Saturday, January 26, 2008

Rumors

No, not the Fleetwood Mac album. But, in case anyone is interested, my life-size wax replicas of Fleetwood Mac did survive the moving process and have been properly enshrined in my kitchen.

The rumor in question is regarding my health. I am sick. Again. But I am doing much better than last year, where I got sick about four times in one semester. All in all, it's not so bad. Just some kind of cold-thing.

Jamie was kind enough to point me toward this Detroit Freepress interview with Mason Proper's frontman Jon Visger. The band's "Noise/Effects" man is long-time friend of the Gargoyle Matt Thompson. It's an interesting read, a little light on facts and criticism, but I like these guys so I feel I should plug 'em.

LINK.

Now, to drain my sinuses.

Friday, January 18, 2008

A Journey

Sometimes I forget that the primary purpose of this blog is to reassure the world that I am, in fact, still alive.

I am mere moments away from climbing aboard Bucephalus and embarking on a journey westward, to the quaint village of Chicago Town. Claire has arranged tickets for me to see an opera featuring Rene Flemming (sic), and so the journey begins.

UPDATE!
1. The Gargoyle is done! Issue four is ahead!

2. My classes have all met at least twice now and things seem alright. Sure, I have complaints, but it's not going to be too painful a semester.

3. It's lunch time!

So I had better eat.

More upon my return!

Sunday, January 06, 2008

New Year's Resolutions and Their Progress Thus Far

1. Keep better track of my money.
As always, the thing I really hate to do is to buy food. Specifically, prepared food. Unfortunately I have had to do an awful lot of this recently, on account of having consumed the entirety of my fridge before leaving for break.

2. Drink 1 pop per week.
Doing very well on this one. Last week's pop was Jone's Soda Berry Lemonade. Delicious. The downside has been trying to find acceptable substitutes at the aforementioned restaurants. Most of the time this has little to do with my own taste, but the quality of the alternatives. "Light" lemonade is, for instance, disgusting. Also, the "Organic" Iced Tea at Noodle's and Company tasted like eggs.

3. Stop biting the inside of my mouth.
I am very good at acquiring bad habits. In 2004/05, I successfully stopped biting and chewing my nails. I realize now that I only replaced this habit with a much weirder one: biting and chewing on the inside of my mouth. It's basically the same as nipping at your own cuticles, except more disturbing. Anyway, this is going pretty well. But nervous habits are hard to kick. Maybe I can replace this one with pen-chewing?

4. Take 2 long walks per month.
I don't get out enough -- it's a fact. I haven't really touched this one so far, and I feel it to be the weakest of the list. If one has to go, it will probably be this one.

5. Go out with Claire at least twice a month.
Because of School, Claire and I haven't had a lot of opportunities to hang out together. This one will see a lot more mileage (especially in the bowling and billiards categories) once Gargoyle Issue 3 is finished.

6. Read one book (or four New Yorkers) per month.
I got a New Yorker subscription for Christmas! Thanks Jim and Sherri! Anyway, I don't read enough (this might have to do with reading so dang much for my major). It's bothered me for a long time, and makes me feel pathetic around other English majors.

7. Eat Better, Eat Regularly.
This one is hurting right now, especially because of The Gargoyle production schedule (Two twelve-hour shifts!). However, I think this one is the most important on the entire list.

8. Stay In Touch
Make more calls. 24-hour turn-around for emails. More blog posts. Going pretty well so far, I think.

----
Gargoyle goes to print on January 11th. It's the first conceptual issue that I have done since seizing power two years ago. It's not a "theme" issue, like "The Holiday Issue" or anything like that. Instead, there's a unified artistic approach taken to the layout of each article, as opposed to the article's contents.

----
ps.
I was a straight "A" student last semester. Do I win?

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

2008

The radio is playing The Beatles.

Maybe we'll get through this.

Happy New Year!