Do Not Disturb. Not all of the time, anyway.

Yay for bi-monthly (isn't it weird that the term means both "every two months" AND "twice a month"?) posting. Quick updates - yes, I have a job, it's at Future Shop, putting things on shelves so people can wallow in capitalism and excess. By the way, I'm only a hypocrite if denounce said excess, which I don't. I instead satirize and defame it, which is fine. I do pretty much the same thing with my own day-to-day life. In other news, pretty sure I know what I want to do with my life, but I want to talk to some people who's opinion and ability to think things through I value, before I ultimately dive in. Frankly, it will be a difficult road to get going on, and I'm not chock fulla time here - 30 is looming.

Anyway, on to the meat. I just happened to click on a link today, purely out of curiousity, about Barbara Streisand cussing out a heckler. I did so, expecting nothing more than a good chuckle at Babs' expense. I got that, but I also gleaned this gem from ol' Barbara, which nudged a cog and got the wheels turning, if you will:

"The artist's role is to disturb."

Now, while I don't consider myself some great artist of renown, I do feel I'm quite capable, as is just about anyone, of artistic expression. I also feel, had I trained hard and worked at it, I could have been considered a professional artist in one capacity or another. Looking at it from either point of view, I just can't agree with the above statement, at least not in the context she seemed to be placing it (link to full article here). Can an artist disturb with their work? Certainly, in fact some art is made specifically for that purpose. But to say an artist's role is to disturb is vaguely akin to saying a soldier's role is to kill (yes, I do heart the extreme examples).

Let's bring it back a notch, though, and assume she was talking more about "disturbing the normal way of thinking". I still can't agree that it's the artist's role to do that. Why can't some art be edifying, supporting, uplifting? Is it always about challenging paradigms and being "edgy"? Sometimes, it seems like that's what people demand from art, and if it's not there, then it's rehashed or kitsch or, God forbid, common.

To paraphrase what a musician once said "I like to think of my lyrics as more of a roadmap. There's a general idea there, but you can follow them to the destination you choose." Sounds a bit hippy, maybe, but think about it - if I make any kind of weighted statement in a group of as little as 10 people, chances are there is not going to be one uniform way in which my words were received. Now, if a simple statement has that chance of being interpreted differently, what are the chances that a more complex (hopefully) work of art could also have multiple interpretations, and inspire multiple feelings, reactions, and trains of thought across the same cross-section of people, and society as a whole?

I'm probably making mountains out of molehills here, but the statement jarred me. In the end, I'm not sure an artist should have a defined role. Art is about expression - song, dance, poetry, photo, illustration, media, comedy, drama, what have you - it all stems ultimately from wanting to express something, be it concrete idea, fleeting emotion, or something else in that near infinite spectrum. The role is not important, what's being expressed is. Let the artist just be the artist. Let the art take the role.

Next time on the Angry Mule: Pancakes. Why I want some.

Explosive Creativity, Sans Spark

Hi.

Yes, it's been a long time. No, I don't have a new job. I'm not whining about that, because I have something else to whine about and don't want to "use it all up" just here. Suffice to say, money is tight, getting tighter, and soon I'm fairly certain I will be taking whatever the heck I can get that will allow me to not starve. I don't regret leaving the old job - I get updates from a former co-worker, it still blows there. I just think it might've been prudent to have started my search BEFORE I did, but I knew I wouldn't try unless I had to, so yada yada.

Ok, so does anyone else ever have this problem where they feel like they might explode if they don't get something creative out? I only ask because I've felt that way for the past 10 years, roughly. I mean, I like to think I'm a fairly creative individual with a deep-thinking mind, and I have, in the past, found temporary outlets for creativity. But it's not enough - it never has been, and I'm not sure it ever will be. I feel like I have this giant geyser of...something...boiling up inside me. I feel like I've got some sort of epic or opus or whatever that just LONGS to get out. It's close to painful, honestly.

The problem is twofold:

1) I am a lazy perfectionist. What does this mean? Basically, it means that unless I can do something perfectly, I will probably not bother doing it. What does this mean for creative endeavours? It means that I start, get fed up because it's not perfect, get discouraged, and quit. Yes, it's a shitty (that's right, shitty - this bothers me a lot) attitude and approach. But there it is. It also leads into...

2) I am a pansy. I'm afraid of whatever comes out of me NOT being perfect. Isn't that stupid? I'd never hold anyone else to that standard, but you'd better believe I need to be perfect, or else I'll regret it. Or so I'm told. By myself.

So instead of being creative myself, I just enjoy other people's creativity in order to escape. Good hobby, bad application.

I don't care if it's songs, or a work of fiction, or a friggin' paper mache statue of the Sugar Crisp Bear. In an ideal world, someone would be filthy rich and see fit to fund my creative genius, and I would actually be ambitious enough to overcome my laziness and produce some work of brilliance that would inspire mankind for years to come. Can't get enough of that Sugar Crisp.

For the few of you still checking this blog, here you go, another self-serving and id-driven piece of Hooper to marvel at. Sigh...I've missed this. So very helpful to come and talk about myself in a (semi) anonymous forum. That being said, don't be suprised if it's another 3 months before my next post. My life is terribly bland, and talking about me comes in fits and spurts of candidness, not consistent revelations.

PS - Jo, name my car!

PPS - I realize I'm pretty self-centered, no worries, but what do you think - is it EXTREMELY self-involved to think that I have some massive creative gem lodged deep within me, or am I giving in to Hollywood-Rockstar fantasy here? Note that recognition is not a driving force for me in this regard, which is both a source of relief and pride, which in turn is self-centered. I am wonderfully symmetrical in my narcissism.

Epidermal Integrity be Damned!

Settle this debate for Whitey and I:

Rock-hard exoskeleton or thick gelatinous membrane? Which would you rather have as an outer shell? I vote membrane, Whitey seems stuck on the exoskeleton. See, I think that a good, thick gelatinous membrane will be self-sealing and regenerating, and as such, it's only real weaknesses are extreme temperatures, save for outlandish things like planetary collision or something. The exoskeleton, while likely quite impervious to high heat, is still susceptible to freezing, as well as erosion and high impact strikes from hard materials.

Clearly, this is the most important issue you will face in the weeks to come. So decide now, boon readers.

It's Done

Gave the two week's notice today. Feel slightly nervous, and more excited about it.

That is all. I will try to blog "normal" again soon.

Make me LOL

So yeah, I'm not feeling particularly creative, work still blows, yada yada. I need to give my two weeks notice soon - make me chuckle with the most creative way you can think to do that. Note that the scheme need not necessarily involve a yeti, but your chances of bringing out the guffaws greatly increase should you find a way to do so.

Also, in all seriousness, for those of you that pray, wow, could I use some direction for my...um...well, life. Quite frankly, even just a notion that I should CONSIDER pursuing something would be good at this point. Hoping the time away from work will give me extended periods to catch what He's saying. I'm frightfully dim when it comes to listening, I really am. But I make a mean omelette, so let's spiritualize that.

One more thing, for recent good and insightful discussions (i.e. much better than this drivel), head on over to AJ and Jo's blogs. Not that the rest of you aren't cool, just they're a little cooler is all. Like that kid in high school you wanted to be. Shame on you, envy is a sin.

It's Hard to Stay in Shape when Physics Hates Me

So I'm sitting in my computer chair at home, leg propped up on my bed, absent from work. Why you ask? Last night, playing basketball, I managed to get hurt. This should not surprise anyone, since I also manage to hurt myself doing things like playing pool, sitting at a desk, and eating. This, however, is worse. I went up for a shot in the lane, and came down on someone's foot. The ankle went over, and there was a positively GORGEOUS tearing sound, not unlike paper being ripped in two. Oh yeah, and then it hurt like a kick in the balls from a donkey on fire for about half an hour.

This morning, my foot looks kinda like a balloon animal. A big, disgusting, diseased balloon animal. I'd take pics and post 'em, but my digital camera wire has been AWOL for a few months now, and despite efforts to replace it, it seems I had the only cable in existence capable of fitting my camera's port. Anywway, it suffices to say that around the ball of my ankle and the top of my foot, I've got some severe swelling and some colorful bruising. It's sorta like art. HEY! I'm gonna start that, a new art form - injury art. "The swelling around the joint represents man's struggle with utilitarian society." I will yet be rich.

As I mentioned, I am somewhat injury prone. This is making it increasingly frustrating to try and get in shape as I get older. Last summer, it was my bike accident (I DO have pics of that stored on the computer, for anyone who wants to see - I think the raw skin on my palms really captures the essence of nature vs. industry). I'd just gotten that bike, was having fun and getting good exercise, and then boom, no use of my hands for a week, and no real hard activity for a month and a half. About a month and a half ago, again at basketball, I got smoked in the head by an elbow, split it open, and received 9 stitches for my trouble, also cutting my night pitifully short in the exercise department. Despite stretching and warming up, back while I was lifting weights, I would often pull something, seemingly out of no real effort.

I would like very much not to grow old and get fat. It appears first, however, the laws of Physics and I will have to duel - an epic death match sure to produce great works of art that will be appreciated down through the ages.

Stocks for Feb. 24, 2006

Yay, the Stock Report is back!

Here's the ticker:

Up:

George Foreman Grill - up 14 2/3

I'm really not sure what possessed George Foreman to make a grill. Maybe he wanted healthier eating alternatives. Maybe he got hit so much he needs a barbeque for dummies. Maybe he can't have kids anymore and just really wanted something else to name after himself. Who knows? All I know is that I'm giving him a virtual hug for it.

I got a grill for Christmas, it'd been something I'd wanted for a while. By the way, mum and dad, way better gift than the ice scraper of '03. I love you both, but that was a terrible gift, and you should be ashamed. Anyway, this grill rules. It's small, which is good, because I have about 3 square feet of counter total by the time you factor in appliances and my roommate's inability to understand the proper use of storage space or garbage cans. It heats up quick, it's easy to clean, and it helps me eat tasty, healthy food. So does willpower, but the grill is much more fun to employ. And best of all, it's endorsed by a guy who hit people for a living. That's tough.


Holding:

Computer Programming

You know about my dissatisfaction with my job, so I won't go into that again. It's a shame, because some computer programming is actually really fun. I like problem solving, I like coming up with a creative answer to a problem, and that's something that CAN be done when you're programming. Unfortunately, a lot of what I do is very routine, and very repetitive - so much so that I've come up with a couple different programs that actually WRITE that repetitive code for me - yup, I wrote applications that write other applications. It's foreshadowing for the year 2065 when AI becomes
sentient and aware and forces us all into slave labor, making the world 23% more efficient. All hail our mechanical overlords. Glad I could do my share, please give me a cybernetic arm so I can be better at sports.

No matter how much automation I can infuse into the process, however, there will always be more monotony than creative opportunity in this job. It's the nature of the business, I'd say. In a real way that's comforting and safe, since there's no pressure to constantly be creative and dynamic, but that doesn't mean it's better. I may dislike and shy away from the stress of creating due to perfectionism, but it's also true that when push comes to shove, I thrive under the same stress. A cursory reading of my best college papers will prove this. And it's still true that you write your best code between 2 and 3 in the morning.


Down:

Unnecessary abbreviations - down 6 1/4

So I know half a million people or so have already complained about this. I'm just adding to the fire because rage is funny, and justified rage is justified and funny. Hmm..."Justified and Funny" sounds like a great name for a comedy tour. Or an evangelism conference. The parallels just keep cropping up.

Anyway, I'm pretty freakin' sick of dumb abbreviations, mainly via the internet. I'm not talking about stuff like "btw" (by the way), "brb" (be right back), or "ossmmhiciaml" (oh sweet merciful mother, my hand is caught in a metal lathe!).
I deem all that acceptable - if I'm chatting with someone and I need to use the bathroom or save my hand from steely devastation, I wanna be able to type it as fast as I say it. No problem, sometimes I'm having a good typing day and will type it out, sometimes my fingers are feeling fat (probably the day after I eat a whole 16" pizza, for example - sorry George) and the shortened version is simpler.

No, the truncations and aberrations of spelling that bother me are the ones that subsitute single letters for 2-3 letter words. Things like "u" instead of "you", "2" and "4" instead of "to", "too", and "for". Really, if the time it takes to type out two extra letters is that valuable to you, just get up five minutes earlier in the day. Personally, I blame boy-bands for the whole epidemic. Of course, I blame them for adult acne, the popularity of Kaballah, and apartheid as
well. The bottom line is, don't keep this trend alive - otherwise, I will c u l8r, and u r going 2 get ur kneecaps busted in 4 perpetuating this awful craze. I kid u not.