All I Want Is Credit

Time Capsule

2010-09-28T00:01:52Z

Recently, my mom sent me a lot of stuff from when I was a kid. One is a journal from 20 years ago. Thursday is the 20th anniversary from when I began that journal. As a fun experiment, I will be posting my journal here on LJ, 20 years later.

Some background: this was me in the 8th grade. K-6, I went to private school. For 7th grade, my parents decided (for economic or social reasons?) that I should attend public school. I was still in touch with a lot of my old elementary school friends. Also, my parents had recently divorced. A friend of the family had begun renting a room in the house. Additionally, I was a weirdo who kept empty pickle jars on his desk. I don't remember why.

I will be making this FRIENDS ONLY, as there are some people mentioned in the journal who I'm friends with on FB. Not that I particularly care about still being their friend, but it seems unnecessary to upset someone for no reason. I don't talk a lot of shit about them, there's just a lot of honesty in this 13-year-old boy's journal. Not truth, but honest feelings.

Pottery Festival

2010-06-28T18:33:20Z

Saturday was my first official pottery show, where I had my own booth and everything. It was held at the Meier's Wine Cellars from 12-6, and it was a blast. Very very hot and very very fun.

I got there about 10, and my friend Lindsay helped me set up everything. I was under an awning, so I didn't need a tent. That saved me about 20 minutes of setup and take down time. Lindsay helped me price things, which is always a big help. It's so difficult to determine what you should change, unless you have seen enough pottery and prices. I had mostly mugs, which I knew people loved. No one buys big vases or decorative pieces. But the LOVE small stuff.

I was in a booth next to >Joel Blazer, a graphic artist. His wife and daughter were there, but it was so dang hot. I offered them some diet pepsi and some frozen rags, which they took me up on.

After I was all set up:

Patrick Dougherty was there, who was very instrumental in me moving forward with this field. He makes sinks and sconces mostly, but he had a lot of plates there. His friend came by and told me that Patrick wanted her to pick out a mug from my table! She bought 2 mugs and a chip & dip dish! Some more friends from the studio showed up, and one friend Chris bought a mug from me.

Not a whole lot of people showed up otherwise, though. This was about an hour or two into it:

My friends Alison and Lee came by and bought a mug and a bowl. My friend DJ came by and her husband bought a mug! I don't ever scoff at sales, but it wasn't until I sold a vase and a large mug to people I didn't know that I felt really good. The people who bought the vase had apparently talked to my wife 2 days before at the zoo! She showed up and chatted with them for a while, it was such an odd coincidence.

Toward the end, some things sold, but a bunch are still left:

The vase in the picture had a chip in it, and even at $5 no one wanted it so I gave it to a lady who was sitting down eating in front of me. The whole time I was there, Joel (the artist in the booth next to me) and I were bullshitting, it was a lot of fun. He invited me to be part of some art shows he's hosting soon, which I thought was great. I bought one of his paintings that was amazing. He ditched out a little early because no one was buying and it was getting just way too hot.

Overall, I'd say it was a success, but just because I sold to people I didn't already know, but also because it felt good to be an artist among artists. And for people to see you as one is very...encouraging. I made about $150, which is also encouraging!

horrible

2010-02-17T02:42:41Z

Everyone who went to see Valentine's Day: you're horrible people with no taste. Please get sterilized. /end transmission

Update: shit is good

2009-09-04T23:57:37Z

- My TV went out a few weeks ago. Turns out it's an issue HP knows about, was repairing up until 6 months ago, and now refuses to fix for me. Good news: a place in Indiana will repair the part of $122. Sending it off tomorrow!

- I've been making some fun stuff in pottery, some joined bowls. I'll post some photos when I get them all done, cuz I seem to curse the in-progress stuff by taking photos before they're DONE. I'm planning to submit them to the Student Art Show next month. We'll see...I'm really liking this stuff, and today I even threw 10 lbs of clay into a giant bowl. Will it work? WHO KNOWS. But to just center it and get a bowl out of it is a feat in itself.

- I got a rad winter jumpsuit, for taking the dog out on walks in the cold:
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/,50325_Carhartt-Quilt-Lined-Duck-Coveralls-For-Men.html
Yes it is warm, yes it fits wonderfully, and yes I LOVE IT. I plan to keep the heat off in the house and wear it every day of Winter. Every Winter forever.

How are you?

Holy crap this blows

2009-08-17T16:24:00Z

Do I only update when I'm unhappy? SIGH, sorry, I'll update more often, and post some of my pottery pics. It's been a fun Summer, and pretty mild weather-wise. The only bad part is NOW... I have POISON OAK.

In a frantic rush to complete gardening the backyard, I just weeded the HELL out of it early last week. In my mad rush, I either didn't notice the poison oak or it was just the oils leftover on branches. Either way, poison oak rash all over my legs and arms since last Wednesday.

This has to be one of the most horrible feelings ever. I'm getting ZERO sleep, and the itching feeling is so overwhelming at times. I've been taking scalding hot baths a few times a day, just to relieve the itching.

Finally today I'm seeing signs of the rash going away on my left leg, which is good since that's where I first saw it. Since I'm seeing small spots on my chest and belly appear in the past few days, I've figured that the weeding was where I got it, and my allergic level is rather low. It has taken a few days for them to appear, which is a good sign.

But yeah, it blows. When I'm not covered in lotion, I'm covered in either blinding itchiness or weeping wounds. It's my first time ever with poison oak, and I'm glad I didn't know I had it initially since I would have been FREAKING OUT early on. How are ya'll?

My trip to Columbus

2009-05-10T21:49:09Z

to be completed by July 1, 2010

2009-03-06T22:48:10Z

My list of projects to be completed by July 1, 2010:

~~get front tree trimmed~~**
~~clean out brush from backyard~~
find good place in basement for washer and dryer
balance washer
attach better dryer duct
patch wall behind phone
reroute phone cord
weatherproof front door
weatherproof side door
weatherproof back doors
weatherproof attic door
insulate attic*
repair attic window
clean gutters**
reroute southwest downspout
replace garage door locks
repair knobs in 1st floor
build window bench
grade yard by patio for drainage**
install back fence**
plant shrubs to cover fence
get chimney cleaned**
get flue damper replaced**
repair driveway**
install stove vent*

* big fucking project
** project someone else must perform

reallydeepman @ 2009-03-03T16:14:00

2009-03-03T21:26:28Z

Another day of free Chipotle! Wooo! Otherwise, this past week has been full of mug-making. I think out of the 12 I've made, 3 are pretty good. I think Thursday will be all about teapots.

reallydeepman @ 2009-03-01T22:40:00

2009-03-02T03:44:29Z

A fruitful weekend:
- Mostly ignored work
- Make 6 mugs, 1 plate, and 1 bowl (I didn't say they looked good, just that I made them)
- Went to a fun party with linda, though I didn't know anyone and spent a good chunk of that time drinking by myself
- Went to the gym
- Made some Rainbow Cake (it is OK, not good)

I was planning to do some stuff around the house, like some gutter work and door repair, but not this week. GH3 beckoned.

reallydeepman @ 2009-02-26T21:48:00

2009-02-27T03:06:12Z

No posts in over a month? how am I allowed to get away with such a thing. Hrm, how about some highlights:
- started taking pottery classes, and LOVE IT
- Linda has spent more days working or at the Cheetah cottage than at home
- to not go crazy, I've been volunteering at the pottery studio for their big conference. I've found that when I'm busy and tired and surrounded by fun people, I'm not depressed or lonely. go figure
- Got a PS3 and a new receiver that will accommodate HDMI inputs. go team
- spent last night partying longer than usual. I am too old for late parties and getting up early the next day
- Next major purchase - new drill and circular saw
- Next major house project - tree trimming

Did I leave anything out? BTW, if I haven't mentioned it before, this is what "work" is for my wife at the cheetah cottage: http://www.cheetahdays.com

reallydeepman @ 2009-01-14T16:36:00

2009-01-14T21:37:20Z

Cheetah Video!

reallydeepman @ 2009-01-13T06:36:00

2009-01-13T11:37:20Z

Can

2009-01-10T03:21:31Z

Can you see 3 deer?

Good

2009-01-07T17:37:05Z

Good nachos!

Gingerbread House is DONE

2008-12-27T05:35:31Z

Gingergread 1/48th scale model of my house

Attempt 1: Failure

2008-12-26T01:52:46Z

As with most of my first attempts, while they may be delicious, they are usually failures. Things I've learned for tomorrow:
1) Bake the gingerbread longer - this will make it not pliable at all
2) Use toothpicks to temporarily hold the walls up
3) Cut the shapes using the REVERSE of that patterns so the correct side faces outward

The good news is that everything fits together! WOOOO!

reallydeepman @ 2008-12-23T20:14:00

2008-12-24T01:17:19Z

I am in the process of making a gingerbread house of my new house.

Step 1: Make a model:

Step 2: Make a list of pieces.
Step 3: bake a crapload of gingerbread (Tomorrow!)

good/bad/ugly

2008-12-11T00:37:22Z

Good: Today has been busy, so time has flown by
Bad: got nothing done that really wanted to, just been putting out fires
Ugly: Today has been busy, and didn't get a chance to shower

OK, maybe it's more Smelly than Ugly. I made 94 cookies today for Linda's work. I ate .5 of a cookie. I'm trying to combine my love of baking with my love of inflicting pain on myself. Yesterday I made a homemade gingerbread house, and ate NONE of it. Linda got home, had a taste of chimney. Then she let me smash it and throw it all away.

Weekend of FUN

2008-12-09T18:59:51Z

FRIDAY:
After working a fun day, dreading training someone across the Earth from me, my wifey and I had plans to go to dinner with our real estate agent who got us into our recently-purchased house. We were half-dreading this dinner -- she's certainly a character and she has some great stories, but it's so horrible watching her eat. We thought of it more like 3D Dinner Theatre, since food regularly flies from her mouth. We went to The Phoenix and had a pretty good meal. She told some depressing stories, and some fun ones. The whole restaurant had artwork from local artist Michael Scott, and our particular room had a large painting of a nude woman standing at a fireplace with only a mask and knee high boots on. FANTASTIC.

SATURDAY:
And then it began snowing. We had laundry to do, so we played Quiddler at the laundromat, then went to the crazy-packed grocery store. Good times. We figured we would reward ourselves by going to dinner that night, and invited our new friend Heather for some sushi at The Green Papaya. Afterward we went to The Pub for beer and desserts. It was a lot of fun, it's good to know that I haven't lost that ability to be around people.

SUNDAY:
Worked. Baked cookies. Generally lazy. It was a nice day.

And now on Tuesday, I find out that the washer and dryer that was supposed to arrive today will not arrive until... well they don't know. They're backordered. GREAT.

So much time, so little posting

2008-11-24T15:49:50Z

What's up nerds. I figured I'd post an update amid the frantic cleaning for Thanksgiving and the mind-numbing work I need to do.

Friday I made some more pumpkin bread, and then went to a late dinner with some friends. When we came back, Mugsy had worked out how to move and climb onto the kitchen stool, onto the counter, pull a WHOLE LOAF onto the floor, and eat it. He only got halfway through it, and was kind enough to eat out of the tin. But for the next 5 hours, we was all sugared up. As a neighbor said later, "A very 'Mugsy' thing to do."

Saturday I tore a hole in my wall. The hallway phone shelf needed a way to get our modern phone in there as well as POWER. The other side of the wall is in the basement, so I hammered away. The good news is that the phone shelf looks rad. The bad news is that I'm not very happy with the progress on the hole in the wall. And for those who know me, if I'm not happy with a project, I start over. SIGH. Later on Saturday night we went to Emanu, an Ethiopian restaurant a few blocks away. After an hour or so wait for our food, IT WAS DELICIOUS. Linda said that eating the lentils reminded her of Africa, so I know she loved it.

OH! So I have 2 stories:
Last weekend, we went to Molly Malone's to get a drink and to hang out with some friends. A friend of ours is the bartender there, so it's fun to bug him at work. When we got there, a couple in their late 50s came over to talk to us. The husband, who looked almost exactly like a shaved Brian Posehn , was talking to Linda. The wife, who had the spikey short hair of Susan Powter, was talking to me. It took all of 5 seconds to realize they were swingers, though I was unsure if they wanted Linda and me. After an HOUR of their BS, they left the bar.

At Emanu, we're sitting at the table and I glance over to my right to see the spike hair and the dopey guy. So I give Linda my "something is horrible" eye movements, but she's not getting it. So I say, "If I were to go to the park, and I didn't want to play on the jungle gym or the slide, or the teeter-totter, I would play on..." She said, "Uh, the swings?" Then she got it. They left after a little bit, and they certainly didn't recognize us.

Sunday, I did some repair work on the hole, but it doesn't look right. I worked a bit, and we started hanging the masks and pictures and stuff. Getting things ready for Thanksgiving.

That's about it here.

What did yall do?

reallydeepman @ 2008-11-20T18:15:00

2008-11-20T23:15:44Z

Pirate Fresh

2008-11-11T01:39:16Z

This weekend, I worked far less than I needed to, but I felt very productive with my LIFE. I got the computer upstairs set up with a wireless connection, got a great deal on bedsheets, and picked out some great bedroom and dining room furniture. The competing truths of "I have a shitload of work to do" and "I really need to sort out my life" seemed to balance well. I needed some life-sorting this weekend, and I made sure to do that...and bake some more pumpkin bread. I think I've embodied the idea of FOCUS ON THE REAL TRUTH.

I've also found my collection of air-fresheners, and instead of tote them around everywhere or lock them up, I think I'll use them and save them. This week is a skull and crossbones. MMMMMM.

Week 2: See The Obvious
#16: "Only the most foolish of mice would hide in a cat's ear," says designer Scott Love, "but only the wisest of cats would think to look there." Don't miss the obvious. What are you overlooking? What's the most obvious think you can do? What resources and solutions are right in front of you?

Whacking off

2008-11-03T16:22:31Z

Week 1: Focus on the Real Truth
#38: Two men went to a Sufi court to settle a dispute. After the plaintiff made his case, the judge said, "That's right." Then the defendant made his case, and again the judge said, "That's right." At this, the clerk of court exclaimed, "They both can't be right!" The judge replied, "That's right."

Moral: truth is all around us. What matters is where you put your focus. What's really important? Where should your focus be?

*This is my attempt to head off any crazy frustration with crunch-work-time. Using my Covey, using the Creative Whack Pack, and doing this all BEFORE I lose my mind. I'll be pulling one card a week, and attempting to implement its philosophies. To all those people who think this is dumb corporate BS, you are TOTALLY RIGHT. I hate this shit. However, I can't hate this particular shit until I try it.

Moving funnies

2008-10-27T17:26:28Z

I jotted down some notes of funny things that happened this past 10 days:
- motivational cards in desk
My basement office has a red desk, and in that desk was a bunch of junk. One such item of junkitude was the Creative Whack Pack. "Think outside the box!" are some of its helpful suggestions. AWESOME.

- hannah montana box
Since my wife and I are ultra cheap, we tried to find as many free moving boxes. One such box has been decorated by a small girl who apparently loved Hannah Montana. Such a loved box.

- power turned off
The day we closed, the previous owner told is that the power folks would be out at around 2:30 PM. Turns out, he didn't mean that they would read the meter. He meant they would shut off the power. Luckily, we were able to get the power back on the next day. Just another reason I'm glad I don't have to deal with him ANYMORE.

- crazy guy on day 0
After unloading all of our boxes and furniture into the home, an older guy with a cane walks up to us from down the street.
ME "Hi I'm Tony. My wife and I just moved in today."
HIM "Oh! Welcome! I see they got rid of the fallen tree."
ME "Yes, they did. Glad I wasn't here when that fell."
HIM "You know Bill down the street? He's cutting up trees right now!"
ME "I just moved in today."
HIM "Yeah, he has to cut them all up. Using them for firewood I guess."
ME "Great!"
HIM (points to cat on the sidewalk) "Do you know whose cat that is? I see it around all the time."
ME (SIGH) "Nope, just moved in..."
HIM "Yeah, it follows me!"
ME "Crazy cat. We'll it was nice talking with you. Have a nice day!" (while walking quickly to the house)

- voorhies funeral home
Linda chuckles every time we pull into our street, because the Funeral Home is names Vorhies, which of course reminds her of Jason. She's so fucking dark.

- broken bottle
My only regret from this move is breaking a bottle. I broke the fancy "dijon ketchup" that Linda bought me 8 years ago as a joke on If I had $1000000.

- blueprints
For all his royal dickness, the previous owner did leave some cool stuff. He left the original blueprints to the house from 90 years ago. When I can, I'll try to get them restored and framed. They're friggin cool.

Everything fits in the box

2008-10-20T01:00:50Z

Almost the end to a long weekend of packing...I spent all of today packing up the kitchen. All the appliances, dishes, booze, and more booze has been boxed up finally. I hadn't realized it, bit we really were outgrowing this 2-fam house. Boxes are everywhere, just waiting to go to their new homes, homes.

Things to do:
Sun night - finish kitchen, pack bathroom
Monday - Final walk-through of house, pack computer stuff
Tuesday - Close on house, get uhaul, pack all my stuff into Uhaul
Wednesday - take dog to groomers (clip those nails!), move into new house, get cable/phone/internet hooked up
Thursday - clean old house (she is NOT keeping that deposit!)

Anyone have "new house advice"? I'm feeling tired but also a bit melancholy; feels like buyer's remorse. But I think I just want it to be Friday already.

To give you an idea of the hassle the seller has put me through, his latest and greatest is stating that he will NOT pay commission on the $400 for the warranty. For those of you with math skills, that's 3% of $400 = $12. That's right - he's arguing over $12.

UPDATE: I did not finish the kitchen or pack the bathroom, as I realized I forgot to print out ALL the documents for the closing and organize them in a binder along with a disk for the docs. SIGH. If only my pug could pack instead to make me trip and fall while carrying heavy boxes.