Thursday, April 8, 2010
NCECA; Final Thoughts
Well, NCECA was a whirl wind. The above youtube video was taken at the opening ceremonies. It represents the atmosphere of the whole experience - loud, colorful, and fun. Also, this was a unique opportunity for learning that couldn't have happened without a grant from the Iowa Arts Council. For more photos, please visit my Picasa web album by clicking HERE.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Davis in Philly
Check out my potter's blog for posts about my super-awesome great trip to NCECA in Philadelphia! Thanks again to the Iowa Arts Council for making this trip possible!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Late photos of the Iowan winter
Our HUGE icicle... a couple of days later, it grew down to about 4 inches above the snow.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Thank You, Iowa Arts Council
I have great news! I received an Artist Mini-Grant from the Iowa Arts Council to cover the costs of traveling to NCECA. Here is the press release (I'm at the bottom.) Thank you Iowa Arts Council!
What's great about these artists grants is that I can match with hours spent on the project, so the time that I spend at the conference acts as my matching funds. Compared to Georgia, Iowa really supports its artists.
What's great about these artists grants is that I can match with hours spent on the project, so the time that I spend at the conference acts as my matching funds. Compared to Georgia, Iowa really supports its artists.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Crazy!
It's -2 degrees, full sun and high noon. Iowa is crazy, yo. I'm cleaning up the studio at the Octagon today to prepare for the next session's classes. I mopped the glaze room last week. Later I'm going to watch the next episode of Dollhouse on hulu.com. It aired last night.
On our trip down to Georgia I discovered that there is a second volume of Locas by Jamie Hernandez, so I bought it. I'm making myself re-read the first volume before starting into the second. All I want to do today is grab some blankets and read with a little cup of Mexican tea that Jamie found at the flea market in Macon to warm me up. Mexican writers and film makers are where the next renaissance is coming from. I heard a rumour that Guillermo Del Toro (who is an incredible film maker and who, or so I just read, has written a vampire novel - crazy!) was producing movies made by small town/villiagers around Mexico. I think that would be neat-o! I can't wait to see what they do...
On our trip down to Georgia I discovered that there is a second volume of Locas by Jamie Hernandez, so I bought it. I'm making myself re-read the first volume before starting into the second. All I want to do today is grab some blankets and read with a little cup of Mexican tea that Jamie found at the flea market in Macon to warm me up. Mexican writers and film makers are where the next renaissance is coming from. I heard a rumour that Guillermo Del Toro (who is an incredible film maker and who, or so I just read, has written a vampire novel - crazy!) was producing movies made by small town/villiagers around Mexico. I think that would be neat-o! I can't wait to see what they do...
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
3 degrees
It's 3 degrees right now(2am). I just finished loading a bisque kiln with what will hopefully be Christmas presents. We'll see. I have to go home in the cold. Xerxes will be waiting for me. Maybe Jamie will be ready to come home from his office and I can give him a ride - won't be such a lonely ride home. so tired. don't have to work tomorrow. that's good. sleep in, in the warm bed. that sounds nice right now. home, hot chocolate, lovely kitty, sweet husband, warm bed. reasons to be alive.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Jamie gets the shovel
This video has a cuss word at the end, so all of you with tender ears, stop the video before the last ten seconds or so. Only 25 views are allowed, so let me know when it stops working and I'll reload it under a different name.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Snow!
We're expecting a storm front coming from Missouri. 14 inches of snow... also thunder-snow showers. Which I hear is like a thunderstorm with slushy sleet and snow. yikes. It will cover 4 states, I hear.
snow map
traffic cameras in des moines
forecast
snow map
traffic cameras in des moines
forecast
A view from my corner office windows
So, no one here at the office wanted the corner office. It's a little colder back here, and one staff member thinks that the corner office is bad luck. So I got it! It's perfect for me. I like it a little colder so I can wear fluffy sweaters. I have to share my space with lots of filing cabinets, but I love my view of Downtown Ames.
It is snowing.
This is the public library, right across the street. I stop by on my way home for free movies and books often. Democracy rules.
It is snowing.
This is the public library, right across the street. I stop by on my way home for free movies and books often. Democracy rules.
Monday, December 7, 2009
First snow
First snow fall, an inch or so...
Jamie's cold!:
At this time of year, the crows go crazy. I don't know if you can see them... they are the black dots in the trees and sky. There are thousands of them all over the city. It's totally Hitchcock.
Jamie's cold!:
At this time of year, the crows go crazy. I don't know if you can see them... they are the black dots in the trees and sky. There are thousands of them all over the city. It's totally Hitchcock.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Halloween out on the town!
We had a lot of fun. We went out with Tom and Sara, a couple of grad students Jamie has class with. They went as hikers. A lot of people were out in really wild costumes.
Friday, October 16, 2009
No line at the ladies'
Riddle: Where is the only place the mens' room has a long line and the ladies' room doesn't?
A metal concert.
On Wednesday we went to see Mastadon and Dethklok (from Metalocalypse). It was great. Mastadon was droney and serious, then Dethklok was silly and fun. They played all the greats... my favorites are Mermaider and Birthday Dethday with the lyrics, "R. S. V. P. please/To the death of theeee"
So silly.
A metal concert.
On Wednesday we went to see Mastadon and Dethklok (from Metalocalypse). It was great. Mastadon was droney and serious, then Dethklok was silly and fun. They played all the greats... my favorites are Mermaider and Birthday Dethday with the lyrics, "R. S. V. P. please/To the death of theeee"
So silly.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Xerxes is allergic to something. This morning, he sneezed about every five minutes. He looked really tired, having sneezed all night.
He sneezes with his whole body. He shakes his head around and convulses, then he has the funniest face. He looks dazed after a big sneeze, his ears cocked at different angles, eyes squinty, head sideways.
The State is out on video. We looked for it to rent but couldn't find it. I requested it from our library. The TV show buyer there has pretty good taste so I think we'll get it in. I've never seen it, just clips on the internet, but it's one of Ashli's favorite shows and we have similar tastes.
We did find season 2 of Mad Men. That's a good show. We watched it last night.
I'm teaching a class every day this week - sort of a clay-intensive for 13-15 year olds. They seem to really enjoy it although they are all very very quiet and when they talk they talk so low I can't hear them. They're so self conscious and embarrassed. We tried to make flutes today. I hope they work after they are fired!
I think blogger must be in a different time zone. My clock says 4:18, but the time on the blog says 2:09. I'm paranoid about someone at work thinking I blog on the clock. It's so weird.
He sneezes with his whole body. He shakes his head around and convulses, then he has the funniest face. He looks dazed after a big sneeze, his ears cocked at different angles, eyes squinty, head sideways.
The State is out on video. We looked for it to rent but couldn't find it. I requested it from our library. The TV show buyer there has pretty good taste so I think we'll get it in. I've never seen it, just clips on the internet, but it's one of Ashli's favorite shows and we have similar tastes.
We did find season 2 of Mad Men. That's a good show. We watched it last night.
I'm teaching a class every day this week - sort of a clay-intensive for 13-15 year olds. They seem to really enjoy it although they are all very very quiet and when they talk they talk so low I can't hear them. They're so self conscious and embarrassed. We tried to make flutes today. I hope they work after they are fired!
I think blogger must be in a different time zone. My clock says 4:18, but the time on the blog says 2:09. I'm paranoid about someone at work thinking I blog on the clock. It's so weird.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
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Two weeks ago, on the day I left for a two week long trip, Nero died. Jamie had to bury him by himself. Now that I am home, I miss Nero in all the places he used to be. I dreamed last night that he wasn't dead and Jamie buried him by mistake. He was all covered in dirt and we were taking him to the vet.
Jamie and I had a service for him today. I made effigies of a chipmunk and a lizard, his two favorite things to catch. We buried them with his favorite toy. I made a tiny clay bowl, filled it with salt and placed it on top of his grave. Then we spread white hydrangea blossoms from the bush in our yard.
Jamie and Nero were real buddies...
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Friday, June 5, 2009
Obituary
Nero the Cat, boss of the pink monkeys Heather and Jamie, 3 (25) of Ames, Iowa died on June 5.
Nero was an expert killer showing no mercy when it came to little cute things. He terrorized all things little and squeaky in his last neighborhood of Stanton Avenue and first neighborhood of Clisby Street. Among his conquests were numerous lizards, a rat, a few birds, several chipmunks and a mole. His crowning achievement was catching and maiming an adolescent bunny although he did not have the pleasure of trying to eat it since he was caught before he could. He presided over the Laundry Squad and was a reigning member of the house Itty Bitty Kitty Committee. His nick-names included Mr. N, Mr. N-ards (innards), Neewoes and Widdols.
He was survived by his brother, Xerxes the Cat, the sometimes co-boss of the afore mentioned pink monkeys, and his parents, the pink monkeys he used to boss around. “He was a special cat. He had a busy, happy life. We‘ll miss him,” said the one who always used to pick him up and squeeze him (Jamie). The one who used to give him food and rub his belly (Heather) said, “Out of every cat I’ve known, he was the most generous with affection and was non-stop enthusiastic about life. He will be missed.”
Nero was an expert killer showing no mercy when it came to little cute things. He terrorized all things little and squeaky in his last neighborhood of Stanton Avenue and first neighborhood of Clisby Street. Among his conquests were numerous lizards, a rat, a few birds, several chipmunks and a mole. His crowning achievement was catching and maiming an adolescent bunny although he did not have the pleasure of trying to eat it since he was caught before he could. He presided over the Laundry Squad and was a reigning member of the house Itty Bitty Kitty Committee. His nick-names included Mr. N, Mr. N-ards (innards), Neewoes and Widdols.
He was survived by his brother, Xerxes the Cat, the sometimes co-boss of the afore mentioned pink monkeys, and his parents, the pink monkeys he used to boss around. “He was a special cat. He had a busy, happy life. We‘ll miss him,” said the one who always used to pick him up and squeeze him (Jamie). The one who used to give him food and rub his belly (Heather) said, “Out of every cat I’ve known, he was the most generous with affection and was non-stop enthusiastic about life. He will be missed.”
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Jamie SPEEEAAKS!
I just thought I'd check in with the ole bloggerooski since I'm taking a break from working tonight.
I'm starting to find myself a bit more within the field I'm in. I'm writing a paper about that actually. I want to connect the dots between science studies, postmodern feminist critique, and Marxism. And from THERE I want to criticize all the dumbass things people use "scientific" rhetoric to achieve. "Men are hunters so blahblahblah" etc. Yuk.
Seriously. People are indeed limited by the material resources they have, including biology, but don't make political opinions based the implications of half understood social science research. And don't pretend like politics are not intrensic to science. (Intrinsic politics are inevitable and subject to critique. Extrinsic politics are a blasphemy against everything principled people should stand for. See the Bush administration on Global Warming. See the "creation science" movement. This stuff is bullshit. Everything does not have two sides. Science is what it is and it is not what it is not. I'm for gay marriage not because "science proves that homosexuality is blahblahblah," but because gay marriage is a social reality that deserves legal protection. Having it would be better for society and it would be more fair. I live in Iowa, where we DO have it, and I've yet to feel like my own marriage has changed at all. I'm not saying that science should not enter political debate but that we should not talk about social arrangements in a "scientifically" deterministic way. I am a straight married white guy because of the web of interactions between history, popular culture, education, family, and yes, biology where I live. Some of these things are choices, some aren't.
Rorty says we should talk about affiliations, not essentialist connections. Hitchens (wrong as he is about some things) says we need to understand morality as being rooted in "human solidarity." Some of this is evolution ans some of this is socio-political work. Not of it should be discussed as being biological. Ever.
Rantrantrantrantrantrant. Drinking beer while writing makes me think like this. (Hey, if you click the spell checker over "Rantrantrantrantrant," it offers "transubstantiation" as an alternative. There's a joke in there somewhere. I'm not sure at whose expense it is.)
Ayn Rand sucks by the way. Take that Greenspan.
In other news, I want to see Michelle Bachmann on T.V. as much as possible, if only because it makes me feel better about the South. It's not just us, apparently.
We've got the Joss Wheadon musical at home on DVD. I'm gonna take a break and hang out with lil' Davis and watch that in a little while. I've kinda managed not to get sucked into the Wheadon fan club until recently, but I've gotten sucked waaay in lately. Spagetti, whiskey, and Wheadon make for a good evening. I'm really looking forward to it.
If you took my view of the world and combined it with my particular cultural sensibilities and made a T.V. show starring hot girls, it would be "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." I've long been aware of it, but me and Davis just recently caught up to it. Parts of season 5 is as good as "the Wire" or "Deadwood." One episode in particular ("The Body") ranks with the best T.V./film/drama I've ever seen. Any of my homies reading this who haven't caught up with Buffy need to get with the program.
That's more than enough.
I'm starting to find myself a bit more within the field I'm in. I'm writing a paper about that actually. I want to connect the dots between science studies, postmodern feminist critique, and Marxism. And from THERE I want to criticize all the dumbass things people use "scientific" rhetoric to achieve. "Men are hunters so blahblahblah" etc. Yuk.
Seriously. People are indeed limited by the material resources they have, including biology, but don't make political opinions based the implications of half understood social science research. And don't pretend like politics are not intrensic to science. (Intrinsic politics are inevitable and subject to critique. Extrinsic politics are a blasphemy against everything principled people should stand for. See the Bush administration on Global Warming. See the "creation science" movement. This stuff is bullshit. Everything does not have two sides. Science is what it is and it is not what it is not. I'm for gay marriage not because "science proves that homosexuality is blahblahblah," but because gay marriage is a social reality that deserves legal protection. Having it would be better for society and it would be more fair. I live in Iowa, where we DO have it, and I've yet to feel like my own marriage has changed at all. I'm not saying that science should not enter political debate but that we should not talk about social arrangements in a "scientifically" deterministic way. I am a straight married white guy because of the web of interactions between history, popular culture, education, family, and yes, biology where I live. Some of these things are choices, some aren't.
Rorty says we should talk about affiliations, not essentialist connections. Hitchens (wrong as he is about some things) says we need to understand morality as being rooted in "human solidarity." Some of this is evolution ans some of this is socio-political work. Not of it should be discussed as being biological. Ever.
Rantrantrantrantrantrant. Drinking beer while writing makes me think like this. (Hey, if you click the spell checker over "Rantrantrantrantrant," it offers "transubstantiation" as an alternative. There's a joke in there somewhere. I'm not sure at whose expense it is.)
Ayn Rand sucks by the way. Take that Greenspan.
In other news, I want to see Michelle Bachmann on T.V. as much as possible, if only because it makes me feel better about the South. It's not just us, apparently.
We've got the Joss Wheadon musical at home on DVD. I'm gonna take a break and hang out with lil' Davis and watch that in a little while. I've kinda managed not to get sucked into the Wheadon fan club until recently, but I've gotten sucked waaay in lately. Spagetti, whiskey, and Wheadon make for a good evening. I'm really looking forward to it.
If you took my view of the world and combined it with my particular cultural sensibilities and made a T.V. show starring hot girls, it would be "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." I've long been aware of it, but me and Davis just recently caught up to it. Parts of season 5 is as good as "the Wire" or "Deadwood." One episode in particular ("The Body") ranks with the best T.V./film/drama I've ever seen. Any of my homies reading this who haven't caught up with Buffy need to get with the program.
That's more than enough.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Since Spring Break
Later on the same day that I published my last post, Jamie and I received some terrible news - that Jamie's cousin was killed. It is the first time some one so close to me unexpectedly died. It feels weird talking about such a personal thing in such a public way, but I think it's important for people who know us to know about. When we were visiting Georgia, it was really hard to talk about it and I'm sorry that I wasn't able to share more with everyone who we saw during the trip. Being terribly upset every day of your vacation sucks, so I tried to think and talk about it as little as I could. But I know some of you want to know details, so here are some links for you to follow to get the story:
First of all, here is a good way to get to know Kate - her blog where she kept up with family and friends while working as a Peace Corp volunteer in Benin, a French speaking country on the coast of Africa: http://beinginbenin.blogspot.com/ She was a wonderful writer. You should scroll down to the entry titled "Noises" first.
Here is the news story that Fox Atlanta did. It is a very sweet story. You can see the video also. Emilie took the footage of Kate teaching when she visited her last year. (for any non-techies, just click on the purple "Here" at the beginning of the paragraph).
Here is a wonderful blog story about Kate with excerpts from her blog and lots of lovely comments, some from her friends and family and other people who knew her. Plus it has a beautiful photo of her.
Here is a shorter blog that has lots of comments from people who knew Kate.
Here is the blog post on the official Peace Corp blog.
These posts don't cover the details of the event. We know that Kate died quietly in her sleep. She was sleeping on the porch of her house. There is an individual in custody.
I think I am ready to talk about it now. If anyone wants to know anything else or talk about it more, please call me. Thanks for letting me be silent about it for so long.
(By the way, the time is wrong for this post. It is 5 pm. I am not blogging at work. I am enjoying a cup of coffee at Cafe Deim and their web connection has been extremely wonky the whole time.)
First of all, here is a good way to get to know Kate - her blog where she kept up with family and friends while working as a Peace Corp volunteer in Benin, a French speaking country on the coast of Africa: http://beinginbenin.blogspot.com/ She was a wonderful writer. You should scroll down to the entry titled "Noises" first.
Here is the news story that Fox Atlanta did. It is a very sweet story. You can see the video also. Emilie took the footage of Kate teaching when she visited her last year. (for any non-techies, just click on the purple "Here" at the beginning of the paragraph).
Here is a wonderful blog story about Kate with excerpts from her blog and lots of lovely comments, some from her friends and family and other people who knew her. Plus it has a beautiful photo of her.
Here is a shorter blog that has lots of comments from people who knew Kate.
Here is the blog post on the official Peace Corp blog.
These posts don't cover the details of the event. We know that Kate died quietly in her sleep. She was sleeping on the porch of her house. There is an individual in custody.
I think I am ready to talk about it now. If anyone wants to know anything else or talk about it more, please call me. Thanks for letting me be silent about it for so long.
(By the way, the time is wrong for this post. It is 5 pm. I am not blogging at work. I am enjoying a cup of coffee at Cafe Deim and their web connection has been extremely wonky the whole time.)
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