draft
As part of an application to an MFA program, I am supposed to include a 60-90 second video of me explaining or describing some event that was important to my development as an "artist" or something like that. I plan to describe some of the people I worked with when I went to Abel's. For that video, I have prepared a list of some of the people. Some of these were full-time, some were project based, some were clients. The list could easily be twice as long. In this list we have at least 5 academy awards (between three people) and probably more than I realize.
Bob Abel,
Clark Anderson,
Richard "Doc" Baily,
Tom Barron,
Steve Cooney,
Rod Davis,
Allen Debovoise,
Richard Hollander,
John Hughes,
Judy Kaiser,
Pat Kenly,
Bill Kovacs,
Rob Legato,
Tandy Martin,
Kenny Mirman,
John Nelson,
Con Pederson,
Randy Roberts,
Terry Schwartz,
Jim Shaw,
Richard Taylor (client on Tron),
Frank Vitz,
John Wash
Thursday, January 30, 2020
A Package Gets Mislaid and I Know Why
draft
A package got mislaid on its way to me and I know why, but no one will listen even though I have been doing this for a few years now. It goes like this: if the package is important for any reason, and there is any cheapness (e.g. sending it in a non-trackable way) then it will get lost or delayed.
Every time.
But no one listens.
A package got mislaid on its way to me and I know why, but no one will listen even though I have been doing this for a few years now. It goes like this: if the package is important for any reason, and there is any cheapness (e.g. sending it in a non-trackable way) then it will get lost or delayed.
Every time.
But no one listens.
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Should We Obey the Law in Trump's America
draft
A friend who is charming and completely reckless (but doesnt appear to be on the surface) endangers peoples lives in ways that he understands is a direct violation of law, in order to enable a client of his to run parties in a wildly non-code space. The fire department has come down hard on him but he is ignoring them. The Oakland tragedy of a year or so ago means nothing to him, because he makes a few thousand every time they hold a party.
At first I told him "stop doing this, this is crazy, you know its a mistake" but then I thought, hmmm, what would our president do? Would he violate the law in order to make a few bucks? Isnt that the New American Way? Shoddy, cheap, stupid, dangerous, get the money?
So I told him, he should follow the lead of our Great President who will lead us to Paradise via the imminent Rapture, rebuilding of the Temple and the arrival of the Savior to send sinners to the last judgement and thus to hell. If he makes a few bucks by violating fire code after being cited for his crimes many times, but it helps bring the Savior and punish sinners like those who oppose our Great President, who am I to stand in the way?
A friend who is charming and completely reckless (but doesnt appear to be on the surface) endangers peoples lives in ways that he understands is a direct violation of law, in order to enable a client of his to run parties in a wildly non-code space. The fire department has come down hard on him but he is ignoring them. The Oakland tragedy of a year or so ago means nothing to him, because he makes a few thousand every time they hold a party.
At first I told him "stop doing this, this is crazy, you know its a mistake" but then I thought, hmmm, what would our president do? Would he violate the law in order to make a few bucks? Isnt that the New American Way? Shoddy, cheap, stupid, dangerous, get the money?
So I told him, he should follow the lead of our Great President who will lead us to Paradise via the imminent Rapture, rebuilding of the Temple and the arrival of the Savior to send sinners to the last judgement and thus to hell. If he makes a few bucks by violating fire code after being cited for his crimes many times, but it helps bring the Savior and punish sinners like those who oppose our Great President, who am I to stand in the way?
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Paul Rother & Mark Sylvester
draft
At a birthday party for a friend, I ran into Paul Rother (he recognized me!) and Mark Sylvester. I havent seen Paul for a very long time.
There was a company there called MirMir all set up to take pictures with funny glasses (which are a clue). Mark and Paul look shorter than me because they had to sortof kneel to fit into the picture.
At the party, one of the event photographers was named Madison and although she was shooting digital (of course) revealed that she had attended Brooks here in Santa Barbara and owned a Contax 645 medium format (film!) camera. Thats just remarkable.
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Organize to Oppose Tyrrany?
draft
Should I be disappointed in my friend's failure to organize to defeat tyranny in the endless nightmare of the Trump/Republican right-wing coup d'etat and abomination? Or should I have faith that they are doing everything that they can and that in fact they are organizing behind the scenes?
Should I be disappointed that they do not involve me in their clever plans or realize that I am probably just too unreliable for them and they are keeping their own counsel?
Lets not forget that the best way to keep a secret is to not tell anyone. When I suggested that a friend add secret passages to his magnificent new house he is building with my patron, he replied that if he did he certainly couldnt tell me about it because then they wouldnt be secret anymore.
This made me sad.
Should I be disappointed in my friend's failure to organize to defeat tyranny in the endless nightmare of the Trump/Republican right-wing coup d'etat and abomination? Or should I have faith that they are doing everything that they can and that in fact they are organizing behind the scenes?
Should I be disappointed that they do not involve me in their clever plans or realize that I am probably just too unreliable for them and they are keeping their own counsel?
Lets not forget that the best way to keep a secret is to not tell anyone. When I suggested that a friend add secret passages to his magnificent new house he is building with my patron, he replied that if he did he certainly couldnt tell me about it because then they wouldnt be secret anymore.
This made me sad.
Stigma and Stigmatic
draft
As we proceed inevitably to that automatic or machine-assisted diagnosis of eccentricities and other traits that have in the past been used to stigmatize people, can we say that that such algorithms and devices are "stigmatic"?
As we proceed inevitably to that automatic or machine-assisted diagnosis of eccentricities and other traits that have in the past been used to stigmatize people, can we say that that such algorithms and devices are "stigmatic"?
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Yayoi Wakabayashi and Harvie Branscomb
draft
The film that was thought lost and which had been in a refridgerator for over a decade covered in Reynolds Wrap was found, processed and scanned. There are a number of different pictures that have sentimental value. A few seem particularly entertaining. These are from the time when Yayoi, Harvie and I went golfing in Escondido CA a long, long time ago.
The film that was thought lost and which had been in a refridgerator for over a decade covered in Reynolds Wrap was found, processed and scanned. There are a number of different pictures that have sentimental value. A few seem particularly entertaining. These are from the time when Yayoi, Harvie and I went golfing in Escondido CA a long, long time ago.
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Are All Trump Supporters Stupid or Mean?
draft
Michael Wahrman No but honestly folks, cultural diversity, its not just another haircut or spicier food. Lots of people in this country. But at some point we have to ask, at the end of the day, what you are fighting for. What do you believe in? Sometimes there are no good choices as any southerner who knows their history can tell you. In this case we have a clusterf*ck of bad things some intentional and some not that have come together and if it has a happy ending I will be very surprised.
Michael Wahrman No but honestly folks, cultural diversity, its not just another haircut or spicier food. Lots of people in this country. But at some point we have to ask, at the end of the day, what you are fighting for. What do you believe in? Sometimes there are no good choices as any southerner who knows their history can tell you. In this case we have a clusterf*ck of bad things some intentional and some not that have come together and if it has a happy ending I will be very surprised.