Portal 2

Got thoroughly sucked into Portal 2. It’s a solid ride.

The “A-ha!” from the first game is dampened, and I think the challenges are easier, but these sorts of rewarding experiences are rare the first time around. Great sets, voices, story and bits of well designed humor throughout. It’s also nice to have a game with compact levels to make the investment seem not-so-overwhelming.

Excellent game, but if you are new to the series, start with the first.

Matt W. Moore mural

Super digging this mural by Matt W. Moore for YES in Cincinnati.

So many times it seems public art is burdened by message or folksiness (not bad things always). It’s nice to see something that’s just beautiful. (Update in 2021 – Sadly this mural is no more.

I’m so slow the exhibition is long gone, but there are still remnants and prints from Moore available.

SIDENOTE: I just finally made it through the doors of the YES (Gallery? Artspace?) last week to catch the start of the Mike Perry “Pulled” exhibition/book release, and OhMyGosh the pieces of screenprinting work are phenomenal. If you’ve any fascination of how ink hits paper, go see this. It’s exemplary.

The Brass Mule

“Wanna see some improv tonight?” my friend Heather Brown asked.
Why not? So we went down to Mokka in Newport to catch the group called Incredulity.
Good fun.

As for this snapshot of The Brass Mule Lounge (aka The Brass Ass) in Newport?
We walked by and the lights gave me pause.

Maybe we’ll pop in there next time.

The price of gas

Far from good, this photo meant something in the context of days… See, during my presentation, I talked about why I started taking photos each day.

I was at the gas pump on April 1, 2003, thinking about some weird tick I have; one where I like the numbers of my sale to NOT MATCH. It’s weird, I know.

Anyway, I snapped a photo back then to remind myself of sharing the superstition.

That simple action of taking a photo to remember the day stuck. It was easy.

Sure it’s nice to add all these words, but for me, all I need to see is that one photo to remember where I was, who I spent time with and what went down.

One might call it a photo journal, and I’m fine with that. If that means a journal is a way to capture the moment, reflect on life, and relive the good parts, I’m cool with that.

That talk thing

Back in March I mentioned I’d be giving my first talk up in Dayton. That bar graph above is one slide from a deck of seventy. I won’t lie, getting a coherent story together nearly gave me a heart attack. It wasn’t until the last 36 hours that it made sense.

In a nutshell, I talked about how I started with photography and why I still do it today, with lots of insight and examples crammed in there for color.

As for standing up in front of folks and holding a microphone? I need practice. Lots of it. But it helped that when I looked out at the small crowd up at the South Park Tavern, I saw lots of familiar faces. Thank you to those that drove all the way up from Kentucky and Columbus and Oxford and other places. Really meant the world to me.

After I was done, gulped down a beer to get rid of the shaky legs and enjoyed the big ticket entertainment for the night.

(Thank you Kelley and Mike for pushing me to do something like this!)

The picture I took while sweating on the little stage.

Lots more photos from the night

Used pillows next to the dumpster

I get it, you’re moving or trying to just pare down. Instead of tossing this stuff into the dumpster you artfully arrange it around the dumpster. I’m totally with you.

Certainly someone will want the board games. They weren’t cheap ones.
You could rub a Bounce sheet on that scarf and give it to an in-law.
Maybe unpair the train photo and frame and find something more appropriate for each.
Some wall might be begging for the yellow / orange / pantyhose colored crater art.

And though the pillows do look to be in unsoiled condition, for goodness sake, put them on top of the games.

But I see the logic… You wouldn’t see the games if the pillows were on top, and who wants used pillows next to the dumpster?

Left Chicago early that day

The thing about the internet is that you don’t really need to schedule time on your trip to hit up
The Magnificent Mile when you’re in Chicago anymore. We have Crate & Barrel in our suburbs
and UPS at our doorstep.

I’m remiss that we didn’t hit up Wishbone for breakfast because if America runs on
Duncan Donuts breakfast sandwiches, we’re in a heap of hurt.

(Don’t get me wrong, I love their coffee and donuts.)

It was overcast on the way home, just like the way there, but we arrived safely from the whirlwind trip.