Zeidland

Been a while!

2010-09-24T23:15:00.003-05:00

It aint that I have not had anything to post here, just got sucked into the Facebook world of late!

But here is the latest installment of what is inside me!

Recent visit to the dentist, had to get a new set of x-rays in an awesome new machine! All is good, just the ole updating of stuff.

Nothing new in my mouth, all is good, but look at me teefers!

RAKU

2010-05-30T23:40:00.002-05:00

WOW! What do you get when you mix pottery and a whole lot of fire? Look above for one and my photo album on Facebook for more!

Pottery v. Sculpture

2010-04-18T13:07:00.002-05:00

I have been working off the wheel lately and came to a sculptural vase inspired by nature.

Who knew there was a little sculptor in me!

An Informal poll

2010-04-11T16:16:00.005-05:00

If you were pregnant, or maybe it is your partner, and you needed help with handling all those things related to having a baby; doctors, hospitals, products and services related to your new needs, etc., and you made more than 6 figures and are pretty sophisticated and savvy, which of these two baby planning services might you go to?

Do these two companies look competitive to one another? Of the two which do you feel is better suited to your needs?

FREAK PARADE!

2010-03-25T19:57:00.002-05:00

Spring Break found me in Milwaukee, WI with a group of my students visiting studios and agencies. A little side trip brought us to the Haggerty Museum of Art on the campus of Marquette University where we saw a show by Thomas Woodruff.

About Thomas Woodfruff
On a cold and windy night in 1963, Thomas Woodruff, a peculiar cub scout, carried a large American flag for his troop in the New Rochelle, NY Thanksgiving Day Parade. The event left lingering scars. He was known in the neighborhood as the boy who staged elaborate puppet shows in his darkened suburban basement. While still in his twenties, Woodruff collaborated with the avant garde theatre director Robert Wilson on the decor for his opera Edison, and adapted and storyboarded his stage spectacles for television. He has contributed award-winning illustrations to every major periodical in America, including the memorable backpage series “Rock and Roll Still-Life” for Rolling Stone in the early 1990’s. He has created the book covers for novels by Ann Tyler, Robertson Davies, Gabriel Garcia Márquez, and many others.

Woodruff has had over 20 one person exhibitions, and his paintings have been included in museum shows internationally. His major gallery works are created in series. In the past these works have often been elegaic in nature and have dealt with the AIDS epidemic. Some of his major projects are The Secret Charts (1994), a series of tromp l’oeil scrolls depicting an alphabet of loss; Apple Canon (1996), his collection of 365 individual apple “portraits” to “keep the doctor away”; and All Systems Go (1999), images organized as “missions” incorporating rocketships, Woodruff’s meditation on the end of the millenium.

Freak Parade has been his most ambitious project, five years in the making. He has recently finished Solar System (The Turning Heads), which showed at PPOW October 2008. Woodruff illustrated Jack Handy’s “My Big Thick Novel” for the 2002–3 Emmy Award winning season of Saturday Night Live; and continues to design for the theatre, most recently the decor and costumes for Salome at the Hawaiian Opera Theatre (2002). He briefly worked as a tattooist in the late 1980’s, and has promoted this and other “alternative” forms of image making in the many exhibitions he has curated. He has taught at the School of Visual Arts since 1981, and is currently the Chair of Illustration and Cartooning.

If in Milwaukee before April 18, check the show out live, or here for a virtual viewing.

12:34

2010-03-03T12:36:00.005-06:00

And it JUST happened again, well two minutes ago according to the time stamp for the post!

I do not know what it means, but it seems like an interesting coincidence that daily, I mean DAILY, when I look at a digital clock, anywhere, cell phone, actual clock, computer, car, I see 12:34. And this is not a recent thing. It has been for quite a while.

I am not a clock watcher. But somehow when I do look at the clock always once a day, often twice, if I am up late, I see the time 12:34

Sometimes I feel like they are the mysterious numbers from LOST!

Why pitch?

2010-02-11T11:44:00.004-06:00

An interesting stand from the ad community. And on topic from the last post!

Why pitch?

Make sure you look at the links on each page. Looks like there are some big players behind this.

Crowdsourcing! Yay or Nay?

2010-02-08T10:07:00.007-06:00

I fear this post is going to be longer than I intend, so here goes!

Often times, the best ideas come from somewhere unexpected. In my world of design, this often happens when sharing work in the form of critique, just looking for inspiration by sharing or just someone looking over your shoulder. The best designers are opened to this form of input.

Sometimes you are given a problem, you use all your skills to do what you feel is right in solving that problem. Then you turn your solution over to the user and they say "Looks really nice, but the real problem was the handle was slippery. We don't need a new pliers, just one with a better grip." AHA! The client thought they needed a new product, when the real problem was a much smaller fix. THE USER, a mechanic let's say, came up with the REAL and RIGHT solution. Does not make the solution I came up with any less valid, just not right for the problem at hand.

Clients today have taken this idea, and are using it sometimes for good, think grassroots charity work, and sometimes for bad. It is often called Crowdsourcing.

Most recently, The Joffrey Ballet offered up the "opportunity" via an open call to design the invitation for their spring gala. Anyone who fancies themselves a designer due to their owning a computer has the chance to compete with students and top professionals. The winner will receive $700. Not sure how many top "professionals" would partake in such an opportunity, but the current climate makes people do crazy things! This type of crowdsourcing creates buzz but some professional designers are rebelling, and should!

Of course, the Joffrey believes this could be an outstanding opportunity to build one's portfolio and client base. A perfect opportunity for a young designer. But really? How many unknowns are going to really garner this project. But then again, how many pros are going to participate. So I guess there may be a chance for that diamond in the rough to make it to print.

This has a stink of spec work to it. The AIGA, the professional association for design, has a strong position in regard to spec work. Briefly they state "AIGA, the professional association for design, believes that professional designers should be compensated fairly for the value of their work and should negotiate the ownership or use rights of their intellectual and creative property through an engagement with clients.

AIGA acknowledges that speculative work—that is, work done prior to engagement with a client in anticipation of being paid—occurs among clients and designers. Instead of working speculatively, AIGA strongly encourages designers to enter into projects with full engagement to continue to show the value of their creative endeavor. Designers and clients should be aware of all potential risks before entering into speculative work."

For more info on the AIGA's stance on spec work,
click here

The Joffrey stands and expects to raise $1.3 milllion at this annual gala. The cheapest ticket to the gala is $600. And they will pay the winning design/designer $700!

As a professional designer, i would KILL for a chance to work with and for the Joffrey Ballet. But not lke this.

Can't wait to see what happens and the final decision of the Joffrey.

Splish Splash!

2010-01-21T22:47:00.003-06:00

I got me some new backsplash!

They are done and look awesome! Now when HGTV comes to check out my place they can not say my kitchen could really use a backsplash!

White subway tile is the main tile, with some black bars framing multicolored glass tiles. Tile all came from Home Depot.

With a great contractor, same who did my bathroom, a day later you get a great kitchen addition!

Adhesive Capsilitis

2010-01-19T20:41:00.004-06:00

To you and me, that is a Frozen Shoulder and that is what I am currently dealing with!

Unfortunately, that IS NOT my xray pictured. You know how I love to post my body parts in the form of xrays (knees, teeth, heart) but orthopedist was first visit. I will get them some day!

So what is frozen shoulder? Frozen shoulder is characterized by pain and loss of motion or stiffness in the shoulder. It affects about two percent of the general population. Frozen shoulder most commonly affects patients between the ages of 40 and 60 years, with no clear predisposition based on sex, arm dominance, or occupation.

Frozen shoulder is the thickening and contracture of the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint.

Today I got a steroid shot. . .BURNED LIKE A MOTHER! That and along with some physical therapy should do the trick. If not better in a couple weeks, doc said we will look inside me via an MRI!

Let's hope it clears up!

FIGures!

2010-01-18T22:58:00.002-06:00

I am having a bit of an affair with figs. Lovin' them!

Used to love the ole Fig Newton! But have not had one of those in a long time. Actually have not eaten many figs at all.

Then a couple of weeks ago, I was at a party and someone made a goat cheese and fig spread. OH SO GOOD!

Then on Iron Chef America they had Battle Fig.

And the other night I took some inspiration and made a pork tenderloin stuffed with couscous, figs and apples. WOW!

Bought some dried figs and love em as a snack!

FYI! Figs are one of the highest plant sources of calcium and fiber. According to USDA data for the Mission variety, dried figs are richest in fiber, copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and vitamin K, relative to human needs. They have smaller amounts of many other nutrients. Figs have a laxative effect and contain many antioxidants. They are good source of flavonoids and polyphenols. In one study, a 40-gram portion of dried figs (two medium size figs) produced a significant increase in plasma antioxidant capacity.

My FIRST Cover!

2010-01-14T20:13:00.003-06:00

Yes, I have won several design awards. It is as much fun seeing my work in print as it is just printed.

I just received the most recent annual of American Graphic Design & Advertising 25 that includes some of my work. But to my delight, a poster that I designed, and that won an award, is shown on the cover. . .the COVER I said!

Now granted, it is the back cover, but it is the only cover that shows a mere 13 samples of the many pieces included in the whole annual. The poster I designed for the Earthquake relief effort for the Sichuan Earthquake is mine, and if I can add, the LARGEST of the samples shown!

Color me proud!

BEST gifts of 2009

2009-12-28T16:53:00.003-06:00

I know it seems a huge cop out not picking the ONE best, but this year was just too hard! SO the winner for best gift(s) of the 2009 holiday season are. . .

Fred, the cardboard moose trophy from my sister and lined crocs from Lisa!

THANKS!

Dominic the Donkey

2009-12-19T21:52:00.001-06:00

This just may be my new favorite Christmas song!

My future is bright!

2009-10-26T06:26:00.001-05:00

Madame Ryan, that's righ! an Irish Gypsy gave me a virtual palm and tarot card reading!

Here is what she said!

I am reading your left hand as that is your passive hand.

Your hand shape is mixed, not quite square but not pointed or cone shaped either. A mixed shaped hand signifies a personality that contains creativity and practicality.It is an earth hand. How flexible is your thumb? The more flexible the thumb, the more easy going the person is (I have a fairly flexible thumb!).

Your life line is strong but breaks at the end to join with your destiny line. A break can indicate a change in lifestyle, an accident or illness. As your life line continues on strong though, you will overcome what ever that might be. The position of your line shows you have an expansive and giving nature.

Your heart line is long and curves upward. This suggests a warm hearted and affectionate nature in relationships. You have two lines coming off of your heart line. These indicate affairs of the heart. They are fairly far apart suggesting one earlier in life and one later in life. The one later in life is etched deeper so is stronger. Your heart line begins between your index and middle finger- you can tend to easily give your heart away.

Your head line and life line are joined together at the beginning, showing cautiousness and your mind ruling over your body. These lines do not stay entwined. The separation shows a love for adventure and enthusiasm for life.. So good things happen when you are a little less cautious.

Your destiny line is strong! It starts at your palm and rises to your index finger. It is intertwined with your life line at the beginning which indicates you knew early in life what your life's aspirations were. You are a self-made individual.
I see one marriage line - on your palm. I can't really see it too well in the scan to see if it has lines crossing it or if there are more than one. Your marriage line indicates a marriage or strong romance.

I did a one card reading for you. I like to pull one card from the deck in answer to a question. My question for you "what does Richard's future hold?" The tarot card answer

" The World' This is a great card. A robed figure commands the elements and forces of the universe. This card represents the completion of life's circle and mystical unity with the cosmos. the power of transcendence is within reach. You can attain worldly success and liberation through your vision.

SO.... strong lifeline, strong heart line, VERY strong destiny line and the tarot showing you the world. I would say you can easily bring forth what ever it is you want in life.

Segwaaaaaaaaaaaay fun!

2009-08-13T09:12:00.004-05:00

I spent a day on a Segway, hence the fashion statement, as a tourist in my own town.

What huge fun! After a shaky start getting my footing, it was some of the most fun I have had in days!

It was a beautiful day in Chicago along the lakefront and we toured the city like all good tourists.

Willie's Mug Revealed!

2009-08-06T08:32:00.006-05:00

Here it is!

Willie got it yesterday and was amazed at just how much clay shrinks! Nonetheless, he loved it!

* See more of my pottery here.

Animal Friendly Manliness!

2009-08-05T16:41:00.004-05:00

There is something very cool about hunting I suppose, the primalness of man versus beast (sans guns and all)!

And then the whole bringing home the trophy! But no matter how you slice it, it just aint really right, unless you eat what you kill!

Now you canhave the trophy of a successful buying trip.

I want me a moose, or a deer (they also have bison and rhino)! You can find then at several places online. . .DUH!

2 Mugs

2009-08-03T11:01:00.002-05:00

Willie was in town and we got dirty!

I brought him to the studio where I create my pottery and got his hands in some mud. He actually did quite well. Got the clay centered, pulled it up and got himself a small mug. I had to finish it up, but it came out great. I would show it to you, but right now it is in the air making its way to Dallas. As soon as he receives it and is the first to see it, I will post the finished piece!

Always fun in the mud!

A feel good!

2009-07-02T11:30:00.006-05:00

Check this awesome video out!

You gotta love Grandpa Elliot.

Thanks for the head's up Lisa!

BIGGEST tools EVER!

2009-06-15T10:48:00.005-05:00

Paris Hilton is a genius compared to these two fools! I just saw them on The View, and thanbk you Whoopi Goldberg for not tolerating their nonsense and being famous for being famous schtick! Heidi has the true belief that she is a "Modern version of Mother Teresa"?! Spencer says his future plans are Pratt and Palin?! Someone get these two some ginormous frickin reality pills!

Why do we tolerate these fools and support their ridiculous behavior?

Please make them go away!

35.000'

2009-06-12T07:06:00.000-05:00

Flying in to Portland we past this majestic beauty. . .Mt. Hood!

A little piece of heaven in Oregon

2009-06-11T22:15:00.004-05:00

I have been to probably one of the WORST smelling places in the country, Moss Point, MS at a facility across from a pogie processing plant (pogie are a fish used for fertilizers and such)!

But last week I was in one of the BEST smelling places, The International Rose Test Gardens in Portland, OR

One of my favorite and I think most beautiful roses was Broadway, not yet available to grow. The whole area approaching the garden smelled like heaven!

For all ye Potter Fans!

2009-05-13T08:26:00.000-05:00

Just sit back and enjoy!

At The MoMA

2009-05-12T07:01:00.001-05:00

Detail

Marcel Odenbach, German, born 1953

You Can't See the Forest for the Trees
2003

Cut-an-pasted printed paper, cut-and-pasted colored paper, ink, and pencil on two pieces of paper

The Judith Rothschild Foundation Contemporary Drawings Collection Gift, 2005

Odenbach's upbringing in postwar Germany was inextricably linked with the country's sociopolitical history, a heritage he addresses in his compositions though the bits of text and images culled from a variety of mass-media sources that often fade into the background of the larger drawings. You Can't See the Forest for the Trees plays on a common expression and is a plea to not only see this particular forest as a forest but also take into account its context: the largest Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, was named after the many birch trees surrounding the complex.

Green Porno

2009-05-11T06:35:00.000-05:00

Who can resist Isabella Rossellini dressed as an assortment of insects and aquatic life and talking about sex?!

Check out her two seasons of short films on the Sundance Channel

Stuff

2009-04-08T21:26:00.001-05:00

We as a country use a lot of stuff. We are consumers often consumed. Something to think about.

Thanks Annika!

Mmm! Matzoh Toffee

2009-04-06T08:37:00.003-05:00

Spring means Easter and Passover!

You canhave your hard boiled colored eggs that get reused into egg salad (yuck)! We, from the Jewish side of the fence, celebrate without leavening, Charlton Heston as Moses and Matzoh Toffee!

A classic Passover treat that's great anytime - and you don't even need to be Jewish to like it. But if this had fallen from heaven instead of manna - we'd still be in the desert!

Chocolate Toffee Matzoh

4-6 sheets of matzoh  1 cup butter 1 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips  1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
• Preheat oven to 350
• Line a cookie sheet with foil, and top that with wax paper - it gets really gooey and sticky
• Lay matzohs on baking sheets - break in half to fit gaps if you want
• Melt butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat - stirring constantly
• Let mixture boil and continue cooking for 3 more minutes
• Remove butter/brown sugar mixture from heat and pour over matzoh
• Bake approximately 15 minutes - don't let it burn
• Remove from oven and quickly sprinkle chocolate chips over the top
• Let chips melt for a couple of minutes then spread melted chocolate with back of spoon
• Sprinkle nuts over top of chocolate and press down lightly to stick
• Refrigerate until set, then break into smaller pieces and look out - you can't eat just one piece.

Spring is a coming!

2009-03-09T10:43:00.002-05:00

And in my garden the bulbs are starting to break ground! But for $2 this weekend I got these daffodils all closed up wanting to open. This morning I woke up to this burst of color!

Spring cannot come too soon!

A little creative excercise!

2009-03-02T07:02:00.004-06:00

CREATE YOUR OWN ALBUM COVER!

1 - Go to "Wikipedia." Hit “random” or click band name

The first random Wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to "Random quotations" or click album title

The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days” or click album cover art

Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use photoshop or a similar program to put it all together.

5 - Post it to FB with this text in the caption and TAG the friends you want to join in.

Next Stop. . .TOP CHEF!

2009-02-23T09:13:00.003-06:00

But first moto!

At a weekend benefit I attended for AIDSCare, I won a day in the kitchen at one of the top restaurants in Chicago. . .moto!

From their website:
"Inventive. Innovative. Artistic. Imaginiative. Thought provoking. Futuristic. Inspired. All words to describe (Chef) Homaro Cantu's moto, an internationally recognized leader in the world of molecular gastronomy. A term with many interpretations, at moto molecular gastronomy is the application of both scientific and artistic principles in cuisine. Equal parts chef and inventor, Cantu challenges culinary convention and diners, stretching the boundaries of the former and taking the latter on a post-modern, interactive and fantastical gastronomical ride."

I am going to get to spend a day in the kitchen of moto working side by side with their team doing preparation for a Saturday evening service! And then I get to eat too!

An early Happy Hearts Day!

2009-02-09T21:48:00.000-06:00

Thought this was fun! Hope you do too!

You wanna piece of me?!

2009-01-26T06:17:00.001-06:00

Well now you can have a piece of me. . .well, my pottery!

I am available on Etsy. What is Etsy? Etsy is an online webiste to sell everything HANDMADE! That's right, everything there is hand made by all sorts of artisans, crafters, hobbyists, frustrated artists, anyone who makes anything!

Want a piece of my pottery? You can right here. Just a click away!

The little film that could. . .

2009-01-22T11:23:00.005-06:00

Win for Best Picture at the Oscars!

If you have not seen Slumdog Millionaire, GO SEE IT! It is a great story and told really well. And at the end there is a big ole Bollywood number!

Soundtrack is really cool too!

Throwing Clay: Some results #18 - Covered Casserole

2009-01-21T06:33:00.000-06:00

I have made two of these and have sold one (forgot to take a picture of it)!

The two pieces are thrown separately, bottom and lid. Getting them to fit snuggly aint no easy task, but when it works it is awesome!

This casserole is 8.5" in diameter and about 4" tall with the lid on. It is glazed in glossy black and honey mustard. The honey mustard is pure inside and the outside has the glossy black over it which gives the green color!

WOW! We got a President I believe in!

2009-01-20T19:27:00.003-06:00

What a day!

Sitting on my couch watching more of the inauguration than I planned. I found myself choked up, singing the National Anthem and so very proud to be an American!

Here is President Obama's Inauguration speech.

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation,, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them— that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our Gross Domestic Product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on the ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence— the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive ... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

For Sale

2009-01-19T16:59:00.004-06:00

Click on picture for larger view.

Friends have been coming to my house and asking to buy my pottery! I have simply had it out on display. No prices, no sales pitch! I have been happy to give it as gifts up until now! I have since sold several of the slabscapes and a covered casserole.

I thought why not share it with everyone! So here is what I have for sale with prices. Of course anything else you see on my blog is for sale too, unless it has been given as a gift already!

Interested? Drop me an email!

For info on pottery classes, check out, The Pot Shop

Stingray Migration

2009-01-15T10:06:00.003-06:00

Photo: Sandra Critelli

Measuring up to 7ft (2.1 meters) from wing-tip to wing-tip, Golden rays are also more prosaically known as cow nose rays. The population in the Gulf of Mexico migrates, in schools of as many as 10,000, clockwise from western Florida to the Yucatan .

Looking like giant leaves floating in the sea, thousands of Golden Rays are seen here gathering off the coast of Mexico . The spectacular scene was captured as the magnificent creatures made one of their biannual mass migrations to more agreeable waters.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-12T20:18:00.002-06:00

The final piece!

2009-01-09T22:30:00.002-06:00

Glass doors for the shower so all can see the amazing wall behind!

I love my bathroom now and it only took six years. Some things are just meant to be and worth the wait!

Throwing Clay: Some results #17 - Hair Pots

2009-01-07T12:06:00.001-06:00

Hair Pots?!

Using white stoneware, rather than the more typical brown, and then bisque firing as usual is the start of this Native American pottery.

Once the piece is bisque fired, you fire the piece again, unglazed! When the piece is to temperature, nearly 1000°, you take the hot piece from the kiln and using horse hair, you can use other hairs, but horse gives you the nicest lines, you drape the hairs across the hot pottery. The hairs are what make the black lines. The speckles are from sprinkles of saw dust. The materials essetially burn on to the surface.

Once cooled, you use floor polish to shine up the piece!

The pot on the left is 3.5" tall and about 5" in diameter.
The clock is 9.25" in diameter

Bathroom Remodel

2009-01-06T11:13:00.007-06:00

I FINALLY have the bathroom I wanted since I moved into my place 6 years ago! I never, NEVER liked the bathroom. It had some euro trashy-esque sink with a brushed aluminum cone for a base and NO counter space.

I wanted a concrete sink, one of my own design. It don't come cheap walking in off the street. I found a contractor who was able to get some really decent pricing and saved me enough money where I was able to retile a shower wall in river stone too!

Sources:
River Rock tile available at The Five Elements
Concrete Sink - Soupcan, Inc.

How satisfied are u?

2009-01-05T06:45:00.000-06:00

Dr. Robert Holden has dedicated his life to studying the pursuit of happiness. The psychologist is the founder of the Happiness Project in England and the author of 10 best-selling books, including Happiness Now!

Dr. Holden says those looking for happiness often don't realize they already have it. It's a lesson that he says he was lucky to learn at age 18 from a spiritual teacher. "He said, 'Look, actually, Robert, you're already happy.' And I said, 'Well, that's great, but I don't feel it. So tell me, what do I have to do?'" Dr. Holden recalls. "And he said, 'You have to understand that the pursuit of happiness is a mistake. It's like, you don't chase happiness out there. You learn that you're happy inside you and then you go running. Then you go into the world.'"

Take the Satisfaction With Your Life test

Use the 1–7 scale to rate your level of agreement.

1 = Not at all true
4 = Moderately true
7 = Absolutely true
 1. In most ways, my life is close to ideal.
 2. The conditions of my life are excellent.
 3. I am satisfied with my life.

4. So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.
 5. If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.

Add them up. If you scored 15 or under, you are dissatisfied with your life. If you scored 31 or higher, you are extremely satisfied with your life.

If you scored somewhere in the middle, happiness expert Dr. Robert Holden has some advice on how to live a more satisfying life. Dr. Holden says the key to being happy is overcoming "destination addiction," which he defines as "living in the not-now."

"It's always about tomorrow, so you're chasing 'more,' 'next' and 'there,'" he says. "You promise yourself that when you get there, you'll be happy. And I promise you, you won't, because you'll always set another destination to go for."

Instead, Dr. Holden says if you are unhappy with your life or looking to improve your score, there are two things you can do. "We have to learn to let go of our past, we have to give up all hopes for a perfect past. Let the past go, it's gone." After that, he says, "Take a vow of kindness. Be kinder to yourself and to others.

"It's never too late to be happy," he says.

I am lucky to have my life!

2009-01-02T09:50:00.003-06:00

One of my gifts from Lisa was a Do-It-Yourself-Munny. You can draw on it, make it into a new character, whatever!

He came with some accessories, a skateboard, bow tie, policeman's hat and pen to hold. I decided that I will use it as a 2009 journal and write on it. At the end of each day I will write one sentance, word or phrase on him. I decided to work from his feet up.

Yesterday I wrote, "I'm lucky to have my life." It is a big statement. But I meant lucky as in fortunate, not like it just fell in my lap. I had friends over for a New Year's day brunch, and just loved having my friends around, in my home I have made, filled with laughter, a career I love and just a really awesome life that gives me great joy and satisfaction!

Thanks again Lisa for the great gift!

Hannukah Loot '08

2008-12-29T06:27:00.003-06:00

Damn if Lisa did not outdo herself this year!

SO many wonderful treats and gifts came my way in three different deliveries to boot!

Here is the inventory of this year's 8 Days of Hannukah!

Day 1 - Glass block light (made by Lisa!)
Day 2 - Cookie plate, hot chocolates and marshmallows from Baked (a New york fave)
Day 3 - Book: Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We make Things
Day 4 - Salt and Pepper shakers by Rita Botelho (Check her site out for some other really cool things), Muji New York handkerchief, donation to Heifer International
Day 5 - Do-It-Yourself Dunny and colored pencils (I think I am going to use it as a journal)
Day 6 - Sushi and Fortune cookie soaps (I seem to get soaps every year, you trying to tell me something?), Blueberry Hannukah Star candy
Day 7 - Gorgeous Helen Wine Glass Lampshades (find them at the MoMA gift store!)
Day 8 - Rug, lucky goldfish, stone candle holder

And from my side, Lisa got 12 Days of Ornaments!

Throwing Clay: Some results #16 - Slab Scapes!

2008-12-16T18:44:00.003-06:00

Been busy making some holiday gifts but these just came out of the kiln today!

They are made on the slab roller, hence the name. And when glazed by pouring the glaze rather than dipping, they look like landscapes, again, hence the name!

They measure 12" x 4.75". The top one is glazed in glossy white, followed by glossy brown and matte blue. The bottom one is bobby green followed by temoku!

One last Equus post!

2008-12-03T10:47:00.003-06:00

I have raved about the play enough. But failed to talk about the stage door!

After the show we did what all good tourists do. . .hung at the stage door for photo ops and autographs!

Richard Griffiths, Martin Dysart in the show, was first to come out. Thanks to long limbs, I managed to get his autograph on the playbill! WOO HOO!

Then there were several supporting characters including horses, who did not even stop to sign, they seemed just to walk out and into the city after their long day's work!

Of course the crowd only grew waiting for Daniel Radcliffe, Alan Strang in the play but best known as Harry Potter. The best I got of him was a picture of his back!

I was surprised that Kate Mulgrew, never seemed to come out. She may just be sleeping in the theatre!

Throwing Clay: Some results #15 - More Mugs!

2008-11-28T22:20:00.003-06:00

The most recent addition to the pottery collection, though these aren't staying! They will be sent off as holiday gifts!

Glazed with glossy white, matte blue and glossy brown!

Next in the cue are some covered casserole dishes!

Equus

2008-11-27T14:31:00.003-06:00

The purpose for my recent trip to New York was to see Equus. The trip was planned around the purchase of the tickets for the show.

I bought a show poster as a souvenier, it seemd like the thing to do when you are at the show and amazed by the production! But on second look, it is a really nicely done poster.

Many of these show posters, show the star smiling, or tell you what the whole show is about. And while this one does do that at some level, it also tells you everything about the show without giving anything away!

The image is an amazing interpretation of the play, the young boy and a horse being merged into one image. The logo tells you of the metal spike, the tail of the Q, that Alan, the main character, uses for his crime.

My one minute review of the show. . . quite brilliant! Everything I read prior and since it lived up to. Daniel Radcliffe, formerly known as Harry Potter has most definitely left his wizarding robes in London! Richard griffiths is not off the stage for more than minutes and is brilliant. The added bonus was that of Kate Mulgrew, who plays the attorney who brings Alan to Dysart's office to begin the dicovery of this mystery.

Going to New York? get youself to the Broadhurst Theatre for a treat!

Green Menorah

2008-11-26T14:49:00.005-06:00

The Recycling Center at Columbia Cllege Chicago along with the Hillel group is holding a Green Menorah competition.

My student design group decided to join the fray! This is my submission!

"Papyrus to Pixels and Beyond"

Since the invention of paper, artists and designers have put their mark on communication.

This menorah celebrates this fact in changing from simple paper (swatches) to early printed media (newspapers) through four color printing and the offset press (Pantone color swatches) to the advent of the computer (the keyboard) to communicating virtually (the internet and wires). These materials were applied to a tube which represents the pipeline of information and how these various media have informed and changed the way we, as designers, communicate.

Materials used: Paper from swatchbooks, newspaper, Pantone color swatches, computer keyboard, wire, cardboard tube, gator board and laser caps

Back from NYC!

2008-11-24T07:25:00.003-06:00

One of the highlights of New York during the holidays are the Holiday windows at Bergdorf Goodman.

This year they chose the theme of the seasons. The sheer volume of contents and the imagination of their dressers is amazing!

Happy Holidays!

Throwing Clay: Some results #14 - Pie Plate

2008-11-11T06:43:00.002-06:00

I must admit, this is the first piece I actually made as intended. What I mean is that the many other pieces have been fun to make, but have not always been the picture in my mind. I do not mean I wanted a pasta bowl and ended up with a mug. I ust may have pictured the pitcher as something else but got what you see. This pie plate, however, is exactly what I wanted.

See, clay shrinks as it dries, about 15%. So when you make something you kind of have to make it oversized.

Well, I wanted a 9" pie plate, as most recipes call for that size. And if you measure this, you will see it measures just over 9" across the bottom, and flares open to about 9.5"

It is glazed in brick red, with matte white along the edge. When the matte white runs it creates some beautiful blue streaks!

Mmm, pie!

5 years!

2008-11-10T10:21:00.005-06:00

Five years ago, while in New York for grad school, Craig's sister Amy gave me her OJ and asked that I take this for her. they were driving back to Lancaster, PA and it had been in her car. I said sure.

I brought it home with me and put it in my freezer. She asked that I take it for her, or something to that effect. She did not ask that I throw it out. It was, and still is my intent to return it to her.

We exchanged some emails recently and I mentioned I still had it. She did not believe me. Hence the above photo! Still in my freezer with kidnapper's evidence of a current newspaper.

It has turned dark, and has evaporated some. I even have the straw. Every time I think of throwing it away, I just can't.

Yeah, that is me. A whacked collector!

California Dreamin'!

2008-11-07T11:26:00.005-06:00

In light of everything America did right this past Tuesday, they also got something wrong!

CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 8
This initiative measure is submitted to the people in accordance with the provisions of Article II, Section 8, of the California Constitution.

This initiative measure expressly amends the California Constitution by adding a section thereto; therefore, new provisions proposed to be added are printed in italic type to indicate that they are new.

SECTION 1. Title This measure shall be known and may be cited as the “California Marriage Protection Act.”
SECTION 2. Section 7.5 is added to Article I of the California Constitution, to read:
SEC. 7.5. Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.

Proposition 8 passed. The results were 52.5% Yes or 5,417,748 votes; 47.5% No votes or 4,907,867

What the hell are California residents afraid of?

I guess a long journey DOES start with a single step. Thankfully, America did take that first GIANT step Tuesday by electing Barack Obama!

Graceful Exit

2008-11-06T07:32:00.002-06:00

John McCain's concession speech.

My friends, we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly. A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Sen. Barack Obama — to congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.

In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans, who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president, is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.

This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.

I've always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Sen. Obama believes that, too. But we both recognize that though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation's reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.

A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washington to visit — to dine at the White House — was taken as an outrage in many quarters. America today is a world away from the cruel and prideful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States. Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth.

Sen. Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day — though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her Creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.

Sen. Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain. These are difficult times for our country, and I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.

I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our goodwill and earnest effort to find ways to come together, to find the necessary compromises, to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.

Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.

It is natural tonight to feel some disappointment, but tomorrow we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again. We fought — we fought as hard as we could.

And though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours.

I am so deeply grateful to all of you for the great honor of your support and for all you have done for me. I wish the outcome had been different, my friends. The road was a difficult one from the outset. But your support and friendship never wavered. I cannot adequately express how deeply indebted I am to you.

I am especially grateful to my wife, Cindy, my children, my dear mother and all my family and to the many old and dear friends who have stood by my side through the many ups and downs of this long campaign. I have always been a fortunate man, and never more so for the love and encouragement you have given me.

You know, campaigns are often harder on a candidate's family than on the candidate, and that's been true in this campaign. All I can offer in compensation is my love and gratitude, and the promise of more peaceful years ahead.

I am also, of course, very thankful to Gov. Sarah Palin, one of the best campaigners I have ever seen and an impressive new voice in our party for reform and the principles that have always been our greatest strength. Her husband, Todd, and their five beautiful children, with their tireless dedication to our cause, and the courage and grace they showed in the rough-and-tumble of a presidential campaign. We can all look forward with great interest to her future service to Alaska, the Republican Party and our country.

To all my campaign comrades, from Rick Davis and Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter, to every last volunteer who fought so hard and valiantly month after month in what at times seemed to be the most challenged campaign in modern times — thank you so much. A lost election will never mean more to me than the privilege of your faith and friendship.
I don't know what more we could have done to try to win this election. I'll leave that to others to determine. Every candidate makes mistakes, and I'm sure I made my share of them. But I won't spend a moment of the future regretting what might have been.
This campaign was and will remain the great honor of my life. And my heart is filled with nothing but gratitude for the experience and to the American people for giving me a fair hearing before deciding that Sen. Obama and my old friend, Sen. Joe Biden, should have the honor of leading us for the next four years.

I would not be an American worthy of the name, should I regret a fate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country for a half a century. Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone and I thank the people of Arizona for it.

Tonight — tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Sen. Obama, I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president.

And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties but to believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.

Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history. We make history. Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America.

I am really proud to be an American.

2008-11-05T15:58:00.004-06:00

The acceptance speech of Barack Obama.

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation's next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House. And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics - you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington - it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didn't do this just to win an election and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House - a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends...though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection." And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world - our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down - we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security - we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright - tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America - that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:

Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

YES WE CAN!

2008-11-04T23:24:00.003-06:00

And we did! We changed the United States of America just a little today.

An amazing time in history!

Bathroom Redo!

2008-11-03T18:21:00.008-06:00

After 6 years, I have found the sources to get my bathroom redone! Well, not the whole thing, but enough for me to really like it.

The most important element will be the sink/counter. I wanted and have been searching for a concrete sink manufacturer. I found one, right here in Chicago. And with the help of a great contractor got a really decent price, a third of the quote I got as a consumer almost three years ago! Check them out. They are called Soupcan!

The sink will be a natural concrete color with an integrated sink. I think I will be making a leg support with a towel bar and toilet paper holder to go along with it. I am loving it!

Then there will be an accent wall in the shower tiled with river rock tiles.

It should all be done by Christmas.

Election 2008

2008-10-29T15:01:00.000-05:00

Need I say more?

Second to last birthday present 2008

2008-10-28T08:29:00.001-05:00

FIRST. . .A GREAT BIG THANK YOU!

Now the details! Lisa was a bit of a gift giving slacker. And as time went by, she kept adding to the birthday box!

Here is a list of what she gave me!

A sauce cookbook
Chocolate Kaluah sauce
Sesame Ginger Sauce
Peach Salsa
Hot sauce marinade
Heids Mustard
Scrabble game
Dipping sauce bowls
6 silver spoons
Silicone Basting Brush

July/August gift - 1,000 Islands postcards

Then because time slipped by her she added some back to school supplies consisting of:
Colored pens
School scissors
Animal shaped rubber bands

Then October arrived and she added:
Pumpkin candle holder (not pictured as it did not make the trip in one piece and like Humpty Dumpty, could not be put together again)
orange tealights

Then I guess the guilt just kept panging away and there is a Thanksgiving gift yet to be revealed!

One more gift from Alison, she says it is coming when she comes home from Christmas, and I can close this year out!

BAM!

2008-10-27T06:08:00.000-05:00

A huge blaze of autumnal color!

VICTORY!

2008-10-15T09:49:00.004-05:00

I got Lisa hooked on Scrabble. Actually, up until a few years back she hardly played, well not very well, hee hee. So we played, A LOT! And the student over ran the teacher, SUBSTANTIALLY!

We were playing Scrabulous online until it was taken down. THEN Scrabble, the official game, created a Facebook version for our indulgence! And again, all I did was rack up some losses!

She challenged me to a game named Ketchup (Lisa) v. Mustard (me). We have this thinkg about the epicurean delight of hot dogs. It seems she and others over the age of 5 still find ketchup an appropriate condiment for tube steak! And being from Chicago, I find the practice deplorable!

Well, this morning, I defended the honor of Chicago's famed hot dog legacy and Mustard beat Ketchup.

I doubt this truly settles anything!

Throwing Clay: Some results #13 - Mugs-A-Palooza

2008-10-13T00:30:00.000-05:00

Here are some sets of mugs. I knew this handle pulling thing would run amock!

Top: 3.5" diameter, 4" tall; matte blue and glossy brown glazes
Center: 3.75" diameter, 4" tall; honey mustard and glossy black glazes
Bottom: 3.75" diameter, 4" tall; bobby green and temoku glazes (given as a gift to neighbors)

Don't Vote

2008-10-10T21:40:00.001-05:00

Throwing Clay: Some results #12 - More covered jars

2008-10-06T06:52:00.000-05:00

Here are three more of the covered jars completed. THESE are making great gifts and even gift boxes!

Top: 2.5" tall 3" diameter; brick red and matte white glazes

Center: 2.25" tall 3.5" diameter; matte blue glossy brown glazes

Bottom: 2" tall 3.25" diameter; raspberry and matte white glazes

Next up. . .mugs. REAL mugs!

The Great Hot Dog Debate

2008-10-01T08:50:00.003-05:00

I will apologize for the image quality. It is a scan from a newspaper.

The debate roars on about ketchup on a hot dog. And being from Chicago, KNOWN for this epicurean delight, ketchup is a huge NO!

They say the seasonings in ketchup are too close to those in the actual hot dog so it is neither needed or redundant. So here is a layer by layer dissection of a REAL hot dog. Consider this a Chicago food primer!

Big Red Ball

2008-09-24T12:03:00.002-05:00

Artist Kurt Perschke’s RedBall Project is a sculptural installation traveling around the globe, adopting cities as its canvas. Perschke uses RedBall to explore each city’s unique architectural landscape and history. The RedBall is boldly present and smoothly transient, moving between locations and engaging people on the street. The ongoing project is unique in each city and has taken place in Sydney, Barcelona, Korea, Arizona, Portland and St. Louis. Currently research is taking place for cities in Asia, Europe, and Turkey. To learn about the next performance, join the mailing list , which receives about two announcements a year. Or contact the artist directly about bringing the project to your city.

It is in Chicago right now! You can check out its schedule and all other things Redball here!

Back to NYC!

2008-09-22T12:12:00.002-05:00

For the first time in over 30 years, a new production of EQUUS will be seen on Broadway after a sold-out run in London’s West End. My sister and I will be in Row T seats 103 and 104 of the Boadhurst Theatre on November 22!

Alan Strang (Daniel Radcliffe) seems a normal, obedient 17-year old with a passion for horses. Then one night he blinds six horses with a hoof pick. What drove him to it? His life seems routine, his family loving, his pursuits harmless and yet he has been placed under psychiatric surveillance - an unresponsive patient who is woken each night by terrible nightmares. Only psychiatrist Martin Dysart (Richard Griffiths) seems able to grasp the answer to this psychological puzzle.

Richard Griffiths, whose incredible stage and screen career spans two decades and who won a Tony Award for his performance in the Broadway production of The History Boys, stars alongside Daniel Radcliffe, best known for playing Harry Potter in all five of the feature films based on J.K. Rowling's best-selling books.

This production of Peter Shaffer’s Tony Award-winning play, directed by Thea Sharrock and designed by John Napier, demonstrates that this ground-breaking play is as relevant and shocking as it was when it was first performed over 30 years ago.

Birds Do It. Bees do it. Part IV

2008-09-19T17:04:00.006-05:00

Even the grasshoppers here in Evanston, IL are doing it!

purefection!

2008-09-05T07:27:00.000-05:00

And a damn nice piece of outdoor advertising I must say.

This aint the first time I have seen this done. McDonalds recently planted lettuce and salad greens along the edge of their billboards. But this one was right where you could interact with it, touch the plants and see they are real.

Throwing Clay: Some results #11 - Small Pitchers

2008-09-04T06:46:00.001-05:00

Finally, some pieces with pulled handles! It was a goal to make something requiring a handle and to get those handles pulled! They aint as easy as you think! And the process looks as dirty as it sounds! But I am getting the hang of it. I feel like going back and making a couple of mugs from the first class with a real handle!

These pitchers are on the small side, they hold about a quart!

On the left: 6" tall, approx.4.5" in diameter; glazed in matte white and brick red. I love the glazing on the handle where all the edges are highlighted and was hoping for the same on some of the details on the pitcher itself.

On the right: 7" tall, approx. 4.5" in diameter; glazed in glossy white inside, glossy black and temoku on the outside. Again, I was hoping for more bleeding/running of the glaze and highlighting of details on pitcher!

I have another larger pitcher waiting to be fired!

Hungry?

2008-09-03T08:23:00.002-05:00

Well if you ever find yourself in Plano, IL, you may want to avoid this place!

Art Swap

2008-08-25T07:36:00.000-05:00

While visiting and staying with my friends in Louisville, I brought them a thank you gift, a small platter I made in pottery, for their hospitality!

Cean's son Harrison, in turn, gave me this woodcut that he made. Through osmosis, Harrison has learned that artists often swap their art with one another.

I came home with a wonderful gift!

Go Fish!

2008-08-22T08:59:00.003-05:00

I was just in Lake Geneva, WI for a faculty retreat.

Wisconsin is a bit of a strange place. Yes, they are America's Dairyland. But they also eat Cheese curds, deep fried, are the land of the Bratwurst, beer soaked and grilled, and have a past time of tipping cows. It is beautiful country and there is plenty of outdoor recreation including fishing.

Fishing so much that I came across a Live Bait vending machine outside a gas station!

I have no idea what is in the machine, but there it was!

Call me Your Honor!

2008-08-14T08:25:00.000-05:00

Well, not really. I am, however, in Louisville, as an invited judge for this year's annual awards!

The judging is today through Saturday. Then I am hanging around with Bubba, Mark from grad school, and hopefully Jenn too!

Summer is winding down so a little getaway with friends will be nice.

I am looking forward to seeing lots of great work. Be back in a few days!

Kooza

2008-08-13T07:27:00.000-05:00

Another great show from Cirque! It is a show that went back to their beginnings, lots of clowning, more basic circus acts. Lots of fun!

We had front rowseats! It was totally fun having to look up at the tightrope and the trapeze!

Overall it was smaller in scale but as big in entertainment as any of their other shows. See it when it comes to a city near you.

From a tiny seed. . .

2008-08-12T06:55:00.000-05:00

I got a bunch of packets of sunflower seeds from Alison, she who is now in London as mentioned in a previous post! She used them as a promo a few years back and was not packing them for her move across the pond. They were seeds packed for planting in 2004. I figured what the hell! I will throw them in the ground and if they grow, great, if not, nothing lost!

Well grow they did! From a humble little sunflower seed, not anything more than one you would snack on, grew giant sunflowers! The first has finally bloomed! I am 6' tall, and these giants are at least 8 or nine feet tall!

Nature is a wonderfully amazing thing!

Throwing Clay: Some results #10 - Covered jars

2008-08-11T07:12:00.003-05:00

It is not. . .NOT my intent for my blog to turn into a pottery showcase, but it has been a really great hobby and I just wanna share!

We most recently learned to make covered jars. They are actually made as one piece that is made with a huge void inside it only later to have the lid cut from the base exposing the hollow center! Sounds easier than it is.

These are the first three I made. Details from the top!

Top: 2" tall 3.375" diameter; matte blue and glossy brown glazes. This is a gift for a neighbor who was taking the class but had to drop out. She gave me her clay so I made her this jar as a thank you!

Center: 2" tall 4.375" diameter; matte white and brick red glazes

Bottom: 4" tall 4" diameter; temoku and glossy black glazes. The rust colored rim is unglazed and the two pieces (lid and base) were fired separated which gives them the toasty color as compared to the rims of the other two which were fired covered/together.

Now my only question is, what to use these containers for?

Night Sky

2008-08-05T10:26:00.002-05:00

Last Saturday I went to ravinia, an outdoor music venue, to see the Gipsy Kings. Looking up at the sky through the trees I had saw this clearing right to the sky!

I kind of saw a star.

It was a beautiful night to be out.

Throwing Clay: Some results #9 - Gingko Plate

2008-08-04T07:24:00.003-05:00

I am starting to better get the hang of glazing! I feared it for the longest time but as I do it, I understand better how it blends, works, how to control it etc.

This is the only plate I have made so far and I am liking it a whole bunch! It measures 10.5" in diameter. I glazed it by rubbing bobby green glaze into the leaf impressions and then glazed over the whole plate with glossy white. Other than a couple of thick glaze spots. . .

We learned how to make covered jars/containers. I have three ready for the bisque and one still drying. I also made a couple things with some donut forms! Next I am going for a pitcher. A real pitcher one can use for some ice cold beverages! I had one going Saturday, but then nearly lost it and called in some professional help. I have to pull a handle tomorrow for it and then conquer the next all on my own!

Chop! Chop!

2008-07-29T08:38:00.017-05:00

I have a Chinese name, Zang Lee Tcha!

I just received my chop from Tao! IT IS BEAUTIFUL! It is hand carved from water buffalo horn!

It took Tao a while to get back to the states after the trip to China. It seems the Chinese government wanted to keep her!

It is Chinese culture that dictates one says the last/family name first, hence it being the largest character on the chop, Zang. It is pronounced with a flat tone and is simply a rare family name.

Lee, the next character on the chop is said in the third tone and means rationality, ideal, theory and methods (perhaps the designer in me).

Last is Tcha, pronounced in the second tone. It has the meaning of to observe, research, and understand.

Now all I need is some formal document to sign with it!

Thanks Huang Tao!

Ruffles have ridges. . .and teeth!

2008-07-28T08:36:00.006-05:00

Over the weekend, I found this in a bag of potato chips!

YIKES! Looks like a first or second molar!

Never fear though, it was only an oddly shaped chip.

Throwing Clay: Some results #8 - Denmark Platter

2008-07-25T04:38:00.001-05:00

Behold the Denmark Platter! Using plants from my friend Marcia's garden in Denmark, WI, I made a slab platter for her birthday (I hope she doesn't check my blog and ruin the surprise)!

It measures 15" x 7.75". Glossy black glaze was rubbed into the leaves and then the whole platter was overglazed with glossy brown.

Small town charm

2008-07-24T08:36:00.004-05:00

My last trip to Peru. . .IL I could not stop looking at the signage, the typography, the feel and mood.

I know it is the designer in me, but you can really get a sense of a place by the environment. Any of these signs in Chicago would be newly designed "retro-looking" in their intent. But here, in Peru and Spring Valley, they have most likely been hanging since the decade they represent!

Throwing Clay: Some results #7 - Glazing

2008-07-21T22:12:00.004-05:00

On July 1, I showed you some platters with leaves pressed into the surface. They were just air dry. I was waiting to get them bisque fired, glazed and glaze fired!

Well, one is done! Behold the Starved Rock Platter!

Glossy blue glaze was rubbed into the leaf imprints and then a bobby green glaze went over the whole platter! I wish I could take all the credit for the glazing solution but Dominic made the suggestion and even did a test platter of his own to give it a go! I did do the glazing on this.

I am still waiting for the second platter which was just put in the kiln today for its glaze firing, so stay tuned for its debut!

Throwing Clay: Some results #6

2008-07-18T17:33:00.007-05:00

Here are two trays done with a technique of creating a thick disc on the wheel and then throwing it on a board! You get these wonderfull oval/elongated platters. They are great for cheese, a tray for a serving set, appetizers etc.

I showed you two that I made with leaves pressed into them and I am still waiting for those to come out of the glaze firing. In the meantime, here are two of the first I made, a small one with circles and one that looks like an eggplant!

You can see the basic technique here.

Mmm. . .breakfast!

2008-07-17T09:11:00.004-05:00

I aint a breakfast eater. It don't sit right in me. But maybe a month or so ago I started starting my day with something to eat.

It was typically an egg white omelette with veggies and some toast. But after a couple of weeks, THAT got a little repetitive and boring. So I started doing some smoothies with juices, not a fan of the milk! Pictured above is today's, Berry Smoothie, straw, ras and blue berries in cranberry juice. I need to add some protein powder for a little boost.

Funny thing, I do seem to have a bit more energy in the day starting the day with some breakfast!

8th Wonder of the World

2008-07-15T08:41:00.004-05:00

The Terra Cotta Warriors in Xi'An China are amazing. Discovered by a farmer digging a well in the 70's, accidently, they are an amazing site to see. there are four pits, but it is pit No. 1 that has been most excavated.

They say each one has a different face.

You can also see them come to life in this summer's Mummy movie!

Stormfront

2008-07-11T10:59:00.002-05:00

Last night we had a bit of a storm here! On the weather from the news they showed the storm front in a wonderful green color move across the map. I always wondered how they determined that line of the storm.

Upon going outside to see the weather change, I saw the line of the storm shown on the map!

Thanks for the picture Erik!

Shampoo collection addition - Harbour Plaza North Point

2008-07-10T11:16:00.003-05:00

The China trip had many memories and souveniers and of course hotel shampoos!

The swankiest and largest collection came from the Harbour Plaza North Point in Hong Kong!

the collection consisted of: Bottles (front to back): bath gel, conditioning shampoo and lotion; the many boxes contained: cottoon tips, sanitary bag, sewing kit, shower cap and toothbrush set (including toothpaste); and of course the disk of soap!

I had a dream!

2008-07-07T06:13:00.001-05:00

I had a dream Saturday night. Quite vivid!

Here it is!

I open my back door and see all sorts of well dressed, not fancy dressed, people going up the back stairs, which were newly painted. I ask them where they are going and they tell me to my upstairs, directly upstairs, neighbors for a party. I ask why they are not using the front stairs and they tell me because someone special is going that way.

My phone rings. It is my upstairs neighbor inviting me to come up for the party. I go upstairs and find the special guest to be Angelina Jolie! She is sitting in my favorite chair, an oversized square comfy one.

She is quite generous and friendly talking to everyone. I sit down beside her and we talk for quite a while. She is quite beautiful. She is wearing a large dark sweater off her shoulder and slim black pants with high heeled black shoes. Her legs are crossed and she is siiting back in the chair.

It is getting late and I leave to go back downstairs. When I get downstairs, I realize I failed to get a picture of Angelina with Arngee! I call upstairs and ask my neighbor if it is okay for me to come back and take a picture. She tells me everyone left right after I did.

Dream over!

Anyone have any idea of meaning?

Pottery in the works

2008-07-01T09:17:00.005-05:00

In my last post I mentioned the trays I am making. Well, here they are in their current state!

The top tray has been bisque fired, waiting to be glazed. Dominic has suggested rubbing one glaze into the leaves and then over glazing with another. The result should be a deep color in all the veins and details of the leaves! I used various oak leaves I collected at Starved Rock State Park.

That tray inpsired me to create the bottom tray. This tray will be a birthday gift for my friend Marcia who I was visiting up in Denmark, WI a weekend back. She loves her garden, loves pottery, so what better gift to make her for her birthday! I often send her ceamic bowls or pitchers as gifts and they typically have some sort of plant theme to them. I collected lots of materials from her garden. Her tray has in it branches off her Russian Olive, White Pine, Cedar, and ornamental grass!

Mama Potter says this aint pottery and that "throwing clay on the floor (which is part of how you make these trays) is not the same as throwing clay on a wheel!"

Throwing Clay: Some results #5

2008-06-26T08:48:00.005-05:00

It has been a while since I posted some pottery. I am getting the hang of the glazing, with some sagely advice from Dominic and Mama Potter! Here are two very recent pieces.

Top: Flower Pot: 5" tall 8" diameter; Saucer: 1.5" tall 7" diameter; both glazed with glossy black and glossy brown. Bottom: Disc Bowl: 2.5" tall 9" diameter using porcelain slip and celedon glaze.

I have also been making some thrown slab-like platters with leaves and such pressed into them. They are currently either in the kiln or air drying. They are really nice and I am excited to see the final results!

China Retrospective

2008-06-23T06:12:00.001-05:00

After the trip to China, the group decided to create some sort of retrospective. The goals were to remembere the trip and experience with personal expressions of the trip, and secondly, we are hoping to somehow use what is created to raise funds for the earthquake relief effort.

The effort os taking two forms, a poster and a t-shirt design simply expressing each traveler's expereinice.

Above is what I created. I was actung and designing all seriously and all. It took Kara to remind me of the fun I had and Pee Pee Boy (for more on Pee Pee Boy and what he does, click here ). So remembering Pee Pee Boy, Tea, China, and this wonderful entry signal at a hotel gift shop, I created the shown poster also to be applied to a t-shirt!

A simple explanation. A gift shop at our hotel had a signal when customers walked in. I could have sworn it said Ni Hao! Horny Horny, followed by a ding ding chime! What it said was not that but the Chinese on the left that translates to How are you (ni hao) we appreciate your business, or something close to that! Pee Pee Boy was a treat found at a visit to a tea house in China. He pees when water hot enough for tea is poured over him as the video shows!

Everytime I look at it, it makes me smile and brings back the laughter of the amazing group of travelers I met on a two-week expedition to China!

Denmark here I come!

2008-06-20T12:17:00.004-05:00

I am heading to Denmark this weekend. I am leaving this afternoon and will be back Sunday evening. I know it sounds all "jet settery" but I have freinds there whom I have not seen in a while so it will be good to get away!

I am travelling through Belgium to get there too!

Oh yeah, Wisconsin! I am going to Denmark, WI!

More peas please!

2008-06-17T08:23:00.003-05:00

China was full of all sorts of culinary oddities! Many would turn one's tummy, but some were just too damn good!

While strolling through the Summer Palace, my friend Dave stopped for an ice cream treat and came back with the ice cream bar shown above. . .a green pea ice cream bar. A bit odd I thought until I tasted it!

It kind of looked like frozen guacamole on a stick, but tasted like, well, frozen sweet green peas on a stick!

Mmm!

Keming

2008-06-16T19:25:00.002-05:00

Thanks Pal for sharing!

Section 101, Row AA Seats 13 and 14

2008-06-12T09:53:00.007-05:00

That is where I will be to see Cirque's latest travelling show KOOZA when it comes to Chicago June 26 - August 10. And I will be there in what seems like front rown for the last show! I will not be in both seats, my sister will be in one!

From the Cirque website:
KOOZA tells the story of The Innocent, a melancholy loner in search of his place in the world.

KOOZA is a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil: It combines two circus traditions – acrobatic performance and the art of clowning. The show highlights the physical demands of human performance in all its splendor and fragility, presented in a colorful mélange that emphasizes bold slapstick humor.

The Innocent's journey brings him into contact with a panoply of comic characters such as the King, the Trickster, the Pickpocket, and the Obnoxious Tourist and his Bad Dog.

Between strength and fragility, laughter and smiles, turmoil and harmony, KOOZA explores themes of fear, identity, recognition and power. The show is set in an electrifying and exotic visual world full of surprises, thrills, chills, audacity and total involvement.

Papercut

2008-06-09T21:24:00.004-05:00

Pictured left to right are: My papercut; Kristin Bouvier, me, Christpher Liechty, the artist, Anne Kirby and Stella Liechty

While in Xi'an, we visited the HuaQing Pool which are hot springs for the royals. There were several "street" artists. One saw me and made me stop so he could do a papercut profile of me.

I stood still and he with his small scissors and black paper just went at it. In a matter of minutes, no more than 5, I had my silhouette. He must have had some sense of my liking of Chinese papercuts!

After me, several other of our group stood and had theirs done too. And each one cost about $1.42 or 10 RMB!

Porch Garden '08

2008-06-08T10:52:00.003-05:00

Here's a Sunday blogging bonus!

I took my color cues this year for my back porch planting from my trip to China, red and yellow.