December 30th, 2010
I do not write regularly in my journal… I see no reason why I should. I see no reason why any one should have the slightest sense of duty in such a matter.
—Occupant of The Hall Bedroom
— Year of 2010 workout totals: Swim-35; Bike-40; Powerwalk-3; Run-0; Lift-0; Pilates-0; Lupus Drills-0
— There is no good justification for having any of these annual numbers come in under 48. I managed to preserve some level of basic fitness this year, thanks only to continued pool access and my fondness for being on a bicycle, but I can’t kid myself—if I don’t reverse this slow decline in vigorous activity, I shall pay a price over time, and it will be a price I can’t afford. My hope for 2011: a new momentum of exercise that will result in a more balanced routine, with 7-10 pounds of weight loss by my birthday.
— The best exhibitions I’ve experienced this year? The ones that occur to me now are the Surrealism show at the Cincinnati Art Museum, the California Impressionists show at the Dayton Art Institute, and the Collage show at Northern Kentucky University. I shall not soon forget seeing my first original Schwitters collage or Cornell box. I am challenged to learn more about Louise Nevelson, Hannah Höch, Alfred Mitchell, William Wendt, Percy Gray, Matthew Rose, David Wallace, Cecil Touchon Janet Jones, Dennis Parlante, and Stephanie Dalton Cowan.
— One of these days I’ll start to fully comprehend what mobile technologies portend for my creative work style. Believe it or not, I still don’t know what to make of these changes in communications. They seem to be touching everything, even my annual experience at Barefoot’s Resort. Being able to have a MacBook Pro and access to a wireless broadband connection changes everything about staying on top of project priorities while out of the studio. Bullets showed me his Kindle and I liked it. I didn’t expect to. Everybody around me seems to have an iPhone. How can I stay abreast? How can I hope to remain a communication designer amid all these transformations?
— Dana’s blunder with the non-existent gas line sent me into a bit of a tailspin, until I realized that tearing apart my work space in the basement would probably result in a better situation after the dust settled. Lesson: disruptions can be opportunities. I need to embrace change more, as I used to do. Look at how Dana has taken on a new discipline with Bruce’s in-home dialysis. We all tend to make room for what we consider the most important things, and that includes procrastination.
— Very well . . . here I am at the close of another year. I can’t change a single thing about the past. In hindsight, the preceding weeks look like some type of malaise. Not that there haven’t been a few highlights, such as the Safariland Doe with my solo harvest at Blue Bank Farm, or the recent push to restore our conference room, but overall it has been a dismal quarter. Enough with the negative. I have the new-year opportunity to shake off the “humbug” and get it together. There’s always the historically strong motivator of Resolutions, to reboot my priorities and catalyze a new momentum that would carry me toward my 60th birthday in 16 months. Time to plot a systematic, gradient escalation to full engagement— physically and mentally —to balance professional, financial, and artistic activity. Reclaim it!
V & S
Posted in Art, Birthdays, Blogging, Bruce, Dana, Exercise, Fiction, Home, Hunting, Personalities, Priorities, Studio, Technology, Time, Words | No Comments »
December 27th, 2010
I need to do another entry about VT, now that my direct work with a therapist is over. I should have kept up a more regular account, since now it will be more difficult to reconstruct a coherent record of the experience. I was thinking about how, after a rough session, I had what seemed to be a moment of broad clarity. For me, these occurrences consist of distinct interconnections and apparent cause/effect relationships with respect to aspects of life not previously associated in my thinking. Sometimes these connections fade to the point where the entire insight can be called into question, and I’m left with a vague sense that my inner mental acuity is as unreliable as my memory. This time it was an electric thought that perhaps my vision dysfunction was directly related to a latent but powerful level of stress that has derived from my creativity having been held up to the continual scrutiny and subjective evaluation of others. “Well, of course,” one might say. How can one become a mature creative person, much less a professional resource, if one doesn’t learn to cope with either the legitimate opinions or capricious expectations of others? And so it becomes a matter of attitude or inner posture. If the inherent tension is not successfully mitigated at an unconscious level, it’s quite possible that there will be corrosive influences and negative consequences in the organism. I was left with a brief, troubling notion that “most of my creative life has been wasted,” because I hadn’t nourished a stance optimally detached from any sanction or disapproval from others. Has the failure to properly offset personal fulfillment with the satisfaction of others created a fundamental contradiction at the heart of what I do that induces and maintains deep internal stress? Am I the kind of individual with such a basic urge to follow my artistic impulse that a life of constraint based on the anticipation of external judgment has resulted in some form of rebellion by my body, mind, or spirit? And, if so, what in heaven’s name can be done about it now?
Posted in Angst, Art, Creativity, Psychology, Vision | Comments Closed
November 3rd, 2010
I’ve come too far to believe that politicians can actually solve problems. Elections are about a periodic effort to calibrate the degree to which they inevitably fuck things up.
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October 16th, 2010
You know that fleshy web at the base of a thumb? Don’t let that overlap the edge of a paint can when you whale away with a hammer to close the can.
Of course, the saving grace is realizing that I can never injure my good hand when I periodically foul up with a hammer.
I’m such a genius after the fact . . .
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October 11th, 2010
While at the World Equestrian Games, a
lady gave me a dirty look when I tried to
invite her interest in my art and design . . .
as she walked through THE BLOODY TRADE SHOW!
Posted in Art, Business, Studio | Comments Closed
September 29th, 2010
I highly recommend this Kingsley “trifecta” for your viewing pleasure:
1) House of Sand and Fog with Jennifer Connelly
2) Elegy with Penélope Cruz
3) You Kill Me with Téa Leoni
Posted in Movies, Personalities | No Comments »
August 27th, 2010
Teachers and school boards should embrace comic books and graphic novels as a “gateway” literature, helping children transition towards more complex narratives and helping boys catch up with girls in reading achievement, according to a new study.
—Giuseppe Valiante, Postmedia News
I was thinking it might be about time to add another entry about “The Legend” to this neglected series, but then Joan passed along a link from the Vancouver Sun that forced me to ask a question: Were comics a key aspect of my own progress toward literacy?
It’s gettin’ kinda hazy, but I recall being heavily into the Hardy Boys as a pre-teen, and comic books were a treat, like the Saturday morning “Treasure Chest.” (Remember Chuck White, or This Godless Communism?“) As readers, we used to add little summary cards to our handmade “books pocket” —until junior high years and the move to Tipp City, and then the comics craze struck with a vengeance. We even managed to scrounge funds for subscriptions! (Jimmy Olsen? What were we thinking?) I recall few youthful activities as pleasurable as absconding with an “80-Page Giant” of Bob Kane Batman stories after school (on a day that I’d made a midday trip to “Jointer’s” lunch counter). DC reigned supreme, but we still liked Casper, Wendy, and Hot Stuff, too. We couldn’t get our fill, so we hunkered down with Superman whenever we made a visit to Pam and Lottie’s. “Superman Red and Superman Blue” was the pinnacle experience. Sadly, for me, everything was downhill from there. And when someone let that litter of kittens make a stink of our comics box, the era came to a ignominious close. I moved on to Edgar Rice Burroughs, Jules Verne, and Raphael Sabatini.
Should I be marked down as a statistic?
Oldenday…
Posted in Education, Family, Fiction, Joan, Personalities, Pets, Priorities | No Comments »
July 31st, 2010
If you look closely, that’s the Graybeard Prospector doing a jig around the campsite with his Medicine Woman, cackling, “Paydirt! Paydirt!” Who thought that an old shaft, long thought to be played out, would cough up a hefty nugget when it was least expected? As soon as all the Dosey Doe-ing winds down, it will be time to commence toting sacks of ore into town. And it’s fair to say that the big strike couldn’t have come at a better time.
“Yee-hah!”
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June 27th, 2010
• Bullets that penetrate human bodies never shatter bones, cause severe shock, or sever a major blood vessel, except if fired from small-caliber weapons toward bad guys at a great distance, in which case the result is sudden and certain death.
• When the protagonist notices any tool or object in the vicinity (at times it’s only necessary for the audience to see it), surely he or she will use it within minutes to survive a near-death crisis.
• At the moment of climax, a villain never fails to indulge the need for a soliloquy or dramatic pause, giving our hero enough time to avert what could have been a curt, straightforward confirmation of inevitable death.
Posted in Death, Movies | No Comments »
May 2nd, 2010
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April 2nd, 2010
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March 31st, 2010
March Exercise V —day thirty-one— Finis.
Today’s sight bite— Dana —c-l-i-c-k— on her feet again!
Previously on M-Ex— Victory! (3/31/07)
Tomorrow— Walie turns twelve . . .
Posted in Dana, Gratitude, Pets | Comments Closed
March 30th, 2010
March Exercise V —day thirty— Dana was still down for the count, as I spent most of my day with the roofing crew. I tore off the deteriorating veneer which covered the exterior of the front dormer and discovered original stucco matching the Tudor-style gables. It was a pleasant discovery that took the edge off a somewhat stressful day. After today, I know what to expect as the dudes move from the garage to the Town House. This work should provide a significant visual transformation.
Today’s sight bite— Don’t bend over. No. NO! —c-l-i-c-k— a roofer’s major crevasse that makes any plumber look like a lightweight.
Previously on M-Ex— An illustration and an excavation. (3/30/09)
Tomorrow— A try for thirty miles on two wheels . . .
Posted in Dana, Home | Comments Closed
March 29th, 2010
March Exercise V —day twenty-nine— I had my eleventh session at the eye center with a substitute therapist, and she gave me a “Brock String,” a simple but powerful tool for binocular training that improves accommodative (focusing) and vergence (aiming) skills. Dana was gone most of the day on an EKU campus visit with Marty. When they returned, he was excited to report that he liked the school and would do everything he could to get enrolled for the fall term. Dana, who hadn’t been feeling particularly well over the weekend, took a turn for the worse after too much outdoor exposure while touring the facilities.
Today’s sight bite— Bold shapes of red, white, and black —c-l-i-c-k— as symbolic abstractions challenge my perceptions.
Previously on M-Ex— At the home stretch, I get good news. (3/29/07)
Tomorrow— The roofing crew is due at the Town House . . .
Posted in Dana, Education, Family, Marty, Studio, Vision | Comments Closed
March 28th, 2010
March Exercise V —day twenty-eight— The early group ride was rained out, so my morning moved at a slower pace than I was expecting. I began to get the sense that the regimen had lost its momentum. This impression soon gave way to a more accurate assessment. So many of the desired habits of thought and focus have been internalized to the point that I no longer sustain the perception of an imposed discipline. This is a good development. It was never about a progression of time, was it? I’m prepared to think that I’ve reached a successful conclusion to the exercise a few days ahead of schedule, but why not make the most of the month’s remainder?
Today’s sight bite— Black soil under an overcast sky —c-l-i-c-k— sprinkled with grass seed until the fork hoe has its say.
Previously on M-Ex— A bad habit can die a hard death. (3/28/06)
Tomorrow— More vision therapy . . .
Posted in Priorities, Psychology, Time | Comments Closed
March 27th, 2010
March Exercise V —day twenty-seven— Nothing could feel finer than the cool air under a warm sun, deep in conversation with my grandson, applying the seasonal mindset to some scheduled yard work. Yesterday I paused in my town walk to chat with the nurseryman from Harrodsburg who provided the library’s new landscaping. We shared our pleasure at the coming of spring, and I silently contemplated how fortunate he was to spend most of his time out of doors. Today I savored a few hours in his lifestyle and then logged a 16-miler on Hakkoch in the late light. It’s a wonder to be part of everything coming fully alive again, and this realization proves that all my fathers still exist within me.
Today’s sight bite— Tulip shoots, lilac buds, and jonquil brigades —c-l-i-c-k— March is going out like a lamb!
Previously on M-Ex— Endeavor to persevere . . . (3/27/07)
Tomorrow— More than one Sunday can possibly accommodate . . .
Posted in Awe, Dadbo, Exercise, Family, Marty, Nature | Comments Closed
March 26th, 2010
March Exercise V —day twenty-six— While spending hours alone in the studio, there’s probably nothing better than the framework of a March discipline to put things into perspective, because the backdrop of inexorable dependencies are certain to impinge upon the solitude of the day, and, eventually, they do. One can’t help but imagine another type of life, but that’s a pointless distraction. This is my ship, and, with the Creator’s guidance, I shall sail her as best I can.
Today’s sight bite— Globules of amber, blue-violet, and magenta —c-l-i-c-k— as late sunlight projects a pattern of Time Zippy against the rotunda’s white interior.
Previously on M-Ex— Uncle Joe’s final ordeal is at hand. (3/26/06)
Tomorrow— A spring weekend begins!
Posted in Angst, Family, Psychology, Studio | Comments Closed
March 25th, 2010
March Exercise V —day twenty-five— I continued to have difficulty with my “phantom thumb” exercise, so I called Mary Ellen to consult. She told me to just set it aside for now and not to fret about it. I suddenly realized how many other things I’d allowed myself to make an object of daily worry, pondering the connection between stress and vision problems. It seemed a good time to walk over to the Community Art Center with Dana and tour the dinosaur exhibit. We saw Nathan M and he offered to provide us the list of economic development conferees. Later, I sipped a cold Leinenkugel and watched the Wildcats secure their spot in the “elite 8.”
Today’s sight bite— Phosphorescent streaks and random geometric perfections —c-l-i-c-k— convincing me that exotic minerals are more fascinating to my current imagination than extinct reptiles.
Previously on M-Ex— It’s a madhouse! (3/25/07)
Tomorrow— Flying solo in the studio . . .
Posted in Angst, Business, Dana, Nature, Sport, Television, Vision | Comments Closed
March 24th, 2010
March Exercise V —day twenty-four— I was burnt toast after my 22-miler tonight, making me painfully conscious of my sedentary occupation. But it’s March, when my bicycle legs are rudely punished until I can take 30 miles in stride, with a couple of knobs thrown in for good measure.
Today’s sight bite— Was that the familiar green and brown bag? —c-l-i-c-k— In the ditch? There’s another one! —c-l-i-c-k— My package design for livestock feed appearing as a huge item of roadside litter reminds me that I have chosen to spend much of my life creating trivial ephemera.
Previously on M-Ex— Conservation of energy—more secrets are revealed through focused awareness. (3/24/06)
Tomorrow— Dinosaurs!
Posted in Angst, Business, Environment, Exercise, Trivia | Comments Closed
March 23rd, 2010
March Exercise V —day twenty-three— Sometimes a book will accidentally get shoved behind the others on a shelf, and that’s what happened to my copy of “High Performance Health” by John Yiamouyiannis. Thinking it was long lost, I discovered it was only hidden. After a bit of skimming, it didn’t take me much time to remember that he’d outlined one of the best, most practical anti-cancer regimens I’d ever read. Ironically, “Dr. Y” died of cancer in 2000, and he was about my age. I’d lost touch with him in the 90s and, needless to say, I was stunned at the news of his demise. I can only conclude that he became so tirelessly devoted to his crusade that he neglected his own program. The other possibility is that he was covertly murdered, which wouldn’t be impossible for me to comprehend, given the powerful enemies he made over decades of bitter lawsuits and uncompromising activism. I can’t help but wonder what he’d think of the sweeping federal legislation just signed.
Today’s sight bite— The initial shock of the garish turf —c-l-i-c-k— as I first set my eyes on Centre’s all-synthetic football surface.
Previously on M-Ex— The Muse comes through for me. (3/23/06)
Tomorrow— Local cyclists gather for a group ride…
Posted in Current Events, Death, Nonfiction, Personalities, Political Affairs, Public Service | Comments Closed
March 22nd, 2010
March Exercise V —day twenty-two— After my tenth round of vision therapy, the balance of the day felt like a refutation of the popular fallacy called “multitasking.” I had little tolerance for more than one activity, train of thought, or sensory stimulus at a time. I accept that one is responsible for one’s own serenity, but there are times when I think that peace and quiet are the scarcest commodities. Tonight is one of those times, after having found a kindred spirit in the author of this remarkable blog. Two years ago she posted a picture of a Minnesota scene identical to the one I viewed from the Bluegrass Parkway this morning.
Today’s sight bite— Twin silos against an amber-pink burst of luminosity —c-l-i-c-k— as day breaks over a landscape carved by the Kentucky River.
Previously on M-Ex— March is for going a little bit “kook.” (3/22/07)
Tomorrow— Executing fleet graphics for a client…
Posted in Angst, Blogging, Nature | Comments Closed
March 21st, 2010
March Exercise V —day twenty-one— After Dana fixed Marty and me a delicious pancake breakfast, I set out on Hakkoch for my first bike workout of the year. Near the edge of town I stopped at Jay and Glenda’s for a surprise inspection before heading out to Chrisman Lane, one of my favorite riding roads. I was thinking about the recent death of Winston and that Walie was the only Yorkie remaining in the Clan. She’ll turn twelve on April Fool’s Day. I rode about 15.5 miles and was ready to arrive home. I’ve got some serious work to do if I hope to complete a 100-miler in May. Joan and Mombo stopped by as part of their ongoing mattress research. I heard Joan tell Walie she knew what it felt like to be a widow.
Today’s scent bite— The glorious agricultural stench of a spreader’s output —s-n-i-f-f— with pastoral recollections of Studebakers, Browns, and Silknetters all rolled into one.
Previously on M-Ex— This is about as heavily into the experiment as one can get. (3/21/06)
Tomorrow— Pedal to the metal…
Posted in Dana, Death, Exercise, Family, Home, Jay, Joan, Marty, Mombo, Pets | Comments Closed
