Spinoff

I’m currently in my second year at Fairfax Campus. In the short time I’ve been there, I feel like I’ve accomplished quite a bit, having single-handedly built the Art and Design program from the ground-up. Well, I shouldn't say “single-handedly.” I had a lot of help from our Instructional Coordinator (I.C.), Dave Oland.

To those who don’t know, an I.C. is an administrative job. It’s the job of the I.C. to get things that the school needs in order to thrive. It's essentially an advocate for the faculty of their school. Since Fairfax is the “red-headed step child” of the district, I’m quite certain that Dave’s job is a lot harder than that of other I.C.’s. He’s good at what he does and has inspired me to possibly consider pursuing a position as an Instructional Coordinator in the distant future, should I ever get burned out on the classroom. Dave’s only got ten years on me and I would probably be much older than that if I decided to do it. But then again, I love teaching Art and wonder if I could ever leave it behind. But I digress.

When I came to Fairfax in 2007, Dave was just as excited as I was. Through his smooth transactions, he was able to get me the proper equipment, software and other supplies that are needed for a graphic design program. He has believed in me enough to convince the fine people at USD 500 to give the little alternative school a chance. And it’s paid off tremendously. And I’m thankful for it.

In my time at Fairfax, I’ve encountered a lot of talent. A genuine interest in the arts is something that’s hard to come by with adolescents. The older people get, the more self conscious and disinterested they may become in this. By the time they reach the age of my students, they’ve decided they either love art or hate it. Most aren’t even encouraged by the fact that, if you do exactly what is expected of you, and try different things, it will be the easiest B you’ll ever get in your life. Keep in mind, also, that I’m dealing with a group who have been all but given up on by society and, even worse, have given up on themselves.

I could get into some of the success stories I’ve witnessed. The few who have left gang life and now shun it. But for every one of those, there’s ten students who have lost a family member to a gang shooting. But, no. That’s another post entirely.

In the past year and a half, I’ve kicked around the idea of putting together a blog that would showcase the talent of my school. I want USD 500 to realize that this horse that they bet on—the one named “Fairfax”—has been worth their gamble. And, what better time to do it than right now where the economy is at a record low, and cutbacks are happening in all jobs. Especially teaching jobs. Especially at USD 500.

So here it is. I call it Fairfax Campus Art + Design. Please come by and have a look around every week or so. There will always be awesome work on display.

Twenty More Reasons To Be "Bored"

1. I can’t drive a stick shift. I lack the focus and patience. Please don’t ever put me in a situation where I have to tell you this.

2. Every time I see a bare foot, I count the number of toes to make sure that all are spoken for. Unless I’ve seen your bare foot more than once, then I don’t bother because I already know.

3. I refuse to look at any photograph of myself that was taken between 1985 and 1997. Then, again, from 2005 to 2006.

4. I hate people telling me I look like someone famous. Hate it. It embarrasses me and makes me self conscious. And it doesn’t matter who the celebrity is. Because there are several. So please don't do it. Okay?

5. I take pride in telling people I’m colorblind, but get really annoyed when they start asking me what color something is. This is actually a lot more ironic/annoying since becoming an Art teacher.

6. I was born within the same minute that the Apollo 17 “splashed down” from outer space—December 19, 1972. I was in all the local newspapers, in a human interest story, and dubbed the “Splashdown Baby.” My mom still has the articles.

7. I was born on the same day as Alyssa Milano (Charmed, Who’s the Boss?, Poison Ivy 2).

8. I find the casual discussion of celebrities extremely annoying and liken it to breathing in second hand smoke. I usually try to change the subject or leave the room. Which makes number 7 extremely ironic. That is, that I would find any importance in telling you about that.

9. Meeting my wife, and the job I have, are both indirectly related to tragedies in the lives of two friends. Both friends are aware of, and take comfort, in knowing this.

10. I’ve always felt that finding the love of your love is something that’s a lot more rare than people seem to think. As a result, I spent my youth never assuming that I would be one of these people, and being fine with it.

11. Before the advent of email and text messaging, I always thought of having to talk on the phone as annoying. Since these technologies came about, my annoyance has turned to anxiety. I put off making phone calls because I’m afraid to talk on the phone (my Grandma Carm is the same way, which makes phone calls to her that much easier. We’re both in a hurry to hang up, without any guilt).

12. Whenever I find out how old somebody is, I do the math to try to figure out how old they were when I was a senior in high school.

13. I get extremely depressed when I hear about somebody who died before I was born. Abraham Lincoln….I’m looking right at you, buddy.

14. This little girl sitting next to me is nuts. I think she gets it from her mom.

15. I always look forward to vacation, or time off, but when it comes I get bored and depressed very quickly. That said, only 34 more work days until spring break. And I can’t wait!

16. I always wondered what it would be like to have a sister.

17. Being the middle child sucks, but I could never quite put my finger on why. But every middle child will tell you this.

18. I hate nuts more than any other food on Earth. But peanut butter is one of my favorite foods.

19. I obsess over the amount of soap, paper towels and toilet paper we have and I start to worry, the closer we are to being out of any of it. This happens daily.

20. I am genuinely interested in other people and often try to come up with the most off-the-wall questions to ask them, in hopes that they would be thankful that somebody finally asked them this specific question.

Jigsaw Falling Into Place

Rules
1. Put your iPod on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Analyze it's accuracy.
5. Tag 10 friends who might enjoy doing this as well as the person you stole it from.



IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Let Me Watch—Viktor Vaughn ft. Apani B
Passively-aggressively avoiding the question.

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Hoppipolla—Sigur Ros
An unidentifiable, unpronounceable word.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Tupelo—Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
It all goes back to Elvis.

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
I Tried to Leave You—Leonard Cohen
Don’t worry, Lisa. I’m not going anywhere.

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Mr. Two-Faced—Quasimoto
Does that answer your question asshole? I mean, old friend?

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Old Fools—The Magnetic Fields
One “fool” for each face.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Coolin--Koushik
Chill.

WHAT IS 2+2?
Gimme Dat Mic—Vast Aire
Once again, trying to avoid doing any math.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Doomage—Sage Francis, Slug and Brother Ali
Really, it’s not that bad.

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
The The—Song Without An Ending
How true.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Johnny 99—Bruce Springsteen
Not really. Only when I was a kid.

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Hold On, Hold On—Neko Case
…. And don’t let go.

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Can’t Help Falling In Love—Elvis Presley
But, really, who can?

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Meet Me By The River—The Gaslight Anthem
I was hoping for, either, “Perfect Day” by Lou Reed, or “Take it with Me” by Tom Waits

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Dragons Blood Resin + Ginger = War Paint—MF DOOM and MF Grimm
When I’m down in the lab.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Of Moons, Birds and Monsters—MGMT
If that makes no sense, it’s because it’s a secret.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
The Clockwise Witness--Devotchka
I have no idea what this means.

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
That’s The Story Of My Life—Velvet Underground
Once again, irony rears its ugly head.

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
You & Me (Less Than Zero)—Glenn Danzig
I guess if I’m going, I’m taking somebody else with me.

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Way Down In The Hole—The Kronos Quartet
It doesn’t get much worse than that.

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
America’s Most Blunted—Madvillain
I’ve also go the munchies.

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?.
Lost Someone—Cat Power
I guess it depends on who I’ve “lost.”

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Harpoon Fever (Queequeg’s Playhouse)—Man Man
I don’t understand the answer to this. Which is just as well because I’ve already been snagged.

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Humrush—KMD
Gives me the heeby-jeebies to even think about it!

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Goodnight Irene—Tom Waits
Apparently, Irene doesn’t.

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?.
I Don’t Like Mondays—Boomtown Rats
But there’s no avoiding them.

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Guess Things Happen That Way—Johnny Cash
Failing to acknowledge the cause of my pain and, instead, just trying to deal with it.

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Jigsaw Falling Into Place—Radiohead
I don’t’ think there’s another name that could be more fitting.

Keepin' Busy

I find myself turning my attention away from my blog these days, and toward the activities of FaceBook. I promise that I'll try to be a bit more fair in dividing my time during 2009.

In the meantime, I've come across a couple of old sketchbooks, from between 1995 and 1997, that contain drawings that I had dubbed the "Keepin' Busy' studies. Here is one of them.