Hello Summer!

Hello Summer!

Finally ... I can just about say with confidence that all of the nonsense that I've been dealing with has come to an end. I've been very bad with postings due, in large part, to my move into the lovely neighborhood of Ballard (in Seattle). My old apartment had been recently bought out by a new property management company, who blind-sided most of the tenants with a $500 increase in rent. According to my informant, the company did this to drive the tenants out ... no joke. And of course, no one who got the rent increase stayed. I would ultimately love to flame the property management out, but I will hold off here, since the person who actually managed the day-to-day activities of the building still works there, and he was the only one who showed any empathy and care for the tenants. He told me today that my apartment, after renovations, is expected to rent for $1700! One word: Suckers! Who in their right mind would move to the Magnolia neighborhood and spend that much money on a 1-bedroom apartment, nearly twice the average rental rate in that area. I wish the company a rude slap in the face.

Anyway - I'm rambling. So I moved, and I love my new apartment and living in Ballard.

Tomorrow I will be leaving for the summer, spending the bulk of the summer months in the Midwest with my partner-in-crime, Mark. I'm excited by my summer break, but equally excited to have my life back and time to blog, travel, listen to music, and work. So more to come on Sprampblog.

Seattle or Bust!

NWsource - Find your own Seattle (Source)

I've been waiting for these short commercials to hit YouTube. They are cute little reminders why folks here (in Seattle) really love being here.

Double Lives Bollywood Style

Tracey Ullman - State of the Union, Indian Viagra (Source)

My sincerest apologies for my lack of recent posts. Like most of you, I lead a double life of sorts. This life has taken me away from Seattle to Chicago for the past few days. The change of scenery was much needed, but like most trips that take me outside of Seattle, I find myself pitting my new environs against the Emerald City - I ultimately fall homesick. You get my point. Chicago really didn't do much for me. It's too busy, too touristy, too much honking of car horns, too many cars, too many building (though I do love the skyline, which is perhaps the best part of the city) - there's just too many "too many-s". I actually don't get back to Seattle for a few more days; currently I'm waiting for my melatonin to kick in before I call it a night. I'm with my partner-in-crime, Mark, in Ann Arbor (weirdness to be back), and all is oddly the same as when I left a few years ago. Change is slow in the Midwest.

I caught the funny show Tracy Ullman's State of the Union tonight - I don't get cable back at home, so I'm like a moth to a flame right now and have been plopped in front of Mark's TV for most of the evening. I absolutely fell in love with Tracy's skit in which she plays Padma Perkish, the Indian pharmacist/Bollywood star! I've embedded two of Padma's acts in this post. Funny, funny - and brilliant!

Even though I'm in the heart of flatness, I'll be attempting to be productive tomorrow and onward. So hopefully the lags will stop.

Here's to double-lives! xoxo. jan


Padma Perkish (Source)

Check it:
Tracy Ullman's State of the Union [Showtime]

Spramp Shots: Monorail

Monorail, 2008 (Source)

This week has been killer! I can't believe Friday is here since it feels like all the days have bled into each other. Yup, my plate hasn't gotten any lighter, and it looks only to get more crazy in the upcoming days. I head out to Chicago for a conference next week and haven't really gotten my crap together for it. Though I do get to spend a few days with Mark, which will be nice. I'll be in good ole Ann Arbor for a few days after that to tie up some loose strands then back to Seattle to what I hope will be nice, warm Spring weather. My students are getting antsy now that the semester is drawing to a close. Their pained faces staring out the window while I lecture always bring a smile to my face. I can empathize - we are to reach close to 70 degrees on Saturday! I need to be outdoors for that.

I snapped the shot above using my camera phone. I pass along the monorail on my way to the office. I realized the other day as the actual monorail train passed by that the train itself is pretty old and crappy-looking. No wonder it keeps breaking down. Time for an upgrade!

Why I Love Seattle: "Oh, Those 43rd District Dems"

Obama Super Tuesday Happy Hour at the Showbox
Originally uploaded by jan

I just read the following from this week's The Stranger (the local, alternative rag here in Seattle). The article reaffirms why I love Seattle as much as I do. Folks in Seattle are a rare but fun breed of people - perhaps "wacky" is a better term.

Oh, Those 43rd District Dems
Notes from the Caucus, Round Two
by Eli Sanders

I sat through about four hours of the April 5 legislative district caucus in Seattle's 43rd District—the invocation by a local Buddhist, the laughs at the die-hard Kucinich supporters, the yawns, the shouts, the period of American Idol–style campaigning for those coveted spots as a state convention delegate. It was all very long, but very interesting, quite well attended, and, of course, a little nutty.

This particular legislative district caucus meeting was held at the former Lincoln High School in Wallingford. When I showed up, the gymnasium was overflowing with precinct delegates who had been elected at their precinct caucuses on February 9—and with what seemed to be an even larger number of wannabe alternate delegates. So much for the idea that all those young, energized, newly involved Democrats wouldn't show up for the next step in this process.

After registration was done, the energized Democrats listened to speeches delivered from a half-darkened stage in a nearby auditorium. (How many Democrats does it take to turn on a spotlight? Apparently more than the 1,000-plus in the auditorium, because the spotlight never came on.)

There was a portion of the program devoted to surrogate speeches, and Obama's surrogate, state senator Ed Murray (D-43), stood at the rear of the stage (where the lights were actually on) and pronounced: "I have been coming to these meetings since the mid-1980s and I have never seen anything like today." The numbers were a very good sign, he said.

Hillary Clinton's surrogate? He was very, very late, causing a lot of grumbling from the crowd, which was overwhelmingly pro-Obama. When he finally did show up he was... Sean Astin??? Yes, the man who played Samwise Gamgee in Lord of the Rings had flown up to rally the Clinton troops. Which made very little sense, given that the type of people who show up for legislative district caucuses on a Saturday don't really need a celebrity (or semicelebrity) to motivate them to take political action.

Astin's speech was most memorable for this line: "Should Obama get the nomination, I will become a massive Barack Hussein Obama supporter."

Hussein? Eyebrows shot up. Brows furrowed. Heads turned. A friend in the audience texted me: "Hussein!?" I'm not sure what Astin was up to with that line, but someone probably should have told him that Seattle's 43rd District is the last place in the U.S. where subliminal messaging around Obama's middle name is likely to move Democrats toward Clinton.

Further proof of this: There was some time to kill as multiple tallies of the delegates and alternates were done, and when the time killer of taking audience questions had run its course and the idea of telling jokes had been nixed, someone suggested doing the Pledge of Allegiance to pass the time.

At the mere mention of doing the pledge, there were groans and boos. Then, when the district chair put the idea of doing the Pledge of Allegiance up to a vote, it was overwhelmingly voted down.

There were to be 67 delegates to the state convention apportioned at this legislative district caucus, and the end result was no surprise: 14 for Clinton and 53 for Obama.

(Source: The Stranger: April 10 - 16, 2008)

Check it:
The Stranger

An End To Modernity

Josiah McElheny
An End to Modernity, 2005
Chrome-plated aluminum, electric lighting, handblown glass, steel cable and rigging
Approximately 180 x 180 x 150 in. (457.2 x 457.2 x 381 cm)
Commissioned by the Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University
Courtesy of Donald Young Gallery, Chicago and Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York

Just got back from a fantastic talk by Josiah McElheny. I never tire listening to him speak about his art (go check out his segment in Art 21: Season 3). His curiosity and fascination for the history of ideas and its impact on his artwork is inspiring. I took a bunch of notes and will have to reflect for a bit on what he said. I didn't stick around to preview his new piece at The Henry (I don't deal well with large groups of people) but will go perhaps on Sunday to avoid the crowd. I'm sure it's stunning in person.

I bet you Josiah is snarky and fun.

Oh Josiah

Josiah McElheny presenting at MoMA (Source)

This is the e-mail that I sent to my friend today.

Here's a consolation prize if you can't make it on Friday:
He's just so smart. I love his voice.

Jan

Yup - I heart Josiah McElheny, and I get to see him tomorrow. If you haven't gotten your tickets, get 'em here. I almost forgot about his lecture since it's been so busy on my end. It'll be a nice way to end the week.

Animal Spell

Composite of details from Birch with Birdshrooms by Amy Ross and Unicorn Moles by Justin Gibbens (Source)

"First Thursdays" of every month in Seattle means it's art time. Galleries in Seattle have their new exhibits up for folks to peruse at their leisure. Admissions to the Seattle Art Museum and the Seattle Asian Art Museum are free all day. First Thursdays are a great time to be in Seattle, especially if art is your thing.

This Thursday I'm going to check out Amy Ross and Justin Gibben's Animal Spell exhibit at Punch Gallery. I've featured Amy's fantastic hybrid 'shrooms on here before, so it'll be exciting to see them in a gallery setting. I'm also really excited to Justin's work, which I've not seen before.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:
As a contemporary (wildlife) artist, Gibbens draws upon his obsessive, perhaps unhealthy interest in all things that scamper and poke about in the thickets and undergrowth. Influenced by a recent trip to Bavaria and chance encounters with vintage taxidermy while there, Gibbens sheds light on jackalopes, wolpertingers and other legendary beasts.

Amy Ross is interested in the idea of artist as mad scientist. Her drawings and collages offer visual hypotheses to the question: what would happen if the DNA sequences of humans, animals, plants, and mushrooms were spliced with each other? These hybrids become her interpretation of a perverse natural world wrought by genetic engineering and mutation gone awry. (Source)

Check it:
Punch Gallery
Amy Ross
Justin Gibbens

Spramp Shots: Earth Hour

"Earth Hour," March 29, 2008 (Source)

I managed to make it through an hour of darkness for Earth Hour, with only a candle. In the back of this picture, you'll see very few lights in Ballard. There were actually more lights visible, but I'd like to think that people in Ballard shut their lights.

Check it:
Earth Hour

My Partner Reads ...

Some of My Books

He reads mainstream war and shoot-em-up novels (think Tom Clancy) that you would find at the airport bookstore. I wonder what that says about me? I know what it says about him.

I just read an amusing article in the New York Times about relationships and literature. I suppose if Mark had shown up at the bar that cold February afternoon with a copy of, say, Remembrance of Things Past (any volume) by Proust, I would've rolled my eyes, drank my beer, and said "see ya!" (even though I love Proust). Although as I recall, I had brought a book that day, and I think it was The Queen of America Goes to Washington City: Sex and Citizenship by Lauren Berlant. I guess that's equally pretentious, but I was reading it for a grad seminar. Mark didn't really notice - nor care. He often rolls his eyes at my books and the inanity of academic writing. Yup. I agree, it's pretty insane and comical. I don't know why we're together, actually. According to the New York Times article, I should've broken up with him at the sight of the Hunt for Red October on his nightstand (can you imagine ... cringe!). Indeed, we did almost break up once, driving in his car, when he confessed he didn't have a 401k or an IRA. The horror! I was extremely livid - not because I saw myself benefiting in any way down the line - hardly - but because any person who couldn't envision financial security for him/herself down the line (when one has the means/resources to do so) obviously has no respect for him/herself. At least that was my hard-line thinking then. He did say in the argument that he had every intention to do so, even before we met. I think the argument pushed him hard. And luckily for our relationship, he started a 401k plan a few days later. Phew!

Anywho - check out the article:
It's Not You, It's Your Books, New York Times (March 30, 2008)

On a related tip, NPR did a pretty interesting program the other day on bibliophiles and social networking. Check it here.

I'm trying to bring back "the novel" back into my life, and I'm pleased to announce that I'm currently reading A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam (and I'm loving it so far).

Speaking of Books ...
The Friends of the Seattle Public Library is hosting their Spring Book Fair in two weeks! Over 200,000 books, music, cds, dvds, etc. will be on sale on April 11 through April 13. Most books are $1.00. Be sure to bring a box or a large tote bag! I went last Fall and it was totally overwhelming. I walked away with a several essay anthologies and back issues of Art Forum - I got there a day late, and I think a lot of what I would've wanted was already sold.

The Book Sale is held in Building #30 at Warren G. Magnuson Park, Seattle.

Turn Off

Black Out @ Google for Earth Hour (Source)

Don't forget to turn your lights off today (March 29, 2008) for an hour from 8pm to 9pm your local time for Earth Hour. Reduce your carbon footprint. I might take a nap during that hour. I am absolutely pooped.

Yay, the city of Seattle is on board.

Google should leave their homepage black all the time.

Check it:
Earth Hour

4,000

Seattle Times (March, 24, 2008)

I'm a military brat, and so images like this one really hit home. This is today's issue of the Seattle Times. The newspaper devoted a whole page inside with every single soldier's name who gave their life for the war in the Middle East. It really made me stop and reflect on these folks and the war.

I continue to hope for the conflict's end.

My Little Squirr Is Nuts (and So Am I)

Squirr Eating a Nut (Source)

I have a little squirrel, who I call Squirr, that has claimed my balcony as his own. He even sleeps on the chair out there; last night he slept underneath the blankets on the chair. The little critter is so unafraid of me and lets me take pictures of him. And I kid you not, he sometimes taps on the glass to let me know that he's out there. I think he wants me to feed him, but I try not to oblige his hunger since he is feral after all. I enjoy the company, but when the weather gets nicer, I'll need to reclaim that space for myself. I'm really hoping the critter isn't really a "she", and that she doesn't give birth on my chair. That would be really weird.


Squirr Sleeping (Source)

Things on my end are never ending. I had my alarms going off way early in my house today - and I really should've gotten up, but didn't. And so I overslept, and am only now perking up to the new day. The other night I hung out with my former student, Kat, at the hipster/artsy bar in town called the Hideout. The place is always pretty interesting and inspiring. Lots of neat art on the walls, and interesting-looking hipsters, of which I have yet to become one despite what Kat says. I love Kat's artwork, and so should you. You should check her stuff out. We had dinner and hung out the rest of the evening on Capital Hill; first at Via Tribanali, and on our way there, I bumped into another former student (who had dropped my class because it was "too overwhelming" - art students are so full of drama). I had never been to Via Tribanali - I really don't get out enough - and I enjoyed the prosciutto/mushroom pizza we shared (I'll eat anything with prosciutto). Kat is an amazing artist as she is an intellectual. We talked about everything. To close our night we headed to the Gray Gallery and Lounge and had cappucinnos. The space is amazing! I love the wood work - adds beautifully to the space's modernist aesthetic. My cappucinno, however, was a tad cold and the foam flat (I'm not really an asshole, I still drank it) - it's a new place, so I expect great things. And certainly I will go back! Kat is a true Seattle native, and she practically knows everyone in the art scene here. She's friends with Eric, the owner of Gray Gallery and Lounge, who I think, oddly enough, I've met before but can't place. My point: if you want an "in" into the art scene in Seattle or if you want smart and beautiful art - contact Kat - She's rad.

What a fantastically aberrant night for me. I'm usually just holed up in my space doing my nerdy thing, so it's such a treat to leave my cave from time to time. Is it Saturday already? I have to jet - lots of nerdy stuff to do today.

Check it:
Kat Larson

What I'm Coveting: Nelson Swag Leg Desk

Nelson Swag Leg Desk (Source)

I've decided that I need a smallish desk for my bedroom. While my partner, Mark, says that my bedroom should be free of anything related to "work," there's a space right next to the bedroom window with a view of Salmon Bay and the Ballard Bridge. The view is so under-utilized. I'm looking for a small desk for that space, and I love this Nelson Swag Leg Desk to fit that space. I'm still coveting the Nelson Swag Chair and almost won one on eBay, but I think I might like this desk more. $1799 is a pretty hefty price though - I wonder if the view is worth that much. Nonetheless, I have my feelers out on eBay for this desk. Luckily, like most everything that I covet, there's absolutely no rush. Sigh ...

Check it:
Nelson Swag Leg Desk on Design Within Reach

Run

I'm Loving Candle Glow

I'm taking a rare break from the madness that has been my life these past few weeks. My students return from their Spring Breaks tomorrow, and so will I (but I'll return begrudgingly). I had planned on going to Vancouver, BC, this week, and a couple of things happened. One: I didn't get enough done with a project that I've been working on; and Two: gas prices hit $3.60 in Seattle. The work is still piling on, and it seems that fitting in a break to recover is all but impossible at the moment.

I've been shopping for a Vespa on Craigslist, thinking that getting one might save me on gas. If anyone has one that they'd like to sell to me for a bargain, please let me know.

I did have a small window the other day to shop at Home Depot for some supplies for the Welding class that I'm taking at Pratt here in Seattle. Can one really be a fashionable welder? I suppose, I'll find out this Tuesday. I'm really excited. This might prove to be a good outlet for my stress. While at Home Depot, I picked out some paint swatches (above). I'm going to paint two walls in my living room. Right now "Candle Glow" (middle column, second from the bottom) is growing on me. I need something that'll emit some brightness without being too yellow. I'm giving myself a few more days to decide.

My gay bunny ears got hard last night when I discovered that the British phenom Leona Lewis did a remake of one of my fave songs by Snow Patrol on BBC Radio 1. She covered the song "Run," and it's quite good. Fierce, even. Yup, funny sometimes I forget about my inner-gay. She's due to appear on Oprah to make her U.S. debut tomorrow. I do love Leona Lewis.

Ok. Back to work.

Check it:
Leona Lewis

Spring Forward

Ghost - Kader Attia - Henry Art Gallery (Source)

Every time I drive over the Ballard bridge, I have to look Westward to catch a glimpse of the Olympics and Puget Sound. The sight of the snowcapped mountains never gets old, nor does seeing the water. I don't think I ever want to leave Seattle.

Productivity continues on my end. I managed to write for a couple of hours at the University, and then I found my way to the Henry Art Gallery to see Kader Attia's work. I had seen an image of Ghost in the newspaper a few days back, and thought "oh no, not another aluminum foil installation piece" (not that I recall ever seeing one before). The image in the paper was bad, which left an overall feeling of ambivalence about the whole thing. I went, and I saw, and I was surprisingly moved by the aluminum foil casts of women in various seated poses praying. Because there were no other patrons there at the time, I really felt connected to the forms. The lighting was perfect. It all made for a remarkably solemn and introspective experience.

The work never stops - and it'll be several more hours till I can officially call it a day. It's such a treat to have sunlight out until 7pm. More sunlight during the day, in theory, should work to my benefit! We shall see.

Check it:
Kader Attia at the Henry Art Gallery

How Excited Am I for Josiah McElheny?

Josiah McElheny. The Last Scattering Surface. 2006.
Hand-blown glass, chrome plated aluminum, rigging, and electric lighting.
Courtesy of the artist and Donald Young Gallery, Chicago. (Source)

In my head I'm partnered with Josiah McElheny. I know it's strange; he's cute in that strange/nerdy/odd way. There's something about him that gets me purring. He's not only a genius with glass, he's actually brilliant in the larger sense of the word. I love listening to him speak about his work; my knees go weak whenever I do. He's fantastic, and he's coming to Seattle to speak and to exhibit The Last Scattering Surface (2006) at the Henry Art Gallery - the piece is a commentary on "the Big Bang". He speaks on April 4, 2008, at Kane Hall - University of Washington. The exhibit begins on April 5! "The show will be open for an hour after the lecture, too - for lecture ticket-holders." (Thanks Betsy for the update!) I can't wait.

Buy Tickets:
Josiah McElheny tickets available at Brown Paper Tickets

Check it:
Josiah McElheny at the Henry Art Gallery

What a Jang!

The Freemont Bridge, Erect

Notice the blue skies? Yup. Another sunny day. I'm feeling a bit cheated, actually.

I'm also feeling a bit more productive lately, probably a result of actually using my Moleskine planner. And here I thought it was only for show when I initially bought the thing. Whatever the reason, things are moving along, things are getting sent via e-mail, lists are being winnowed down - what more can one ask for? And to top it all off - I absolutely love my new haircut that I received from Heidi, my stylist at the Rudy's in Ballard. She's got a precision to her craft that is awe-inspiring (plus she's a welder on the side, which is just so cool). Highly recommend a trim by her!

Last night I met up with my dear friend Dr. Paul, who made a lovely pulled-pork BBQ dinner. Yummy. For a minute there, I thought I was down South or something. We talked shop afterwards, and I realized how fun it is to actually work with other people. Sometimes I forget. Was it capitalism or communism that inspires the lack of incentive (or de-incentive) among its workers/proletariots, Paul? I do find it strange the lack of "real-time" communication that goes on at so many jobs. I'm not talking about the e-mail/IM bullshit-type talking that goes on, but actually conversations and engagement with each other ... And so I rant.

Moving on to bigger and more erect things, I found a lovely spam message in my spambox today that made me smile:



Who uses the word "jang" anymore? It's so retro. Seeing that word made me want to bring it back. "Oh Dora, you're such a jang for sending me that spam! What a jang-sucker!" What else goes with jang? Let's all bring it back!

Hot Bear: Seated Guitar Hero

Seated Guitar Hero (Source)

I just finished my morning coffee and the Sunday paper. I'm feeling like I need to hop back into bed and just lay there until I'm hit with inspiration. The rain has again disappeared, and the sun is out. This weather is very strange.

The image above is from the latest issue of Seattle Metropolitan. In a way, I feel exactly like that hairy-bellied bear-of-a-man in the image, without the whole Guitar Hero set-up. There's something very PEMCO-esque about it; but I do like the whole essentialism angle in things like the PEMCO commercials and this spread, especially when applied to the characters we find up here. And yes, bears abound, in more ways than one. I'm actually quite fond of the image. That belly might take me to "the subtle beyond".

Last night I was dealt a severe bout with a bug and found myself in bed for most of the evening. But oddly, I'm better today, though a little tired; and my mind hasn't really caught up to my rejuvenated body yet. Oh how I wish I could have the adventures of Cathy Horyn in Paris, but alas, the only runway that I might be walking on today is the one found at the library.

Check it:
Seattle Metropolitan
Cathy Horyn: On the Runway

Spramp Shots: S.L.U.T.

S.L.U.T. (Source)

It stands for "South Lake Union Trolley." Shame, shame for thinking anything else. The image of the S.L.U.T. was taken on my way to work with my camera phone. Notice the sun? My colleague calls what we're experiencing in Seattle "Indian Spring," which was surprising to hear because it's not very P.C. - I feel like Seattle-ites are really conscious of their P.C.-ness - and also because I really do think she made that term up. I, for one, call what we're getting - um - global warming. But then again, I'm no scientist. I have yet to ride the S.L.U.T. nor mount it nor whatever god-awful double entendre or pun you wish to use to convey its use - but hopefully soon. There's a pretty purple one that makes me chuckle every time it goes by; and I'm fairly sure that I laugh at its sight for the obvious metaphor that it seems to inspire.

At the height of dusk tonight I was still able to see the snow covering Mt. Rainier from my work desk perfectly. It's really starting to trip me out how clear and sunny the days are up here. I'm really missing the rain.