Fun with Hot Glue

Did you know that high school students will take the opportunity to glue anything to anything else? There are my two self-proclaimed "geniuses" who insist on making Elmer's glue hands every chance they get, and the rest of them seem about as mature.

So far I've had a chair and some quarters hot-glued to the floor, a surge protector and another quarter glued to the table, and just the other day another two mental giants decided to put hot glue on themselves at exactly the same time and see who made a face or made a noise first. 'Cuz the name didn't warn them.

According to one of them, "It didn't turn out like I thought it would."

So, to sum up, they all appear to be of superior intelligence. And, on Tuesday, the little darlings take the state assessment.

Thankfully I'm not responsible for the remediation after the test. Though I did need to remind them that hot things MIGHT burn. Guess what project I'm not doing next year?

It's My Birthday

It's my birthday. I'm old. I'm almost forty, and not in the When Harry Met Sally "I'm almost forty," "Yeah, in eight years," kind of way.

I didn't even get carded yesterday when I bought a case of Shiner and some Oreos at the grocery store yesterday. The checkout guy said, "Did you find everything?" and I said, "What else would I need?"

Brad, Chloe, Jenny and I had some friends over at Jenny's house last night for beer and pizza. After discovering that Macaroni Grill couldn't seat a party of eight for at least an hour and a half, though they don't take reservations.

It was nice to see them, and we had a good time. We ate and drank and then played tennis on the Wii. They bowled and I watched. If any of them are reading, thanks for the birthday wishes. I love you guys.

Today I'm going to enjoy living in my own place, and later go have some cake and ice cream over at Mom and Dad's. When I get back, I expect to see that the rest of you have tidied up some. Or there won't be cake for you.

Stupid, Stupid Rat Creatures

Boston police and government officials are now officially stupider than other police and government officials across the country. They responded to a marketing ploy as a terrorist plot. All of you have heard about that, no doubt, but I just read this on Yahoo! News.

Now Cartoon Network and TNT all share in the stupidity. I'm just sayin'.

My Artist Plan

The spider monkey's let up a bit, so I'm feeling a little relaxed. Until both my co-teachers didn't come to work today. It's rough trying to make sure my stuff gets done and other people's does too. At least I got to use my planning period for my stuff instead of covering classes.

I've been contemplating several types of goals, and knowing myself, short term seems to work better. I had earlier thought that I could do the Photo 365 thing like on Photojojo but apparently I suck at long term commitments like that. I think that I got 5 consecutive days and then screwed it all up.

I still plan on posting those photos that I did take somewhere though. So, here's the unbaked cookies.

Draw daily (or just more).
Have a monthly focus.
Edit National Novel Writing Month novel from 2004.
Use and become familiar with my digital camera.

Got some goals for yourself?

I'm Back

My new job's like a ravenous spider monkey, taking all my energy and using all its limbs to hold me down. But I'm breaking free, and it can't stop me.

I've missed blogging, and I've been thinking about restarting for at least a month, but it just didn't happen. Why is a question for years of analysis, that would probably say I didn't have a good relationship with my mother as a child. My mother, with a book in one hand and a cigarette in the other, who's burned almost everything she owns yet never started a fire, done me wrong. Okay, not really. She's actually pretty cool for a loud, rude New York Protestant.

I'm going to make some goals. Some pretty cool people have done that resolution thing, and as I am a follower, I ask: Where's the bandwagon?

I'm a bit late, first of February and all, but as with my every day life, better late than never.

Stay tuned for more in the continuing saga of Kate's Developmental Disorder, or How to Make Plans that Never Come to Fruition, Part II.

Christ Has Something to Tell Me*

Discover yourself message HOPE brings presented own time. Watch motion picture. Receive precious Read story Story bad things about Why Learn about: Reality Hell Religions Compared Bible: About Creation amp Evolution CONTACT follower friendly discreet personal DO YOU HAVE WEB PAGE SHARE THIS WITH

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amp Evolution CONTACT follower friendly discreet personal DO YOU HAVE WEB PAGE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR VISITORS available various special link directly URL: Webmaster courtesy graphics code further has been help tens thousands people.

more. NEXT: Are enough get Answer SURE answer extremely important question View video online min. Discover yourself message HOPE brings presented own time. Watch motion picture. Receive precious Read story Story bad things about Why Learn about: Reality Hell Religions Compared Bible: About Creation amp Evolution CONTACT follower friendly discreet personal DO YOU HAVE WEB PAGE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR VISITORS available various special link directly URL: Webmaster courtesy

required. As come better will. please when act more. NEXT: Are enough get Answer SURE answer extremely important question View video online min. Discover yourself message HOPE brings presented own time. Watch motion picture. Receive precious Read story Story bad things about Why Learn about: Reality Hell Religions Compared Bible: About Creation amp Evolution CONTACT follower friendly discreet personal DO YOU HAVE WEB PAGE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR VISITORS available various special link directly URL: Webmaster courtesy graphics

important question View video online min. Discover yourself message HOPE brings presented own time. Watch motion picture. Receive precious Read story Story bad things about Why Learn about: Reality Hell Religions Compared Bible: About Creation amp Evolution CONTACT follower friendly discreet personal DO YOU HAVE WEB PAGE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR VISITORS available various special link directly URL: Webmaster courtesy graphics code further has been help tens thousands people. In midst their busy lives full

live with heaven. must accept His gift cannot earned. Believe your savior whom access Father. Your faith required. As come better will. please when act more. NEXT: Are enough get Answer SURE answer extremely important question View video online min. Discover yourself message HOPE brings presented own time. Watch motion picture. Receive precious Read story Story bad

*but it's apparently in code.

Another Job

I interviewed with the art supervisor of the district last week. Then the principal's secretary called me and I interviewed with him and his "associate principal." They're both younger than me, btw.

The school's not in white suburban central, which is good, but it's undergoing renovation, which isn't so good. They need someone right away, but I haven't heard anything in the last few days.

Then, this week, I got another call. The art supervisor from my most recent job called me to tell me of an opening that might happen in October, and asked me to come in and interview with her. We talked for an hour and a half. Turns out the current teacher's letting the kids have all the power. Not good, but also sometimes easy to let happen.

So I've got two opportunities here. To be honest, part of me's kinda mad. I'd already made peace with the fact that I'm no longer a teacher in a public school. Now, apparently the universe has other plans for me, or it's all some big cosmic bait and switch to pull my attention away from the plans I'd made outside the public school arena.

But I'm trying to be positive here. I'll get a pay raise, and it'll be a new school and a totally different experience.

Also, two of my friends have recently announced that they're expecting. One of whom tried over and over, so that's good. Another of whom I'm proud to know. And her husband too.

Congratulations seem to be in order a lot today.

Jobs

I quit my job in June. Then I changed my mind, but there wasn't another available. Then I had a plan to find a sponsor, like a Nascar driver, to find a corporation to pay me to teach art. That didn't pan out (yet), but I'm scheduled to teach some classes at an arts and crafts store.

Yesterday a school district called. They need an Art teacher for a high school. In the middle of September. Which almost never happens.

So I have an interview tomorrow. I'm trying to stay detached, but it's hard not to make imaginary plans in my head of what I'm going to do if I get the job. Especially since I'll get a substantial pay increase.

Wish me luck.

Happy Birthday Melleners!

Happy Birthday Melleners!

Why don't you mosey on over to my favorite music blog and wish her many happy returns? You don't have to mention I sent you, just pretend you knew already.

How Creative Can Stacking Paper Be?

That's currently my life. Stacking sheets of paper. I'm creating sculptures out of binder clips, I'm so bored. Thankfully the people where I work are very nice. But I'm a temp and I'm trying not to get attached.

I was all ready for last Friday to be my last day, but they decided they need me one more week. They let me check files out and stack them at home so that I can do my other job too. Which has taken me more than a month to go through the application process, and I'm still not sure when I'll start, if ever.

I'm tired. I came up with an idea for Illustration Friday's topic for "safe." It's not exactly PC, but I think it's apropos. Go to Distilled if you'd like to see it.

Lute Riley Honda Sucks

I took my car with the ailing a/c to the dealership in Dallas. They told me it was the condenser, and it would cost $440, but that they wanted to give me a deal and so they'd take $100 off to make it $340. I arranged my appointment, and thought no more of it.

The day of the appointment arrived. I drove to the dealershipo at about 6:45 in the morning and arranged for their free shuttle to take me to work and pick me up again.

While at work, the service guy called me. He said they'd definitely found the problem, which made me feel relief. I'd already replaced the compressor at about $900 and the a/c electrical panel for $350. He told me that the service normally runs $540, but that with the $100 of that I'd be getting a great deal at $440.

I said, "That's not what you said before. That quote's gone up $100 since Saturday."

He insisted that he'd said no such thing, and that it wasn't possible that he would make a mistake like that. I told him to make the repairs anyway, and finished my work and waited for the shuttle.

At the dealership I pointed out to the service guy that he'd not said anything near $500. He said he remembered, but that he'd go talk to his manager and see if he could do anything else for me. My car wasn't yet ready, so I waited in the waiting room.

The service guy came back, and gave me the dealership line of all dealership lines, "My manager was standing right next to me, and he heard me quote you the higher price."

I pressed him some more, but he didn't budge. I ended up having to pay $420. But, oh joy, I got a coupon for a free oil change.

So Lute Riley lies. Get your quotes in writing.

Let's ban everything from air travel

I never really understood the term "clockwatcher" until this week. I've been temping at a bank, doing what's called "stacking files." I'm taking mortgage files and taking everything out and putting it back in the correct order. I keep it consistent with a series of slipsheets with headings and check boxes on them. Asleep yet?

At work today my two co-workers were talking about the terrorists that the British apprehended. One of them is afraid to fly. The other one wants to know why the airlines couldn't anticipate this threat and ban liquids sooner. Then the first one said that she doesn't know why Homeland Security can't keep us secure.

I'll tell you why. Hindsight only works one way. I can't express very well at the moment how I feel about all the panic, but here's a passage from The Liquid World by William Saletan at Slate.

"That's the bottom line: We die. In a liquid world, you can't seal off evil. All you can do is fight liquid with liquid. You have to absorb the tragedy, flowing around and through it. You need the strength of a river, not a rock. You need resilience. You can't be untouchable, but you can be undefeated."

. . .

A Job

I have a temporary job. In Dallas. At a mortgage place. Stacking files.

In case you couldn't tell, I'm SUPER excited. I get to drive through rush hour traffic tomorrow while everyone's taking their kids to school. Then I get to stay there until 5:30. That's gonna be weird. I can't remember the last time I worked hours like that.

School hours were 7:30-3:30. Mostly. Let's see if I don't end up murdering someone at the end of the three week period.

Actually, I'd just like to kill whoever made the decision to make the employees of this place take a drug test. Nothing makes you feel like a criminal quite like handing someone else a cup of your urine.

My Life Plan

I'm jobless. I quit my job and now am unemployed. School for the actual teachers starts tomorrow, and it's the first time in eight years that I won't be there.

I expected to be really sad about it, but other than feeling a faint urge to go to school anyway, I'm not sad.

Instead, I'm planning on being my own boss. I've been writing a business plan and it's going really well. I'm spending a lot of time on the internet doing research on businesses, marketing and selling and social networking.

I found this site called dandelife that I'm having a great time playing with. It's like a blog but it incorporates all your titles into a timeline, and you can add tags too. It's fun, go look.

Boys, again, are dumb

My roommate notices very little. We have, in fact, had long conversations about the things he doesn't notice. He says it's because they're ultimately not important. Not my position, but sometimes arguing about it takes too much effort.

We were in the car and passed a pretty crepe myrtle. I mentioned how I like them, but not the bright pink ones. I told him that I was pretty sure I knew the answer, but did he notice that the crepe myrtle in our backyard had bloomed, and was of the fuschia persuasion.

He said something similar to "There's a crepe myrtle in the backyard?"and then I pointed out that the crepe myrtle occupies the side of the driveway that he pulls his car into. He said no, he hadn't noticed the color. Just then we pulled into the driveway and I pointed at the shrub and the blossoms overhanging the fence.

He looked up at the side of the garage and said, "What happened to the fixtures on the wall? Why aren't there any lightbulbs up there?"

I started to laugh, hysterically, and it took a moment for me to catch my breath and reply. "Bear," I said, "you're the one who removed the lightbulbs for me, so I could buy new ones."

"Oh." he said. "When did I do that?"

Apparently, there have been deeds. . .

. . . and I should be telling you of them.

Okay, so the other night I was getting ready for bed. I was in my room taking my clothes off, and just as I had taken off my bra, in flies a gigantic black bug.

At first I thought it was a wasp, so I backed away from it, but then, clutching my unhooked bra to my chest, I noticed that it wasn't flying like one and that it looked an awful lot like a cockroach.

I searched around desperately for something to fling over myself to make the short, but very visible, trip into the kitchen to get the flyswatter, and finally found a t-shirt.

I saw the bug on the floor about to go under my bed, and pushed Calvin The Giant-Fly-Eater toward it, but the loser turned up his nose. I ran to the kitchen and grabbed the flyswatter, but the bug had disappeared. I used the flyswatter and a flashlight to search, but no go.

This made me not want to sleep in my room. I've woken up with a cockroach on my pillow before, and I didn't want that to happen again. Reluctantly, I decided to get over it and sleep in my bed despite my fear.

I woke the next morning to my lovely kittens, called The Brothers Dim by some, mauling the laundry basket. They'd found the wonderfully un-cockroachy beetle, and I captured it and put it outside.

Enough deed for you, o' pushy one?

To Remind Chris and the Diva

It's been a while, but here are the things I wrote down that I must remind you:

Read Lamb by Christopher Moore

Next time that you're in Paris, go to Shakespeare & Co, the book store.

Drawing

A very sad article in the New York Times about the ubiquity of amateur drawing in times past. You might need to register to read it.

France Photos

So I've been experimenting with my photos in Photoshop. I know that it's slightly cheesy, but I love me some filtered goodness. I also have a program called Thumbs Plus, which I can't recommend highly enough. It's the first program I ever used to organize and rename photos.

I've used Picasa also, and it's okay, but Thumbs Plus uses your current directory structure and I find it easier to locate and add things. It's not free, but totally worth the price.

Here's some of my experiments:

This porch in Arles really got our attention. Though it was so hot that I thought my eyes were going to boil out of my head.
I increased the saturation by at least 50, then used median to blur and then the watercolor filter.









This scene from the cliff at Les Baux captured the countryside perfectly. I used the same filters/effects here. I find that using the watercolor filter by itself makes for a much duller picture.








This is the cloister from the insane asylum in St. Remy where van Gogh lived for a while.
I used Thumbs Plus for this one. It's got a filter called Drawing, and it looks similar to the Photoshop filter called Photocopy.

New, New Me

Okay, so you can edit the date if you press the little button. No, I'm not simple. Just a bit focused on my annoyances.

I like this other photo better.