Zine

I did not mention in the previous zine that my inspiration for the idea came from an ad we watched in class a couple weeks ago about a man looking out a window and noticing the formation of birds on telephone wires to identify with a piece of music he then composes.

The Student Art Association of Meadows is planning a "small works sale." Everything $5.00. This is includes little pieces of original artwork, prints, note cards, and most of all, zines.

If you're not already acquainted with zines, allow me to give you a brief description. These small books originated in Portland, Oregon back in the '70s, I believe, to distribute short narratives, poetry, illustrations, etc., etc., in a relatively small and inexpensive form. They are handmade, easy to bind, and cheaply created using a copy machine most often. The purpose is to get an idea out there to a large audience. And in fact, it's an art form. A huge amount of deliberation is not necessary to produce a zine. That isn't the intention. (maybe I'm using the definition to justify my rather sloppy, yet expressive, and quickly rendered narrative below).

So, lo and behold, I have my first zine posted alongside the text (the formating is a bit funky on the blog...

I've never stayed up to watch David Letterman, but came across this article by him with which I share identical beliefs. Take a look around, beyond your materialized life, and then reconsider your attitude towards the current condition of the United States. I'm comfortable stating I'm a Republican, and voted for McCain - in part due to the points made below.

'As most of you know I am not a President Bush fan, nor have I ever been, but this is not about Bush, it is about us, as Americans, and it seems to hit the mark. 'The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right? The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President. (Zogby??!) In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just aren't happy and want a change. So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, 'What are we so unhappy about?''

A.. Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?

B.. Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?

C.. Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?

D.. Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

E.. Maybe it is the ability to drive our cars and trucks from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state?

F.. Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?

G.. I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough either.

H. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

I.. Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home.

J.. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames, thus saving you, your family, and your belongings.

K.. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

L.. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90% of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

M.. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?

Maybe that is what has 67% of you folks unhappy.

Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. , yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here. I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The President who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me? Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad? Think about it......are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the 'Media' told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day. Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an 'other than "honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable'
discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans?

Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by 'justifying' them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way......Insane!

Turn off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as country. There is exponentially more good than bad. We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.' 'With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, 'Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?'

God bless America.

More than a water bottle

I was sick today with some form of a stomach bug – rather unpleasant business – but it did provide me some time lay in bed and think. Just think. I thought about my growing list of things to do, friendship commitments, class assignments…blogs…and this emerald green, plastic 7-up bottle I sipped from. Just look, next time you drink from a bottle of any kind, the designs, form, functional qualities, and ergonomics considered. It’s not as if someone took a cylinder form and attached a cone on top complete with a screw cap. Rather, it appears as though many considerations were involved when designing.

The bottle contains shapes built from a selection of lines, angles, and corners of particular degree repeated throughout the bottle’s design. All edges are of the same curvature around each decorative shape. And these elements respond to the 7-Up logo and its aesthetic qualities. These shapes are, no doubt, also used functionally to help support the bottle under pressure. It’s more of a structure than simple piece of molded plastic. The screw top is also carefully designed to correspond to the bottle’s overall profile. When compared to the Ozarka bottle which is more stout and has a shorter cap, the 7-Up bottle’s longer form allows for a more significant and weighty cap.

This morning I held a water bottle throughout my SMU campus tour to prospective students. It’s an SMU “admissions” water bottle with copy about SMU’s programs on the paper wrap. But this bottle, while designed well in simple form, lacked the ergonomic qualities of my 7-Up bottle. The SMU water bottle is essentially a perfect cylinder without concave shapes for hand gripping. It frequently slid out of my hands.

This reminds me of the Porsche car designer who was hired by Cutco knives to develop an ergonomic and aesthetically pleasing handle. He used pieces of clay small enough to fit in one’s hand. He then had people squeeze the clay to produce a strong imprint and shape in the molded clay. The designer analyzed his extensive research to produce a handle that responded well to the hand-molded clay and one’s eyes.

I think this approach can be applied to most everyday objects, and will offer a different perspective next time I use a water bottle.

Lump and Beanie

Last Spring I purchased a small hard-back book featuring Picasso and his dachshund at a boutique bookstore. The photographs caught my attention first – they’re really wonderful – highlighting his wiener dog named Lump (little rascal in German) at his famous home in France. Lump used to belong to Picasso’s photographer who documented his artistic life and family. The frequent visits eventually led Lump to stay with the artist, and became Picasso’s close companion for the last seventeen years of his life. In fact, both Picasso and Lump died in the same year.

And I’ve heard multiple times that dachshunds are popular pets for artists. I went ahead and researched this phenomenon, finding truth in this assertion. Diego Rivera, Frieda Kahlo, Rubens, Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Da Vinci (his dachshund was named Mona), Picasso, O’Keeffe, and Warhol all owned canines of this breed. Some claim it’s because a dachshund’s nature is creative.

I too have a little dachshund, named Beanie Wienie (we just call him Beanie for short), who’s one of the sweetest creatures on this planet. And while I could talk about him for pages like any other dog owner could for their pet, I won’t and will spare you from gagging. He’s simply “the best dog in the world.” He’s a fighter too, though. This past summer he was bit by a rattlesnake on the eye, was at death’s doorstep for a few days, and finally came through, but with one eye less. It just enhances his character. Now he’s my little pirate, and while he may not be my “artistic muse” necessarily, he is nonetheless inspirational.

Intertextuality and Honda

This Honda advertisement is an example of intertextuality. It uses the “Impossible Dream” song from the musical “Man of La Mancha” about Don Quixote who’s explaining his quest and reasons for it. The character in the ad is also on a quest as his journey leads him from his home to a series of places traveled by a variety of methods (small motorcycle, four-wheeler, motorcycle, sports motorcycle, car, racecar, boat, and ultimately, hot air balloon) that increase with speed at each transition. This character is also sings along to the song.

Meth and my fascination

Methamphetamines fascinate me. No, I don’t use them – never have and never will – I’m just fascinated by their production, usage, and consequences. Back at my high school we had the occasional tweeker, but association was rare and I seldom got to know any of them. I wish I had, however. I mean, there at school would have been great grounds to do so. I wouldn’t have become “buddy-buddy” with them, just acquaintances to better understand their drugged life and why they have become addicts. I would not have offered my phone numbers or personal information, just a name for them to remember me when we passed between classes.

One of my primary fascinations is how these tweekers become educated on producing meth. I don’t understand why their knowledge in that arena doesn’t translate to chemistry class. Because the concoction contains ingredients like phosphorous from road flares or matchbooks, ephedrine typically from cold meds, #7 iodine crystals, and aluminum foil – resourceful. Furthermore, the production process utilizes a hot plate, many jugs and hoses, timers, Coleman fuel, and Red Devil lye. It’s enough information and step-by-step procedures to fill a textbook.

Second –the transition from happy, successful student to meth-head. It’s not doubt a sad progression, but interesting to note. The meth-users at my school always wore oversized black sweatshirts, even in the Arizona summer months, with jeans displaying their gallery of artwork derived from Bic pens and doodles during class lectures. Huge skateboarding shoes were also necessary. I think the sweatshirts were used for storing their drugs in addition to covering their blotchy and dried skin. (But again, I wouldn’t know as I didn’t make the most of my opportunity). Heavy eye makeup and straw-like hair were also identifiers. And finally, tweekers hung out with tweekers, but no mixing with the outside world. It’s as if no one else could possibly understand their lifestyle at any level to be able to hang with them.

Third – they’re hooked, and there’s no letting go. Depending on when they start using, meth can end their life in the 20s, 30s, or even teens if overdosed. And it’s the body’s physical appearance I also find interesting. Meth has a way to age someone unlike most other drugs. I remember in my health classes seeing pictures of a meth user at age 16, and then at age 20, and finally age 30. The progression was horrific. A twenty-some year old could look 50 or 60 years old, but not even a healthy person of this mid-to-late age – a sick 50-some year old resting on their deathbed. Their eyes are sunk into their skull, hair is falling out, skin is scaly and spotted, teeth yellowed and sometimes missing, fingernails gnarly and yellow-tinged. It’s disgusting, and furthermore, adds to my fascination as to how and why these kids get hooked. What part of health class did they miss?

The formula for meth is C(10)H(15)N. Urban Dictionary defines meth as “A Redneck population control device.” Wikipedia as “Methamphetamine (methylamphetamine or desoxyephedrine), popularly shortened to meth, is a psychostimulant and sympathomimetic drug. It is prescribed for severe cases of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or narcolepsy under the brand name Desoxyn. It is also used illegally for recreational purposes. "Crystal meth" refers to the crystalline, smokeable form of the drug and is not used for the drug in pill or powdered form.”