I burned the crap out of my hand today in glass. The first time was when I grabbed the pipe too far on the wrong end where the metal was still hot. The second was when I accidentally bumped my thumb against the hot glass itself. And yet I kept working, I *had* to finish the piece. I would be as the great artists, sacrificing my body for my art, for my creation. And through the experience I learned an important lesson...
...Sacrificing your body for your art is STUPID!! Stupid stupid dumb dumb dumb.
::lathers aloe all over her fingers and whimpers incredulously::
Friday, September 27, 2002
Thursday, September 26, 2002
Casualties of Drama
Friendship is very important to me, and I suppose that can be said true for most people. Keary told me once that I take my friendships very seriously, and I guess that's true as well.
So when your friend walks through the door looking so wounded that they seem to cringe with each step, the only thing I really want to do is hover about and nurse their injuries and shower them in comfort and wish that they were very small, so I could stick them in my pocket and protect them from the world. And, I suppose, I do my best...but it's rather difficult when the source of pain is so muddled and confusing that you really don't know what you can do to help it.
It's as if your friend has some horrible disease, cirrhosis of the liver, perhaps, only you don't know they have it. Or perhaps, you know they have it, but don't know what cirrhosis of the liver is, or don't understand it or how it works. So the only thing you can do is comfort them and care for them and wipe the blood from them, but you can see that it's something inside of them which is causing them great suffering. But you don't know how, or what exactly, and you don't understand how to fix it.
So you sit and wait and hover about and hope that *they* understand it and know what to do. Altogether, it makes you feel a bit on the helpless side.
I am fortunate and grateful to have as many wonderful friends as I do, I suppose I need to make it a point to tell them how important they are to me. I'll have to do that today, or soon.
So when your friend walks through the door looking so wounded that they seem to cringe with each step, the only thing I really want to do is hover about and nurse their injuries and shower them in comfort and wish that they were very small, so I could stick them in my pocket and protect them from the world. And, I suppose, I do my best...but it's rather difficult when the source of pain is so muddled and confusing that you really don't know what you can do to help it.
It's as if your friend has some horrible disease, cirrhosis of the liver, perhaps, only you don't know they have it. Or perhaps, you know they have it, but don't know what cirrhosis of the liver is, or don't understand it or how it works. So the only thing you can do is comfort them and care for them and wipe the blood from them, but you can see that it's something inside of them which is causing them great suffering. But you don't know how, or what exactly, and you don't understand how to fix it.
So you sit and wait and hover about and hope that *they* understand it and know what to do. Altogether, it makes you feel a bit on the helpless side.
I am fortunate and grateful to have as many wonderful friends as I do, I suppose I need to make it a point to tell them how important they are to me. I'll have to do that today, or soon.
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
Electricity Eeeeelec-tricity.
Crew meeting today. I work for Jeff, who can juggle flaming sticks, in electrics. I used to be afraid of Jeff, he was one of those sorts who I couldn't tell if they were joking or really seriously angry about something, but I've come to learn that he's harmless. Mostly harmless.
I like working in electrics, hanging and focusing lights is great fun! This year, I'm board op (trained monkey) which is something I've never done before. It means I'll have to donate a week of my life to the theatre department, but I think I have my schedule under control, it'll all be good. And I have plenty of practice pushing buttons, I knew Halo would be good for something!
Speaking of which, Squirt has joined the Krew. I need to draw her up. It's very strange, I never really hang out with her, but she's lots of fun. Weird how that is.
I love you Brendan!
I like working in electrics, hanging and focusing lights is great fun! This year, I'm board op (trained monkey) which is something I've never done before. It means I'll have to donate a week of my life to the theatre department, but I think I have my schedule under control, it'll all be good. And I have plenty of practice pushing buttons, I knew Halo would be good for something!
Speaking of which, Squirt has joined the Krew. I need to draw her up. It's very strange, I never really hang out with her, but she's lots of fun. Weird how that is.
I love you Brendan!
Sunday, September 22, 2002
Yum!
Flora makes the best frickin spaghetti on the face of the earth. If the Olympians ran out of ambrosia, they would eat D Flo's spaghetti. If pasta was a society, then his spaghetti would be God. I plan on obtaining the recipe soon ::dons ninja garb and backflips out the window.
Drama, Colored Pencils, and Road Trips
This has probably been the craziest, messiest, drama-filled schoolyear yet, and it's only a few weeks into the year! Madness, all the time. It's terrible, but every time I feel a little sad or lonely or confused, I just look up and around and say "Ye gods! I'm glad I don't have to deal with *their* problems!" O.o Ultimately, I'm trying to do my best to keep out of the fray and provide relief, comic or otherwise, for those involved.
I'm also getting back into my art swing, slowly, and I did the unimaginable and picked up some colored pencils. I'm terrible with them, very sloppy and impatient, but I took my time with this and it turned out better than normal. Next up, I want to give these markers I try, they've been laying around untouched for years.
http://www.dragonneo.com/~wertle/cpwert.jpg
The weekend wasn't dull at all, and I haven't heard much on the enviro-theatre crew's trip to Tennessee (except a phone call saying "We're in Gatlinburg!!", when they were certainly *not* supposed to be 5 hours away, and another one later saying "We're in North Carolina!!" O.o;;; They got home safely, so all is well).
I also got an extension for my comp sci project, which I now have completely under control. A good weekend, but over much too quickly, as always.
(starfallz-you still up for that sock?)
I'm also getting back into my art swing, slowly, and I did the unimaginable and picked up some colored pencils. I'm terrible with them, very sloppy and impatient, but I took my time with this and it turned out better than normal. Next up, I want to give these markers I try, they've been laying around untouched for years.
http://www.dragonneo.com/~wertle/cpwert.jpg
The weekend wasn't dull at all, and I haven't heard much on the enviro-theatre crew's trip to Tennessee (except a phone call saying "We're in Gatlinburg!!", when they were certainly *not* supposed to be 5 hours away, and another one later saying "We're in North Carolina!!" O.o;;; They got home safely, so all is well).
I also got an extension for my comp sci project, which I now have completely under control. A good weekend, but over much too quickly, as always.
(starfallz-you still up for that sock?)
Friday, September 20, 2002
Wanted: One Sock
So I was going through my sock drawer, looking for a sock without a mate. I need a sock to cut up and transform into a protective forearm covering for glass, and you know how there's ALWAYS that sock in the drawer with the missing pair. Well, not today, every sock was perfectly mated, the first time in nearly a lifetime. What the hell is up with that?? Fates playing games with me again.
Anyway, I need a sock. So if anyone out there has an interesting sock with a lost mate, but just *can't* throw it away, I can give it a good home and a noble job protecting my arm from the heat radiated by molten glass.
The only qualifications, it has to be 100% cotton, as any polyester will melt and adhere to my flesh, which is generally considered a bad thing. It also has to be long enough to cover most if not all of my forearm, so long socks are good. And if it's an interesting or cool lookin sock, that's a bonus.
In return, I'll make you a little sumpin-sumpin in glass, like a cup or a little animal or something. Any takers?
::sits against the wall with a sign, "Will blow glass for socks"::
Anyway, I need a sock. So if anyone out there has an interesting sock with a lost mate, but just *can't* throw it away, I can give it a good home and a noble job protecting my arm from the heat radiated by molten glass.
The only qualifications, it has to be 100% cotton, as any polyester will melt and adhere to my flesh, which is generally considered a bad thing. It also has to be long enough to cover most if not all of my forearm, so long socks are good. And if it's an interesting or cool lookin sock, that's a bonus.
In return, I'll make you a little sumpin-sumpin in glass, like a cup or a little animal or something. Any takers?
::sits against the wall with a sign, "Will blow glass for socks"::
Thursday, September 19, 2002
I hate leading zeros
Ultimately, I suppose it's been a good week. Discounting a few things, of course, like the fact that I did not finish my comp sci project that's due tomorrow. When I have to make a decision between pulling an all-nighter to get something done and not getting it done, I opt for sleep, it's more important. No worries here.
Meanwhile, Kay, the hard core grad assistant at the studio who happens to be my glass partner, convinced me that instead of dividing up 4 3-hour slots to half an hour each, we should each take 2 slots and work the whole 3 hours. My first long slot is tomorrow, we'll see how it turns out x_x
This weekend has potential to be very nice or rather dull. A large chunk of my friends, namely Sam, Will, Meghan, and Flora are going to be off to some enviro-theatre conference, while Ken and Evan go to Louisville.
I'm trying my hardest to convince Brendan to have a sketchbook party with me Saturday night, since we'll be the only ones about. Brendan is my hero.
Friday, even he will be gone, so I'll be all by myself. No worries, though, i need some time to myself to get some things done, me-time is always nice to have. So it seems the weekend will balance on the thing line between pleasant, calming rest or boredom, we'll see what happens.
Meanwhile, Ken has joined the fray.
Meanwhile, Kay, the hard core grad assistant at the studio who happens to be my glass partner, convinced me that instead of dividing up 4 3-hour slots to half an hour each, we should each take 2 slots and work the whole 3 hours. My first long slot is tomorrow, we'll see how it turns out x_x
This weekend has potential to be very nice or rather dull. A large chunk of my friends, namely Sam, Will, Meghan, and Flora are going to be off to some enviro-theatre conference, while Ken and Evan go to Louisville.
I'm trying my hardest to convince Brendan to have a sketchbook party with me Saturday night, since we'll be the only ones about. Brendan is my hero.
Friday, even he will be gone, so I'll be all by myself. No worries, though, i need some time to myself to get some things done, me-time is always nice to have. So it seems the weekend will balance on the thing line between pleasant, calming rest or boredom, we'll see what happens.
Meanwhile, Ken has joined the fray.
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
Will Johnston Doesn't Believe in Binomial Nomenclature...
Tonight we had auditions for Shenanigans, the improv troupe of which I belong to here at my college. It was a great bunch of people, very talented, very witty, and a million times better than last year's audition lot. Until this I've never been in a position where I had to take part in the casting process of something, and it's quite tough!
Narrowing it down was a tough call, and we let many people go to "simmah in da pot" for a year, in hopes that they'll try out again next year when all the Shenanigans seniors graduate this year.
They were good. Better than me by far, and sometimes I *still* wonder why I've been kept in the group up to this point. I don't consider myself particularly quick-witted, all of my humor comes in 10 minute blocks at the very least. Granted, I've had my moments, I was particularly proud of my 1 minute speech on Polly Theism, but I just don't know. Perhaps I'm good to play off of? I don't know.
So, our goal is to beef up our performance frequency, and after this year the infamous Will Johnston will turn the project over to D Flo, and then we'll have to find capable hands to leave it in after we graduate...
...after we graduate. Good God, I'm graduating next year.
::runs to the bathroom to hurl::
Narrowing it down was a tough call, and we let many people go to "simmah in da pot" for a year, in hopes that they'll try out again next year when all the Shenanigans seniors graduate this year.
They were good. Better than me by far, and sometimes I *still* wonder why I've been kept in the group up to this point. I don't consider myself particularly quick-witted, all of my humor comes in 10 minute blocks at the very least. Granted, I've had my moments, I was particularly proud of my 1 minute speech on Polly Theism, but I just don't know. Perhaps I'm good to play off of? I don't know.
So, our goal is to beef up our performance frequency, and after this year the infamous Will Johnston will turn the project over to D Flo, and then we'll have to find capable hands to leave it in after we graduate...
...after we graduate. Good God, I'm graduating next year.
::runs to the bathroom to hurl::
How pecuuuuuliar
Someone asked me through another person why I had them blocked on ICQ, and I said "What? I don't have ICQ!!"
That must mean there's actually another Wertle out there! Multiple Wertles! How exciting! I've never met another Wertle before. I wonder who they could be?
That must mean there's actually another Wertle out there! Multiple Wertles! How exciting! I've never met another Wertle before. I wonder who they could be?
Tuesday, September 17, 2002
Mizunch
Why are packaged foods so much less appetizing when they're smashed? I mean, there's really nothing wrong with them, they're still in their sanitary little plastic wrapping, and at most suffer from some mild pre-mastication. But when I pulled the squished oatmeal pie out of the bottom of my backpack I instinctively grimaced with an "Ewww, yuck."
Of course, after some reflection, I went ahead and ate it, and it was still as tasty as it would have been without my calculus book sitting on top of it for most of the day. And yet, I've also been known to eat potato chips that had fallen on the floor of the glass studio, or chase a kiwi down a flight or two of stairs before I caught up with it to eat it.
It could just be me.
Meanwhile, plasma grenades suck.
http://storage.wertle.com/albums/lj/halo3-02.gif
Special thanks to Brendan for being a walking, talking onomatopoeia thesaurus
Of course, after some reflection, I went ahead and ate it, and it was still as tasty as it would have been without my calculus book sitting on top of it for most of the day. And yet, I've also been known to eat potato chips that had fallen on the floor of the glass studio, or chase a kiwi down a flight or two of stairs before I caught up with it to eat it.
It could just be me.
Meanwhile, plasma grenades suck.
http://storage.wertle.com/albums/lj/halo3-02.gif
Special thanks to Brendan for being a walking, talking onomatopoeia thesaurus
Monday, September 16, 2002
Numbing War Movies and Cartoons
I've often pondered the cartoons of my youth, and their inexplicable ability to parody the most unlikely movies to be seen by a child in my age group. Specifically, how Animaniacs, Eek! The Cat, *and* Tazmania all managed to do spoofs of Apocalypse Now, so well that though I've never seen the movie, I can give a decent rundown of the plot, characters, and general spectacle.
Now let's think about this a minute. Apocalypse Now? WHAT?? Looking back, I find it strange that these cartoons chose to entertain the youth of my generation by making fun of a serious, dramatic, bloody Vietnam war movie. In that case, why did I find these particular cartoons so funny? I'd never seen the movie, afterall. Was Apocalypse Now so ingrained in the culture at the time that I just sort of soaked it up through osmosis, or did I piece it together after seeing multiple parodies that they were making fun of *something*, and apparently doing it well, so it should be funny.
It's hard to determine after the fact. Kinda like how I got most of my understanding of pop culture through Muppet Babies. That's how I knew what Star Wars was, afterall. It was a fundamental truth of life at the time, I never questioned where it came from, it was just *there*, and I'm certain that I knew all the basics of Star Wars before I ever saw any of the movies. Muppet Babies was definately an educational show ^_^
It's interesting enough to think about this and look at current cartoons, and then try and deduce how this generation's youth is soaking it all up. I also get to see things from a new perspective, I get most of the things being poked fun at. Now that I think about it, I can't remember how my parents reacted to the Apocalypse Now parodies, it was something I just didn't pay attention to.
Now let's think about this a minute. Apocalypse Now? WHAT?? Looking back, I find it strange that these cartoons chose to entertain the youth of my generation by making fun of a serious, dramatic, bloody Vietnam war movie. In that case, why did I find these particular cartoons so funny? I'd never seen the movie, afterall. Was Apocalypse Now so ingrained in the culture at the time that I just sort of soaked it up through osmosis, or did I piece it together after seeing multiple parodies that they were making fun of *something*, and apparently doing it well, so it should be funny.
It's hard to determine after the fact. Kinda like how I got most of my understanding of pop culture through Muppet Babies. That's how I knew what Star Wars was, afterall. It was a fundamental truth of life at the time, I never questioned where it came from, it was just *there*, and I'm certain that I knew all the basics of Star Wars before I ever saw any of the movies. Muppet Babies was definately an educational show ^_^
It's interesting enough to think about this and look at current cartoons, and then try and deduce how this generation's youth is soaking it all up. I also get to see things from a new perspective, I get most of the things being poked fun at. Now that I think about it, I can't remember how my parents reacted to the Apocalypse Now parodies, it was something I just didn't pay attention to.
Saturday, September 14, 2002
No more slacker
I finally managed to get my page updated, and I got that caption contest up there as promised! take a look!
Meanwhile, I finally got some comic inspiration...even if it did come from Halo.
http://storage.wertle.com/albums/lj/halo1-02.gif
As for tonight, a double birthday party is in order, we'll see what happens ¬_¬
Meanwhile, I finally got some comic inspiration...even if it did come from Halo.
http://storage.wertle.com/albums/lj/halo1-02.gif
As for tonight, a double birthday party is in order, we'll see what happens ¬_¬
Thursday, September 12, 2002
Facial Feedback Hypothesis
Since I alone make up the painting III class this term, I'm being bombarded with independent projects left and right. Whereas the painting II kids are doing an extended self portrait, I have chosen to do an extended self portrait smiling.
You see, anyone who's tried a self portrait knows that their default expression is "concentration," and it just so happens that my "concentration" face is also the same as my "demonic possession going to eat your soul" face. This is a hinderance because, in spite of what anyone may tell you, I'm not a demonic soul-eater from day to day.
So I thought, dammit, I'm going to make a portrait of myself smiling for once, maybe I'll have an easier time making it look like me. It seemed just the challenge (painting someone smiling is rather difficult to pull off). Well, after a rough, preliminary painting sketch tonight, I've found that not only am I more recognizable, but smiling the whole time also has beneficial side effects. I'M IN SUCH A GOOD MOOD!!!
Here I was dreading and whining having to go paint tonight, and instead, I'm all cheerful and skipping-round like. This project is going to be the most enjoyable one yet. Hooray for loosely proven psychological hypotheses! Hooray!
You see, anyone who's tried a self portrait knows that their default expression is "concentration," and it just so happens that my "concentration" face is also the same as my "demonic possession going to eat your soul" face. This is a hinderance because, in spite of what anyone may tell you, I'm not a demonic soul-eater from day to day.
So I thought, dammit, I'm going to make a portrait of myself smiling for once, maybe I'll have an easier time making it look like me. It seemed just the challenge (painting someone smiling is rather difficult to pull off). Well, after a rough, preliminary painting sketch tonight, I've found that not only am I more recognizable, but smiling the whole time also has beneficial side effects. I'M IN SUCH A GOOD MOOD!!!
Here I was dreading and whining having to go paint tonight, and instead, I'm all cheerful and skipping-round like. This project is going to be the most enjoyable one yet. Hooray for loosely proven psychological hypotheses! Hooray!
Hmmmm...
The other day they cut down a tree on campus, because it was sick or something, and as I was walking by the broken up pieces, I noticed them covered in flies. Like some rotting animal carcass. How pecuuuliar...
Wednesday, September 11, 2002
I'm going to the store and I'm going to buy...
The Wednesday-Thursday block is an important time for me. I have no classes after lunch on Wednesdays, no blow slots Wednesday nights, and no classes Thursday. Thus, I have a huge block of free time that is perfect for getting homework and projects finished. I had it all scheduled out, down to the hour, from after dinner until dinner tomorrow. First I would paint, then Calculus for an hour or so, then start early on my Comp Sci project due next week, then plan in my glass sketchbook.
I began my schedule by promptly dropping the whole thing and playing Halo all day.
However, the day was not totally unproductive. After a few rousing battles, the Halo Crew (or Krew, as Brendan puts it) made a trip to Walmart (with a brief stop by the pet store to get crickets for Ken's frog). I'd been needing to go anyhow. We bought, among other usual grocery items, a plastic mullet. I'm sure that'll be popping up more than once.
The moral of the story is: I'm a slacker. I'll have to be extra diligent tomorrow to make up for all the crap I didn't get done.
Aforementioned Halo Krew:
I began my schedule by promptly dropping the whole thing and playing Halo all day.
However, the day was not totally unproductive. After a few rousing battles, the Halo Crew (or Krew, as Brendan puts it) made a trip to Walmart (with a brief stop by the pet store to get crickets for Ken's frog). I'd been needing to go anyhow. We bought, among other usual grocery items, a plastic mullet. I'm sure that'll be popping up more than once.
The moral of the story is: I'm a slacker. I'll have to be extra diligent tomorrow to make up for all the crap I didn't get done.
Aforementioned Halo Krew:
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
WHO'S HALO MASTER NOW?? Well...still Ken, BUT...
Halo Stats:
-I won, I actually won! I can't believe it! I beat Ken and D Flo, blam blam dead boom win!! Wooooooowoo! Of course, they punished me by not letting me have the big screen on top anymore and by ganging up on me as much as possible. Punks.
Morg--I totally empathize about the move/aim synchronization thing. It took me FOREVER to get it down, and I still get confused sometimes!
In today's news, I had to sacrifice a pair of pants. You see, it is physically impossible to step into the painting studio without getting paint on you, and I need a new pair of painting pants. My other painting pants are a pair of jeans which I've had for 6 years, barely held together by weak threads, homemade patches, and the unholy powers of all the dark clerics in the land. So it's time to doom another pair to a life of being consumed by paint day after day.
I had two pairs as candidates, both of which I use in glassblowing, so they're a little rugged, but nothing I can't keep clean. On the one hand, I have the green pants, and I love the green pants. They're my favorite green pants (at one time, I would've followed up with "they're my only green pants," but this is no longer true). On the other hand, I have the black pants, which I also love, but which I also use as tech ninja pants. You can't dash around behind stage like a good tech ninja with luminous splotches of white gesso all over your clothes.
So, after much turmoil, I've decided to condemn the green pants, as I noticed I got a little sliver of gesso on them already. No worries, though, they will still be loved, just not wearable outside the context of the art barn.
Said green pants..
By the way, thanks for the welcomes, all!
-I won, I actually won! I can't believe it! I beat Ken and D Flo, blam blam dead boom win!! Wooooooowoo! Of course, they punished me by not letting me have the big screen on top anymore and by ganging up on me as much as possible. Punks.
Morg--I totally empathize about the move/aim synchronization thing. It took me FOREVER to get it down, and I still get confused sometimes!
In today's news, I had to sacrifice a pair of pants. You see, it is physically impossible to step into the painting studio without getting paint on you, and I need a new pair of painting pants. My other painting pants are a pair of jeans which I've had for 6 years, barely held together by weak threads, homemade patches, and the unholy powers of all the dark clerics in the land. So it's time to doom another pair to a life of being consumed by paint day after day.
I had two pairs as candidates, both of which I use in glassblowing, so they're a little rugged, but nothing I can't keep clean. On the one hand, I have the green pants, and I love the green pants. They're my favorite green pants (at one time, I would've followed up with "they're my only green pants," but this is no longer true). On the other hand, I have the black pants, which I also love, but which I also use as tech ninja pants. You can't dash around behind stage like a good tech ninja with luminous splotches of white gesso all over your clothes.
So, after much turmoil, I've decided to condemn the green pants, as I noticed I got a little sliver of gesso on them already. No worries, though, they will still be loved, just not wearable outside the context of the art barn.
Said green pants..
By the way, thanks for the welcomes, all!
Monday, September 9, 2002
Dun dun dun
Well, here I am! Special thanks to Synnabar for hookin me up, and to those who suggested, peer pressured, or used idle threats to convince me to start a journal.
In recent news, I have a nasty burn on my forearm from glassblowing, my partner accidentally bumped the steel jacks I was using, and one of the blades smacked my forearm. Ouch! No worries though. Another day, another battle scar.
I think I'm finally recovering from the Centre Plague, which seems to run rampant at the beginning of each year. I'm in the coughing/sneezing phase, and thanks to Kim providing me with tasty tea and sudafed, and for the Rhodes Hall crew for letting me turn their living quarters into a health spa, I'm on the mend.
Current Halo stats:
-Ken still reigns as undisputed champion
-I beat D Flo once, and I'll never let him forget it
-Brendan still yells at me for looking at his part of the screen, a technique I developed in my Mario Kart days and still think is a perfectly legitimate survival skill in first-person shooters.
-I'm getting better. No, really! I promise!
I think that's a reasonable first post. Stay tuned for more bite-sized pieces of life!
In recent news, I have a nasty burn on my forearm from glassblowing, my partner accidentally bumped the steel jacks I was using, and one of the blades smacked my forearm. Ouch! No worries though. Another day, another battle scar.
I think I'm finally recovering from the Centre Plague, which seems to run rampant at the beginning of each year. I'm in the coughing/sneezing phase, and thanks to Kim providing me with tasty tea and sudafed, and for the Rhodes Hall crew for letting me turn their living quarters into a health spa, I'm on the mend.
Current Halo stats:
-Ken still reigns as undisputed champion
-I beat D Flo once, and I'll never let him forget it
-Brendan still yells at me for looking at his part of the screen, a technique I developed in my Mario Kart days and still think is a perfectly legitimate survival skill in first-person shooters.
-I'm getting better. No, really! I promise!
I think that's a reasonable first post. Stay tuned for more bite-sized pieces of life!
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