Thursday, March 24, 2005

Can't help but crow a little bit about this - I got notified this week that I've been accepted as an exhibiting member of the Orange County Artists Guild - too cool!! I know I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I was going to be in the OCAG Spring Show, but that was as a provisional member. I've now actually been juried into the Guild, so I'm a full-fledged member and eligible to be on the fall Studio Tour (which should be a blast being able to show in our house alongside JennySlash). I've gotten a lot of wonderful positive feedback from family and friends over the last few years for my photography, but there's always the nagging doubt that those people are biased (or just being nice) so having a panel of artists that don't know me look at a selection of my work and decide that it doesn't suck is pretty dang neat!

From a character in the inestimable Get Your War On strip (via apostropher):

"My wife and I made our living wills last night. Mine says that if I fall into a persistent vegetative state, and Tom Delay comes within a hundred miles of me, I am to turn into a zombie and rip his fucking head off."

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

I realized that having gotten the flu the last day we were in the mountains, I never had a chance to talk about what a great weekend it was.  It was in fact a great weekend! Despite UNC's loss in the semis (at least it was to Georgia Tech instead of Dook or Wake or *shudder* State), the weather was much better than expected, we had a great time catching up with the folks, got some rest and had a chance to play with the new digital camera, the results of which can be seen below.

 One of the first shots with the camera - I like it!

 I gave this one to Dad but I need to pick up one for myself.

 Beer is good food.

 Okay, just what IS he holding in his right hand?

 Dad and Junior get served at Foxfire Cafe (Spruce Pine) in full Carolina regalia after the quarterfinal win...

 ...as Mom looks on in amusement?  bemusement?  disgust?

 Sumo sacked out after no doubt pulling a sneak attack on someone.  Think Bucky T. Katt from the "Get Fuzzy" comic, only Sumo has no tail.

 Roan Mountain from up above Dad's house.

 The creek next to Dad's house.

 Glass bottle at Mom's - purty.

 Mom's (bird)house.

 Minerva - queen of all she surveys.

 Sumo attacks the Carolina pom-pom after the loss to the Yellow Jackets.

Enough - you get the picture.

Monday, March 21, 2005

Well, THAT shit hit like a ton of bricks - I don't remember being that sick from something other than food poisoning or downing a couple of gallons of Carlo Rossi at one sitting since I was a little kid. J and I are starting to feel a bit better - we actually managed to go for a walk in the neighborhood this evening and made it a full twenty minutes before stumbling into the house gasping for breath. I'm guessing it'll be Thursday earliest before I'm ready to try running again.

Certainly not a bad weekend to be sick if you just had to be sick. I thoroughly enjoyed the mad March proceedings, from the upsets to the blowouts. I even pulled for State and Dook (what the hell is WRAL going to do Friday when both the Dook and State games are at the same time!?). Without going into detail, I enjoyed the asswhippings that both the UNC men and women put on their opponents - when I turned on the women's game last night it was 10-9 UNC and by the time I'd gotten a beer from the fridge it was 35-9. I kid you not.

Word to the wise - don't bitch about not being seeded higher. That seems to be a sure way to get your ass sent home by someone who's just happy to be there (and happy to send your ass home). And don't play not to lose to a lower seeded team - play to win or you will sit your ass down. I'm loving the mid-major spankings of higher seeds, knowing that in the end (like now), you're still going to get the big boys closing it out. It feels like a lot of upsets, but how many non-power-conference teams are in the Sweet 16? 1.

I swore when I first started blogging almost a year ago now that one subject I was going to steer clear of no matter what was Terry Schiavo. Private family matter, none of my business, plenty of pain to go around. But the Congressional grandstanding and US Constitution-bending is making that a very difficult promise to keep. I'm not sure how much longer I can hold out. But if you had even the slightest doubt of the hypocrisy of DeLay and Bush and their cronies (and I know you didn't), this bit from Mark Kleiman on the Texas Futile Care Law should straighten you out (after making you retch). (noted from a number of sources, including Political Animal)