Relax... you're never better off dead

2009-08-04T09:06:00.000-07:00

I'm going to start painting today. I saw some art on Crown street yesterday and I'm pretty sure that my talent and ability is competitive with what's hanging around certain areas of New Haven. Also: from now on all my paintings are 11.5x14 so they can actually fit in ppl's cars if I sell it. I've started to use paint pens (graffiti inspired) and bristol board. I'm pissed because I was doing 2 small paintings a day for a month, and after I moved I can't find any of them ANYWHERE.

Here's a rough example of what I've been doing lately. This was for a student, and my other works have been in similar styles, except more design and less text.

Michael Vick is a douchebag and deserves a lose/lose situation.

2009-08-02T07:11:00.000-07:00

He should only be allowed back in the NFL if he rips his own testicles off with kitchen utensils OR he gets naked and cage matches 5 trained pitbulls. This is because having no testicles is equally as manly as making innocent animals fight each other.

2008-06-23T11:17:00.000-07:00

sometimes, when I'm with my boyfriend, and I mention how cute a passing baby is, my boyfriend hits me. He thinks it means I'm going to sabotage him with pregnancy.

2008-06-10T11:11:00.000-07:00

Dear summer,
You're not even here yet! Chill out (haha, get it?)! I have swamp ass because it's so hot!eeeewbut I'm wearing a dress that makes by boobs look good.
no love,Jenn

Dear New Haven Police,
IT was sooo cute because a policeman on a bike said "hey how are you?" to me today while he passed by, and he had a nice ass.It was NOT cute that I got to my car at 11:53 and I got a ticket at 11:49.Booooo.
No love,Jenn

If I knew half of what you knew about writing poetry...

2008-06-05T10:27:00.001-07:00

I WOULD WRITE ONE ABOUT MY DOG

i have
a little dog
named bean

she goes for walks
and makes a poop
on the lawn

and when she's done
she wants to have fun
since she pottied outside
and not in the house

I'm starting to write "if i knew half of what you knew" jokes...

2008-06-04T15:18:00.000-07:00

If I knew half of what you knew I would be legally retarded
If I knew half of what you knew I wouldn't have graduated college
If I knew half of what you knew I would have baked a cake!

2008-05-27T18:36:00.000-07:00

It's been a while!
I want to learn how to write jokes.
I graduated a week ago, and am now taking graduate classes! Wooohoo!

I have some art I want to share with you, but am currently in a homeless limbo (kinda), so when I'm settled next week there will be more posts.

new doggy

2008-04-28T19:35:00.001-07:00

meet Bean!

she's sooooooo sleepy!!

I adopted a dog!!

2008-04-27T10:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=10118931

now I need help with a new name!

I'm picking her up tomorrow!

Cecilia

2008-04-19T13:08:00.001-07:00

IMG_2496
Originally uploaded by mayybe_baby

mixed media on paper

aphrodite and adonis

2008-04-19T13:07:00.001-07:00

IMG_2497
Originally uploaded by mayybe_baby

20x33 inches mixed media on paper

Saint Cecilia

2008-04-19T13:06:00.001-07:00

IMG_2500
Originally uploaded by mayybe_baby

for some reason this is a really bad photograph. 48x60 inches acrylic on canvas.

Medusa

2008-04-19T13:05:00.001-07:00

IMG_2504
Originally uploaded by mayybe_baby

48x60 inches acrylic on canvas

britney's baby

2008-04-19T13:04:00.001-07:00

IMG_2473
Originally uploaded by mayybe_baby

acrylic on plywood

preggers

2008-04-19T13:03:00.001-07:00

IMG_2501
Originally uploaded by mayybe_baby

48x60 inches on canvas

IMG_2502

2008-04-19T13:02:00.001-07:00

IMG_2502
Originally uploaded by mayybe_baby

here are some drawings that will be on my show wednesday!

I'm going to illustrate a book for the Nash poem for printmaking- For watercolor class I'm going to paint this-

2008-04-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

"The Blues" by Langston Hughes
When the shoe strings break
On both your shoes
And you're in a hurry-
That's the blues.

When you go to buy a candy bar
And you've lost the dime you had-
Slipped through a hole in your pocket somewhere-
That's the blues, too, and bad!

we have to pick a poem to paint for watercolor

2008-04-12T19:41:00.001-07:00

Ogden Nash- Tale of Custard the Dragon

Belinda lived in a little white house,
With a little black kitten and a little gray mouse,
And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon,
And a realio, trulio, little pet dragon.

Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink,
And the little gray mouse, she called hum Blink,
And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard,
But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard.

Custard the dragon had big sharp teeth,
And spikes on top of him and scales underneath,
Mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose,
And realio, trulio daggers on his toes.

Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears,
And Ink and Blink chased lions down the stairs,
Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage,
But Custard cried for a nice safe cage.

Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful,
Ink, Blink and Mustard, they rudely called him Percival,
They all sat laughing in the little red wagon
At the realio, trulio, cowardly dragon.

Belinda giggled till she shook the house,
and Blink said Weeck! which is giggling for a mouse,
Ink and Mustard rudely asked his age,
When Custard cried for a nice safe cage.

Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound,
And Mustard growled, and they all looked around.
Meowch! cried Ink, and Ooh! cried Belinda,
For there was a pirate, climbing in the winda.

Pistol in his left hand, pistol in his right,
And he held in his teeth a cutlass bright,
His beard was black, one leg was wood;
It was clear that the pirate meant no good.

Belinda paled, and she cried Help! Help!
But Mustard fled with a terrified yelp,
Ink trickled down to the bottom of the household,
And little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed.

But up jumped Custard snorting like an engine,
Clashed his tail like irons in a dungeon,
With a clatter and a clank and a jangling squirm,
He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm.

The pirate gaped at Belinda's dragon,
And gulped some grog from his pocket flagon,
He fired two bullets, but they didn't hit,
And Custard gobbled him, every bit.

Belinda embraced him, Mustard licked him,
No one mourned for his pirate victim.
Ink and Blink in glee did gyrate
Around the dragon that ate the pirate.

But presently up spoke little dog Mustard,
I'd been twice as brave if I hadn't been flustered.
And up spoke Ink and up spoke Blink,
We'd have been three times as brave, we think,
And Custard said, I quite agree
That everybody is braver than me.

Belinda still lives in her little white house,
With her little black kitten and her little gray mouse,
And her little yellow dog and her little red wagon,
And her realio, trulio little pet dragon.

Belinda is as brave as a barrel full of bears,
And Ink and Blink chase lions down the stairs,
Mustard is as brave as a tiger in a rage,
But Custard keeps crying for a nice safe cage.

2008-04-11T16:16:00.000-07:00

It's been a while...

4/5 paintings for my thesis are done. Haven't done the paper yet... it's coming...

I'm doing a 3 day sleep study for 800 dollars, but three weeks before the study I can't have any caffeine, I can't nap, and I have to sleep from exactly 11pm-7am every night. If you know me, I love my naps so this is very hard for me. But 800 bux is 800 bux.

I had something else to say but I forget what it was. OOPS.

2008-04-06T17:26:00.001-07:00

I can't decide if these are cute, or not-cute, or if I want them or not.

here is my thesis paper so far... it still has a lot to go.

2008-03-29T08:05:00.000-07:00

Describing the process of creating a body of work is difficult because I have a great number of influences coming from different directions. These influences are from other artists and works, music (which I’m listening to constantly), people I know, and the stories I’m told through these sources. I paint and draw to examine shades of grey literally and on paint, what can be done on canvas or paper, human interaction, binary opposites, people’s feelings about themselves and the way they treat others, monsters, to reflect my feelings about myself and those around me, and the morals of good stories.

I get very angry at other people’s negative actions, lack of critical thinking skills, ignorance, and apathy. I often feel disappointed, and feel like I have the personality of a bitter old man, joking about how I hate everyone. I’ve shared my canvas with characters are positive influences, and ones that I see as negative influences. I also examine myself critically in comparison to these characters. Am I good influence of a bad influence to those around me? Am I skinny as the girls in Hollywood? No, but do I have the brains and strength that I admire in historical figures? Maybe. Although it might be wrong of me to judge these people, I am also constantly judging myself. Recovering my own negative feelings towards myself, recovering from bulimia, and personal grudges towards people has lead me to releasing my energy in positive ways such as art, music, and running and weightlifting. I rely on these elements equally to keep me sane.

Growing up listening to punk and hardcore music, and being in those communities might have been the seed that planted my anger towards a lot of people, but it is also what helped me through my teenage years and is still helping me now. This music has an overall philosophy about lost faith in humanity, but lots of the music is also about helping each other, and making a positive difference in the world. This juxtaposition has carried through my feelings about life, and shows in my paintings of characters from Paris Hilton to Frankenstein to Judith. This is because although there have been some really shitty people in my life, and I know people who have done some horrible things, I have also known and been influenced by amazing people who were passionate about helping others and making a positive difference in the world. I’ve struggled with thinking that a cohesive body of work will include one kind of person, and have to remind myself that all these characters have the commonality that they have a moral story.

also, as a late addition to my thesis...

2008-03-27T13:23:00.001-07:00

I was thinking about releasing my own sex tape.

Maybe I would wear a wig. And slutty heals, and a lot of makeup.

I could show it with my paintings somehow.

But then mom couldn't be invited.

here are 3 bands i was listening to and it was kind of ironic, and i've listened to them so much it's not ironic anymore.

2008-03-27T13:16:00.000-07:00

La Bouche
Ace of Base
Real McCoy

They remind me of summer 2006, and that summer was sweet and fun as hell.

I might get a haircut

2008-03-24T21:08:00.000-07:00

I might cut my hair into a bob so it looks like this again. This is because my mom always said you shouldn't have long hair if you don't take care of it. I don't take care of it. I want to wake up in the morning, and go out the door with bed head and nobody will notice. I can't do that anymore, and it's getting kind of annoying. Plus, if I don't do it now then I might become emotionally attached to my long hair. I hate it when girls become consumed or attached to their hair and can't do anything with it or cut it or dye it.
Also, bobs are revolutionary. Think Velma Kelly from Chicago. The twenties were roaring and girls cut their hair and shortened their skirts and did whatever the hell they wanted. This is because they didn't have to spend as much time worrying about looking feminine, and grooming their long annoying hair. Obviously I'm over simplifying, but I'm tired and wanted to tie some of the reasons why I love bobs together.

My point is bobs are sexy as hell and easy to take care of.

hoppppy easter

2008-03-24T09:57:00.001-07:00

easter 044

2008-03-24T09:56:00.001-07:00

easter 044
Originally uploaded by mayybe_baby

I ate yummy vegan jamaican at Shandals

I just saw the movie "Death at a Funeral"

2008-03-22T06:42:00.001-07:00

The movie is directed by Frank Oz, who also did "the muppets take Manhattan" and "What about Bob," I LOVE "What about Bob."
Anyway, this movie was ridiculously funny and I laughed the whole time. Then again, I like stupid jokes, but I also think a lot of them were subtle, which was great. I think the subtle jokes were the funniest. The actors just had to make a face and I laughed. I'm pretty sure that I laughed non stop. Josh definitely giggled a few times too, and he hates British comedy.
There was a lot of humorous tension, and a lot of awkward moments. However, aside from some major mishaps, a lot of what happens in this movie is true at real funerals and family functions in general.
It's a little politically incorrect, so if that bothers you then I wouldn't suggest watching it.

2008-03-21T16:27:00.000-07:00

home sweet home!!!!!!!!!!
i love easter bunnies
and naps in my own bed
and vegan jamaican
and jasmine green tea
and house shows at new hawaii
and my dog
and hikes and being attacked by hawks
and real friends
and easter egg coloring
and easter baskets
and why? at bar
and tofurkey dinner
and headrubs and backrubs and buttrubs
and the beach to see easter seals?
and free movie coupons for the video store
and sunny 50 degree days
and having a copilot to pick music
and learning and reading and photographing
and the shepard fairey portrait of obama in my new issue of juxtapoze
oh and DID I MENTION BUNNIES??????

I'm going to have awesome pictures of this weekend sooooooon

seriously though, school and massachusetts can get f'd

2008-03-20T11:26:00.000-07:00

My drawings are coming out sweet! pictures are coming! My watercolor paintings look sweet too. I'm home and I'm pumped about that because I love hanging out at the record store, and with my dog and my family. I'm pumped for Why? at bar, and I'm pumped for tofurkey and I love Easter and Easter bunnies. Easter is def my favorite holiday. The easter bunny kicks Santa's ass in my book, and I like coloring eggs more than presents.

My friend Erik suggested Numi tea to Josh, and I just got Jasmine Green tea from Numi and it's good too. I'm going to drink tea, do homework, and hang out with friends this weekend. I'm psyched!

Tomorrow is vegan Jamaican food at Shandals in Bridgeport, and hiking.

my friend Danny told me about this website www.happycow.com which has reviews of all kinds of vegetarian restaurants anywhere in the country.

Lots of things to be pumped on!

2008-03-18T10:08:00.001-07:00

I'm working on my spring mix, and it's probably the most aggro mix I've ever made (especially for spring). I'm trying to tone it down.

when you're under stress it's good to know your priorities

2008-03-17T21:37:00.000-07:00

Here are my short term goals:
-Finish my 4 paintings (3 are almost done) for thesis, and finish 9 drawings (3 are in progress) for thesis as well... this isn't as bad as it sounds because the last 2 i did i banged out in 2 weeks roughly.
-lift weights every other day, cardio every day- i NEED to make time to do this because i need my ass and my boobs back and I want my dikey arm muscles back and I started this week and i am SO weak it's retarded. I can't lift anything.
-eat healthy, not starve when I'm unhappy
-read books. I just got "if you liked school you'll love work" by irvine welsh (author of trainspotting), "American Skin" by Don Grazia, "black mass" that book about the fbi and the irish mob, and "public enemies" by bryan burrough. I am also STILL reading the John Josef autobiography. Josh has "world war Z" which I want to read, he also has the anthony bordaine book.
-keep friendships with people who are GOOD influences and GOOD people. That's it.
-listen to more music!! I'm keeping up to date with what's going on in indie and hardcore because that's stuff that really matters to me. How do I forget about music when that's what gets me through? Especially friends who have great taste in music, and a boyfriend who owns a record store I have no excuse not to listen to ridiculous amounts of music.
-last but not least it is so important that i amend things with josh. he is honestly the best person i know and he's my favorite person and i want things to be happy and normal again. We've been together since last tuesday. everything takes time...

Haha that is our "prom" picture. I love that cow dress and he hated that mustard blazer. I had to threaten him to put it on but he doesn't look too bummed, right? That is normal and good, and that's how it will be soon enough.

i am the laziest chef/vegetarian ever

2008-03-16T12:28:00.000-07:00

here is a quick snack when you are a lazy vegetarian who hates doing dishes, doesn't want a lot of calories, and has no time:

buffalo tofu pup

heat tofu pup (60 calories) in microwave for 30 seconds
put buffalo sauce and whatever else on slice on bread (70 calories)
take tofu pup and put it on the bread

60 seconds later that's your snack! Except I made 2 so it's more like a lunch.

yay!

2008-03-15T18:48:00.000-07:00

I really like the band Why? They're pretty sweet. I've been trying to listen to more hip hop and music that's not hardcore. I can't see them in CT because I have to work. But possibly in North Hampton or Cambridge.
http://www.myspace.com/whyanticon

I'm excited this new book by john joseph of the Cro-Mags

2008-03-15T08:08:00.000-07:00

I like his rants, I'm vegetarian, and I like fitness and eating healthy. It's too bad this book doesn't have a release date yet.

NEW BOOK - "MEAT IS FOR PUSSIES" by Jon Joseph

INTRODUCTION

Who propagated this bullshit that meat makes you macho? My guess is it’s the same big business assholes that told you the Marlboro man was a stud. Eating defenseless animals doesn’t make you tough numbnuts. It makes you a coward. You wanna eat meat? Instead of purchasing factory killed, slickly packaged animal parts, have some balls and try this: Go out to the woods or jungle, tear down an animal with your bare hands, rip it apart and eat it. I guarantee you you’ll find out just what a big pussy you are because you’ll get your ass handed to you like some idiot on that TV show "When Animals Attack."

I’ve met so many weight lifter Neanderthals over the years that were like, "Yo, I need meat, it makes me aggressive." Or my favorite, the protein myth, "Yo, where do you get your protein from guy?" as if the only source for protein is dead, rotting carcasses. In reality there are dozens of sources of protein that doesn’t require the systematic incarceration, torture, and finally, slaughter of animals. And as far as aggression, I know some vegetarians that will rip your fuckin’ head off in a New York minute.

These people have all bought into the lies and propaganda put out there by the douche bags running the meat industry who are some of the most powerful lobbyists in the U.S. Do you remember that bullshit ad campaign they ran a while ago? "Beef it’s what’s for dinner…" yeah, and cancer, arterial sclerosis, high blood pressure, impotence, as well as dozens of other meat-eating related diseases… that’s your karmic dessert.

I’m sick of people, who are either ignorant of the facts, or even worse, have hidden agendas, dissing vegetarians because we care about animals and the environment. What do you want to live in a barren wasteland dick wad? Now, just so we get off on the right foot here I want you to know my background. I’m not some new age, macro-psychotic wimp trying to get you to eat your sprouts. Most new age people make me fucking puke. The fact is I’ve probably had a harder life then 90% of you out there. Just read my first book, "The Evolution of a Cro-Magnon." I survived orphanages, abusive foster homes, boy’s homes, NYC’s mean streets in the mid-seventies at 14, shootings, stabbings, lock-ups, drug addiction, homelessness, the music business and the list goes on. So if anyone knows a thing or two about being tough and fighting on it’s me. What I’m giving you in this book is a no-holes-barred, New York style beat down for your brain cells on real health and real nutrition, and I’m not pulling any punches.

To be honest I don’t blame you carnivorous fuckers for being turned off to a vegetarian diet by the looks of a majority of vegetarians. The first thing meat-eaters say to me is, "Damn, you’re a vegetarian?" I know what they mean. Most vegetarians look like weak-as-fuck string beans. But I’ve been at this a long time, almost 30 years, and I’m as physical as they come. On any given day it’s not at all uncommon for me to run ten miles, hit the gym, pump some weights, then hit the bags for another hour. As a matter of fact just last year in ’07, I ran the Marine Corps Marathon and I beat every fucker in the running crew I ran with, some of whom were almost half my age. Their reaction as they crossed the finish line to find me cooled off enjoying a snack, "Damn old man…"

At 45 I’m still a stage diving, triathlete maniac and I attribute the longevity to two things… consistency in my training and the most important, proper food choices. Over the years I’ve worked out at so many gyms and watched trainers instructing people and the one thing I find ridiculous is most of these guys don’t know shit about nutrition. I mean, at one old school gym on the Lower East Side I had this Puerto Rican bodybuilder tell me Alpo-burgers are great protein and if its good enough for his pit bull, its good enough for him. That’s an extreme case, but you get my point. If you aren’t hip to what the fuck you’re putting in your body it’s like trying to light a fire (training), but constantly throwing water on it at the same time with what you’re stuffing your face with.

That’s why in this book, the first thing I’m going to do is tell you exactly what all that shit your eating is really doing to your body. Then I’m going to show you alternatives, even show you how to cook great tasting meals and give you a seven-day work out and meal plan. Notice I don’t use the word diet… diets are for pussies. If you’re tired of being an Atkins’, Jenny Craig, or Weight Watcher-type diet pussy, man up because this book is for you. But, on the other hand if you’re happy with your yo-yo diets and calorie counting like a fat chick in her Curves calorie class, return my book and continue on with your chronic pussy-ism.

I’ll show you what’s worked for me as well as so many others I’ve turned on to this knowledge. Remember, the first part of learning is to keep an open mind and try new things. It’s all about live foods, whole foods, green foods, energy producing foods, foods that have their enzymes in tact, plant based protein foods that don’t put strain on your body’s organs to digest them, and most importantly, foods that taste amazing and are 100% meat-free.

Make no mistake about it; my intention is to get all you Joe-meat-and-potato-head fuckers to stop eating meat for your own sake. That’s why I put some kick-ass, easy to make, nutrient rich meals in the back of this book and some super-food recommendations as well, that will kick you, your metabolism and your libido into overdrive.

If you take advantage of this knowledge and combine it with a good exercise regiment, you’ll become an unstoppable force to be reckoned with instead of a two-pump-chump in the gym, and the bedroom. The choice is yours, you can continue on your path of debilitating health, being weak, tired and miserable, or listen up to what your woman’s been telling you all along, "It’s about longevity" and just in case you didn’t know it, meat not only affects your endurance down the road, but your schlong as well! Ah, now I got your attention, don’t I fucker? Read on and you’ll find out how.

I decided to pen this book at the urging of people I’ve given advice to over the years who were like, "Damn bro, this is easier than I thought." No shit Sherlock. I use the acronym K.I.S.S. as my mantra… Keep It Simple Stupid. It ain’t rocket science. I studied this for almost 30 years and besides having a degree from The University of the Streets in Ass-Kicking-101, I know my info on health better than lots of people in the health field. Bottom line… most doctors are pussies. Why you ask? Because they don’t deal in prevention they just want to sell you the drug company’s medicine to treat the disease. Very expensive medicine I might add. See that’s because there’s no money in the cure. If you’re healthy most of them are out of work, that’s why there’s practically no research conducted in preventive medicine i.e. herbs and natural foods. The FDA is even trying to make herbs & whole food vitamins illegal. Do they suck wooly-mammoth balls or what? So it’s up to you… you can continue to be a pussy and fuck yourself up, or you can be a real man and pull up your pants.

With my approach I always try to be a little philosophical. As such I hope I don’t overload any brain cells here by quoting the late Eleanor Roosevelt who said, "Somewhere along the line of our development we discover what we really are, and then we make our decision for which we are responsible. Make that decision primarily for yourself because you can never live anyone else’s life." Exactly fella’s, it’s all about you making lifelong changes, and you never retreating back to a life of unhealthiness. Every journey in life starts with a first step. The first step on this journey is to understand that as the harmful effects of meat take a toll on your body…. YOU WILL BECOME A PUSSY.

the easiest subject is always yourself

2007-12-14T08:59:00.000-08:00

black friday morning: 6:30am

2007-11-26T08:04:00.000-08:00

Taking pictures in a dark record store is difficult. Most of my pictures came out blurry and weird looking. This is my boyfriend dressed up as Santa. It's one of my favorite pictures because it came out the least blurry and dark.

here is a picture of my favorite person

2007-11-14T21:52:00.001-08:00

He's smiling at me because we're crazy about each other. It's such a good picture of him! This was from night hiking.

self portrait

2007-11-11T18:14:00.000-08:00

I did a bunch of pictures of me in a mud mask during the summer, and they were really funny. I did it again yesterday. These didn't come out as funny as I hoped because I was in a rush, and it was cold as hell in my bathroom. Who can be funny when they're freezing? Oh well. Enjoy.

a picture from the highway in boston the other night

2007-11-04T11:57:00.000-08:00

I know this isn't the most original photo project, but it was a hell of a lot of fun. My friend Mike and I went to the open studios in south Boston, and while he drove I took pictures of the city lights. I tried to wait for interesting shapes and light to interract with one another before I took the photo. I also played a game where I tried to take a picture really fast before Mike started driving again (if we were in the city or in traffic). Otherwise, I tried to see how the movement effected the picture.

the crazy light last night

2007-11-03T12:47:00.001-07:00

I only had my point and shoot digital with me, but for a few minutes the entire sky was orange and gold. Then some of the sky was black and green. It looked like the apocalypse outside.

I think it might have to do with the tropical storm?

firefighter landscape2

2007-10-25T09:49:00.001-07:00

I went to the cemetery in the rain today, and shot some photos with no sunlight. I haven't uploaded them all yet, but here is what the firefighter grave, and the exact same landscape I did the other day.

train yard

2007-10-25T09:34:00.001-07:00

I'm going to be doing more photographs of trains.

I went to Hope Cemetery one more time, and then I drove towards Millbury, following the train tracks. Here is my favorite picture from the train yard.

Hope Cemetery 4

2007-10-22T07:41:00.001-07:00

I don't like shooting entire landscapes. I like focusing on small areas and spaces. However, since the contest asks for landscapes I've been trying to shoot them. Here are some pictures from my shoot yesterday.

I went to go photograph more greenbeens and ended up with a picture of my cat

2007-10-21T19:43:00.001-07:00

This is probably the best photo that came out of my cats. I didn't mean to take pictures of my cats, I actually went to go shoot some green beens but the cats saw me and came over to say "hello." This is technically my sister's cat. I have pictures of my little black cat too, but he's not as photogenic. He kept closing his eyes halfway and he looks high. It was pretty challenging to get a good picture of them when they kept moving. It was also misty out from the rain that night, and the sun was shining and I haven't shot pictures in misty weather before. I also found out that when I shoot in close-up mode (that little flower symbol) on my camera, the pictures process as jpegs. I knew it was doing something different when I was shooting, but I wasn't sure what exactly it was doing. Now I know.
Anyway there wont be any more green been pictures because they're all dried up and dead.
And I decided I will put a picture of my cat up, not because it's a great photograph but because I can't put a picture of my sister's cat up here and not one of mine.

hope cemetery 3

2007-10-14T15:53:00.001-07:00

I made a third trip to Hope Cemetery this morning. I tried to focus on making landscape pictures, rather than focusing on specific stones. I also tried to get lower to the ground with the tripod, and try to catch some of the things I find the most interesting about the graveyard. Some of these things are the patterns and rhythm of the trees and tombstones. The different shapes of the stones, and the trees, and the shadows make the picture interesting. It was about 12pm and very sunny out, I think I need to go again a little later.

I'm home. and I like to eat greenbeans.

2007-10-08T13:10:00.001-07:00

It was getting kind of late, and I wanted to take pictures, but I didn't know where to go. Then I realized that there are lots of things in my yard/garden to take pictures of. I think this picture might be better if I cropped the left. The picture might be to the post/the greenbeen. Anyways, I like the light and the detail of the bean/the hairs/the shadows.

another drive in picture

2007-10-02T19:02:00.000-07:00

I'm putting this one up here because it's good to see the mountain in back of the drive in. It stretches over Hubbard park, and you can see the radio towers from East Peak. I've done lots of hiking here. This photo puts the drive in in more context. Anyway, the mountain might mean more to me than to you because this is my home town. Actually, my boyfriend called me to tell me I need to put the mountain picture up because it's better.
I think I over sharpen my landscapes too much. I don't know why I do this but I should stop. I always think it looks great at first and then it doesn't. Ugh.

southington drive in (for Josh)

2007-10-02T18:16:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite photo from my trip to the Southington Drive In. The trip was inspired by Maddy. It was a beautiful day, and I happened to be driving by it with my boyfriend. So I made us pull over, and we walked around for a while while I took pictures. I would like to go back, because I think there would be more to notice a second time around. Also, Josh talked about doing band pictures here when we do Hostage Calm photos. I agree that this would be a very cool place to take band pictures. This place would be great for band pictures not only because it's an interesting space with the old screen, and the eroding parking lot, but because it's near an ice cream place that makes their own pumpkin ice cream. Yay!

Berlin train station

2007-10-01T18:26:00.000-07:00

I was driving around my town/the town over, and I stopped at the little train station in Berlin, CT. Here are a few pictures of the stop. They look like every other train stop, but train tracks are one of my favorite places to be. This is because fo the history that surrounds them. Most places that had alot of train business are now more or less empty. An example of this would be Worcester. Berlin is a cow town, and I like empty cow towns too. I like driving through a town and seeing nothing but fields and cemeteries. Like small cities and factory towns, I also appreciate the pride that these towns have in their history.

This day was pretty unproductive for me as far as photos go because I was driving around looking for them. After I thought about what Frank said, it's true that you can't go out looking to take pictures. Every time I would go out to take pictures, ever since I was a kid, I would just end up driving around for a long time and not have any pictures taken. This depressed me because it was a beautiful day this past Friday, and the lighting was beautiful, and I just couldn't figure out where to go or what to do. These are the most interesting of that afternoon.

Second visit to Hope Cemetery

2007-09-26T16:58:00.001-07:00

So I went back to Hope Cemetery after work today. I got out of work at 5, then I was there at about 5:30 or so. The light was beautiful because it was orange, and it was shining on all the tombstones. Unfortunately, a lot of my pictures came out darker than I would like. I'm not a mechanical person, so I really need to practice with the ISO and aperture settings. Really basic things that I'm still embarrassed that I miss up. I tried to pay special attention to the shadows, and the way that they fell on the graves, and how the stones cast shadows on each other. I was also pleased to notice that the leaves are finally starting to fall.

Anyway, I have this idea. I was passing by this couple who were planting flowers at a grave. They were obviously mother and son, and it was really sweet. I was thinking that maybe I could try taking pictures of people in graveyards, the way they are interacting with each other (or the graves), and what they are planting. The problem is, how do I go about this? Do I go up to them and tell them that what they are doing is very sweet and I want to photograph them? Or do I hide in the bushes and snap them as they're going about their business? Would it be rude to go up to people when they're mourning their loved ones to ask for their picture? How long would I have to sit in a graveyard while I waited for people to show up?

Oh, I want to say that I haven't edited these photos yet because I was really excited to post them.

2007-09-25T14:08:00.001-07:00

Note to self: make sure the printer preferences are set to the CORRECT paper.
I thought I was just really bad at taking pictures, or doing something terribly wrong artistically. I didn't notice until the 4th print that in photoshop I had the printer set up to print on pearl, when I was printing on matte. After I changed the setting to matte paper it looked a hell of a lot better. stupid stupid stupid!

I am having trouble with landscapes

2007-09-24T17:29:00.000-07:00

I read the email Frank sent about the Hope Cemetery contest, and decided that going to there shoot would be good practice because I'm feeling kind of rusty at photo. I really feel like I suck (I'm not fishing for compliments). So I don't know where the paper about the contest is, but I have a few successful shots. A problem I had when I was there shooting is I didn't want to create cheesy cemetary pictures that girls in highschool take. I wanted to find things that I think are special about Hope Cemetery in general, and try to shoot those. By doing this, I wanted to research the cemetery then go back again for a second shoot.

My favorite parts of the cemetery are the very old graves that don't have names, and the sections of newer graves that have nostalgic markers on them. I think that some of the graves have been thoughtfully decorated, but there are definitly some of them that look like someone was emptying their attic. To each their own I guess.

This is my favorite photo from the shoot because I like the point of view, and the relationship between the cherub statue and the virgin mary statue in the distance. I'm also glad you can't see the muggy haze (it was really hot and humid on saturday), because I think it made a lot of my photos from that day look like shit.

I think I'm overdoing some of the images in photoshop, and its making them look worse. I'm also having trouble making things look good on paper in addition to looking good on the computer. This is making me really mad but I guess the only way to fix it is to practice.

I'm going to go back to taking pictures of my friends, but I feel like my friends in Connecticut are a little more interesting, and funny than my Worcester friends. Most of my Worcester friends are Clarkies, and I don't mean this in a rude way but I like to talk to/look at people who aren't Clarkies, because usually they're more individualistic. I also want to hang out in New Haven (I'm so homesick!) and take pictures of the club girls wearing no clothes and the yalies running down the street. I have my car, so I go home every other weekend give or take.

2007-09-20T21:21:00.001-07:00

This is my friend Mark eating a watermelon slice. I love his face in this picture. One of the last weekends it was warm enough to swim. This is what summer should be. Watermelon and (root)beer. I hope to do more portraits of my friends hanging out, because they're really important to me. I'm going home to Connecticut this coming weekend, and the next. So I should have some more fun portraits soon.

During this photoshoot we were approached by a child molester who wanted to show us his "organ"

2007-09-13T18:44:00.000-07:00

I'm really mad because I just wrote a long story about this picture, the photoshoot, and the child molester and then I accidentally deleted all of it. I took pictures for my friend's band "Earthmover." Unfortunately, a lot of the pictures didn't come out well because it got dark outside, it was hard to get 5 people to look in the same direction at the same time, and I'm still practicing. Although this wouldn't be an official picture, it's my favorite from the shoot be cause I like the lighting and the sharpness of the picture. I also like the interaction between the boys because they're really funny. Fortunately for me, we might get to do another shoot because the bassist quit the day after this shoot was taken. I now know I have to focus on getting them all to look in the same direction at once, and I need to make sure we do this when it's still bright out.

I think this is a good start.

2007-09-11T21:51:00.001-07:00

This is my favorite photograph from the my train trip from meriden-portland. It's a view of Washington from the train. I love the deserted mountains, the clouds, and the faint hint of civilization in the background. I felt like most of the midwest also has a peaceful, empty feeling. I was on the large train from Chicago-Portland for 46 hours, and most of the scenery looked like this.