Come and gone

First the good news - the dolphins have come. Spring must be on its way.

Now the bad news. All my GRI email has gone from my Gothenburg University account -all saved, sent, newly received, mail has vanished. It was like the moment last September when I saw the first printing of the BDL book.

IT assures me they are working on my email problem. I am still working with the layout designer to correct the book problem.

A good scene

Today I submitted the FINAL edits for the BDL book New Perspectives in Design Management. It's a project that should have been finished last July -- but, that's the way books are. And of course as soon as I pick up a finished copy I will notice things that make me wince. But for now, I can enjoy the view from our balcony.

Vacancies

The Key seems empty. Our building manager reported at the board meeting this week that rentals were predominately for a week's duration this year, and the snow was playing havoc with travel plans. I'm glad we are here already. And that the weather promises to be warmer next week. Maybe the chairs down by Point-Of-Rocks will be occupied then.

I can't believe I ate/drank the whole thing!

Last night at the Corks & Forks dinner at Ophelia's on the Bay. The winemakers from Quady and Hook & Ladder were present to tell us about the wines

Course 0 (Appetizers) were hand passed on the patio. No photo

Course 1

Course 2

Course 3

Course 4

Course 5

Course 6

So now you know why I didn't post last night!

(That's the only Corks&Forks event we attended)

In search of details

I've returned to the state where my head is constantly working on my art, design and organization (ADO) contribution/paper/graphic novel. I almost have chapter 4 laid out (taken out of sequence) and am thinking about the relationship between the background photo and the options for text: the descriptive part under the panel and the dialogue bubbles of Jill and Troll. Somehow I must create an unspoken/ provocative point that the reader "gets". It's difficult to do, and I won't know if I've been successful until my work is read at the EGOS conference.

I did have a small "ahha" today at the Frary Gallery listening to Joan Altabe, artist and one-time art critic for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, talk about her "adult cartoons' - not pornographic, but lampooning the foibles of the times similar to the work of William Hogarth and others. Altabe's panels -- black and white with one or two faces and dialogue between them -- made me realize how important is it to try to draw my two characters with faces registering emotions that readers can identify with. Another challenge!

It's hard to believe that I spent four hours today on a photo assignment, and do not have a single image to show for it. No, I did not lose my camera or corrupt the chip -- it was a Photoshop class where the instructor talked-and-showed for four hours non-stop! I do now have a 14 page handout and disk with special photos so I can reproduce the session for myself. I wonder how many hours that will take! The class was the instructor's learned-by-trial-and-error techniques for using the program, and he had some good tips, plus a long list of things not to touch! Two parts in particular - never use the organizing module and use a 1/4 to 1/2 inch soft brush to select parts of images - were well worth the cost of class for me. They will be incredibly valuable for my graphic novel work.

I do have a photo of the missing counter piece that was installed in my absence, though we can't use it till tomorrow. Now we're ready to select the tiles for the wall area between the counter-top and upper cabinets. That's a task for tomorrow too.

I was tempted to jump in to a new Barefoot Contessa cookbook Sue gave me Christmas, but decided it would be better to get used to the new environment using tried-and-true recipes. Tonight's meatloaf was yummy, so I'll be ready for a chili apron adventure soon! (Reference to February posts on my Sabbatical Blog.)

What we've been waiting for since November 17, 2010

These three pictures say it all!

BTW, it's still not "finished"! Formal pictures of the whole kitchen when that happens.

Assembling ...

The kitchen countertop arrived, and with it three workmen to assemble/instal it BUT, part was the wrong size, so another piece must be cut. BUT, the part with the sink and dishwasher is installed, so the plumber can come tomorrow. SO, no photo of the new countertop yet.

Jack assembled his new desk (no prizes for guessing where we bought it), so now he has his own office space. BUT, the cabinet with drawers that was the impetus for the desk is also without a top. SO, Jack plans to "assemble" that tomorrow.

I've started assembling the contents of Chapter 5: Examples of Convergence of Art, Design and Organization for my graphic novel. I have ideas for the six panels of the chapter - and one was already in the abstract so I need only work on four, BUT, I still have to find "the point" of each example of convergence to draw together in the last panel of the "chapter". It's hard work. And it's too bad I can't attach my abstract (or "concrete" as it is called) to this blog for readers desiring an idea of what I am doing -- it's hardly a traditional graphic novel. SO, if anyone wants me to email them a copy, let me know.

Art, design and organization at the Circus

Any serious exploration of the cultural side of Sarasota begins, in my opinion, at the Ringling Circus Museums. Today we participated in "family day", where I tried to learn to juggle three balls, and Jack declined to walk across a tightrope about one foot off the ground -- he said he wasn't wearing his tights! We made suitable comments about the display of circus miniatures to their designers, and listened to an excellent docent recount the history of the Ringling circus in Sarasota and explain the work of a group of volunteer wood carvers who restored the ornate circus wagons. I'd been toying with the idea of using the circus as one of my examples of the convergence of art, design, and organization in my graphic novel, and hearing again all that was involved in moving the several thousand people and animals by train between cities confirmed this idea. Now I need to design a clown costume for Troll!

An ordinary lifestyle emerges

By the end of the week I have settled into my routine: dealing with various academic issues, inventorying supplies for my upcoming drawing class - I think the instructors must be in cahoots: the last one wanted 4H, 2H, HB pencils, this one wants 5H, 3H and H! - taking a walk in shorts and short-sleeved shirt, planning cultural activities for each week, and so on. I hit the jackpot this morning when I read a rave review in the Wall Street Journal of a theatre production of 12 Angry Men (one of my favorites) and realized it was at the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota. I quickly ordered tickets - there were not many left. I even branched out to use both the microwave and the stove cooktop for our evening meal, though Jack is still doing dishes in the bathtub. Despite all this activity, I just could not find anything novel enough for an image to accompany this text. Clearly my life must be getting duller.

Installed

- In my southernmost office (though the view early this morning might make you think we were in Machu Picchu)

- In my mindset of "designing": I've enrolled in "Intermediate Drawing" this semester at The Ringling College of Art and Design (I was originally in a basic class, but it was cancelled due to low enrollment)

- Internet service (super speedy)

- Other parts of the kitchen so we are ready for the countertop on Monday (and finally the sink and dishwasher)

- What else do I need?

btw, the morning fog burned off and it was a warm sunny day.

Are we leaving yet?

In pre-exit mode before a Tuesday departure for Sarasota. I've had renewed energy for sorting and disposing (or not) of artifacts from Fairfield, and now have stuff ready for shipment in efficient ways -- some by UPS, some by USPS, some in an extra suitcase in the hold of the plane, and some just waiting to be driven down the next time that happens. And in the process I've managed to add to the pile for Goodwill. In between I've been selecting, deselecting and reselecting clothes for the next two or three months. I may be making a quick trip to Gothenburg in February and I'm proud of my planned layered look (and warm feel) using a minimum of pieces.

My only photos were of items for insurance purposes during shipment or for valuation for Goodwill. Hardly appropriate for daily reflections!

Outside or inside?

The rhododendron leaves indicated how cold it was, and the "big boulder" had snow rather than children sitting on it. A good day to be inside after a morning walk.

What's it worth?

We're still waiting to find out, The appraisal day at Mystic Seaport was postponed from Wednesday to today, but the non-maritime art person from Bonhams could not be present. So we left a photo and are waiting for news.

As a consolation, we enjoyed our first lobsters of the year.

One each, not "twin lobsters"!

Returning to normal

The color came back into the landscape! The sun shone most of today -- this picture was taken at 9AM, looking south, so it could still be considered in the "sunrise" period.

Jack used to snow shovel to chip away at the ice on the steps, but did not do any heavy lifting.

I'm almost completely comfortable with my new glasses. But I couldn't find anything interesting in the (virtual) library.

New possessions in action

Jack put the snow shovel to good use (15 inches). He reported that it "worked great".

I put my new glasses to use in the (virtual) library. I still need to get used to sitting in a different position relative to my laptop screen, so I can't yet report that they "work great".

And if you would prefer a world in color rather than this morning's picture (that IS a color photograph), here are links to Jack's Picasa albums about our trip to Peru last October. Enjoy! (Critics say the slideshow if sunrise at Machu Picchu is the best!)

Cusco, Pisac & Sacsayhuaman

Ollantaytambo and Sol & Luna Lodge

Machu Picchu Day One

Sunrise at Machu Picchu

Lima

Newness

I finally persuaded Jack to buy a new snow shovel in anticipation of tomorrow's BIG storm. He was planning to polish his (very) old (and rusty) one because he has no intention of needing one in the future, but I convinced him that $9:95 spent on a new shovel was good insurance against getting several inches of snow tomorrow.

I picked up my new glasses -- can you tell which pair that is? I can, but then I'm looking

through them. (Yes, new frames as well as lenses.)

Administrivia

It was a beautiful winter day -- snow on the ground but not in the way, sunshine, no wind, and temperatures in the 30s. Not that I was outside to enjoy it; I was all set to go on errands when Jack persuaded me that I could efficiently work them in to tomorrow's plans. So I continued my other tasks of the day. I felt productive the whole time, juggling a Skype fika, IM chat, and phone calls with colleagues to discuss various projects, but by the end of the day I have few words committed to the hard drive. I can point to a carpet rolled up for shipping to Florida and a de-cluttered bedroom as "hard" accomplishments, and such activities usually spread good karma into the next day. So maybe I'm in for a productive week -- not that every week isn't productive in the meaning-making system of the moment.

But I didn't feel the urge to reach for my camera.

Looking up

... when at the Hartford Symphony concert this afternoon.

And "things" are too. The Nordes conference paper is ready and I was about to submit it when I realized that I needed to remove all author identification. I'd better wait and do that tomorrow when I will be sure to catch everything. The submission is due by midnight, Nordic time. (In case you are wondering, as I was, when you say "Nordic" you include Iceland, when you say "Scandinavian" you do not.)

Tomorrow begins a new week. Already my to-do list covers a page in my little red notebook. No more gazing at the ceiling, I need to stay down to earth.

Excuses

I was about to fall into bed when I realized I could not let another day go by without a post -- otherwise I will start receiving "Are you alright?" messages from people I never knew read my blog. I've been busy with fun things, including a Twelfth Night Celebration on the 13th day of Christmas (yesterday), a "bring your date" dinner at a local restaurant with excellent food but we were one of two couples in a huge dining room (maybe locals don't go on dates in the winter?), and Skyping with Ulla as we cranked on a paper to submit by January 10th to the Nordes conference (still more to do tomorrow). So I haven't taken time for my end-of-day reflection and sharing of one photo (or more!) that captures a unique experience. This is not a good way to start the practice of a new year; time for reform! Already!

Reading stories to write stories

I have two new books - and I'm reading them simultaneously -- well, sequentially with frequent switches. I'm enjoying both -- though they are in different genres, as I would say in academic-speak. The troll tales are for inspiration for my graphic novel, and I'm coming to the realization that my troll is far too benign - I must give him a dark side to his character. The qualitative research book is for a paper that Ulla and I are constructing out of almost nothing for a conference in Helsinki next May. We had planned to do some interviews when I was in Gothenburg last September, but did not do as many as we had hoped, so we really have very little data to analyze and report. Never mind, our contribution will be the design of a much more involved study, building on the first part. The problem now is that the study design begins to sound a lot more like a full-blown research project rather than a "quick and dirty" project. A little reading goes a long way!

Dullness as an art

Try as I might, the only novel event of the day -- and hence, by definition the only potential event for a photograph - was finding the gloves that I thought I had lost yesterday. But, better sense prevailed, and you are spared the sight of a ratty pair of black gloves (either on or off my hands.) Instead I could tell you about my struggles with finding and reading literature on queer theory, but you might think I had lost both my senses and sexuality. Rather, I need it as a potential theoretical framework for destabilizing the identity process of students in the Business & Design master's degree program. Whether it will work or not depends on what else critical sociologists can offer. That, and chasing up some wayward points in my editorial efforts for New Perspectives in Design Management, pretty much describes the highlights of the day. Viva dullness!

Something we've been meaning to do for years

We finally made it to the New York Botanical Gardens Holiday Train Show

"Garden-gauge trains and trolleys winding their way through New York City landscapes with buildings crafted from natural materials." Twigs, bark, berries, cones .... Absolutely fantastic!

The show is the work of landscape architect Paul Busse.

Each year he crafts a new building. This year it was the old TWA terminal at JFK airport.

If you are not able to go yourself, enjoy this YouTube video, or Jack's slideshow.

Packed way

First Christmas, and then my enthusiasm for new research directions! Nothing is ever as simple as it seems (or as I would wish it). But technically I have three more days of Christmas, and seven until the conference paper is due. All is not ended yet!

Back to the future

Enough loafing! From here on out, serious writing in the morning, other stuff in the afternoon -- with at least four good writing sessions a week. Except, of course, when it doesn't happen.

Does this smack of a a New Year Resolution, or what?

Melancholy 1-1-11

Everywhere seemed deserted here on Lord's Point. No one was outside, and even the buoys waited listlessly for new owners. Maybe everyone was inside, busily framing and enacting new behavioral resolutions, or mulling wistfully over the year just past. As someone who lives always in the present moment, such forward- and backward-looking activities are alien to me. Every day is a day of fresh opportunity like every other. Yet all day I seemed unable to gather momentum (activation energy, perhaps) for any movement, either forwards or backwards. Maybe there is something to this new year pause after all.