I fear for August.

It's hot!
I can't get cool,
I've drunk a quart of lemonade,
I think I'll take my shoes off
And sit around in the shade.
It's hot!
My back is sticky,
The sweat rolls down my chin.
I think I'll take my clothes off
And sit around in my skin.
It's hot!
I've tried with 'lectric fans,
And pools and ice cream cones.
I think I'll take my skin off
And sit around in my bones.
It's still hot!

by Shel Silverstein

*finals are next week. Maybe I can post something more substantial after that.

-1981.

"there's a monkey in the jungle
watching a vapor trail
caught up in the conflict
between his brain and his tail

and if time's elimination

then we got nothing to lose
please repeat the message
.. it's the music that we choose."

Gorillaz, 19-2000

Forgive me for posting stuff that isn't my own. I wish my art were that good.

It's coming upon finals week and I really can't think of much else to say.

Processed Cheese Food.

Is processed cheese food like, what they feed cheese to make it healthy and strong so it can be fit for selling in a supermarket?

I grabbed two packs at the grocery the other day, unknowingly. They were only $1. I thought, what a deal on cheese!

I didn't know it was "cheese food." I failed to read the proverbial fine print.

One website says, "Processed cheese, or American cheese, is cheese that is treated by pasteurization and the addition of preservatives and more moisture for spreadability and ease of melting. If it is called cheese FOOD, the product needs to contain only 51% real cheese."

Hmm.

I miss some good Dutch cheese.

Don't stop, get it get it.

I've been really intrigued by the Gorillaz lately and I love that song Feel Good Inc. It took me a while to get past the creepy laughter in it, but with lyrics like this, who can mind some maniacal laughter in the background?




"Windmill, windmill
for the land
Turn forever,
hand in hand,
take it all in on your stride
it is ticking, falling down
Love forever, love is free
Let's turn forever, you and me
windmill, windmill
for the land .. is everybody in?"

Plus I really love the artwork on their album covers by Gorillaz member Jamie Hewlett ... and I find it really interesting that they never show their faces, even during their concerts.

go check out more, if you want.

Schedules.

What I'm taking, summer & fall quarters.

SUMMER:

Math 110 - Mathematics Core course (first 5 weeks)
Art History 366 - Non-Western Survey (last 5 weeks)

FALL:

Civilization & Literature
Art History Survey I
American Film History
Ethics in Public/Private Life


I'm probably stupid to take 3 histories and a philosophy all in one quarter, but .. I kinda planned it this way. I won't have any digital classes or studio arts which take up the most time, so I'll have more time to read/write papers, which I do faster anyway.

I'm especially excited about the American Film History class, but not *too* excited, because I've realized in the past when I have high hopes for a class to be cool, it usually turns out to be anything but, or it runs a serious risk of cancellation.

This will leave only ONE class left to take from my GEP, which is one last lab science. Way cool! I'll be SO glad to get done with the stupid GEPs and down to business with the classes that really matter.

Of course, by the time they are done, I'll probably be cursing at the fact that I'll be taking ALL art classes every quarter until it's time for senior seminar and senior studios.

Still, it'll be good to mark them all off my list.

Grrrrr.

Ok, I'm not going to go into the whole story, because I know there are a select few who read my blog and revel with merriment in the fact that I've had a rotten day (Why DO you read it then? I'll never understand that.)

Anyway, at work on Sunday something shitty happened and there's trouble in paradise with my lovely managers who don't know that yelling at the employees isn't the best way to run the restaurant during stressful, busy times.

It's funny, because tonight, me and another server handled a party of 50 no problem. We did a great job, and even the customers complimented us.

But when the managers are there, all hell breaks loose and shit starts happening.

I don't know about you, but when I'm yelled at (especially by some little smart ass twit who is younger than me), it makes me nervous.

And to quote Jules Winnfield from my FAVORITE movie of all time, Pulp Fiction:

"Now when you yell at me, it makes me nervous. And when I get nervous, I get scared. And when motherfuckers get scared, that's when motherfuckers accidentally get shot."

Ok, so nobody's gonna get shot .. but SOMEBODY needs to learn that yelling isn't going to work. Ever.

It's not going to make me work better, it's not going to make me more pleasant, and it's not going to light a fire under my ass or make me move any faster than I already am. I need positive reinforcement dammit! Who doesn't?!

If it doesn't stop, I might just have to read them some Ezekiel 25:17 about the tyranny of evil men to teach them a lesson about the righteous and the wicked and then promptly turn in my two week notice, or better yet, just walk right out the door if I already have a better job lined up. Because instead of firing a person, they let you stay and stay and STAY, but never EVER let you forget how much of a fuck-up they think you are.

Yeah. All of life's problems can be solved with lines from any given Pulp Fiction scene, in case you didn't know. Ezekiel 25:17 is most effective in times of peril.

Pimpin' Munch.

Since there isn't much up right now except for job stress and battling the Bitches of Eastwick (aka, my bosses at the restaurant), I'll write about something else.

Art.

In my art history class I'm learning a lot of great things about a lot of great artists that I didn't know before.

One being Edvard Munch. I always loved what I referred to as 'The Scream,' which was initially called 'Despair' or 'The Cry.' I can relate with the figure in the painting. Life is frighteningly overwhelming and shockingly hard to believe at times, and I probably make that same wide-eyed facial expression and hands-on-cheeks gesture more than I realize. This painting makes it seem ok to scream your confusion out when things just get to be too much.

The expression on the figure's face conjures up all kinds of anxious feelings for me; memories of those moments of anxiety that have passed, and those that are yet to come.

Did you know this painting was stolen? It's true.

And while stealing is wrong, how would it feel to have this original piece gracing your walls?

If you think of Munch and only this painting comes to mind, PLEASE, do yourself a favor and look at more of his work.

I love the solemn expressions, the dream-like scenes, the sometimes-faceless characters. I love the soft-to-hard brushstrokes, the colors, the subjects.

Mark Munch down as one of my personal favorites, among many others, and even more who I've yet to discover.

I finished a painting last night and I'm really happy with it. Maybe I can take pics of it and post it later.

Yeahh!

If you thought this was funny, go read more. Married to the Sea.

Oh yeah, and Paulie finally updated, so go read that too while you're actually reading stuff.

Happy Birthday Blog!

My blog turned one year old yesterday.

I'm proud to have kept a bullshit-free blog now for the past year and not deleted it due to sheeples, internet stalkers, stupid people, a fatass nutcase, circus clowns, red-haired crippled midgets, or a catfish who accidentally swallows a basketball like this one right heeyah.

This picture ..

I just really like it.

Even though it's simple it says a lot about friendship and differences and all that happy sappy stuff.

Who knows, it's probably a Photoshop job.

But I believe it's real.

If they can get co-exist, everyone can. Learn this lesson.

Begonias.

Muh-Muh-Muh My Begonias! (sung to the tune of My Sharona)

Don't look at the chewed ones. I need to prune but haven't had time.

I'd like to get some flowers that like shade to go on the ground beside the door too.

Lego Sap

I would look like this if I were made of Legos.

What's funny about it is I have that same tattoo on my left arm.

So that's Lego Me being an artiste in Florence, Italy.

Make your own Lego character here.

Finding Neverland and Begonias.

I watched Finding Neverland last night.

Seen it?

Jesus, I haven't cried that hard over a movie since Pearl Harbor (but not because Pearl Harbor was touching -- because it sucked so bad.)

Finding Neverland was terribly TERRIBLY sad and I wasn't expecting that at all.

I bought some begonias this evening because the front of the apartment was looking drab.

I'll take some pics tomorrow.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

Useful site and more.

Want to find the cheapest gas stations in your area by entering your zip code?

click here.

* * *

One midterm down, one to go. My art history midterm is tomorrow afternoon but I think it won't be so bad. I've studied for it, and will continue to study tonight and tomorrow morning to make sure I am completely ready.

Last night I worked for a couple of hours on a book cover for my typography class. We had to design a book jacket and the one I was assigned is The Da Vinci Code. I was kinda glad, since I had at least read it and know what it's about. But we couldn't use any images at all, just type. That is more difficult than one might think .. making something look aesthetically pleasing without using any pretty things to look at along the way except for fonts.

Tonight I can register for summer quarter. I won't take a full load because the classes are condensed into 5 week sessions instead of 10 weeks. I plan to take my last math (problem solving and statistics), and art history I. If I can't get into those, I'm going to try for my civilization & literature class and my last science (rocks, minerals, and fossils) .. I hope I get my first choices though.

That's about all for now.

Wish I had time.

This summer, my college is offering a one-week intensive Holocaust study. You can sit in on it and just learn, or you can pay a fee and earn credit.

A man named Herbert Hochhauser is the speaker. He was a child during the Holocaust and was hidden. He was 10 years old when the war ended.

The literal meaning of the word "holocaust" is 'destruction by fire.' The class is said to be overwhelming and while it talks of so much tragedy, it also includes stories of courage.

I would really love to take the class, but I'll be in summer classes already by that time and they are everyday except Fridays for 2 hours a day. The Holocaust class is for 7 hours a day for a week. There's no way I could do both.

=/ I miss all the good stuff sometimes.

Anyway, it's been offered for the past 16 summers here so maybe I can do it some other time.

It's the first of month as we know it.

WOW.

Tonight at work it was SO so SO busy, but I ended up having my best night ever so far, I think, and I've worked there since January.

For 5.5 hours of work, I made $84 in tips.

That's .. a little over $15 an hour.

I was floored. And on a Monday night even!

I think I rarely make over $20 on Monday nights usually.

Proms are over; people can spend again I guess. I can afford those hellish gas prices after all, but still am not happy about it ;)