My photo art

Might as well post some art up here, right??

Well, here's a link to my art sets on Flickr.  That's all I have for now.

I hope you enjoy!

Let me know!

Ice Sculpture

IMG_2299
Originally uploaded by ianstgermain

I found this piece of ice wrapped around the handle of my wheelbarrow in the garage.
I found it quite interesting.

Squirrels eating Pumpkins in my Backyard

IMG_2060
Originally uploaded by ianstgermain

I like Squirrels
They eat my pumpkins after Halloween, sitting on my front step
it makes a mess
but what else would I do with these pumpkins, aside from compost them.
So, I moved them under the trees in the backyard.

It makes them happy

Feel better?

signs elev 7

Originally uploaded by ianstgermain

cool religion??

Driving to Hull today, and I passed by a Church which had a sign that stuck out to me.

It said

"God is too big for one religion"

I liked that!  And I don't even think it was a Unitarian Church, though it probably was!

Henry

This is my friend Henry.

Henry is a Lawyer.

He's 52

He's wearing fake teeth here

he's not what you'd expect

See more of Henry here

Sorry Ladies, he's taken.

Warren Ellis: Crooked Little Vein

Warren Ellis loves to pontificate.  I mean, he really loves it.  This man can pick a topic and expound like a motherfucker.  And he chooses to focus on some of the most random points and expand upon them to build a landscape thats both fascinating and bizarre.

I'll give you an example.  In the opening pages of Warren's first regular book (no pictures here), we meet the miserable Mike McGill, a private detective and self proclaimed "Shit Magnet."  But, as we learn about Mike, we learn that Mike has a rat.  Living in the walls of his office.  The office he sleeps in, eats in, and basically festers in his own filth.   This rat is big.  Its strong.  Its smart.  And its mean.  Throughout the book we learn little tidbits about the rat.  He pissed in Mike's coffee cup.  He absorbed many volts of electricity from a trap Mike set, laughed, and shit on his phone receiver.  And there's plenty more.

This rat has no real purpose within this book, but he's a fine personification of the fact that Mike McGill is a 'Shit Magnet.'  And he really is.

Warren loves to take you on a journey throughout the underbelly of society.  In Transmetropolitan, my favorite comic series, Warren, through the guise of Guerrilla Journalist Spider Jerusalem, takes us all on a trip to a warped future that is much like the reality we see around us and explores everything wrong with that future while Spider searches for truth.  And he does this for the greater good of us all.  He'll beat the shit out of you, break your face, shit in your coffee cup, shoot you with a bowel disruptor so you shit in your own coffee cup, but all because he wants the world to see what is going on around them and get the hell off their collective ass to fix it.  Spider Jerusalem is pure genius.

Mike McGill and Crooked Little Vein is nowhere near as lofty, and in turn nowhere near as cruel and hilarious.  But, its Warren, and I've found that anything Warren writes is worth the read.  In Crooked Little Vein, as I stated earlier, we meet Mike McGill, a PI and Shit Magnet.  Apparently a golden boy who has fallen, Mike doesn't seem to do too much.  Doesn't get many jobs.  But when he does, he accidentally stumbles upon tantric ostrich rape cults (re: Shit Magnet) which scar his mind.  And he sits in his filth and tries to kill the rat.

Then, the Chief of Staff of the President of the United States storms into his office.  Check that, the heroin addicted Chief of Staff who injects monkey feces to fight cancer or some such crap.  Because a Shit Magnet is what they need to find the second secret Constitution of the United States of America.

Suddenly Mike has money, purpose, and a really bad feeling.  Because of course this book has travelled throughout the underbelly of the US since Nixon sold it to a whore.  And now we must follow its trail and perhaps find this book which will save America from its perverted self.  And decide if that is a good thing.

Mike meets a girl, Trix, a spunky punky tattooed sex fiend writing her thesis on the sexual underbelly of America.  A perfect assistant.  And they meet in a secret club of fetishists who only get excited by giant godzilla style lizards having sex.  Yeah, its that kinda book.  

They travel.  They inject saline into their genitals.  There could be love.  They discover that finding this book might be something they don't really want to do.  

So, you have the morality play, the soul searching, and the internet porn.  

Is this the best book ever?  Of course not.  Is this book worth reading?  Absolutely.  It won't take you long.  A few days.  But I promise you that you won't want to stop, and you'll find yourself laughing your ass off pretty much the whole time.  Because Warren Ellis is hilarious.  He's smart, cynical, and driven.  And his characters always reflect him (or so I'm inferring from reading his personal writing).  Warren has a good grip on how fucked up our reality is, and an excellent way of pointing out all that is wrong in a way that will make you laugh while you get angry.  Crooked Little Vein is a great illustration of that.  Sure, there's a bit of a moral. Its a good one.  And we realize perhaps the perversions that plague our country aren't the problem.  Perhaps they are a good thing.  Perhaps they add to the diversity of our little melting pot nation.  Perhaps the normal we've all been living with, that our country has grown up with, is part of the problem.  Look where we are now.  Look at this lovely swamp of shit the normal has gotten us too.  Maybe we need some Godzilla porn obsessed people in our world.

So, give it a shot.  And let me know what you think.

This was my first book review, i think. I feel like I need a good variety of stuff for this blog, and I need to read more. I'll try to read a book a week, but that's not totally realistic. Maybe 2 a month? Not counting Graphic Novels. Let me know what you think of my little book review. CD reviews to follow!

Week 9, Getting stuff done

Well, tis week 9, and I'm trying to get back on track here.  

Today was a fun little Thursday.  The BBB has been upgraded from crutches to a cane, which makes things much easier.  Of course I'm still manservanting for her, carrying her bags to her office and whatnot, but i don't have to be the runner every second of the day, which is nice.

Today she had an early meeting, so I dropped her off at the office at about 830. Nice early start.  Wish this had happened on a day I was headed straight home, because I'd get a lot done.  But, its Thursday, and I read to my little 4th grade buddy at noon on Thursdays.  

See, the deal is this.  BBB's office is about 5 or 6 miles from my house.  When I had a job, it was right around the corner.  And I read to this kid at a school right in the same area.  So, since I still drive the BBB in to work, I still do my fun volunteer reading.  It makes no sense to drive all the way home, just to go back an hour or less later.  Thus, I need things to do in on Thursday mornings that are in the area.  Sometimes I just sit at Flour bakery with a bottomless cup of coffee, my book, and maybe a breakfast sammich.  Today, I decided to finally go to the Institute of Contemporary Art, which opened a year or so ago in the same area, and I have yet to go.

The ICA is currently hosting an exhibit of Shepard Fairey, an 

iconic street artist who's work is pretty well known in this area.  For those of us who grew up in the 80's in Mass and RI, we all remember the stickers of Andre the Giant has a Posse.  The skateboards, posters.  It was all very punk rock.  Well, this guy became a serious artist, and has done some really cool work.  I definitely recommend heading over the the ICA and seeing his work up close.  You've all seen the Obama picture that became an icon and a ma

in part of the campaign.  Well, that was him.  

There was certainly some other great work in the museum, and the building itself is pretty amazing inside.  Loved it.  There was some art that was just crap, but most of it was fantastic.  

The rest of my day was somewhat mellow.  Read to the kid, drove back home, stopped and got a veggie burger with fries at this place called the Real Deal that I hadn't tried yet.  It was pretty good.  Brought it home and watched last nights ep of LOST, which I didn't quite get through last night.  Did some housework, picked up the BBB, came home, made vegetarian chili and lots of it, and watched last nights episode of America's Midol.  Now I'm watching tonights.  then Hells Kitchen.  

Yesterday was eventful.  Last week Burnt Fur's PA blew up.  Apparently 8 inch flames shot out of it (I wasn't there yet).  So, we needed a new one, and I'm the one with the car.  So my day started, after dropping off the BBB, with going to the new Guitar Center store in Boston, waiting till 10 when they opened, and buying a new PA.  Only had open box ones, so I got a nice discount, a rack for it, and a good warranty.  Then, off to the Apple Store in Chestnut hill, so they could help me with my email problem.  I just set this laptop up, and everything seemed to work fine, except email.  I love the Genius bar.  They help you, its free, answer questions and are cool.  Love it.  Got a new bit of software for this baby, and signed up for the One to One program.  For a nominal fee, you get weekly lessons in whatever you want. Loves it.  Doing it!  Left there, headed over to Furspace, dropped off the new PA, and worked for an hour programming drum tracks on the keyboard for a cover we're working on.  Then home, l

itter boxes, shower, eat.  pick up BBB, and head back to Furspace for practice.  PA works, yay.  short practice, but good.  Also last night was my buddy Jamie's birthday, so I went out to Central Square to have some late night celebratory drinks.  Didn't leave until about 1 am!!!!  Got home at about 130, and tried to watch Lost.  Passed out.  Ah well.

I know theres a lot I missed sharing, but why go back at this point?  if its important, i'll remember it and share it.

Oooh, on Monday, I finally started one of my unemployed goals by watching the first extended Lord of the Rings movie.  I've seen the first 2 extended before and own all three (they're all at least 3.5 hours long, up to I think 5).  My goal was to watch all 3 in a week.  Well, that ain't happening, but maybe one a week will work!  pretty damn amazing, I'll tell you.

Oh, and you should all watch this Jon Stewart serious interview where he rips apart this financial douche from CNBC or something.  Pretty amazing.

I cooked some things, but whatever.  Little creations that were fun and yummy.

ooooh yeah, i forgot to mention, I GOT A RAISE!!!!  Love this.  I guess part of the stimulus or whatnot, but anyone on unemployment gets $25 more a week, and its retroactive for a month or so.  Amazing.  No job, and I get a raise.  I'm doing a great job. 

peace

This Is Really Happening

...so, those of you who know me know I have special hope for the world, and that I really wish for drastic and positive change.  Right now, and it may seem silly, but my hopes are directed at the year 2012.  December 21, 2012 is one of those apocalyptic dates, the date the Mayan Calendar ends, the date of all kinds of crazy predictions.  The Mayans believed that this date would hold drastic world changes, but also that it would bring on the age of enlightenment, or something like that.  I like that, and hope for it.  This world is a mess, I'm bored, and things need to change!  DRASTICALLY.   So, I keep my eye out for interesting things that make me think of this.  Some are just ways to point out how wrong the world is right now.  Others are things that could happen.  We'll see what comes of it, but I plan to have this be a recurring theme.  Just like Warren Ellis has 'Our Doomed World' come up on his website quite often, I now have This Is Really Happening.  It works.  Oh yes.  So, here are two points for today:

• Watching an episode of Chronicle, which is a pretty interesting show.  This episode is about struggling retail in this lovely recession of ours.  And then comes Wal-Mart, the evilest retail empire there is.  And, shocker, one of the very few companies that is POSTING A PROFIT in February!!!!  Why is this?  Because Wal-Mart undercuts prices like crazy, and everyone is hurting for cash, so they can go to the Evil W and get things cheaper.  BUT FOLKS, THIS IS KILLING US!  Wal-Mart is renowned for opening up a store, pricing everything lower than all the businesses in the area (businesses run by your friends, family, neighbors, etc), and putting all these businesses OUT OF BUSINESS.  Then, well, if their store isn't turning a big enough profit, they shut it down.  They decimate local economies, and then leave.  PURE FUCKING EVIL.  Capitalism at its worst.   Look, I know you're hurting for cash.  Hell, I ain't got no job.  I understand.  But you can't fall into the trap of shopping at WalMart.  The company that censors art (they won't sell CD's with anything they deem offensive unless they can censor it, change the cover, whatever they want), sells more guns than just about anyone, treats its employees like crap, the list just goes on.  STOP SHOPPING AT WALMART!!!!  SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESS.  If you all go to local places, they can charge less for things because they actually get your business.  They sell stuff, are able to order more stuff, get stuff cheaper when they buy bulk, and you can eventually pay decent prices for things.  You have to pay a bit more at first, but its for the best interest of everyone.  Trust me.
• Secondly, heres an interesting NASA report on what would happen to us if a big solar storm comes a calling, which it might.  What would the world do without electricity for an extended period of time.  What would we do?  Think about it!  

i don't even know what week it is anymore

sorry, my friends.  I've been a bad blogger again.  

I've probably lost all my readers at this point, unless you signed up for email notifications, and then you'll actually see this.

Its Tuesday, well, I guess technically Wednesday, since its 1230 pm.  

And so much has gone on.  I've got notes taken about what I need to post, but bed is calling to me, so not too much right now.  

Yesterday I finally set up my laptop.  Its a Mac Book Pro, very nice, big screen, SO MUCH faster than my old computer.  I successfully migrated over my profile from the G4, and ALMOST everything works, except the damn email for some reason.  Going to head to the Mac store tomorrow, and figure that out with some help.  I may also sign up for a membership.  Have you heard of this?  For a nominal fee, you get a year membership and can go to the store once a week (i guess) and have an hour session with a Mac expert on anything. Garageband, iWeb, basic computer stuff, anything.  I'm so doing that.  

Here's a little summary of what I've been up to lately:

• set up laptop
• this past weekend was 2 days of Yoga Teacher training again.  It was the Philosophy and Energy of Yoga.  Pretty cool.  2 actual yoga classes, discussion of the Yoga Sutra, and other interesting stuff.  
• Went to the Red Fez on Saturday night.  Middle Eastern restaurant.  Not bad.
• Finally saw the Watchmen a week or so ago.  Really freaking good.  Not Dark Knight good, but real close.  It was perfect in terms of the book, and all the damn fanboys can just be quiet.  The changes were necessary.  The acting was fine, excellent in some spots.  Visuals were stunning.  Story is of course excellent.  If you haven't read the Watchmen, I highly recommend you do.
• Restarted and finished reading Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis, one of my favorite authors.  Normally a Comic Book author, this was his first regular book.  GOOD GOD NO PICTURES!!!  It was a good read.
• Went to the Fuller Museum with my mother to see a craft exhibit that had some really cool stuff.
• Watched a really cheesy movie called The Ruins about killer vines in the Mayan jungle.  Funny, and had Donnie Darko's girlfriend in it.
• Watched The Number 23 again.  Still not that great, but I enjoyed it.
• Have a great Jon Stewart thing to share with you later!

I can't think of anything else to share, really.

oooh, got a letter from Unemployment saying I got a raise!  Yes, my not working is paying off wonderfully, as the stimulus added $25.00 a week to my unemployment pay.  And I get it retroactively!  Love it.  Have to go to some seminar about unemployment too, its part of the deal, but I may be able to get my Yoga Teacher training paid for!  

i know there's more, but I'm done for the night.  Now that I have this laptop, well, the sky is the limit, so you should be hearing more from me!

gnite!

good lord, this is week 9!

Week 6! Bad Blogger..

Bad Blogger, no posting!!!!

sorry, i have no good excuse.  

i STILL haven't set up my laptop, and this machine is slow, but that's no excuse.  I don't know what to tell you.  

What I can tell you is that I've recovered from 9 days of Yoga teacher training.  Of course, I have a lot more to go, but at least we got Primary Series out of the way.  If you don't know what that is, look it up.  Its really crazy intense yoga, and it hurts!!!  But I had a good time!  That was Saturday the 21st through Sunday the 28th.  And I don't even remember what I did during the evenings, but I don't think it was much beyond watching the usual TV shows and chilling.  

Actually, the Friday was pretty damn funny.  Friday was the Practical exam.   We had to memorize Primary Series, which is about 90 minutes long.  We also had to memorize all the Sanskrit names of all the poses.  I'd say I memorized about 1/3 of it all, but oh well.

Friday, we all partnered up, and from 9 to 1030, one person taught, and the other person practiced.  The teacher had to cue all the poses, breath, and adjust the practicer too.  A surprising lot of work.  Then there was a break, and then we switched.  I went second.  It wasn't as bad as i thought, but I forgot a lot and just had my partner continue.  I knew the adjustments well.  

Anyways, we got out early, and I was thrilled to be done, and starving.  So, I headed to the old office where my parking pass was still working, parked the car, and headed down to Lucky's Lounge for lunch.  I had a big nasty Burger, which was great, and 2 beers.  Strong fancy beers.  I hadn't had breakfast either, so I was feeling a little tipsy.  Visited my friends at the office for a bit, and then got back to the car.  it was 3pm.  I had 2 hours till I picked up the BBB.  So, what did I end up doing?  Passing out in the car.  Yes, the unemployed was studying what it would be like to live in the car!  I slept for almost 2 hours in the drivers seat, reclined back, with the ipod playing.  It was LOVELY!   The girl at El Starbucko's called me a brat, cuz i needed caffeine, and I told her i just woke up from a nap!  I deserved it.

Anyways, this week has been pretty calm.  Been doing laundry and trying to clean, and rest up, and apply to a few jobs I found.  We'll see.  Watched the usual TV shows.  Heroes still disappoints, but  I still love it and watch it.  Lost was fantastic this week, I must say.  Love that show.  Had dinner at Myers and Chang on Tuesday with one of our Yoga teacher buddies.  That was nice.  Wednesday Burnt Fur practice was good.  Last night had dinner at Zon's in JP with my brother in law.  Monday it snowed a lot, yucky.  BBB stayed home.  Stayed home today too, cuz she had a doctor's appt.  Foot is getting better, but its slow going.  Ooh, we also cooked a Rutabaga puree with Salsa Verde, and Braised Celeraic Root with Chickpeas and Saffron.  Yummy.

THE WATCHMEN CAME OUT TODAY.  I WANTED TO GO SEE IT, BUT CANNOT DEAL WITH OPENING DAY MOVIE NERDS.  SOOOOOOOON!

So, I have a bunch of pics I should post, and better stuff to write, but tonight it just ain't happening.  

All I can share is this.  The Yoga studio is upstairs from JJ Foley's, an old Boston bar.  I walked around a lot on breaks to stretch and get food, and noticed, on 2 separate days, on exactly the same spot on the sidewalk next to the bar/in the alley, the following items:

that is all