hi

hi

Saturday, January 9, 2010

ow. EXPLODE!

Slept in! Not way way in, but still slept in.

Katie has departed to Eugene for the weekend to hang with Adam. I am compensated for feeding Luna, which I would have done for free.

So I relaxed. I ate some sandwiches.

I hauled my bike into the living room and managed to get the back tire off. I used to hooks to remove the tire and pulled out the tube. I got the tube in the tire and that almost on the rim but it didn't work out.

So I took a break and went to see Daybreakers with Michael. Haven't seen Michael in ages. He is a painting major so our classes don't match up at all, and he works full time so he has little free time to hang with cool people like me.

Daybreakers is a new vampire movie. Filmed in Australia, it stars Ethan Hawke, Sam Neill, and Willem Dafoe. I loved it. The color was a common supernatural film pallet. That is blues and blacks to offset the red of the gore and the orange of the enemy: the sun. It had a great realization of a world full of vampires. Wish they had shown more of the rest of the world, but that wasn't important to the plot. In all fact, the world probably fared better because the vampires didn't need resources. They didn't muck up the film with a romantic subplot. Okay Edward Dalton did like Audrey, but there wasn't time for hand holding. The vampires exploded when staked, which was a cool effect and set this film apart from the mythology a little bit. I loved the set design and the overall composition of the shots was quality. Oh the pair of directors who made it, one majored in design. It shows. The creature effects were top notch as well. A lot of puppets and prosthetic thingies. Nothing struck me as very computer generated. Sure there was some gore, what R-rated vampire movie wouldn't have some? But it was good and well placed gore. I hope this does well, but it probably won't because January-March is a general deadzone for movies.

Michael and I chatted for a bit after movie, and then parted. It was a nice little late afternoon hang out.

Spent the rest of the day sitting and munching.

Oh, and looking up videos on youtube of first: how to get a tube and tire onto the spokes. Got that done. Then I found a video of how to get a wheel onto the bike, because I was having trouble with that. Got that done! I checked the tire pressure using my new gauge. And filled the front tire all nice and full. I couldn't get the bike seat off, but otherwise my bike has RETURNED! YAAaY! I am no longer confined by laziness because I don't want to walk somewhere. And I did it all by myself!

Karen stopped by for a little chat. Then left. Another sleep in day. Want to really settle down and read Blood Meridian. It is off to a great start.

Friday, January 8, 2010

grades

History of Printmaking - A
Illustration - B+
Narrative Image - A
History of Laughter - B
Monotype - A

Cumulative GPA: 3.82

Pretty darn good grades. Worked hard. Showed up.

shiny themed!

Right now, at 1:39am, is the first time I have been in the apartment for more than a minute since 10:40am. Spent the whole day out.

I agreed to help Natalie screenprint in exchange for a free meal and a print. The free meal took the form of a caramel steamer and a granola chocolate chip caramel thingy from Urban Grind. Pretty good. Natalie had a tough time learning how to screenprint, so I was sort of reteaching her so she could finish the projects that she had an extension on. Taught her the Trillian Method® of printmaking. And she was quite enthused. She really liked how I taught her and said many many times that she couldn't have done the project nearly as well without my help. And I must say, it turned out wonderfully. I showed her how I apply emulsion to a screen and drilled into her how important it is to start with a good emulsion base. Then we got lunch with Karen. Then we used the transfers she made and put them on the exposure unit it, set it to 60, and set it to go. We got the ink ready. Karen showed us how to do a "smear test" with ink to find out its true color. Because the stacked pigment shows up differently than it does actually spread out in a print. And all that. We put layers 1 & 3 on one screen and 2 & 4 on another. We got a good pace going. Registered with tape for the first one. Helped her pull properly and flood the screen. By the last layer, about 5 hours later from 11am (when we started), she was printing on her own with confidence and gusto and did really well. Karen and I helped explain why certain things happen with ink. Showed her the use-mylar-every-time method of getting neat and tidy prints.

She had a really good edition to turn in by the end. Looked really really nice and Natalie was ever so greatful for the help. I tell everyone I'll teach them how to print, but few take me up on that offer. I felt really good that I helped her in what was apparently a very clear and concise manner. Go me. Not that I want to be a teacher, but glad that I seem to have that ability.

And it does feel good to help people when they need and ask for it.

After Natalie left, Karen and I chilled out in the lab for about another hour. I shuffled through Olly Moss' Flickr and looked at his art. I have a huge crush on him now. After all that, Karen and I went in halvsies on a six pack and chilled in Robin & Diana's apartment for the rest of the night. We drank our Coronas and watched Spaced. Diana came home and we hugged and looked at art. Robin came home stuffed with food. We watched Shaun of the Dead and then an episode of Foyle's War, Robin's favorite show. Robin nodded off on my shoulder and Karen fell asleep as well.

Now for me to fall asleep. I have no plans for tomorrow. Will be nice to sleep in. Busy day. But awesome day. It is good to be back.

I think my 22nd Birthday Party will be shiny themed.

Oh, this morning I felt like I needed a new workshirt for the print lab. So I took one of Dad's old Singapore shirts from my too big teeshirt bag and cut the sleeves and collar out and sewed up the sides. The too long shoulders drape into little almost sleeves, and it has a nice loose, but still fitted, fit. Made a nice to article to wear in five minutes. Nice!

Thursday, January 7, 2010

oh my god, seriously?

Slow morning. Made toast for Alex and myself. The British repairman came by and fixed our dishwasher. Apparently the heating coil had been bumped and had burned a hole through the bottom of the unit. We thought the seal was just busted. Duurr ooops. So he repaired it.

I got Alex on the 45 headed to his friends house. Spent an hour chilling and then Karen and I went for lunch at the Bagdad. I had a pint of Terminator stout with some tots and a salad. We had a good little chat about boys and girls and all that happens between them. I gave Karen my left over tots.

Her car started running out of gas about two blocks from the gas station. She scooted barely along but we made it! It was exciting for a few moments.

She dropped me off, I picked up my drawing supplies, and hurried out the door to catch the 45 to head to Terry's. I'm not a bus person but the route starts a block from my place, I only had to ride it for fifteen minutes, and I had to make no transfers. The bus stop at 4900 was just in the middle of the woods by a four lane highway. Or was it six... There was a barrier in the middle to go to and safely stay till you can cross in the other direction. It was a little intense, but I crossed with some other people. Terry was there to meet me. Did I mention I was visiting Terry? Well I was.

Terry's place is awesome. All clean with many many DVDs, epic TV, and just nice set up with a lovely amount of art. We watched Big Bang Theory and FAQ About Time Travel and bits of Hot Fuzz and UP on BluRay. His tv is seriously nice. We drank soda and ate cheese bread and pizza and gabbed about stuff. It was fun hanging out with him. I've never seen his place before. At about 1am he drove me home. Nice fella.

Tomorrow I am helping Natalie print. Woohoo!

* * * * *

olly moss

http://ollymoss.com
he is awesome

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

delayed post of yesterday

Got up at 11, which is almost a miracle these days for me. Got the apartment tidied. Bought some bread. Looked through my tshirt book. Not sure which project to do next. I am now using one of Katie's thingies of thread. Don't know how long it will last me. White isn't the best color for stitching, considering most of my tees are black.

Anyway, Alex's bus from Sacramento was a little bit late. Still he arrived, hopped on the max, and made his way to Goose Hollow just fine. He attends a college in Idaho and is just hanging in Portland for a few days on his way back to school.

We got three dollar burgers at Leaky Roof. And watched some Spaced, The Evil Dead and They Live by John Carpenter. Two good bad gore horror movies. One about the Evil spirits in the woods taking over the bodies of some people in a cabin, and the other about aliens taking over humanity.

We chilled for a bit, I finished my leftover burger, and then Jared, Katie's friend, came over with beer and bad movies! We watched The Arena again, which was just as bad as when I watched it on my birthday. Seriously bad, but funny considering it was made by Timur Bekmambetov, a director I actually like.

Then to chase that, we watched The Room. Which is seriously bad bad bad. Bad writing, bad directing, bad acting, and all three were done by Tommy Wiseau. Seriously horrible and not intentional. It is one of those movies that now is shown at midnight in theaters with audience participation, like Rocky Horror Picture Show. Katie and I will have to go one of these days.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

pants!

Natalie got sick so no screenprinting. That will be rescheduled for when she is feeling better.

Slept waaay in.

Katie and I walked in the rain to the Marathon and got a proper hash, eggs, toast, and bacon. Mmm. Very good and filling.

Watched Katie play Banjokazooie for a bit. Then I felt tired for no good reason and crawled into bed and napped for an hour.

Got up. Did the Internet thing. Karen called asking about dinner plans. 45 minutes later, she, Katie, and I were headed to Ichiban Sushi! I had about five plates. Katie wolfed eight or nine. Karen had around seven. Good sushi. The train came around and someone had put a "lets play hangman" on a piece of paper and had sent the puzzle around. We almost hung our man before we figured out it was Wasabi. I also wrote prize??? on the paper, and when it came back around they had stuck a glob of wasabi on it. We started a new game as well, the word was soybean. The first letters were s and y. They had heard us! There was a little discussion about changing it to tempura but we played fair. When we paid, we saw the couple who had started the game.

Katie's friend Sara stopped by and I turned a t shirt into a pair of stretchy short pants!



They needed some touching up and are far from perfect, but not bad for a first try.

I am using the bag that I made yesterday to store my minimal sewing supplies.

Monday, January 4, 2010

MacReady is a dreamboat in that hat

Ahhh being back in my bed is so good. So hard to roll out of when it is so all encompassing and lovely.

Didn't do my bike. Didn't tidy. Watched Skins. Made a little bag out of a teeshirt. It was a little more difficult to do. I need thread and proper scissors.

But generally a nothing day.

In the evening, Liz came over and she, Katie, Karen and I watched The Thing.

What a horrifying and scary movie. The effects were awesome but totally brutal at the same time. I screamed twice and went EEWWWWAUUUUGHGHH about twenty times. Really good movie but really intense.

After that, Karen and I went over to Natalies and hung out with her and Robin. We had a few solid hours of girl talk. It was fun, though it sort of dragged on. A little girl talk is good, but too much relationship chatter wears on.

Tomorrow I am going to help Natalie silk screen. I will get a free meal out of it, and some quality time with a good fast talking friend.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

oh oh oh. oh oh oh.

Had an awesome sleep in.

Did nothing till about 5pm. Then I started tidying up. Put away presents. Did the dishes. It isn't finished, but it looks a lot better. I will continue cleaning and tidying tomorrow. And then on to fixing my bike!

Katie made delicious laarb for dinner. I made a skirt out of a teeshirt! It is really cute and fits really well.

Natalie called, totally going to hang with her on Monday afternoon and then there is a party the following weekend. Going to chill with Terry on Wednesday. Popular!

I wore my skirt out for karaoke with Liz and Bill and Katie at The Galaxy. Not as nice as the Ambassador but not as crowded, so we got through the songs quick. Still, just as pricey. Booo. I sang Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand and Everything is Average Nowadays by Kaiser Chiefs. Did both pretty poorly I am sure, but it was fun. My group of girls (and boy) cheered me on. Met a pile of new people. Chrissy, Amy...lots of people. Katie sang Donovan and Mika. We boogy oogied to some of the more hopin' songs. It was fun. Low key, but still nice.

Got home and watched Anchorman. Now it is late (more like early). So sleepy time. I love being back in my own bed, even though it is smaller and not as soft.