HAPPPPPY NEW YEAR!

1Jan09 1:15 PM    Add comment

"But, on the whole, though I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it, yet I was, by the endeavor, a better and a happier man than I otherwise should have been if I had not attempted it." - Ben Franklin (via)


Isn't it exciting? A brandy-new year filled with lots of brandy-new possibilities and opportunities. Anything could happen. Expect only good things, though.

Here are my resolutions. They come directly from the The Kind of Person I Want to Be post in my Journal.

Rested - awake and full of energy
Action item: sleep eight hours every night (preferably 11 PM to 7 AM)

Healthy - care for my muscles, veins, bones
Action item: eat more brightly-colored vegetables
Action item: photograph meals
Action item: get an hour of daily exercise

Clean - everything with a place, in its place
Action item: put things away, right away, when I'm done with them

Minimalist - own only the things I need and/or use
Action item: pare down my stuff, little by little

Comfortable - I don't mind paying a bit more for certain luxuries
Action item: budget carefully

Productive - in a flow sort of way
Action item: finish projects I start

Interested - there's beauty everywhere
Action item: surround myself with lovely things
Action item: take pictures

On time - with appointments and birthday gifts
Action item: prepare gift lists and cards ahead of time
Action item: stock up on packaging and shipping materials

Hygienic - care for my teeth, skin, body
Action item: floss, rinse, cleanse, etc.

Passionate - make room for friends and family and things I love
Action item: write letters
Action item: respond more quickly
Action item: be friendly with strangers

Introverted - value time alone
Action item: schedule personal outings

Creative - emphasis on the "create" part
Action item: make something every day

Optimistic - happily hopeful
Action item: believe that every day will be, and has been, a good one

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Year-End Questions

30Dec08 2:40 PM1 comment    Add comment

From Dharma Practice:

1. What was the most surprising pleasant thing that happened to you this year? What was the most surprising unpleasant thing?

They're both the same thing: losing my job. Unpleasant because, you know, OMG I HAVE NO JOB. (Or health insurance.) Pleasant because I was ready to leave in a lot of ways, and I've been able to enjoy this time off. The possibilities seem endless now. I'm still fairly young, I have no serious attachments like a mortgage or kids, I'm open to whatever opportunities head in my direction.

2. What food(s) did you start eating this year that you haven't eaten much before? Did you stop eating something, or dramatically reduce your intake? Why?

None, no, and no. I discovered/confirmed that I love beets and sweet potatoes and squash and rice and flour tortillas and herbed cream cheese. I did eat a lot more Zone and Luna bars, because they came recommended by my personal trainer and nutritionist. I've removed them from my diet, though. They're convenient, but I'm not convinced they're healthy.

My favorite dish of the entire year was a seasonal-vegetable wild rice risotto I had in September at Lucia's in Minneapolis. Wowee. The peanut chicken, green chile pork, and tres queso tacos at Bar Abilene in Uptown weren't bad, either.

3. What risks did you take? How did they work out?

I don't really value risk-taking. I guess I've risked using the word "love" a lot more. It can easily turn saccharine. But I think I've pulled it off.

4. What performance (music, dance, movie, theater, etc.) did you most enjoy this year? (If you were doing the performing, then which did you most enjoy doing, and which did you most enjoy experiencing?)

Hilights: Third in February (thought-provoking, complicated, well-acted), The Government Inspector with Jesse's parents in July (funny, interesting, apt), Circus Juventas with my mom in August (amazing, casual, well-muscled).

I loved the ballet in NYC, too. It was beautiful, and, in the case of the "Company B" performances, multi-layered and complex. I like multi layers and complexity.

5. What habits are you trying to change? What's encouraging, motivating, and/or inhibiting you in your efforts? Did you add any new habits that feel like they're becoming part of you? Did you drop any that you'd like to resume?

Oh, God. Sleeping regular hours. Eating at home and less junk food. Getting to the gym at least four times a week. Paring down all my stuff. Completing projects in a timely manner. Creating more. The same habits I've been trying to change for a few years now. See journal entry The kind of person I want to be for details.

I'm sure I'll write a lot more about all these things during the course of 2009. Maybe this year I'll actually accomplish some of them.


Thanks for the brain exercise, Narya!

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Things I love today

13Dec08 9:10 PM2 comments    Add comment

1. The Innocence Mission. You know how sometimes you find the most perfect music for the most perfect kind of day you can imagine? This is it, for me. (via)
2. Prepositions. I love prepositions! They're just great words. Maybe it's because I love temporal, spatial, and logical relationships.
3. This decor8 blog post and its accompanying photos. Especially this part:

   In the end I'm simply trying to say to create a home, a room, a corner of your home, any space that belongs to you (even half of your dorm room) into a space that has your fingerprint on it — something personal and special, a place that supports you, the invigorates, refreshes, inspires. If you like it, that’s what matters the most.

4. Color Me Katie. A strong dose of happiness. I'm totally into happiness these days.
5. Polly Wreford photos. Just the kind of pretty images I like. (via)
6. Breathe Right nose strips. I don't know if they help me to sleep at all, but they're awesome for stuffy-nose nights.
7. BeYaGi. I went to this BEad, YArn, and GIft store for the first time earlier this week. It's a lovely little place near where I used to work. They have a yarn-winding machine.
8. My Little Arty Ponies. I was into My Little Ponies when I was little. These are much blingier than the ones we had.
9. Caganers. Also, this comment from a related blog post: "What would Jesus doo?"
10. My haircut. It's a bit blonder than I'd expected, but I love it. It's so freaking shiny.
    

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Prop 8: The Musical

6Dec08 2:55 PM1 comment    Add comment

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Family photo ideas

5Dec08 2:20 PM1 comment    Add comment

Christmas this year will be at my grandparents' house in New Ulm, MN. I was considering renting a good digital SLR camera and tripod and do some picture-taking, and maybe afterwards putting all the shots into a book or website or something. Not that I know the first thing about taking picture, you understand — just for fun, and to relieve my mom of the responsibility.

Alas, renting digital cameras costs A Lot Of Money. Like, $150/day, which is more than what I wanted to spend for the entire week. So that's out.

Still, I'm hoping I can convince my family to try something other than the usual line-up-and-smile family shot (this one is from 2005, and not everyone in this picture will be at Christmas):



So I've compiled a list of creative family and group photos from around the web as inspiration. Maybe I'll bring my own mustache props. Or guns.










And some slightly more traditional ones, all from Flickr:







And finally, one I pulled off the web once up on a time (I keep a file of favorite photos on my computer), but I can't for the life of me find it again:

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Things I love today

4Dec08 10:00 AM1 comment    Add comment

1. LetMeGoogleThatForYou.com. I know a few people on whom I could use this site... (via)
2. Demotivators. Oldie but goodie.
3. Basin Peppermint Shower Squeeze. It smells like the holidays, and its ingredients make my skin tingle and chill. I'm excited to use it in summer, too; maybe it'll cool me down.
4. Winter photos. For my favorite season.
5. Welcoming strangers home at the airport. Sweet!
   
   (via)
6. Guards Awareness Test. I failed.
7. Guilty pleasure. The mesmerizing Bob Fosse-esque dancing. The catchy if less-than-progressive music. The robotic glove. Can't...tear...eyes...away...
   
8. Julie Galdo's photos. I love the colors, the styles, the sensibilities.
9. Zuca luggage. If I traveled much (I don't), I think this would be perfect. If only you could customize with different colors and patterns... (via)
10. Wary Meyers interiors. The wallpapered rooms! Wow!

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4 seconds of fame

3Dec08 11:45 AM3 comments    Add comment

The short version: You can see the briefest glimpse of me here, behind and just to the right of presenter Matt Peiken, at 0:28 - 0:32.

The long version: I was standing in line at the MCAD Art Sale a few weeks ago and saw this guy videotaping himself. I looked at the art on the walls and pretended not to be paying attention. Then, later, as I was waiting for my car, I heard someone behind me talking about a one-man project in which he was involved, 3-Minute Egg, which features clips and commentary from the Twin Cities art scene.

So I checked out the website, and I thought, Hmmm, maybe that's the same guy I saw filming at the sale, so I waited patiently for the Art Sale video, and yes! There I am! For a few seconds!

In other news, the site's a great way to get an idea of what sorts of art-related groups perform, read, exhibit, or otherwise exist in the Twin Cities. Lots of interesting stuff there.

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Beautiful pictures

28Nov08 12:00 PM2 comments    Add comment

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Beautiful pictures

26Nov08 12:00 PM    Add comment

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Employ me, please!

25Nov08 8:45 PM2 comments    Add comment

I made a video today.

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