Tag: TV

Art

Underpaint

Shelly

Nina B. used to say, “It’s all underpaint.”

This is the canvas I restretched a few days ago. (Please ignore the flash glare.) I primed it with acrylic matte medium instead of gesso, since the base coats are going to be acrylic, and I wanted the color of the canvas to (hopefully!) show through. I don’t know where this is going, for sure, but earlier today I had an idea for prepping the canvas for a sister painting. More on that later this weekend, hopefully.

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Underpaint Phase 1
24 x 24 inches

And, now, I must go park my ass in front of the television. Survivor started 20 minutes ago, and I’m missing it. Thank the Invisible Pink Unicorn for DVRs!

Crankypantsing

Happy Groundhog Day

Shelly

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I’m officially in hate with FedEx. The last three times I’ve had a package delivered by them (not by choice!), they have not updated the tracking information. That’s kind of important for us folks who have full-time jobs, especially as FedEx is often hit-and-miss about leaving packages when there is no one home.

For example, I came home yesterday to find a note from them on my door, informing me that they required a live person to be present to sign for my (two) packages. M’kaythen! Today I came home to find that they’d left one of the “requires signature from live person” packages sitting on my doorstep. Of course, it was the DVD burner I’d ordered. You know, the more expensive of the two purchases. The blank DVDs are still AWOL, and will presumably be delivered on Monday. That’s fine, as it turns out, because I have Mondays off, so I’ll be here to sign for them. Still, it’s kind of frustrating for me, and it can’t be very cost effective for them. Really, what sense does it make to come here three different times to deliver something?

How do people who work 9-5 M-F get packages from FedEx? Do y’all just wait until they’ve made their three attempts to deliver, then go to the FedEx office to pick up your packages? Gah! At least UPS A) updates their tracking info and B) has never had trouble finding me or been shy about leaving packages on my doorstep. Better yet, because I was on the early end of his route, the UPS driver at my old house used to leave my (and my neighbor’s) packages on the driver’s seat of my car. At the same address, the FedEx driver used to stand by the gate and yell for me. If I didn’t hear him, he’d drive off without leaving my things. The jerk didn’t even knock on the door. Of which there were two in plain view!

And, in fact, the last time a package was shipped to that address via FedEx, they claimed they couldn’t find my house. After having lived there for five and a half years, and after having had umpty packages FedExed to me, mind you! So, instead of calling me to find out where I was located, they just returned the package to the vendor without informing me.

No art today, I’m afraid. I spent my arting time installing my shiny new DVD burner. And, I might add, the installation of which went swimmingly. I opened the box, only to realize that I’d been a dork and had bought the wrong burner. This one came without any software or even drivers. The burner with software and drivers was only a couple of dollars more. Oops! The good news is that this is the exact same model as the one I meant to buy, and it turns out it didn’t need drivers or software. I pulled the old drive, popped in the new one, and Bob’s your uncle. I did a test burn, and everyone is playing nicely with everyone else. And they lived happily ever after. The End.

Pee Ess: Punxsutawney Phil supposedly says we’re going to have an early spring. What I want to know is, when is winter going to start?

Pee Ess Ess: Still working my way through Upstairs, Downstairs. It’s just as soap opera-y as I remember, but in a good way. Also, out of wedlock babies, abortion, and homosexuality? Lordy!

Art, Doodles

Doodle

Shelly

Stonehenge Journal: Doodle
Doodle
gel pen on 90lb Stonehenge paper
7 1/2 x 5 5/8 inches

I rewarded myself for finishing my taxes by watching teevee. That meant more mindless doodling, of course. I’m working my way through Upstairs, Downstairs right now, and it’s a looooong series, so it ought to take me awhile.

I also rewarded myself by ordering a new DVD burner. My computer seems to eat them, as this will be the second drive I’ve had to replace. Both drives were the same brand, though, so it it could also be that there was something hinky about them. I went with another manufacturer this time, just to be on the safe side. I nearly opted for instant gratification, and picked one up at Target, but I decided I could get one cheaper (as in, half the price!) from Computer Geeks. Altogether, a new drive, 100 blanks, and shipping were the same price as just the drive at Target.

Uncategorized

Too Much is Never Enough

Shelly

Because 70-odd channels weren’t enough, I upgraded to the uber cable plan. I really wanted BBC America and National Geographic, dammit. For $8 more per month, I get approximately a bazillion channels, including Lime, LOGO, DIY, and, of all things, Horse Racing.

So, of course, with all those shiny new channels, last night I watched boring old network television: Armed and Famous. Oh yeah, bay-BEE. It was filmed in Muncie, so I kind of have to watch it. Plus, it’s surprisingly (to me, at least) amusing. Damned funny, in fact. The blonde wrestler annoys the hell out of me (lady, it’s not all about you!), but I’m finding that LaToya Jackson is just about as cute as a speckled pup. Really. She’s an adorable freak.

Art, Doodles

Doodle

Shelly

I said I was going to dig out the gel pens, and so I did. While watching another episode of Rome, I did some mindless doodling. For those who are familiar with both shows, don’t Atia and Octavia bear a striking resemblance to Eddie and Saffy from Absolutely Fabulous? I kept expecting Atia to call Octavia “sweetie darling.”

Stonehenge Journal: Doodle
gel pen on 90lb Stonehenge paper
5 5/8 x 7 1/2 inches

Art, Artist Books, Bookarts, Journals

Endings and Beginnings

Shelly

Hemp Bound Journal, finished (finally!). I started it in July of 2005 and quickly got sidetracked. I picked it up a couple of times, but didn’t get serious about finishing it until a couple of weeks ago. I still have to do a table of contents, and will post that when I’ve completed it, but for all intents and purposes, it’s done, done, done.

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This, of course, means I am in need of a new journal. I’ve been trying to decide what paper I want to use. I’ve got some really nice 140lb Cartiera Magnani hot press left (God, I love that stuff!), but I decided to go with the black 90lb Stonehenge for now. I may regret that decision, though. It doesn’t take kindly to water. Not at all. But it’ll be fun to play with gel pens again. (Oooh! Shiny!)

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Stonehenge Journal
7 1/2 x 5 5/8 inches, 11 signatures of 4 pages each (44 pages total)
Coptic stitch with linen thread, 90lb black Stonehenge paper

If you aren’t familiar with exposed spine bindings, and would like to try making your own books for writing or art, there’s an illustrated tutorial for how to do this binding on my website. It’s really not complicated. Tearing down and folding the paper to the size I wanted took about 30 minutes. The binding itself, including setting grommets into the holes on the front and back covers, took about an hour. I did the entire thing while watching television.

Speaking of television, I’m in the middle of watching the first season of Rome. Oh my. If you enjoyed I, Claudius (or I, CLAVDIVS, as I like to call it), then you’ll like Rome. It’s set during Julius Caesar’s reign, so it directly precedes I, Claudius. In fact, I’m going to rewatch I, Claudius as soon as I’m finished with Rome. I could use a good dose of Derek Jacobi.

Side note: While Googling for links for the above shows, I came across the Wikipedia entry for the Robert Graves book that I, Claudius was based on. And it contained a spoiler warning. Honestly, does a book about Roman history–even if it’s heavily novelized–really need a spoiler warning? The mind wobbles!

Ladybusiness

Little House on the Prairie: Fin

Shelly

Laura Ingalls and Almanzo Wilder
Laura Ingalls and Almanzo Wilder, circa 1885

I mentioned a long while back that I was working my way through the entire series of Little House on the Prairie. Well, I finally finished season nine. One of the reasons it took me so long to finish was that I was busy moving. I also got distracted by having cable again. Mostly, though, the final seasons were increasingly depressing and disappointing and I just didn’t want to watch them. And then there was the fact that I’d recently re-read the books, and while the early seasons of the show departed significantly from them, the final seasons were all kinds of made up.

So, my final verdict is that the early episodes are great, but the later ones are kind of craptacular.

Uncategorized

Instant Review: Rough Science

Shelly

I don’t recall Rough Science running on our local PBS station. For shame! I got it through Netflix, and give it an enthusiastic Two Nerd Thumbs Up! I’m nearly finished with the third series, in which a group of scientists are dumped in New Zealand and challenged to find and smelt gold. Each half-hour episode covers a new aspect of the overall challenge. It is the perfect entertainment one of those days when you’re sick and stuck on the couch. It’s funny, geeky, and the challenges are difficult enough to hold your attention, but are still easy to follow if your brain is foggy.

Next up is Everything is Illuminated or some more Little House (I’m nearly finished with season six).

Crankypantsing, Photography

The dragonfly forever passes like splintered diamond

Shelly

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White-faced Meadowhawk (Sympetrum obtrusum)

One of things I’m going to miss about living in the country is the abundance of wildlife. Of course, it’s also one of the things I won’t miss. Butterflies and dragonflies and big, fat bumblebees are all very nice, but raccoons tumbling across my roof at 2am is something I could happily live without. I also won’t miss ‘possums getting into the trash. And then there is the mowing. Dear lord, the mowing. That I won’t miss one little bit.

Instant Review: The Good Life (UK) / Good Neighbors (US)

This was another Netflix find. It’s a 28 episode series produced by the BBC in the mid-70s, about a suburban couple who quit the rat race in order to live self sufficiently. Their neighbors are exasperated (who wants pigs, goats, and chickens next door?), but are generally good sports. I’m finished with the first set of discs, and so far, it’s been thoroughly delightful.

The humor is smart, and, most interestingly to me, the main characters seem to actually like each other. I guess I’ve gotten so used to shows like Raymond or King of Queens, where the characters don’t like each other (and who can blame them, since most of them are pretty awful people?), that I kept waiting for the Goods to tear into each other. They don’t, though. Even when they’re making jabs at each other, it’s not mean. It seems to be more of an “I know you and we’re sharing an inside joke” sort of humor, instead of “I know you and I’m going take advantage of it to score a point off you.” Very nice!

Instant Review: Ragweed

I cannot unrecommend it enough.

Crankypantsing, Photography

Friday Report

Shelly

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We had a glorious sunset Wednesday evening. The sky was deep aquamarine with pinky-orange clouds. It was absolutely stunning. It didn’t last long, though. In the half minute it took me to run indoors and grab my camera, the colors were already fading.

Happy Friday, everyone!

Weather Report: It looks like it’s going to start raining any minute. O ick.

Road Report: They are finally starting to pave 17th street. Yesterday morning, as I went to work, the street zamboni was out. Only, instead of cleaning the street, it was parked right smack dab in the center of the Walnut & 17th intersection, with no one in it. I realize it was ass-early in the morning, and that things are pretty quiet with the students on break, but still, that’s no reason to park maintenance equipment in the middle of the freaking intersection. For added entertainment value, the Pepsi bottling company is on that intersection, and their trucks were having trouble pulling out and around the zamboni. Wheee!

Asshole Driver Report: I was behind an articulated logging truck this ayem. Good, good fun, that was. I was careful to stay well clear of him, which, of course, meant that the asswagon behind me was attached to my bumper. I just love it when people tailgate so closely that I can’t even see their headlights. Grrr. Also, too, additionally, as well, I have noticed that, since plastering the back of my car with all manner of pinko leftiness, folks slow down and crane their necks to look at the crazy person whenever I make a turn. Who knew that driving could be a form of performance art?

Big Brother Report: What is wrong with those people? They haven’t got a brain between the lot of them, and there isn’t a sympathetic one in the bunch. I can usually find someone I can talk myself into supporting, but this season, they all suck. I found it amusing last week, when Janelle nominated Erika for eviction, ostensibly on the grounds that she “despised” Erika’s “under the radar” style of game play. Well, they are all, with the possible exception of James (who is loathsome for other reasons) playing safe games. So far, none of them have been forced to do anything to rock the boat or to exceed their comfort zones. But, I’ll give George credit. He put James up for eviction. I didn’t think he’d have the guts, or, frankly, the brains, to do that.

Mary, Our Lady of the Chocolates Mary, Our Lady of the Chocolates

Virgin Mary Report: The Blessed Mother’s visage has turned up in a lump of chocolate (via CBS).

Sky Report: Nothing of note locally, because it’s too cloudy to matter, but if you live relatively northish or southish, keep an eye (or two!) out for aurorae. There is a coronal mass ejection headed toward Earth, which could result in aurora-producing geomagnetic storms either tonight or tomorrow. We don’t usually get aurorae this far south, but it can and does, occasionally, happen. More info is available at SpaceWeather.com. Be sure to check out the sunspot gallery, while you’re there.