Tuesday, May 31, 2022

William grant submission

William submitted his first grant application today. He's been a Filmpool member almost 5 years so I guess it is about time (I'd submitted my first one after being a member about 2 months). 
 

Monday, May 30, 2022

Contractor

 Over a year after our fire, we finally have a contractor (Mark) to rebuild the garage. This will take a while, but we've started the process of ordering the components. 

Sunday, May 29, 2022

William's game


 William is in a video game class, working with GB Studio. Pulled an all-nighter earlier this week and still only created a partially complete exercise. He's doing some cool stuff and is very focused and engaged. This weekend he updated this exercise and submitted the changes (the game is a relatively straight forward memory game but the first version failed to give the player the material they needed to memorize, making recalling that material literally impossible. 

Saturday, May 28, 2022

Cards with dad


 I pulled out my deck of cards with dad today (who I visited instead of going to the CVAF street fair) and dealt rummy instead of cribbage. To my surprise, dad seemed to recall how to play and we had two and a half hands before getting too distracted. 

Friday, May 27, 2022

Monty Python class continues


 Week three of my four week Monty Python class through Lifelong Learning. Everyone loves "Life of Brian". Only two hours, so don't get enough time for proper discussion, but had some nice chats. A number of the participants talked about telling their kids (who are in their 50s) that they saw Holy Grail last week and were amazed at the amount of the dialog that their "kids" could rattle off from memory. Grandchildren, however, were mystified. 

Thursday, May 26, 2022

YAAG pop up screening




Even though YAAG is still non-functional (due to last  year's fire) I held a pop up screening of my work including premiering the new silent film "Dancing In The Past" which is constructed from newly scanned ray-o-grams along with masks built from three older films.  I'd not got an announcement into the Cathedral Festival in time to be in the program, but I still had a nice cluster of people join and watch. We went pretty late, hanging out in the gazebo on the old furniture that no longer has a home in our house. 

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

Filmpool CVAF screening



 Filmpool screening. Sat with Don List who had his film about the Plains Hotel in the program. Most of the films were wonderful and soulful experimental films.  They also screened "The Devil Knows You're Dead" by Lee Chambers. 

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Quick and Dirty




 Really great "Quick and Dirty" talk this month including three friends talking about their creative process: Gavin de Lint, Allan Dotson, and Gerri Ann Siwek. 

Monday, May 23, 2022

CVAF parade

 



Butterflies was the theme for the Cathedral Festival this year so Margaret and William dressed appropriately for the parade this morning. The mayor came out and introduced an art flag raising and rock on rock performance conduced by the conductor of the symphony. 

Sunday, May 22, 2022

On William's radio show


 I'm William's first return guest on his radio show. We recorded on Friday and aired this morning, talking mostly about Garfield. The more I listen, the more interested I am in participating. This episode is available for the next three weeks here: SUNDAY FUNNIES ON CJTR

Saturday, May 21, 2022

Covid or not...


 I've been so tired all week that I don't know how to get through my days. I've been certain something is wrong but it never seems to be covid (I've taken to doing the whole back of the throat swabbing even). 

Friday, May 20, 2022

Red record day


 As an early Father's Day gift, Margaret and William gave me a record they ordered some time ago, the brand new vinyl release of the first Of Monsters and Men lp, commemorating its 10th anniversary. It is on two heavy, well printed translucent red records. There are three new tracks on the fourth side. We bought the CD in Iceland and I've been enthralled with them ever since. 

Thursday, May 19, 2022

Branda Owens


 Brenda Owens died this week. I've not spoken to her since before the big Filmpool fiasco in the early 90s for which most of us remember her. However, I do want to take a moment to remember that for a few years, she did far more good than harm to the Filmpool. She was savvy at convincing our funders of the value of the group, even when we weren't acting as professionally as we should have. She got us into the first large, useful space (1100 Broad) where Filmpool stayed for most of the 90s. 

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

dad in the evening


 Visited dad after supper. I did some lame card tricks that I believe he could see through but was amused by the activity. Getting ready for bed proves to be a difficult time for him though. 

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Five Guys


 Hankering for a Five Guys burger for a while now. Yesterday I was going to come here with Geremy but I had to cancel so today I brought William while Margaret was at work. Very good. I think the spice on the spicy fries changed a bit, but it is difficult to define. The prices are up at least 20%. 

Monday, May 16, 2022

Visiting dad


 Mom couldn't come visit dad today and made sure I'd come. Dad is well dressed and in a pretty good mood. We sort of played one hand of cribbage. I'd hoped that the rules would be so deeply ingrained that he could play on auto-pilot, but it isn't the case. 

Sunday, May 15, 2022

Bike from Mike



 William bought a bike from Mike Rollo's garage sale. The back wheel is low so I figured it would be difficult to ride it all the way home before it is repaired. 

Saturday, May 14, 2022

Jeff Nachtigall at Slate


 Jeff's solo show opened at Slate. He was surrounded by people the whole time I was there so I didn't have a chance to talk to him about this corner of one large painting and the very concerned or confused bear. 

Saturday with dad


Visited dad. Mom was there when I arrived and she tells me Quinn and Sean were there earlier. Dad seemed in a good mood but tired. It took a lot of convincing to get him to stand up and go for supper. 
 

Thursday, May 12, 2022

Campion alumni award for Mark Wihak


 Marked donned a tie for the first time in 30 years to accept a distinguished alumni award from Campion. Really nice event with an open bar. Philippe did the introduction. Mike and Christine were also there. 

Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Hanging camera painting


 In painting class this week, I brought Noelle's disposable underwater camera. It was suggested that I hang it by its strap so I did. About half way through, I noticed that the strap, which was extremely dry and cracking, had broken. The camera was still resting where I'd arranged it.

Monday, May 9, 2022

Lori and I visiting dad

I popped in to visit with dad today. He was out walking the hall and the two of us sat in a quiet corner of the dining hall. Lori arrived a few minutes later and we caught up. Dad was in a good mood. 
 

Sunday, May 8, 2022

Mother's Day and sorting Munchkin

Mother's day. William drew a bizarre but sweet card. We had brunch. Later I followed through on a suggestion of William's to sort the Munchkin cards for the first time since we started buying them at least ten years ago. We have about 35 different sets. 


 

Saturday, May 7, 2022

Cards with dad


 I brought a deck of cards when I visited dad. I dealt him a cribbage hand and he seemed pleased and went through the cards over and over but never played. 

Friday, May 6, 2022

boring is good


 Sometimes I like to paint the most dynamic angles of a camera than I can. Other times I do the opposite, painting a very straight on, unimaginative angle. I just did this with a box camera and I'm very pleased with the result. 

Thursday, May 5, 2022

Perogies with mom


 Mom asked me to come help with perogies tonight. Right from the start, it was very difficult. The potato and chees mix was thin/runny  and very sticky. If you touch it, which you must, it sticks to your fingers and makes it hard to pinch the dough. After much discussion, mom finally realized that the cheese was low fat, which is terrible for most cooking projects. Made 9 dozen anyway. 

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Painting and William's first cheesecake

Painted with Lori this morning. Then this evening we brought desert over to mom's. I walked William through making a cheesecake last night. It turned out really well. Chocolate with some amaretto and a bit of grand marnie in the glaze. 

 

Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Sharon in town


 Had supper with Sharon at Viet Tai. She's in town for three days to visit mom and dad. 

Monday, May 2, 2022

Film Rescue


 We drove out to Indian Head and dropped off film at Film Rescue. Got a chance to talk to Greg for a couple of minutes but he was monitoring a machine and couldn't take a break. Will need to go back later in the summer. 

Sunday, May 1, 2022

Crocus watch

Out to the valley for a drive and a hunt for the first crocus flowers of spring. Out favorite site seemed a bit dry and they were fading, but a nearby hill had many.