Things are slowly getting back to normal again. The fever, the hacking, the coughing, etc. has come and gone. I'm really convinced that, more than anything, it was a physical manifestation of what was going on within me mentally. It sucked being sick, but it's pleasing to know that I've gotten that all out of my system. I don't think there will be any major cryfests for a couple months now (but if there is, that's ok, too).

The cat has fleas. Again. Which means we have fleas. Again.

The goldfish had Christmas early today. He's been in that pathetic one gallon tank from my dormroom for ages (two years!) and it was high time that he got some love. Sirius gets new things all the time. Why shouldn't Seabiscuit? So today I bought the little lover a five gallon tank, complete with filter and bio-wheel (...intense, yeah?). I'm pretty sure he thinks he's died and gone to goldfishy heaven. His happiness is my happiness.

I've gotten really behind on my week-shares. It's not like I stop collecting the stuff in between- I just can't seem to find the time to post it quickly enough. So this will be a week-share "dump post" where I just list the entire collection in one massive pile. Hopefully I've found at least one thing that intrigues you just the slightest bit...

( THE NARRATIVE YOU CREATE IN YOUR HEAD IS THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE )

Last night was spent at Malia and Ben's apartment, with spaghetti and lovely Billie Holiday music. We killed two bottles of wine comparing old world wines to new world wines. What a fun (and surprisingly educational) experience. Later we opened the kitchen window and Ben taught me how to smoke a pipe (there's a lot of work involved! Appreciate how easy your cigarettes are, please and thank you). The tobacco was vanilla flavored; it left the nicest, old world smell in my hair. By the end of the night, I was completely at peace with the world. Cheers to good friends who simply live and let live.

p.s. If you're bored and have nothing better to do, go to Playlist.com and search this song. I think it's pretty much impossible not to love it immediately. Newton Faulkner is going to be a classic one day, just you wait.

I have so many new artists backed up to share with you guys. Will I ever get them all posted? Who knows. Without school, I've had more time to look into current design again (the irony isn't lost on me), and it's been so inspiring! Call me a nerd, but I swear, there's nothing more relaxing or invigorating than discovering good design. It's for discoveries such as these that the internet becomes my most generous ally. I picked one of the lesser known artists to post first. I actually just bumped into his work a few weeks ago myself, so I'm as new as you.

Jonas Bruntenbruch stands out to me for two little words: daily design. This concept is beaten into us at SCAD, but very few learn to accept or follow it (if you're a SCAD reader: TAKE JOHN WATERS; he teaches this concept brilliantly). In the words of my Vector Raster professor this quarter, "being a designer is a twenty-four seven job; we never punch out, we never stop taking in concepts and ideas." I couldn't agree more. It's my belief that good design doesn't come from fancy degrees or expensive educations, but the lesson of learning how to view the world with a creative approach. Our art should be a reflection of everything we've learned, everything we know, everything we see. That's why it's so important that artists stay awake--truly awake--to take in the intricate world around them. We have to be aware of everything from Glaser's famous posters to wood grain to the color of the back of our eyelids when hit by direct light. It all adds up; it all counts.

( WHAT JONAS HAS NICKNAMED CREATIVE MASTURBATION )

Outside of kick-ass designers, Apple's running their "buy a Mac and get a free iPod" deal again. Guh, I want that new iMac (and the touch; oh, touch, how I would touch you all over) so bad, it keeps chanting wantwantwant in my brain... but I want my trip to Maine even more. Shiny gadgets will have to wait their turn. So will that third season of The 4400 and Newton Faulker's full CD.


p.s. Listening to Imogen's 'Just For Now' live version is my most cherished and common spiritual experience.

p.p.s. EDIT: I almost forgot the most awkward moment of my day today: There was an ADT guy at the apartment installing our new security system this afternoon. As I'm signing the twelve hundredth form so he can finally leave (he was there for FIVE hours), he looks up at the wall over our kitchen table and goes, "Who's that?" I follow his eyes to the 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper where Robert SexAss Pattinson is staring down at us in all his pixel-y, printed glory. My response: "Ah... ha ha ha... our celebrity crush..." This was followed by an extended period of silence while they both continued to stare me down. MY ADVICE TO YOU: do not hang a giant photo of RPattz in your kitchen unless you are prepared to be questioned and/or judged. Lesson learned.