astriaos

Being an artist is pretty damn easy. Go out and buy a beret, stop taking showers and smear some paint on a canvass and PRESTO CHANGO!, you're an artist.

Being a good artist is a little harder. The beret and showers aren't as important anymore. Now, you have to learn how to smear paint on a canvass or write a poem or make a movie that invokes a feeling. Usually, the person with that feeling is just you. Or your Mom. Once you get to the point where either you or your Mom likes your stuff then ALAKAZAM!, you're a good artist.

Being a successful artist is simply getting a couple more people, other than you and your Mom, to like/buy/talk about your work. This really isn't that hard either. If you like your art and your Mom does too, well, you gonna find someone else who is just as crazy batshit as you. ABRACADABRA! Suddenly, you are not only a good artist but a successful one.

Selling your art really has nothing to do with any of this up to this point. You wanted to be an artist - and now you are. You wanted to be good - and with hard work, time, and a lack of friends next thing you know, you're that too. Hang out in a couple coffee bars, airports, laundromats, or just about anywhere on the Internet and you'll have no problem getting your name out there.

For a lot of artists - this is no where near enough.

It's about being a "respected" artist. Or as I like to say, being a reeeeeeeaaaaaaaal writer.

For a lot of people, being a respected artist means ... well... big bags of money or being published or, best of all, having another respected artist giving you a well deserved shout out or nod. Heck, some people think that being a respectable artist is being able to have one job and one job alone and that one job is... INSERT YOUR ART HERE. (And THEN you can go back to wearing that kick ass beret and stop taking showers again.)

I really have to disagree.

You can be a respected artist and make big bags of money, have your art hanging on a famous wall somewhere, or be recognized by your peers as "a good artist", but that isn't what makes you respected. What makes you respected is something as basic as why you became an artist in the first place.

Being a respectable artist is doing art for no other reason than you love it.

Look at Garfield. Davis makes millions every year and will gleefully tell you that he created Garfield for no other reason than to make a lot of money. He's a successful artist. Even a respect capitalist. But he's not a respected artist. Davis would being doing something else to make money if he could think of something better. There's no love for his iconic fat cat, dumb dog, clueless owner or all those wacky spiders.

A lot of people think being successful, respectable and making money are all the same thing.

While driving to work today, I was listening to an audiobook of Daniel Pinkwater's The Snarkout Boys and The Baconburg Horror. Pinkwater is one of my all time favorite authors and this book is an absolute joy. And I'll tell you why. Mr. Pinkwater is obviously writing a book for one person and one person only - him. (And maybe his mom.)

Here's a man writing a book for kids about a werewolf and comparing the experience of lycanthropy to being a beatnik poet. Both are misunderstood. Both want to rage against the establishment. Both like to hang out in really dark coffee houses and snack on delicious pastries.

It's a brilliant book and would be less so, if Mr. Pinkwater was trying to show everyone how amazingly clever he was being. But he isn't. He's just writing a book about being the odd kid out and how being an artist is like being a horrific monster that people are repulsed by, but for no other reason than a hatred of people who wear berets and smell like sour gym shoes.

My largest problem as a writer has always been trying to prove how good I am, showing people how disgustingly clever I can be. SEE, I'll all but shout. THE DOG REALLY REPRESENTS ... CANCER! GET IT! GET IT! Cause... you know... dog in Hebrew is an anagram for... your know... cancer.

However, when I write for no one else but me - when I am trying to make no one else in the world smile but myself- these are my most successful scripts. These are the scripts that get me the respectful nods from my friends and have the potential to make me some monnnnnnnn-nah. (Some day.... maybe...) And even if I don't make any money from them - who cares - I wrote them for me.

The scripts that I write for myself - and no one else - where I don't have to show how clever I am because I already get it, THOSE scripts are the ones that define me as an artist.

And my trademark beret.

Naturally.

stupid

Good thing they had a vet handy to prove that science wasn't involved in Allah's work.

Here are the pics my step mom took of the hizzy.

I wanted to take a moment to explain how the creative process works for me. The following is a brutally honest and completely accurate representation of how I create. The names have been changed to protect the non-existent.

thelifelist
A forum for exchanging lists of things you'd like to have done before you die.

ljsecret
Share a secret through the means of art, under complete anonymity.

mourning_souls
A community for cemetery photographers, dark poets and anyone else who appreciates and admires the beauty of cemeteries.

Just called to get insurance on my new house. Once I get that quote and all I am ready to close on it. Friday morning I get to sign 5 million papers and the house is mine.



Funny story:
I just found directions from seattle airport to my hotel that I printed out before my trip and apparently had with me THE WHOLE TIME but I forgot I had it. GG

Youth Week is finally over. Thank Christ.

Here is Satan shooting a machinegun in Hell while jets fly overhead in formation, there are tanks and even a goblin bitch with hash browns. Who loves hash browns, I sure do.

Saturday.

July 19th.

I drank the kool-aid.

Oh god. I expected, nay WANTED, to hate it.

I couldn't though.

Call me a convert.

Хотите купить оффшор? Я тоже хочу. Если б я знал еще, что это значит… Выбираем Гонконг. Гонконг - крупнейший в мире экспортер игрушек и часов.. Особенности нашего сервиса в Гонконге
Нашим партнером в Гонконге является одна из лучших и старейших компаний в Гонконге, оказывающая корпоративные, управленческие, секретарские, банковские и др. услуги.
В качестве номинальных директоров в компании, зарегистрированные через нас, мы назначаем физических лиц, являющихся резидентами Гонконга. Директора — физлица являются уникальным сервисом, так как большинство секретарских компаний в Гонконге предоставляют в качестве директоров только юридические лица, т.к. физлица несут риск персональной ответственности за неподачу отчетности клиентом.
Помимо стандартного сервиса, который оказывают номинальные директора — выдача доверенности клиенту на управление счетом, ведение всех дел компании, наши номинальные директора готовы подписывать бизнес документацию, контракты.
Дистанционное открытие счета в Гонконгском банке с номинальным управляющим счетом. Клиент управляет счетом через системы удаленного доступа.
Мы знаем, как подготовить документы Гонконгской компании для постановки компании на учет в ИФНС 50 по Москве для дальнейшего открытия счета в российском банке (например, для внесения уставного капитала, приобретения ценных бумаг).
Аудиторскую отчетность для наших клиентов подготавливает аудитор, который является членом Гонконгского Общества Аудиторов и имеет сертификат, подтверждающий, что он является практикующим аудитором, а это требование является обязательным для аудиторов, готовящих отчетность Гонконгским компаниям.
Мы можем обеспечивать Вас номером телефона и факса, электронным адресом в Гонконге. Полученная информация будет пересылаться по указанным Вами реквизитам. Эту информацию Вы можете указывать на визитках, в договорах в качестве реквизитов сторон. Такой сервис добавит азиатского имиджа Вашей Гонконгской компании.
Да шоп я здох.

forex financial instruments

lollercaust!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ну, про дреды я уже как-то писал. Судя по тому, что такие заявки появляются и появляются, народ начинает косить на наращивание волос все сильнее и сильнее. Данная студия пока как бы и не существует, мастера просто выезжают на дом или принимают у себя дома. Итак, наращивание волос недорого. Ну как недорого. Относительно недорого. Ради красоты на что не пойдешь. На все пойдешь. Даже в ломбард любимый бабушкин ковер отнесешь. А вот интересно, принимают ли в ломбард породистых собак?..

Awwww.... Baby loves the magic bee kisses.

What's with the shirt?

Is that supposed to be clever? Or just a crappy Russian translation?

*shrugs*

The picture made me smile.

I'm dressed in a suit today for court. Quick confession, I love wearing suits, but sadly, the suit that I am wearing has seen better days. Every year, I talk about how I need to buy a new suit, but every year I can't justify the expense. I'm thinking that I might have to find a way this year though to scrape together the funds. Dark suits hide grime of the city well, but this poor garment has been worn so thin that it looks like it's made out of rice paper. I'll have to be mindful of windows today and be careful not to be back-lit at any point. I see Paris... I see France... I see.... *eeeeewwwwww*....

Last night, I finally found a decent Act II to Issue #1 of I Married Cthulhu. I've felt a lot of pressure to (quote) be brilliant (unquote) in the past couple of weeks. "L-O-V-E your stuff, Ed. Now just give us a lot more and make it really funny." Sure. No problem. *secretly swigs from Listerine bottle* Funny comin' right up. Yet when I was writing last night, I finally felt that I was on the precipice of... well... "not-crap" as if all the script needed was the slightest butt bump over the edge. Characters were all in place. Villains were in hot pursuit. All I needed was ... something... you know... something great. When I found what I needed, I smiled, slammed shut my laptop and promptly went to sleep.

I was called out of work yesterday because my daughter was throwing up at daycare. I showed up and she was carrying around an empty plastic build-'em block container and using it as a spittoon. "Hi daddy" *spit* "How was work?" "Uuuuuuh great, cowgirl. How's your tum-tum feeling?" It was surreal later when we were playing in the top bunk of her bed and she kept taking breaks from playing Princess-Dance-Party-Wedding-Hug-Day to spit into an old pot that I had gave her. It's was like playing dolls with the world's cutest, shortest professional baseball player.

Right. I'm off. More later.

Каталог медицинских скидок публикует ссылки на страницы различных медицинских центров, поликлиник, аптек и т.д., где предлагаются разнообразные скидки, дисконтные программы и специальные предложения. ИМХО, очень полезный ресурс. Я бы точно им воспользовался, будь я в Москве. Каталог обновляется ежедневно. Пользователь также может сам добавить информацию в каталог. Там есть географический каталог, каталог по специализациям, а также по виду скидки. Конечно, туда могут писать и сами медики, приманивая клиентов, но, думаю, главные писатели – сами клиенты, и если они хотят поделиться ценной информацией, то пожалуйста. К сожалению, из стоматологов я нашел только две ссылки. А зря. Ведь зубы люди, бывает, лечат годами. Но вообще прикольно. Например, каждому пациенту, прошедшему курс лечения в сети стоматологических салонов «Все свои!», дается в подарок электрическая зубная щетка. Акция действует до 1 сентября 2008 года. Бугога!

По ссылке попадаем на офисная мебель. И глаза разбегаются. Там столько столиков и креслицев, что айдану. Лично я на такие сайты забредаю просто для того, чтобы получить представление о предмете. Но не хочу сказать ничего плохого, это ж интьернет-магазин, а не художественное ателье. Всегда должен быть выбор. Только я бы классифицировал как-то не так. В конце концов, что скажет обычному человеку название рубрики «мебель класса R»? Я бы просто разделил на столики и креслица, на раздвижные перегородки и шкафы. И чтобы классификатор постоянно был где-то на странице, чтобы не приходилось, переходя от товара к товару, перелистывать с десяток страниц. И обязательно должна быть цена, и пусть товары, которых нет на складе, не будут помечаться «нет на складе», а пусть их просто не будет.

So.

There's been lots o' talk on the internet about the new memo written by the Bush Administration that is strongly encouraging US Department of Health and Human Services to consider certain types of contraception as abortions.

(If you haven't read about it - HERE is an article by the New York Times.)

I had to sit down and think about this one for a second.

On one hand, you've got a woman's choice to decide. Pro Choice doesn't necessarily mean free abortions with your hamburger, fries, and coke. Pro Choice is about not letting a Government with its own religious agenda to make rules and laws that effect you. If you're Pro Choice, it simply means that someone else's religious belief won't restrict your options. That's the great thing about Pro Choice. You still get to believe whatever crazy thing you want.

On the other hand, you've got baby killing. That's right, a sperm and an egg will grow up to be a beautiful baby and to stop that means... yup... you're killing a baby. And that baby could grow up to be someone really important... like the next Maria Carrey or Charles Darwin.

So, yah, pretty black and white there with abortions.

But what about contraception? I mean, ain't this just a mater of semantics? Isn't the keeping the sperm from fertilizing an egg basically... you know... really just a pro-active abortion? Of sorts?

Here's my thoughts.

YOU BET!

I'm not kidding. KILLING a sperm before it can fertilize an egg is denying a baby LIFE! Yes, it's the same as MURDERING a baby.

THE. EXACT. SAME.

And I think we should be looking at the bigger picture too. A man's love-juice has over 1,000,000 sperm in it. That's over 1,000,000 babies. Dead! And what about all those eggs that women ovulate every month - wasting them. No... not wasting them... killing them.

YOU HEARD ME! When you have an egg and you don't fertilize it - you're are denying a baby life. You are killing a baby! EVERY F*CKING MONTH! By menstruating, women are basically drowning a baby.... in blood!

AND MEN - *ppppssstttt* - you're even worse with your Internet and Victoria Secret's Catalogs. You dumb idiots are killing millions and millions a babies every single night. You know that Kleenex you're using is just a blanket that you use to smother thousands and thousands of BABIES!

A condom is little more than a plastic bag that you are holding over the head of not one baby, but a MILLION babies!

Babies that could grow up to have cute little feet and cute little hands. And someone could have taken a picture of that baby and put it on a really BIG sign by a freeway somewhere. BUT NOT AFTER YOU KILL IT!

PRO LIFE means listening to God's plan and obviously (cause why else would he have made us this way) GOD wants you to start having babies EVERY TIME YOU OVULATE OR EJACULATE! I mean... if you won't listen to me... at least listen to GOD!

Now... maybe... just maybe... some of you think I'm kidding. Or maybe you think I am being funny to make a point. Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not.

But if we live in a world where it's PRO-CHOICE then it doesn't really matter how crazy I am. In a PRO-CHOICE world a woman's vagina can be a clown car or an amusement park. The government can't order you to carry your raping Step Daddy's baby and the government can't order you to stop watching porn on the internet (and then killing millions of babies!).

You have your own opinion.

And whatever it is - no matter how silly it might sound to me - you shouldn't let me or your Government or other people you respect and admire, keep you from making your own decision.

Read up on it. Learn. Make your own decision. Don't trust people like... well... me... to do it for you.

And don't forget to pray that you always live in a country where you can make a choice and some liberal moon-bat wacko can't FORCE YOU to kill a baby.

Jennie and I watched "Meet the Spartans" last night. I expected it to be the worst movie ever. Somehow it was even worse than that. Carmen Electra was the only 2 min of that movie worth seeing and you can find better of her on the internet.

Epic fail.