In fact as I look up at the temperature gauge I see that right at the desk it's 88f... no wonder I'm sweating. I'd take my shirt off but if Jude gets back to see me sitting near naked at the computer she'll be checking the History folder faster than you can say 'spyware'
Dalai Lama in town tomorrow. Lots of parents in for graduation today. So the bars are full. The outdoor tables coveted and the locals slightly snarky.
Me? I'm just taking pictures, walking the dog and trying not to eat
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
That time of year again...
Well Michigan certainly seems to switch weather gears fast. Last Sunday we were sitting inside watching the snow whoosh horizontal past the windows. Today it's 24c, there's the smell of summer in the air and the window boxes are being moved outside.
The dog, predictably, loves it. Yesterday we took her to The Arb' (a kind of wild flora and fauna refuge in the middle of town) and she sniffed, scurried and bounded her way around with an abandon that some would have called gay (were they over 70)
Tonight we're off to see Natalia Zuckerman who is described thusly by the venue "(She has a) voice that could send an orchid into bloom, while her guitar playing can open a beer bottle with its teeth."
I'll test that theory later.
The dog, predictably, loves it. Yesterday we took her to The Arb' (a kind of wild flora and fauna refuge in the middle of town) and she sniffed, scurried and bounded her way around with an abandon that some would have called gay (were they over 70)
Tonight we're off to see Natalia Zuckerman who is described thusly by the venue "(She has a) voice that could send an orchid into bloom, while her guitar playing can open a beer bottle with its teeth."
I'll test that theory later.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Bad repair
Well after Jude's first attempt to fill the suicidal bird's scrape on the hood of the car I had her redo it - and maybe I was wrong.
Never mind will have dent taken car of at 10,000 miles and may use the scratch repair as a justification for getting the stripes that Jude's wanted forever.
Mad at work today - wanting to prove that one of the reasons that people got into SUVs were that they were high - and when people feel threatened (say post 9-11 or by the number of huge cars on the road) they tend to look for safety by trying to get above imminent danger (they used to climb a tree). There are other reasons of course - but it's odd that in a culture of engagement we have an automotive culture of disengagement. Or so I'm hypothosizing.
Steve
Never mind will have dent taken car of at 10,000 miles and may use the scratch repair as a justification for getting the stripes that Jude's wanted forever.
Mad at work today - wanting to prove that one of the reasons that people got into SUVs were that they were high - and when people feel threatened (say post 9-11 or by the number of huge cars on the road) they tend to look for safety by trying to get above imminent danger (they used to climb a tree). There are other reasons of course - but it's odd that in a culture of engagement we have an automotive culture of disengagement. Or so I'm hypothosizing.
Steve
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
In the wars again
On my way to work this morning I had a suicidal bird swoop down and hot the hood of the car. Result - small dent that ruins the lines, big scratch that we've just tried (and failed) to disguise.
Will hit the dealer on Saturday about the dent but it seems as though hard objects are drawn to this car - at speed.
Will hit the dealer on Saturday about the dent but it seems as though hard objects are drawn to this car - at speed.
Long drive for a home run
This morning I was invited to join a hundred people on a trip up to Toronto to see a baseball game. Sounds like a riot, but all are driving up there in their own cars and it's about four and a half hours.
Of course part of me says "screw it, head on up" while the other says "work, long drive, overnight stay" and of course "you don't like baseball" - which side will win I have no idea.
Last night we went to a gallery opening. Photographs of Alabama taken over 40 years by a guy whose technique didn't seem to improve. Most of the people there seemed to be asking the same question "This guy is famous because....????"
It's one of the great statements of the upload age. People used to say "I could do better than that" ---> now they say "I HAVE DONE better than that" and in many cases they have.
I was reading an interview with Sir (!) John Hegarty where he was talking about being the chair of an art committee. He said that he can easily search for "picture of woman holding a baby" and the search engines and stock photo sites will give him 10,000 options. The only problem is that they'll all be rubbish. And what he wants is one GOOD pic of a woman holding a baby. Alas "Good pic of woman holding a baby" isn't a search engine friendly term.
As he said if you search the art world for the same pic you may not find the exact image and angle that you want but you're much more likely to stumble upon something that shows you something new or that invites you to think about the subject in a new way - and that's more valuable.
Also last night 38 Drinks with the very lovely Rebecca, who looked amazing swathed in the diffused glow of my favorite bar in Ann Arbor. I may have had more thatn I thought though -as this morning I'm feeling weirdly weak and out of sorts. Blaming the allergy patches for that though.
Of course part of me says "screw it, head on up" while the other says "work, long drive, overnight stay" and of course "you don't like baseball" - which side will win I have no idea.
Last night we went to a gallery opening. Photographs of Alabama taken over 40 years by a guy whose technique didn't seem to improve. Most of the people there seemed to be asking the same question "This guy is famous because....????"
It's one of the great statements of the upload age. People used to say "I could do better than that" ---> now they say "I HAVE DONE better than that" and in many cases they have.
I was reading an interview with Sir (!) John Hegarty where he was talking about being the chair of an art committee. He said that he can easily search for "picture of woman holding a baby" and the search engines and stock photo sites will give him 10,000 options. The only problem is that they'll all be rubbish. And what he wants is one GOOD pic of a woman holding a baby. Alas "Good pic of woman holding a baby" isn't a search engine friendly term.
As he said if you search the art world for the same pic you may not find the exact image and angle that you want but you're much more likely to stumble upon something that shows you something new or that invites you to think about the subject in a new way - and that's more valuable.
Also last night 38 Drinks with the very lovely Rebecca, who looked amazing swathed in the diffused glow of my favorite bar in Ann Arbor. I may have had more thatn I thought though -as this morning I'm feeling weirdly weak and out of sorts. Blaming the allergy patches for that though.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
What a feeling
I went in for the second of my allergy tests this morning.
The guys took a bunch of panels, attached them to my back, bandaged me up and said "see you Thursday". Before they said that though they said "You're probably going to itch like hell. Don't scratch. Even if it becomes unbearable"
Now maybe it's just me but there has to be a better way of doing this. A blood test perhaps. Or stem cells. Or cloning. Just all seems a tad old fashioned to me.
Also got a call from the New York hospital... I'm due scans for cancer again. It's weird that every 8 weeks or so I have to start planning a New York scan trip. It kinda throws you off balance and I know that it's too much of a reminder for a lot of people around me - having my mortality questioned with such regularity.
Still it's a trip to New York - a place I adore, so (for once) I won't be complaining - unless of course it's about the itch that seems to be coming from directly under the bleach tab on my back
The guys took a bunch of panels, attached them to my back, bandaged me up and said "see you Thursday". Before they said that though they said "You're probably going to itch like hell. Don't scratch. Even if it becomes unbearable"
Now maybe it's just me but there has to be a better way of doing this. A blood test perhaps. Or stem cells. Or cloning. Just all seems a tad old fashioned to me.
Also got a call from the New York hospital... I'm due scans for cancer again. It's weird that every 8 weeks or so I have to start planning a New York scan trip. It kinda throws you off balance and I know that it's too much of a reminder for a lot of people around me - having my mortality questioned with such regularity.
Still it's a trip to New York - a place I adore, so (for once) I won't be complaining - unless of course it's about the itch that seems to be coming from directly under the bleach tab on my back
Monday, April 14, 2008
Stupidly Busy
I'm ridiculously busy today, which means that this will be shorter than Obama's "Mission Accomplished" list.
I have to say that my interest in the Hillary / Obama thing has been dampened by the descent into politics as usual. Hillary claiming that she'd been under sniper fire, Obama attending the church of somebody that some people don't like - each claiming that they're not about smearing the other and then having proxies apply liquid manure.
It's a shame really - this was an election that I wanted to care about. But I do have a weird feeling that McCain is going to drop dead before November... he's just SO old. And it's a real strain. And he's not looking good at all. Weird that he's leading in the polls too. Though with his age and health being what it is his choice of running mate is going to be critical - as we're all imagining the President being upable to fulfil his duties at some point over the next 4 years.
Scary
I have to say that my interest in the Hillary / Obama thing has been dampened by the descent into politics as usual. Hillary claiming that she'd been under sniper fire, Obama attending the church of somebody that some people don't like - each claiming that they're not about smearing the other and then having proxies apply liquid manure.
It's a shame really - this was an election that I wanted to care about. But I do have a weird feeling that McCain is going to drop dead before November... he's just SO old. And it's a real strain. And he's not looking good at all. Weird that he's leading in the polls too. Though with his age and health being what it is his choice of running mate is going to be critical - as we're all imagining the President being upable to fulfil his duties at some point over the next 4 years.
Scary
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