out of the blue

Paff and I are currently engaged in a very stylish contest of endurance and skill. After a conversation about living arrangements, we came to the conclusion that his currently suffer massively when compared to those of various folks like Willard, Aaron and I. His response:

"In that case, I challenge you to a duel – whoever has the better living arrangements in 10 years wins" (of course, it was shortly thereafter changed to five years).

So, we haggled over details, and worked it out into a reasonable challenge. Let me present to you…

THE CONTRACT

I am happy. That is all.

Not a thing that happens when being artistic. So, I was working on a doodle for The Cat and the Fiddle, and I ended up with something completely different. It was way too colorful, too contrasting for that, so I just took it in another direction. So, Andrea, you'll have to wait a bit longer for your doodle. But in the meantime, you can take a look at what I will refer to as "Dawn", which title is so unoriginal that I won't even bother actually naming it that. So, as of yet, it's untitled. Perhaps Untitled Diverted Painting #45, or something. Most of my paintings are like that. I will often start out with no idea at all where I'm going, and after a bit of doodling something will begin to form. Then I'll follow that 'til the end.

Dawn, or Untitled Diverted Painting #45

I am happy. No, not happy. Elated.

Lots of things are going right today.

Charles Stross, the writer of Accelerando, rants about the detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay, the famous place where the United States decided to ignore all modern rules of engagement and torture prisoners in order to force them to divulge information. The most haunting words:

"kindly reflect: if you support the war on terror, then you're also supporting a policy that has brought concentration camps back to the western world." (link)

I don't know about the rest of you, but I have little faith in our current administration. When reports of torture came out, there should have been a HUGE reaction. We needed to show the world that we weren't like that. We don't torture people. Instead, the Pentagon decided to edit out parts of the Geneva convention from our policies like the part that forbade "humiliating and degrading treatment" of detainees, justified by the fact that "it would restrict the United States' ability to question detainees." We can't show the world that we aren't inhuman, because that's precisely what we are. The government decided that it is worth trampling our morality in the mud to gain ground in a misguided war.

Remind me again why Bush is thought of as a Christian leader?

[ Info from Pointing the finger and Torture: It's the New Black ]

Okay, I only got nine requests, so I may end up drawing an additional picture at the very end for some lucky random person. That's all the requests, thanks to a latecomer entry by Laila. Here they are:

DRAWING REQUESTS

• Andrea Crow – doodle of "The Cat and the Fiddle"
• Jenny Sullins – a pretty sunflower, or a swallow midflight, with the right colors
• Cami Wendlandt – a lighthouse shining over the ocean at night
• Sarah Redd – a flying purple llama
• Ann Foreyt – draw anything, but at the park
• Soren Laulainen – something Fugue-related, or Rock Lake
• Paul Moore – a forest-dwelling ascetic being given an ice cream cone
• Aya – a picture of a very fat cat looking arrogant
• Lila – something cute
• Laila – a Rusty

These will be drawn over the course of a good deal of time, probably, depending on how much extra time I have and how much I feel like drawing them. I'll post them as they're finished. Remember, no particular order, necessarily. Depends on my level of inspiration for each subject.

(I have to say, though, that I was suprised by Lila's desire of "something cute". You'd think she'd want to break that impression people have of her!)

[edited to add Laila's request at 10:40pm, 11 June 2006]

I had a wonderful day yesterday. Sarah is leaving tonight for her shrimp-studying adventure in Puerto Rico, and I wanted to get together before she flew out. Luckily for me, both of our families were going downtown for the Rose Parade, so I met up with her there. After watching all the marching bands and crazy floats go past, we decided to go to the Saturday Market for some food. Then, when our gyro was gone, we wandered around the riverfront until we got bored and went back into the city. I think the highlight of the day was sitting in a tree for about an hour and a half singing loudly at passers-by. I don't think I've been in a tree for so long before. After that was over, we went to a pasta restaurant for dinner, and they sang me an Italian happy birthday in an operatic style. Then I was given a gigantic chocolate birthday cake with a candle to blow out. I left satisfied and very full, whereupon we boarded the Max to go home. A most excellent day.

Time to start my third decade of existence outside the womb. I'm ready for it.

Spiffy meme: If you read this, post a comment with a memory of you and me. It can be good, it can be bad. We'll see what turns up.

Just because I know I have tons of friends who want to spend lots of money on me for my birthday, I'm going to link you to this nice birthday wish list that I updated today. Remember, when you give someone a birthday present, you are paid back in heaps of joy! This always needs to be rememberd, but especially on June 8th. And that's your tiny bit of wisdom for today.