When I’m in the mood to look at something artistically inspiring on the web I turn to Drawn!, the illustration blog that turns up some of the best visuals to be found. Recent posts that have caught my attention include Futurama panoramas, the Esao Andrews portfolio site and the animated short Le Building.
Because I haven’t been giving you all enough eye candy to gawk at lately.
I’m not going to say too much, but I’d be a fool if I didn’t say something as a reminder to myself for posterity. Things on the professional front feel like they’re changing again, but it’s a needed change. I was ready to go nuclear, but after talking with an old friend and great business mind, I’ve cooled off a bit and the path seems more certain. I’ll know how it all goes after tomorrow afternoon.
Cryptic to the last I am.
Some things be flyin’ high and fast, while I’m stuck living out song lyrics. The former is at least hopped for, while the later is a stone cold fact. Just what the hell am I babbling about in my sleep deprived state? Let me elaborate.
Firstly, it seems as though Carl Sagan’s solar sail theory will be getting a real life test tomorrow:
The sci-fi notion of a solar-light propelled spacecraft will take its first step towards turning into reality on Tuesday. A private group of space enthusiasts – the Planetary Society, will launch Cosmos 1, a spacecraft powered only by the light reflected off an array of mylar sails.
Lastly, I’m quite sleep deprived because of this work I’m chained to, with an ever-growing and impending Wednesday deadline. The incline keeps sloping upwards, and I’m left counting pennies and figuring out if I’m having rice or breadcrumbs for dinner. All the while, I have some very pertinent Gruvis Malt lyrics running though my head:
And at 1am when I finally take my inventory I’m confronted by the glaring contradictions of my story:
I’ve never been so in debt
I’ve never worked so hard
I’ve never been so in love
I’ve never been so scarred
The nerves got so shot today that I actually bummed a smoke off of a co-worker on one of my rare trips to the office. For one who usually needs 6 to 10 beers before the urge to ingest nicotine hits, this is a little unnerving. Maybe it has something to do with all the excess caffeine in the ol’ system. I know I shall sleep well tonight, but after that sleep comes at least 18 hours of coding and cowering, interrupted by some time shooting hoops to keep those muscles limber and the mind from cracking.
Of course, there is a plus to being back in the grips of poverty and poor nutrition. For the first time in a long time I’m within 2 or 3 pounds of the magic 200 mark. If I can get down to 190 before summer ends I’ll be thrilled. Hey, it worked well the first time, so why not try again, right?
Those in power at the moment would love to see the fine public institutions of NPR and PBS neutered by slashing their public funding by some $200 million. This is crushing to those who turn to these sources for real fair and balanced news reporting, not to mention the educational and cultural programing that puts many for-pay broadcasters to shame.
Please, please, please sign the MoveOn petition and let your outrage be heard. They’re only about 150,000 names away from their 1 million name goal. Let’s see that grand number dwarfed by the masses who love their real fair and balanced media.
It’s way late/early in the morning as I write this and the birds can still be heard among the mix of traffic outside my windows. I guess they’re on the same screwed up sleep schedule as I am. Nice to know I’m not the only animal stirring. Then again, I’m hopped up on caffeine and outrageous work deadlines — no clue what their excuse is.
Saturday night was a rather good one. The sister and I headed out to catch Modest Mouse and Camper Von Beethoven play in Philly. The former was the objective; the later a very nice surprise. first show for me at the Electric Factory as well. Will have to make a point of visiting the venue again — quite a lot of character to it. Pictures and a full recap at the link above.
Here’s hoping and praying that I make it through the week ahead. A lot of that all depends on how this work night ends and the day goes tomorrow. Around mid-week I should be fried to a crisp and full of self-congratulations. Then comes the weekend, Soulive and Antibalas, then some camping with the extended family in the wilderness of Pennsylvania. Guess I should air out the camping equipment I just tossed in my trunk in my rush to get on the road after Bonnaroo.
Oh, and chatter from the old High School graduation class picked up last week with talks of 10-year reunions and has put some out of touch peeps back on the radar screen. Life is full of surprises, I guess.