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Spill Guts Here. It's gotta go somewhere, know what I mean? Can you stand it?
purls before swine
Geek Knitting
West Indian Parade
West Indian Parade
Dog/Cat Wrestling
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11.28.2002
Had a lovely French Thanksgiving at Bistro St. Marks and met Ranjit's charming friend Lia, from Cheesedip.com. I ate mostly the delicious side dishes and brought the majority of the turkey slabs home for my critters, who gobble gobble gobbled it up.
Here's an amazing coincidence: I just went to get the latest version of 3D Filmstrip for the new brain, now it's called 3D XplorMath 10. and found that a new version FOR OSX WAS POSTED ON NOV.20. Is the timing in the universe finally going my way? This is a very exquisite development, because I've been running OSX for the last 3 days. Must email R. Palais and profusely thank him.
I must go play with it now. On the other hand, I had a dream last night that my shop was empty, which it is getting to be, because I've not gotten off my ass for 2 days since hooking this thing together. Must. Force. Myself. To. Knit. Something.Soon. Also, I forgot to sign up with Keyspan when I moved in here, I think someone mentioned it, but I forgot. I thought everything went through ConEd. So the gas was turned off 2 days ago, to my surprise! Gets turned on Friday morning. Another coincidence? Perhaps! I discovered you cannot make good coffee with hot tapwater. I'd already planned to have Thanksgiving in January because of the plaster dust anyway, so it's not that big a deal, and it'll really be welcome then, when everyone is exhausted by the end of the year hooie. Spent 1.5 days dating a bucket of scrubbing bubbles and using Ranjits car service delivered Industrial Strength Vacuum, so it's pretty nice in here now. Washed all the rugs and sheepskins, and the pets are content as well. Curtains get washed next week. Happy Thanksgiving! 11.24.2002
Picked up my new G4 last night, and my jaw is still bruised from hitting the ground in awe when Aaron ran it through it's paces. Oh, I'm a happy, happy animator today. I need to maintain sanity throughout the rewiring job, then I'm plugging everything in, and not coming up for air for a few weeks. My new electronic brain is LLLOOOAAADDDEEEDDD with everything a girl needs. And then some. OS X is *fine*.
Closing the shop Monday - Thursday next week, so I can design and knit/play with the computer. It's a drag that I'll have to stop to eat and sleep. 11.23.2002
If you despise clowns like I do, you will love this. Don't forget the other end.
I'm sorry, but I'm feeling really hardcore stoopit and giggly today. 11.21.2002
I miss knitting every day. Alot.
Electricians are confirmed for Monday and Tuesday complete apartment rewiring job. Dog is going to stay with his hero, the X. The instinctual heirarchy in the canine world is so predictable, X is the king of his world, no matter what happens in the human plane. Dog returns from sleepovers very, very happy and confident. Hmmmph. A bit annoying. Whatever. Better than having him freaked out and barking nonstop at the smelly workmen. 11.20.2002
Three days off made a wonderful difference, I know I need a vacation, but that's not going to happen until January. Spent time doing laundry, mercilessly still throwing stuff out and cleaning the apt. Knitted 2 "suspension" tops on the 7g this am, teaching a class tonight. I have a blind date tommorrow, not sure if I'm nervous or not. Can't say I really care if it works out ot not, so I guess I'm not nervous. Just as practice it will be worth it.
Knitted 3 more HK hats for the shop, very into "ski" style hats this year. Soon as everything electrical rights itself, I can start posting pics again. 11.18.2002
Sunday afternoon I got "temporary" electricity "as long as the building doesn't shake" (!!!!). Apt in total dissarray. Supposedly getting completely new wiring, with a dedicated line just for the computer a week from today, that should take about 2 days. Yesterday, I just stayed home and vegetated, rather than open the shop. Laid around and read David Foster Wallace with pets in bed making out with each other.
Strangely, I'm getting so that these crisises just roll off me like water off a ducks back. Haven't even cried once! Weird. Am very far from even thinking about knitting or designing new patterns, now planning how to get everthing out of the way or covered when they start ripping open walls. Have been handknitting hats and dog sweaters, though, and will try to pop out as many sweaters and skirts on the machines before packing them up for the new wiring job. The guys doing the job have strong B.O, and really dirty shoes all over my carpets. Yuck. Also got hit on, told them I was recently divorced and bitter, nipped that right in the bud. ;->. Oh man. Threw out an entire refridgerators woth of food this am. *sigh* Easy to stay thin these days. 11.16.2002
Uh, it's not over by a long shot. Had "electricians" over ripping my walls open yesterday and installing a breaker box in my apt, so I would get the juice right from the city. Haven't had ANY FUCKIN ELECTRICITY AT ALL for 2 days now, since they did that. Gee, it just didn't work. Whoops!
Looks like another month of free rent, because I'm certainly not paying for this. You can't imagine how boring it is, can't even read or make telephone calls. I'm in bed at 9pm. Not so excited about plugging a new computer into this mess. The saga continues. 11.15.2002
Going to look at and probably buy a 1 year old G4 733mhz, 1.2 gig-o-ram with a superdrive (CD and DVD read/write), extra graphics card for a second monitor, 2 firewire ports, 2 usb ports and 60gig hard drive on Monday. I'm a drooling, pants-peeing, overexcited idiot right now. The last full frame high-res animation I did 2 or 3 years ago had to be edited frame by frame because my elderly powermac wasn't powerful enough for playback without choking. I didn't even know what it looked like until it was output to tape. Luckily there were no nasty surprises, but there could have been, and it was excruciatingly time-consuming/boring editing that way.
Now I can at last get those Glenn Gould Bach partita visuals out of my head. Also the Goldberg variation #18, 1981 version. That's the very first piece of music I animated, and I plan to do it again. I love it. The first one is very naive, and I'm very proud of it, it's all red knots, the second version will be also, but I'm a better animator now. ;-> This changes the whole equation. Very, very, very, very excited. The only thing this needs is a scsi card so my old peripherals will function. The owner is a college kid/hacker who just upgraded to be able to use Maya more efficiently. Thank you Craig's List. Obviously, I believe in wallowing in your obsessions. As long as no-one gets hurt. 11.14.2002
I feel pretty happy today, just doing the routine things you usually don't pay any attention to. Spent extra time in the park this am with the dog, it was a spectacular, sunny crispy day. I'd knitted the dog a new handpainted yarn sweater, but it really wasn't cold enough for him to wear it. Pictures are on "hiatus" till I get the new computer.
I think Thanksgiving is on again! Don't make turkey, etc, but a filet mignon with a green peppercorn & cream & brandy sauce, asparagus, wild rice. Really want to cook that dish this year, there's a great deal to celebrate. Artist studio building is beginning to get huge response. Going to hold an open house in early Dec. for everyone interested, and take it from there. The building's owner is very happy that it'll be put to that use. Had a lovely & interesting discussion this afternoon with my friend Molly about mediation and the concept of "win, win" as opposed to "win, lose". I wish more people were the "win, win" type, or at least understood this idea. This is how to constantly build, not break down. The scent surrounding our discussion was peppermint. We also shared a fresh black & white cookie. ;-> For non-new yorkers, this is a huge lemon flavored cakey type cookie, covered in half chocolate and half vanilla icing. Yum. A jewish childhood thing. 11.13.2002
Oh dear friends, internet acquaintances and foes, thank you so much for the support during my most recent trying times. Things have resolved themselves. A note to the uninitiated: I will be your best, most loyal friend, but if I feel threatened, I will be your worst enemy.
My powers of negotiation are getting downright scary. I think it's a residual effect of having been so royally fucked over by my ex-boyfriend regarding the house we bought together and many broken promises, but I am no longer trusting and kind. No longer willing to just take it, and cry about it. No longer willing to let anyone else get over. I think I would make an excellent lawyer at this point. My landlord IS an attorney, and I still prevailed. After a full 3 days of angry, at times hysterical (on both sides) "negotiotions", I may report I got exactly what I want. What was that? A safe place to live, and not having to move AGAIN to get it, and generous reimbursement for the items lost in the electrical "mishap". All garbage removed from the basement and backyard, all wiring replaced in the entire building, smoke alarms in the hallway, hallways cleaned once a month, keys to the basement to monitor crap piling up, and a months free rent. In other words, a functional, safe building, just like other people. Work began yesterday. I'm exhausted. But happy, somewhat. I need a deep tissue message now. Shopping for an animation ready new computer today online. Needless to say, I've been too upset to do any knitting or creative work. Have been ruthlessly throwing more things out. Clothes, furniture, pots, pans, shoes, old stupid vinyl bags, extraneous crap left over from dressing for someone else. I don't even have the patience to sell them. I just don't care. It's a garbage pickers paradise, if you're a size 4/6/8. Treated myself to a $50. stainless french press/carafe and a pound of organic Kicking Horse (Fair Trade, Not Aid) "Kick Ass" dark roast coffee beans. Also a chocolate raspberry truffle. Knitting starts in earnest tommorrow. Get the fuck out of my way. Navel contemplation begins as well. Now may also concentrate on getting the artist loft building together, have received many phone calls from interested parties. 11.09.2002
Not out of the woods yet. Spoke with current landlord again this am, and found out what caused the destructive surge and resulting fire. The bodega people had hired an unlicensed electrician to electrify the pulldown gate in front of the store. In a damned residential building! Right in front of a bus stop where children wait for the bus. So whoever mistakenly touched it or leaned against it would get a shock. If a dog pees on it, he get killed by electrocution. What incredible, flaming assholes! Needless to say, it went wrong, and fried not only my stuff, but my neighbors as well, and started a fire. Landlords boyfriend is pitching a hissy fit about reimbursing us. Of course, he doesn't work. This might get ugly.
Both myself and my downstairs neighbors, who have a brand new infant, are getting the hell out of that building. I took the precaution yesterday of photographically documenting everything, in case I still have to go to court, like 3 industrial electrical generators, 1 foot away from paper boxes of wrapping paper, books, plastic shower curtains and other garbage left over from the former variety store owner who absconded 2 years ago. This crap is piled up to the ceiling on both sides of the basement. Bodega people had padlocked the door to the basement, so if the fire had started at night, no-one, especially the NYFD, would have been able to get down there to put it out. One of the generators had shortcircuited and burned up. Spent the morning at Circuit City, pricing new stuff. Want to read about knitting? Afraid you'll have to look elsewhere for a while. *sigh* 11.08.2002
Thank you Zeus for small miracles. My landlord agreed to give me a lump sum to avoid going to court. The amount will replace everything that was zapped, reimburse me for the work and materials done on the apt, and moving costs.
I found a beautiful place thanks to my friend Ingrid, top floor again, yes, another skylight in the bathrom ;->. This building is a corner one, so there are windows on 3 sides, that's rare in ny and brooklyn. It's also been meticulously maintained, and has stable wiring. *deep breath, let it out*. 2 blocks from the shop. Got to start packing. This is going to fuck up Thanksgiving, I just realized. ;-< But I'm not dead. That's worth celebrating a little late.
Apparently, surge protectors are useless. DOA: computer, phone, modem, tv, VCR, cable box, even the freakin lamp. I'm lucky to be alive. Negotiating with landlord later for reimbursement (he has insurance) for all this stuff, or I'm going to sue him. He was warned about the wiring 9 months ago when I moved in, when my contractor refused to touch it, as it was crumbling. Sure, I backed up on external drives. Those drives are dead. For some reason, my monitor still appears to work. At least I have the laptop at the shop.
The universe this year has conspired to keep me away from my work. It's constantly getting closer to owning very little personal stuff, would rather have had the choice of which to discard. I do not know what I'd do without my excellent, supportive friends. When this is all over, I'm writing a book about this year+, called "Grand Comedy of Errors". Pets are keeping me sane right now. Dog is eternal optimist, cares nothing for electronics. Kitten still giving us both kisses. Had no electricity or water last night, so bought candles, and we shared the ice cream from the freezer before it melted. Went to sleep early, although I'm extremely uncomfortable there. I had offers to sleep over at friends houses, but I didn't want to leave pets alone, at least if something went wrong, I could get them out. This too will pass, eventually. 11.07.2002
This morning there was an electrical fire in the garbage filled basement in the shithole, funkytown building I call home. I just warned my landlord YESTERDAY that this was going to happen. I heard the lights go out in my apt with a weird fizzing sound, and I knew something was very wrong. Luckily, it was just after I got dressed to go to work. Went downstairs, and found the sleazy idiots from the bodega, who had installed 3 huge generators in the basement, running around like chickens with no heads. I asked if they had called the fire department, and no they hadn't but they had called the landlord. Great! Sorry, but his hose just isn't big enough. So I went across the street to the pay phone, and called the NYFD. They got there in less than 2 minutes. Yes, they are all extremely handsome and manly. All of them. Extremely.
One of the generators had overheated, shortcircuited and burned up, taking down the crumbling wiring in the entire building. It stinks, but I have no smoke damage, thank you Zeus, or my yarn would have been ruined. Now it's really like camping out, no electricity, no phone, no computer for I don't know how long. Damn it. If this had happened in the middle of the night, we probably would be dead. Not paying rent anymore, saving money to move to a new hovel. It's really hard to be creative with this kind of crap going on. Closed the shop for a few hours, and went shopping with my friend Sam for stress relief, I don't care if that's pathetic or not. I did buy yarn, though, which I'll parlay into income anyway. 11.06.2002
Ok, went almost 3 weeks without a new project. Still finishing up the old one (hat show), I've got a class tonight, and have to prepare for it, started sending back some contest hats today, will contact winners in the next few days to arrange for prizes, sorry for the delay! I've got dangerous electrical issues going on in my apt, and lost a hard drive due to surges, spoke with the landlord today, but it's been stressful and a waste of fucking precious time dealing with this stuff. Also a little scary, as I think there's going to be an electrical fire if we don't get new wiring ASAP. Yarn does burn.
The new project is: a commercial building, 2 stories, right between my apt. and the shop, rent is dirt cheap, and when I see an opportunity, I HAVE TO GO FOR IT, god damn it. I can't help it. So I've decided to rent the building, and turn it into artists studios, no living, no smoking. Once I get this filled with artists, it'll pretty much run itself. I'll make a few extra hundred a month, and have free studio space, more importantly, my neighborhood desperately needs positive things happening. The city is planning to open 3 MORE transitional homeless shelters here, it's a hideous, illegal bad joke. Crime has already risen dramatically in the last month since the one on Pacific st. opened. Lest you think me uncaring, this tiny neighborhood, Prospect Heights, already has over *40* social service facilites of all descriptions. The new shelters would only be transitional, with no services. No counseling for the mentally illl, no help for the drug addicted. This is a huge drain, and dangerous, and we don't understand why the city keeps flooding our hood with this kind of stuff. Meanwhile, neighboring Fort Green gets millions of dollars from the city to improve because Brooklyn Academy of Music is there. We're getting royally screwed, and I feel the need to counteract that with a positive addition. I both live and own a business here. I've already been contacted by a woman today who wants to open a yoga studio on the top floor. I guess my life is anthing but boring. Kntting verticle sawtooth striped hats on the 7G. 11.02.2002
Optimized and posted some long-delayed pictures of work.
11.01.2002
If you've poked around the RedLipstick site, you may have come across the abstract animation I was doing for a few years. Life intervened, and it's actually been 2 or 3 years since I made any. I've been feeling like I need a change of "venue", so I've started working on some. The programs I love to work with mostly are "KNOT" written by Lloyd Burchill, which describes shapes in space using parametric equations, and another lovely little mathematical visualization program called "3D Filmstrip", mostly written by a professor at Brandeis named Richard Palais. I just checked, and there is a new version!!! This is very exciting!! I'm probably going to use Glenn Gould for a soundtrack. Bach is a natural fit for these types of images. Both programs are Mac only. For me, this is big, inspiring news. Want to get the animation thing back on track.
I'm in shoulder awning heaven, (that's poncho to you, lady). Did 3 in the last 2 days. Going to do even more, and then get on with something else. I like to work in small series like this, it's very efficient.
A quote from "The Needlework Book", circa 1971, loaned to me by a client, for the purpose of transcribing the knee sock pattern in the back (really badly written, just incomprehensible): "Knitting is a more demanding craft than crocheting; it is a mathematical science subject to many rules and regulations. The truly expert knitters may camouflage a sharp, analytical mind under a sweet, domesticated smile!" Hmmmm, where did I put that sweet, domesticated smile? I should get that quote tattooed on my behind. |
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