Weeks five and six

So I guess I missed a week. This terrible betrayal on my part probably went largely unnoticed by most of you, but I did have several complaints. Several complaints, but only one complainer. So Dan, this Blog’s for you. Thanks for reading. And already I don’t know what move to make.

A large part of the reason for this blog’s lateness is due to the fact that last weekend I was anticipating results from my job interviews, and I wanted to fill everyone in on my good news simultaneously. Unfortunately, it seemed to be taking forever for them to get back to me, and so I kept delaying. Then, even more unfortunately, I got sick. And not just a few sniffles, but the whole delirious fever thing. So sick that I couldn’t even go to my own show opening on Thursday night. So I’m still pounding back the Neo-Citron even as I sit here trying to compose my thoughts amidst the swirl of psuedophedrines.

Ok, so lessee: On the job front: it looks like tomorrow I start my new job. I’m going to be a grantwriter for Momenta, an established not-for-profit gallery here in Williamsburg, though they’re contemplating a move to the city in the summer. You can check them out at

http://www.momentaart.org

They’re into mostly into politically active work, so it seems, and seem to be a fairly laid back organization. I think just got the job by the skin of my teeth, but hopefully I’ll be able to contribute as much as I learn.

I also managed to get a contract with a small dance company to do some grantwriting for them. My visit there on Saturday was fantastic, all these absolutely ADORABLE little black girls just barely able to contain their energy. Squirming around and bouncing – this is the future of the auto industry: not hydrogen, but little tiny dancer girls. So now I’m hooked and will totally do anything for those kids, which is probably why Kashani brought me there. I hope I do a good job for him.

So I’m now officially a grantwriter. The trouble is, even combined these jobs don’t give me a hell of a lot of hours. But I think they might cover rent, and give me some time to wander around aimlessly and plot my future. Which is very uncertain. Many of you have heard my ongoing art v politics debate, but that is a debate which is intensifying and decisions are going to have to be made pretty soon here. But now is neither the time nor the place for all that. Though that time and place are going to have to get here pretty soon.

So other than pacing around waiting for the phone to ring, I have become addicted to Strong Bad emails, and to the tv show Alias. Which I’m beginning to see is regrettable. I especially apologize to Holly, who I suspect is either the biggest Alias hater, or possibly a secret Alias lover. I was in need of vegetation, and my roommate own every season, every show. I’m on season three. My only excuse: temperature of 100.3.

What else have I been up to? Well, painting a fair bit last week, actually. I made three quite time-consuming studies of the CYMK process in various ways, none particularly successful, but they gave me the technology to compose the fourth, which is what went in the Square foot show. However, I had forgotten that the process I’m using requires at least six hours of drying between coats, and the final resin needs even more. So, professional that I am, three o clock on the day the thing is due finds me cranking up the oven, pulling out fans and hairdryers, and clamping light bulbs to furniture, all in an attempt to get the damn thing dry in time. Which it wasn’t. So I took it in and tried to hand it to the gallery owner and found the sides literally glued to my hands. She was impressed with my dedication, needless to say.

But alls well that ends well, and the work is on the wall and is, if I don’t say so myself, very shiny. As mentioned, I wasn’t even able to go to the opening, and today’s attempt to go to the “brunch reception” was a bit of a fiasco as the stupid L wasn’t running again and it all seemed to be over by the time I got there. The show looks really good though. A whole bunch of good work and a fair bunch of crummy work and one or two real gems. There is even one painting I think I must buy. Broke, starving artist that I am. But I think it is pretty hot. I think I should get it. And it isn’t that much money in the scheme of things.

This way madness lies. So, the report on the cliffhangers of last week: Got the jobs, got into the little art show thing. This week promises to be more exciting still, as I have the indomitable Christine Parsons in town for a visit. She has already taken me out to the Brooklyn Academy of Music and introduced me to her high-flying NGO world-altering friends (one of whom is opening the new office of human rights watch in Beirut), and gone for a NYC marathon qualifying race in central park. It sucks to be sick when a friend is in town, especially as I haven’t had too many friends here, but at the same time it saves me the embarrassment of not being able to keep up! I’m going to try to get her to come to some of my more low-key activities (checking email, watching internet cartoons) like tomorrow night’s poker game. Most of you will be very pleased to hear that I have already, and seemingly without much effort, established a fairly happening game. Many of the players are suck – er, I mean new players, so I have fun giving them my advice, and that way don’t feel bad when I take their greenbacks. Ah, the sound of a freshly folded greenback patted onto the soft felt of a well-used table. Nothing like it.

Ok, wish me luck in my first day on the job tomorrow! And this one-way communication just isn’t working at all! This week public kudos go to Dan and Sarah for their near constant flood of emails (and devious opening chess maneuvers), but shame and retribution to all of you who are leaving me utterly in the dark concerning your joy-filled existences.