11.30.09 – Day Job

Like most artists I know, I have a day job. For the most part it works well, as it provides me with a very flexible schedule, a computer with internet at home, and I don’t have to interact with many people – a big plus at times. I do have to deal with customers via email and occasionally the phone, which mostly works well, but there are always a few people who just defy reason. And yes, the typo was in this person's email message (three phone messages and four emails from the same person about the same issue, what a way to start a Monday.)

11.29.09 – Is it Christmas Yet?

It gets harder and harder each year for me to get even remotely interested in Christmas. With the crowds in the stores and the insanity that creates, I really just want to wake up and have it be New Year’s Day.

11.28.09 – Not Home for the Holidays

I came from a highly dysfunctional family, which is the norm these days, so holidays are not my favorite time of year. I haven’t been to my parents’ home since 1990 and I think I am the better for it. Most people, I’m sure won’t understand that, which is why I usually duck around when people ask me where I’m spending the holidays or if I’m going home. I’m not sure if it’s the blog or other things in my life or no longer being in a job where I feel I always have to present a very different image than who I really am, but I can’t seem to bother to lie that much anymore. A number of people around me have been a bit shocked by my directness and openness of late. I think it’s a good change and I’m starting to care less and less what others think in regards to how I live my life, which is a very good thing.

This year I was invited by a friend I was reacquainted with on Facebook, ironically, for Thanksgiving. I had a wonderful time and was welcomed by all her friends. Of course this makes me think of what I “missed out” on by not being around my family. I think I made the right choice.

11.27.09 – Is it Art or Just Candy?

Currently I have a lot of leftover candy from my gingerbread project (see my 11.22.09 blog entry to read all about that fun-filled experience), which made think of the artist, Felix Gonzalez-Torres. When I was in graduate school, the curator of contemporary art from the local art museum taught one of my art history courses. She managed to arrange visits to two local collectors’ homes, which allowed us to see some very famous pieces of art in very private domains. One home was filled with contemporary art, which caused a number of the students to raise their eyebrows repeatedly. One such piece was Felix Gonzalez-Torres’ mound of candy. I forget the exact name of the piece, but it was a mound of a specific brand of candy and a specific weight. Most of us, me included, were a bit perplexed at this piece, and bordering on not believing it to be real art. Then an interesting thing happened, the owner asked us to each take a piece of candy (many of Gonzalez-Torres’ pieces offer such tokens to the viewer and are replenished by either the owner or exhibitor). No one moved toward the mound. All the looks of skepticism were gone and a look of shock took its place. Even though many of us didn’t view this artwork as “real art” we couldn’t fathom disrupting or altering the piece. It took the owner and the curator to each take a piece of candy before the rest of us would slowly go over to the mound and delicately take a piece ourselves.

11.26.09 – First Cheers of the Day

I live near the riverfront, which, besides having the throngs of tourists and suburbanites who forget about one-way streets, brings a number of marathons pretty much underneath my bedroom window. Today was the Thanksgiving Day marathon. When I first moved to this area, I was woken up that day to cheers and whistles and encouraging voices. It took me a few moments to realize what was going on. Over the years I’ve gotten used to it like fireworks and ballgame traffic, but at times I do see both its humor and delight in hearing applause and cheers first thing in the morning.

11.25.09 – Mystery Pouch

On Monday I attended a local fundraising event and was given a gift bag. Upon looking through it at home it had the typical women's gift bag items -- perfume sample, cosmetics bag, gift certificates, and a tote bag with the unfortunate signature of a celebrity “designer,” but it also had something else. It had two plastic pillow-like pouches, with a department store's name and logo across it, filled with yellow liquid and what looked like a flattened button. These objects seemed quite odd to me, as I couldn't figure out what they were. There were no instructions on the pouch or in the gift bag. I thought about taking them in to the store and asking if someone could tell me their use, but didn't want to see completely stupid. It seemed possible that you might place them in the freezer and then put them on your eyes, but mostly, due to the urine color, they made me think of Andres Serrano photographs.

I decided to take one with me to lunch with a friend, thinking perhaps he could figure it out, but he was just as perplexed. When our waitress at Sitwell's stopped by, he decided to ask her and she knew exactly what it was. It turns out the flattened button when bent activates the pouch and it hardens, but instead of becoming cold, it heats up. She had used such devices, she said, while in high school band.

We continued to touch the hot pouch in amazement during lunch. It did go down to room temperature a few hours later, but was still rock hard. It's supposed to go back to its liquid state, the waitress said, after a period and then you can start the whole process again, but my friend, who I let have the one pouch, said it is still solid as a rock a day later.

This time of year it does make sense for such a device, as it's a good hand warmer, but I also realized it would be a great mugger deterrent. I have always liked things that have multiple uses. I just wish they had chosen a different color. I love the color yellow, but not as a liquid in a pouch.

I may have to go back to Sitwell’s and find that helpful waitress to figure out how to get it back to its original state.

11.24.09 – Zhivago

It’s now beginning to set in that winter is here, or nearly here. I’m going to have to get out my winter coat, which hopefully I can still fit in. Along with the typical winter images that come to mind when I think about this season, I get snippets of Dr. Zhivago. I have no idea why. I’m ashamed to say, I don’t even think I have seen the movie in its entirety. Something about those romantic snowy scenes with Omar Sharif at his most dashing and Julie Christie wearing that black shawl, makes winter seem almost bearable.