Went to Best Buy today and since my old ipod broke 4 times, I was under their “no lemon” policy and got a brand new ipod! This one is black, with 60GB instead of 40, and has video capability! I’m so excited!

Update: Downloaded the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Maps video. I love it.

How often do you play? When my professor asked the art materials class this question, I had to admit it had been a long long time since I had. When she asked why, I said I don’t feel like I’m allowed to play. It’s true, I always feel like I have to be doing something productive in my free time. Either that or I’m watching tv or a video.

My professor had brought in a giant bag of play-doh, finger paints, a beading kit, markers, fuzzy pictures to color in (kind of seventies-style, with black fuzz around the design you’re supposed to color in) and gel paint. It was totally fun and relaxing to just sit there and play, knowing there was no pressure and I didn’t have to make a work of art for the ages. So, do you give yourself the time and space to play in your life?

Went to see my friend Debra Hampton’s art exhibit last Friday. It was an amazing series of large collages on paper using magazine cut-outs and ink. The fractured figures are full of motion and energy when you look at them from afar. Moving up close reveals that the bodies are made up of cut-out magazine body parts and old-fashioned guns. I love that the pieces work on both levels and encourage you to move up close to the piece and discover more. I think this series asks important questions such as why are we so disconnected from our true selves, our souls, in modern society? Why are we so obsessed with violence? Watch out for more great things from this talented artist.

This is a very interesting project and web site working towards world peace via conflict resolution. The stories are deeply personal and really have an effect as you read them.

I was thinking today as I went for the 6th time to Best Buy to get my piece of crap ipod fixed that we are all so disconnected and fragmented in modern life. I go into Best Buy to get my ipod fixed, and another company named Geek Squad handles it. And they send my ipod back to apple. Then someone at apple puts in a new hard drive. Then it gets shipped back to Geek Squad and then to me. I never see the person who’s fixing it. It breaks a week later. There’s no accountability and no connection. But who can blame the guy who sits in a factory all day putting hard drives in ipods? He’s not a robot. He needs a real human connection to the work he’s doing. And I want to just be able to talk to him. Like the days when you went into a TV repair shop and shook hands with the guy who would fix your TV.

That’s what hit me about the book Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance, was that many of us are so disconnected from what we do nowadays. Without any connection or passion for what we do, we just end up hating it and can’t even concentrate on it. We turn our minds off and do a bad job.

I’m so fed up with my ipod it’s not even funny. The thing has broke 4 times already in one year. Everytime I take it in to Best Buy to get it fixed (since it’s under warranty) it takes 2 months and comes back broken. I have spent countless hours troubleshooting the piece of crap. It cost 400 bucks and has caused me so much stress. ARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH. Great piece of hardware when it works, but boy, that isn’t often. And I’m a huge fan of apple and have had few problems with my apple cube which I still use. But this is just about going to send me to the looney bin.

Money is something that most everyone worries about at one time or another. It can be the sole reason you go to work, or can be an excuse not to do something you really want to do. Or you can start to feel like the universe is abundant and that you can always create what you really want in life. That’s the premise of Creating Money, a really great book that will change your whole outlook on money.

But first you have to get past the fact that it’s written by Orin and DaBen, two spirit guides who speak through their human authors. And the 70s-esque cover which I’m not going to even put on this website because it’s just too cheesy. But if you can suspend the little voice inside you saying “these guys are crazy hippies and this is all too out there for me” you’ll really get a lot out of this book.

According to the book trusting in yourself and the universe, and putting that energy out there, is what will bring you more abundance. Worrying about money and feeling like there’s never enough will just keep you in a place where you won’t attract something better. And following your dreams, even if it seems like it won’t pay off financially at first, will always bring you more money and success than staying in a safe job or situation that isn’t right for you.

In art theory class I drew my first drawing which I never drew myself. I pretended to be a paraplegic and my partner was an art therapist. I could only blink to communicate. It was very frustrating at first because I just wanted to have her draw a mountain, but the only symbol I seemed to be able to communicate was blades of grass. She was very patient with me and enthusiastic. Often, just to please her, I would agree to whatever she was suggesting, no matter how far off from my idea. Towards the end the drawings became more entwined with what I was after and she drew the following image. It was actually quite relaxing just watching her hand move the oil pastel across the page.

How cool is this…a little spot to read, meditate, or make out with your honey…the possibilities are endless. It’s like taking a mini-vacation with the Ewoks.

One of my favorite commercials of all time was an IFC satirical spot about a 5-year old director named Christie, played by Hallie Kate Eisenberg. Lili Taylor appears in the commercial about a very difficult to work with and independently-minded film director.

Says Christie, “I call my film Horses are Pretty, because well, Horses are Pretty”.

Christie’s first film was Oogie Boogie Booger. And apparently if she doesn’t like your acting, she bites you.

I did a search but I can’t find this video anywhere. I have to see these commercials again they are brilliant. Maybe I’ll ask the Museum of TV and Radio where I used to work, or IFC. If you see it out there anywhere please let me know.