Pseudo MySpace survey

Ok, pry open those memory banks with me for just a moment. Remember MySpace? Yah, come on, of course you do. That pre-Facebook social networking site with all the bugs and bad music... yeaaah, that's the one!

My friend Valerie tagged me in this blogging get-to-know-you survey thingy. It totally reminds me of the surveys folks used to fill out and post on MySpace. I thought those were fun, and yes, I miss them, so I'll oblige with this one too.

There are six rules.

1. Post these rules.
2. Post 11 random things about yourself.
3. Answer the questions set for you in the original post (i.e., Valerie's for me).
4. Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog and tell them you've tagged them.
6. No saying, "If you are reading this, you're tagged."

11 random things about me:

1. I'm nearly ambidextrous. I write right-handed, but can write fairly legibly left-handed, and can draw and paint left-handed. I can do everything else with either hand (but prefer the left).
2. I grew up on a farm in rural Minnesota.
3. Red is my favorite color.
4. I am the oldest of three siblings, and the only girl.
5. I went through a period where I was allergic to Budweiser.
6. My ancestry is Norwegian, Ukrainian, German & English.
7. There were 37 people in my high school graduating class.
8. I went to happy hour with violinist, Joshua Bell.
9. I drive a stick shift.
10. My first role in a play was Donna Lucia d'Alvadorez in Charley's Aunt.
11. My birthday is on Christmas Eve.

Valerie's questions for me:

1. Have you ever dyed your hair? Yes, many times, although nothing too drastic. I don't have any "I-wanted-blonde-but-it-turned-out-magenta" stories.
2. Do you prefer dogs, cats, or some other creature? Don't make me choose! I love both dogs and cats. Have cats now but would really love to have a dog again.
3. Did you participate in a sport in college?  If so, what sport? Nope, I was one of those band/choir nerds. I did go to aerobics class a few times a week though, if that counts!
4. What is your favorite hobby?  Anything art-related, specifically stained glass or drawing.
5. Where is the most memorable place you've ever been? The SS3 orphanage outside Hanoi, Vietnam.
6. What is the one physical trait you like most about yourself? Eyes.
7. What is your biggest pet peeve? Grammatical errors (their/they're/there, your/you're, using an apostrophe to make "word's" plural -- I could go onnnnnn)
8. What is your favorite thing to do for exercise? The truth is, I just plain don't like exercise. However, I could (and have) hiked all day long, or paddle a canoe for miles. I guess I need scenery to make exercise bearable! 
9. Have you ever broken a bone?  If so, where? Nope, but when I was in elementary school I always wanted to have a broken bone so my friends could sign my cast.
10. What is the worst job you've ever had? One summer when I was 15 I worked for a neighboring farmer chopping stray corn out of his soybean fields with a hoe. It was hot, muggy, buggy, and also I sliced my leg open on his barbed wire fence. Not to mention there seemed to be more corn in those fields than soybeans. 
11. If you could do anything in the world, just once, what would it be? Skydive. Just once.

MY questions for.... hmm, let's see.... [considering who might do this]................ CYNTHIA!

1. Who is your favorite band/musician?
2. Where does your furthest-away relative live?
3. Are you a nail-biter?
4. What was your major in college?
5. What was your favorite vacation as a kid?
6. What gives you the biggest thrill?
7. Have you ever sold anything on eBay? If so, what was it?
8. What's your favorite TV show of all time?
9. Have you ever run in a race?
10. If you could live anywhere but where you currently live for one year, where would it be?
11. What's your favorite thing in life?

I am in the midst of writing another blog post to get this thing caught up to my life, but this was a fun diversion. Go to it, Cynthia, your turn! ;)

Analog vs. digital

Ever since the technology world flipped the digital switch, the debate of analog versus digital has been circling 'round and 'round, with no sign of stopping anytime soon.

I had a discussion with Robb recently about film photography versus digital photography and a similar discussion on the topic of artistic talent, whether innate or manufactured.

B&W film photo. Grain Belt © 2000 www.emilyjcole.com

It used to be that to take good photos, one had to have a keen eye for value, color and composition. Photos shot on film involved either processing them oneself in a darkroom, or rolling the dice with a commercial developer. Either way, it was easy to tell a good photograph from the not-so-good ones.

Now, with digital technology, virtually anyone can be a talented photographer. Photo editing programs like Photoshop, Lightroom and even freebies like Google's Picasa mean that tasks like cropping, straightening, adjusting brightness/contrast/saturation, etc. can be achieved with a mouse-click and can make any old photo look like a masterful composition. All that is required of the eye is to see.

This is not necessarily a bad thing! It opens up a world of creativity to people who may never have dipped their toe in the creative waters otherwise. It does raise the bar, however, for anyone wanting to pursue a career in photography. Talented photogs either need to step it up a notch and produce great photographs, or get lost in the shuffle with the myriad of good ones. 

I used to think of myself as a decent photographer and briefly considered delving into it as a sideline profession. But not anymore. The sheer cost of keeping up with the latest and greatest technology that is required to produce great vs. good photos has, I dare say, permanently relegated me to that of a hobbyist. 

Digital sketch. Lil Wayne © 2010 SEILER

 

The same analog vs. digital conundrum holds true for painting and drawing too. I follow an über-talented art blogger named Seiler who is a successful caricaturist and artist in Chicago. He does everything digitally and can turn around a painting in a couple days and a drawing in even less time. 

Graphite drawing. Muhammad Ali © 2001 www.emilyjcole.com

When I think of the amount of time I spend drawing a portrait, I get irritated at the notion that someone else can do the same thing, minus the eraser crumbs and frustration, in half the time using a stylus and tablet with their Mac. It feels like cheating to me. And a little bit elitist. Forget about trying to compete with techno-savvy artists who can turn around multiple pieces in the time it takes to complete one portrait the old-school way. [Maybe I'm just jealous that he can afford the technology and I can't...!?]

I'm sounding like a crotchety old woman here! Perhaps the issue is less about the technology and more about finding one's niche in the market. There has been a resurgence of interest in vinyl records, tube amps, knitting, and pretty much anything "vintage" or hand-made. I suppose the same could hold true for art.

Until I win the lottery and buy all the fancy equip-

ment my heart desires, I will satisfy myself with that conclusion. At least I can rest assured that stained glass will never become digital!  

Or will it...?

2010 Progress

I like the way Brits say the word "progress." Not PRAH-gress, but PRO-gress. It adds a certain weight and air of authority when pronounced that way. In fact, I generally like the way they pronounce everything (except, perhaps, "aluminum" and "schedule"). Thus, I invite you to read the rest of this post in a British accent.  

[NOTE: I watched an episode of Red Dwarf earlier this evening, which may or may not have had something to do with this particular whim.]

Admittedly, as far back as I can remember, every January I have made resolutions for the New Year. Then a few months into the year, I lapse by doing one or both of the following:

1) Forgetting what they are; or
2) Ignoring them altogether.

I think this is because year after year, I resolved to accomplish things that were either cliché or absurd. In short, I was a complete and total git about it.

For example, "lose weight" has been on the list every year since I was 14. I think two of the years since then I actually did lose weight, but not because of my commitment to my New Year's goals. It was just a handy coincidence.

That particular goal did not make the 2010 list.

This January, I once again made some resolutions. However this time, I actually put quite a lot of thought into the five goals I conceived for myself. A few were a bit challenging and a couple were not. The difference this year is that I wrote them down and have referred back to them on several occasions over the past six months.

Now that 2010 is half over (*GASP!*), it's time to assess PROgress.

I must admit that I am quite pleased with myself. To date, I can check two things off the list. A third involves a test of will against a particular culinary temptation, which I won't be able to check off until midnight on 1 January 2011. But so far, I haven't given in. The other two are relatively attainable and I am confident I can "git 'er done," as the Americans say at wrestling matches and the like.

What a splendid feeling this is! How refreshing! I did not set myself up for failure, nor did I get namby-pamby with my goals.

Now, as I proGRESS toward the remainder of my goals, I can do so with the satisfaction that I have already exceeded any and all accomplishments I have set for myself in prior years.

And that, dear friends, is PROgress.

Ch-ch-changes... cont'd.

Change is good right?

I took advantage of one of Blogger's new design templates. It's a bit.... hm... sherbet-y. But I think I like it. This new template should also make it easier for folks to follow me (if they choose). The old design wouldn't accommodate the Blogger nav bar at the top. Or, maybe it's more accurate to say, I couldn't figure out how to modify the HTML to make the nav bar fit.

At any rate, let me know what you think of this colorful new setup.

First DROID post...

This will be my first blog post from my Droid. My laptop bit the dust a couple weeks ago, a little sooner than I had hoped. Not that I hoped it would die at all, but I knew it was coming. Anyway, being computer-less at home means I'm now putting my new phone to the test and that I'm also watching a lot more TV. Hmmm...

BUT, the Droid so far has not disappointed. I spent last weekend on the Minnesota Iron Range. For those not as familiar with MN geography, that's "up north," and then north some more. I was forewarned that unless I had AT&T I probably would have spotty -- if any -- cell reception since AT&T had the only tower in an xx mile radius. Well, I'm pleased to report that I was able to send & receive texts, send & receive email, take & upload photos... the only thing it wasn't so great with was actual phone calls, but I only tried placing a call from the basement of my friends' house so that could have been the reason the call got dropped.

At any rate, I am extremely happy with my Droid decision. I was wavering between it and a Blackberry... I am confident I made the right choice. I mean, it's got a QWERTY keyboard AND a touchscreen. I'm hoping to get a new laptop soon, however... because while technologically advanced, posting blogs with my phone could be a bit of a pain. Just sayin'.

Bloggeriffic

Here it is, my inaugural post. 

I have resisted the urge to start a blog for quite awhile. Years in fact. The main reason I have not started one until now is because I perceived many of them to be self-centered and dull. Basicaly, blah blah blah. (This does not apply to any of the blogs I'm currently following, which are all written by amazingly brilliant and talented people.) Thus, I did not want to risk falling into the same trap, only to have some know-it-all casual blog browser judge and label my blogging ability without first getting to know me personally. *Ahem.*

But, I couldn't resist any longer. The main reason I did decide to hop the train to Bloggersville is because I think about things. And as I'm thinking about things, I wonder, "Does anyone else think about this? And if so, what do they think?" (Sorry for getting all Dr. Seussical and for pretty much ripping off Robin Harris-Jones' entire blog theme.) My hope is that this can be a fun and interesting forum to share some thoughts, ideas and laughs. We shall see........! Or read, as the case may be.

As I was on the fence debating whether to worsen my carpal tunnel, I asked my boyfriend Robb if he could help me come up with a clever name for my maybe-blog. That was great fun. Here are the candidates. It was a joint effort:

Hot Diggity Blog

Wizard of Blog

Blog Cabin

Blog-a-Bing

Bloglorious
Blogburger
Blogical
Blogarithm 
Monoblogue
The Rattlin' Blog
Blogology

Bloggery

Bloggocks

Bloody, Buggery, Bollocky Blog (we were on a roll)
Good Bloggie

Water Blogged

Blogilicious

Tobloggin

Blahg

The last one was the winner (at least for now... I'm notoriously fickle with such decisions). Robbie ribs me about my Minnesota accent, which I have deliberately attempted to dampen but is just too deeply ingrained in such words as "pahpcorn" and "bayg" and, well, "blahg." 

So there you have it. Time will tell whether the name of this blog ever connotes the obvious alternative meaning.

Blahgs away!