"The artist has one function--to affirm and glorify life."
-W. Edward Brown
Massively disagree. I do not think most artists glorify life... and they only affirm it by being alive. I am a designer so I have a skewed view of art. Art needs function in my world. Taking pictures of road-kill is not art... taking pictures of boats is art. Boats you can hang on a wall just about anywhere and it serves its function as art... and can further serve a function as artwork or a design element.
Abstract art is a difficult thing to define as art... simply because it is sometimes more abstract than it is art. In an art piece, I think the focus should remain in favor of art... and not in favor of abstractness and oddity. It takes little creativity to be off-the-wall; it takes an odd bit of personal freedom, if anything at all.
Why the rant about art? I am struggling to improve my skills... and thus struggling to define my line between art and pure trash.
April 30, 2002
I love Threadless. I have a few designs that I have done in the past that I am going to try to submit. Some of their shirts are so cool. It would be an honor to be selected as a designer.
Redhat installation was a failure. Stayed up late for no purpose. Grub disk error. Looks like I will be doing another install... or go back to Windows 2000. I wish computers could just work right.
April 29, 2002
Server problems are near being solved. Formatting my other box to be the secondary DNS server. And maybe I will be able to host domain names soon.
Installed XP at work today. It went fairly painless. We got a new hard drive that did not want to work... so once I put the old one back in it was fine. I think the drive has issues because it was originally formatted to go in a Mac OS X Server.
In my spare time (I have none), I have been reading a lot about PHP... and playing with it a little. I would really like a program for my Palm that would allow my to program in PHP... that would save me a lot of time.
I did get a Doodle program on my Palm. I have been doing a few web sketches for Sol's new site with it. Her site just might end up being completed developed on a portable devices. That would be cool.
Wedding plans are moving slowly forward. We have a few major decisions to make in the next few days that will allow me to post a few updates about the event... like when and where. Heh heh.
My mind has been quite scattered about for the past few weeks. Focusing on anything has been a real challenge. With so much to do, it has been a real handicap. I often find myself sitting down to do something... and not remembering what. This has been slowing the rate at which I do things... and thus causing me too stay up later and later... burn out is just around the corner at this rate. I need to take some time out and trim my list of stuff to do.
My morning plans are not going all that well. I was building DNS server number two... and all was working out fine last night. This morning however... no power. I looked through all my parts... not enough to build another computer. I am not quite sure what to do.
I hate computers.
April 28, 2002
Recently redesigned Antislacker (now PHP powered). There is just something about that photograph that seems to fit the mood.
I have changed the design of Ong's site back to a previous design... however, it is now powered by PHP.
I even updated my site to be PHP powered. Why the big move to PHP enable content? Bandwidth. Blogger works a lot smoother and a lot faster now. It no longer has to update and entire template. It simply has to update the content of the blog. I highly suggest the change over.
Went and saw Just Dave last night. Had a great time... I just wish that I had slept a little more the night before so I could have stayed later.
April 27, 2002
GTM is now PHP enabled. I am overjoyed. I will be changing most my sites over to this type of PHP-based content management.
April 26, 2002
Photoshop 7.0 rocks. End of statement.
April 25, 2002
Long night. Good morning. With a lot of help and a lot of misunderstanding on my part, I have webserver number two back up. Currently there is not much on it. As soon as, I can get a secondary DNS server working I can start hosting domain names... until then... if you would like free webspace and don't mind having an IP number as a URL, just send me an e-mail with your desired username and password. Between both servers, I have about 13 gigs of webspace.
Apache 2.0 has been released. Might be trying an upgrade sometime soon.
Wedding plans will hopefully be taking a large leap forward soon. We are down to two places to have the wedding. All we have to do is choose.
Last night at dinner, I started sketching a new design for Solbeam 2.0. I came up with and idea that I am not too sure the world is ready for. If I can work out a few of the programming bugs... it should be hitting the web in a few weeks.
DZ's site has been up for less than a week and already has more hits than all the other sites that I administer combined... of course 15% of the hits, are DZ and I... heh heh. Printed a sample of DZ's business cards yesterday, they are going to rock. They should be printed by the end of the week.
Ong was able to make her first post after fixing a few bugs.
Special thanks to Manda for helping me learn and test my new server.
April 24, 2002
Just finished designing DZ's business cards for his trip. I just a test print to do. They look good. I tried a design style like this on Ong's business cards. It is set up such that after the cards are cut. There will be four different cards with the same information.
I cannot believe that it is only Wednesday. I am so ready for Friday. I just don't feel like working anymore this week.
April 23, 2002
I have a busy week ahead of me. Ong and I are closer to having an official wedding date and location. It is very difficult to find a place in Orange County. Too many people.
Ong's website is finally back... just at a new URL.
April 22, 2002
It is Monday once again. The beginning of a horrid week of work.
Work has truly become a depressing thing. It puts me in a bad mood from the moment that I wake up. The lack of organization and the mass of purposeless stress is more than I can handle most days. I would like it if I could just go in and do my work and go home... and not have to put up with political office crap.
The stress begins.
April 21, 2002
Went to a Dodgers' game today. It was the first time that I have ever been to the Dodgers' Stadium. It was simply amazing. The place is huge... and there were so many people. Beautiful day and a fun experience.
April 20, 2002
I love Southern California. It is the greatest place on earth.
April 19, 2002
Huge thanks to Sol. I smoked my first and most likely last genuine Cubian cigar last night. It was definately one of the best cigars that I have ever had. The greatest flavor. Thank you.
April 18, 2002
Just launched the GTM Store. Limited edition goodies... all items in the store will be changed once the trip has begun. The only thing that the store is missing... is a wine glass.
I cannot believe that it is Thursday already. Where has the week gone? Looks like it will be a design and wedding filled weekend. I am not sure how it is that during the weekend, so much more can be accomplished than during the week... even when you do not get out of bed until noon.
At work: I am designing a logo for an Ambassadors' Event. Designed two good logos and a moderate one... to find out that I had the wrong information. Trust me that is not a good thing. I am also working on the 2003 calendar for Saleen. I am just starting to work on my fifth concept for the calendar. They were loving my first concept, but have changed their minds about it... so back to the drawing board. I am fairly sure that they will change their minds again... and go with the first concept.
Projects: The never ending struggle to get my webserver running is still at the top of my list. I will be constructing a Merc & Ong Wedding Website soon. Solbeam.com is in the wings for a redesign. And the list goes on...
Time to get ready for work.
April 17, 2002
It is finally official, DZ is moving into his new internet home at Global Trance Missions. He has retired the Rant; and he will be leaving the country in search of greater life experience and a broader spectrum of thought. DZ and I have been planning the content, design and launch of this site for about six months. It has all come to finish... and soon a very bright beginning... and I am proud. I am proud of my design; but more so, I am proud to help anyone reach out for their dreams and vision.
I wish you the best of luck.
April 16, 2002
Added the time back onto my posts. Just bugged me when I was making a second or third post for the day. Looks a little more clear now.
Are you going to live your life wondering
Standing in the back, looking around?
Are you going to waste your time thinking
How you've grown up
How you missed out?
Things are never going to be the way you want
Where's it going to get you acting serious?
Thing are never going to be quite what you want
Even at twenty-five you got to start sometime
-Jimmy Eat World
April 15, 2002
The headache never really went away today... I think I tweaked something in my neck. I hope that I feel better in the morning.
It is once again Monday morning. This is always the day that I take note of my accomplishments... I measure from Monday to Monday. However, this morning... I laid on my back and listened to the entire Jimmy Eat World CD and just dazed. I woke up with a headache... and I must say that I feel a lot better now.
Aside from the wedding, I am pretty swamped with work and projects. I have to start putting together my lesson plan for Billabong. I am designing a few major sites - including one for my own wedding. I am just trying to keep focused and on task.
Yesterday, I took Ong's roommates graduation photographs. Had a really fun time. I love taking photographs... I don't do it nearly enough.
Overall, I am feeling pretty good and I hope it continues throughout the day.
April 14, 2002
Last day of the weekend... and what a crazy weekend it has been. Planning a wedding is not easy... in fact, it is nearly painful at times.
April 13, 2002
Ong's padres are in town. Lots of wedding stuff is the plan for the weekend.
I have so much that I would like to get done this weekend... it appears that time is already slipping away from me. I set my alarm to 7am, but I did not make it out of bed. I need to start moving this morning.
Expect a few designs this weekend.
April 12, 2002
Busy night and a busy morning. I have been up since six working on things... and I am just plain tired.
April 11, 2002
Yawn... six am again. I must confess, I am not sure what I am going to do this morning. The lighting is so cool outside... I may opt to skip the shower and take the camera for a tour.
I have so much photography (that I have taken). The thing that cracks me about that is that no one seems to know that I am a photographer. I need to put together an online portfolio.
I have been waking up to Jimmy Eat World for a few weeks. It gets me out of bed... and keeps my hand off the snooze. It is not often that I find a CD that does that. I am usually hitting snooze before the CD even gets a chance to spin.
As with most days... I feel the need to create.
April 10, 2002
The goal this morning is simple, be on time for work. It is 7:30, and I have not even gotten in the shower. The machine is blinking with messages from last night. I don't think I am going to be on time.
I have been meaning to do laundry for the past three days, which means I am creatively choosing outfits. Not winning any fashion awards.
I tired. I am cranky and my head hurts.
I need a weekend... and I need some caffeine.
The week just started out bad with the time change. I need a little recovery time that I have, but am not taking. I have done nothing, but abuse myself this week - eating very little, skipping meals, not drinking enough water, drinking too much coffee and Red Bull, getting to bed late, and getting up early. With all this... for some reason, I cannot figure out why it is that I feel like crap.
I need to pull it together and stay on top of everything. Water intake shall resume its proper place today... still going to need the java flow. Tonight will mainly consist of dubbing tapes, so I will use that time wisely... and go to bed shortly after. I am still going to get up early... I just find that gets more done. And laundry is a must... or I might have to pull out my 80s clothes... and no one wants to see that.
So in review: Water, dub tapes, laundry, sleep. That is the plan... oh, and eat (at least twice).
It is weeks like this that I read my blog just to remember that I did get out of bed.
PS: If you wanted something from the Merc Store, get it now. I new design is coming soon... and the old design will not be returning.
April 09, 2002
Wow. I could not be more tired. Just got out of the shower... and I am not feeling so hot. This is going to be a very long week. I probably should crash way early one night this week, but I do not see that happening.
Between my normal list of things to do, getting ready for school, and the wedding list of stuff to do. I am busier than ever... or at least my list is longer than ever.
Sometime soon I need a build a wedding site. Eek.
April 08, 2002
Long day sponsored by Red Bull.
April 07, 2002
Good-bye weekend... and ickers to the time change.
Just warming up for a bigger design project.
April 06, 2002
Yesterday. It was quite possibly the most humbling day I have had day in a very long time.
Designing is my life... I do it all day... I do it when I get home... I do it in my sleep. I am honestly better than the average designer, and I know it.
Friday morning, I sat down with a professional in my industry. We went through my portfolio - page by page. This started out very well. My first piece is obviously my best, an invitation designed for NBC... not a problem with that. After that, my portfolio was heavily criticized.
I had a lot wrong with my portfolio, but the fun did not stop there. We turned to my resume... issues there as well. Nothing major... it was just enough to show that I was sitting with a professional... and that I was not a professional.
I was humbled, but not horrified. It actually felt good... it felt good to be held to a higher standard than what I have been doing. It felt good to be learning again.
It has been to long since I have been in the company of someone that knew more than I did, and they were willing to show me what I did not know.
I started into this career under a fantastic teacher. I learned so much everyday... and I loved it. Then I went to college... and taught the teacher... I enjoyed that. Then I worked in the industry... learned a little here and a little there, but exceeded expectations nearly all the time... and that felt pretty good. I sat and watched my work that I have done over the years get criticized... and I missed loving the learning.
I left Friday morning with a smile. I left knowing where I honestly was in my career... and it just felt good to know.
I am going back to school soon... and I want so badly to learn. I want to get better.
April 05, 2002
I am so very glad that it is Friday.
April 04, 2002
Flying solo at work today... and I kicked butt. I completed a schedule of work the was designed for two people.
April 03, 2002
Been up since six, just trying to get things in order and catch-up on projects that are falling behind. It is busy and stressful... but I am feeling happy. So am I really stressed-out if I am smiling?
April 02, 2002
Merc and Ong will be getting married on August 17th, 2002.
I just proposed on Sunday... so we do not know much about the wedding plans yet. We will be getting married somewhere in Orange County. If you can help me update my address book that would be of the most help... you can e-mail me by clicking on "Merc".
Thank you... and I will post details as they come.