On a bit of a kick this afternoon. Posted a truly fun response to my dear fellow; both post and comment found here. This, in thinking of warriors, worriers and feasts, reminded me of Wax Mannequin's song, Worrier's Feast. Sadly, I couldn't find it in New Music Canada, but it did come up with last.fm. Even had a free download. Forgive the sloppy embedded player...I'll find a better option as soon as I can.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Feast, because it's better than...
On a bit of a kick this afternoon. Posted a truly fun response to my dear fellow; both post and comment found here. This, in thinking of warriors, worriers and feasts, reminded me of Wax Mannequin's song, Worrier's Feast. Sadly, I couldn't find it in New Music Canada, but it did come up with last.fm. Even had a free download. Forgive the sloppy embedded player...I'll find a better option as soon as I can.
On Being Direct
So. I went out last night. With a woman. For dinner. My original understanding was that she was busy soon after dinner so it was just going to be dinner then me seeing her off to her dance class.
I picked her up at her place and out we went. Conversation was active and involved, which, I assume, contributed to her telling me that her dance class was canceled at around the same time as I was preparing to part company. We went for a beer afterwards, then back to her place for a cup of tea and hanging out with her roommate. During the beer she canceled another set of loose arrangements to which I think I heard an invitation including me. This second set of loose arrangements, though, held minimal interest for her, at her own admission.
Conversation revealed even more things we have in common than I had guessed before. I was afforded an opportunity to tell her that I was attracted to her, without using the word "attracted" or any synonyms, because she was intimidating and that this intimidation stems from her being creative, driven, comfortable in her own skin, able to be uncomfortable, smart, challenging and that, although she takes her work and friends seriously, she doesn't take herself too seriously. She told me that, although many of our common acquaintances do, she does not find me off-putting despite recognizing the sharper edges of my persona.
She likes my mother, which shows a great strength on her part, as many who have met my mother in the same context as she has most decidedly do not like her. She called me a geek and I did not apologize for its truth.
She let me pay. She "popped my car door button," to use a movie quote quite unsymbolically in any any way. We have tentative arrangements to meet again.
I picked her up at her place and out we went. Conversation was active and involved, which, I assume, contributed to her telling me that her dance class was canceled at around the same time as I was preparing to part company. We went for a beer afterwards, then back to her place for a cup of tea and hanging out with her roommate. During the beer she canceled another set of loose arrangements to which I think I heard an invitation including me. This second set of loose arrangements, though, held minimal interest for her, at her own admission.
Conversation revealed even more things we have in common than I had guessed before. I was afforded an opportunity to tell her that I was attracted to her, without using the word "attracted" or any synonyms, because she was intimidating and that this intimidation stems from her being creative, driven, comfortable in her own skin, able to be uncomfortable, smart, challenging and that, although she takes her work and friends seriously, she doesn't take herself too seriously. She told me that, although many of our common acquaintances do, she does not find me off-putting despite recognizing the sharper edges of my persona.
She likes my mother, which shows a great strength on her part, as many who have met my mother in the same context as she has most decidedly do not like her. She called me a geek and I did not apologize for its truth.
She let me pay. She "popped my car door button," to use a movie quote quite unsymbolically in any any way. We have tentative arrangements to meet again.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Curling Song FTW
The Weakerthans' "Tournament of Hearts."
I love this song, but then I love character sketches in song, something The Weakerthans do exquisitely well. And, I mean, come on...how can you not love a song that finds an excuse for using the lyric "Hurry! Hurry hard!" I heard on CBC Radio 3, in some interview, that the song was named to recognize The Constantines' album of the same name, as The Constantines used the name at John K. Samson's encouragement. That matters little to me, as I hear it as the curling tournament it is.
I love this song, but then I love character sketches in song, something The Weakerthans do exquisitely well. And, I mean, come on...how can you not love a song that finds an excuse for using the lyric "Hurry! Hurry hard!" I heard on CBC Radio 3, in some interview, that the song was named to recognize The Constantines' album of the same name, as The Constantines used the name at John K. Samson's encouragement. That matters little to me, as I hear it as the curling tournament it is.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Old Man Talking from a Chair
Here's a Canadian-born icon who knows better than to avoid being famous. While I don't know anything about architecture, I know who this guy is, and that says something, I think. I like this talk as a model for work ethic, and I find I have a lot in common with him in this respect. I have never gone looking for work, having had all kinds of mad opportunities fall in my lap. This is not to say that I've never gone handing out resumes, but by the time I get a resume into an employer's hand, it has usually been a matter of formality. Gehry also has some thoughts to share on formality, when he talk about having to sell oneself as a "good guy" before one begins doing real work. I totally agree that my history and ethos don't need to be established in an expository way.
As for talking about his work, I'm reminded of the John Maeda TED talk, especially when he mentions the simplicity of some modern architecture. I am also struck by his attention to context (totally thought of Anverie as he talked about that). I also like how he mentions, but doesn't get all "arty" about, the reality that any collaborative work comes together best when it functions as a jazz improvisation.
This would have been much better as a talk with about 15 people in the room, as he is more comfortable in a conversational tone, it seems. Not much of a presenter, but worth listening to.
Many Months and a computer or two later...
I've re-found this thing. I've also been thinking a lot about what this medium, the web browser, can and can't do, should and shouldn't do, and what it does and does not do well. I'm not yet ready to get into that, just warning myself that I'm going to have to say that finding art on the intertubes just doesn't cut it for me.
Funny I came back here, I wanted to post on a TED talk, but I see that my last post was about them, so perhaps I'll hold off on that as well.
So this is a post about leaving for tomorrow what I could be doing today.
I've actually had a bit of an identity crisis about being a slacker recently. I looked at my resume and saw it stuffed with all kinds of fun things that have come my way, none of them things I could do from my couch. So I've failed my generation by getting up and doing things. The Flip side of this is that I know there is so much I have missed out on doing, so much more I could have done if I had, to use a phrase, applied myself. This will, of course, all even out as I prepare for my return to studies, where I'll have a wonderful excuse for being useless: I'm a Grad student. Not that I'll be useless, but I'll at least be excused for not getting off the couch.
Funny I came back here, I wanted to post on a TED talk, but I see that my last post was about them, so perhaps I'll hold off on that as well.
So this is a post about leaving for tomorrow what I could be doing today.
I've actually had a bit of an identity crisis about being a slacker recently. I looked at my resume and saw it stuffed with all kinds of fun things that have come my way, none of them things I could do from my couch. So I've failed my generation by getting up and doing things. The Flip side of this is that I know there is so much I have missed out on doing, so much more I could have done if I had, to use a phrase, applied myself. This will, of course, all even out as I prepare for my return to studies, where I'll have a wonderful excuse for being useless: I'm a Grad student. Not that I'll be useless, but I'll at least be excused for not getting off the couch.
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