Concert at Greek's Pizza

The View from Below
Originally uploaded by DerekSee

Tonight was bitter sweet. Stephanie invited me to a concert at Greek's Pizza (a place I had never heard of). We got some food and waited for the music to be played. A couple of artists performed, mainly just singer/guitarist. We came for DM Stith, who played last. Stephanie is friends with him from grad school. His music atmospheric. I think what really made it special was the addition of jazz trumpet, trombone, and saxophone. Randomly, the bassist is a guy I met when I was in Japan.

That was the sweet part, the bitter part was paying the cover charge, paying for James' cover charge, paying for James' and Stephanie's pizza, and then getting a parking ticket. Darn

Dream: Lost in Japan

Tokyo Map Dream
Originally uploaded by DerekSee

We are on one of Tokyo's high speed rails and I'm staring at a map. My family and a few strangers are traveling with me and relying on me to show them around. I stare blankly at the map. It's all in Kanji and I can't recognize any of the familiar locations. Even the shapes the trains make are odd and new. I try searching for Shinjuku, yet still no luck. The people in the group are expecting me to know about Japan and how to navigate. I ask a Japanese person about Shinjuku. They don't understand the words I'm saying. We get off at the next stop and wait. I run around frantically trying to figure out there we are and where we are going. The pink line, the red line, the brown line, the green line, they all blend together and seem to go nowhere. After failed trips and failed attempts to show my family I am at least slightly familiar with Japan and I'm not a fraud, I wake up.

I had a similar experience in real life of getting lost in Tokyo, the maps didn't show every stop because it was too complex. I am afraid I talk too much about Japan and don't really know that much about it. People ask me to make generalizations about a country I've only spent a month in, what do they expect. I'm afraid people can see right through me.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago

Today Winnie and I took a trip downtown to check out some art. It sounded simple enough, just take the CTA to the museum. Of course, it ended up being much more difficult.

I picked up Winnie and we started driving. The only problem was that neither of us could remember how to get to Midway. We have both been there many many times, but we never really pay attention. After spotting a plane in the sky, we drive to wear we think it took off from. It didn't take long and we had found the airport. We had to circle around it until we found the train station, plus we had to get lunch and figure out where to get 1-Day passes (they no longer sell them in the train station). Turns out the nearest Currency Exchanged (yes, exchanged) ran out.

Finally we got on the train and I thought all was well. Well, we forgot to pay for parking. When we arrived at Roosevelt to transfer we walked up to the nearest person with a suitcase. She was heading to Midway and offered to take our money and pay for the parking. She actually did, the car wasn't towed or ticketed! I love the kindness of strangers!

The MCA was fantastic as always. The main exhibit was work by Olafur Eliasson. Fantastic! One highlight was a hallway filled with orange lights. Since they are monochromatic, it turned everything black and white. I've never seen an effect like that, the world turned into black and white. Another highlight featured a fan and a rope. The fan was hanging from a rope and swinging in all sorts of directions.

The next stop on our art adventure was the Michigan Ave. Art Festival. What a disappointment! It was closer to an arts and crafts festival. The only redeeming feature was the free ice cream.

After meeting up with Lindsey, we headed over to our last stop: the Chicago Cultural Center. Main exhibit: Art From China. It's the second time I've seen the exhibit. There was a good mix of work, from sculpture to photography. The highlight was a video located at the entrance. It showed the coordinated exercises and chants employees perform before work. Hilarious! We watched it twice.

Experiencing Art

The island of Naoshima in Kagawa, Japan offers many surprises. Reached only by ferry, Naoshima's charm comes from its partial isolation and intimacy. The streets are lined with a mix of traditional and modern Japanese homes, emphasis on the traditional. As we walked through the small town, we received tickets to what they said would be 6 recreated Edo period homes. The first one we entered honestly bored me, but only because I didn't understand what I was looking at..

The next home had a wonderful Japanese garden in front. After admiring the nicely trimmed landscaping, we removed our shoes and entered a dark room. Once my eyes adjusted I realized the center of the room was missing the bamboo floor and instead had a giant black pool. In the pool were many one-digit digital displays producing a seemingly random progression on numbers and letters. I was mesmerized. It didn't take long to realize these recreated Edo homes we fused with contemporary art! It was no wonder the first home was so confusing!

My favorite of the buildings held an installation by James Turrell. No more than eight people could enter the large building at any one time. Each person is led into the building by assistants because inside it is pitch black (it's very scary not being able to see your hands in front of you). They sit you down on a bench after winding through the dark hallways. I sat staring into the darkness wondering what would come next. My eyes played tricks on me. Blobs of blacks floated around as my eyes attempted to cope with the darkness. After three minutes a gray rectangle suddenly appeared in the distance. Then we stood up very quietly and began to walk through the darkness to the faint light in the distance. The assistants stopped us a few feet from the box and proceed to tell us what we just experienced. The gray box had actually been on since we entered the room, but it was so faint it took multiple minutes for our eyes to adjust to seeing it. To top it off it really wasn't a gray rectangle it was a window into another giant room, lit too look like an even toned shade of gray.

From the experience I realized you don't always see what is right in front of you and when you do sometimes you can't understand the depth. I've never experienced art in such an all encompassing and profound way. By looking at light on a wall, I found a new appreciation for the world and how I see it.

(Source)

Credits

The cinemas in Osaka are of the highest quality. The other day I went to see Terminator 4 (not my choice) at Toho Cinemas in Umeda (A). I was blown away by the cleanliness and quality of the experience, although that is what I should expect for a ticket that costs ¥1,800 (about $18). They use all digital projectors which produces the best quality image I've seen at a theater. Though impressed by the experience, I realize you can get the same in the US. What really surprised me was what happened after the movie.

The final scene ended and the screen went blank. I began to get up when I realized everyone else in the theater was still seated. Not only did they remain in their seats, they also stayed as quiet as they were during the movie (during which I didn't hear one cell phone). The entire audience quietly watched the all 6 minutes of credits roll by. Once the credits ended, the lights finally went up and the theater quitely emptied. As you left (being careful to pick up any and all trash you produced) a group of friendly employees collected your garbage at the door at sorted the cups, straws, lids, wrappers, bags, etc. into the proper recycling bins.

The experience highlighted a strong contrast between the culture in the US and Japan. Out of respect and tradition the Japanese watch the names of everyone involved in making a movie. It doesn't matter what type of movie, or its quality, each is shown it's proper respect. In the US you would be given evil stares by the cleaning staff if you were to watch all the credits.

For the same reasons as watching the credits, the theater is kept spotless. As I walked out I didn't see one misplaced piece of popcorn or forgotten napkin. The theater was left in the same condition it was found. The pride the Japanese show for their country and surroundings inspires me.

Who are the Japanese?

In an effort to develop my style, I am taking portraits.

Before now I have been too scared to take photos of strangers. Something about asking someone I did not know if I could take their photo frightened me. I now realize that if they say "no," I can just move on and take the next person's photo. It's still a little scary, but I'm getting over it. One of my goals for this trip is to capture Japan through its people.

Today at the park I took some fantastic portraits of the people. There whole park was filled with Japanese people. There were lots of races and marathons being run at the stadium, but many people were just there to enjoy their day. It made me realize how much personality and warmth the Japanese have. Everyone I talked to was friendly towards me.

I took photos of people buying plants, street musicians, children, parents, old men, old women, and anyone else I could find. It was a good day. It taught me quite a bit about the Japanese. They are some of the nicest and most genuine people I have ever met.

Osaka

Osaka is amazing. This city is the largest most chaotic metropolis I have ever seen. Yet with all the chaos, there is a peacefulness about it. The streets are small and the tiny cars are very quiet. It's so quiet, I feel like I am in the suburbs.

It is impossible to understand Osaka. The sprawling unnamed streets are teeming with little stores and restaurants. I spent half a day in just a four block area of Osaka. Just within that area there were enough little streets and stores to keep one busy for weeks. Then I find a random staircase and realize there is an entire underground world. This underworld is like a giant mall beneath the city. I just cannot get over how large Osaka is!

The program is going really well. I am really thinking about my concepts and what sort of work I want to produce. The other people on the trip are very passionate and are great to discuss ideas with. I am having so much fun!

Osaka Preparations

In just 5 days 5 hours 42 minutes and 36 seconds I will be getting on a plane eventually headed to Osaka, Japan. I am going to Osaka to study photography with the Japan Institute of Photography and Film. I am going with about 15 other people from IU. The classes are in studio, but there will be lectures about the culture and language as well. The program starts of May 24th and ends on June 27th.

I've been getting prepared for the trip and it is getting me very excited. I just purchased a hard drive to backup all my photos before I leave. I've purchased books on Japan and have subscribed to a few Japanese related podcasts. Unfortunately I don't know any Japanese, and either does most people going on the program. It should be very interesting.

Knowing what to bring for a trip like this is very difficult. Bring lots of clothes or buy clothes there? Get a new tripod or hope I won't need one? Film or digital or both? So many questions! I just hope I can get it all worked out before I leave.

Along with excitement, I also feel very nervous. The feeling not only comes from the fact that I don't know any Japanese, it's also because I am taking a different flight from everyone else. Every single other person on the trip is going through a group flight, so they will be all together the whole way. I saved a bunch of money by booking my flight out of Chicago. I made sure that we were taking most of the same flights, so I shouldn't be apart from them for too long, but, there is still a large chance for error. Hope it all goes well.

I'm listening fellow IU student Esther Kim play Bazzini's "La Ronde des lutins." I actually heard it for the first time at a recital she performed at IU.

Goodbye Bush

Today was everything I expected and more. Bush is no longer president!

Unfortunately, I came to age politically with one of the worst presidents. My position on issues was idealistic and never seemed attainable with the Bush administration. Day after day the news would inform me of another failure from the president. It will be difficult to get used to Obama in the White House.

As I explore the new White House website I see many opinions I never imagined coming from the government. Obama's plan for civil rights practically brings tears to my eyes. Finally, GLBT civil rights are recognized as a critical issue for the country. With Bush, the GLBT community always seemed to be a burden to even be mentioned, but with Obama they are finally treated as equals.

The coming years will be better. Better than I can possibly imagine after growing up in the age of Bush.

I am currently listening to and relistening to the Liszt Piano Sonata in B Minor which I first heard last night at an amazing recital:

The Rest of my Life

When people say that you can do anything you put your mind to, I believe them. At this point in my life, I think I have the choice to go into any field I want. The only problem is I don't know what I want to do.

My friend Esther (above) is very confident in her life plan. She is working at her chemistry lab while she gets a degree in biochemistry and math. Then she is getting her MD and Phd to do research in cancer. If only I could be so confident in my majors.

Business is practical. My major in marketing is established and reliable. There is also a lot of room for creativity. My major in technology management is mentally stimulating. It involves problem solving and challenging critical thinking, a necessity in my future career path. I am fairly content with my current route, but nervous there are better options.

I have plenty of interests and I wouldn't mind pursuing them in school. With my math minor, I get to enjoy my interest in math and logical thinking. With my music minor, I learn new instruments and develop a deeper understanding for music. But there are other areas I want to get more involved in.

Photography is part of my daily life. I use the camera as a tool for living. A big occurrence must be recorded. Heading the Photography Society allows me to work on that interest and meet other like minded people. Not only does photography interest me, all of the arts do. I love to paint, write, sculpt, compose, design, and simply be creative.

Maybe my best option in life is to develop my creative side. But I have to balance enjoyment with practicality. As much as I don't like to admit it, both are very important.

I like to think my path with come in time, but I will miss many opportunities without a plan. These are my last summers without work. This may be my last chance at getting a BA or BS. This is my last chance to get a degree in violin making. The decisions I make today do have consequences for tomorrow. Now is the time to discover who I am and where I will take my life.

Tomorrow, I will try to find myself at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Current Listening - Ravel: Miroirs, No. 3 Une barque sur l'ocean

My Favorite Walk

The campus is beautiful in the fall. Though I take a bus when I can, I love walking through campus. I have classes all over the place, so I am able to see all the different parts of campus. From the Gothic Revival buildings of the Old Crescent to the international style of the Art Museum, there are all sorts of architecture to see. But, my favorite part of my walks isn't always the architecture.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have a jazz class in the music building. When I walk out of class, I have the best walk home. First I walk past the music practice building. After leaving the music school, I can hear the sounds of tons of musicians practicing coming out of the windows and through the walls.

As I move closer, I can make out individual performers. On the first floor of the practice building there is always a jazz combo practicing. As I keep going, I walk along the side of Merill Hall. The first person I hear is always practicing their flute. Sometimes they are alone, and sometimes they are with a pianist. They are usually playing Classical. Immediately after I hear a violinist, my favorite. She (or he) always has the richest tone and makes me want to stop and listen some more.

The last two musicians I hear are on the front side of the building. There is a clarinetist on the top floor who will practice just one or two measures over and over. Usually they are big intervals, or at least something that sounds difficult to play. I also walk past a piano student and their teacher practicing. I found out the other day that the teacher is Andre Watts.

These are my favorite walks of the week. I only get to hear these musicians for a few seconds, but it it's enough to put a smile on my face.

Field Trip Moment

Every so often my family takes a field trip downtown. Yesterday my grandma, mom, and I went to the Art Institute of Chicago. As usual it was a great little visit.

One of the collections the Art Institute is known for is the Thorne Miniature Rooms. While we are there, there is a tour of the collection. They rarely have tours of the Miniatures so we make sure to take the tour.

We decide to take the elevator up to where the tour is meeting. The elevator is in a small stone alcove, almost hidden from the rest of the museum. As we wait, the pay phone rings.

We all look at the phone and then look at each other. I say "Should we answer it?"

My grandma takes the initiative and slowly walks up to the phone.

In my head I am running through all the different greetings she could say.

She picks up the phone and in a very casual manner says "This is the museum." For some reason I never expected her to say this. No "hello," no "Who's this," or other typical greeting.

This time specifying the museum she says "This is the Art Institute."

At this point she turns towards the phone and hangs it back up.

"They hung up."

Speaking Up

I am working this summer for my university with the office of orientation. It's my first job and I really enjoy it. We have a great program that does a great job welcoming freshmen and their families to campus.

Recently though, fellow employees and myself are having a few issues with how the job is run. So today, I was lucky enough to give a little feedback to the director. My main qualm is that we are not given a decent amount of time for sleep.

I have to say, I am very proud of how I presented my argument. I researched my rights as a university employee, my rights as an Indiana worker, and how those functioned with my contract. In addition to this, I found articles from scholarly journals to support my argument for a full night's rest. After printing out all of these articles and documents, I read and reread them highlighting and annotating important passages. During my meeting, I presented this information very professionally and made my argument and the supporting evidence very clear. Hopefully my efforts made a difference.

But, even if no changes are made to the program I am still proud that I spoke up. I have a tendency to talk about the changes I want to see but I never follow through or tell the right people. Finally, I was able to speak my mind and not do it offensively to my boss.

It is so important today to stand up for what you think is right. Too often, I have just let things that truly bother me just slip by. This quote may be slightly hackneyed but I still believe in it: "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." It's true, and I will try harder to live by it.

It's time to speak up for what I believe in.

Embarrassing Photos

Embarrassing photos can manifest themselves in many forms. You could be captured in an awkward position, be seen with your eyes closed or tongue out, making a funny face, etc. The possibilities are endless. Recently, I have discovered a new way to take embarrassing photos.

During my senior year of high school I took a black and white photography class. I used my parents old Minolta SLR. Once the class was over, I decided to primarily use my digital SLR because of greater control in development. Normally I would say that black and white film in a dark room gives you the most control, but since I was out of the class I had a significant lack of dark room.

The old Minolta was left in a sparsely used compartment of my camera bag through the summer and into my first semester of college. Then, on one of my photo expeditions, I decided to shoot old school. I was in luck, the camera informed me of 17 remaining shots on this roll of film. I really wanted to make this roll count. Every picture I was going to take on this roll was really going to mean something to me.

Taking my time, I spent the rest of the year filling the roll with quality photographs. There was portraits, nature shots, landscapes, macro, a whole slew. Just this weekend I was coming to the end of the roll. Having not finished a roll since about a year ago, I couldn't remember if it would stop automatically at the end or if it would continue to double and triple expose the last photo. I took a few shots past the 24 limit and it kept going. I began to get worried about ruining my last photos so I rewound it and opened the case.

What I found behind the light-proof door was a surprise, to say the least. I found emptiness. Well, not emptiness, but a roll of embarrassing photos. I had spent half a year meticulously setting up and taking 17 photographs but to no avail. I can only hope that none of my portrait subjects ask for the results of my shots or that none of my friends will ask me what has become of my beloved roll. This is the ultimate form of embarrassment for me when it comes to photography. My friends know me as a pretty knowledgeable photographer and I like to keep my photography up to very high standards.

I had a similar incident happen to me in the field of baking. As I am with photography, I like to be precise and careful with my baking. I have make four layer cakes, scrumptious cookies, and other delicious treats for which I am proud of. But, upon trying a very difficult devil's food cake recipe I failed. This recipe, comes from a cookbook of mine which has some of the most difficult creations. Though they all take quite a bit of time, the outcome is always worth it. Since the book uses a nonstandard measurement systems I always have to check my measurements three of four times. I didn't check enough for the baking soda. They cakes were bitter. BITTER! I was so embarrassed, I swore my family to secrecy. My reputation was on the line. Well, after having gone through the same ordeal with photography, I have found there is something to learn from these situations and I should never forget about them. Though cliché, I have learned first hand to always be careful and never take things for granted.

Luckily, I will never have to worry about anyone seeing my embarrassing photos, but unfortunately, that is what makes embarrassing.

Music: An Appreciation

I like having hobbies. They keep me busy. But, the one hobby that is most important to me is music. Music encompasses so many parts of life, I truly feel it makes one a better person. I feel this way about all types of music but this is meant most towards music as an art and not music as entertainment. In other words, I'm talking about "classical" music.

Listening to music can be an emotional experience. Pieces of music can take you on far reaching journeys and tell detailed stories. Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathursta is a prime example of story telling. His tone poems are some of the best, telling the most colorful and expressive stories. Also Sprach Zarathursta is the story of the struggle between man and nature. The beginning of Einleitung starts with a perfect fifth (C-G-C) and then there is a booming C major chord quickly followed by a C minor chord. These two chords represent the morality and immorality in man good and bad. It shows the duality of man, both chords being C but both chords being completely different.

Throughout the piece their is a struggle between C and B and in the end neither one claims dominance. C and B as notes are really just a half step away from each other but as keys they are about as distant as you can get. They are almost on completely opposite ends of the circle of fifths. B has five sharps compared to zero sharps or flats in the key of C.

Also Sprach Zarathursta continues depicting the evolution of man. Each movement shows a different aspect of the development. It covers many specific parts of man's development following the ideas in Friedrich Nietzsche's book by the same name of the tone poem. I find the Von der Wissenschaft (Of Science) movement very interesting because of Strauss' use of a tone sequence fugue. It incorporates all twelve notes of the chromatic scale. The music is like an analysis and organization of nature in other words it is science! The twelve notes represent every tone in music (disregarding microtonality), in other words they represent nature.

Going deeper, you can look at Nietzsche's original text and find its relation to the music. Then you could go even deeper and look at the book's relationship with Zoroaster its original philosophy. Never will all the facets of this piece be understood. You can say this about any piece of music. This is what makes music so wonderful. Something new can always be found in music no matter how old or analyzed it is.

Playing music gives you an even deeper understanding of what is written while also challenging you physically and mentally. I can't play the piano very well. I took lessons for a few months when I was five. It didn't go well. But, I still enjoy finding a piece of music I like and working through it. Recently, I have been playing Debussy's Claire de lune (meaning moonlight). Though completely over played, it still has a lot of meaning for me. Practicing and playing through this piece makes me feel closer to the music and closer to Debussy. I like to imagine where he was when he was writing this and what he was thinking.

Music is challenging. It requires quite a bit of intellect with dedication but music is also very rewarding. A piece of music can stir up emotions and bring back memories. Unlike other forms of art it never takes a solid form. It is a movement through time, always changing. Just like music never sounds the same you also will never hear it the same way. If you listen to a song at different points in your life it will have different meanings to you and you will analyze it in different ways. Music is part of human nature and should never be underestimated.

Leaving School

My freshman year in college is over. I'm sorry because this post is going to be very sentimental and sappy. You have been warned. Well, the year is over. It went by very quickly.

I started out the year in Canada on an "IU Beginnings Trip." You move in a week early and you can choose to go on a variety of trips with a small group of people. I went on the Theatre Immersion trip. We went to Stratford, Canada to see their annual Shakespeare Festival. I am still great friends with some of the people I met on the trip.

My first semester of classes were fun. My favorites were Music Theory and Beethoven, Mozart, and Their Era. Monday nights I went to Swing Dance Club (didn't last very long). This was also the time when I thought of the Photography Society and started to plan it.

Other highlights from first semester include:

• Random Saturday night trip to Cincinnati
• Camping
  
• Late night trips to Qdoba and Ross' place
• Karen's Party and Quinto's Parties
• The bagillion concerts I saw (Hilary Hahn signed my Violin!)
• Seeing the Dali Lama
  
• Fall

All in all, a great way to start off my college career. Now we have second semester! One again, very enjoyable. The Photography Society had the first meeting and it was stupendious. There were many members (didn't last long) and many plans. I started taking violin lessons with the always unpredictable but amazingly talented Minjung Cho. The Photography Society had a catered gallery opening with live music. That was probably the best thing to happen this year, I'm so proud of the club. PhoSo also got sponsored by the Hutton Honors College! Woo! Maybe we can finally get some cash! Politicians went crazy over Indiana. Chelsea Clinton, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Dave Matthews, and many others made some visits for the sake of politics.

On the downside, I did have to take Honors Financial Accounting. That class was so difficult and so time consuming I really wanted to drop. I stuck it out, and I think I will get a decent grade. Violin lessons, as great as they were, turned out to be a bigger challenge than I thought. I ended up stressing out over them and getting a little emotional, but I did become a much better player.

There were so many other great things that happened throughout to year but I don't want to bore you. College is awesome. You should definitely go, it's worth it. I really hope that my summer and following year can live up to this one. I have made bunches of lifelong friends and unforgettable experiences. I want to go back!!!

Indiana Matters

"For the first time in 40 years, Indiana matters!"

Those words were so eloquently spoken by Bill Clinton during a speech he have at Indiana University yesterday. Of course he did not mean for it to sounds offensive and not surprisingly no one really noticed he even said it. They just kept cheering. The speech he gave was quite good, especially because it seemed like he was improving the majority of it. At times he tried too hard to relate to the "Indiana student" with too many basketball references. That's not what we want to hear about! After the speech, many of us wished he could be president again. He is a good leader and is truly intelligent. I hope that either Hillary or Barack can live up to his presidency. I only had one qualm. He came two hours late! Going back to what he said, there is truth in what he said.

It has been a long time since Indiana's primaries have mattered. All of the sudden the Obama and Clinton campaigns are starting to spend a lot of time in this wonderful state. Last week, Chelsea Clinton gave a speech here. It went well, unlike the speech at Butler University. Yesterday, Jeremy Piven was here campaigning for Barack Obama. He is that guy from the Entourage and the uncle of Pearl from the now famous YouTube video, The Landlord. On Sunday, Dave Matthews Band and Tim Reynolds are performing at Assembly Hall.

I have been getting great benefit from all this activity. I actually got to shake hands with a former president and I was able to get him to autograph my friends pocket constitution. Now, she has both Bill and Chelsea's signatures, there is only one left to go. Even before the political hubbub many of my idols came to visit. The Dali Lama, Hillary Hahn, Joshua Bell, Martha Nussbaum, Michel Camilo, Lewis Lockwood, and more have been lucky enough to be in my presence!

I wonder if the quantity and quality of all these events is typical for IU or if this is just a special year. In some ways I think Indiana actually is a popular campus for people to visit. The size is a big draw and in terms of classical music the Jacobs School of Music brings in famous musicians from all over the world. Picking this school has been one of the greatest choices I've made. Indiana matters!

Paint Reliever

I have been having a bad day today. Nothing very upsetting has happened so my affection remains a mystery. I slept through my Linear class, that was disappointing but not a day altering disappointment. I wore shoes without good support and my feet ended up aching, but again, not that big of a deal. I think it is better, in this situation, to focus on the cure rather than the cause.

Painting usually does the trick for my bad moods. I got out one of my larger canvasses, this large mood swing requires some massive artistic space. Next, I searched my leftover photos from my gallery for a decently easy subject. I found it, Tippecanoe State Park in fall (the picture in this post).

Before I take out the rest of my supplies I consult the book; my painting and drawing instructional manual. Painting just what feels natural can be nice but sometimes it is best to learn from others knowledge. The technique I chose to try was imprimatura. It involves tinting the canvass before you start your actual painting. I painted a blue background for the road, amber for the leafy boarders to the road, and green for the rest. I don't know if it actually made a difference in the outcome, but it was interesting to try it.

After about three and a half hours I called it quits. Surprisingly the painting is practically finished. Usually I obsess over a small portion and take about 5 months to finish it. It was hard to match some of the colors, especially the road. It is very blue in the photograph and if I were to recreate that blue in the painting I think it would look strange. The only part I can't decide is if I should paint the speed limit sign or not. Opinions?

When I finish a painting session I hate to waste the leftover paint. So, to get around this, I cover a sketchbook page in random doodles and experiments. Not having to worry about ruining a canvass makes it so much more enjoyable. Writing this account has also made me much more relaxed. When I finish the painting I will upload a photograph of it.

First Account

I was reading Lifehack, looking for something to do with my life, and I realized that it is about time I start another blog. The postings on this blog are the accounts of my life and thoughts. Most accounts will be random, or casual, but all will be. There is a good chance that there will be photos and maybe even some videos.

Right now I really need to do something productive. Hopefully this blog will accomplish this and also improve my writing skills. There are no plans in my future to take another English class but I think it's important to have creative writing skills. I suppose my friends can also use this to keep up with my life. Friends! Ha!

A little about myself... I am an undergraduate business student at Indiana University. As of now I want to major in marketing and computer information systems. This will change quite often. I know for certain that I will be minoring in mathematics and music. I wish I could be majoring in math but that cannot happen.

The arts are my true passion in life. When I graduate I am going to a get a job in the arts. I like to consider myself a musician even though my skill level is not very high. I play trombone and violin. My goal is to also learn harp and piano. I enjoy photography. I started a photography club here at school. If you go to Indiana you should join, we are called the Indiana University Photography Society. We just recently had a gallery, It was pretty exciting.

I hope someone reads this.