i start school in 8 hours and i can't sleep...figures...

I'm not sure how often I'll be posting while school's on, but I will try to stay on top of the blog and share more of my projects and stuff.

In the meantime, here are some super cute photos of my nephew, Kirk, who we visited in Kingston this past weekend.









Oh and here's two of the cat and dog together after spending the night apart. Usually they are fighting:





And here's a creepy croissant Kirk bought for me:



Oh! And some Christmas presents. My new mini mouse for the iBook and a GINORMOUS pepper grinder (IT WORKS!) from my brother.

twiggy the waterskiing squirrel

every time i do stuff, i plan to write about it here, or post pictures and then i end up doing something else, or not having my camera or whatever.

i wish i could be more committed to it.

here's some photos of my current painting in progress.

sigh.

Happy 2007!

Ok, so I've stayed away from my computer as much as possible over the last few days. I was starting to get that weird carpal tunnel feeling, which could also be from the repetitious nature of shovelling food and chocolate and booze into my gullet over the last 2 weeks, but who can say for sure really. I think that's the only resolution I plan to make this year, to take better care of my physical self. I'm going to be 33 in a couple of months, and have definitely felt the lack of physical activity and overeating. Any resolutions of your own?

I did finish a painting finally (see above). Though, I'm not totally satisfied with it, I have decided to leave it for now. What do you think?

I also totally forgot to take photos of our little New Year's Eve soiree. The Melissas came over and we ate a roast chicken dinner that I cooked, plus the salad the Missys brought, and THE MOST DELICIOUS PUMPKIN DESSERT I HAVE EVER TASTED that Kirk made. We also drank 2 bottles of wine, 2 bottles of champagne, a lot of coffee and amaretto. We also played a game of Texas Hold'em with a $20 pot. I totall lost my $5.

How was your New Year's Eve?

In case any of you are interested, here are the recipes for what we cooked:

ROAST CHICKEN WITH CITRUS AND MARJORAM
======================================
adapted from a recipe in The Conran Cookbook

1 chicken, preferably free-range
2oz butter
1 small onion
2 oranges
1 lemon
1/2 cup of Jack Daniel's
1 tbsp of black pepper corns
4-5 sprigs of dried marjoram or 1tbsp crushed marjoram
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375F.
Rinse the bird, then loosen the skin from the meat.
Slice 1 orange and 1 lemon, about 1/4" thick and slide them and half of the marjoram under the skin.
Quarter the last orange and the onion.
Stuff the bird with the remaining orange, onion and remaining marjoram, and pepper corns.
Put the bird in a roasting pan and spread the butter all over the breast and legs.
Pour the Jack Daniel's into the roasting pan, then roast it. It's about 1hr for a 3lb bird. Since ours was 6 lbs, it took just over 2 hrs.
Baste the bird often with the pan juices.

Use the leftover crusty bits and citrussy-jackdanielsy-pan juices to make the most delicious gravy ever.
Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup white wine and bring to a boil.
Add about a cup of water and simmer for about 5 minutes to evaporate the alcohol. Dissolve a tablespoon of flour into a bit of cold water and pour into the bubbling sauce.
Then whisk until it thickens to the desired consistency.


LENTILS AND LEEKS
=================
from The Winter Vegetarian

2lbs leeks, rinsed and sliced 1/2" thick, including some of the green part
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2" thick
1/4 cup olive oil
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup green lentils
1 tsp sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
Fresh ground black pepper

In a large saucepan toss the leek and carrot slices with olive oil.
Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned, then stir in the remaining ingredients.
Cover the pan and simmer the mixture for 1 hour, until the lentils are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
To keep the leek slices intact, do not stir.
Serve hot.

PUMPKIN POUND CAKE
==================
adapted from the Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church Family Favourites (don't bother looking for this, I got it from Kirk's mom)

1 cup cooking oil
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups flour
20oz tin of pumpkin (we used a 28oz tin and put in a little extra flour)
2 cups pecans

Preheat the oven to 325F.
Mix all the ingredients together and bake for 1 hour.

This is what it is like talking to my father.

pip squeak says: (11:18:21 AM)
haha!

pip squeak says: (11:18:22 AM)
hi

Dominic :) says: (11:19:28 AM)
poop says hi

pip squeak says: (11:19:33 AM)
poop?

pip squeak says: (11:19:41 AM)
who is poop?




pip squeak says: (11:19:44 AM)
i am pip

pip squeak says: (11:19:56 AM)
pip squeak

Dominic :) says: (11:19:59 AM)
yes popo

pip squeak says: (11:20:04 AM)
??



Dominic :) says: (11:20:33 AM)
poop pop papa

pip squeak says: (11:20:44 AM)
aaaaaaah poopoo aka papa?

Dominic :) says: (11:20:58 AM)
yes

pip squeak says: (11:21:01 AM)
you are weird



Dominic :) says: (11:21:49 AM)
ok so what?

pip squeak says: (11:21:50 AM)
i think i may blog this conversation

pip squeak says: (11:22:01 AM)
it is the weirdest one i've ever had on chat

Dominic :) says: (11:22:24 AM)
what is blog?

pip squeak says: (11:22:28 AM)
oh god




pip squeak says: (11:22:45 AM)
i'm just going to have to go ahead and tell you that you're

pip squeak says: (11:22:53 AM)
too old to understand ;)

pip squeak says: (11:22:56 AM)
haha

pip squeak says: (11:23:02 AM)
it's an online journal.

Dominic :) says: (11:23:41 AM)
please stop harrasing me

pip squeak says: (11:23:54 AM)
ok. i love you. i'm going for a massage now

pip squeak says: (11:23:57 AM)
bye!

Dominic :) says: (11:24:21 AM)
bye

overheard while doing christma eve lesbian potluck dishes...

"i'm thinking about convincing kirk to let me take the summer off working full time, so i can take some courses to get a head start next year"



"really, shmoopee? does he know that?"



"no, we haven't really talked about it yet, why?"



"cause he's sitting right next to me here. in the same room as you."

santa is my bitch

Venture brothers is the best cartoon ever. not everyone gets it, but the more absurd, the better, I say.


Last night we went out for dinner with my parents and my in laws. The food was fantastic. so was the booze. We walked Kirk's parents to their hotel, and then walked home from there.


We were all giddy from actually having a decent time with our parents, and totally started making out as soon as we walked through the door. At some point I felt a little gassy and thought I'd let a little go. Well. It ended up being the most hilariously foul silent but deadly fart ever beefed. A real clinger.


I was horribly embarrassed, but couldn't stop laughing about it. Definitely a mood killer.


Lucky for me, he eventually got over it.


Tonight, Angela joined us for lesbian Christmas Eve potluck with the Melissas (yes, my best friend Melissa dates someone with the same name). They are the raddest bitches. I planned on taking pictures but got ripped pretty much right away and totally forgot.


I drank red wine, limoncello and eggnog spiked with Cuban white rum. I ate a lot too. Eggplant parmigiana, venison meatballs and red cabbage salad with honey mustard dressing. Then I ate a shitload of chocolate and pot butter cookies and we walked Angela to the subway.


Tomorrow will be another whole day of eating with my family. It's a non-stop Italian gorgefest from about 2pm until 6pm. We're going over to my parents a little early, so I can have a run on their treadmill before I get started. I've been slacking off in that department since school ended and I am starting to feel it. Sore neck and lower back, oh and I've started grinding my teeth at night again. Time to wrap that shit up, yo.

'tis the season

My bitch

Venture brothers is the best cartoon ever. not everyone gets it, but the more absurd, the better, I say.

Last night we went out for dinner with my parents and my in laws. The food was fantastic. so was the booze. We walked Kirk's parents to their hotel, and then walked home from there.

We were all giddy from actually having a decent time with our parents, and totally started making out as soon as we walked through the door. At some point I felt a little gassy and thought I'd let a little go. Well. It ended up being the most hilariously foul silent but deadly fart ever beefed. A real clinger.

I was horribly embarrassed, but couldn't stop laughing about it. Definitely a mood killer.

Lucky for me, he eventually got over it.

Tonight, Angela joined us for lesbian Christmas Eve potluck with the Melissas (yes, my best friend Melissa dates someone with the same name). They are the raddest bitches. I planned on taking pictures but got ripped pretty much right away and totally forgot. I drank red wine, limoncello and eggnog spiked with Cuban white rum. I ate a lot too. Eggplant parmigiana, venison meatballs and red cabbage salad with honey mustard dressing. Then I ate a shitload of chocolate and pot butter cookies and we walked Angela to the subway.

Tomorrow will be another whole day of eating with my family. It's a non-stop Italian gorgefest from about 2pm until 6pm. We're going over to my parents a little early, so I can have a run on their treadmill before I get started. I've been slacking off in that department since school ended and I am starting to feel it. Sore neck and lower back, oh and I've started grinding my teeth at night again. Time to wrap that shit up, yo.

happy ho ho

I finally finished my christmas shopping today. We tried so hard to do the Buy Nothing Christmas but it is SO HARD not to get something for the people in my life that I love. So Kirk and I decided to limit it to our immediate families. I did make something for a few of our friends, which I'll tell you about later, so I don't spoil any surprises. We decided against mailing out cards this year, and instead have started calling people and trying to hang out instead. Sometimes that's better than getting something you can't use, or being stuck in the malls for more than 30 seconds. I fucking hate malls and this time of year I double hate them. People are rude and blind and stupid.

This year is way better than past years though. The in-laws are coming to Toronto tomorrow, so we'll be spending the day with them. Just ONE DAY. They will be heading out on Sunday morning to Kingston to visit Kirk's sister, her husband, and their super-ultra cute baby son, Kirk. Then we're spending Christmas day with my family and that's it! WOOHOO!

OK. I gotta go finish cleaning house, wrapping presents and decorate our tree. If I don't post again before Monday, peace and love to all, whether you celebrate or not.

now with blogrolling goodness!

I've now added a blogroll. Just scroll down to the bottom to see it. If you want your blog listed, just tell me so in a comment, and I'll add you.

'who's retarded now, hunh?! who's retarded now?'

My next favouritest line from Talladega Nights: "When I wake up in the morning, I piss excellence."

I, on the otherhand do not. I am retarded.........ly hungover from a great party last night. And I think I may have to go back to bed. Right now.

tgif motherfuckers!

I don't really have much to post about, except for the fact that I'm bleeding like a stuck pig, have cramps from hell, took some advil and am now drinking red wine. So's I'm flying like a reckless, bloody, uterus-shaped kite ya'll!

Also, I came in 5th place in poker last night. Awwww yeah. I gamble too, bitches!

Sorry, I sometimes I get a little mouthy. I'm definitely going to hell.

Call For Submissions - Help Create The Shapetionary!

What is the Shapetionary? It is a visual index of objects.

It started from looking at the dictionary and wondering why some words are illustrated and others aren’t, then thinking it would be interesting to illustrate the whole dictionary, or all the object nouns...then organize them by shape.

So Margaret Flood extracted all, or most (aprox 9500), of the object nouns, and is now setting out to get them illustrated by as many different people as possible.

She is interested in our subjective and collective understandings of objects. So far over 400 people are participating, and she estimates that between 1200-1500 drawers are needed.

If you are interested in illustrating some words, email Margaret Flood at velvetbicycle@hotmail.com and she will send you a list of 6-8 words, along with complete instructions. All contributors will be acknowledged in the final project.

I'm doin' it and if you like to doodle or draw, so should you!

Anyways, a big shout out to Instant Coffee for turning me on to this project!

Dudley the Fearless

Dudley the Fearless, originally uploaded by micgormit.

micgormit is one of my favourite toronto-based flickr photographers, and dudley is the cutest puppy ever!


oh, i mean, besides oscar of course...

vote for raymi!

I visit Raymi's website pretty much every time I'm online and I have more than 5 minutes to catch up on what the hell is going on. I kinda can't help it. The same thing happens when a television and I are in the same room and America's Next Top Model is on. She is arrogantly opinionated but in the funniest, hottest and sweetest way. If you haven't heard already, she is up for a 2006 Weblog Award in the Best Diarist category. Even though only 5 people read this blog, every vote counts.

Vote now.

Vote often.

I'm looking for a good free Mac RSS reader...

any suggestions?

fancy new colours!

Last night I wrote my final art history exam and am finally off school for winter break. Kirk and I are now drinking some decent shiraz from Argentina and we're watching the Pirates of the Caribbean that just came out on DVD. We're halfway through and it's about what I expected. It's some dreamy dirty pirate fun! So much fun that I'm posting this while it's still on. Last night we watched Superman Returns. It too was adequitely entertaining.

this is my latest sculpture homework. no really.

props to Kim Adams for inspiring me to hack a bunch of war toys and hand it in as homework. And I got an A on that last project!

i'm in last-3-weeks-of-first-semester hell. this story made me laugh so hard i peed a little.

I Was Placed On This Earth To Put Off Doing Something Extraordinary

Ever since I was born three weeks overdue, it was clear that there was something different about me. However, it wasn't until I postponed going...

shitty, shit, shit.

I feel like a big ole bag of poop today. I should be doing homework, but instead I'm lying on the couch, reading blogs and surfing the 5 tv channels we get. I have a presentation and essay due tomorrow night, but can't concentrate. Seriously, I just had to check the spelling of 'concentrate'. Even though it's right, it just looks weird to me.

It's probably just the Nyquil.

you are what you eat

This is my third assignment for my Form and Structure course, and it's due tonight. The assignment was called 'The Body'. The guidelines were:

1. The structure of your work can either be a fragment of the body OR a relationship/association created between 2 or more body parts.
2. Your completed broject will focus on, and be expressive of, a theme/idea/meaning
3. Your sculpture can be abstract/representational/self-contained/assemblage/installation/personal/political
4. Materials suggested: mould-making medium, plaster, plaster bandage, air-drying clay, sculpy, wax, wood, fabric, organic materials, etc.

SO, the idea I wanted to explore (as this post title suggests) was 'you are what you eat' in relation to how little we think about all the invisible stuff (fertilizers, pesticides, hormones) we put into our bodies when we consume seemingly innocuous foods, like fruits and vegetables. This is exemplified in the fingers that are bitten off along with the apple, as if the "biter" didn't notice. This also touches on the theme of the psychological impact of the mindless consumerism western culture, which is on my mind a lot lately with Christmas coming up, and me not having much money to spend. In fact, Kirk and I are considering making it a Buy Nothing Christmas.

Anyway, I really wish I had taken pictures of the whole process for ya'll. Instead I'll just tell you how I did it. I used alginate to make a 'negative' mold of my friend Melissa's hand, holding an apple, sans bite. Then I made a 2-part plaster bandage shell to hold it all together while it set. The shell also allows for you to pour your material to make your 'positive'. We then melted down some oil-based clay and poured it into the alginate/plaster bandage mould and poured it in. Once it was set, we pulled off the mould and had a great clay positive of my sculpture.

Then Melissa took a few bites out of the clay (yuk) and I used some hand tools to clean it all up. Then we repeated the alginate/plaster bandage process to make a new negative to pour the hydrocal (white gyspum cement) into. When the hydrocal started to set, we inserted a 3/4" wood dowel into the base, for mounting, and let it dry overnight. During the curing process, the dowel expanded with the moisture and heat and unfortunately cracked the base below the wrist. So I had to mix up some more hydrocal and work it into the cracks. Next time I'll remember to use a metal rod.

Once it was all dry, I sanded it and used spray primer to get it as white as I could. Kirk helped me make a plywood base (phew!) and I primed that as well. Last night I put it all together and this morning I epoxied in a real apple stem that I also had primed, and VOILA! Done, aaaaand done.

Ok. I'm off to school to present it to my class, where I will endure all manner of critique. Wish me luck!

worst wallpaper ever.

This is me (and my dad's hand) in 1975. I'm guessing on the year, but this shot was taken before we moved into our first house when I was just over a year old, so it's a pretty good guess.

yes. this IS me.

my festering nipple is festering no more!

No, I don't have a fresh photo of the scar, but it is fully healed. Trust me. Not that you should trust anything a blogger-who-never-blogs says.

I had this whole plan to post about my whole going back to school experience. But it appears that the black hole of first-year homework has totally shot that plan to shreads.

So, basically, I'm a total basket case. This semester I'm taking 4 courses:

Introduction to Visual Culture: History and Ideas (art history)
Drawing
Time-Based Media (video, performance art, electronics and web stuff)
Form and Structure (sculpture)

My instructors are all accomplished, knowledgable artists and scholars in their own right and aren't uptight or stuffy. They just seem excited to see how we interpret the assignments. I've received some marks back already, so I'm feeling good about the work I'm doing. Mostly. It's definitely weird working among recent high school graduates. Most of them think I'm only about 3 or 4 years older than they are and freak out when I tell them I'm married.

I've also started working in the school's Writing and Learning Centre as their Friday reception. The pay is not the greatest, but it's on campus, and its enough to cover all my incidental school expenses, so its worth it.

Anyway, here's a photo of my most recently completed painting. Yes, I'm still painting whenever I can steal a few free hours from homework time. This is from a photo of Oscar when he was about 10 weeks old.



Also, yesterday was my first wedding anniversary! Since we're a little short in the moolah department, we just stayed home, ate veggie chili, drank some shiraz and watched Slither. Which was fantastically gross! And can I just say that DAMN, that Nathan Filion is one dreamy smartass. Ahem. We decided instead of buying each other a gift, we'd save up for a few weeks and get a 250 gig hard drive installed into the portable hard drive case we've got kicking around. That way we can store our media in one central location WOOHOO! Anniversary-tastic!