grumpy. and then I get some chocolate in me.

Today was fun. I was a little grumpy for the first part as some of my plans had fallen through but eventually I got into it and had a good time.

I went to Seattle!

PNCA put on a trip to the Emerald City and I signed up. I didn't know our itinerary until we were on the bus so I didn't want to delude anyone into thinking there was possible hanging out time with yours truly.

I arrived at school on time at 7:55. We didn't leave for another 45 minutes. Leaving at almost 9:00 and trying to be back in Portland at 10:00 doesn't actually leave the greatest length of time to really see Seattle. They bus us around the U District and some sprawl of warehouses; it really takes away the chance from the people who have never really been to Seattle. I think they should leave considerably earlier. Hit the galleries early in the day and hit Pike's Place Market and Seattle Center later in the day.

The Henry had mostly boring exhibits. There was a great installation of tinfoil casts of the artists body at various stages of bending over. But the photography was just, "oh wow look I made my photos really big and shiny on nice paper" and nothing really moved me about them. The Frye had a great R. Crumb exhibit with videos of him comic jamming, his original drawings and comics, and even a few sculptures. I loved that. Diana, Robin, and I got into a wee debate about his offensiveness (ys he is offensive but that is stating the obvious. I'm looking for the, "okay yes, what else about him?" conversation). The next gallery had some photos of David Bowie lyrics on mattresses. It was cool how he found all the mattresses to write on but once I got it that was pretty much it and I was bored. Western Bridge had Isaac Julien's The Long Road to Mazatlan playing. I thought it was amazing. The video installation was three separate projections that were synchronized and it played sometimes three points of view of one scene, or a wide semi connected shot of the same thing, or entirely separate shots happening. It and the R. Crumb show made the trip worth it.

I was tired and grumpy up till around the Frye. Many of the exhibits bored me. We were not anywhere near Pike's Place so I was unable to swing by quickly and say hi to Llyw. The food was okay. I snacked plenty and the ride was fairly comfortable. Read some more of Choke. Was the trip worth it? I guess so. I wouldn't have done anything else with the day except sleep in. I'm doing that tomorrow.

We watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off going up to Seattle and The Royal Tenenbaums returning. Both enjoyable but I started to fall asleep on Jim during the latter. I rarely am in bed before midnight on a Saturday. Or a Sunday or a Tuesday...and many other days for that matter.

Jim and I walked Diana home and then I walked Jim to the nearest Max Station. Company makes everything go faster.

pizza haiku

Long day was long. But it didn't feel that long.

Comic class went fast and we got out early. I went to the post office and mailed some things off then I went to the museum to check out a Renaissance painting to write about for my class. I had a little amount of time left before work so I did a quick run through of the new exhibit on display. Lots of nice pictures of dancers from Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Degas, and one other dead dude. They lumped most of Toulouse-Lautrec at the end of the exhibit and those were the pieces I liked best.

I am learning to pace myself better at work and because of that I didn't have much time left at the end. One of the bathrooms had a big ink spill so that was exciting to clean up (I was actually thrilled that there was something to scrub up). Only about 40 pages left on Choke. It is getting really good now. Not sure if it is worth trudging through the first couple hundred pages for it though. Hmm.

Watched the Project Runway finale episode after work. I'm glad Rami didn't win. He gets all the exposure but none of the responsibility of having to fulfill the obligations of winning. He will be successful on his own awesome terms.

Movie night was Brazil. I haven't watched it in years and even then it was only once before. It blew me away! So beautiful and imaginative and depressing. Loved the casting and effects. Gilliam in general rocks 1/3 of the time. It ran a little long but still it was a cool thing to watch.

Rode home. Relaxed with Lindsay and Sully. Watched Pecker. Enjoyable film, somehow I have a different memory of the ending from when mom watched it (she also didn't allow me to watch it...maybe it was a different movie). Very sweet and innocent. Well, it was a little formulaic but I liked the cast and the performances. Also it was short, but maybe after watch Brazil anything under two hours seems short.

spaghetti pizza
much more tasty than it sounds
far better than corn

cake eating monkey

Went out to First Thursday. My first in a while (the weather has been horrible). I was originally going to go out with Lindsay and some of the boys that have been hovering around her lately but there were some complications about meeting up (I left my cell at home) so I went out with Karen, Diana, and Robin instead. We went to Black Fish (horrible digital prints and cute shrinky dink pieces), Elizabeth Leech (amazing collage work with puzzles) and a few other galleries. One had these heinous 80's paintings that we tore apart. With words of course. Karen said it reminded her of when you shave and you miss pieces and you have chunks left over. I said one was like Hostel II; better than the trash put out before but still pretty terrible. Diana just hated the majority of them. One of the Elizabeth Leech pieces Robin fell in love with. I think she is going to break into the gallery, steal it, run away and marry it.

We found our way down to the Pony Club gallery and took a gander at Erin's clock piece. It was cool but the gallery became stuffy and crowded really quick. I had to get out of there into the nice cool night. I am not claustrophobic but First Thursday might make me so.

I hit up Floating World Comics for my comics, boards, and bags (the latter two to put the new comics into). American Virgin was on its last issue and I must say FINALLY to that. The writing sucked and I was really just buying it for Cloonan. I also have two more Boys in and Doktor Sleepless. I am way behind in my comic reading. Hopefully Spring Break will remedy that.

After comics I met up with the gang again at Compound Gallery. They had a beautiful show devoted to Alice in Wonderland inspired artwork but it was insanely crowded so I couldn't enjoy it much. I'll come back later. We met up with Bebop and Elliot and some of their friends but Robin and I didn't stay around that long. We walked off towards PNCA/Goose Hollow together. We parted ways on 10th, her going South and myself going North. I was overheating from all the layers so I stopped and picked up a vanilla and caramel ice creme cone from the new shop on 11th and Johnson. It was delicious. I returned to PNCA, grabbed my stuff, checked out the hot security guard, and rode off into the night. I only needed a hoodie and my undershirts for the ride home and even then I was hot as I staggered in the door. Very tired! And still so much work to do.

I am a very safe bicyclist. I always stop at red lights and don't go through them even if I don't see anybody coming. I was ten seconds behind another PNCA biker today and they went through a couple red lights. Their dangerous biking only got them there about thirty seconds sooner. It isn't worth it.

Experiments in drawing was yet another work day. ARGHGGHGHGHGHGHG!!! WHAT THE HELL MODOU? This is like garageband with Gordon all over again. It is making me really frustrated and annoyed with the class. It is going no where. My piece is just all over the place and I add to it randomly. I'm going to add a few more Bigfoot and call it a day. I just don't know about it. Added some spray paint and that made me nauseous.

My break was spent painting my blanket and watching Project Runway out of the corner of my eye. Actually the painting turned out pretty fabulous. Working with a time crunch forces me to have more confidence in my color mixing and application.

This theme of speed carried over into my class today where Annie came by and confiscated my small brushes and told me I had 10 minutes to fill the figure with color. I managed to do it! Mostly! I had a few spots left but generally it was filled in by the end of the 10 minute deadline. The painting was, at the end of class, done! The first one! I'm amazing and rock so hard. Probably needs some more work but I filled the page and touched on every area of the piece. I'm so proud of myself that I could do that.

Cleaned up and went to the commons to wait for Lindsay. Ran into Matt who was sporting some snazzy glasses and a cool scarf. Gray really works on him. Tall Andy was around and a few other familiar faces. Ultimately I texted Lindsay on Karen's phone telling her I was going out with them. Swung by Craig's show (and once I figured out what was going on, I digged it) and briefly took another gander at Mia's.

Now to finish the last few sentences of my reading response and to stagger into bed.

printing is done, busy still not over

Hopefully my last long day for a while! I've been going strong with no breaks...except for all the Project Runway.

Anyway, there was a critique in printmaking and it went fairly well. Yoshi wasn't down with the wiping I did on my Bigfoot plate. It was generally agreed it needed more work but now that I know more about aquatint, I can do some snazzy, snazzy things! I wasn't really hurt in the critique as I was aware of the problems that already existed in my plates. I did my cine cole (shin cole? sine cole? I don't know...) print as well. It was a little askew but I like the direction in which it is going. Some cool prints were put up. Tea time also had snacks and that rocked.

Comic club was okay. Met another Rachel. Did some jams. I volunteered responsibility for the comic jam on the wall set up (nothing was getting done, it is also delayed). I am kinda going "crap, why did I do that?" But I also know some of the parties involved better than others so I guess I am right for the job.

I worked on my drawing assignment for Modou. We have critique tomorrow and I have no idea what is going to happen. I cut it out and stenciled it but its just, I don't know. The class is all over the place and I have no clue what he is going to have us do.

Yoga was in another room and it went pretty well. My arms couldn't hold up to some of the strain of downwards facing dog. I have no arm strength.

We had to hit the ceiling and yell at the guys above for the first time in a while tonight. They shut up after I yelled. Jerks.

Tomorrow is First Thursday, I have to work on a painting during my break, Friday is class and work and movie night, Saturday I have something and that leaves most of Sunday. Sunday night is a bonus yoga class because the teacher is on an MFA trip next week. Gee whiz! Spring break is only two and a half weeks away, spring break is only two and a half weeks away.

pointless, frustrating, decent, helpful, and crashitism

Experiments in Drawing was yet another near pointless work day. Nicole came in and gave an awesome lecture about her art. She is groovy.

I went straight to the print lab and worked on my bigfoot prints. They look terrible.

The fire alarm went off while I was printing so I was outside with my hands covered in ink. It didn't last long but still. I was grubby all day.

I only had an hour to kill between printing and painting so I chilled in the library and talked with some people in the library.

Painting was nude models and I had Scott. Scott is a great model. The painting turned out alright, nice color combinations and it looks a little like him. And I filled the page pretty well.

After I got home I went to Michael's to help him pack for his move. After packing we went to Sharis' for dinner. I started to crash a few bites into my burger.

I'm going to crash now. Good night all.

the man from Antarctica

Lindsay and I rode the red line all the way out to the airport to pick up her friend Sully. He is visiting for the week. He flew in from LA and before that he was in Hawaii and before that Australia and before that New Zealand and before that Antarctica. Yeah hes pretty cool.

Had an Art History test. I think I did fairly well. I blanked on one term but I knew the rest pretty well. I've had Libby before, I have no fear of her tests. Shes a fair but not harsh grader.

After that I was in the print lab for three hours. I finished one edition (plus a few extra/warm up prints) so whoo I'm almost done! It went really quick. Rachel, Rachel, and the girl who isn't a Rachel were in there with me so that was fun. Rachel (the one in my digital tools class) and I are going to trade prints. We both are doing creative wiping when it comes to our prints (so that they don't look bland).

I have accepted the fate that my hands won't be clean till the semester is over.

he's our little lamb

I am working on my painting for class, the one that I really assigned myself more work to do than was necessary. Haha, I think one more intense sit down is all it require. Just one more, just one more.

I was unable to sleep in today (work up at 8:45 am! what the hell?) so I just sat in front of the computer watching MORE Project Runway. I am almost halfway caught up with the entire series. It is so bad. Ibanez was extra cuddly as Lindsay was out all night and morning.

Today was really lazy. We took a walk to Art Media, we talked, I made cupcakes, we watched Project Runway. Yeah not much happened. I was just lazy and groggy. I think I was productive on something else but I really can't remember. Hmmn.. Wow I guess I really just wasted my Sunday except for painting. Dang, that was probably stupid of me. Monday is going to be packed full of printing and trying to piece together something for Modou. Oh and painting homework. DANG! I've been bad.

I've also been tired and frustrated and stressed. Procrastinating is not a cure for that but I need time to take it easy, my weeks are so busy. I have to allow myself these break because I know that I won't have them during the week. Its all study, paint, print, read, write. And my irregular sleep schedule doesn't help.

I can do it.

prevues of coming attractions

I just saw In Bruges. Amazing film, I loved it. In fact I would go so far as to say it is one of my ten favorite films of all time. It really got to me and even now, a few hours after seeing it, I still feel affected by the film. It is really misadvertised. It is being played as a hitmen in hiding film, which it is, but it is so much more than that. I had heard that it was spectacular and this was why I didn't wait for it to be at a larger theatre I was familiar with, I went to see it at Cinema 21. Actually, Cinema 21 ended up being really close and easy to get to, I sometimes think the 20+ blocks on the west side are farther away than they really are. The cinema was a little cozy one theatre place with cheap concessions and compfy seats. I think I may just become a regular (it is also a few blocks from Michael's new place and hes one of my movie buddies so whoo). 2008 is a great year for movies. The movie was set in Bruges and featured so much of the beautiful architecture and paintings. I really want to go to Belgium now.

The museum trip was cancelled due to excessive homework constraints. I rode off into a well lit Portland day and picked up more paper from Art Media. Outside the store I was greeted with rain. As I rode furter, more rain. I was very nicely wet when I arrived at school. Riding was hell as I could barely see from all the rain in my eyes. I am so good about having my rain pants with me, but this time was a horrible exception. The print lab isn't exceptionally warm either.

Matt stopped by the lab for a visit as I was trimming my paper and etching my plate. My edition of my etching is all screwed up, not one are the same size so I should correct that so they are all equal. Waste a lot of paper in doing so but I need to be more careful about lining up my prints. My other plates are having issues retaining their ink so I have to figure out how I am going to manipulate the ink so they are not all light and hazy and generally bad looking. I need to take a break from the bigfoot plate because right now it looks sort of crappy now that I have etched it. Baaah, I'm started to stress, this is no good!

Then I went to see In Bruges by myself. Really quick ride home (and clear) and actually coming back on 18th seems easier than coming back on 13th.

of Mario and Mops

Cidney is in town this weekend, she left PNCA for Evergreen but we forgive her. She, Tabitha, Chelsey, Karen and I were up late reading bawdy poetry aloud and playing Mario Party. Up really late, blimey why am I still typing! Robin was over as well but she left earlier. She, Karen and I, while waiting for the others to arrive, watching Princess Bride. I love that movie but now I see more of the dated features (thanks to Karen's running audio commentary). Still wonderful.

At work I am learning to pace myself so I don't have as big of a chunk of time at the end. Sure I am making my way through Choke pretty effectively but I'd rather be paid to work. Choke is barely holding my interest. I mostly want to finish it just to finish it. I barely care about the characters and even though I know there are developments I still feel like it hasn't gone anywhere and isn't going anywhere (unless there is an apocalyptic ending). My dustpan and brooms were in the supply closet so that was good.

Comic class was okay. Mostly just Peanuts stuff and I didn't really have much to say. I feel awkward speaking up in class. It is so early and right at the end of the week as well so my thinking abilities are not that grand.

Day had a slow start but it ended on a fun note. Now for the weekend! Cidney and homework, yaaay! Hopefully more hanging with Cidney and less homework because I somehow magically get all my homework done in an hour (homework is: printmaking, short painting, and studying art history).

hitting the (pink) bottle

How ever smart you think I am, I am evidently not that smart.

So in drawing we were just working on our pieces further (the critique was postponed until more people decide to show up). I was working on mine and I noticed the ink wasn't mixing with the "water" that I had poured out of a bottle I found. Surely a bottle with clear liquid in an art room must contain water? Uh huh. Anyway to find out what it was I decided to take a wee drink.

It wasn't water.

A little later I whispered to Lindsay about how my stomach wasn't feeling too good and I explained why. After her initial Trillian-why-are-you-so-stupid look she asked me to show her the bottle. She said that it smelled like soap (and it tasted a little like it) and that I should probably take some tums and eat some food. So I went and bought some tums and Pepto Bismal and munched munched munched. My stomach felt queasy for the rest of class but once I arrived home and ate some pasta my health improved. Later Karen advised me on how to test things you are not sure about. Her scientific process involved dipping your finger in the substance and testing your finger. I've learned my lesson (no I haven't, I did the same thing in my chemistry class years ago). Mom, don't worry. I'll play it really really safe. The bottle wasn't a "this is used for chemicals" bottle and that is why it confused me.

Modou painted on one of the German girls works and she let out a pained sound in between a moan and a scream. He erased part of Lindsay's work. He liked my work but the class is wearing us thin. It is random and all over the place and I'm not sure how much I am really growing from it. Hmmn.

Brilliant sunny day again. I worked a little after class in the print lab washing the sugar lift off my plate. Took longer than I expected it to but it came off decently enough. At home I just kicked back and stuffed my face with food and pink liquid. Also did my reading for class. Mostly Charlie Brown and Charles Schulz stuff.

Painting was the same thing as on Tuesday. I came right on time which meant I came too late to grab a desk. Karen and Jen scooted theirs together and I sat between them. I only managed to get about 70% of the models skin completed. The hands looked great (Annie gave me a compliment about them) but it was largely unfinished. I can't paint fast.

After class I returned to the print lab and applied aquatint to my plate, heated it, etched it, and did a quick print. A continuing education student was in the class and I asked him quickly about applying the aquatint and he gave me a scare when he said he had never seen anyone apply it like I was about to (well I think there was an error in communication and he thought I was applying it to a print that had sugarlift still on it). Now afraid, I cranked up the aquatint box and placed my plate in for a few minutes. It went in and out without much of a hitch and it melted on the hot plate quite evenly. Etching went well, as did removing the aquatint rosin and hardground. I did a quick print just to see what it looks like and it looks wonderful! I can't wait to etch it further with hardground. It needs some clear definition into what is going on but the tree looks fab. I will etch it tomorrow but no printing.

Rode home, read some more about Schulz, Lindsay came home from her daaaaaaaate and we gabbed, then we watched...yup you guessed it, Project Runway! Tomorrow is a new Lost episode online for me to watch, I'm so excited! These weeks are a real busy crunch time but I think it is almost over.

My stomach is all better. I was almost hoping to burp bubbles but no such luck.

joy

Yesterday's sickness is today's happiness. The sun was shining, it was warm, I went for a walk, and all was grand!

Managed to get up a little early so I could start my day off right. Arrived at school on time with an idea for my sugarlift firmly in my head. Sugarlifted that sucked in about fifteen minutes and set that to dry, after that dried I applied the hardground and left it to dry. Smoothed out the other print and reapplied the softground and did a press with some dried flowers I had picked up. Etched it and printed it. Burnished the face and background. Printed it again. Burnished it again. Printed it again. Holding off on the burnishing and will do another test print. Did the rest of the edition for my etching. The hardground was still not dry so I will tend to that tomorrow. Was busy all through class (and about fifty minutes after) but still I feel behind. Lots of printing to be done over the weekend. Oh well, better to do it right than to rush it.

During lunch I walked to Whole Foods to grab something to eat(also to enjoy this radiant day). About two blocks from school I called my papa and our phone conversation took me to Whole Foods, through picking out food, through the cash register, back to PNCA, setting my stuff down in the print lab, grabbing a spot in the commons, eating my lunch and when my lunch was finally over we said our goodbyes. Diana, Lee and Chris stopped by and we chatted briefly and I shared my grapes. I skipped off to class in a supreme mood.

Yoga was really really tough this night, but I feel good.

Need a good night sleep so I can tackle tomorrow. I'm up for critique with Modou and I will be putting in some hours in the print lab.

Lindsay is strong, awesome, and I ♥ Her

Lindsay and I were outside Goose Hollow hooping with her new LED hoop. Karen was watching from above and suddenly we decided to just walk to the park and hoop there. And by we I mean just Lindsay and myself, Karen was being a poo and didn't join us (something about having homework to do). So me in my pajamas and Lindsay with her hoop, we went down to the park on Park Street (in front of the Portland Art Museum) and hooped to our hearts content! It was a great deal of fun. Just chuckling and hooping back and forth. Some homeless guys showed up, they were nice just a little drunk. They hooped a little but failed. One also failed when he asked me for a kiss and I stepped back quickly and said, "no". Lindsay stepped in and was all, "Can't you see my shirt says Detroit? And I'll shiv you and leave you for dead in the park." She was very calm about saying that, I can tell she has practiced. So we left that area and hooped elsewhere. A cute boy showed interest in the both of us (and he was neither drunk or homeless). Both of us were pretty exhausted and sore so we headed back. We arrived home at the amazing time of 10:22pm. We hooped long time!

So today was tough to get up. I wasn't feel too hot and my mind was all jumbled about the time on my clock. I arrived at school on time and ready to work. Then we spent an hour talking about art, what were are as artists, how we feel about the Portland scene, have we ever been to Europe, how to be elitist without being pretentious, and so on. The conversation was dominated by mostly five or six people and Lindsay brought up the fact about how we are all dead quiet in the class. It was an interesting conversation, Modou is full of praise for us all due to the fact that we are here. I'm one of the few that has consistently been there everyday. I didn't feel like it today but I was there.

After break was a quick/not so quick critique of our projects thus far. Modou's class (and Modou himself) ends up being a Russian Roulette critique. He isn't the best at being objective about work and has clear favorites and clear what he wants to see and what he doesn't want to see standards. Well, they actually are not that clear. That is what makes it so nerve wracking. I didn't have a critique today but Lindsay did. She was up last and up until her all the pieces were mostly favorable (there was one piece that was a collaboration that he wasn't OK with). Her collage and mixed media skull was said to be, "unbelievable." And when asked to define it, Modou couldn't come up with a clear answer. Half the class was silent, one fourth was confused about why this piece was suddenly not right, the other fourth jumped on the fear bandwagon. I sat in confused and shocked silence. Lindsay took it amazingly well (she is very strong and awesome) but still, I think for many people it came out of nowhere. All of a sudden a piece is unbelievable, what?

Left a little stunned, went home, and enjoyed a very lovely nap. I wasn't feeling too good (a little overheated) and really needed the rest. I don't think I am getting enough. Need to allow a little more on Sunday. I'm worn so thin by Friday and it is almost Wednesday and I have so much to do before the week ends. I don't like having so much work centered around the end of the week, I like it at the start.

In painting I sat apart from my usual bandit's and focused on the model. We are painting clothed figures. The first drawing ended up with her feet cut off so I drew it again, much smaller than needed. I am happy with the result (except the models breaks ended up with her draped clothing changing constantly) but it was far too small to work with effectively. I can mix skin tones pretty well now; all it is is yellow and orange with a little red, a little blue to mute and subdue the saturation, and a little bit of green. Who knew? Annie said to do another painting, this one much larger, in the next class instead of working on this one (which I finished so I'm cool with that. I was feeling much better at the end of class and rode off into the night quite neatly.

Arriving home I had to deliver much hugs to Lindsay. Then we watched Project Runway. Santino is such a jerk, but by being that way it allowed Daniel to leave with much dignity. He was so selfless in the end and went on a high note. He is so set career wise now. Go him! (We are on Season Two, and yes we do our homework).

Then we went hooping!!


Lindsay hooping during her lunchtime performance.


LED hooping


This be me, I am so awesome.

hoop da hoop da Trillian don't feel too good

Oh boy, I was chilling at Karen's (NOT doing a comic jam, amazingly). I was just relaxing and hanging out and reading a comic. I like having her here, it gets me out of my apartment and away from distractions. But yeah, I was reading The Invisibles by Grant Morrison and I got into it in a big way and was having such a hard time putting it down because so much changes between issues. He is really an amazing author, but I'd be a liar if I said I understood it all.

I don't feel so good. Karen, Lindsay and I went to Fire on the Mountain and somewhere between the wings and the deep fried twinkies, something didn't settle right so I'm going to keep this short and lay down and rest something fierce.

Art History really makes me want to just travel around Europe and museum hop. I don't think I can pull it together for France right now. I'd rather just go to Belgium.

Lindsay did a hoop dancing performance during lunch today. It was very cool. She did lots of neat tricks and had some great routines. Shes a very cool roommate, I'm very fortunate that I'm not with someone that is freaking out all the time or bugs me about me leaving my pencils on the table. I have pictures of her dancing, eventually I'll post them. But now: sleep.

p.s. Lindsay's LED hula hoop came in the mail. It rocks.

p.p.s. Celia: Lindsay says she learned how to make her own hula hoops from http://www.hooping.org/ and she learned tricks off of youtube.com

we be jammin

Karen is vile. She keeps luring me into comic jams. Not as late as last nights jam but still, a jam none the less. Today was full of stuff so I didn't get to do a separate post for Yesterday...

Yesterday

I slept in. Like I normally do on Saturday. This week really took it out of me and when Friday rolls around I am exhausted and I hate the fact I have to work. It isn't that great when I can't sleep in before my shift. My sleep schedule is really out of order and having that lit class tucked in right there are the end...bah. But yeah, I slept in. I lounged about. I read. I watched MORE Project Runway. I am almost done with season four (just the finale and the wrestling episode) and I think season two is next. Lindsay came home early but she wasn't up for Clue.

I didn't apply on my moustache (nor have I looked at the photos from the Clue Party) but I did straighten my hair. Just trying out a different look. We started late because Diana was held up making sweet potato fries. She was an awesome Mrs. White. She also told us that we were still playing Clue wrong and with the "correct" rules, it still took us two hours to complete one game. I guessed myself out early so I could make some Gyoza (my final batch, it was a hit). We played the next game as a shorter, house rules Clue game. Kris was there, he was Sergeant Gray and looked downright adorable. I must say, he and Kristen are cute together.

After the second game most of the people left but we managed to lure Diana into crashing at Karens for the night and so we comic jammed! The pieces sort of fell apart when we got to the 2:15 am mark but they were still hilarious. The one I started had some horrible/really deep dialogue, Diana's involved this kid eating plants and his family was demonic, and Karen's was about me "getting a clue". Yeah it was super fun. I leant some blankets and pillows to Diana and then went to bed.

But before I slept, I saw a big TV in the free zone. I plugged it in and it was unable to turn on so I left a note saying, "Next time leave a TV that turns in without a remote." And drew a frowning self portrait. Then I slept.

Today

Set my alarm to go off at 11. If I didn't I would sleep through the game afternoon Karen set up as part of her RA duties. Also I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight if I was up that late. I pretty much got up, showered, got dressed, and went straight to helping Karen set up.

It wasn't a big turn out (Karen, Michal, and Myself...oh and amazingly Lindsay came down for it, that was awesome) but to those who showed up, we had our picks of the left over food. I have TWO BIG THINGS OF JUICE!! TWO!! And some pita chips. Whoo. Awesome. We played Pay Day. Karen beat us completely but I came in at a fairly decent second. I think the next RA arranged event will be a Comic Jam.

After the game session Lindsay and I cleaned house a little and we brought up the dresser that was left in the free zone in the parking garage. It is a pretty decent dresser; no spider webs or weird smells. We will use it for general supplies that we can't stuff else where (ie: probably my stuff). My lamp is on top of it and now our living room actually has nice lighting. Amazing! We took a quick trip to Safeway. I ate a couple Otter Pops and Fruit Roll-Ups(they were on sale). We watched Project Runway. And then I went up to Karens.

I worked on my painting and then she was all, "Oh Trillian, take a break. Work on this jam comic. You need to let your painting dry." And I caved and worked on a comic with her. SHES VILE! A vile vile woman. But she fed me so...I had to oblige.

I'm going to throw a "how to make gyoza like Trillian (even though it is Llyw's recipe)" party. Basically, I show people how to make the filling and how to put it in the wrapper and how to fry it and how to wrap it for the freezer. All that stuff, and if they pay me they can take some filling home with them.

sleep sleep

It is almost 3am. I just had a long clue night and an even longer and later jam comic session. Full details tomorrow morning. Right now: sleep.

Gondry makes me smile

Lindsay and I went to see the new Michel Gondry film Be Kind Rewind. Gondry has such an amazing ability to make simple, striking, and beautiful films. He doesn't make films that cater to the mass public ideals and that might be why this film isn't getting praise from all over. Sure it had some slow moments but at the end I wanted to cry from both sorrow and happiness. This movie really...it really moved me. The characters were portrayed perfectly and the scenes where they created the movies were wonderful! Just creativity. I love how Gondry thinks.

Alex Cahill, in class, said something along the lines of that because he left his comic simple and open to interpretation that people considered him a smarty pants. Something like that, I got a good chuckle. It was an okay class, I couldn't contribute much (sometimes I feel that it isn't an open discussion but more of a wait for the right answer). I was also very tired so I started to nod off.

Rode home to fetch my key card to get into the studios. I couldn't find it and was late to work because of the long search. When I got to work they had restocked the disinfectant, sponges, and toilet paper, but someone had borrowed my broom and dust pan and didn't return it! So I couldn't do my full job, and I have so much time I can do my full job. Whoever did that is a jerk.

One of the MFA's (the redheaded one with sharp sideburns) had these goggles with red blinky lights in them that when turned on and worn with your eyes shut they produce this really disorienting/beautiful personal light show. I started seeing green after a minute. Supposedly you are supposed to do it for 14 minutes.

I am forcing myself to start reading Palahniuk's Choke again. It gives me the same feeling as it did when I stopped reading it (the feeling that it is progressing slowly and going nowhere) but I am going to push myself. I bought it, I should read it.

Lost was another great episode. I knew it was Aaron! Oh and that whole Locke introducing himself to Miles scene was genius. Ohhh I can't wait for more! I waited years for this kind of quality from the show.

Robin, saint of birds, tea, and shoulder rubs

200 posts in my blog. I have been in Portland for half a year now, it will be exciting to reach the one year mark. It is a beautiful city filled with lovely (if occasionally honky) people.

Drawing was mostly a "further your idea" work day. I did several watercolors and was starting to work on condensing the figures when Modou stopped by and gave me some advice, suggested some artists, and generally hung about and talked with me about what I was working on (he said it was good). He showed me some images from his computer and someone text messaged him while he was on it. I like it when teachers are as human as the rest of us. Class went fairly quickly once I got a better idea of what I was working on.

Rode home, relaxed, ate some pasta, didn't read my comic and didn't work on my painting. There was a double movie gossip interest that popped up on the Internet that I had to investigate. Charles Burnes' Black Hole is being adapted by David Fincher and Roger Avary and Neil Gaiman are doing the screenplay. Fincher and Gaiman!!! That is perfect. This movie will be great. Also the Akira live action is underway...sort of. It is amazing how just the anouncement of a movie, the mere idea of its possibility, how excited it gets the fans. Wheee! Black Hole, I can't wait.

Soon it was time to head to school early to type up my idea behind my landscape. Lots of gibberish about semi-amphibious fish with air sacks and people living in stilt houses in shallow water. I think it is pretty cool. Didn't get as much done in painting as I would have liked. Some of the under lighting looks good, I think once I get more completed it will come together. It is a slow medium and somewhat tedious medium (I am also making this probably more complex than it needs to be).

Rained a little but not enough to warrant rain pants (I had them with me though). I started in on my much neglected Comic Lit reading: The Last Island by Alex Cahill. Cahill is a PNCA grad and the comic was his thesis. He will be in class tomorrow so that is exciting. It read quicker than I thought it would (sure it was a comic with no words but it was obviously written so that you moved through it quick). The panels didn't have much to linger on, they worked better when put together as a narrative than left alone. Uhm, yeah. I liked it, looking forward to tomorrow.

I had pasta for lunch and Annie's pasta for dinner. Both were large portions and I finished them both off completely. Uhhg.

There was another comic jam at Karen's tonight. It was only a single page that was based between Her, Robin and myself. It was about my career as a performance artist. At one point I was in a rabbit looking, fish printed, scuba suit with glow sticks, a snorkel, and fins. It as pretty rad, if I must say so. Then we helped Karen stuff fliers under PNCA doors and then it was off to bed for us all!

like pushing yourself through paint

Just replied to mom about that last post. Yeah, she didn't approve but I don't feel like I was in the wrong (and if I can't see a car, there isn't much I can do). Anyway, feel free to leave a comment on my blog instead of e-mailing me.

Anywhoo, onto daily business. Whoo, Wednesday! Printmaking! Actually not as fun as it normally is. Mostly a work day and it was focused on my softground...which I am not that psyched about. There ended up being some etching in places I didn't want it to be and I had to burnish it a little but it still came up with some texture. I'll have to sand and steel wool it. Daaang. Also the picture isn't as cool as I thought it would end up being. I also have to come up with the sugarlift design. I'm not behind, just a little lost for ideas right now.

Comic Book Club was very eventful. There were some minor(maybe major) disputes but it looks like our plans for an in-the-commons comic jam are under way! It will rock. We also did three mini comic jams during the meeting; they revolved around a bass player turned part way into a crab, why pizza is delicious, and someone meeting an alien. We actually did something in the club for once, wonderful!

Casey Oney was on his stomach, pushing a box of leaking paint in circles through the commons.

I received a package from home filled with goodies and food! Annie's Pasta, Pocky, Tiger's Milk (milked from tigers), sesame crackers, Sweethearts, Botan and Jell-O galore! Even with that I needed milk and eggs and a few other things so Lindsay and I hit up Safeway. We barely got home with all our bags. As we were trudging we noticed the lunar eclipse that was happening.

We dropped our stuff off and went to the 16th floor in the Tower to get a better view. You can see so much of Portland from up there (like the convention center) and the moon was eclipsed exquistely. Then after ten minutes we got bored and went down and put away our groceries. I kicked back and ate some udon with egg added and then went up to Karen's for a comic jam.

A comic jam is when you draw a panel and pass the page to someone else. Karen and I were just passing back and forth between each other. The comic I started ended up being a match between Karen and Jen Lee (Karen was walking backwards through the whole comic) and the one Karen started was about a failed romance between a fisherman and a mermaid. We are so doing more of these.

This morning I had one of those half awake/half asleep dreams. In it dad was coming to visit so I had to be very good about getting everything done ahead of time. Then I woke up fully and remembered that dad was not going to visit soon. Then I became sad.

mom won't approve of this

Ohh I'm all mellow from the yoga. The old instructor, Melanie, isn't there this semester but Trisha, one of the MFA, is now teaching it. Another of the MFA, I think her name is Chelsea, was in attendance as well. Amanda, Jen, one woman I didn't recognize, and myself rounded out the yoga group to six. It was nice. She played music and introduced a few new poses. I will be sore tomorrow but whatever, it was great.

On the way back home I flipped off a motorist. Not very Zen of me. I was at an intersection and I thought I had right of way because it was only me and a car in my same lane. Little did I know there was a car in the other lane that didn't have their lights on (so I couldn't see them). They were not going fast and I only really saw them till I passed the man driving and motioning crudely at me. I sailed ahead of him and I heard "HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK" so I gestured at him. I had right of way again so I didn't really stop at the next intersection and yet again "HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK" and yet again I gestured. He shouted something at me but I was already blissfully on my way. Some people just don't know how to drive, or really hate bicyclists. I've had several honks because I ride in the car lane on Jefferson so I can turn easier onto 14th. I get honked at because I am in a lane for one block. People get so pissed off because they have to slow down for one block. And it isn't even a full block, it is a bridge over another street.

Drawing was another critique intensive class. We also had a speech from a thesis student who needs help with his project. Sort of, assistance help. I might do it. Amina came in at 10:20 (class starts at 8:00) and Modou just motioned for her to leave and told her to come back Thursday. He followed her out and came back in. Later in class he mentioned something that was for our ears only. If he follows through with it I will be very proud of him. Amina later said she had a doctor's appointment but more on that later.

During the Drawing break I photocopied the comic club fliers that I made last night (they look awesome) and after class I put them up. I also grabbed a few more titles from the library. They now know me by name there. Booyah! The ride home was slow (the books weighed a great deal) but the weather was nice so it didn't bother me.

I watched some more Project Runway and looked up some reference material for my painting assignment. I left a little early to print out material.

I only managed to get my sketch done during painting class. My landscape is also a little more involved than some of the others. Well maybe not more involved but it has more invented details and specific little things. Not to say I am better, I am just going to be spending more time on this piece. Less a generic landscape than a full scene. And we have to pay attention to lighting and I am doing it at night. Hooo boy.

So yeah, we were having a talk in class about how critiques in the Illustration classes play it nice and Amina gave her two cents and it went a little downhill and I think she hates me:
Me: Our drawing class, people don't really feel the need to be nice. Some are mean.
Her: I don't see you being mean.
Me: I don't see you showing up to class.
Her: I had a doctors appointment.
Me: Well Modou is fed up with you.
(At this point it is a little muddled. Something about how she had an appointment and talked about it with him and I warned her that Modou was not happy)
Her: Just because I don't buy into the elitist art school standards.
Me: It isn't buying in. It is an education, you are here to learn. Someone somewhere is paying a lot for this education. It isn't elitist. (Something something). That is just my opinion.
Her: Well your opinion sucks.

And that is where it ended. She got up and left three times in the first hour of class and shortly after our discourse she left for a long amount of time. I have no patience for people that don't want to learn and don't take interest in the work of others. At this stage and class level, there is so place for self centered people who are not open to change.

I try not to gossip about people in my blog. Diana said that when it comes to blogs, you should write them like you expect every person you don't want to read your blog is reading it. She has been someone who has irked me since the first time I met her. One time she knocked on my door when it was almost Midnight, wondering if I was up to hanging out (I was in my pajamas, trying to sleep). I try to hold my tongue but I really can't put up with people that I think don't try when it comes to their education. Being here is very important to me, it takes a great deal of work to keep up (even if maybe it doesn't seem like it from my blog) and to try to figure out why I am doing all this. My family is supporting me in ways I will never be able to repay and I don't think I can ever fully show them how much they matter to me and how much I appreciate their support. Modou said being here is a privilege, and it is. I am extremely fortunate to be receiving a college education, and an art education no less. This isn't some lazy stereotype, this is something that is not normal and is forcing you to recreate how you think about how the world is put together. The ability to imagine and to create; that is powerful. I am being given than power. Am I punishing her because I don't think she realizes how great it is to be here? Yes. But I cannot abide lazy people, they have no purpose here.


Then Jen and I went to yoga. The hot security guard shaved off his beard and ugly hair, now he is hot again. Yay!

drapes!

Up late because I suddenly remembered I had to do the Comic Club flier. I am so bad about it, but it looks awesome. Hopefully it photocopies well.

Another fairly average Art History. Learned about some cool women artists like Sofonisba Anguissola. Awesome name.

For lunch Diana, Jim and I hit up Quiznos. I thought I ordered a small sandwich but the kind I ordered only came in regular so I ended up with the more expensive option. Oh well, my steak dip sandwich was awesome. We sat out in the park and enjoyed our lunch as it was an amazingly beautiful day. Really amazing, I didn't even need an overcoat, just my leather jacket, a light hoodie, and a shirt. Even had to break out the sunglasses! Amazing weekend all around. It will go gray and raining in a few hours though. Doing the bike commute was a real treat with the nice weather.

I saw a man with sunglasses that were similar to mine. I wore them better as I looked truly effortless today.

When I got home the weather was still pristine so I sat ont he porch and read some of Grant Morrison's the Invisibles. Had to backtrack to catch up a little, that comic is all over the place but it couldn't be done in any other medium. I also read a little of Jimmy Corrigan the Smartest Kid on Earth. Beautifully put together but so so sad.

The sun went down and I started painting my landscape (it is a night scene). I painted in between random episodes of the fourth season of Project Runway. Lindsay and I are hooked. So much fun but we are on top all of our assignments so we are not too sucked in. I think there was an artist version of that show; I will have to look it up.