Taking advantage of my first short work day. Dropped off a bill at the City building, got home around 3:30, went to the bathroom (because the office toilet is out of service), did dishes, shoveled some of the snow that keeps piling on while Aldy played in the edible landscape, did a load of laundry, cleaned/organized our "art" room, talked to my mom, and just started a homemade pizza dinner...
Effing amazing.
February 9, 2010
February 8, 2010
Work less, not work-less
So, to make a long explanation, well, nonexistent, I'll say that my company has been forced to cut hours across the board, at least temporarily. Fortunately for me my employers opted for less hours than less pay per hour--the latter choice would have sent me into blind rage.
To be honest, this could work out very well for me. I'm only missing one day a week and able to keep my benefits, which I might not even need after the baby is born. I get a day off which will be devoted to my personal life which, you know by now, is much more valuable to me than the wage I make. It is supposed to be a temporary situation, but I have already posited that the new schedule could be beneficial to me as a permanent solution in that it could mitigate the cost of daycare once our baby is born. Instead of working to pay for daycare, I'd be daycare for at least a day... Not sure if my boss will buy into it once finances start picking back up, but I think I'll be sticking by that option.
Anyway, I'm not stressed, just a little weirded out, if not partially relieved that something really bad was avoided...
To be honest, this could work out very well for me. I'm only missing one day a week and able to keep my benefits, which I might not even need after the baby is born. I get a day off which will be devoted to my personal life which, you know by now, is much more valuable to me than the wage I make. It is supposed to be a temporary situation, but I have already posited that the new schedule could be beneficial to me as a permanent solution in that it could mitigate the cost of daycare once our baby is born. Instead of working to pay for daycare, I'd be daycare for at least a day... Not sure if my boss will buy into it once finances start picking back up, but I think I'll be sticking by that option.
Anyway, I'm not stressed, just a little weirded out, if not partially relieved that something really bad was avoided...
Boom: David LaSpina
Wow! I just spotted an old friend featured on art blog BOOOOOOOM! today: David La Spina .
Check it:
David was a senior when I was a high school freshman. He and his close friends were always cool to me, invited me to parties and drove me around. Anyway, his friendship meant a ton to me and helped me through that awkward first year at school. I've mostly lost touch with David, except through facebook, and I sent him a message to congratulate him on his feature... though I'm sure he's received much greater recognition for his work... seeing as he is now a regular contributor to the NYTimes... sweet.
David's website HERE
Check it:
February 7, 2010
Weekend
Went to the kickstand ramp today and was braced to drop five bucks to skate. Instead of that, I showed up as the first skater of the day, with 2 people chillin at the bar. I signed myself in, volunteered to sweep the ramp, drank some water, then joined a conversation about having babies. After the crew learned that my first child was due in April, I got an earful of stories about delivery room happenings. After a little while I snuck away and skated. Landed a couple small but new tricks. No charge so I bought a beer.
Got home, installed one of two sets of blinds (this one for Baby's room), and am getting ready for some Super Bowl snacks...
--
Beside the crazy winter storm that blew through (after dropping somewhere are 10 inches on Friday night), my sister and her husband came to spend the night and that was so great. The snow inhibited most of the fun I expected to have, but we had what I consider a great time just hangin out and catchin up... Happy Birthday Amanda!
Got home, installed one of two sets of blinds (this one for Baby's room), and am getting ready for some Super Bowl snacks...
--
Beside the crazy winter storm that blew through (after dropping somewhere are 10 inches on Friday night), my sister and her husband came to spend the night and that was so great. The snow inhibited most of the fun I expected to have, but we had what I consider a great time just hangin out and catchin up... Happy Birthday Amanda!
February 5, 2010
The Winter Chill
So, it's February and this afternoon Ohio expects to be dumped on for Round 2 of "Winter". I've done a great job of ignoring the garden since last fall. I was even able to ignore the lettuce heads that were struggling to live in my half-assed cold frame made of 2 x 4s and a piece of glass from a picture frame.
Anyway, I finally broke open our seed catalog and did a little bit of internet shopping. No buying. "Just looking" as you would say to that stalker of a store clerk haunting you around the shop. I've got a few plans brewing and figured I might as well dust off this virtual journal to share with nobody.
First, I plan on building a few raised beds. They're gonna look great too. I hope. Not sure what's going in them...
Also, zucchini is going in the front yard this year. I had enough problems with vine borers last year. Eff that. And I'm using whatever kind of organic pesticide I can find too. I was pissed about not having any homegrown zucch' last summer.
Pea trellises are going to be 5, maybe 6 feet tall. And that ish isn't going to fall over. And we're going to plant a ton, and freeze most of it.
As for the sunken patio, I need to put some sort of retaining apparatus around the surrounding garden beds. This is a crazy challenge. My first thought is to get some sort of metal or plastic edging. My second thought, pour and shape my own concrete wall... Not sure which is the better choice. Currently we have tiny bricks out there, but they can't hold back anything, especially dirt being washed away by rain.
Our indoor mint plant has been surviving, albeit stressed by cool nighttime temps and lack of direct sunlight. It has been getting super lanky just trying to find a good beam of photons.
Anyway, I finally broke open our seed catalog and did a little bit of internet shopping. No buying. "Just looking" as you would say to that stalker of a store clerk haunting you around the shop. I've got a few plans brewing and figured I might as well dust off this virtual journal to share with nobody.
First, I plan on building a few raised beds. They're gonna look great too. I hope. Not sure what's going in them...
Also, zucchini is going in the front yard this year. I had enough problems with vine borers last year. Eff that. And I'm using whatever kind of organic pesticide I can find too. I was pissed about not having any homegrown zucch' last summer.
Pea trellises are going to be 5, maybe 6 feet tall. And that ish isn't going to fall over. And we're going to plant a ton, and freeze most of it.
As for the sunken patio, I need to put some sort of retaining apparatus around the surrounding garden beds. This is a crazy challenge. My first thought is to get some sort of metal or plastic edging. My second thought, pour and shape my own concrete wall... Not sure which is the better choice. Currently we have tiny bricks out there, but they can't hold back anything, especially dirt being washed away by rain.
Our indoor mint plant has been surviving, albeit stressed by cool nighttime temps and lack of direct sunlight. It has been getting super lanky just trying to find a good beam of photons.
February 4, 2010
February 2, 2010
Clear head
I woke up today and feel okay about paying $5 to skate an indoor mini ramp. It's all good !
February 1, 2010
Kickstand Ramp: now charging
Today on Facebook I saw that Kickstand Pub was starting to charge $5 to skate their mini ramp. That's all I know--no idea what the exact reason is, who is affected, but I'm assuming the worst and I'm really disappointed. It's been open for 3 weeks, with no fee; why start now?
Once you start charging admission to skate, it's about business, not fun. Well, it is about fun--for the people who have connections and get to skate for free. After attendance starts dropping (which I expect), I won't be surprised if 90% of the people who are skating at any given time are people who aren't paying to skate (or drink for that matter). But for someone like me, to them, it's about money. I mean, if I can stop and reason for a second, I can ask myself why shouldn't I pay? It would be like buying a share in something of which I could have only dreamed, taking ownership and responsibility, like a food co-op. Perhaps the problem is that yesterday when I was there to skate, 8 out of 10 skaters were underage. Unfortunately Kickstand doesn't sell food, so at best they are only collecting money for beer from those over 21. For minors, not even that. And then you are only profiting on the mark-up of the beer. Either way, I would guess that their attendance on Sundays and Mondays has doubled or tripled (which doesn't paint an accurate picture, if you consider who is drinking and who isn't). Should they just charge minors that aren't going to be patrons? Aside from that issue, they are attracting new patrons who--because of the ramp--are establishing loyalties to the bar and, thus, a future patronage. In essence, the ramp could be looked at as an investment in more, future patrons. Think of the ramp like every one of Kickstand's 10 flat-screen TVs... but cheaper. I'm guessing about that number, but let's say each one is $550. Times 10. $5500. Plus the cost of cable. Consider the fact that of the 20 people in the bar at 5:00pm yesterday, 10 were there to skate.
But the fee they're charging isn't to pay for the ramp or its upkeep; there are ways around that: namely, sponsorships in the form of banners or stickers on or around the ramp (currently, they have one giant logo for a Harley Davidson dealership right in the middle). I bet you it's because they didn't realize that the paint was going to chip so bad and that they are going to have to resurface it again, and again, and again; and maybe they can't find sponsors. Bummer.
Maybe I'm just pissed it's going to be a choice between drinking a beer and skating. In past weeks, I would drop $6 for a beer and tip, maybe $12. Now, they are getting $5. Ok, so maybe I stop drinking the Sunday afternoon beers I've started to enjoy. Or just drink a beer at home. I can buy a six pack for less than they charge for 2 pints. I guess that will save me a good bit of money after all. Thanks Kickstand.
Thoughts?
--
Alden says "Hi."
Once you start charging admission to skate, it's about business, not fun. Well, it is about fun--for the people who have connections and get to skate for free. After attendance starts dropping (which I expect), I won't be surprised if 90% of the people who are skating at any given time are people who aren't paying to skate (or drink for that matter). But for someone like me, to them, it's about money. I mean, if I can stop and reason for a second, I can ask myself why shouldn't I pay? It would be like buying a share in something of which I could have only dreamed, taking ownership and responsibility, like a food co-op. Perhaps the problem is that yesterday when I was there to skate, 8 out of 10 skaters were underage. Unfortunately Kickstand doesn't sell food, so at best they are only collecting money for beer from those over 21. For minors, not even that. And then you are only profiting on the mark-up of the beer. Either way, I would guess that their attendance on Sundays and Mondays has doubled or tripled (which doesn't paint an accurate picture, if you consider who is drinking and who isn't). Should they just charge minors that aren't going to be patrons? Aside from that issue, they are attracting new patrons who--because of the ramp--are establishing loyalties to the bar and, thus, a future patronage. In essence, the ramp could be looked at as an investment in more, future patrons. Think of the ramp like every one of Kickstand's 10 flat-screen TVs... but cheaper. I'm guessing about that number, but let's say each one is $550. Times 10. $5500. Plus the cost of cable. Consider the fact that of the 20 people in the bar at 5:00pm yesterday, 10 were there to skate.
But the fee they're charging isn't to pay for the ramp or its upkeep; there are ways around that: namely, sponsorships in the form of banners or stickers on or around the ramp (currently, they have one giant logo for a Harley Davidson dealership right in the middle). I bet you it's because they didn't realize that the paint was going to chip so bad and that they are going to have to resurface it again, and again, and again; and maybe they can't find sponsors. Bummer.
Maybe I'm just pissed it's going to be a choice between drinking a beer and skating. In past weeks, I would drop $6 for a beer and tip, maybe $12. Now, they are getting $5. Ok, so maybe I stop drinking the Sunday afternoon beers I've started to enjoy. Or just drink a beer at home. I can buy a six pack for less than they charge for 2 pints. I guess that will save me a good bit of money after all. Thanks Kickstand.
Thoughts?
--
Alden says "Hi."
Resident Skateboards - Columbus, Ohio
small victory
knowing it was unlikely that i'll be riding any more this week, expecting the worst from the 30% chance of "few snow showers" that is forecast for tomorrow, I figured I'd bundle up and hit the road this morning. I believe it was somewhere between 11 and 15-degrees "Eff" with practically no wind.
I did well with this outfit:
Feet: boot socks, skate shoes
Legs: polyester long-johns, double-knee twill work pants (sim. to carhartts)
Top: cotton t-shirt, cotton thermal, flannel shirt, synthetic puff jacket, gore-tex technical shell
Head: merino wool balaclava, fleece neck gaiter, acrylic beanie, helmet
Hands: thick neoprene gloves, windproof mitten shell
Eyes: Cycling glasses with clear lenses in (keeps wind from drying out/freezing eyes)
Plus, a travel mug filled with hot, home-brewed coffee. Priceless.
I did well with this outfit:
Feet: boot socks, skate shoes
Legs: polyester long-johns, double-knee twill work pants (sim. to carhartts)
Top: cotton t-shirt, cotton thermal, flannel shirt, synthetic puff jacket, gore-tex technical shell
Head: merino wool balaclava, fleece neck gaiter, acrylic beanie, helmet
Hands: thick neoprene gloves, windproof mitten shell
Eyes: Cycling glasses with clear lenses in (keeps wind from drying out/freezing eyes)
Plus, a travel mug filled with hot, home-brewed coffee. Priceless.
January 29, 2010
Ready for the weekend!
...Since Monday morning I have been. That's not a great way to live life, eh? It's not that bad. I just love my home life and can enjoy it more when I get closer to 72 consecutive hours of it...
Getting excited about our baby girl. She's been moving like crazy. My cousin Emily had her baby girl this morning (or last night?), and about a month early I think. Craziness. Last night C and I started into an art project for the baby's room. I always get stressed when making art. It's my M.O. Not fun for anyone else. That's why I couldn't be an artist for a living. I'd kill somebody. But when I do create something I like, I'm on top of the world.
Life is pretty great, though, right now. Been skateboarding a little bit; doing small projects around the house: art; organizing; purging unneeded stuff...
Bought a new bag, which will be my diaper bag of choice and will replace 2 backpacks I should get rid of... Timbuk2. Hope it's all I expect it to be... Also bought some skate shoes from the local shop for $25. Too damn small. That's the second time I've done that. I might look at it as a donation to support a small local buisness... I do stupid stuff sometimes...
Had a great lunch meeting with an associate today. Gyro with chips and a... beverage... one that counter-acted the coffee that made me so jittery until then. That's a great way to end a week. Didn't affect me at all, but I felt guilty, so prob won't do that again... Might have landed some more work though in the process, and it was his treat too.
Good music today, trying to run up the rest of my 40 hours of allotted free streaming I get each month from Pandora. What a shame.
Anyway, work is boring and I'm ready to enjoy my home life...
Love and skateboards
Getting excited about our baby girl. She's been moving like crazy. My cousin Emily had her baby girl this morning (or last night?), and about a month early I think. Craziness. Last night C and I started into an art project for the baby's room. I always get stressed when making art. It's my M.O. Not fun for anyone else. That's why I couldn't be an artist for a living. I'd kill somebody. But when I do create something I like, I'm on top of the world.
Life is pretty great, though, right now. Been skateboarding a little bit; doing small projects around the house: art; organizing; purging unneeded stuff...
Bought a new bag, which will be my diaper bag of choice and will replace 2 backpacks I should get rid of... Timbuk2. Hope it's all I expect it to be... Also bought some skate shoes from the local shop for $25. Too damn small. That's the second time I've done that. I might look at it as a donation to support a small local buisness... I do stupid stuff sometimes...
Had a great lunch meeting with an associate today. Gyro with chips and a... beverage... one that counter-acted the coffee that made me so jittery until then. That's a great way to end a week. Didn't affect me at all, but I felt guilty, so prob won't do that again... Might have landed some more work though in the process, and it was his treat too.
Good music today, trying to run up the rest of my 40 hours of allotted free streaming I get each month from Pandora. What a shame.
Anyway, work is boring and I'm ready to enjoy my home life...
Love and skateboards
January 28, 2010
Education - Math & Science v. Humanities
Here's a pretty powerful quote from an article sent from a friend this afternoon:
The real problem, he explains, is the SAT writing exam, which “hardly resembles the kinds of writing people encounter in business or academic settings.” An accountant, he argues, needs to write “about content related to the company and the work in which she’s steeped.” It’s unlikely that she’ll “need to drop everything and give the boss 25 minutes on the Peloponnesian War or her most meaningful quotation.”
What’s depressing here is that this is precisely the argument heard at parent-teacher meetings across the land. When is the boss ever going to ask my Johnny about the Peloponnesian War? As if Johnny had agreed to have no existence outside his cubicle of choice. As if he wasn’t going to inherit the holy right of gun ownership and the power of the vote.
Get it? It's about the power of learning and understanding of history and current events, arguably called "education," because life shouldn't be about a wage but about human rights; information and awareness; language and activism.
The author goes says this later on:
[T]he problem today is disequilibrium. Why is every Crisis in American Education cast as an economic threat and never a civic one? In part, because we don’t have the language for it. Our focus is on the usual economic indicators. There are no corresponding “civic indicators,” no generally agreed-upon warning signs of political vulnerability, even though the inability of more than two thirds of our college graduates to read a text and draw rational inferences could be seen as the political equivalent of runaway inflation or soaring unemployment.
Original article:"Dehumanized: When Math and Science Rule the School" by Mark Slouka, Harper's Magazine online .
The real problem, he explains, is the SAT writing exam, which “hardly resembles the kinds of writing people encounter in business or academic settings.” An accountant, he argues, needs to write “about content related to the company and the work in which she’s steeped.” It’s unlikely that she’ll “need to drop everything and give the boss 25 minutes on the Peloponnesian War or her most meaningful quotation.”
What’s depressing here is that this is precisely the argument heard at parent-teacher meetings across the land. When is the boss ever going to ask my Johnny about the Peloponnesian War? As if Johnny had agreed to have no existence outside his cubicle of choice. As if he wasn’t going to inherit the holy right of gun ownership and the power of the vote.
Get it? It's about the power of learning and understanding of history and current events, arguably called "education," because life shouldn't be about a wage but about human rights; information and awareness; language and activism.
The author goes says this later on:
[T]he problem today is disequilibrium. Why is every Crisis in American Education cast as an economic threat and never a civic one? In part, because we don’t have the language for it. Our focus is on the usual economic indicators. There are no corresponding “civic indicators,” no generally agreed-upon warning signs of political vulnerability, even though the inability of more than two thirds of our college graduates to read a text and draw rational inferences could be seen as the political equivalent of runaway inflation or soaring unemployment.
Original article:
January 24, 2010
Photo Updates
aldy getting belly rubs
handy
work
set-up the new board
January 22, 2010
handyman
whatup friday night?
just built the third shelf of four in the closet of our extra bedroom known as the "art room". it's a fun project that makes me feel like I've got a little bit of handyman skill. bustin out my circ(ular) saw, my drill. drinkin a beer and cussing about little mistakes.
in addition to trying to organize the inside of our house, i've spent some time trying to start organizing the garage. last year I built a hefty work bench. last week I hooked up a big ol' fluorescent light hanging above it. i'm trying to hook up a little corner that will house my bike stand and bike tools in the warmer months. this spring i'll hopefully get rid of a bunch of the scrap stuff I've been hanging on to...
also, we've been amassing a small mountain of stuff to be donated to the free store that travels around and does periodic pick-ups... next tuesday is the day!
i can't wait until we free up a little more space and then get some baby furniture. i just want that to be done so i can rest easy as we wait for baby to arrive.
bike ride?
just built the third shelf of four in the closet of our extra bedroom known as the "art room". it's a fun project that makes me feel like I've got a little bit of handyman skill. bustin out my circ(ular) saw, my drill. drinkin a beer and cussing about little mistakes.
in addition to trying to organize the inside of our house, i've spent some time trying to start organizing the garage. last year I built a hefty work bench. last week I hooked up a big ol' fluorescent light hanging above it. i'm trying to hook up a little corner that will house my bike stand and bike tools in the warmer months. this spring i'll hopefully get rid of a bunch of the scrap stuff I've been hanging on to...
also, we've been amassing a small mountain of stuff to be donated to the free store that travels around and does periodic pick-ups... next tuesday is the day!
i can't wait until we free up a little more space and then get some baby furniture. i just want that to be done so i can rest easy as we wait for baby to arrive.
bike ride?
January 19, 2010
Bike bowling
The fact that daytime temperatures have been getting near 40-degrees "Eff" during the past few days has been great. But snow melt, mostly cloudy days, and below-freezing nighttime temps equal the thinnest black ice on blacktop bike paths in the morning. Yesterday I did well to keep upright. Today, not so much. Knowing it was slippery, I went slow and tried hard to brace myself during every bump, curve, and slope. One particular curved slope--halfway to my office--was too much and I slid out like the last time--but without a wooden bollard to halt the slide and cushy pillow of snow on which to fall. So my exaggerated version of the story is that I slid 5 feet, my bike slid 10 feet, and my (thankfully, empty) coffee mug made it to 15 feet. Truth be told, my coffee mug probably didn't go farther, but it did go in the opposite direction of my bike. After checking for torn clothing and skin--none, check!--I stood up on what felt like an ice-skating rink. My decision was to ride on grass until I could get to the next road, curse out loud a little bit, then take the non-slippery backroads to the nearest coffee shop.
I was hoping the day would warm up to 38-degrees as promised, but the hourly forecast shows a discouraging 32-degree plateau from here on through sun-down. Sweet.
In other news, today is "Thai Tuesday" and we're trying the new Thai restaurant that opened down the street.... Dopeness
I was hoping the day would warm up to 38-degrees as promised, but the hourly forecast shows a discouraging 32-degree plateau from here on through sun-down. Sweet.
In other news, today is "Thai Tuesday" and we're trying the new Thai restaurant that opened down the street.... Dopeness
January 18, 2010
Work Day + Music
As most of you surely know, today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. For many Americans, this means a day off from work or school, and consequently time spent away from the computer monitor. However, for people who reside outside of the United States, or for people who reside in the United States and are employed by racists, it is unfortunately a Monday like any other... - BikeSnobNYC
yeah, I'm at work. good coffee, but not good enough to help get me through this Monday without being a little bored and a little stressed...
but then BSNYC goes on to say this:
This means that you may have commuted to work today, and you may even have used a bicycle to do so. One of the best things about bicycle commuting is that it can mitigate the displeasure of having to go to work. It's the rare and fortunate person who looks forward to his or her workday, so if you're not one of them you can at least sandwich the misery between two slices of pleasure by riding your bike there. Actually enjoying your commute can infuse an otherwise dreary day with some joy.
True dat.
--
Oh yeah, this weekend I borrowed a copy of The Slits' "Cuts" album from the library. I remembered their song "Typical Girls" from an old punk compilation. Some of their songs sound kind of like Crass. I found this video on an internet search and it was crackin me up. Enjoy:
The Slits - Typical Girl
Rab | MySpace Video
yeah, I'm at work. good coffee, but not good enough to help get me through this Monday without being a little bored and a little stressed...
but then BSNYC goes on to say this:
This means that you may have commuted to work today, and you may even have used a bicycle to do so. One of the best things about bicycle commuting is that it can mitigate the displeasure of having to go to work. It's the rare and fortunate person who looks forward to his or her workday, so if you're not one of them you can at least sandwich the misery between two slices of pleasure by riding your bike there. Actually enjoying your commute can infuse an otherwise dreary day with some joy.
True dat.
--
Oh yeah, this weekend I borrowed a copy of The Slits' "Cuts" album from the library. I remembered their song "Typical Girls" from an old punk compilation. Some of their songs sound kind of like Crass. I found this video on an internet search and it was crackin me up. Enjoy:
The Slits - Typical Girl
Rab | MySpace Video
January 14, 2010
Crazy movie + Delurker Day + Bike + Mini Ramps
Wish i knew what this was about--not sure but found it on the Benji Wagner blog and it features Rick McCrank among many others i'm sure... Machotaildrop?
Also, apparently it is "Delurker Day" which means if you've never posted a comment on this blog, do it today. Say hi, or better yet, tell me what you like and don't like or what would care to see more of on this here virtual diary of sorts... It can be yours too--I like to share
--
Also-also, I finally rode my bike to work today after a week of driving my car--granted, i did ride a couple nights this week to run errands, but it was nice to get out on relatively clear/dry streets, in daylight, and know that i'll be doing the same on my way home. Also, my love for skateboarding has been reinvigorated by that mini ramp at the bar. Skating a mini ramp--the rhythm, the flow--is an affirmation of the flow of life and energy. It's mellow and exhilarating at once. I am gonna stop by the shop in town and get some grip tape and new bearings to finally hook up the deck and wheels I won in that contest so long ago. Might even get some new skate shoes... Maybe.
Have a great day
Also, apparently it is "Delurker Day" which means if you've never posted a comment on this blog, do it today. Say hi, or better yet, tell me what you like and don't like or what would care to see more of on this here virtual diary of sorts... It can be yours too--I like to share
--
Also-also, I finally rode my bike to work today after a week of driving my car--granted, i did ride a couple nights this week to run errands, but it was nice to get out on relatively clear/dry streets, in daylight, and know that i'll be doing the same on my way home. Also, my love for skateboarding has been reinvigorated by that mini ramp at the bar. Skating a mini ramp--the rhythm, the flow--is an affirmation of the flow of life and energy. It's mellow and exhilarating at once. I am gonna stop by the shop in town and get some grip tape and new bearings to finally hook up the deck and wheels I won in that contest so long ago. Might even get some new skate shoes... Maybe.
Have a great day
January 13, 2010
New tradition
I may have alluded to this before, but recently I've been swooning over traditional craftsmanship that is on the come-up.
Leather, waxed cotton, wool, cork... Materials that I am falling in love with. Here are some companies that I keep running into on the internet superhighway who have a pretty strong focus on traditional craftsmanship and traditional materials, beyond just being handmade crafts.
Billykirk - PA (www.billykirk.com ) - Leathergoods, est. 1999
Makr Carry Goods (www.makr.com ) - Leathergoods, est. 2009?
Field Notes (fieldnotesbrand.com ) - old-fashioned memo books
ML Brown & Co. (www.mlbrownandco.com )
Honorable mentions:
Freeman Transport - Montana (www.freemantransport.com ) est. 2006
Rapha clothing (rapha.cc ) - England
Outlier clothing (outlier.cc )
Howies "Hand-Me-Down" Collection (hmd.howies.co.uk )
Not to mention the randonneuring outfitters that peddle myriad handmade goodies (Rivendell - rivbike.com, Velo-Orange.com, Carradice Bags, Acorn Bags...)--all worth checking out.
Even a mainstream company like J Crew offers some pretty nice handcrafted stuff that fits into their traditional, maritime theme, and fetches a nice price for good reason...
Leather, waxed cotton, wool, cork... Materials that I am falling in love with. Here are some companies that I keep running into on the internet superhighway who have a pretty strong focus on traditional craftsmanship and traditional materials, beyond just being handmade crafts.
Billykirk - PA (
Makr Carry Goods (
Field Notes (
ML Brown & Co. (
Honorable mentions:
Freeman Transport - Montana (
Rapha clothing (
Outlier clothing (
Howies "Hand-Me-Down" Collection (
Not to mention the randonneuring outfitters that peddle myriad handmade goodies (Rivendell - rivbike.com, Velo-Orange.com, Carradice Bags, Acorn Bags...)--all worth checking out.
Even a mainstream company like J Crew offers some pretty nice handcrafted stuff that fits into their traditional, maritime theme, and fetches a nice price for good reason...
January 11, 2010
Such great heights: The Bachelor strives to reach new level of misogyny
i'm only writing about this because the scene in question was forced upon my eyes and etched in my brain and cannot be erased due to its intense and atrocious grossness...
So, in a preview for tonight's episode of ABC's The Bachelor the host goes up to The Bachelor and says [I'm paraphrasing here] "I need to tell you something because it's very serious. One of the ladies in the house is having an inappropriate relationship with one of our staff members."
Ok. I'm not going to try to explain the stupid premise behind the stupid show, but I was so blown away by the obvious and horrible hypocrisy behind it, I am ashamed to have a penis right now. So, this douche bag, known to me as The Bachelor, is dating 20 (?) women who are locked up in a house and competing for his attention and "love". Finally one woman has the sense to be like "Yeah, I'm gonna make out with this dude who might actually be Mr. Right," or whatever, and she's having an "inappropriate relationship"?!!?!?!?!?!
So this woman is portrayed as a whore or slut or disloyal harlot, while the poor guy is the dreamy portrait of all that is good and pure. Never mind that the house is set up practically like a brothel...
I hated this show before and I SUPER-hate it now. Nothing spells misogyny like what just happened. Hopefully this sparks a riotous outcry of piss-off'edness.
So, in a preview for tonight's episode of ABC's The Bachelor the host goes up to The Bachelor and says [I'm paraphrasing here] "I need to tell you something because it's very serious. One of the ladies in the house is having an inappropriate relationship with one of our staff members."
Ok. I'm not going to try to explain the stupid premise behind the stupid show, but I was so blown away by the obvious and horrible hypocrisy behind it, I am ashamed to have a penis right now. So, this douche bag, known to me as The Bachelor, is dating 20 (?) women who are locked up in a house and competing for his attention and "love". Finally one woman has the sense to be like "Yeah, I'm gonna make out with this dude who might actually be Mr. Right," or whatever, and she's having an "inappropriate relationship"?!!?!?!?!?!
So this woman is portrayed as a whore or slut or disloyal harlot, while the poor guy is the dreamy portrait of all that is good and pure. Never mind that the house is set up practically like a brothel...
I hated this show before and I SUPER-hate it now. Nothing spells misogyny like what just happened. Hopefully this sparks a riotous outcry of piss-off'edness.
sketch
around work i get to do all the art and design stuff, so today i've been working on this drawing for a shirt idea and have been toying around with features in an old version of photoshop... fun stuff...
and yeah, that suspender is janky
January 10, 2010
funday
So many good things today: building shelves, skateboarding on a new mini ramp at Kickstand Pub (yea, a bar), good food including homemade pizza, Cleveland Cavs basketball on TV, some photography, and some late night "thank you" cards... more details later...
January 8, 2010
Winter film
Here's my first film. A test.
music is from Catalpa Catalpa before permission
http://opsound.org/artist/catalpacatalpa/
Alden winter_test from d strong on Vimeo.
music is from Catalpa Catalpa before permission
http://opsound.org/artist/catalpacatalpa/
January 6, 2010
updates
my winter refuge set up as of yesterday (plus newly-acquired things like a Surly rack, MKS Sylvan track pedals, Cadence double straps, and Axiom Typhoon panniers...)
Only One Manda reviews the life of Mary Daly
I was exposed to Daly's writing (I think it was Beyond God the Father) in an Intro to Theology course at school, which focused mainly on Liberation Theology. Later I had the privilege of seeing her give a lecture at my college.
Amanda does a great job of laying out her life and philosophies, and I strongly urge you to read it
Taken as a whole, the goal of all of Daly’s work is a lofty one. She seeks to demystify our entire culture, confronting patriarchal thought patterns from a historical context and applying her discoveries to current damaging cultural trends. From there, she seeks transcendence, hoping that a radical change will ensue within human cultural context, leading to an equitable and mindful social order. In so doing, she urges women to leave the patriarchal structure of Christianity and to live an intentionally marginal life, in the hopes not only of realizing our personhood, but also of bringing about this new order. The topics addressed by Daly can be broken up into three loose categories: damaging myths and assumptions, the results of these myths and assumptions and how one might begin to transcend our current social order in the interest of pursuing better possibilities.
Sadly, Amanda ends her article by noting Mary Daly's passing only 3 days ago (Jan. 3, 2010) at the age of 81.
January 5, 2010
enjoy
The whole life of man is but a point of time;
let us enjoy it.
Plutarch Greek biographer & moralist (46 AD - 120 AD)
let us enjoy it.
January 4, 2010
Back to Work
So after practically two weeks of vacation I had to drag myself to the office to begin a super long 5-day work week. I even drove my car. Fortunately this afforded me the opportunity to shower and shave this morning which was definitely refreshing. Also, C made cheddar & bacon scones yesterday and that was a great, hearty breakfast for a cold day like today.
So I get to work and realize there's not much to do and my immediate instinct is to surf the internet. What is new and strange is my lack of desire to do that. Having had very limited access to the internet over vacation, and personally restricting my access to Ebay, has helped me realize that there isn't much on the internet that requires much of my time. Of course, adding to this blog is still great and therapeutic and I still like to attend to a few favorite blogs... Really, it's Ebay. That shit was really starting to take over and I would just cruise to find stuff. Granted I was able to find a lot of stuff that is useful (e.g. parts to build a useful bike that is now my main day-to-day transportation and soon-to-be grocery-getting tank). But I would just cruise that site at work because I had nothing better to do. Without it, I read a few blogs, then I'm done. I just can't get sucked in like Ebay does it. Haha.
Anyway, winter is in full-effect and I'm hoping I can get biking for a while longer before temperatures drop to unbearable digits. 2010 is finally here and I feel the need to pick up speed on preparing for Baby Girl's arrival. We found a crib we like, and maybe a dresser. Add a comfy chair (<--this will be a challenge), an overhead lamp, new curtains, a rug, and some wall art and--BAM!--we're done.
So I get to work and realize there's not much to do and my immediate instinct is to surf the internet. What is new and strange is my lack of desire to do that. Having had very limited access to the internet over vacation, and personally restricting my access to Ebay, has helped me realize that there isn't much on the internet that requires much of my time. Of course, adding to this blog is still great and therapeutic and I still like to attend to a few favorite blogs... Really, it's Ebay. That shit was really starting to take over and I would just cruise to find stuff. Granted I was able to find a lot of stuff that is useful (e.g. parts to build a useful bike that is now my main day-to-day transportation and soon-to-be grocery-getting tank). But I would just cruise that site at work because I had nothing better to do. Without it, I read a few blogs, then I'm done. I just can't get sucked in like Ebay does it. Haha.
Anyway, winter is in full-effect and I'm hoping I can get biking for a while longer before temperatures drop to unbearable digits. 2010 is finally here and I feel the need to pick up speed on preparing for Baby Girl's arrival. We found a crib we like, and maybe a dresser. Add a comfy chair (<--this will be a challenge), an overhead lamp, new curtains, a rug, and some wall art and--BAM!--we're done.
January 2, 2010
broke down, fix up
got a new computer! our old one bit the dust and i decided the a little extra money would get us a lot more goodness. after spending so much time not on the internet, i don't know what to do with myself when i'm there. so for now, here's this. i haven't listened to any of it, but found it when i was trying to listen to the "girls just wanna fix up" mash up i blogged about a minute ago... this mix-tape is from the guys who did that. bed for now...
The Hood Internet - The Mixtape Volume One by hoodinternet
The Hood Internet - The Mixtape Volume One by hoodinternet
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