The wind howls out there today beneath the great blue dome lit by a winter sun.
The sun's visitations in full have been scarce these January days in Brooklyn, so it is welcome with or without the wind. In the window my tallest plant, aspiring to treedom, extends itself reaching for light, and succeeds.
30 January 2008
29 January 2008
absent
I haven't been posting on here much lately.
Whether it's the lack of proper amounts of sunlight (winter in the city, not getting outside enough) or (more likely) a whole parade of factors; I have been going through emotional ups and downs a lot this month. It is difficult to put a finger on it, but I feel utterly different from day to day and I don't like it. Perhaps as my current projects pick up steam and get in motion this will cease; action and doing are great antidotes to thinking too much, which may be the real root of my unease.
Now I have to go mail some packages and pick up laundry.
Whether it's the lack of proper amounts of sunlight (winter in the city, not getting outside enough) or (more likely) a whole parade of factors; I have been going through emotional ups and downs a lot this month. It is difficult to put a finger on it, but I feel utterly different from day to day and I don't like it. Perhaps as my current projects pick up steam and get in motion this will cease; action and doing are great antidotes to thinking too much, which may be the real root of my unease.
Now I have to go mail some packages and pick up laundry.
25 January 2008
15 January 2008
The Trunk of Strange
I've been thinking; it seems I really have a lot of, how to describe it? Well, S T U F F. Too much stuff. I'm such a collector and pack-rat;. The reasons it hasn't become a truly serious problem are (1) average size of Brooklyn apartments, and (2) my proclivity to move house fairly often. These factors notwithstanding, however, there is still too much. Then this morning all of a sudden I realized a potential solution.
I have opened another shop on Etsy to share some of these items with other creators. So much of what I have falls under the general catch-all of "stuff I can use to make other stuff with", eg: collage elements of the paper, fabric and object kinds. (Remember the TABLE? You see what I mean.)
This new shop goes by the (probably clunky or inaccurate) French monicker of "Le Tronc d'Étrange", or The Trunk of Strange. Tell your crafty arty friends and neighbors. I've begun the offerings with some sets of beautiful 149-year-old illustrated pages from a Natural History (such as it was in 1859) Encyclopedia...
I have opened another shop on Etsy to share some of these items with other creators. So much of what I have falls under the general catch-all of "stuff I can use to make other stuff with", eg: collage elements of the paper, fabric and object kinds. (Remember the TABLE? You see what I mean.)
This new shop goes by the (probably clunky or inaccurate) French monicker of "Le Tronc d'Étrange", or The Trunk of Strange. Tell your crafty arty friends and neighbors. I've begun the offerings with some sets of beautiful 149-year-old illustrated pages from a Natural History (such as it was in 1859) Encyclopedia...
10 January 2008
morning in light
Today when i woke suddenly and unbidden at 7:18 there was an image in my head of the panorama of Amsterdam offered by the lounge at the 11th floor of the Modern Art Museum there. Ben and I had gone up to check out the view after our day of bicycling-exploring the nascent communities to the north of the city; islands reclaimed from water as recently as 10-20 years ago, with quirky modern style dutch residences and little arched bridges between them.
We'd begun by biking from our "home" south of the Pijp neighborhood, and heading over to the neighborhood where we stayed last year, then up to (and through) Flevo Park, then over one of the bridges to the islands. Later on we biked back toward the center (but still north) and saw NEMO (a large museum that looks like a ship's hull, on the water), and from there we went up the elevator to floor eleven.
I want to make a chart or list of some kind-- of our days on this trip. It went by fast, as they always seem to do, and things by now do seem a bit of an inextricable blur... but just a bit. Today amid other duties I shall begin editing some of my images, finding selects to upload. (Still, I'm sure there will be so many!) Ben has still about 500 mb of them on his USB drive- from the day above, in fact! (Maybe that was why that day was in my mind-- I haven't looked at those yet) I shall have to leave space for them as I edit.
Incidentally, I was surprised at how early it was when I awoke, on account of the light. When we were in Europe, it was still fully dark, even at 8 in the morning!
We'd begun by biking from our "home" south of the Pijp neighborhood, and heading over to the neighborhood where we stayed last year, then up to (and through) Flevo Park, then over one of the bridges to the islands. Later on we biked back toward the center (but still north) and saw NEMO (a large museum that looks like a ship's hull, on the water), and from there we went up the elevator to floor eleven.
I want to make a chart or list of some kind-- of our days on this trip. It went by fast, as they always seem to do, and things by now do seem a bit of an inextricable blur... but just a bit. Today amid other duties I shall begin editing some of my images, finding selects to upload. (Still, I'm sure there will be so many!) Ben has still about 500 mb of them on his USB drive- from the day above, in fact! (Maybe that was why that day was in my mind-- I haven't looked at those yet) I shall have to leave space for them as I edit.
Incidentally, I was surprised at how early it was when I awoke, on account of the light. When we were in Europe, it was still fully dark, even at 8 in the morning!
08 January 2008
tuesday... i think
I'm battered and bruised!
Not from the trip, mind. I tripped over a rather large bentwood rocking chair earlier, after contriving a route behind it to adjust the window opening. (It's a recent addition to the apartment so I suppose I'm not used to it being there yet)
The TRIP!
A whirlwind: Rochester, NY for the Christmas holidays - fun! And not even too cold, for upstate! Snow, ice skating, food, food, food, and family. The horses were furry and fat as they tend to get in winter. The nephews and nieces were in full form of pre-Xmas excitement. Made cookies with Mom, Jordan and Em. Xmas eve at Joe and Diana's-- a feast! Some last minute shopping with Dad and Jon, and Xmas was a big breakfast at the farm followed by another feast at my cousin Nancy's house.
On the 26th it was back to Newark airport and no layover onto a plane to Amsterdam Schipol airport, where Ben was waiting for me, as he'd gone there a few days earlier. Whoo hoo! Back in Amsterdam after only a year.; it was wonderful to return- with all its canals and beautiful old houses lining them-- it's magical. We had a chance to have a fun dinner with Gerhard and Eline while there. While in Amsterdam, we stayed at a very comfortable and sweet apartment, by way of a trade with friends of friends.
On the afternoon of the 30th we hopped a train to Münster, Germany to visit with Stork and Elena again, only this time for New Year's Eve (last year we were in Berlin for the change-over). Super fun; some bike riding around town to pick up provisions for New Year's Eve, which was a night was so foggy one could barely see a half block away. We had a great time watching fireworks in the nearby cathedral square after sharing a meal with their friends in the building- raclette style (a tasty prelude to Paris).
On the 2nd, we boarded an early train which took us from Münster to Cologne, at which point we switched for the Thalys to Paris. It was the first high speed train in Europe, and we had first class tickets, as they were cheaper than the 2nd class on the longer, traditional train ride (?!). Very nice. So, we arrived in Paris at around 4:30, checked into Hotel La Lousianne, then headed out for exploration and dinner! We walked to the Isle del Cite, as it was so close to our neighborhood, and caught part of a mass going on while we wandered through Notre Dame. That cathedral is impossible to wrap one's head around; believable that it took over two centuries to complete.
Paris Paris Paris! Five days there- all of them very full of wandering and exploring-- and eating, drinking... not smoking as much as I'd expected, however, as they'd enacted the no smoking in doors rule the very day before our arrival. :( Many cafes, however, still had plenty of outdoor seating, beneath striped awnings and heat lamps. Beautiful city-- endless lovely architecture and curlicued balconies... Amazing. We also had the good fortune of being able to catch up with two Brooklyn friends while there; Steve on Friday afternoon and evening, and Alex for lunch on Saturday.
After Paris, we trained back to A'Dam for one final afternoon of wandering and relaxing. We went to several of our favorite spots, and returned to our kind hosts' apartment for dinner with them (Marloes and Jurjen: they'd stayed at my apartment, and their friends at Ben's, for a week over New Year's)
Time to end this update, as I am on Amsterdam time, where it is approximately 3:30 am. There is an obscene amount of photographs from this trip; as time allows I will sort through and upload highlights and oddities to the flickr site (see link to the right). And, of course, there will be new imagery for jewelry...
Not from the trip, mind. I tripped over a rather large bentwood rocking chair earlier, after contriving a route behind it to adjust the window opening. (It's a recent addition to the apartment so I suppose I'm not used to it being there yet)
The TRIP!
A whirlwind: Rochester, NY for the Christmas holidays - fun! And not even too cold, for upstate! Snow, ice skating, food, food, food, and family. The horses were furry and fat as they tend to get in winter. The nephews and nieces were in full form of pre-Xmas excitement. Made cookies with Mom, Jordan and Em. Xmas eve at Joe and Diana's-- a feast! Some last minute shopping with Dad and Jon, and Xmas was a big breakfast at the farm followed by another feast at my cousin Nancy's house.
On the 26th it was back to Newark airport and no layover onto a plane to Amsterdam Schipol airport, where Ben was waiting for me, as he'd gone there a few days earlier. Whoo hoo! Back in Amsterdam after only a year.; it was wonderful to return- with all its canals and beautiful old houses lining them-- it's magical. We had a chance to have a fun dinner with Gerhard and Eline while there. While in Amsterdam, we stayed at a very comfortable and sweet apartment, by way of a trade with friends of friends.
On the afternoon of the 30th we hopped a train to Münster, Germany to visit with Stork and Elena again, only this time for New Year's Eve (last year we were in Berlin for the change-over). Super fun; some bike riding around town to pick up provisions for New Year's Eve, which was a night was so foggy one could barely see a half block away. We had a great time watching fireworks in the nearby cathedral square after sharing a meal with their friends in the building- raclette style (a tasty prelude to Paris).
On the 2nd, we boarded an early train which took us from Münster to Cologne, at which point we switched for the Thalys to Paris. It was the first high speed train in Europe, and we had first class tickets, as they were cheaper than the 2nd class on the longer, traditional train ride (?!). Very nice. So, we arrived in Paris at around 4:30, checked into Hotel La Lousianne, then headed out for exploration and dinner! We walked to the Isle del Cite, as it was so close to our neighborhood, and caught part of a mass going on while we wandered through Notre Dame. That cathedral is impossible to wrap one's head around; believable that it took over two centuries to complete.
Paris Paris Paris! Five days there- all of them very full of wandering and exploring-- and eating, drinking... not smoking as much as I'd expected, however, as they'd enacted the no smoking in doors rule the very day before our arrival. :( Many cafes, however, still had plenty of outdoor seating, beneath striped awnings and heat lamps. Beautiful city-- endless lovely architecture and curlicued balconies... Amazing. We also had the good fortune of being able to catch up with two Brooklyn friends while there; Steve on Friday afternoon and evening, and Alex for lunch on Saturday.
After Paris, we trained back to A'Dam for one final afternoon of wandering and relaxing. We went to several of our favorite spots, and returned to our kind hosts' apartment for dinner with them (Marloes and Jurjen: they'd stayed at my apartment, and their friends at Ben's, for a week over New Year's)
Time to end this update, as I am on Amsterdam time, where it is approximately 3:30 am. There is an obscene amount of photographs from this trip; as time allows I will sort through and upload highlights and oddities to the flickr site (see link to the right). And, of course, there will be new imagery for jewelry...
04 January 2008
away
i am abroad. This keyboard is awfully different to a US one. I will be away until Jan 9th, so if you've been looking for me, that's why I haven't been findable.
17 December 2007
Sunday, winter.
A wet and dreary outlook, weather-wise, but a fine Sunday.
Wintermarket came off very well from the looks of it (a wonderful project I've lately become involved with, as a designer).
Ben and I had a lovely dinner and visit with a friend in Manhattan tonight.
On our walk between downtown and Union Square, I stopped in at a Rad Shack and found 1 gigabyte SD cards to be on sale for 13 bucks, which means I can shoot 3 times as many photographs before requiring a download to CD. Nice!
Starting tomorrow morning I have 4 days in which to accomplish very much; work-, jewelry-, gift- and prep-for trip- wise. T'will be an intense week. (Nothing new there.) The Holidays are upon us!
And now it is 12.20. Time for sleep.
.
post script : aquarium sold, and gone, as of Thursday evening. Strange. Bentwood rocking chair - found as of previous Monday- has filled aforementioned aquarium space in apartment. Odd the way things work out sometimes.
But I still miss Pi.
post post script : 143 etsians now hearting the electrofork shop.
Wintermarket came off very well from the looks of it (a wonderful project I've lately become involved with, as a designer).
Ben and I had a lovely dinner and visit with a friend in Manhattan tonight.
On our walk between downtown and Union Square, I stopped in at a Rad Shack and found 1 gigabyte SD cards to be on sale for 13 bucks, which means I can shoot 3 times as many photographs before requiring a download to CD. Nice!
Starting tomorrow morning I have 4 days in which to accomplish very much; work-, jewelry-, gift- and prep-for trip- wise. T'will be an intense week. (Nothing new there.) The Holidays are upon us!
And now it is 12.20. Time for sleep.
.
post script : aquarium sold, and gone, as of Thursday evening. Strange. Bentwood rocking chair - found as of previous Monday- has filled aforementioned aquarium space in apartment. Odd the way things work out sometimes.
But I still miss Pi.
post post script : 143 etsians now hearting the electrofork shop.
13 December 2007
Hark-- hail!
Cold stinging pellets are falling against my windows this morning.
Last night I was visited by some of the most intense, vivid and disturbing nightmares I've had in a very long time. (Not disturbing in any revelatory sense; just pure nonsensical surrealism that the subconscious mind so excels at, when it so chooses)
Vivid in color and texture- and also aurally vivid! I'd gone in and out of sleep, tossing and turning, drifting around and occasionally across the line of waking for what seemed hours if not days. The culmination was a semi-conscious moment at which I finally, starkly woke-- convinced I'd heard knocking at my windows, and noises away at the other end of the apartment. How could I know which noises I'd heard were dream-induced and which were real?! I was frozen in long moments of fear, until silence, wakefulness and the ongoing sounds of 5th avenue at night finally returned me to my senses (mostly).
Was it those slices from Pizza Town? Could it have been from too much coffee that morning? I will never know I'm sure, but I don't mind. I am awestruck by the occasional largess- gifts of excitement and mystery from the invisible realm.
I believe I failed to mention yesterday (in my brevity) that I had a simply awful time of going to pick up artwork from a gallery in the city. Well, awful is an exaggeration, but a frustrating afternoon nonetheless. Part of it was simple disappointment, too.
I am selling the tank- the aquarium and all its attendant accoutrement. Listed on Craigslilst a few days ago; I have a scheduled pick-up tonight which hopefully the weather will not hinder. The end of an era of large-fish husbandry for me, at least for awhile.
Last night I was visited by some of the most intense, vivid and disturbing nightmares I've had in a very long time. (Not disturbing in any revelatory sense; just pure nonsensical surrealism that the subconscious mind so excels at, when it so chooses)
Vivid in color and texture- and also aurally vivid! I'd gone in and out of sleep, tossing and turning, drifting around and occasionally across the line of waking for what seemed hours if not days. The culmination was a semi-conscious moment at which I finally, starkly woke-- convinced I'd heard knocking at my windows, and noises away at the other end of the apartment. How could I know which noises I'd heard were dream-induced and which were real?! I was frozen in long moments of fear, until silence, wakefulness and the ongoing sounds of 5th avenue at night finally returned me to my senses (mostly).
Was it those slices from Pizza Town? Could it have been from too much coffee that morning? I will never know I'm sure, but I don't mind. I am awestruck by the occasional largess- gifts of excitement and mystery from the invisible realm.
I believe I failed to mention yesterday (in my brevity) that I had a simply awful time of going to pick up artwork from a gallery in the city. Well, awful is an exaggeration, but a frustrating afternoon nonetheless. Part of it was simple disappointment, too.
I am selling the tank- the aquarium and all its attendant accoutrement. Listed on Craigslilst a few days ago; I have a scheduled pick-up tonight which hopefully the weather will not hinder. The end of an era of large-fish husbandry for me, at least for awhile.
12 December 2007
brevity
Heading back to Europe for a spell soon! Amsterdam will be our home base, again, with visits to friends in Munster, Germany again, and then... Paris! I've not yet been there, so that will be very exciting. We will have opportunities to see some Brooklynites in Paris, as well.
On the arts fron: Etsy is treating me very well so far- been selling loads of jewelry, so that has become something that takes up a fair amount of time. As a result, I have not done a drawing or painting in awhile. (Not a complaint; I just don't want to lose those things.)
Oh, holidays holidays holidays- this time of year is always a whirlwind!
That's my short update for now. More soon.
On the arts fron: Etsy is treating me very well so far- been selling loads of jewelry, so that has become something that takes up a fair amount of time. As a result, I have not done a drawing or painting in awhile. (Not a complaint; I just don't want to lose those things.)
Oh, holidays holidays holidays- this time of year is always a whirlwind!
That's my short update for now. More soon.
09 December 2007
December Third notes
It's noon on a monday. I haven't showered or eaten breakfast; the apple is still in my fridge, only now there's also a fish in my freezer, too. His name was Pi, and he's been with me for a long time, as fish go. Years. His empty tank is still bubbling away with the filter on because I'm afraid if I turn it off the silence will be deafening. And my great aunt whom I've not seen in several years is dying in a nursing home upstate, and I didn't make time to see her over Thanksgiving.
Blustering wind outside, and bright sun.
Yesterday's snow has gone already.
Blustering wind outside, and bright sun.
Yesterday's snow has gone already.
21 November 2007
bootleggers in Blighty
electrofork bootleg!
Forwarded to me from the Smokewagon boys (for whom this poster was designed, along with Rock City Crimewave): what looks to be a vinyl messenger bag adorned with my artwork! I'd love to find out where this is; all I was told is that it was taken in London. It's too bad they squashed the poor devil so much...
15 November 2007
jewelry!
45 Etsians now calling electrofork a favorite, and I can't keep enough necklaces in stock to get past a single page of listed items! (not a complaint.) So, I have loads of new materials on the way and will be creating more necklaces, plus earrings (all sterling) as well as cufflinks (sterling and silverplate). Whoo hoo!
Now back to work.
Now back to work.
05 November 2007
november
Last night I had a couple zoomin' brisk bike rides along 5th avenue- to and from TL's treehouse. Nice! As of this evening, 27 people call my Etsy shop a favorite- also nice! Two more necklaces sold over the weekend.
So far November in the city has been brisk, but friendly. Smells of autumn abound. The heat is coming on as needed, but today it's good for having a window open. Pi is growing, diggin' his tank (which now has a living plant in it- it thrives on the acidity of Pi.)
All is well. New projects beginning.
Oh I didn't mention it here yet, but I had a real and proper birthday party for the first time in SO many years-- since Kelley and I were roommates!-- and it was so much fun. I knew a lot of folks wouldn't/couldn't make it, as that weekend is always coincidental with Halloween (and I wasn't exactly organized about the invitation process), but lots of folks still made it. So much fun! (I'll put another *thanks* here to Ben and TL, for helping me prep, serve and host-- and for adding so much to the night overall.) *
And now, on to winter, I suppose.
So far November in the city has been brisk, but friendly. Smells of autumn abound. The heat is coming on as needed, but today it's good for having a window open. Pi is growing, diggin' his tank (which now has a living plant in it- it thrives on the acidity of Pi.)
All is well. New projects beginning.
Oh I didn't mention it here yet, but I had a real and proper birthday party for the first time in SO many years-- since Kelley and I were roommates!-- and it was so much fun. I knew a lot of folks wouldn't/couldn't make it, as that weekend is always coincidental with Halloween (and I wasn't exactly organized about the invitation process), but lots of folks still made it. So much fun! (I'll put another *thanks* here to Ben and TL, for helping me prep, serve and host-- and for adding so much to the night overall.) *
And now, on to winter, I suppose.
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