4.15.2008
Mission Accomplished: anagrams
Should have made these when this photo first came out. Timing is everything. Some of these make sense, some don't.
4.14.2008
Learned Phrases for Social Interaction
Yesterday, I was at a friend's house working in his garage on a bench. The bench is almost done. Won't turn out as well as I had hoped, but that is another post. The house next to my friend, A.'s house is for sale. As I was grinding the bench, a man approached. Couldn't hear him as grinding is very loud and I was wearing hear plugs. Turns out he was the real estate agent for the house next door. He wondered if I was the owner of the truck that was in the driveway. Truck belonged to the pool guy, who was fixing A.'s pool. As the agent and I bumbled through the conversation about the truck driveway etc, he mentions the earplugs I was wearing-
"Smart idea to wear those. I used to be in a rock band and should have worn something like than when I was playing"
As the pool guy approached the agent asks him to move his truck and compliments him on his sunglasses. That compliment stuck out to me. Seemed forced, a concerted effort - Oh, now is when I insert a compliment to make this exchange smooth
It was as if the agent had learned a method of exchange with strangers - Engage, add compliment, get what you need. As if he were following a script he learned in a seminar.
Seemed like a dorky guy who somehow ended up in a social line of work. I would guess he is better at the paper work side of his job than the people work side of his job. Hope the seminar was worth the money.
"Smart idea to wear those. I used to be in a rock band and should have worn something like than when I was playing"
As the pool guy approached the agent asks him to move his truck and compliments him on his sunglasses. That compliment stuck out to me. Seemed forced, a concerted effort - Oh, now is when I insert a compliment to make this exchange smooth
It was as if the agent had learned a method of exchange with strangers - Engage, add compliment, get what you need. As if he were following a script he learned in a seminar.
Seemed like a dorky guy who somehow ended up in a social line of work. I would guess he is better at the paper work side of his job than the people work side of his job. Hope the seminar was worth the money.
4.10.2008
Bones
Yesterday as I was on the roller and applying Traumeel, trying to fix my right knee, I was watching Bones on hulu.com. The show is okay, realizing that the earlier episodes are better than the later seasons (why is that with every show? Do the original writers get hired away? Do they run out of ideas?) Anyways...I was watching episode 104 - The Man in the Bear, which take place in Eastern Washington State. At 27:50 in the show is a shot of the forest and in the distance is a mountain that looks very similar to Half Dome in Yosemite, which in California.
4.08.2008
Halliburton
I was recently in Houston. A fellow dancer who participated in March 2 Marfa, Leslie Scates organized the trip. She is a native Houstonian brought K, M and me out there. We taught 2 classes at the University of Houston - a contact class to the Modern 2 class and an improvisation/comp class to the comp class. Also performed at the Barnevelder Theater - Of No Relation III. Good show. Great reception, well not just the food and booze (!!!), but people's response. Better response there than in the Bay Area. Not sure why.
The title of this post is Halliburton. Last Friday as we were driving to the theater for tech/rehearsal, we passed a factoryesque building. The sign said Halliburton. An American flag was on the pole. The day was grey and rainy, overcast and muggy. Looking at the flag in the rain, I had the question of whether or not it is kosher to fly the flag in the rain. After digging around in the internet, I have found out that it is. Well, as long as the flag is an "all weather flag", whatever that is.
So my whole point about Halliburton, a huge beneficiary of the war in Iraq, displaying an American flag improperly, being a symbol of how conservatives have used patriotism and the war for their real purpose - profit - is out the window unless the flag flying over that Halliburton factory in Houston is not an all weather flag.
From the sad state it was in, I would say it was not.
The title of this post is Halliburton. Last Friday as we were driving to the theater for tech/rehearsal, we passed a factoryesque building. The sign said Halliburton. An American flag was on the pole. The day was grey and rainy, overcast and muggy. Looking at the flag in the rain, I had the question of whether or not it is kosher to fly the flag in the rain. After digging around in the internet, I have found out that it is. Well, as long as the flag is an "all weather flag", whatever that is.
So my whole point about Halliburton, a huge beneficiary of the war in Iraq, displaying an American flag improperly, being a symbol of how conservatives have used patriotism and the war for their real purpose - profit - is out the window unless the flag flying over that Halliburton factory in Houston is not an all weather flag.
From the sad state it was in, I would say it was not.
4.03.2008
To be a Republican you need to believe:
1. Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton.
2. Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush's Daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him, and a bad guy when Bush needed a "we can't find Bin Laden" diversion.
3. Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is Communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.
4. The United States should get out of the United Nations, and our highest national priority is
enforcing U.N. resolutions against Iraq.
5. A woman can't be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multinational drug corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.
6. The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches, while slashing
veterans' benefits and combat pay.
7. If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won't have sex.
8. A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our longtime allies, then demand their cooperation and money.
9. Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy, but providing health care to all Americans
is socialism. HMO's and insurance companies have the best interests of the public at heart.
10. Global warming and tobacco's link to cancer are junk science, but creationism should be taught in schools.
11. A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense, but a president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is solid defense policy.
12. Government should limit itself to the powers named in the Constitution, which include banning gay marriages and censoring the Internet.
13. The public has a right to know about Hillary's cattle trades, but George Bush's driving record is none of our business.
14. Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you're a conservative radio host. Then it's an illness and you need our prayers for your recovery.
15. Supporting "Executive Privilege" for every Republican ever born, who will be born or who might be born (in perpetuity.)
16. What Bill Clinton did in the 1960's is of vital national interest, but what Bush did in the '80's is irrelevant.
17. Support for hunters who shoot their friends and blame them for wearing orange vests similar to those worn by the quail.
2. Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush's Daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him, and a bad guy when Bush needed a "we can't find Bin Laden" diversion.
3. Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is Communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.
4. The United States should get out of the United Nations, and our highest national priority is
enforcing U.N. resolutions against Iraq.
5. A woman can't be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multinational drug corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.
6. The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches, while slashing
veterans' benefits and combat pay.
7. If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won't have sex.
8. A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our longtime allies, then demand their cooperation and money.
9. Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy, but providing health care to all Americans
is socialism. HMO's and insurance companies have the best interests of the public at heart.
10. Global warming and tobacco's link to cancer are junk science, but creationism should be taught in schools.
11. A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense, but a president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is solid defense policy.
12. Government should limit itself to the powers named in the Constitution, which include banning gay marriages and censoring the Internet.
13. The public has a right to know about Hillary's cattle trades, but George Bush's driving record is none of our business.
14. Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you're a conservative radio host. Then it's an illness and you need our prayers for your recovery.
15. Supporting "Executive Privilege" for every Republican ever born, who will be born or who might be born (in perpetuity.)
16. What Bill Clinton did in the 1960's is of vital national interest, but what Bush did in the '80's is irrelevant.
17. Support for hunters who shoot their friends and blame them for wearing orange vests similar to those worn by the quail.
3.21.2008
Yahoo! gets it wrong again.
Yahoo! really has it wrong this time. Well maybe not for the first nine movies, but to call 2001 one of the most historically wrong films ever is just plain wrong. It was not made as historic fiction. It was filmed in 1968, a film about the future. To then evaluate this film on the basis of whether or not it was good historical fiction is not only unfair but silly. Who is the nincompoop who compiled that list? Yes, the future did not happen as Clarke, rest his soul, envisioned it. But he had nothing but his imagination to create his idea of the future. All those other films about the PAST were made after the events happened. The directors etc. could have done a little more research.
This is just further evidence of how stupid Yahoo! can be.
This is just further evidence of how stupid Yahoo! can be.
3.19.2008
A very early Easter
Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that the Hebrews used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.
Based on the above, Easter can actually be one day earlier (March 22) than it will be this year (2008) but that is very rare.
This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see for the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early previously (95 years old or above!). And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier!
Here are the facts:
1) The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that!).
2) The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818. So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!
And with all this information, can you tell me what a rabbit has to do with Jesus?
And with all this information, can you tell me what a rabbit has to do with Jesus?
3.17.2008
Wood Bolt Stool
First thing I have welded in a while. Overall I am happy with the design. Some of the welds are kind of manky as I haven't welded in a while and not used to the welder. Not many settings on it. For some reason I like figuring out something to make with spare parts, more than making something with parts I have specifically chosen for that project. Maybe that is the improviser in me.
"What the Fuck" File # 124.5d
Why bother with a still suit
Monkey Needs A Drink - Watch more free videos
Monkey Needs A Drink - Watch more free videos
3.14.2008
Muslims nations: Defame Islam, get sued?
This is exactly why people make fun of Islam. Well, it is better than blowing up people. But I don't want some whiners in another country telling me what I can and cannot say, what whole other countries can and cannot say. And this guy is another reason people make fun of Islam.
All religions are asinine. All religions are misused. Read God is not Great: How religion spoils everything. But seems like some Islamists are getting quite sensitive. This is pitting the ideals of free speech against the ideals of one religion.
Has anyone compared the growing pains and wars of Christian Sects centuries ago to the wars of Islamic sects today? Just heard on the radio the other day how in one of the original 13 colonies Quakers were hanged just for being Quakers. A Quaker! How more innocent can you get than a Quaker. Guess the Christians who hanged them forgot about that one commandment. "The Puritans of Massachusetts Bay were determined to exclude alien elements from their spiritual community, and they hanged four Quakers to prove it."
All religions are asinine. All religions are misused. Read God is not Great: How religion spoils everything. But seems like some Islamists are getting quite sensitive. This is pitting the ideals of free speech against the ideals of one religion.
Has anyone compared the growing pains and wars of Christian Sects centuries ago to the wars of Islamic sects today? Just heard on the radio the other day how in one of the original 13 colonies Quakers were hanged just for being Quakers. A Quaker! How more innocent can you get than a Quaker. Guess the Christians who hanged them forgot about that one commandment. "The Puritans of Massachusetts Bay were determined to exclude alien elements from their spiritual community, and they hanged four Quakers to prove it."
3.12.2008
Hybrids
Talk about stupid. No, not hybrids. I have a Prius, had it since 2002. 1st generation!! On the forefront, the cutting (or is it bleeding?) edge. What I am calling stupid is SUV hybrids. Yes, they might get better mileage than a non Hybrid, but their mileage still sucks.
An SUV hybrid does not address the real problem of people driving around much more metal than necessary. A hybrid SUV allows people to justify their outrageous purchases, to assuage their guilt - "It's really not that bad...it's a hybrid...I am helping the environment...yeah, there is a green leaf on my car..."
An extreme analogy would be comparing Saddam Hussein to Hitler. "At least Hussein didn't kill 6 million people, therefore he is a good guy. Yeah, that's it!"
C'mon, get real. 30 mpg is still 30 mpg to carry one fat person through the Jack in the Box drive through, whether or not you have a lithium battery in your trunk.
An SUV hybrid does not address the real problem of people driving around much more metal than necessary. A hybrid SUV allows people to justify their outrageous purchases, to assuage their guilt - "It's really not that bad...it's a hybrid...I am helping the environment...yeah, there is a green leaf on my car..."
An extreme analogy would be comparing Saddam Hussein to Hitler. "At least Hussein didn't kill 6 million people, therefore he is a good guy. Yeah, that's it!"
C'mon, get real. 30 mpg is still 30 mpg to carry one fat person through the Jack in the Box drive through, whether or not you have a lithium battery in your trunk.
3.10.2008
Legalize it.
Eliot Spitzer has been caught with his pants almost down. And his career is probably over. But why? Does it matter where he hides the salami? I mean, as long as it is another consenting adult who cares? Yes, money was exchanged for the services, but that is between the two parties involved and their accountants. No, I don't think that it is a good thing that a married man was soliciting the services of a prostitute. Maybe his wife likes the idea of her husband with another man. Who knows what gets them off? And anyways, what business is it of ours?
If prostitution where legal it could be unionized. It could be taxed. Instead of people walking the street, they could be in a business place, like Amsterdam.
Funny how many Republicans are all about personal freedoms and getting the government off people's back. But as soon as money is involved in getting someone on their back, the Republicans want to stick their noses in.
If prostitution where legal it could be unionized. It could be taxed. Instead of people walking the street, they could be in a business place, like Amsterdam.
Funny how many Republicans are all about personal freedoms and getting the government off people's back. But as soon as money is involved in getting someone on their back, the Republicans want to stick their noses in.
3.04.2008
Sentimental Pussyfooting - post show
The show is over. Came and went like a firefly in the night, ahhh the poetry of it all. Well, at least no one told me how poetic the show was this time. Hate that term. So vague, kinda like saying congratulations after a show. Nice but meaningless. I am thankful for all the people who came, but disappointed at all the people who didn't. This town, this bay area is so not curious about dance. Dancers do not go see work of people they don't know unless that person is famous. I remember one time talking with another choreographer in a taco shop on Mission, talking about seeing work. He said that after seeing all the work that his friends are in that it is hard for him to go out and see stuff by someone he doesn't know. He might not like it. LIKE IT? The point isn't to go see stuff because you like it. The point is to go see stuff to see what other artists in your community are up to, to see what they are thinking about. Granted no one is thinking about anything in this community, so maybe that is why people don't go see dancers others than their friends.
But I am thinking about something. Sentimental Pussyfooting is a brilliant show. It might not be entertaining, but I am not looking for entertainment in my art. If I wanted entertainment, I would stay at home get stoned and watch a movie. The show has a focus, looks at older work in a new light, a coherent aesthetic. It's not about love and communication, blah blah blah.
Going to a show this Thursday at Dance Mission. Not friends with any of the people in it, as far as I know who is in it, but I am curios to see what these people are up to, to see what they are thinking about. Might not like the show, but I am not going for a good time. To stay engaged and connected I need to see what other people are up to.
If you do not actively see work, go see all different shows, what does that say about your process?
But I am thinking about something. Sentimental Pussyfooting is a brilliant show. It might not be entertaining, but I am not looking for entertainment in my art. If I wanted entertainment, I would stay at home get stoned and watch a movie. The show has a focus, looks at older work in a new light, a coherent aesthetic. It's not about love and communication, blah blah blah.
Going to a show this Thursday at Dance Mission. Not friends with any of the people in it, as far as I know who is in it, but I am curios to see what these people are up to, to see what they are thinking about. Might not like the show, but I am not going for a good time. To stay engaged and connected I need to see what other people are up to.
If you do not actively see work, go see all different shows, what does that say about your process?
2.21.2008
2.19.2008
Sentimental Pussyfooting
This is something I wrote to Rita Feliciano, a dance critic in the Bay Area, about my upcoming show, Sentimental Pussyfooting - a study in plagiarism. She was wondering how the show fits into the concept of dance.
"This work fits right into dance. In this show, I am
using works by Yoko Ono, Trisha Brown, John Cage, Jess
Curtis and Paul Taylor as points of departure.
The idea behind the show is to use structures that
have been created by and are attached to specific
artists and re-use/reclaim/re-examine them. The way I
see it dance, or most dance, has the same structure.
Lights go on, music and movement start. It's
essentially the same skeleton every time. Whether
it's ODC or Scott Wells, the skeleton is the same.
Just the meat around the bones has changed. The
costumes are different, the music is different etc.
But still essentially the same piece. Or is it?
The piece by Yoko Ono that I will be examining is her
"Cut Piece". First done in '64, she sits on stage and
audience members come on stage and cut her clothing.
In my show I will do this piece again. I will sit on
stage, audience members will come on stage and cut off
my clothes. Some people will say that I am doing
Ono's piece again. But am I? The scissors are
different, the clothes, the audience, the location,
the pathways cut into the clothing will be different.
If ODC and Scott Wells are different pieces then Ono's
piece and mine are different. In both cases, the
costumes are different. The people executing the
movements are different. The pathways of the bodies
and scissors are different. The lighting is
different. The soundscore is different. Yet the
skeleton remains the same.
People are more likely to say that I am repeating
Ono's piece because it is a different enough of a
skeleton from the basic dance skeleton. No one says
to ODC or Paul Taylor - "Oh lights, movement, and
music...that is So and So's piece" Why not? Because
that skeleton is from time immemorial. And most dance
I see is just repeating the same skeleton over and
over again. And dance is so rich because we keep
investigating the same skeleton over and over again.
Where would dance be if people stopped making dances
to music because that had already been done?
By keeping certain structures identified with certain
artists, the collective artistic investigation is
limited. By saying - Oh we can't do that because that
is So and So's piece - we cut ourselves off from so
many possibilties. Every piece in this show that I am
relating to, I consider a door that was created when
the pieces were originally made, a door for us to walk
through. Those artists pointed us in new directions.
It is up to us to continue in those directions and
continue their investigations."
"This work fits right into dance. In this show, I am
using works by Yoko Ono, Trisha Brown, John Cage, Jess
Curtis and Paul Taylor as points of departure.
The idea behind the show is to use structures that
have been created by and are attached to specific
artists and re-use/reclaim/re-examine them. The way I
see it dance, or most dance, has the same structure.
Lights go on, music and movement start. It's
essentially the same skeleton every time. Whether
it's ODC or Scott Wells, the skeleton is the same.
Just the meat around the bones has changed. The
costumes are different, the music is different etc.
But still essentially the same piece. Or is it?
The piece by Yoko Ono that I will be examining is her
"Cut Piece". First done in '64, she sits on stage and
audience members come on stage and cut her clothing.
In my show I will do this piece again. I will sit on
stage, audience members will come on stage and cut off
my clothes. Some people will say that I am doing
Ono's piece again. But am I? The scissors are
different, the clothes, the audience, the location,
the pathways cut into the clothing will be different.
If ODC and Scott Wells are different pieces then Ono's
piece and mine are different. In both cases, the
costumes are different. The people executing the
movements are different. The pathways of the bodies
and scissors are different. The lighting is
different. The soundscore is different. Yet the
skeleton remains the same.
People are more likely to say that I am repeating
Ono's piece because it is a different enough of a
skeleton from the basic dance skeleton. No one says
to ODC or Paul Taylor - "Oh lights, movement, and
music...that is So and So's piece" Why not? Because
that skeleton is from time immemorial. And most dance
I see is just repeating the same skeleton over and
over again. And dance is so rich because we keep
investigating the same skeleton over and over again.
Where would dance be if people stopped making dances
to music because that had already been done?
By keeping certain structures identified with certain
artists, the collective artistic investigation is
limited. By saying - Oh we can't do that because that
is So and So's piece - we cut ourselves off from so
many possibilties. Every piece in this show that I am
relating to, I consider a door that was created when
the pieces were originally made, a door for us to walk
through. Those artists pointed us in new directions.
It is up to us to continue in those directions and
continue their investigations."
2.15.2008
2.14.2008
Art Theft
In a case of slight exaggeration-
Julian Radcliffe, chairman of the Art Loss Register, which operates a database to help recover lost and stolen art equated art thieves with murders and child slavers.
Now, I am all for art, but to equate people who are basically fancy shoplifters with murders...that is a grand exaggeration. I think it is another case of someone whose vision has become so myopic, so involved in one's field that s/he has lost perspective.
Julian Radcliffe, chairman of the Art Loss Register, which operates a database to help recover lost and stolen art equated art thieves with murders and child slavers.
Now, I am all for art, but to equate people who are basically fancy shoplifters with murders...that is a grand exaggeration. I think it is another case of someone whose vision has become so myopic, so involved in one's field that s/he has lost perspective.
2.04.2008
United Charging for 2nd Bag
This is just nuts. United Airlines is now charging people $25 to check a 2nd bag. They say that it is because of the cost of fuel. Extra bags use more fuel as they add weight.
Well, what about fat people? Following the extra cost for extra weight logic, fat people should have to pay more also. Why should I at 185 lbs. pay the same as someone who weighs 250lbs.? How about pregnant women? Extra weight extra cost... Should I get a discount if I void my bowels and bladder before getting on the plane? How much does the collective amount of fecal matter weigh on a plane? Maybe I can get a discount if I promise to never use the bathroom while flying. If no one uses it, no need to clean it...think of the savings there. Maybe airlines could start charging people to use the bathroom.
Toilet paper will be extra.
Well, what about fat people? Following the extra cost for extra weight logic, fat people should have to pay more also. Why should I at 185 lbs. pay the same as someone who weighs 250lbs.? How about pregnant women? Extra weight extra cost... Should I get a discount if I void my bowels and bladder before getting on the plane? How much does the collective amount of fecal matter weigh on a plane? Maybe I can get a discount if I promise to never use the bathroom while flying. If no one uses it, no need to clean it...think of the savings there. Maybe airlines could start charging people to use the bathroom.
Toilet paper will be extra.
2.01.2008
Magnets
First Fridays took place or is taking place right now in Oakland. Saw a bunch of work. Most of it didn't hit me. But liked some paintings and sculptures by Michael Meyers in the Johansson Projects gallery. The paintings were of trucks, reminded me of a video I made a while ago, part of the Half Breed series. Hmm...thought it was on my site but guess not. What was the point of this entry? Not sure. Well after seeing a lot of work, I think 5 galleries, and didn't recognize anyone. Funny how the dance world and "visual" art world don't seem to be connected. Dance is a visual art. Kinda useless to the audience if they are blind. But after seeing work and not liking most of it, made me want to put more of an effort into getting my video work out there. Packing it well and sending it out.
Packaging I thought of involves climbing rope, magnets and Fritos. Looking for magnets online led me to a cool page. I've got 8 magnets coming my way.
Hungry
Packaging I thought of involves climbing rope, magnets and Fritos. Looking for magnets online led me to a cool page. I've got 8 magnets coming my way.
Hungry
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