive home. She is sending me contact info for our old 'homie' Molly, who is now living in Oakland. It'll be great to chat with her again and to hear about what's up housing-wise over here from someone I trust.

What I like about Berkeley and Oakland:

1. Close to this job. Was feeling like I might jump ship to the San Rafael company, but lately am getting a very positive vibe about staying right where I am. Got an excellent review from my boss and such genuine concern when I told people about my car accident. Also my boss is taking action on a personnel issue that I was worried would just be ignored, so that is also encouraging. So, it would be nice to have a small commute. It's a serious quality-of-life issue.

2. A new place to explore, paint, photograph, blog about.

3. Seems to have much more in the way of young people, single men, artists, book stores (Moe's is my all-time favorite!) , urban things in general than does Marin. (But what doesn't?)

4. Still close enough to Marin to see Camilla regularly, hang out with other Marin friends on weekends and such.

5. Way more affordable.

6. Isabel Point dog park is lovely. Also like the park at the Berkeley Marina.

7. Easy to take night art classes at CCA or Berkeley. Cheaper studio space.

Well and just this moment, my lovely coworker Cheryl dropped by my desk to offer me a personal tour of the Grand Lake area some weekend day. She grew up in Ross and said she was especially good at relating various Oakland areas to Marin areas I would know. How nice is that???

when it rains, it pours

The latest guy FINALLY signed our counteroffer so my realtor Joe is sending me stuff some to sign today to put me into escrow. Wee hoo!!!!
There will be some repair work they want done before I move (and I have to be out by Dec 21, can you believe it?) but Joe will probably help me coordinate those repairs. He has been the best realtor I can imagine having. I wish I was rich and well-connected in Napa so I could send him tons of business.
Sadly, the Cove apartments I viewed got snagged and they currently don't have anything open (that I can afford.) Happily, things at my job are going really well, so I am tempted to get a place over in the east bay and just yesterday checked out the Grand Lake area of Oakland which is lovely, cosmopolitan, safer than other parts of the east bay, and quite affordable. So who knows?
Anyone want some furniture? Books? I am also offering a very glamorous and hip new exercise program (free of charge!) at my home, involving squats with boxes, lunges with mops, arm stretching with packing tape. Too much fun!

Congratulations to Honda engineers!

Someone plowed into the right rear of my CRV while I was heading home last night - I was travelling along at 65 miles per hour or so, so whoever it was must've been going super fast. I heard a big screech of tires and then heard and felt the impact to my car, which amazingly did not get knocked into the carpool lane. (I was in Lane 2.) I heard more crashing noise, so I assume that car also hit someone else, but I couldn't stop in the middle of fast traffic on the freeway, so I made my way over to the shoulder.

Once I was there, I got out and looked back but couldn't see the accident scene. I checked my car and it was all just crumpled metal and screwed up bumper back there, but no apparent intrusion on the tire well and no damage to the tail lights. Good job Honda engineering, is what I say! I think I have a bit of whiplash, but not sure what Kaiser would do about that if anything.

It's amazing how stupid a big shot of adrelin will make you. I couldn't figure out who to call or what to do. I just felt unsafe and couldn't wait to get off the road.

But thank goodness I'm ok. Weirdly, no one reported any kind of accident except me. It's hard to believe the other drivers could just drive off based on the noises I was hearing, but there you have it.

Also weirdly, my very own sister was involved in an auto accident yesterday too. What the heck is in retrograde?

Toad in the hole!

Just proof that Wikipedia contains all.

However, the classic British version is not the dish that Camilla and I have been calling Toad in the Hole at the fabulous Boon Fly Cafe, where they have dubbed it "Poppa Joe's Eggs in a Hole". I'd like to take this chance to praise their amazing little cone of homemade donuts too. Heaven. Coma on a plate but heavenly at the moment.

I find it highly therapeutic to yell out "TOAD IN THE HOLE!" Even in the cafe, where my sister cringes just a bit when I do so. Partly because I am YELLING but also because that's just not what they call it there. It's as though I didn't get to play enough war games as a child and still want to frighten someone into a trench.

Wikipedia does define this version as one sometimes seen in the US. Makes me want to run home and try making this Brit version, though. YUM.

Funnily enough, a further google of "toad in the hole" brought me to a blog by a Berkeley person whose writing I really enjoy. Who'd a thunk?

friends of Kristin!

For some reason, I am completely nutty for Kristin Chenoweth, and the more my sister mocks me, the more devoted I become. Funny that. Anyway, the New York Times on Sunday wrote this fab article all about la Chenoweth.

Interesting article on marketing the Nativity

By Becky Garrison, from "Beliefnet". Enjoy!

my amazon wish list

for all those bazillionaire fans of mine who are stumped about what to give me for Hannukah, Christmas, Kwanza and Boxing Day - here's the help you've been wanting!

Very sad news for a Marin girl

Mrs. T has passed on to the big tippy glider in the sky. She was such a wonderful part of my childhood education and opened up a lifelong interest in the natural world!

CBS has some nice video of her at work with kids.

Sock monkey for Thursday, November 30

I am big on cheese. But more importantly, I am big on being civil while enjoying cheese. For the penultimate in cheese etiquette, please enjoy this pdf from Charles Purdy, a.ka. "Social Grace."

wealth a go-go + cats are not dogs

I had a meeting with a wonderful new acquaintence in Tiburon this morning. Susan was the highest bidder on an auction item that I donated to MSW. The winner gets a painted portrait of her favorite pet. So Susan has this great red cat named Rudy and I went to her house early (8 am) to take a few photos of him for reference.

Well, Rudy was not in the mood to have his photo taken. He was in the mood to go outside, which we weren't letting him do. He also did not love the flash on the camera when I finally did corner him. It ended up that Susan had to hold him in her lap and point his face to the camera. Kitty cat torture! She told Rudy, "This will not actually kill you." I liked her a lot.

As money issues have been forefront lately, it did not escape my notice that her house was enormous, beautiful furnished, bedecked with art that was just fun and great and beautiful, and all of this nearly eclipsed by the stunning wide sweeping view of San Francisco Bay. I couldn't help wondering how in the heck people ever get so much money. It seems like either a fluke occurs or it doesn't and -bam- you're rich. Or not. I know so many people who work quite hard but never have a stroke of luck and live a normal middle-class life. Do the super-wealthy really work that much harder? Somehow I doubt it.

I also spotted the money guru / author Suze Orman at Safeway in Tiburon on my way to Susan's house. She was getting into her very schnazzy silver Audi. Coincidence?

Went by the Cove apartments after the semi-botched cat photo op. The management office folks were delightful. Better yet, it looks like they will have a very affordable (albeit cozy) apartment coming available soon in a pretty good location in the complex. The drive from there to the offices in Berkeley where I work was easy peasy, about 25 minutes. And a nice view for most of the drive - gorgeous views from the Richardson Bay Bridge. So this perked me up.

rich man, poor man

I have been ever so slightly obsessed with moolah over the past few weeks, not too shockingly, but it's getting to annoy me. I am in 'no wiggle room' mode, scraping by, and all the while living in a highly affluent community, so of course it's on my mind.

Then, to make matters better or worse (depending on how I decide to take this), I read about this young artist who created some great art pieces out of her creative investigation of her relationship to her own debt. I can't remember now where I saw this (which is making me nuts, but that's another story) and I'd love to link it from here if I could. Maybe I heard it on the radio??? In any case, this artist ends up selling drawings that perfectly replicate one of her very own American Express bills. And she's making good money at this. If anyone reading this can send me a link, I'd be quite grateful. Usually I'm very skilled at ye olde google search, but I can't find this.

So, this got me to thinking, again, that I should have thought of that. Or that I need to shake myself more into that way of thinking so I can take the next opportunity.

As in, what creative expression can I make about my current situation, even if I have some judgement or fear about it? It's the fearless artists who are making an impact, getting some freedom, moving on.

I enjoy seeing art of this kind, where people are being so close-to-the-bone authentic with explorations. One can sniff out a fake 'investigation' easily enough.

One thought I had this morning was triggered by this "implicit" judgements test from Harvard University. Flawed though the test might be, it was thought-provoking when my dark/light judgement test showed I had a strong preference for lighter skinned faces. My first reaction was to deny the result altogether. Then I realized that I probably do have a subconscious script about dark faces. I thought about all the faces I've ever drawn or painted. I'd say at least 90% of those have been light-skinned faces. So that's also a factor in familiarity, recognition, and comfort-level.

What would it tell me, I wondered, if I did a series of paintings (or drawings for now, since my painting stuff is in storage) of dark-skinned people? I remember an art teacher telling me about a student who did a self-portrait every day for a year. This reminds me a bit of that. Now, to 'simply' obtain some more free time!

You Are Austin

A little bit country, a little bit rock and roll. You're totally weird and very proud of it. Artistic and freaky, you still seem to fit in... in your own strange way. Famous Austin residents: Lance Armstrong, Sandra Bullock, Andy Roddick

What American City Are You?

mercy me

Ok, so now on a more serious note. Serious but not dour.

As I sat in the chapel at St Andrew yesterday morning, listening to the incredible music, being encouraged by the inspiring, forgiving, human, thought-provoking, welcoming words from the Rev, I just felt right to my bones that no one could help but want to be part of this place.

The Rev was talking about Hannah singing a redemption song, about giving it all over to God, including your emotions, your trials. About not keeping a stiff upper lip.

I think of myself as someone who has been hugely redeemed when I was allowed recovery from addiction. But as I listened, I started seeing myself as someone who could be allowed more than one redemption song. I could keep my house clean and share it with someone else. I could get health around money and be a good partner.

higher consciousness

my consciousness-raising group is all up in my grill about my overidentification with 'the man.'

they insist that i would not be tortured with self-recrimination about my nudity if i were to become more fully evolved and shuffle off the oppression of this defect of character.

ack.

i laugh because i cannot cry hard enough.

Sock Monkey (Couple) of the Day for November 18, Saturday

When did we move to the city, Hank?

I think it was 1999. Just before Jenny went to Davis. Isn't that right?

We love it here.

We do.

guaranteed smile generator

This thing is so simple and fun that I can't believe no one has thought of it before. Don't know if it's art or not, but I don't care.

Sock monkey for Friday, November 17

My name is Horatio and I live in Bolinas, California, where I play guitar and watch birds. Sometimes I go get a tuna sandwich at the Bolinas Market deli. Every now and again, I have to drive "over the hill" to San Rafael to get groceries and stuff or see a movie.

I used to have this groovy long ponytail but now I'm getting a bald spot. Lucky for me, there's this surfer dude named Kenny who makes these rad bandanas.

I'm pretty happy. The only thing that gets under my skin is when people don't know who Kristin Chenoweth is.

sock monkey of the day

I hearken from Portland, Oregon where we remain humble despite our eco-urban superiority. Although surrounded by earthy, practical folks, I remain dedicated to always looking my best. I achieve this by making the most of my accessories - in this case, a jaunty yet minimalist belt.

I heartily advise young sock monkeys everywhere not to cross their legs. It only causes varicose viens later in life.

Read here to learn about a sock monkey shelter. This web site is everything this Cracker wants to be when she grows up. Dang cracker.

bopping along to "Hold to His Hand"

Here is a lovely thing about attending St Andrew - instead of some insipid and mind-numbing pop thing kidnapping my brain, I am hearing the rockin' African-American gospel song "Hold to His Hand" all day. And thanks to i-Tunes, I can refresh my memory when it starts to fade a bit.

Smitemaster 2000

Do you have trouble smiting all the people you want to? The new Smitemaster 2000 offers a scalable and flexible smite solution for your organization to reach new heights of smiting efficiency. All smiting, all the time.

house for sale

I've decided to lose the internal war I've been waging with the who-says-so notion that this blog needs to be all about art and only about art. I'd rather have everything in one place and sometimes it will inform the art, sometimes the art will inform it, sometimes it will be random and who knows?

So - about selling my house

the kitchen then

The kitchen now:















When I first viewed this house about 3 years ago, it smelled of cigarettes and also faintly of cat urine.

In 2004, photo on left shows the second bedroom, which had (just out of view) fake wood paneling tacked to the drywall. On the right is the same bedroom now:

It was all decorated with pink lacey frilly things with not even a nod toward the modern architecture.

The master bedroom was set up in such a way that you couldn't really even see that there are these great sliding glass doors onto an atrium!

I pulled out all the smoke-infested carpet and tossed various tints of concrete stain on the floor. I ripped out the sliding metal doors on all the closets and pantry and painted the brown faux-wood kitchen cabinets a rich blue. Lucking out big time, a friend who just happened to have a crane on his truck also just happened to want the old wood stove, so away that went too. My wonderful sister helped enormously by paying a painter to give a significant lift to the living room.

Now, as it comes time to sell it, we’ve added carpeting and the stagers have done their magic with arrangement of furniture. I also spent a few days pulling down a large wall collage in my bedroom, scrubbing the rubber cement off, patching the drywall, priming and painting the whole room a color called “wheat.” Turns out I love the warm tone, very cozy.

Want to buy it, by the way? Check it out.

sock monkey fellowship

someone as nutty as me???

Someone very arty about it all.

the sincere and straightforward approach

new attitude, thoughts about my sister's adoption process

He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant to all." Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said "Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me."

- Mark 9:35-37

not obsessive

I'm really not an obsessive type, but London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London London

Amazing 3-D Street Murals

Perspective is an amazing thing. On the sidewalk and off.

remember this girl, P?

Freud, Lucian
Girl in a dark dress
1951
Oil on canvas
16 x 12 in. (40.6 x 30.5 cm)
Private collection

Smug city?

A thought I had this morning: it might be lovely to get an art-type live/work space in the Gilman Street area. It would be easy commute for current work and could also be central to SR if something happens in that area. Then I am not stuck in the burbs but am in a more lively urban and artsy area for my 'home life' time but can share a lot of time / space with P in my 'work life' (potentially.) Although I have not heard back. But that's par for the course.

I heard someone talk about Berkeley as being self-obsessed and smug, which bothers me somehow. Has anyone ever described London as smug? I don't think so. Could I get past that idea?

Here is an article written by someone who really hates Berkeley.

Tardy party

Yes, my life has been chock a block with reality. And not so much with art. And so I have not written much. Also, I nuked my network connection at home to save some moolah, so now have to sneak in some typing at work.

This truly tickled me, so thought I'd post.

George Bush on "using the Google."

A satisfactory painting of a head is almost the highest piece of composition.

- Robert Henri, The Art Spirit

Here is what I want for Christmas. In the meantime, here is somewhere I can get lost for several hours!

Sent to our mother this week, and (happily) accepted:

Dear Ma-MAH,

Would you please review this proposed tour and give your blessing? If this meets with your approval, we would like to book your tickets asap.

Saturday, Dec 23rd:
You arrive to the Medford airport on a slightly chilly but brilliantly sunny afternoon and catch your complimentary flight aboard a sleek modern jet to San Francisco International Airport.
There, you are met at the baggage area by two lovely local hostesses, Porter and Kate, who also happen to be your darling daughters (DDs). They will chauffeur you to your evening destination, called "Casa de DD", which will be in Napa or Marin. Or Berkeley or Alameda. Casa de DD's accommodations are elegant and comfortable, featuring a private room and maid service.
There will be a short nap time rigorously enforced by your hostesses before dinner.

Sunday, Dec 24th:
Sleep in as late as you like and enjoy a casual breakfast at your accommodation or
choose a breakfast at a cozy local café with your DDs. (You will not be able to avoid spending copious time with these DDs during your tour, sorry.)
The DDs will chauffeur you to the beautiful and historic Gold Country town of Auburn, where you may choose to enjoy some antique shopping or a lunch (again with DDs). You may also select to visit the factory outlet stores at Vacaville enroute.
Arrive to Chez Lanterman in the afternoon, where you will be staying for two nights. Chez Lanterman is renown for its gourmet dining, first-class hug delivery by beloved grandchildren and scenic lake views.

Monday Dec 25 th:
Santa arrives in pajamas on Christmas morning at Lake of the Pines, where we too will be opening presents and noshing on pastry by the fire. The day is unstructured and relaxed. Even the dog is mellow.

Tuesday Dec 26 th:
After a leisurely wake-up time and breakfast, followed by an optional stroll around the lake, your DDs will chauffeur you back through the fertile and lush Sacramento valley to Casa de DD.
Boxing day activities are open and you may request your chauffeurs to deliver you to any Bay Area locale for your shopping, visiting, walking or dining pleasure.

Wednesday Dec 27th:
The DDs escort you to SFO, where you will once again board an elegant jet and be returned to Medford, Oregon, where once again, remarkably, it is completely sunny and not at all foggy.

Love, Kate and Porter

new finds

Discovered another painter I like (Portland Oregon's Hal McCartor) and his blog is groovy too. It's interesting to read about his process (as much as I hate the words 'his process.')

I also ran across Julia Kay's site and looks like she's right here in the East Bay - maybe our paths will cross.

Edge case

My art, when will I have time for it when I have to paint, pack move? Will I have to sneak in a doodle here or there, around the edges?

I see the words "my art" that I just typed. I think perhaps that makes no sense, that phrase. What about the creative activity I enjoy can be "mine" in the same way as a teapot? Hmmph.


I have this very cool book called "Drawing From Life - The Journal as Art" in which one of my favorite journals is this very dense pen and ink work a guy did every day on his subway ride in NYC.

I had a couple of reactions to this:

a - why can't I have a subway ride? if only I had a subway ride, I would be fulfilled happy artist with a cool journal

b - if that guy can do such cool artwork on the 'fringe' of his day, surely there is something I can find to do, some edge or fringe that I am overlooking.

I have been trying to remember to bring my sketchbook whenever I am going to be sitting around the dog park. Part of me thinks - who am I kidding, these dogs keep moving too much and I'll never get any fruitful sketching done this way. But I gave it a shot anyhow, because what can it hurt, and when I looked at the page the next day, I thought it was pretty cool. Worth doing.

Part of my challenge is to be braver about drawing stuff when I'm in public and people can see me. I get so shy about it and I also worry that people will get upset if I am making them my subject.

low art / high art

I have spent so much time being delighted with myself for knowing tacky from tasteful, kitschy from edgy, and am lately just finding it all kind of pointless and a bit mean-spirited and superior.

Lo and behold, I ran across Jon Carroll's column today and it fit in perfectly with that theme. Just brilliant, that man.

Do I sense a trend back toward sincerity and enthusiasm? Let me be among the first!

This afternoon at work, a gaggle of folks noticed big flames and smoke coming from a nearby building and we heard lots of sirens and then helicopters too. Shortly after that, we got an email from our IT guy:

Subject line: Please stop watching the live feed of the fire

Body: Unless you are using the proxy server, please stop watching the video of the fire so we don't keep spiking the T1.

Just go to the QA room and watch it live it you really gotta watch it.

Thank you

-Robin

Vegan semi truck?

Driving south on 1-80 this morning on my way to work, I thought I was seeing a big semi truck announcing that it had gone on a VEGAN diet, but when I got closer, I realized that the words marked out in bits of tape on the back of the container were "GOT HITCHED IN VEGAS 7/31". Excellent.

And then the Foo Fighters came on the radio. KFOG.

Making 3 nice new entries to the gratitude list and it's not even 9 a.m.

The Paint Off

Well, as you'll see, I didn't win this Paint Off in the official sense. But I am nonetheless congratulating myself on subverting my natural tendency to run screaming for privacy and invulnerability and actually staying through the entire event.

I am so grateful to Laura, Tom, Kathryn, and Hank for showing up to give me much-needed moral support. Laura and Tom even helped me pack up my stuff at the end of the day; now that's a sign of a trooper right there. I get so weirdly uncomfortable accepting help, but if I want to be a real part of the world, not just a "wad in a box" (copyright Gary Stutler), that's going to be part of the deal.

What was great - discovered a couple of artists who I like both personally and artistically. Number one best discovery was Hwei-Li Tsao, who I knew only as "Number 36." Thank goodness she won second place or I'd never have found out her name.

Also good was to force myself into a situation where I am the little fish in a bigger pond. It was motivating to see these other talented artists at work, albeit a bit humbling too.

My key learning about the painting part itself was that I wish I'd gone slower, done some more sketching to get my composition together, been patient with creating a limited palette piece, thinner layers, and then add the brighter fun colors more near the end. Ah the delayed gratification thing.