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Thursday, August 13th, 2009
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1:13 am - THE BEST DAY EVER...previous seen in LJ
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The Best Day ever!
So today, i woke up at exactly 9:20 am. actually i jolted awake as i remember i had to be at a thesis defense to support my friend, nathan, as he tackled the last hurdle before getting his MFA degree.
i didn't know what time it started so i quickly checked my school email, and of course, our awesome secretary, Judi, sent everyone a reminder of the time! It started at 10:00 am...so i got out of bed, got dressed and out the door i went! I made it to the gallery downtown, and saw other grad students there and most of the faculty...so i wasn't late, just fashionably on time.
Nathan started out his defense with with a condensed version of his Thesis Paper....which in true Nathan fashion, consisted of reading from the paper. it helped him keep his focus and even though he didn't make eye contact with him, he remained somewhat calm and collected. after that portion he proceeded to talk about the work starting out piece by piece....but that soon was forgotten and the faculty began asking questions about the body of work as a whole. I think this helped Nathan out a lot. He lost all fear and the question and answer portion of this defense became a really laid back critique like we always have! it was great! Nathan finally confessed that The Dark Crystal IS one of his influences in his imagery and the concept of his work. Everyone was excited he owned that information...FINALLY! We all knew it, we just were waiting for him to declare it!
This spurred on a good talk about surrealists looking to children's stories, fairy tales, and horror films as a basis for their ideas and work! Such an AMAZING Experience to listen to this discussion! I thought Nathan's work was validated and OF COURSE he was passed and now can graduate with an MFA! WHOO!
After the defense, i headed to the studio for Day Two of clean and move into new studio space! I had such a great time! I forgot to eat lunch, which was okay, as i wasn't hungry! I moved my things into the new space and proceeded to spend the next hour pinning up pictures and postcards and even my Hikki Heart Station Promotional Poster! it's amazing!!! I'll post a picture a little later.
I took a break and headed across campus to another thesis defense at 1:20pm...this one was over after about and hour and half and i headed back to the studio to finish the decorating, moving and clean up! and so at around 8pm i was just about done! So here is the my decorated corner or the new studio space!
YAY!
soo, at around 8, my friend Mary Beth calls and asks if i wanted to go on a walk as it's not safe to walk alone in peoria, even on campus. We walk around campus exploring the place for the first time i've been here! Campus just got a beauty make over from Facilities Management. Our friend Sarah, who was on the FM team, told Mary Beth of a nook hidden away on campus and we decided to find it tonight! We walked along the cement paths and saw a lot of gardens and seating sprinkled all over the place! we even found a rocking bench!! AWESOME!
i was getting hungry so we walked next to campus and stopped at Subway where i got a sammich, chips, and honey sweetened tea! YUM! The walk was fun and i felt good afterward! Good Conversation with a friend and i was productive today!
then we walked even more and decided to call it a night by going to the Art Department computer lab to check out emails. I just walked into one the graduate student space on the 2nd floor and notice i had something in my my mail folder! it was a class roster for a drawing class this fall! YUP! I'm teaching a drawing class this fall! and I'm super excited as i know that it covers part of my tuition and i will get more money back so i can actually live for this semester and winter break!
So that was my day! I am really happy and excited about art again and i'm super excited to take off running this semester and really have fun and be soo productive! It's going to be an amazing fall semester! I can tell!
oh yeah!!! I sat and listened to Ponyo's theme song and sang it really loudly in the computer lab waiting for Mary Beth to get to campus! and then i watched two trailer repeatedly for the movie! whoo! I might listen to the theme song again now!
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| Thursday, October 30th, 2008
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5:26 am - I need to learn to tread water more efficiently.
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Jerry feels like he's drowning and no one in Peoria is willing to pull him out.
current mood: drained
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| Wednesday, July 30th, 2008
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9:34 pm - i'm tired.
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i've slowly begun to realize that my mother has no idea what my life is like. i'm most of you realized how crazy my life has become since i became an artist. you all can recall the countless hours i spent in the studio and how difficult it was for me just make work i felt was good.
so far since class ended back in may, i have spent only one week making art. one week.
i have been expected to be a chauffer for the past two months, putting insane amonts of gas bills on my credit cards. One is about maxed, and the other also includes food purchases. i took off work to drive my uncle around. I spent money on the car because he wanted to fix things. its great now, but i'm the one paying for it. at first, it was only going to take 3 days off work and i would spend only $300. it turns out that if was actually going to be 2 weeks, and $600.
what little money i had saved for the trips South Dakota and japan has been spent paying off the minimum balance of my credit cards.
also take into consideration, that maintenance has halted work in my office as my work station and materials are covered up, therefor i haven't work in four weeks.
I haven't made any art in two months, and as a graduate student that's just irresponsible.
I've tried to reason with my mother, and explain that I am not in undergraduate school anymore. As a graduate student, I'm expected to make art. I'm now making are for myself. This summer was supposed to be my first real break between semesters where I was going to immerse myself in art. I only have two more years left of the program and I need to figure out a lot of things quickly.
Now my mother thinks i'm some kind of disrespectful kid who has no respect for family, because i not willing to halt my life, so drive an uncle all over illinois. i honestly don't do anything like party or go clubbing. so whenever i have free time i spend it in the studio. making art is my life. keeping me from making art (especially when I'm in grad school, a time where i decided to devote all of my time into it) is killing me. but that doesn't matter apparently.
that's all an excuse in mom's point of view.
and now all of a sudden family members are calling because they now have an interest in knowing me? what happened in last 26 years i've been alive.
my mother hands me the phone one night and tells me, Aunt judy wants to hear your voice. she and the other family memebers in Guam want to know who you are.
i take the phone, and say, Hi. Aunt judy talks a little bit and asks about malia, and lilly. i answer, and to my suprise she calls me a haole. what? "oooh, you sound so much like a haole" what the fuck do you expect? I've been raised in america with parents who stopped speaking palauan to me. Of course i don't speak the language, of course i don't have a palauan accent, of course i sound american. I am american.
don't call, telling you want to get to know me, just to put me down. and than there are the cousins who ask, " don't you want to speak your language?" or say, "i never seen a palauan playing hackey sack." arghh!
so right now. mom isn't talking to me. I'm not talking to her, because i'm tired of trying to explain the my life to her because she refuses to understand. she thinks I can just up a leave whenever she deems it. She's angry, because i want to go back to Peoria, so i can make work so i have something for the show at the beginning of september in Murray and the Graduate school visiting program, and I have a fucking class I have to prepare for. but you know what, none of that even matters to her.
Becuase of my immense sense of guilt. i'm staying in hopkinsville til the weekend (that two week people, 12 days longer then i was planning).
nevermind I came down for a weekend, and told my mom i would be back the following weekend...ended up staying that week. and now i was guilt tripped into staying another week.
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| Sunday, July 27th, 2008
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1:06 am - WHAT!?
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Look up resident evil: Degeneration!
she's back! she's back! she's back!
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(comment on this)
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| Friday, July 18th, 2008
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5:50 pm
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| Wednesday, March 12th, 2008
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3:27 am - what the hell am i doing? what's is happening?
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I'm sitting in the art building at three in the morning. That's 3am. anything new there? no, not really. Everyone knows I spend crazy hours (usually into the late hours) in the studio.
What's so different about now as opposed to those I spent in Murray's art building? I'll let you know.
I'm in a rut. one that has lasted over a semester. I don't really like what I'm working on. I don't really like the imagery I'm making. I feel a little defeated in everything I've attempted in grad school.
I had the urge to make an etching. So I threw a plate in the acid bath, and I just realized that as I sit here typing this, I'm not anticipating the outcome of this print. Why? I don't know.
I've thought of maybe entering some shows, but I don't like the idea of entering work I lost interest in after working on it a little. I can't explain it really. It's tough, really coming into the studio and preparing to work, and the drive just dissipates.
What I need is a great direction to go with my work. Something that sparks my interest as well as holds it. Searching for new material is hard.
I've decided the concept is not going to control my image...the image is going to take charge and the concept will support it. When I made that decision, I didn't realize that it would harder than it looked.
poop
current mood: kinda poopy
current music: Laura Veirs - Magnetized
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| Monday, October 22nd, 2007
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9:04 am - Dumbledore is gay.
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| Tuesday, September 25th, 2007
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6:24 pm - I don't know how to make the links to hide large posts...
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An Evening with Angela Aki
After giving a fairly successful demo TODAY in the lithographic process of 2nd etching. Three of the litho students (who had their stones ready) rolled up their image with ink successfully. My day started out rather well. I went to work, and instead of learning more to repair damaged books, I instead cut down labels for the office's Homecoming displays. I learned so much about the history of Bradley University.
I began to feel that the day was already rather pleasant and nothing could make it worse. I was in the need for some groceries when I decided to venture to the local Kroger's. I picked up some stuff and headed home. My arms were full of bags when I came to the security door of my building. The "older gentleman" was exiting at the same time and I thanked him again, as he has held the door open for me twice now. He's a nice man, I should make a note to talk with him more. Anyways, I stepped inside through the doorway, and he asked me if I lived in Apt #7. I said I did and he proceeded to tell me a small package with sitting on the floor for me. I glanced down and strained my eyes to make sure the label was clear.
Oh I was so giddy, I told him " thank you" and I bent down to pick it up! A package from CD JAPAN! It finally came!!! I thought I would get it on Tuesday, (Ironically, today) but it came a whole day earlier! I like to think it was a great gift for having such a splendid day. Some can say my day became great at that moment, but OH MAN DID IT GET EVEN BETTER!
I popped in the DVD first as I wanted to save the songs for when I could really sit and pay attention. The PV's were even more beautiful in CD quality! 孤独のカケラ (special version) was so much better on my television, than on Youtube. There were so many small details that were so magnificent when I could actually see them!
Once dinner was made and I sat down and talked with my sister as she had just gotten her copy as well. (we totally listened to it at the same almost precise moment...how weird is that?) I decided to pull out a binder with extra notebook paper. I needed to write down my thoughts of each song. I was going to be so prepared.
The CD was placed in the player, and I only hit the "play" button when I was completely ready. Alright, Ms. Angela, let's see what you have brought to the table.
push play.
1. サクラ色- The album opens with a familiar tune. I fell in love with this track the first time I heard it while watching the PV someone shot with their digital camera (back in the beginning of the year). As a song I felt is signified a growth from her HOME album, while still maintaining the same essence. This song complimented the ideas present in her Debut.
2. Again - I've waited for so long (as many others I'm sure) to have this song in CD quality. Upbeat and peppy - mmm- makes me just want to walk anywhere with my Ipod, the world in front of me. I don't know the destination I'm headed for, but I know I'll find where ever I'm supposed to be, and that everyone I met on this walk I will see again. Don't get me started on the PV...I'll just say I loved it.
3. TODAY - This is NOT a cover of the Smashing Pumpkins = This is an original song! I Love the word "today". There's something very absolute about it. I wasn't sure what to expect, having heard the cover of the Pumpkins so much. I found myself hopping/bouncing around my apartment. (There went the sitting down to write as I listened idea.)
4. 愛のうた - The beginning almost had me singing Sarah McLachlan's Angel, (Angel-a? ahaha, I think it's was witty). I got a very Sarah feel from the song - especially from the sound of the Surfacing album. 2 minutes in, I got a Damien Rice feel from the steady but not over powering drum. The slight Gospel stylings in her voice were like liquid gold...and that French Horn feature ------MELT MY HEART! This woman just knows what I like to listen to and to keep me listening. If she had a choir backing her on this one with some nice harmony (nothing powerful like gospel choirs) this song would have been AMAZING!
5. たしかに - Following such a rhythmic tune, たしかに wakes me up from the dreamy daze and re-energizes my senses! It's summer all over again! I still put this song on when I need to lift my spirits and brighten my day. The song is so alive that I literally feel the weight off my shoulder lift and float away. I feel like I can breathe again. I can achieve anything...because I am completely capable of accomplishments.
6. Silent Girl - Bringing down the pace, this song has a similar air like that of the her other song "大袈裟に「愛してる」". With a gentle melody, I was capable of just relaxing and enjoying the music and what it offered. ANGELA AKI DON'T YOU BE THAT SILENT GIRL!
7.モラルの葬式 - With the opening bars of the music, I was completely drawn in and in love. So many people have hailed this as the "宇宙" of this album, and they are right. The song is nothing short of brilliance! The Narrative within this music, and the lyrics are so powerful I immediately started imagining what kinds of people would be involved with the story the song was presenting. Compositionally, I didn't feel like it was "everywhere". Actually it was always moving to one end, and the different paces were just different movements. The five and half minute song was an entire musical in its own. The song, to put it simply, is ART - in all the meanings of the word.
8. 乙女心 - Sassy! This song has a lot of attitude...and not that annoying I know everything bad attitude. Ow! She's on Fire!
9. One Melody - I believe this is her standard Ballad. If applied to a Broadway setting, this could be the on song where the protagonist sings/proclaims to the audience there is always a connection between anything and something else. I imagine themes of finding a common ground seen in the plays and movies.
10. 友のしるし- I thought this lounge style was great. The song didn't come off as offensive (as some fans of Angela Aki seem put off by the style). The slight jazz twist definitely develops with an interesting progression, that I felt satisfied by the end. This song acted as a nice intermission.
11. 孤独のカケラ - To be honest after listening to the single, I really enjoyed "Solitude" more, but that's my opinion. This song still resonated that same way it did when I first heard it. I recognized the level of emotional commitment needed to write it and perform it.
12. On & On - One of my favorite B-sides!!! It's fun, but also manages to carry a somewhat heavy idea "Dreams Live On". Dreams are not meant to be given up on. They are the goals that make life worth living. If we are willing to work hard, we can make every aspect of our lives meaningful! We will define our existence as worthwhile! As long as we can dream - we claim to be living. That's what I think of when I hear this song.
PAUSE - this journey is about to close....let me just take a break.
13. Surrender - Closure has commenced. As the only English track on the album, this song has big shoes to fill where Your Love Song left off with. Surrender gracefully brings the wonderful voyage of TODAY to a much too soon end. The purpose of the last track is to bring the whole album to a conclusion. As Your Love Song did with the HOME album, Surrender does so proudly and with class.
Thus my evening came to a close as well. My monday, September 24, 2007 was amazing. How was yours?
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| Wednesday, September 19th, 2007
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3:09 pm - TODAY!
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I have recieved my shipping confirmation from CDJAPAN! my copy of the special edition CD+DVD version of Angela Aki's "TODAY" will be in my hands in a matter of days!
The wait is quite painful at the time! (not really, but you know what i mean)
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| Monday, September 17th, 2007
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5:42 pm - Squeaky Clean...
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I'm sitting in the laundromat right off of campus. It's pretty clean. I like it. No weirdos here like the one on Western.
Also what's cool about this one is it's totally wi-fi! So I'm waiting for 20 minutes surfing the internet as my wash gets done. then it's of to another 40 minutes to dry!
Sweet! wi-fi laundro-mat...who would have thought.
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| Thursday, September 13th, 2007
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5:44 pm - I got a job!
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I'm just got an email about a job in the specialist office of the school library.
I'm going to learn to repair books and make might get to learn some awesome bookbinding!
Super excited!
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| Tuesday, September 4th, 2007
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4:58 pm - virtual FISH aquarium!
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http://uri.cat/software/Fish/
right now, I have about 11 neon tetras swimming around. All of my male ones try to hook up with the female ones and totally get rejected! Poor buddies..maybe next time.
This is just a good as having a real tank with real tetras! if anyone of the dies, you can hit "revive fish" and their back to swimming around!
Arnold totally just tried to get with Eqil, but poor guys gets the big "NO" for the fourth time today.
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| Monday, September 3rd, 2007
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6:47 pm - The Great Unconsciousness
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So Nathan mails me a Region Free dvd player, as the one Jarrod had passed down to me has begun to show it's age.
Nathan's player is set to output the video feed via, component cables (a red/gree/blue cables). My television doesn't support that. It runs with the "yellow" video cable.
I called Nate and was told I the easiest way to swtich the video feed is the find a television that does support it and go through the menu. Nathan suggested my new friends here in Peoria, none of them have a tv as such.
Google searches offered no help. The company website denies the existence of the product. and doesn't allow access to only 5 digital manuals of 223 said to be on the site.
I even bought a modulator box that claims to "connect any dvd player to any tv"....what a Lie! totally got my money back.
saturday, my parents and I watched Kill Bill Vol. 1 through my playstation 2. here's the strange part.
I remember that some kind of signal was registering with the yellow cable when placed one of the red, blue, or green jacks. lucky of enough, on casted a dual-type screen on my tv, with the menu squished by readable. I was able to switch the video feed. and now it's working!
guess how I figured this out! you won't believe it...but I had a dream in which Nicole, printmaking professor in undergrad was yelling at the class, and I ran home to escape the scolding and figured out the DVD player. I woke up, remembered the dream, and dash for the player. And it worked!
I was so excited I called malia to tell her the good news!
A dream told me how to fix my problem.
on another side note:
I was supposed to cover a drawing class tonight, starting at 6pm, but when I went down there, the teacher was teaching....I was confused, so I looked at my folder containing the syllabi and roster. the syllabi (as well as my agenda confirm tonight was the night) but the roster informed me that it was actually last thursday. I get a bad feeling.
Last thursday night, I had a seminar class from 6pm - 9pm. I told him, so I thought that I was only responsible to cover the beginning of the drawing class tonight. Being a graduate student is complicated.
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| Sunday, August 26th, 2007
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2:33 pm - Grilled Ham and Cheese sandwiches...
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Today Oscar and I made grilled cheese sandwiches and ate potato chips in the studio.
very delicious.
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| Saturday, August 25th, 2007
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3:08 pm - Dona, Dona, Dona
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I just finished listening to this song... and as I sit here typing, droves of undergraduate students are clogging the few streets around Bradley's Campus. I had driving to school this afternoon, taking my usual ten minute route, when I notice, my lovely littel road that takes me straight to Hueser Art Center, has been blocked off.
Not too big a deal, I know there are still many construction projects still happening around the schoool. I proceed to the next corner, as this is my back up route, and it's blocked off!
I had finagle my way around the back roads and down Frat boy central to get to a tiny side parking lot on the west side of the art building. Geez.
i thought "Dona, Dona, Dona" was an appropriate song as the undergraduates and their parents all seem to move like a grazing herd of cattle.
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| Wednesday, August 22nd, 2007
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6:09 pm - to add to broha-1 of 3's good news:
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I found out that I have been awarded a half-time assistanship. This will cover 50% of my total tuition cost, and Oscar has just informed me that if I decided to, I can take the stipend that is awarded with this and pay off the rest of my tuition! I think they may work!
I'm going to talk to Oscar later, he's coming back to the studio. wee!
1 of 3 got hired with a great starting pay!
2 of 3 may have his entire tuition paid for!
3 of 3 is working and having a great time in japan!
louisville broha sounds like he's doing good from phone conversations
tell city broha is taking part in a great stand for equality in a very conservative county!
0 of 3 broha is doing great!
it seems we are all on a positive ride right now.
current mood: happy
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| Friday, August 10th, 2007
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8:03 pm - status: Phillips 2 or 3 awaiting departure
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me and my parents have just finished loading both Musashi and dad's truck. it looks like I'm leaving with more stuff than i arrived with. I've managed to give away clothes and misc. stuff to the thrift store. in it's place, mom has purchased twin sized mattress and box spring...which is double the amount of space taken compared to what I had dwindled down throughout the week.
we depart at around midnight tonight. and the drive maybe longer than it seems. mom is riding with me, and dad has been equipped with a tape adapter so he may listen to his music.
its so weird.
anyways, when i'm in peoria here's the check list:
1) move in
2) run by the bursar's office of Bradley and turn in my signed billing statement
3) buy cheap shelving units and small table for tv/dvd/playstation.
4) get acquainted with Bradley campus and general area.
5) drive myself around to get a feel for the outer peoria and what it has to offer.
6) hang out in the print shop and meet fellow grad students
7) look for part-time job to help with art expenses and other expenses (hopefully assistantship will come through)
8) get a cable and internet package, something cheap and not dial up as i plan to not have a landline phone for a while
9) keep in touch with everyone.
current mood: weird
current music: wrestling on tv
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(2 comments | comment on this)
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| Wednesday, August 8th, 2007
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2:06 am - I am a ISFJ
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| Saturday, August 4th, 2007
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8:23 pm - and then there was one...
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I'm am the last to of the Phillips 3 to leave the safety of western Ky.
in a week (exactly 7 days) I'll be heading back up to Peoria with the folks to officially move in! it's so crazy to think (at this moment) Lilly is sitting on a plane heading for a minimum of on year stay in Japan, and Malia is on the road to Arizona. Crazy.
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| Wednesday, August 1st, 2007
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1:04 am - packing and Utena...
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so i'm in the midst of rummaging and packing up my stuff!
I am also fulfilling my itching need to watching Utena all over again! Thanks to Ja-chan and her benevolence, I have located and downloaded all of the Utena Episodes! no more copies of copies of copies of fansubs on VHS for me!
now for some important notes upon watching almost the first arc...
Utena has some awesome soundtracks! the background music, the odd duel songs, and the themes...man, I'm going to have Malia ripped send me what she has ripped.
Juri and Nanami have the best Duel songs of the first arc!
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