Six Questions and an Election
I think the Presidential election this year is far more poignant for me now that I have children. Just knowing that there will either be a black president or a female vice president is thrilling. My kids hopefully won’t ever really understand why our country was so unwilling for so long to consider such a thing (except for educational purposes). History is being made, no matter which party line you fall behind. Forget the serious political talk… bring on the questions! This week’s edition is a collaborative effort between Dino and myself.
1. Do you ever dabble in the creative arts to relieve stress? Lately since I have an edict from my doctor that I need to avoid tension, I’ve been buying fuzzy posters and paint-by-numbers. I have no idea what to do with the finished products, but I find it very relaxing to make beautiful pictures with very little talent. What do you do in that realm, if anything?
2. Is it totally unnatural for me to be thinking about how much fun this winter will be? This summer was practically a bust for me. Because I was working part-time, I didn’t do as many special activities with the kids. No pool, no Splash Pad, very few sandcastles. Now my sights are set on winter, and I’m looking forward to sledding, nordic skiing, and the glory of swimming in a heated pool at the Y while the snow is gently falling outside. What are you looking forward to? I’m pretty sure my husband is looking forward to the first winter since acquiring a snow blower.
3. And now an easy question from the peanut gallery, population: Cheryl. What’s your favorite movie of the summer? Did you see something new or fall back in love with an old favorite? Based on your responses, I promise to watch at least two of your suggestions.
4. How aware of design are you? My friend Jason sent me an article about how the font at the closing of a show did not match the opening font. Do you notice things like that? I think it translates to everything. I have a friend who has a house that everything in it seem “On purpose” and I so love their house.
5. Did you go to Blues Fest? What did you think?
6. Did you try to go to Uptown Grill before it closed?
ash122 said:
1. I started going to a card stamping with some girls from work about a year ago and although I’m not artistic in the least bit…it has proven to be a wonderful stress reliever
2. This summer flew by too quickly for me too….had a great vacation in the Carribean right after school got out for my son but then got so busy between working full time and running him to the BMX track and races…..I didn’t get to the pool nearly as much as I would like. Looking forward to the “homeboundness” that winter brings where you can snuggle up, read a good book and just relax and recharge for alittle bit.
3. My favorite movie of the summer “new”…was Mama Mia..and old was “Under the Tuscan Sun”
4. I do tend to notice things like that…I watch alot of HGTV and you get tuned into little things like that!
Great questions..
August 29th, 2008 at 3:30 pm #
timothyp said:
1. I’ve been working on a screenplay for way too long…. not even close to being half finished… but it’s something to go back to from time to time.
2. Most of my fun activities seem to be indoors, so weather doesn’t factor in my leisure. Anytime of the year is fine with me.
3. I haven’t gone to a theater since Apocalypse Now. Seriously.
4. I guess so. The extent would be noticing the different styles of homes and business buildings when I walk to work.
5. Yes. I went to the Friday show and saw most of Rev. Raven. Over the last couple of years I have grown to dislike larger crowds as it was at Blues Fest so I left early. I used to love the BIG shows (not too long ago), now I stay away from them …. just too many people make me uncomfortable.
6. Yes. Decent food for the price. I didn’t even notice they had closed. One thing always though, what was the name of that place before it became Uptown?
August 30th, 2008 at 1:56 pm #
swearingen said:
1. I like to gather, play with, create with things of nature…rocks, leaves, drift wood, feathers, red clay dug from the earth, branches, tree bark, weeds, gathering herbs. Will be making a hand drum soon and perhaps a rawhide shaker with deer antler handle (parhaps). I enjoy taking my camera here and there and catching a field of sunflowers or a snowman or whatever else shows up in the screen…playing with photos and digi art. And writing…always good therapy.
2. What am I looking forward to as far as winter? I look forward to seeing if the handwritten directions for starting and operating my snowblower scrawled in number 2 pencil are still legible on my garage wall. I look forward to snow shoeing on a quiet moon-filled winter night and at least one blizzardlike day that gives you permission to do nothing but bake chocolate chip cookies, read, and watch old movies or really bad TV. I look forward to riding a shiny silver saucer down the snow-covered ramp in front of my house and dodging the tree stump and dog poop piles (I know…living life right on the edge).
August 30th, 2008 at 4:20 pm #
Dino Corvino said:
1. I am colorblind to a pretty significant degree, so I collage my notebooks. Which gives me a reason to cut up magazines, which gives me a reason to read magazines.
2. I bought a new used subaru, so I am looking forward to winter. And Carlson is going to teach me to be a snowshoer
3. This is tough. My favorite movie of this summer is oddly enough Street Kings. But of all summers, probably Point Break.
4. I took one architecture class. So I see it.
5. I did. I am not going to say what I thought.
6. I went three days a week.
August 31st, 2008 at 12:39 am #
erik said:
1. Why yes I do. In fact we’re premiering the results of my dabbling in filmmaking this Friday at the UWMC Theater, 8:30 PM. Free to the public. Now that I’m done whoring myself out I will say that while filmmaking is the passion that will hopefully pay the bills, I love music as an escape. I was raised by a music teacher and taught myself guitar, bass, drums to go with the theory that was practically bred into me. I love just grabbing an accoustic guitar and having a little session to let the worries of the day fly away.
2. I’m looking forward to seeing what a Baltimore winter is like. Hopefully still snow, but less than around here. Pretty as it may be, driving in it can be really bad.
3. The Fall was the most brilliant film of the summer. Thoroughly imaginative while compelling and heart breaking. The visuals were like paintings, virtually every shot was envirogating. I cannot recommend it more and it’s a shame I had to drive all the way down to Madison just to see it. At times it does play the medium a bit too much, but I’m a sucker for overly ambitious (see: The Southland Tales). I watched a lot of French New Wave this summer to keep me in the right mind-set for Microcosm. The 400 Blows is still probably my favorite.
4. I’m so big picture that a lot of things slip beneath the cracks for me. But I do notice when something breaks the aesthetic.
5. Like Timothy I was at the Reverened Raven show Friday night, but did not get a chance to partake of much else. I’ve heard them before and they continued to live up to my high expectations.
6. The who-not with the whatty-what?
August 31st, 2008 at 9:28 pm #
oldwoodchair said:
1. I calm my mind and center my thoughts by creating repurposed junk…burned out light bulb into garden ornaments, old rusty rakes as wall art, weird industrial candle holders, wool sweaters into pillows, hub cap flowers, etc. I deal with enough stress I could open a store of repurposed junk art.
2. I’m a fall person, winter second, then spring, then summer…so I’m looking forward to the next 9 months. I love when we get a huge snowstorm that forces us to shut down for awhile…enforced solitude…soup simmering…bread baking…cardinals at the feeder. Bring it on.
3. The only movie I went to this summer was Sex & The City with my daughter & daughter-in-law. I’m in love with Mr. Big. And I agree with Ash122…Under the Tuscan Sun is one of my favorites old standbys.
4. I’m afraid I’m obsessive/compulsive about this stuff, but in a casual mismatched sort of way. Does that make sense?
5. Nope.
6. Is that the place that was old “Diner”? So, howcome it was named the “Uptown Grill”….I guess I don’t think of N. 3rd Ave as uptown. (See..there’s that OCD again.) Speaking of that…what is the difference between “uptown” and “downtown”?
August 31st, 2008 at 9:47 pm #
oldwoodchair said:
OK…interesting answers, then I answer, then nothing…I’m like the kiss of death for blog conversation. (slinking away into a corner to pout)
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:44 pm #
Chris Mathis said:
1. nope, at least not recently, with 2 kids at home it is hard for me to pull out my cross stitching. Yes, I admit I cross stitch and crochet.
2. I grew up in arizona so all of this snow is new to me, it was exciting the first time and the second but it has lost its novelty, but I am looking forward to the snow blower as my wife stated above.
3. I saw only a couple but I can not remember what they were.
4. Design? whats that? oh yeah the stuff that I ask my wife to do for me, because I don’t have the eye for it.
5. nope
6. wanted to but never had the time.
September 3rd, 2008 at 8:25 am #