Current Things

current things

I got a job earlier this month. I'm working retail. It is interesting. One thing that is particularly interesting is how much more exhausting being on your feet for 5+ hours a day can be. I've been sleeping a lot more than I'm used to. I told my mom yesterday that I think I need more sleep working retail than I did being an art student. She told me that maybe I just have more opportunities to sleep than I did while in school. This makes sense.

At first I didn't think the long hours on my feet would be a particularly new thing for me. After all, some of my studio classes required me to stand for long periods of time. But I've come to realize that I was able to sit down much more than I realized. Also, the tasks I was completely whilst standing - such as inking a plate and printing said plate in printmaking, or carving a block of limestone or alabaster - proved to distract my mind and body from the exhaustion that standing and walking around for long periods at a time seemed to be causing. Unfortunately, folding clothes and the like has not proved to be quite as stimulating. Also, I was spoiled my last semester, completing the majority of my thesis sitting down - albeit hunched over, resulting in different problems. But the most crucial discovery I have made is that I need to find better shoes.

On an unrelated note, the keyboard problems I mentioned have disappeared. It seems the problems arose because of my computer's perception of the control key being engaged when it had not been. At the height of the problem my keyboard became utterly useless, as engaging the control key negates the ability to use the keyboard normally. However, I updated all my software - something I had been putting off as it required me to restart my computer - and everything seems to be behaving correctly. Except that the esc key still does not work, but that is very easy to work around. 

keyboard malfunctions

Recently the keyboard of my macbook has been giving me great difficulty. Specifically, some of the keys have stopped working. The keys in question, chronologically as best as I can remember, are the "esc", "p", ";", ":", "/", "?", "-", "_", "\" , "|",  and "return".

All but "return" are refusing to work at all while "return" is still at the stage where it chooses when to work and malfunctions at its leisure. I've had to resort to copying and pasting whenever I've needed to use one of the keys in question. "esc", or course, has simply fallen into extinction in terms of its usefulness. I wonder which keys will become defunct next?

Has anyone else been afflicted with similar frustrations? If so, how did you fix it? I haven't found anything useful in my searches through the interwebs and I'm not really jumping at the chance to take my dilemma to the Apple Store as my warranty ran out. 

collaboration!

so my friend tim lewis is doing a not-so-dry-and boring retelling of the bible over on his blog and he asked me if I would like to contribute some illustrations. I said yes, so now you should go check out the first installment.

robots

here are some robots that I've drawn while on break at work:

blah blah blah

I'm graduating from college this saturday.

so insert some sentimental dribble about these last four years being incredible and all the people that I met are amazing and I'll never forget anyone and blah blah blah.

one great thing about graduating with a degree in art: first major to receive diplomas/empty folder. I will be the 8th name called.

one not so great thing about graduating with a degree in art: what am I going to do?

EELS

Last night my sister and I saw Eels at the Paradise in Boston. it was incredible. I had seen them once before, back in March 2008. As I expected, the two shows were completely different.

In 2008 it was a more personal, intimate experience with just E and the Chet performing. Both dressed in denim jumpsuits, one particularly memorable experience was when they seamlessly switched instruments during flyswatter. Instead of an opening act, the audience was treated to a viewing of Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives and a couple of times between songs E read sections from Things the Grandchildren Should Know.

This time around, E was joined by 6 other members, most of them veterans from his last tour. E, the Chet, P-Boo, Tiny Al, Knuckles, Snatch, and Snatch Mo Snatch performed an incredibly energetic and entertaining show. E's friendly and optimistic stage presence juxtaposed the band's appearance. His comments like "That was marvelous!" and "I have a really good feeling about this!" were in stark contrast to the badass appearance of the group, all sporting excellent beards and shades along with their spiffy attire. When they returned for the first of two encores, E exclaimed "That was darling!". Indeed it was.

"I'm Going to Stop Pretending that I Didn't Break Your Heart" was incredible with such a huge sound behind it. It sounded so mournful and was hauntingly beautiful. I loved the hard rock version of "I Like Birds," one of my favorites. The first encore opened with "Last Stop: This Town" which was played with a beautiful sadness. That song is so powerful and took on special meaning for me ever since he played it back in 2008 after reading to us about his sister's suicide. I think my favorite moment was when they came out for the second encore and completely rocked out "Fresh Blood." Another one of my favorites, it was such an intense performance, enhanced by red lighting and occasional strobe lights.

I have told people that Mark Oliver Everett is one of my heroes and that remains true today. Things the Grandchildren Should Know is probably my favorite book. E is an enigma. His exterior seems so hard and gruff, but he writes about such intensely personal and sad experiences in both his music and his book. I love Eels, whether in CD form, duo form, or powerful 7 piece band explosive form. E, you have my heart.

(Eels in 2010 - the Chet, Knuckles, E, P-Boo, Kool G Murder. Special bonus for me, P-Boo kind of looks like Martin Starr circa Knocked up)