Breaking my rules

I've been very bad this week about going to bed before midnight. I'm home late tonight b/c I wanted to be just like Jami and went to see "Iron Man" w/sis/bro-in-law/friend. My favorite part was the newspaper clipping of Tony as a young boy w/Bill Gates.

Elizabeth was so kind as to point out a blog posting about my interview by a group of printmakers in Spain.

I suddenly want to see "Top Girls" at the Biltmore Theatre. Mostly b/c Ching-In recommended that I read the play (I will do that once I get my hands on it), and then b/c I just read a review about it at 2am.

A new thing for my list of things I will most likely not get to do: see the treehouse exhibit at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania!! How cool is that?! And one treehouse is even handicapped-accessible!!

Now I need to get to bed (it's getting to be close to 3am, yikes!) since I am giving that artist talk in a little over twelve hours - Saturday (today) at 6pm at MGC, which is at 481 Washington St. b/t Spring and Canal. It'll be kind of nasty weather, so dress warmly since it gets WINDY in that part of town, and even more so on windy days!! But it will probably be my last public showing of art for a while, so come by! There will be food. It's free. And if you bring your checkbook, you can even buy my art.

When I was born,

the Yankees lost Game 5 to the Dodgers in LA. But they won the next game and the series right after that in NY. I was probably not as cute as Rachel's brand new boy!! But I am happy to be reading Can't Stop Won't Stop now, even though Jeff Chang's book came out three years ago. It's really nice to read a history of something that feels much closer to me than other things that have history books written about it. I was hooked immediately, on the first page in his Prelude: "There is nothing more ancient than telling stories about generational difference. A generation is usually named and framed first by the one immediately preceding it. The story is written in the words of shock and outrage that accompany two revelations: 'Whoa, I'm getting old,' and, 'Damn, who are these kids?'"

The only problem that the book is so freaking huge that I'd rather take really light knitting on the train. Anyhow ... during my walk home, I realized that I commute 3 hours through 3 boroughs on the days that I work for my boss. So I'm going to go lay down soon. But first: my interview on the blog for myartspace.com - it's kind of long b/c I zoned out and wrote all day.

Confessions

I already miss my little A80, even though it's right in front of me. It's been my faithful companion for five years! I have no complaints. The new camera came today but I was so busy writing up interview responses that I didn't let myself open it until I was done. But even then, I didn't feel excited, just like I have a LOT of work ahead of me. I've been having that feeling more than usual, and I don't think it will stop anytime soon, since harder things are coming my way than a new digital camera w/twice the megapixels as my last one. Thank god the lens cap just falls off of this one as soon as I turn it on, b/c I am notorious for keeping lens caps on cameras of all kinds, and not figuring out why there's no picture for a very long time.

I'm also realizing that I've developed a pretty serious TV habit. I'm always embarrassed by that, yet unable to stop. I still get plenty of work done, but it's a fix that I rely on a lot. It's definitely off before 10 or 11pm, and probably a little better than being on prescription drugs, but still. I mailed off this print in its fancy case to Michelle, who bought it after seeing it on my website. I love that she got this one, b/c we met at Ragdale, which is the location of this tree and treehouse. Speaking of plants, I just heard from the woman organizing a mail art show in Tasmania for 2009. I sent three postcards, but two of them were rejected by the quarantine service!!! She got photocopies of them instead. I find this hilarious and think I know exactly which two: one was made from the paper I made in Mexico (apparently, lilies and maize are very dangerous) and one was from Wyoming paper (again, sagebrush and cattail, scary stuff). I would have to do more research, but I thought that if I cooked all of those plants for hours in soda ash, that they would be pretty harmless. Oh well. Maybe they just LOOKED scary b/c they still looked like plants. I'll still be in the show, just 2/3 in spirit.

Finally, a fun blog by editors (one is friends w/my sister) who work the night shift on a reality TV series.

Wimpy blood

This is my arsenal in the fight against allergies. Nothing makes it stop; it's like constantly sticking lots of bandages all over myself. But I might as well try. I think that EMDR, yoga, acupuncture, and dates w/two different friends all in one day is a little too much for me to handle, so I'm looking forward to cutting back on my packed days. [But, Ellie: I got the magnesium and the gse spray!] I talked with Naz after yoga today about my practice, and it was SO GREAT that we worked on twists b/c I came out of last weekend's class thinking, "I need to do some twists." Even better, she mentioned inversions for later. I REALLY miss those. I think in general, I miss my Chicago yoga classes. But someday I'll find the perfect balance. In the meantime, I have to go revitalize my blood w/more yin aspect. Soup, anyone?

Monday's splurge

I've wanted a new camera for a while, and had fallen in love with Elizabeth's last year in Mexico. Instead of agonizing for months on research, I just harassed my brother-in-law for info (oh, wait, I always do that - thank god for techies!) and then steeled myself for the blow to my bank account. Wohoo! I had considered a SLR but who am I kidding?? I use about 1/100th the functionality of my point and shoot, so this will be fine. I'm paying less than I did five years ago for a much better machine. Makes me feel old. But now I can safely use my B&H catalog for waste paper (which I already did - finished a case for a knit print, and a box for the very long knit print).

Patience

Neck spasm
Carrot cake
Two ibuprofen in three days
Syndromes and a Century
(and that film made me think a LOT about Olafur Eliasson's work and Wilco)

I could do this forever

This, being the chasing my tail business. I've started to hone in on when, why, and how I spazz out. Even during another fabulous acupuncture session, where I worried about the heat lamp falling onto my back and burning me while contemplating the brief history lesson I got on JFK's physician, who treated him w/hypodermic needles in the fascia and muscles. It's pretty amazing stuff. As is cupping! FUN FUN FUN. I adore getting this kind of work done, even on a rainy day. I met Pauly afterwards to see the rest of the Eliassson show at MoMA, which was mobbed w/badly-behaved museum goers, and then we had hummus and cupcakes in the West Village. I came home to the loveliest gifts from Ellie-Jo and David: a violin composition for me, Cuban music, and sweet notes. It's so strange and wonderful to get such thoughtful mail love!

Audition for the Neo-Futurists!!

This is from my friend Greg, founding director of the Neo-Futurists, an amazing and acclaimed theatre group based in Chicago, about auditions for "Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind":

Yes folks, this happens only once every couple of years or so, AND - for the first time in a decade - we are auditioning for both men and women at the same time!

We are looking for talented young writer/director/performers to join The Neo-Futurists as ongoing ensemble members in the longest running show in Chicago history - "Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind (30 Plays in 60 Minutes)", playing every week since the Reagan administration. Obviously this is a long-term commitment and a potential artist home.

Be you a performance artist, slam poet, playwright, clown, physical performer, solo artist, or just an incredibly creative individual looking to express yourself, this might be the opportunity for you. IF NOT YOU THEN POSSIBLY SOMEONE YOU KNOW. Pass this on to them and have them come in and show us their stuff.

Auditions will be held on Saturday, May 31st and Sunday June 1st.

I will be teaching two free Auditioner Workshops before the actual auditions in order to orient people to what we are looking for as Neo-Futurists. They are on Wednesday May 14th and 21st. Inquire when you sign up for an audition slot if you are interested.

You must schedule an appointment but NO PHONE CALLS AND DO NOT E-MAIL ME!
E-mail neoauditions@gmail.com for more information and to sign up for a specific time.
Feel free to forward this info to your contacts.

Good luck to you and I hope to see some amazing performances that weekend.
Greg