OLD WORLD:
everyone who entered the bus after me for 10 straight stops was over 65 years old. One couple was initially complaining about having to wait for the bus and how slow it was but then the woman made a cell-phone call and loudly proclaimed the "so quick and easy"ness of the bus as opposed to traveling to downtown by car.

I huddled and scribbled notes for a short story I'll probably never write about a conversation between NK and i regarding the taking of rocks from iceland (which my monther and I did) and our recent accidents shortly thereafter (my broken foot and her concussion/ankle/black eye) and the potential correlation (I don't think there is any, she thinks there is) based on the Aboriginal myth of the large flat mountain which should not be climbed by mankind. Supposedly anyone who climbs this mountain has something bad happen to them shortly thereafter... what's the name of the effing mountain...

anyhow, I guess I just don't believe that the gotten would smite us for taking a few rocks out of iceland... would it? Seems silly, and I don't dismiss the idea entirely, just 99.99%.

Saw Pirates last night- and I seem to be the only person I know who actually liked it. I liked it a lot, actually.

Chihuly Blows

Chihuly Blows
Originally uploaded by djwudi.

Thanks for spotting this Tash! and thanks to the guy who foto'd it, too!

... oh great, that's just effing fantastic...

UPDATE: Dan Savage posted about my stickers "Chihuly never even BLOWS glass" by TAR ART RAT in Seattle newspaper the Stranger's SLOG blog and it was grealty beneficial to me. 

Thanks, Dan.  

#ChihulyBLOWS 

Flickr

ooh, until today I pretty much completely forgot that I even had a account... hours of tedious fun lie ahead, for sure...

Today's subject:
"Art and Commerce has been acutely annoying the sh*t out of me for the past twelve hours. (Or days)"

DISCLAIMER/WARNING: Part of this post is full of angry rantings/is sprinkled with venom, etc.

I was really enjoying figting the swarms of dry leaves flying through the door this morning at work. Actually enjoying the simple frustration of sweeping them away and having them blow right back.

Not reading news online for a few precious minutes. Or thinking about/seeing artwork for a few seconds. Just leaves.


As I was sweeping and once again thinking about the goddman Vitawater stickers, I was reminded of the thought I had a few years back but often choose to ignore (this thought itself i kindof hate due to its absolute coldness, its outlook- which is pessimistic and cynical but sometimes seems so true) that: here and now AN ARTIST'S HIGHEST ASPIRATION COULD BE TO BECOME A BRAND NAME. (Insert example of big seller still living today here: ______), for example.

I would, of course, agree to the tiresome fact that it is wrong that the american (and western) economic machines churn, crush and thrive while most of the rest of the world barely subsists, but at a closer look (within these machines) the bloody effed-up luxury of art still has a creepy and steady foothold. (Here's where my brain boils, so I apologize in advance.) ARBITRARY ueber-overpriced BS. Intolerable, basically, tiny but blatant crimes against humanity, no?


Let us take the Damien Hirst recently brought to my attention by ceas: the effing "Love in Blue" or whatever on sale for $500.000 bones. I searched for the materials online (of course not including the sandy dirt) one would need to make the painting and, surprise!:

DYI Damien Hirst "Love is Blue" Ingredients:

Butterflies:
$45.95 plus shipping http://framedbutterflyart.com/6_butterflies.htm

Household Gloss Paint:
$10.00 http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/for/180199538.html
or
Any gloss level:
$32 to $36 Pratt & Lambert Accolade,;
$22 to $26;Benjamin Moore Regal,
$13 to $19 Tru-Test E-Z Kare, .

Sandy Dirt:
Free? (Unable to find pricing info)

72 x 72 in. canvas:
approx. $100-150.00
http://www.allenscanvas.com/?gclid=CJDApN7Mj4YCFTFrDgodiVTfjg

total max. cost:
$240.95!

... why don't people just do art themselves? I mean- I know that seems like a horrific idea, but isn't your own work (or the work of someone you know) better than some pre-framed print from ikea/Walmart/the frame shop- or some big famous artist... I guess it is one of those huge idea-humps society will/may never get over... one of many.
The best once could probably do would be to make bumper stickers (as if the world needed another bumper sticker)...
"High Art is ridiculously Overpriced anyhow, so: Do Art Yourself" why effing not?

Oops, but THEN artists would have to surgically remove their egos andd gallery folks would have to trade in their personalities and critics would have to find something else to wear besides their bullet-proof effing Nazi uniforms (jussst kiddinnng). But overall: Opps. Not too practical.

In the coming years (I don't know how many: 6 or 60 or 600?) but in the coming years it has obvously been predicted that the world will undergo drastic change, and, -like Al Gore going on-and-on about the "climate crisis" perhaps it is time the art world brace itself to undergo a massive (and perhaps ultimately unrecognizable) transformation- I dunnno, just an idea *wink*...

actually, this may not be a concern at all- come to think of it. "Art" ay make the shift organically, or be necessity. hm.

Really. Really really. "Artists" COULD get over it, galleries MIGHT get over it, museums,... I don't even know what to say about them, but I don't blame museums for much of anything except perhaps... making the occasional bad choice(s) here and there. AART needs to NOT be a business... at all probably... just like everything else,. . or at least "less business oriented. " peraps.

Auhhm. Erhm. *wince* Clearly not in a good mood... which is unusual. Could it be that there was no caffine to be found anywhere in the cupboards, super-set in a quiet "hate-mode"... no fun. chillll.... chill.
Breathe...

I've had only one impulse for the past few days: stay in my room, listen to Radio Eins aus Berlin, read german magazines with a dictionary and lined notebook spread out on the desk,- a trio of: read-comprehend-copy, ten repeat... memerize... and to draw with ink... and then be dissapointed in my drawings. Dissapointed in the ideas, (or lack thereof) in the drawings. Trying, and not trying, and trying and not trying to think about what is relevant...
What is relevant: my girl, my turtle, my friends, and some inseresting sh*t to read and images to look at and some caffine adn alcohol here ant there...
what does ANY of that have to do with "art."
Art is just a big ugly Beast.
Art seems like the big "UH-Life"
but it should be pure. right. ok, this is going nowhere.
(today, at least)...
"C'mon c'mon c'mon - get through it."
Blur song just started in iTunes.
Coincidentally.
"Are you finding everything OK?" someone's voice drifts over from nextdoor.
"Are you finding everything OK?"
What the ^*%(*& is that supposed to mean>?...

"Did you find everything ok today?..."
"Hi, how are you?"
"Whatcha up to"

a brief history in the life of a day of complete insincerity...
effing white people, man. What planet are we from?

One Hour Later:

I had almost suceeded in calming down until I read this:

"Israel targeting Hezbollah infrastructure
By HAMZA HENDAWI
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
DWEIR, Lebanon -- Israel is targeting not only Hezbollah's fighters but also the social network that earned it wide popularity among Lebanon's Shiites: an ORPHANAGE run by the group has been hit and a seminary that provided help to families leveled...."

and once again Israel seems really effing evil... just like us/U.S.

can't help but wonder: is that why we support/cheer each other, so we can get away with more evil effed-up sh*t?

on a mo5e removed note: I can feel the shrinking away and lashing-out coming on, I tend to try to (unintentionally) burn most bridges behind me to make for a cleaner break several months before leaving a place- I did this every time we ever moved, except with Germany. Hmm, gotta be careful. Simmer down.

To top iit all off, a first:
Wells fargo back truck drives by WITH a HUGE flatscreen television implanted into the side of it playing a commercial over adn over... with speakers blaring a commercial out into the street.
First impulse: throw a brick,
(didn't have a brick ss resulted to
Second impulse: photo it, (but the light turned green and it made its merry way down the street... )
two speakers and a huge screen blaring their ad through the front door of my work certainly trumps the VitaWater guerilla marketing campaign. Shoot. Now what? Hi-powered BB guns? what...? sh*t's annoying.

The work day ends with two epiphanies:
1. youtube is the best thing for my attention span,
2. steven colbert is the best thing to bitch-slap you out of a bad mood.

5 hours ago was thinking "gosh, with all this middle east chaos there sure hasn't been any room in the news for bird flu..."
and them, magically, I check BBC before going to bed- and there it is! BIRD FLU! -oh how I've missed you...
(just trying to put a positive spin on this here, eh? K>?)

Saturday night oddly enough I ended up ridig my bike all over town for hours:
A. Going to my sisters, which I've been doing quite oten. it is comfy there, I can play with her hampster, watch Jeapordy adn drink beer all pretty much stresslessly.
B. Going to the WRONG party (there were apparently two outside garden parties on the same block- who knew?
C. Going to meet Josh and Ben on the opn-roof of the 10th floor of one of the parcking garages down in Pioneer Square, which was fascinating. Their friend incessantly taunted the boys and grils down below (Pioneer Sq. nightlife crowd, ick.) but I got exhausted and rode home once again... just can't take enough showers in this heat, can ya?

Regarding VitaWater's guerilla-esque marketing campign in the 'hood.

All over Pioneer Square for the past several weeks there have been 8.5 x 11 inch stickers on the light posts for Vitamin Water. I find this to be an oddly disturbing trend, especially since it appears to be an actual advertising campaign which hijacks public visualspace. The most particularly odd thing about it is that these stickers aren't being removed- at least not like other such stickers or tags might, and I guess that is my real pet peev. BECAUSE they are full color glossy stickers (very offical looking) people haven't torn them down. Something about the formats causes an subconscious resistance- or, rather, the stickers, because they are professional-looking ads trick your mind into thinking "that belongs there." But they DON'T! Every time i do a sticker campaign (note the reek bit of jealus resentment here)ablut half the stickers only stay up for a matter of days- and are removed by whomever (local business owners? City employees?) BUT THEN HERE'S VITAWATER with a complete BOGART of the prime stickering space and it is SANCTIONED BY OUR STUPID DRONE-BRAINS which don't question the ubiquitous PLACEMENT OF ADVERTISEMENTS as we stroll down the street. I strongly encourage everyone who finds these stickers to remove them- or better yet, if you have $ to blow for fun print up your own glossy faux-ad stickers and put them over-top of the Vitawater stickers and see how long they remain up. Hm. Genau- the Adbusters-reader in me just had to rant about this.

Greenpeace just called me and transferred me to the ofice of some such congressman where/when I felt like such a tool "Hi, I'm calling to let you know that I support the Markey amendment to blah blah" I've laways been concerned about the environment, BUT am always also annoyed by Greenpeace.

In other comically-annoying news, Myspace was down last night BUT I played a bunch of PAC-MAN on the mainpage... and realized all again how effing frustrating PAC-MAN is...

On my lunch break I almost got run down by a guy on a bike and then a man running after the guy on a bike. Apparently the guy on the bike had clipped the lock and stolen it in broad daylight right out front on D'Adamo/Woltz gallery in Occidental Park. I provided the theft victim guy with a description of the thief (or at least his head), co-miserated since I'd also had my bike stolen there in broad daylight, them moved on...
bike thieves... bastards.

Refreshing that Lance didn't win the Tour de France for once. I imagine a crazy backstabbing situation in which one of his little minions creates the tinitest tiniest leak in his tire with an acupuncture needle and then takes the lead in the final 3 km,... course, I'll have to look into it...
87 defrees (30.555555555555557 C) IN THE HOUSE TODAY and there wasn't much I could do. Played a pitiful game of tennis with Rob Mintz. I have no serve!
Foot might as well be amputated.
I iced it all hours at home.
Passed out drinking Bryan's saki-lemonade concoctions
while watching Before Sunrise/Pirates of the Carribean...
basically it was laziest day in years.
Studied german vocab, read more of "Baise Moi" and "neon"
in german, theres a lot of slang, which is a problem because it isn't in the dictionary...
which makes it difficult...

listened to Radio Eins and talked to vern-dawg... that's all.
I'm happy. Incredibly. Just have to avoid becoming a fat hermit.

Silly life details:

I listened to This American Life 1.5 times this week- and I have to say that I'm kind of tired of David Sedaris' animal stories... yes, quite.

Sweltering in the apartment all day yesterday. Met Marianne for coffee briefly in the morning to try to figure out how to get the Cult of Youth Reader #2 into more stores, and also delighted to bump into Tasa, whom I haven't seen in forever. Gotta love talking about Baby Gangs and underground libraries, manuals and - oh, such things that 97 degree weather and 3 cups of iced coffee might produce in the fevered Fridaymorning mind.

There were thousands of bugs in the apartment because we left the windows opened. I actually had to break out the vaccum cleaner and suck those suckas UP! thousands! all varieties. couldn't get the three bees in my room, well- enticed with a cup of honey-water... the other two I just slept along side...

ceas is still emailng with me, which I am very happy about... dreaded the thought of and end of connunications... just so. just so.

completely emotionally out-of-whack here...

Transferred blogs entries from Myspace Feb. 22, -June 3 2006

http://tarartrat.blogspot.com/
Current mood: apathetic

last call. http://tarartrat.blogspot.com/
peas owt.
-p

4:00 PM -

Wednesday, May 31, 2006


ch-ch-ch-ch-changing over to Blogspot.

I give up, I'm just switching over to:
http://tarartrat.blogspot.com/
for this blog,
I like the crispness, the lack of music, t-shirt, gum, and movie advertising... the lack of peer pressure, heh. can't we all justquit myspace? dump it in the gutter and move on?
adheeo.
-p
email:
tarartrat@gmail.com

it is raining really hard outside... supposedly the mayan calendar ends in the year 2012... I am forgetting how to speak german... Jessica Lange is still quite attractive. we're watching"Normal".... not to break the continuium here't he overlapping blog entry form blogspot:
Irony:
today at he "bread of Life" mission on 1st Ave across the street from Elliott Bay Book COmpany the usual 6 o'clock crowd... was waiting to see if they'd get in for the night... one of them was weating a large embroidered hoodie with "B.U.M. Equipment" written in huge varsity letters on the back...


Wednesday, May 24, 2006


bad parenting unexpectedly overshadows would-be typical busride (and our Consitutional Rights)

Since getting a new bike I've been avoiding the bus, travel scedules make me nervous- but today it was raining again just hard enough to make you NOT wanna slosh through it down the hill. So, back on the bus... (which is totally oppressive/depressing) The third stop after I got on a slightly fat yet well-groomed girl in her early twenties dressed in full tight denim from head-to-toe entered with her child, stroller in-tow. She smiled and seemed nice and talkative with the driver at first- but then bus driver handed the transfer to the child, who in-turn tried to give it back to the bus driver- at which point the mother started yelling and knee-ing him in the back and shouting "NO, we KEEP THAT! Don't give it back!" Over and over while half-kneeing and kicking the kid all the way to the back of the bus. That was upsetting to pretty much everyone on the bus and made the whole atmosphere instantly awkward and kind of painful to be in. The mother proceeded to yell a the kid after thay'd been seated "GO AHEAD- say ONE MORE thing- go ahead and SEE WHAT HAPPENS!" The kid was maybe 3 years old- if that. Meanwhlie I'm having flashbacks of all the years working at the grocery store where I witnessed a LOT of awful, borderline-abusive parenting. These are very formative years, of course- ages 0-10 at least, jeez... The "Shut YER MOUTH" method of parenting must completely and totally mess a kid up- I guess I just can't imagine ever being able to bully a 3-year-old... incessantly. Meanwhile back on the (now) impossibly slow busride a guy across the aisle rolls his eyes which the mom sees him do. "Don't ROLL your EYES at me! This is- this is freedom of SPEECH! THAT's what this!" Yep. She said it. Just ike the fouding fathers... that's what she said. A rough but cool-looking black guy said "She's yelling at HERS, not yors- git you some BUSIness!" "All I did was roll my eyes..." "I can parent however i want so don't rolls your eyes at me- that's my right to raise my kid the way I see fit!" (Gay couple nearby- one mumbles to the other "I guess rolling your eyes is 'freedom of speech' too,.. or 'gesture' or something.") Someone else blurts "Alright, people, alright-" whilst mumbling is heard all thoroughout the bus... I finally got off downtown, but... well, felt like I had just watched someone kick a puppy for 15 minutes... and seriously questioning people's interpretations of their rights/freedoms as Amercians...wtf.
See abridged version in this week's the Stranger "Last Days" column:
http://thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=37208

11:47 AM -

Thursday, May 11, 2006


britney effing spears vs. "Be Kind, Please Rewind" vs. the Boogieman
Current mood: effing britney effing spears

NOTE: be warned- this entry is full of bitching and moaning... angst und schreckend

in a brief moment of retailzation at 12:06am my roomate emma and i realized that we had both come across the announcement of britney spears' second pregnancy while searchig for other (actually important) news today. there are billions of women on earth, britney spears is just one of them and nobody needs to know if she is preggers or not. there is so much to worry about that the fact that BBC had that posted its news front page is actually offensive... and/or a crime against humanity... but not quite. effing britney effing spears.eeew...

P.S.oh, so on a side-note... as in contemporary existence weren't tragic and completely meaningless enough... I just realized that it won't be long before "Be Kind, Please Rewind" is a completely meaningless phrase which will be removed from future use altogether... that's just weird. I know it is kinda dorky to write about seeing a show but i saw Mos Def last night at the University of Washington- which as I tried to explain to Tasa "it's kinda like an awkward 8-th grade dance" mainly du to the super-partolled atmosphere where it is almost like you're being forced into having fun by watching the Main Attraction, and Phantom Planet (or whoever those super-scary-skinny-scarecrow-looking white guys with big hair and tight pants were?!?) weren't exactly something you wanted to be forced to watch... but there was nothing else to do- and you couldn't LEAVE but you could do laps around the innner-outside of the inside of the "Bank of America 'toootally RAPES PUPPIES' Arena" which was 90estrooms. Alas, no re-entry, no beer, just $3 crappy pretzels and other overpriced nacho-esque-ickiness. But I really got into it... like being teleported into a random teen-college movie. You got the distinct urge to watch "10 Things I Hate About You" err- yea. WHY Mos Def was playing here, I'll never know. ($). How he feels about tons of white "bro's" flailing to his music, I'll never know either.($). At least they were enthusiastic for the most part, and many knew the lyrics better than I did.(&*^@..?) Mr. Def seemed happy, though.($) Like a kindergartener at show-and-tell- (but much louder and way more interesting.) By far the most confusing, comical and laid-back hip-hop show I'll probably ever see. Sometimes he'd just had the dj play a song, and he'd kind of dance to himself there by the turntable or rest his forehead on the speakers, wander around "like he was in his living room" (Tash noted) and a couple thousand other people just happened to be there... also odd was the acapella intros to the songs- which basically consisted of a quiet and quickly whispered version of the the first verse of the song before the beats came in and then he'd do the first verse over again... but the actual singing itself.... he's really got an amazing voice. Like, comforting.

May 16, 2006. It is actually getting hot out here. Reminds me of that preview for the Al Gore movie.. no it doesn't. But I find that Al Gore movie to be quite suspect. As Shivani and I were discussing- what's the motive there? I mean, not to be a cynic but does Albert Friggin Gore make a movie about how we're damaging the environment to actually ry to CHANGE things or does he do it to make Al Friggin Gore fell good about Al Friggin Gore's life... I dunno, man, I dunno man, I dunno man, I dunno... I DO know that If anything else bad happens this year my head will probably explode... what the heck. Literally. What the effing HECK is going on. I'd like to be able to blame the gazibo fire the other night on the full moon or something,... I probably should'nt even leave my room until the freakish accidents and happenings cease firing. Alas, that would be dull... ok, I have nothing worth typing about, /hmm.. issara took this the morning after the fire, I assisted Max (landlord) all day in "scraping the burnt part off the toast" err- "hankai house" in this case...
oooh, hellyea: issara quote of the day: "funkin' Republicans are running the country into the fuckin'ground, dude." (to which I thought: "and if hollywood really cared about starving babies and human rights then there wouldn't even be a Hollywood- all the time, effort, fame and money would go directly into saving ______..." Right?)
and this also this made me laugh:
.. width="425" height="350">

..>
12:06 AM -

Wednesday, May 03, 2006


coachella in the desert
Current mood: ecstatic
Category: Music


ok, so- ok, yep . coachella was pretty-much goddamm AMAZING, desert, hot hott hoooottt so hot- sweat, water, sweat, strip all unnecessary articels of clothing, kjust like the other 100,000 people who were there, and of all things Daft Punk (which I hadn't seen since 9 years ago in that warehouse in Mannheim, Germany right after they'd released Homework) was the best thing EVER, http://www.randomania.net/COACHELLA2006vids/.html
who knew that a couple of French robots could be the S-H-I-T???, other amazing things: Depeche Mode, ok Madonna is a bitchy diva who only played 5 songs, but- ok, why bother, here's the website:
http://www.coachella.com
so so... back to work... but thanks MANU, Tunde, Valeria and Naida!!!
in the words of this reviewer,(I can't put it any better):
"That is not to say some of the main-stagers were not up to snuff. Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Kanye West, and Massive Attack all performed predictably entertaining if not overwhelming sets. The exception to the headliner rule, and probably to anything said above, was Daft Punk's mindblowing appearance. Not to get hyperbolic, but people were crying at two French robots. Yes, chemicals may have played a part, but Bangalter and Homem-Christo deserve much of the credit for creating a relentless, dynamic live show based around two dudes standing in front of equipment. A towering LED pyramid; dizzying light show; hilariously choreographed camera movements for the screenwatchers; and, of course, an exhausting selection from their catalogue, sequenced on a seemingly impossible upward trajectory for a solid hour. Heart-attack shit. And for all those who argued Human After All's worthlessness: You were wrong." see: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/features/live/festivals/coachella06/



3:08 PM -

Thursday, April 13, 2006


Anti-TERRORism Handbook (an art show) in print!
Current mood: chipper

"Since first putting out the call to artists for this show a LOT has happened...
Riots broke out, embassies burned and people died over a few cartoons...
Hamas got voted in.

The third anniversary of the invasion of Irag passed...
Moussaoui stands trial as the only person charged for the Sept. 11 attacks (thus far)...
and of course the continuing and dumbfounding Irag situation itself, so it is a lot to try to wrap one's mind around. With this show I simply wanted to let artists put forth any ideas/ thoughts/ agendas/ solutions/ or lack thereof into a single project... enjoy.
TAR
ART
RAT
"curator"
April 6, 2006"

So, the show recieved mention in Urban Pollution this week:
"

Seattle's Art Walk Pt. 2

Written By: Jason Quackenbush


Topic

Seattle's Art Walk Pt. 2

Date

4/6/2006 - 1/1/1900

The OK Hotel is an interesting place, ostensibly a converted hotel for apartments, at any given time the expansive lobby might be given over to experimental post-rock concerts or, like tonight, a four person art show playing with the images and tropes that have penetrated American discourse in the after math of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. Most striking are the large spray painted stencils by Greg Boudreau based some of the more ridiculously useless of the safety advice given out by the department of homeland security. The stencils depict tall, thin, featureless white men behaving calmly in the face of terrorist attacks and instructions like "Be informed: explosions" and "Take your Terrorist Emergency Kit with you at all times." Also on display are a number of paintings by the graffiti artist TAR ART RAT, and Clip Art and Found Image art books constructed by William Corr. The best of TAR ART RAT's works on display is a massive painting superimposing images of war machines, the artists face and a half silhouette of George W. Bush whose mouth is absent and in it's place is a large finger. All of this is rendered in blank acrylic on a large sheet of clear plastic that dominates an entire wall; the plastic sheeting of course evoking the oft criticized information released by the Department of Homeland Security that such items should be on hand to be duct taped over doors and windows in the event of a chemical weapons attack. Also listed on the bill for the show was the Artist Davis Confused's work, although it was nowhere to be found." (sorry, Davis- your work was right there-! Hmm. Well if it makes you feel any better, apparently I AM Zacharias Moussaoui- heh, slight mistunderstanding there.) for full article: link
and:
OK HOTEL new website:
Gallery OK/Ok Hotel site



Here are some images of the paintings and the space:

12:33 AM -

Saturday, March 25, 2006


SLOG POST regarding Zombie Rave at CHAC...
Current mood: wierded-out...
Category: Parties and Nightlife

From: Paul Thomas
Mailed-By: gmail.com

To: brendan@thestranger.com
Date: Mar 30, 2006 12:35 PM
Subject: "irksome" comment regarding CHAC explained...
Brendan-
Hi there,
I noticed you had said my comment re: CHAC/rave was "irksome" but just to be fair I printed a slight retraction in my blog on Monday (see below)
but to help better explain where I'm coming from with that comment- I moved to Seattle from Germany in 1998 and, being naieve to most all things here, the closest thing I could find to the German club scene (mainstream life there, mind you) was the budding rave scene here. Nowhere else was playing electonic music. So, I went to a few raves here and there but quickly realized that it was pretty icky and toootally drugged-out. All the "friendliness" and "family" was really just people on ecstacy, and - ok, maybe it could be "all about the music" but most of the people were effed-up out-of-their-minds before they really got dancing... so, all that was a big turn-off and I ducked out completely. I don't know how that scene has evolved in the past 8 years so perhaps my stereotypes/ accustions were unfair, but I was still surprised to see an unusual event like that at CHAC, and before reading up on it I actually thought that the rave scene had become a Zombie-gore scene (also naieve conclusion). I have frequented CHAC on and off since it opened, have shown artwork there. I went to school with Amy Baranski as well as being acquainted with the Art Patch people, so of course I was surprized to see a bunch of raver kids crowded around it late on a Friday night.
Just wanted to let you know,
Take care and keep up the good work,
-paul


Update: March 28, 2006
To be fair, in retrospect, and after a few facts have come to light it seems that the murders had no direct connection with the creepy rave afterall... it seems like it was more of a "wrong-time, wrong-place" scenario... I suppose it could've just as easily been any house party this guy happened upon...
The fact that two Madison Market kids were killed is just awful... those guys were really genuinely nice, cool guys... I used to talk with Jeremy pretty often when I lived behind the market...
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002890294_victims26m.html


Original Post:

I've spent the morning thouroughly confused and fascinated by the flurry of news trickling in regarding the murders on Capitol Hill this morning. The Stranger's SLOG was kind enough to post my comments regarding my brief and strange late-night encounter with the zombie ravers outside CHAC...

"Saturday, March 25, 2006
Zombie Rave?
Posted by ELI SANDERS at 01:23 PM
A Slog reader agrees with Dan that the Seattle Times probably has the location of the pre-shooting "Zombie Rave" wrong:
I read in the Seattle Times about the location of that Zombie party and thought, "Hmm, that's funny." Because when I was walking home past the CHAC last night arount 1:45am there were tons of wierd, sketchy, dead-looking, gothy, candy-raver kids crowed in and around CHAC. I was genuinely taken aback because the kids were just completely bizarre one of them, who looked like he was all of 16, asked me where the nearest "beer store" was. Other kids were sitting on the sidewalk all looking like the Crow on Esctacy decked out in black wings and Tim Burton tights, etc. So thanks for assuring me that what I saw corresponded to what I woke up to on the radio this morning
This Slog reader also poses a question:
CHAC is an ART venue. Why were they even hosting this creepy, cracked-out raver event?"
permalink | discuss in forums | post comments (0)
http://www.thestranger.com/blog/
1:39 PM -

Saturday, March 18, 2006


Thanks, and let's do the time warp.. (again?), HOME.
Current mood: listless
Category: Friends

Update as of 30. March: Parents are now moving to Croughton, England- approx. an hour NE of London... images of gray, tea, beer in the mind with Morrissey/the Smiths on repeat endlessly... ok, maybe it won't be that bad. But why the heck aren't they going back to Germany!!! Curse you Bekki for getting Baumholder! Also, been getting busy with the art show so all that crap about me being lazy and unproductive is, well,... just crap. (and mopey stupid crap at that. note to self: snap out of it, drink three espressos and go somewhere you lame-ass!)...

Original Post:

So, not a lot going on I suppose... I haven't been writing much or creating much of anything... this new year has been one mini-upheaval after another, and extremes of dullness or too-much-ness. Is it unhealthy not to try to purge some of that? Strangely January was the month of waiting -then chaos, February was the month of moving (via bus mostly -and thank god for Claire and Nigel, my cousins, who totally helped with the furniture) and being on a bad foot and now March is semi-stable but foot got bad again. Grr, foot. grrr. I took for granted the body's simple mechanics and also the blind comforts and routines of life that are returning in some nice ways. Leave the not-so good behind... Let's just blame the weather, shall we? That' good. But, things are very still and strange and becoming slightly pleasant again. I'm extremely grateful to all the people who I've frantically emailed since the break-up with gripes, woes and whatnot. Nicole, Manuel, Vern, Russ, Nadine, Nina, John, Brandon Evygenia and my new roomates who totally provided all kinds of crazy and at times expert moral support. THANKS! Now it'd just be nice if the heartbreak/foot/Winter time-warp would stop it's infernal warping and the Spring/Summer could kick in...
Everything with these stupid crutches takes longer. Everything- a trip to the grocery store is such a pain in the ass excursion I keep putting it off... and the fact that the # 10 bus only comes by once every half hour in the evening makes it even less... err, well, just more excrutiating unless you bring a book.
Mom and dad are now moving soon-ish with the recent announcement of the permanent closure of the Keflavik NATO base where mom works. I find that a bit sad- after all, they've only been there since last Summer and although they quickly grew weary of the endless dark, wind, cold I think a bit of road-tripping to see more the geological Wunderland that is iceland would've done them some good, so perhaps they'll be able to fit that in... I guess it isn't surprising that the base is closing. It had a 99-year post WWII lease but that was mostly to keep an eye on the commies during the cold war... but now it seems like nobody did/does anything there and that the base existed purely from the obligation of the lease... Hm. Let me be ceezy and sentimental for a second- I really really love that Talking Head's song "This Must Be The Place (Naieve Melody)"
I mean, I guess ever since the wierdness of the Germany move- which I didn't witness, so the house we lived in the longest was dissolved, evaporated, an is now non-existant except in our memories, well- I mean it is just the last (or most recent) in a long line of evaporated (almost mirage-like?) homes... makes for an addicive nostalgia I often try to ignore, but an constanly and sometimes pleasantly re-haunted by... some of this song doesn't make much sense or necessairily have to do with that I'm talking about here, but it's just so gosh-darn nice...
" This Must be the Place (Naive Melody)"
-------------------------------------------------
Home is where I want to be
Pick me up and turn me round
I feel numb - burn with a weak heart
(So I) guess I must be having fun
The less we say about it the better
Make it up as we go along
Feet on the ground
Head in the sky
It's ok I know nothing's wrong . . nothing

Hi yo I got plenty of time
Hi yo you got light in your eyes
And you're standing here beside me
I love the passing of time
Never for money
Always for love
Cover up say goodnight . . . say goodnight

Home - is where I want to be
But I guess I'm already there
I come home - -she lifted up her wings
Guess that this must be the place
I can't tell one from another
Did I find you, or you find me?
There was a time Before we were born
If someone asks, this where I'll be . . . where I'll be

Hi yo We drift in and out
Hi yo sing into my mouth
Out of all tose kinds of people
You got a face with a view
I'm just an animal looking for a home
Share the same space for a minute or two
And you love me till my heart stops
Love me till I'm dead
Eyes that light up, eyes look through you
Cover up the blank spots
Hit me on the head Ah ooh"

3:42 PM -

Wednesday, February 22, 2006


euGoogleizer.
Current mood: arttistic, wha?!?

this was a would-be art-show idea, the Antiterrorism Handbook won out, so I ended up posting it in the Saatchi Gallery debate forum, feel free to throw-in your three cents.
-p

http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/forum/saatchi_forums.php?action=topic&topicid=447

euGoogleizer.
How does the use of, for example, the Google Image Search affect an artist's search for visual content and ultimately their overall image (for example: I need to know what a sequoia looks like but I don't have one nearby to draw so I do a search for one and then choose from one of the first 30 results, etc.) It seems like this exact same tree could easily show up in someone else's painting as well if they did the same... with the first generation of young artists growing up with no memory of a pre-internet human existence, how might this affect artwork in the near future? Or is it even a real concern?

22-Feb-2006
By TAR ART RAT

p.s. "euGoogleizer." is a talented eulogist, or what Derek Zoolander describes himself to be at his model-friends'' funeral... eulogy, google, yea... that's all.

TO SEE RESPONSES POSTED, CLICK:
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/forum/saatchi_forums.php?action=topic&topicid=447

Currently listening:
A Love Supreme
By John Coltrane
Release date: By 19 August, 2003

11:51 AM -

Tuesday, February 07, 2006


"Antiterrorism Handbook" in sensitive times of cartoons and polarized madnesses...

Ok, for those of you who expressed interest in working on this show (and those who could still join (hint-hint)) it just clicked that there is suddenly new relevance to the "Antiterrorism Handbook" art show, and especially for those for you who are cartoon-oriented... which is many of you. Also, if writers would like to collaborate with draw-ers we could try to match-make for that...
anyhow, here's what I was talking about:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4690338.stm
gimme feedback, kids.
-paul
p.s. (and if you have any friends who might be interested, yea-yea) if you need me to re-send the original call-to-artists outlining the idea behind the show, well, here it is:

Need a few good artists to each create their own "Antiterrorism
Handbook." Political orientation is not an issue.

For the show I would basically like artists to create their own very
propaganda-oriented "Antiterrorism Handbook" (or whatever you want to
call it) to put across their own agenda on how they think terrorism
should be "dealt with" since by now we are all pretty-well aware of
how politicians and governments have been going about it.

NOTE: See the initial inspiration at this awesome interactive offical
Government training and certification website:
https://atlevel1.dtic.mil/at/
You can get certified if you like but I suggest you don't use your
real name. (Just because.) It is kind of time-consuming, though.

The actual physical artwork hanging in the show will be the
images/paintings/illustrations used to illustrate your book- and
whatever other relevant work that comes from the project. Shirts,
prints, whatever.
Your contribution can be whatever you want- but must include at least
some type of physical "Antiterrorist Handbook" or booklet- (call it
what you will, a zine-like or some sort of limited edition original
artbook you could give-away or sell at the opening - your choice).
Artists will be in charge of their own sales and recieve 100% of any
sale of their work.

Deadline for application is Valentine's Day. Space is limited.
Participation will require a certain quality commitment on the part of
the artists to complete the work and the project, (so no half-assing
allowed, k?)
To please send submissions with
-Name/Pseudonym,
-email address,
-and link to a website or a couple of jpeg/pdf/tiff examples of your
recent work to:

TARARTRAT@gmail.com

We will contact you within a few days of your submission. Show opens
on First Thursday Artwalk in April and will be at the OK Hotel in
Seattle's Pioner Square (located at 212 Alaskan Way South, between
S.Jackson and S.Main along the water, parallel to 1st Ave)

Show sponsored by the TAR ART RAT Foundation for the Continuation of Humanity

Resurrected Blog entries from ye olde Myspace acct: Nov 2005-Jan 2006

BLUE LAGOON!

Tuesday, January 03, 2006


Reykjavik, etc.

everything I just wrote was somehow deleted or timed-out or something... Paul Theraux was right, you really can't trust these bastard computers... whew... I need a minute to chill out on this...
As I was saying, Reykjavik... is off the hook. it is like a supersize Ramstein village (for those of you who can visualize that reference)ï?? but with that particular lively energy inï?? he air, people are out interacting andï?? either well- or interestingly dressed everywhereï?? you look. ANd the night just goes on and on.ï?? I was often mistook for an icelander which was great because I was able to meet quite a few people that way- they'd just come up to me and start chattering away, at whihc point of course I'd have to admit to only speaking English or German but there wasn't much of the cold-shoulder feel I have experienced as an American in Germany or France (and espcially Spain for me but that might've been a language barrier-thing). We went out two consecutive nights in Reykjavik- staying out later than I ever have in recent memory (8:30 am- nuts) but the darkness just keeps going and people are swirling in their socializations and singing, drinking, dancing to no end.ï?? It is refresing to see people out having fun- instad of having your drink yanked out of your hand at 1:45 in Seattle, this is the exact opposite...
New Years was sheer madness. We parked near the water and met up with some F-15 from the other night who had a hotel in downtown. They'd been in iceland a few weeks on some mission form Japan so at least they knew their way around and were pretty cool whereas we were pretty clueless, so it kind-of worked. This little kid of one of the guys could do a bunch of magic tricks, which wsa impressive becaus we was only in 2nd grade- which is about the same time I recieved a magic trick set for my birthday and it sat under my bed for 10 years untouched... that stuff gives me headaches. (As I am writing this right now I am all comfused and disoriented from undealt-with jetlag and f'ed-up Seattle rainyness, so it may be a bit oddd... err...%

Transferred Myspace Blog Posts from Oct/Nov. 2005:

Thursday, November 10, 2005

halloween
Current mood: calm

I'm really proud of my pumpkin and my costume this year- the first timee in YEARS, thank goodness... I think I was starting to feel about Haloween how most people feel about Valentines day... all deflated and hopeless and stuff.
look at the face on that sucka. grrr, heh.



5:47 PM -

Thursday, October 13, 2005


"Free"

I noticed this while logging in:
"Why Join MySpace?
» Create a Custom Profile
» Upload Pictures
» Send Mail and IM's
» Write Blogs & Comments
» It's FREE!"
and wondered once again about that word "Free"... if we added all the man-hours people waste on Myspace, and calculated those unproductive hours' impact on the GDP, what would it be exactly? Hmmm...

1:04 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

Monday, October 10, 2005


chaos?

This brief little dialogue makes me so, sad?:

"tons of people died in an earthquake.

damn.

crazy."

Amy responded:

"Yeah, like more than 20,000 people. I might sound a little crazy, but I honestly think that the terrible things that have been happening all over the world are not just some freak occurences, but somehow interconnected. There is just no explanation for so many devastating natural disasters occuring so close together. We can't continue to dessimate and exploit the earth and expect there to be no repercussions. Whew! OK I feel better now that I got that off my chest."

and me again:

dude, I feel you on that one- I know, it is wieeeerd. A few years ago I read T.C. Boyle's "A Friend of the Earth" which is both hilarious and terrifying but it freaked me out- crazy weather constantly in the future, people killed by stuff just flying through the air, like pieces of roof...but yea, I'm worried. It makes me want to SHAKE people- like all of congress adn the auto industry adn the chemical/manufacturing/everything industries... shake'em adn say "You're GONNA F***ING KILL US!" alas, that is not practical. maybe I should post that too? The whole posting thing it wierd.".

anyhow, ugh... why are there so many disasters? duh. I mean- stuff happening on the surface of the earth which is obviously caused by man's impact on the environment is one thing... but these earthquakes too... it seems like we have hardly had a break from disasters in 2005 (ok, Tsunami was Dec. 26, 2004) but...to fuel my paranoia there are little blurbs like this on the BBC:

DEADLIER PLANET
Deaths from natural disasters: 83,000 in 2003; 53,000 in 1990
Natural disasters: 337 in 2003; 261 in 1990
Risk factors: city growth, climate change, environmental degradation

egit!

10:53 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

Monday, October 03, 2005


DoucheBeer fur Oktoberfest discussions
Current mood: indescribable

Paul to J and John:

"Barf, guys- BAAAARF,Barrrf
check this art opening:"

For Immediate Release:
2 October 2005

OKTOBERFEST
Interactive Performance by TOI SENNHAUSER
ONE NIGHT ONLY: SATURDAY 8 OCTOBER 6-9 PM

504 E. Denny Way #1
east side of Denny and Olive
*behind a wooden fence

CRAWL SPACE hosts a one-night interactive performance by TOI
SENNHAUSER, examining the decision or indecision of viewers to become
participants in the consumption of the artist's custom-brewed beer.
Installed as a traditional Oktoberfest beer tent (minus the tent),
Sennhauser invites viewers to join the ranks of drinkers at the wood
plank table and drink from her keg of beer brewed with a starter
containing a trace amount of her own vaginal yeast.

"Somewhere between 7,000 to 4,000 B.C., in Mesopotamia, in the Kingdom
of Sumeria, women invented beer. By adding a trace amount of my
vaginal yeast to regular brewer's yeast, my Original Pussy Beer pays
homage to beer's ancient creators from "the cradle of civilization."
Woman is literally reunited with the beer.
"Experimentation with historic staple foods, in combination with my
own body, helps to build a new artistic dimension: understanding
through taste. To experience an art piece through taste is a
two-pronged experience. The viewer has to make a simple decision - to
ingest it or not. From this primal question new questions quickly
arise: Is it socially acceptable to drink beer that includes even a
trace amount of vaginal yeast? Is it natural? Is it kinky? Can a man
drinking this beer still be macho? Why does it make such a difference
when it comes to the human body?
"It is these questions about society's ever-increasing disconnect with
the human body that I try to expose and learn about by feeding the
viewer. By sharing my art in this way, I share my body and mind,
inviting the viewer to have a conversation on a genuinely intimate
level. Essence meets essence. The participants begin to understand me
and I them." - Toi Sennhauser
CRAWL SPACE is an artist-run cooperative gallery working to further
the creation and exhibition of new and innovative artwork by emerging
artists and to incite community interest in the visual arts. Since
opening in 2003, we have provided curatorial and installation
opportunities for over 100 emerging artists in monthly public
exhibitions. We have recently been granted sponsorship by the Allied
Arts Foundation, who also provides our 501(c)3 identification.


CRAWL SPACE
artist-run gallery
504 E DENNY WAY UNIT #1
SEATTLE WA 98122
206-322-5752
www.crawlspacegallery.com
info@crawlspacegallery.com
--
Crawl Space, artist-run gallery

Furthering the creation and exhibiton of innovative artwork by emerging artists.
Inciting community interest in the visual arts.

www.crawlspacegallery.com

J.Go's response:

oh my god

oh my god
oh my god
eewwwwwwww

Here is Marcus "Juan" Silverthorne's response:

A Brief Pre-Performative Response to an Exhibit not yet Having Occurred
by Marcus Silverthorne

On October 8th, Toi Sennhauser will be holding an interactive performance entitled "Oktoberfest", in which she will be offering a specially brewed beer containing trace amounts of vaginal yeast taken from her own body. She explains,

"Experimentation with historic staple foods, in combination with my
own body, helps to build a new artistic dimension: understanding
through taste. To experience an art piece through taste is a
two-pronged experience. The viewer has to make a simple decision - to
ingest it or not. From this primal question new questions quickly
arise: Is it socially acceptable to drink beer that includes even a
trace amount of vaginal yeast? Is it natural? Is it kinky? Can a man
drinking this beer still be macho? Why does it make such a difference
when it comes to the human body?

It is these questions about society's ever-increasing disconnect with
the human body that I try to expose and learn about by feeding the
viewer. By sharing my art in this way, I share my body and mind,
inviting the viewer to have a conversation on a genuinely intimate
level. Essence meets essence. The participants begin to understand me
and I them."

How is one "primal" question and a series of "new" questions a two-pronged experience? Or are the two prongs 1) to ingest and 2) not to ingest, in which case a better description would be two one-pronged experiences? Or, is the point that one can both ingest and not ingest, which would entail an overcoming of scientific-technical bifurcations such as the principle of non-contradiction and other vestiges of traditional modes of domination, largely masculine in character?

Is this in a sense a reorientation of art in which the artist becomes a kind of inverted mirror? That is, do we discover in this primal question a parallel between the traditional taboo on such experiences as " a and simultaneously not-a" and the dualisms that artificially sever the external body from the "interior" mind, which is somehow always defined in terms of the very ratiocination that gave rise to this division in the first place? And, as inverted mirror, do we not find that the performance of corporeal, sensual action gives rise to modes of questioning that cannot possibly be accounted for by ultra-rational bifurcating reasoning?

Here, in the experience of this bodily beer, we are presented with a series of inverted dualities: attraction and revulsion, vaginal and macho, nature and artefact. But these are only apparent dualities. They are only oppositions in so far as they are reflections of traditional analyses. In deciding to drink Original Pussy Beer, one performatively unites these dualities into one immediate, physical experience, the sensual-social experience of taste and intoxication. And just as these two latter elements can never be understood apart from the one experience of beer, so can these bifurcations mentioned above never be understood apart from the one experience of body: corporeal, immediate, sensual.

And now we can finally understand how the primal question can give rise to a manifold of new question ings. That is, questions as lived, bodily experience: a form of investigation that perhaps only art can make possible.


Thanks for your time,

Marcus Silverthorne Public Relations
Chapter 92
New York, New York
10019
Marcus Silverthorne's e-mail address is mrsilverthorne@gmail.com.
and his newborn blog: mrsilverthorne.blogspot.com


6:59 PM -

Thursday, September 29, 2005


Vikings!
Current mood: impressed

I saw Sigur Ros again last night and that is one of those "wow, human beings can do some craaazy stuff" experiences...I mean, I really can't think of any audio-visual experience that overwhelms the senses like seeing them live does... It's how I imagine watching a well-orcestrated slow-motion atomic bomb test, whereas listening to their recordings at home is just kind of like a submarine ride through the molten innards beneath a volcano... heh. While sitting there in the theatre I kept thinking back to two thousand or ten thousand years ago when we were all fighting and rummaging for food (oh, wait- we're still doing that) and the guys in Sigur Ros were farmers or carpernters or Vikings or whatever- and most of the audience were broke-ass peasants adn now you can pay $32 and see this amazing human achievement by these pale skinny Icelanders. Wild. I kind of wish I could bring everyone I knew (and liked) but I doubt my parents would care for the extreme noise aspects and, well... I'll have to work on that. That minute of silence,though-jeez...

9:03 AM -

Wednesday, September 28, 2005


intrusive radio?

So the KanYe for President Weekend got pretty old after only a day and a halfand I was back to NPR/KUOW and 98.1- the Classical station (which has too many commercials) Radio commercials are so jolting. Painting a bunch, though. That's good. In fact, every waking minute is almost accounted for... except now, but I should be doing something else... there is radio being picked up by my computer's CPU, this hasn't happened before, not since the last appartment right next to the radio towers, but this - egit, once again, is very poltergeisty.

Other than that... well, everything feels very very unsure...

9:02 AM -

Sunday, September 25, 2005


fizzle on the Radio
Current mood: drained

I have had no time to think or type into this 'blog' thing lately, been painting again 'cleaning my brain' heh, speaking of which- has anyone noticed this Pop-Hop cover of "Sugar on my Tongue"? I almost had a heart-attack. Why, why, why... it's pretty ...dopey.

Admittedly, I have been listening to a lot of Kube 93.3 (I think because NPR was becoming intensely/terminally un-nerving so what better to cover it up than the "KanYe for President" weekend on Kube?) Nothing but booty-shaking club hits back to back. Glorious. Except for that new Destiny's Child song... that sucks.

Ok, it is Sunday... ok... if I see one more dissapointing Tim Burton movie I might cry adn this might happen very soon- like, tonight.

10:39 AM -

Monday, September 12, 2005


"It's as close to the grove as you can get"TM
Current mood: okay
Category: Parties and Nightlife

I'm sick (cold or something) but I'm staring at this carton of Florida's Natural (?) orange juice which has a tag line "It's as close to the grove as you can get"TM which really makes you wonder- can they get away with that??? If I am standing in that grove holding this carton of OJ, am I closer to the grove by holding the carton or by standing in the grove itself?... curse you, Dayquil, curse you! Boy, I tell ya.

I must take a moment to apologize to Mr. Michael Wheeler also from Florida.) He is a very nice and compassionate Desert Storm Veteran and all american kind of guy who I spoke with for 45 minutes while waiting for the bus the other night. He is currently very homeless-looking (didn't want to pry) and awaiting an ampuation for his left foot due to a degenerative bone disease. Really nice guy, though. He really took to my VENTSPACE posters and was absolutely convinced that I could eventually be paid by the fat cats NOT to make such things... I was flattered and he took a stack to hand out, and I was also supposed to fill-in my own statement into the empty speech bubbles and tape it to a tree on Friday. If Mr.Wheeler liked what I said then he would get me a job through the important people he knew and all I needed to do was return to the tree and he would've left a contact # for me to call his people... hmm, after living I know it sounds a bit fishy and after having had my fair share of conversations with nutcases, of course, I didn't really believe him... but he was charming, and I do actually feel bad about not going thorough with my part of the bargain... I really thought about waht to put into those speech bubbles... came across a couple good quotes by OTHER people (not the men featured in the image) but never really settled on anything. For example, this brutal little tidbit from Dr Mahathir, former Primer-Minister of Malaysia who puts it quite bluntly:

"The British and American bomber pilots came, unopposed, safe and cosy in their state of the art aircraft, pressing buttons to drop bombs, to kill and maim. And these murderers, for that is what they are, would go back to celebrate 'mission accomplished'. Who are the terrorists? The people below who were bombed or the bombers? Whose rights have been snatched away?"

I can't say I feel that way all the time becaue it just isn't as simple as all that... and I realize that you can't blame the soldiers because they usually think they are doing the right thing, just like the terrorists or insurgents or whoever. I even feel like anybody who gets up and goes to work each day to contribute to the US economy has their little share of the blame. Alas, what can you do? Bitch and moan at least, right? Dunno. or..watch the second season of Ali G on DVD, whoa. Sometimes entertainment is entirely necessary. Had Bumbershoot not been a few days after the Hurricane I think my head yould've exploded.

As far as the VENTSPACE: poster goes, I think my quote is just having made the image itself... I know it is neutral and removed, but. Oh well. sorry Mr. Wheeler, wherever you are.

8:30 AM -

Tuesday, September 06, 2005


new vocab word, kids: "Absolete"
Current mood: ecstatic

i recieved a spam email from the usual, like,"Frank Humperdink" or whoever wanting me to buy something, but this one had misspelled the word "obsolete" or "absolute" as a whole NEW WORD: "Absolete" which could be defined as "absolutely obsolete" I suppose.

It really amazes me the random strings of words attached to spam... I think some are novel exerpts, but it is pretty much impossible to tell, however if you Google a block of quoted text sometimes it can lead you to a reading selection from the book it actually comes from... hmm...

oh, and I was so happy that the aforementioned Tadashi (not an imaginary friend) emailed:

"From: Tadashi Kanazawa
To: paul@artvenue.net
Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2005 00:10:31 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Thank you!

This is Tadashi Kanazawa.

I'm sorry to mail to you lately.

How are you? I'm grateful for meeting to you,and talking to me.
Thank you for your warm talking.
Today I had a big trouble,but I was funny. Because last night you gave me grate power.
I want to mail the letter in Vancouver.
I will study hard,and write wonderful letter to you.
See you .Good night."
7:37 PM -

Friday, September 02, 2005


bike allover you
Current mood: good

3:05 am, just got back from Artwalk - exhausted but not tired because I took a chilly dip in Lake Washinton with Christian, Davis, Alex and out wonderful newfound Japanese friend Tadashi. Tadashi flew in from Japan yesterday, met Davis this afternoon while getting his bike repaired, ended up at Artwalk, where we had to basically speak in sign language (although his english is pretty good, just limited, but we made a whole illustrated diagram of the sounds that animals make in english vs. japanese, for example: a sheep in japanese says "Me-Me" not "Ba-Ba" and afrog says "GHeno"(?) not "ribbit" whoa! We also gave each other a brief illustrated history lesson of our countries. I was shocked to discover that he wasn't sure whether the USA was a part of the UK or not, but then again, what the heck do I know about Japanese history? So I had to go way back, in US history and whatever i could piece together of UK history... the echo in my mind "the sun never sets on the british empire"... but what WERE those countries? India, uhm, Hong Kong (not a country), and some of the Middle East...and what are they now.. ouch, dumb...but cool- huh? Wow. ) So, we took him around the artwalk open studios- that place with the alley entrance and the nice people, 414 Alaskan Way S., or Red Stripe Bldg? Dunno, but after we ultimately peer- pressured poor Tadashi (riddled by jetlag adn confusion) into junping into lake Washinton over in the richie/ non-policed Leschi (?) neighborhood, or Madrona? We were able to swim from the public dock to the private boats although we encoundered dozens of slimey, chained-together tree-sized logs which only floated for a second of you tried resting on them, then they'd sink and their place would be taken by the two slimey logs on either side- like in an old video game or something... augh!
The amazing thing about Tadashi is that he arrived here with the intention to first bike to Mt. Rainier (far away!) and then bike to Vancouver B.C. (reallly far away!) I was like "Tadashi, that's far- reealllly far and you're trying to do this in 2 days?" He's going to to it- beginning first thing in the morning... I gave him our contact info and told him to call or email if he has any problems,god bless him- and my god, BIKE TO VANCOUVER! that's like a 3 hour drive, not to mention whatever kind of butt-rape may be waiting in the clutches of Homeland Security... hmm, well, everyone pray for Tadashi like you would, like, Lance Armstrong or something, ok.? thanks!

Revived and transferred blog posts from Myspace entries: August 2005

"Human Rights Commission...
Current mood: confused

(To paraphrase) the radio just said "the United Nation intends to prevent those countries with outstanding and ongoing human rights violations from joining a new UN Commission on Human Rights..."

...um-hmn,... I played that over adn over again in my head...

And thank you to all the Kate Mosses who have responded cooperatively adn sorry about the one un-Kate that is really wierd and bitter and angry in the UK, k?

RETRACTION: the un-kate whose name really is actually Kate Moss is nice.

9:07 PM -

Tuesday, August 30, 2005


Kate Moss Project initiated in a hurricane fit of dulldom
Current mood: bored

My eyes popped open before the sun even came up this mornign,so as i went about the morning routine of making tea and listening to the lame-ass commercially interrupted classical station 98.1 (you eletist bourgeoise (sp?) Pacific Nothwest swine! Sorry, it's early...anyhow) I sent the following message to 26 different Kate Mosses:

"Mrs. or Mr. Moss,
Congrats! You have been selected for the T.A.R. Foundation project "Kate Mosses of the World, Unite and Take over." At this special moment in history it is fascinating to us that one person's identity can be claimed fairly undeniably and equally by dozens of people whether they are, are not, or also happen to be named a certain famous person's name. It is an interesting sort of identity crisis. To help put this into perspective, the Foundation is seeking to become Myspace "friends" with all the people who are named or claim to be Kate Moss- and this means obviously that you qualify, so please respond asap to take your rightful place amongst the other Kate Mosses. You dont' even really have to "unite" and you definitely don't have to "take" anything "over"- all you have to do is approve the friend request- after that we probably won't ever contact you again, we just want all the Kates on the same page. Also, if you know of any other Kate Mosses please feel free to contact them and ask them to join as well. This might even be "art" in the year 2005, but probably not... Does it matter?

Thanks for considering us,
Paul Thomas
Tar Art Rat Foundation,
Seattle, USA"

I know it is kind----of dumb, but I'm curious to see what will happen, will there be fights? Or nothing? hmm, I need to think of someting better, I suppose, but we shall see...

8:07 AM -

Monday, August 29, 2005

Kate Mosses of the world, unite and take-over...
Current mood: curious

So since the authenticity of anyone's identity (particularly celebrities in this wierd world known as the internet) is very questionable, I'm going to attempt to do the only resonable thing: befrieind all the Kate Mosses. At first count there were, well, gosh- at least 20... we'll see what happens...

Ooo, craaap, now I feel bad for criticizing the Hurricane and it's victims since it is about to rip through, not Florida, but New Orleans in about 5 minutes, egit! Natural disasters are,... well, they're really something, aren't they? And why bother naming them people's names? Why Humanize the beast- isn't it easier to call it "B2%7Q"? If a weather guy sez "B2%7Q is about to rip New Orleans to shreds!" I'd be like: "F**K B2%7Q!" buuuut since it's Katherine, I'd be more inclined to think "Katherine,... that sneaky bitch, oh well, I'm sure she has SOME redeeming qualities."

They don't name earthquakes, that's for sure... maybe that's because earthquakes effect a particular area adn don't wander around, therefore it is much easier to refer to them by location... hmm...

8:47 AM -

Friday, August 26, 2005


Moog is actually pronounced "Moeg"- who knoew?

So, as Science Friday so thouroughly informed me just now the instrument known as Moog is really pronounced "Moeg" (like "moe-gh") and the guy who invented it just died... that is kind of sad.
I'm starting to lose sympathy for people who live in Florida, it seems absurd to be battered by dozens of storms/hurricanes every year... if someone can explain this, please, feel free.
Or the South, it is hot- right? and the East coast, it has its extremes... damn...
or on volcanic islands, or in, well, anywhere near the San Andreas, ... people are nuts.

8:57 PM -

Thursday, August 25, 2005


Death by Automobile vs. "VOTE OR DIE"
Current mood: okay

Let's talk about Death, baby.

I am shocked and appalled that out of the hundreds of bicyclists I saw in NYC only 3 of them were wearing helmets. C'mon, guys we need MORE bikers, not LESS! And if you are whipping around rabid monster-ass traffic like that then it is just a matter of time before you DIE! DIE DIE DDIIIIIE! Speaking of "Die" I saw a guy working the Go-Karts in Coney Island wearing a "VOTE OR DIE!" t-shirt, wow- I wanted to buy it right off his back (unfortunately he was many times-over larger than me) but WHAT whaaaaaat does that mean, or DID, what DID that mean? ...please, if anyone can answer that, or if anyone can ask Mr. Diddy, please please do... Meanwhile Diddy's face is everywhere in posters for the Music Awards, adn I was reminded of seeing an interview with him during the election- he was in front of the camera for a whole phat minute and couldn't help coming across as an idiot who had no idea what he was talking about- no, actually, he didn't seem to be responding t the questions they were asking - to paraphrase:

Reporter: "Mr. Diddy, what do you think about the statistics that say that your "Vote or Die" campaign has had no signifigant impact on yourth voter turnout when compared to years past?"

Diddy: "Well, we all got together and we got the message out and the youth presence witht eh election has ben more than ever, we've done what we set out to accomplish adn got young people to vote- VOTE OR DIE!"

Reporter: "Actually, Mr. Diddy, statistics show that there really weren't any MORE young people voting this election that any other past election, the expected turnout just didn't, well, show up."

Diddy: "Well, we all got together and we got the message out and the youth presence witht eh election has ben more than ever, we've done what we set out to accomplish adn got young people to vote- VOTE OR DIE!"

Yep...couldn't respond/answer simple questions... so how is he going to be in front of the camera for HOURS hosting an awards show... hmm, any why do we live in a society where this guy owns a $150 Million Yacht? conundrum, eh? Riddle me that, biatch. If I could find a TV I'd definitely tune-in.

...maybe he was just nervous...

...poor, poor Diddy...

8:36 AM -

Monday, August 15, 2005


Is there any difference between iceland and bjoerk?
Current mood: disgruntled, sleepish

My family moved to iceland last week- the three of them there and I can't comprehend that really... It'll be at least until christmas until I can afford or have time off enough to visit, but I am so curious... you know, you say "Iceland" these days and all anyone says is "Bjoerk" but at least they don't say "Oh, like in Siberia?" or "Are there Innuit there?" So at least Bjoerk put in on the map for better or worse... by the way, a few good Ielandic movies I've seen lately: the Sea, Devil's Island, and Noi. Then there is Sigur Ros and, uh, the last McSweeney's,... but all of this probably isn't enough to change or separate Bjoerks face from the image which appears in people's mind when you say "Ice--land" ...

speaking of ice, I was reading the accounts of the Greek plane crash yesterday and was floored. My lord. The loss of cabin pressure. The pilots passing out and turning blue, and everyone almost freezing to death just before they crashed... that sounds so absolutely awful... so so so awful. A third of the passengers were kids, ... ugh, jeez. How can it be that cold in the atmosphere, I don't get it. How does a plane spring a leak like that? Well, I suppose that anything human beings put together is bound to spring a leak eventually...

I don't have even the slightest of flying, even after reading this account or hearing the audio archives of the firefichters in the WTC which were released the other day... it's always just been something I've done since before I can remember. My father flew planes for the first few years of my life, - so i feel kind of attached to them... they are like BFGs to me...in fact, I am getting on one in a few hours to visit John Mumm in NYC... (first time) should be good...



8:35 AM -

Wednesday, August 10, 2005


Insurgency Graffitti
Current mood: worried

hm, maybe I'll be wrong about this somewhere down the road, but I was watching one of Seattle's finest Graffitti removal professionals use his super toxic green chemicals to melt some artwork off a brick wall in Pioneer Square, and this guy does this all day every working day. And the graffitti art comes back, and he does it again. Another less hi-tech group goes around painting over the stuff, a "brick color" which looks worse than when they started...

I couldn't help but think of the metaphor for the "War Against Extremist Scary Action Against Western Whitey" (or whatever they're calling the Artist formerly known as the War on Terror these days)

SO: Someone does something that you don't like, so you come with your equipment and determination and ideas of how things should be (or look)and try to fix it, someone undoes what you've done, you try to fix it... how does it go? It's a dumb cycle, the painting-over of graffitti, but at least is isn't costing lives. Would the art become in-balance with society if allowed to grow and take its natural course?

The useless and redundant graffiti creation and removal cycle just struck me (sadly) as being such a good metaphor for our efforts in Iraq and Afganistan, and our whole metality towards the hari-kari crazy actions of our so-called terrorist enemies...

just a thought.

10:23 AM

Monday, August 08, 2005


modern jackass revisited
Current mood: amused

Things are ok. it is another sunny day in Seattle and the Blue Angles (acrobatic show jets) are up in the sky still stroking their military big-budget boners, but they're pretty...

saturday after buying a little radio and a sega genesis for $3 at a richie yardsale (mostly full of used Resoration Hardwarde-looking stuff and baby paraphanelia... sorry, they were rude) we went to a lookout point at the North end of 15th and witnessed a perfect example of what Ira Glass described in This American Life as "Modern Jackass" a few weeks ago...

Scene: a middle aged man is strumming a gituar, maybe playing Van Morrison or Cat Stevens on the top of a hill overlooking forest, Lake Washington (?), UW Husky stadium, boats zipping about and this supposed airshow. Another hyper little stocky dorky 30-something guy walks up and begins asking the gituar player questions:

"Hey, do you know if the Blue Angels have gone by yet?"

"Uh, well, no - I haven't seen 'em"

"Have you heard them"

"No"

"How long have you been here?"

"Uhm, 20 minutes?" (still strumming intermittendly)(sp?)

"Oh, and you haven't seen ay go by? How fast do they go?"

"Uhm, no- but, pretty fast"

" I can't remember if it is faster thand the speed of sound or not..."

"Yea, me neither.."

"But if it were faster than the speed of sound then there'd be a sonic boom and we would've felt that."

"Yea, I guess so"

"Isn't that illegal to do- the sonic boom- over populated areas?"

"Gosh, man, I don't know"

"You have to fly over rural areas or over the ocean, right? Do you know when the show is supposed to start? Can we see if fromhere even or are we too far North?"

"Gosh, man, I just don't know" the gituar player's shoulders slumped in a body-language surrender effort. My jaw was slowly dropping at this point.

"Well, alright man-" said the dorky hyper guy "thanks for your help." and he said it sincerely, too.

wow.

modern jackass: two people (or in this case one TRYING to pry out information that simply doesn not exist) attempting adn not giving up the attempt to discuss a specific topic (like an air show and all the details that surround it) when neither know anything- or at least not much- about the topic.

great... at least I got a sega genesis.for $2. no games, though. this is the beauty of the yardsale now- all those unattainable things from childhood can be purchased for less that $5... even if you never use them, there is a sense of completion... wait, maybe this is messed- up. stuff, stuff stuff. I'll have to think about it, anybody wanna shoot me some input? it is welcome.



10:15 PM -


Wolf in fake friend's clothing: Manu, I've been had!
Current mood: aggravated

Ok, Manu, since you are the only person who will read this I bet I have to get this off my chest: I have been decieved! If you'll notice there is a guy in my so-called "friends" list who's name is alex (garcia), he was the first person to want to be "friends" with me and I mistook him to be Adam Garcia (who we used to hang out with sort of back-in-the-day) and I let him into my bubble of trust and the next thing you know he's some kind of undercover hipster real estate agent! He's posts stuff about condos and apts. all day long while mixing it in with commentary about Broken Flowers... ugh. shady. It is remniscent of the time that we let that guy from South Park (neighborhood in S.seattle, not a cartoon, however that wouldn've been more bearable) come over and then he stayed for weeks... with that wierdo girl... remember? Well, nevermind. Anyhow, I'll be looking extra hard at names and pictures. It's like kidnapping infomercials during Saturday morning cartoons in the 80's, "don't trust strangers even if they say they're just a friend of your mom/dad's who are supposed to pick you up because your mom/dad had an emergency..." then the ... kids get snatched... hm.

9:46 PM


Bigfoot and Bin Laden
Current mood: dorky (is that a "mood")

I woke up in the middle of the night and had a image in my mind of Bin Laden (or however they're spelling it these days) and Bigfoot hanging out in the mountains.

"They're never gonna find us." Bin says,

"Ugrf." Bigfoot says with an affirmative grunt.

Thoughts/dreams like this must certainly be the result of the subconscious mind trying to make sense of all the random-ass crap info and imagery thrown at it through all those waking hours. I can just imagine my mind's relief at the opportunity to introduce Bin and Big.

"Bin, Big. Big, Bin."

Two guys on the run. People spending years and $ on searching, never quite giving up until there is conclusive evidence that the hunt is over...

sea change, large shift in focus... die zukunft wird schoen sein.

Thanks, Vern:

"In some ways, people are a lot like animals. We all hunger for the same
things. Love, lust, danger, warmth and adventure. Like people, animals all
have their own rhythm to life. I'm mesmerized by tigers. Their eyes, their
stripes, their constant quest for survival. They almost have a sense of
mysteriousness about them. They pull you in and make it difficult to look
away. They make you wonder what is behind their gaze. A sense of eerie awe
comes over you in their presence. The fear they give you when you pass them
is stunning. Behold the beauty of the tiger."
-Britney Spears

So, I was just reading what Britney said it and i totally felt what she was feeling and there was a warm human connection in my soul, like when I look into the eyes of an owl. When an owl spins its head 270 degrees and I try to do the same thing and realize that I can't- only the owl can and he is amazing because of that and because of his big deep eyes that make me think of the milky way and all the meaning in the signs of the universe sometimes.

(pardon me. Wednesday is at a standstill. brain is running tiny laps.)

almost got killed on my bikeride to work, nerves are still a bit frazzled even 2 hours later. ugh. a car froze when it saw me coming down the hill, light turned yellow, it stopped in the middle of an intersection instead of completing a left-hand turn, thus blocking both lanes. I was forced to cut across into the other 2 lanes of oncomig traffic then onto the opposite sidewalk. after that I got off the bike and just walked in circles for 20 minutes trying to calm down, but it didn't do much good. it is truly strange being a bike, I almost wish cars would just ignore me altogether in stead of doing unpredictable freak-out manouvers...

in more scary news:
from c.:
"worry:

Iran's Hizbollah has announced that it's ready to support Lebanon's
Hizbollah by attacking Israeli and U.S. interests worldwide....

oh."

Me:
"SHIT,."

From Reuters:

"We have 2,000 volunteers who have registered since last year," said Iranian Hizbollah's spokesman Mojtaba Bigdeli, speaking by telephone from the central seminary city of Qom. "They have been trained and they can become fully armed. We are ready to dispatch them to every corner of the world to jeopardise Israel and America's interests. We are only waiting for the Supreme Leader's green light to take action. If America wants to ignite World War Three ... we welcome it," he said."

Ugh goodness.

to get my mind off all this wierdness I actually spent half the day reading a draft script for the Fifth Element. If you are a huge dork (like me) you can notice changes/edits/discrepancies along the way, kinda fun.

Junk email of the day:

"We purchase uncollected Judicial Judgments"
We purchase unpaid court awards
Receive the funds you are owed and see that justice happens
Please call us at:
On the other hand, continued the Demon, some people with fierce
countenances are kindly by nature, and many who appear to be evil are in
reality honorable and trustworthy
Therefore, that you may judge all your fellow-creatures truly, and know
upon whom to depend, I give you the Character Markerb22"

(Disclaimer: this post is aimless.)

Monday morning: Floating around with small inconsequential details.

I have no socks on today, which is funny and strange and a little bit gross (because you realize exactly how important socks really are when your feet are trapped in black leather shoes getting all icky.) They (the socks) just weren't in the cards for today... one can only think of so many things... and I am very happy to have "all things go, all things go" running on repeat in my head.

They are incessantly jackhammering Ocidental Park outside, filling the streets with concrete dust and today is bright gray, like a Fall day.

c. took me to coffee in Wallingford at a place full of pregnancy an babies and laptops and a long line quite helpless people (looking much as we did) in pleasant human desparation: need of coffee and baked goods on a Monday morning. The name of the cafe was something like "Kofta" or "Kofi", which carried over in a strange way when I arrived to work to take more artwork ot of frames in the dungeon I turned on the radio to hear Kofi Annan sounding slightly tired/meek/weak and desparate in the face of whatever is happening or not happening in Lebannon. (Which is a lot, and as far as we can tell: bad.)

It seems easier to float around and think about little things than to dive into news online and worry worry worry all over again. Although, this time the worry has a very indirect and removed feel to it. "We" don't seem to be involved at all just yet.. which seems strange. "We are watchin an abstract horrorshow from afar...

Don't you just love it when the president gets caught swearing:
"President Bush himself talked about the role of Syria - in an unguarded moment at the G8 summit - when he spoke to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair without knowing that microphones were live. He said: "What they [referring probably to the UN] need to do is to get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it's over."" (from BBC)

But isn't that just some funny logic?... "stop doing this shit" so seempingly simple, right?

hmpf.

Meanwhile, time is passing is the slowest way- in the short term it seems to fly by but taking a more removed look back, weeks months seem impossibly long and drawn-out.

I haven't been drawing so much, tried the other night but became too distracted. Lines, forms, but lack of drive to produce something of interest. We were in the middle of preparing dinner, so that might've been a factor... Unlike whatever scribble I made at the Hideout the other night on one of the clipboards, someone had writted "WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SHIT" (paraphrase) but with no reference other than that. Very dark there, I just began scribbling little animals adn guys with large wavy hair, then commenting and ammending all comments in speach bubbles adn trying to make sense out of the collaborative nonsense already on the page. Collabotarion with people you don't know... there was a girl (Japanese?) who was trying to talk to me, then the familiar-looking flatchestedmama girl sat down, (which is wierd because I've only seen her with the green face goo, so it took me a second to place her...) "I've got one of your cupcakes" I said, while still trying to dash some inderest in ink onto the paper, chicken scratch- drawing drawing, and I've never really known what to DO with that concrete cupcake... dust it ocassionally, it is currently sitting atop teh head of a dokumon (or whatever that brown boxy japanese character is called with the button eyes and big teeth.) Ok, jitters jitters, this whole paragraph is just me drinking way too much coffe/tea, trying to decide what to make of the day, trying to avoid more news, more bad news, trying to be productive with the fewest things at hand- namely, this internet. Time in 5-10 minute intervals inbetween work stuff.

Went to the zoo with my family yesterday and was completely overwhelmed with the confusion of it all. It seems like each of the animals had a more-ideal-than-you'd-expect amount of room to wanter/graze, but they all seemed so bored. Nothing to hunt or no reason to roam.

It is strange when animals (who would otherwise know exactly what their purpose is) are dragged into a world of people, who usually do not have the foggiest clue about what their purpose(s) are/should be and then we drag them along with us through life's silliness, for example:
It is a Sunday, families don't know what to do, so they go to the Zoo. Kids scream, food is insanely overpriced and we have all of nature's wonders there convieniently behind glass... confused, orangutan triddling his lip and making piles of straw on the ground. "Wild dogs" (not "heyenas"?) roam circles in packs. Monkies sleep on trampoline-like hang-outs up in the fake trees.

My turtle, who tried to run away a million times when we brought her camping (even though I'm not really sure if she could even survive in the "wild" seemed to find a purpose in being in what seemed like her natural habitat, even if she had never been so far outdoors before... she jumped right in the river and floted downstream. The water was ice-cold, I kind of worried about her body temparture putting her entire system into shock, but she seemd to be not only fine- but happy. On an average day at home she sleeps, basks in the light of a 40W bulb, or gets lost in the house somwhere, wheather it is under the unusued VCR behing the tv or in the no-man's-land under the sink with years' worth of dust and forgotten ziplock bags.

I suppose I have to start thinking seriously about the content of whatever "artwork" I'm going to produce in the coming months, and these types of themes always seems constantly interesting and relevant to me...
wonder if they're worth pursuing.
(And) this is always the question I come back to:
"what is important?"
WHAT WHAT WHAT?
and one wonders if his/her concern's are really the culture's concerns, if they are really people's concerns...
or if these "concerns" are just isolated and irrelevant little blips...
little attention-getters. little nags.
What do pets and animals have to do with making things. ugh, ok, his all may be deleted in a few minutes if I realize that I'm just trying to ... work out ideas... in a silly way, just by putting them down... to ignore later.

P.S. in more insignifigant pop banter, the fact that "Clerks II" currently has a 100% Fresh rating on rottentomatoes.com is, well, disturbing. right?

Admittedly I havne't been following the Israel-Hezbollah-Lebannon situation very closely, but when c. forwarded me a link this morning all I could respond with was

"are they KIDDING?!?:
""The air force is bombing roads and bridges on the border between Lebanon and Syria to prevent Hezbollah from taking our captured soldiers out of the country," an Israeli army spokeswoman said, quoted by the Agence France Presse news agency."
what kind of effed-up up logic is this??? my, my..."


I can't help but thinking: "is it so shocking because another country is acting like we have acted, impulsively, violently and irrationally to a situation..." I don't get it. I don't get any of it, so if someone wants to fill me in, please do...

oh, goodness... NEW REALIZATION: with all it's best marketing intentions, the right-hand off-the side hits from GMAIL (scanning my emails for relevant content) are as follows:

"Sponsored Links:
Fly to Beirut Free
Get a free ticket to Beirut. Enter zip code for availability.
ConsumerIncentiveZone.com

Lebanon Ringtone
Send this ringtone to your phone right now, at no charge!
dada-mobile.net

Cheap Flights to Lebanon
Get Free Airfare Quotes for your cheap tickets from US to Lebanon
www.cheaptravelnetwork.com

Beirut Hotels
Compare Prices and Save. Book your Hotel in Beirut Online!
www.24hourbookings.com

Beirut Hotels
Last minute, discounted hotels in Beirut. Rates up to 70% off!
www.hotelbrowser.biz

Beirut Lebanon
Lower Hotel Rates, Photos & Reviews Find Great Deals with Yahoo! Travel
travel.Yahoo.com"

WHICH READS LIKE A SICK JOKE of course... or in c.'s words:
"OH MY GOD! that's not right. so not right..."
indeed... oh, dear dear dear...

In lighter news, come to this!:

Cult of Youth #2 Preview Release party
@ HomeRoom ( www.myspace.com/homeroomallages)
TUESDAY July 18, 8pm

Richard Hugo House
1634 11th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98122

Featuring Music by:
-Cock & Swan
-R B Reed
-The Way it is

All Ages, $6

COY #2 features a two-color block printed cover by N. Adam Beadel, "Face
Its"; a 16pp color booklet of original works by Luke Ramsey, great writing
from thirteen authors, a lot of original art, all in a artist' book format
with a French surrealist treatment.
--
I am very happy to announce the preview release party for CultOfYouth #2 -
coming up VERY soon next week - Tuesday July 18.

I must admit that this is all coming up very fast--I've been gathering
material from my 20 contributors over the last six months and though the
release is a couple months behind, there is some amazing content in this
issue. This evening will be a great opportunity to get the first run of
Volume#2 (the 200 issues are being produced in two print runs). The issue
will fully premier at the Portland Zine Symposium in August 12-13, so this
is a great opportunity to get a copy before it hits stores and other cities.

**In some good news: Cult of Youth is now held in the Centre Pompidou
Library in Paris and also the Shakespeare & Co. lending library, also in
Paris. We are also available at the Zine Archive and Publishing Project in
Seattle and will be available in more libraries around the country.

Contributors to COY#2:

Aaron Huebner
Adam Beadel
Adam Fung
Anthony Simon
April Brimer
Bettina McKelvey
Bobby Wane
Craig Updegrove
Crystal Smith
Dave Lichtenberg
Dwight Jonsson
Dylan Snow
Jessica Langlois
Julia Gfrörer
Lindsey Gjording
Luke Ramsey
Marianne Goldin
Nicole Lucas
Patricia Profitt
Paul Thomas
Stefan Gruber
William Corr

***Cult of Youth Project, a 501c3 organization, is sponsored and
administered by Sedrat Arts, www.sedrat.org***
Contributors:

www.cultofyouth.com
groups.myspace.com/cultofyouth
www.hugohouse.org

I've been carrying around an empty cup with me all morning, just realized that... no tea in it, no water in it... just carrying around an empty cup for 2 and a half hours...

Biking to work this morning, people were driving like MANIACS! No turn signals, rapid impulsive lane changes, and me wearing only gray and black... bad news.

Radio alarm set to NPR let me in on the madness in Gaza/Lebannon, what the heck is going on... simmer down, now, simmer down... (not likely)... no idea who to blame or sympathize with there anymore.
craziness.
Ok.

(5 hours later...)
I am usually a huge fan of wikipedia, but today I tried adding TAR ART RAT very simple, just some something would come up in a search and I was deleted TWICE by the Wiki-Nazi Admin. for "Vanity" wha tha heck, guys!>?! Ok, I still love Wikipedia, so I'm going to look the other way on this one... but all I effing wrote was

"TAR ART RAT Born June 6, 1980. Seattle-Based Artist most often working in pen and ink, also prone to acrylic painting and unsolicited, non-damaging temporary installations around the city of Seattle."

That's all- What's wrong with that?... jeez.

Waiting for the bus on 15th at the corner of where Volunteer Park and LakeView Cemetary meet and there was a big black crow perched on the barbed-wire cemetary fence.
On second glance I realized that the bird was being swarmed by bees- and it was actually dead... which means that either it died there or someone PUT it up there, and since it looked kind of jammed inbetween the wires, I'd guess the latter.
Who does that?
egit!
This also made me re-evaluate the idea of bees as "clean" bugs (or "cleaner" at least) I mean, just because of their close association with flowers, bees just seem cleaner. Ladybugs, too. Who hesitates to pick-up a ladybug? But do we go around pickung up and cooing at Cockroaches? Reminds me of a german kids picture book about ugly/creepy/scary animals my mom once gave me- all those bug-eyed nocturnal wierdoes...
my german is slowly but surely coming back, which is refreshing.
gotta study.

apparently the momentum I had to write this post has deflated, I'm going to pick up again later...

peas owt.

(hours later)

PAST NOTES from recent local adventures:

1. just a nagging little thing: we went to Gasworks (wierd, crowed, nauseatingly patriotic) for 4th of July and had just watched the Germany-Italy World Cup game earlier in the day. NK still had a little german flag-on-a-stick in her bag, which was, of course, searched on our way into the park.
"That's sharp, I don't know about that..." said the man searching her bag (reffering to the stick that the flag was attached to.) They almost didn't let her take it in. A tiny flag on a stick...

2.Sad Bastard Monday at the Viceroy, the guy on the porch would only give his name "Justin C." blurted out
"Even a Duck-Billed platypus on a fifth of Absynthe would make Phil Collins look like a chump!" reffering to the singer's drumming skillz, or lack thereof, followed by "God Bless Van Morrison"
I had no idea Phil Collins was a drummer, but I totally jotted down that priceless quote.

3. A punk-ish guy with small mohawk gets on the bus near by Victrola on 15th, when he gets off downtown I realize that the whole whole back of his shirt says "JESUS IS A CUNT" in huge font... it seems simultaneously (completely) stupid and somehow gutsy to wear a shirt like that, I guess- I mean can you ever even fathom walking around with that writen all over your back?... and WHAT is it supposed to mean? Jesus is a "bitchy woman" or refering to the possibility that God is a woman, or WHAT- totally ridiculous...

4th and final oddity: I get junk email all the time as does everyone, nothing unusual but- WHAT kind of ROBOT generates this type of junkmail:
happened to Shorty Lyndon. That worked. They didn't even ask what had
am I so tired, all at once? Gulls in heaven are never supposed to be
was in a hiding place, and the hiding place was guarded by mean men. . . .
rowboat. Perhaps there might even have been one made Outcast for speaking"

yep. WHAT is the purpose of auto-sending me that? Not even trying to sell ANYthing, just garbled nonsensical text vaguely remniscent of some Beat novel... I honestly do NOT get it... not one bit.