Jen

I'm back with scars to show

This is the first post I have ever done from my very own computer and home. Pretty exciting, eh? Ok, I understand if you don't care, but really, this is very cool for me. I think that there is something majorly wrong with some of the phone lines in my house though. . . and to top it off, I'm temporarily using AOL for the free hours until i figure out what service I should use. Any suggestions out there from you computer users that have not been living under a rock such as myself?

Be prepared for kind of a long post. . .

My first week back in school is done, thank god. So much work to get done - and at least now I can concentrate on it. Wednesday night, we went out to dinner with Tracey Baran, her boyfriend, our very cool and new director, Rod, and Adi Nes came by for awhile for some drinks. I have to say that I love the museum for many things, but this in particular: letting us lowly interns spend some time with the artists that show at the museum. It's one of things that I look forward to most about installation. But of course, what starts as intelligent conversations about art, usually turns into a drunken party. After dinner, we went into the back room of Bar Louie and played Spin the Bottle with a broken wine glass (one of the artists was included.) I was lucky to get only guys. . . Anyway, then we went to probably one of the only hills on the lakefront: on Michigan Ave and Harrison or so, and rolled down the hill. I think after that, I am ready to play football on Sunday. Michael tackled me and I got a nice set of grass burns on the side of my face and a sore shoulder.

Thursday was the opening. It turned out really well. I spent most of the time arranging the foosd platters and um, cutting cheese (if you're wondering, I made many terrible jokes and references while I was in the act of slicing cheese.) Though this may seem obvious, people go absolutley nuts when there is free food available. I'd be carying out a tray of food, and crowds of people would trail behind me. I would even get to put it down before hands were grabbing food items off it. One woman took a cracker off the tray, put it in her mouth, decided she didn't want it, then put it back on the tray in front of me. I told her she had to take it and she asked me why. It was a little ridiculous, but all in all, it was a good night.

I finally took my car in to be appraised for the damage done to it by the SUV that knocked off my mirror and the mail truck that rear ended me. It turns out that all the damage totals over$2, 500 worth of damage. I think that's pretty much what my car is worth anyway. I'm trying to figure out what I should do. . . Should I save it for a new used car? i dunno.

Last thing, I swear. I went to the Blackhawks game last night (against the St.Louis Blues.) The first period was mostly fights - one of our guys pulled the jersey over the head of one of the Blues and then started hitting him. It was pretty awsome, although I do not support fighting. So we won 2 to nothing which is also pretty cool. AND because they scored in the second period I can use my ticket to get a free coffee at Dunk'n'Donuts, which we all know, has the best coffee. Did you know that Power Plays couldn't exsisit without the help of Exelon? Ahh. the power of advertising.

Ok, I'm going to go and enjoy my Saturday. bye.

Speaking of Olives...I heard on the radio that some guy on death row ordered one black olive, pit and all for his last meal and ate the entire thing.

Anyways, I hope you all had fun last night at Mike's show! I ordered pizza and watched tv for 6 hours - it was nice, especially when we watched J.Lo - driven on MTV - we thought she got a nose-job.

Its cold in california today! what's up with that?

Ready for a fun weekend? I can't believe its October already!! Less than three months left out here, I'm heading into the home stretch!

Jen

It's made for me daughter!

For some ridiculous reason, when I was out in California with Gant and Beck, we kept talking about the lady who advertises Nads hair removal stuff. The ad talks about how she even recomended the product for her own daughter or something along those lines. Little did we know that she would turn into some cockney wench that we would imitate. Everything we did that weekend was for "me daughter." I remembered that this morning and couldn't help but laugh.*

Installation is moving at a nice steady pace. Tomorrow we finish hanging the Tracey Baran work and then we get to hang with the artist during dinner. Last time it was a blast. I can only hope that they are as cool and sweet as the last two artist we had in.

So here's the deal: The opening reception, which is open to the public, is this Thursday from 5-7 pm. Adi Nes will be giving a talk on his work, which I am looking forward to. Please stop on by; it's really a lot of fun.

Hmmm, what else? I also started classes this past Monday. My first class was history of contemporary painting and sculpture. It seems like it's going to be a lot of reading. . . I also have a problem with classes that have a grade that relies solely on a term paper at the end of the semester. I pick the topic, which is anything from one art piece to a movement of art. Please answer this question: what the hell am I going to class everyday for?

It looks like I am in demand at the moment. Gotta run.

*Almost as funny as J-e-n-n-way. Jennway. I promise, no more inside jokes after this one.

just keep running. i'm not sure there's anything else left to do

what a rocking weekend. my band's show in champaign went grand, with a bunch of kids coming out to rock out with us. i then stayed up till 7 am consuming beverages, talking and playing Madden 2003. Hell yeah! Saturday was a viewing of one of my favorite movies, the Big Labowski. Sunday was a bit of disappointment around 3:30, what with the Bears loss and all, but a post loss game of tackle football made it up to me. The only downside is it hurts to breathe today.

My Madden 2003 Bears, henceforth known as "the almost Bears" started the season 1-1. They lost a heartbreaker to Minnesota in week one, but against atlanta they eliminated a 14-7 deficit on the back of the A-Train, finally winning 24-17. It's gonna be a tough season, but I'm seeing a 9-7 record and a C- in my classes.

As long as we're talking about virtual sports, i currently have a solid lead againstzach's fantasy baseball team. I lost a heartbreaker last round to keep me out of the championship, but i think i've got enough to take 3rd place. we'll see.

Two new links too. . . Don't forget to Vote for Ian! or you can e-mail Christie. Your choice.

Oh yeah - Beck - congratulations on your promotion!!!

Jen

So why you'd have to change?

Or have you always been this way. . .

Last night, my X - that sounds so negative. I'd rather say a past love of mine - stopped by to pick up the remaining artifacts of our relationship. Although we ended sometime at the end of April, it really has taken us both sometime for closure. For awhile after the breakup, he tried to convince me that he had gone through some miraculous change - one that, if I took him back, I would see immediately and that our relationship would be what it should have been for the past two years or so. I was almost convinced at points; he really seemed so sincere. Then last night, although it may have been out of bitterness because of the whole situation, he proved that he was the same old person. He seemed to not care about my questions of how he was and how I desperately was trying to help him move his furniture out of his storage. Not because I wanted to get it over with, but because I just wanted to be helpful . . . Anyway, I was hurt by how he said goodbye. I know I shouldn't expect much, but I guess I did.

Sorry about this. Really. It's just still bothering me.

I felt pretty shitty yesterday too. There's something about airplanes . . . All those people and their germs. I know this makes me sound like a hypochondriac but I always get sick after vacations. It really does suck.

Work has been fairly tame as well; my conditioning expertise will not be needed until the afternoon, so this morning I figured that I could catch up on e-mail and the blog.

I hate recapping vacations so long after they have happened so I won't. I will tell you 5 things that rule about California and then call it a day.
1) Santa Monica- it is an altogether beautiful city. If you haven't been there, make a trip next time you are in LA. The beach is fantastic.
2) Big Sur - Not only is it a Jack Kerouac book that I have not yet tackled, but a really fantastic part of the west coast. I was a little car sick (I'm from the great plains!!! We have no hills!), but at least it kept my nose out of the Lonely Planet California book and eyes on the scenery.
3) North Beach. What a great area of San Francisco. Besides all of the cool "beat" areas to visit, is has a nice ambiance to it.
4) Alcatraz. Take the audio tour. It's worth it.
5) The Mission - (a little area of San Fran) I was a little unsure about putting this in the top five, so we will just call this the psuedo number 5 for now. Anyway, I had a great time going to all those cool bars and hanging out with three of my favorite people. And I did a headstand (go yoga!) on the BART home. It was a fun, fun night.

westernization of east asia

that's the name of the class I have tonight. I thought it was going to be some cool class where they rail against the encroachment of globalism and McDonalds on places like Singapore and China but instead it's about the Japanese and Chinese adoption of western principles and the all the shit that went along with it. that would be fine if our professor wasn't a total tool, but he is. he thinks he's all cool because he doesn't own a television and he typed up his syllabus on a typewriter because he doesn't own a computer. and apparently we shouldn't either. so instead of adopting his font size rules for the gigantic, overwhelming majority of us that use computers, we have to make sure that whatever font we use isn't bigger than the one on his syllabus. dickweed. buy a computer already or learn how one works so you can successfully interact with the people paying you several thousand dollars for your class.

an example of what we get to study? how the translation of the word liberty into chinese went through many different stages, what the political and social structures were like when the word entered the chinese lexicon and what they're like now when it's used, how we should be aware of our political and social attachments to the word when we look at the use of it by the chinese and so forth. actually all of that stuff is very cool. i like that kind of stuff. but only with someone who feels i'm close enough to their level that they can have a discussion with me. not some guy who makes us buy the book he wrote so we can read it and have him lecture from it. how about diversification of sources, idiot? huh?

as you can tell i'm looking forward to school tonight. bleh.

Becky

Dude, you guys rock - way to keep the blog alive.

Someone ask Gant about our adventure into the woods last night - I was freakin out a little bit. But he did make it off this morning at 5am and today has been busy enough that I am still awake.

California has been tons of fun lately! but its time for some quite time now..... gotta run! I'll be seeing you all real soon- I'll coming home on 9/30 for a meeting!

Jen

hi, how are you today?

I'm back!

So much to say about California. Hopefully I'll make some time for it later.

I got home Sunday night, and it's been kind of hectic since then. Good news first? I got my new computer! It is so awesome. I never thought that I'd get so excited about a piece of machinery, but it really is so cool.

Bad news. . . While I was away, Nate used my car to pick up my computer from work and a mail truck rear ended my car, smashing the tail lights, denting and well, basically detaching my bumper from the car. It looks like my little "onda" is frowning. It's so, so sad. The state of my car recently has made me want to cry. Why do other cars - hmmm, to be more acurate, trucks - keep hitting my poor little car?

Since I've gotten back to work, all we have been doing is taking down our current show and preparing for the new one. It's a lot of fun manual labor, and it makes the days pass unbelievably quickly.

I'm so glad to see how much Brian and Christie write. . . I feel so trivial with my car and computer news. . . Anyway, Brian, if you don't want people to look you up, change your name. No one ever looks up a McC-ski.. . .

i think my workplace thinks i'm a terrorist. i chose not to attend the simulcast of Chicago's memorial service that's happening in front of my building right now. i just didn't feel that it would have any significance for me. i feel that i can choose to remember the attacks in my own way and i don't want to participate in the uber-patriotic demonstrations of downstairs. i don't know. i'm not much of a public person when it comes to things like this. i prefer my news to be delivered, my opinions formed and my emotions displayed in a private conversation. in a place where a give and take can happen. where i can change my mind or disagree and it's not like i'm a wierdo-sicko. none of this makes much sense. but basically i just wanted to make the point that patriotism and loyalty isn't proved through empty ceremony. i'm not sure how it's proved, in a way that doesn't involve my death, but whether sitting here or singing god bless america with a bunch of office workers i'm the same person. and i don't like the implication that i'm not.

so very tired.

this has been a long weekend which featured an exciting Bears win. it was about a million degrees in memorial stadium. okay, i'm exagerating, but it was really hot. tonight i sleep. hooray for sleep. Beck and Jen are currently driving up beautiful Highway 1 from LA to San Francisco. i wish i was there. or anywhere else but here for that matter. okay, i'm exagerating again. i definately don't want to be in delaware either.

Jen

California knows how to party

I'm shocked!!! How many people are on this blog and not a single post today!

I've been hella busy today packing up a show that will be traveling to Tampa. Then, whenever I have some free time, I've been spending it updatong the handbook! Loads of fun! No, really. I love being busy here. I actually feel like I am accomplishing something.

This will be the last of me for the next ten days or so while I'm in sunny California visiting Becky. With some luck, I might find a computer. . . .

Jen

that girl is poison

Remember bel biv devoe? Remember them!!? Jacqui mentioned them today and once again, I have a damn annoying song in my head. How 1991!

Guess what I still didn't get? My new computer! Everytime I think of how long it has taken for me to actually get it, I just get even more mad. Nate says I stew, but I really think that I have good reason to.

Ok, I'm hungry, so I'm going to eat some dinner. Nate is cooking me food, and I know that he probably would want some help. I know this because he just told me so.

I just wanted to write tonight anyway and welcome Bora on the team. So, welcome!

Becky

Great to see you here, Christie!

I just realized that I am the only one that didn't go to maine south on this blog. that is wierd.

Gotta meeting to get to-it seems to be my life right now. c-ya.

i wish tiny powdered donuts were calling my name.

i wish my heart didn't hurt from all the vices this weekend.

i wish i didn't have to go to champaign tonight, play until 1 am, pack up, sleep for a tiny bit, and board an Amtrak train to work at 6:10 tomorrow morning.

wishes are for wusses. i'm just gonna complain instead.

Jen

It's five o'clock and I'm not going to bed anytime soon!

Sorry, just had to quote Greg one more time from the longest poker game ever.

I was trying to sleep, but the above game, and this one damn mosquito kept me up. It would taunt me by buzzing in my face, wait a bit and then come back for more.

I left on Sunday to head up to Waukesha (I know I'm spelling it wrong) to hang out with Nate. I played the animal game with his three little cousins for about two hours. The game consisted of: "Guess my animal! What's got pointy ears and is beauiful?!" It keeps you guessing for hours especialy when they won't give you more clues. They were super cute little girls though, and I really didn't mind the attention.

It's been a busy day today and it looks like the rest of the week will be the same. Then Friday, I'm outta here!

PS. I'm sure no one will see this movie, but I saw Collateral Damage on Monday which is the WEAKEST MOVIE EVER. Not only does the plot line suck, but it makes Americans look like heros for going after "terrorists" that are just trying to free themselves from U.S. control. I wish I could quote you all the hypocritical lines in the movie. . . Have I been hanging out with Brian too much?