pastdays5
Day 293
July 26th
So I left up the last post for a while longer than usual ya know I just wanted to say: "hey check out my show" to anyone asking "what's goin on with you?"
As for the last on my agenda I am happy to mention that I will return to Boston on September 9th. I will buy my e-ticket on Monday (tomorrow) once the banks are open and I can reestablish my account at Bank of America, necessary for online purchases. Technically removed from my restraints once this purchase is done I will spend the rest of my time here in Texas among new friends, fulfilling obligations and maybe making a little cash to return with.
Once back my main focus will at least initially be catching up with old friends and the matter of an expensive Persian Rug (long story). As for the long term I am not sure what is in store. Perhaps back to higher learning or some other challenge.
Because I've heard so often I'd chosen the correct town to put my beliefs to the test, I seriously considered doing something like it somewhere more daunting than Austin ie. Sierra Leone. This notion continues to unsettle the loved ones I speak about it to. I am sorry to the worriers, and call me nieve but I think there are featureables within the structure that would be respected universally. Anyway I find the mentality of avoiding death as a life course evolutionarily immature.
I think I'll save the bulk philosophical wrap-up for the coming days as there are visions past and future I'd like to say a thing or two about.
Here's a few recent examples of work to color up the page.
Day 301
Aug.3rd
So if you didn't catch my last update, I am done with all the dimensions of the project and I'll be returning to Boston on Sept. 9th.
I've been decorating furniture lately and putting it up on craigslist. I am not justifying the hours put in on these items by their financial return but it is good practice and I am enjoying the folks who are interested.
I'd put up a pic of this one earlier but made a few changes before it sold.
I am still exchanging art for room and board illuminated by the following late examples.
Day 310
Aug.12th
It has recently dawned on me that I've always liked sleeping on the sofa more than in a bed. Many times I've found sleep only in the latter. What do you think that's all about?
I would like to do things that are more ornate as I have time to do them. This here embodies the same answers to the same questions, just at a further level. I wonder I far I will go. Or if I will forget the stream altogether.
Lo and behold! This is the very sand that was my bed for the first few cold Texas nights. And now I've returned for sheer flight of fancy. How amazingly discordant, one mental state from the other.
The furniture/ functional art thing is going well. I am going to start doing things implementing gold leaf and rhinestones. It will take a lot more time but I am doing this at present, simply to get a good feel for it.
Hook em horns!!
I really wasn't aware of how formidable a cultural force UT was before coming here. Since we don't really do college sports in Boston (at least the way they do down south) I am adopting the orange and white as my default NCAA teams.
This picture is for you fans of "Ideocracy" incedently filmed here in Austin. I am pretty sure it's Camacho's presidential limo.
Day 318
Aug.18th
I am feelin a bit blah-zay in prep for my return to the real world. It has been at struggle here at times but for the most part uncomplicated.
I stained chair above red and decided I wouldn't go any further with it.
This here coffee table I put a bit more flair into.
Like the very ornate painting from the last post, I would like to continue this style for a bit. I am really moved by those guys from Vienna who go skillfully detailed in a way that counter balances the otherwise haphazzard. I feel like maybe I've said that before. I got some fake gold leaf and going to with it in the near future. Takes a long time but I am getting good practice doing this functional art deal-ee.
Day 329
Aug.29th
WOW! A few days ago after one of those brief sun shining storms I walked outside and saw a rainbow. I snapped a picture and was surprised by the fact that my camera flashed despite the broad daylight. Upon loading my photos I was amazed to find this.......
The image fills me with a sense of possibility and hope. As an aside, my friend Joe, who is selling the GMC van, wants to use it for his craiglist posting. I must remind myself to get a copy of that ad.
I've been doing some work at the prestigious Zach Scott Theater. Highlighted is a picnic table (another of the places I tried to sleep on one of my first nights in Austin).
My job has been the turning of very industrial looking wood, PVC and particle board,
into rich, luxurious mahogany. I was a little nervous because these guys are real pros, but I was very happy about being up to the task.
A friend was getting rid of a laptop circa '98 so I thought I'd practice throwing a design on the fella in keeping with the functional art thing. I am using it now as a stand alone unit for running Rebirth 338; the first real synth/drum software from that era. Lotta fun.
Upon my many miles on foot here in Texas I've come across a great many interesting things roadside.
Not pictured is the wing's owner quite torn up a few feet away.
The other day I was contacted by Yvonne who is a radio person I'd met a few days into my odyssey. She'd given me my first post arrival shirt while working a table for Bob FM. I had no idea she'd followed what I was doing all along. When she emailed me I decided to meet her and a friend for lunch. We had delicious burgers at a place called Huts and the company was delightful. She got the check and I gave her the above sketch.
LAST DAY!!!!!
Sept. 9th
Well there you have it...11 months of intrigue and surprises. I would certainly like to thank all of you who helped me along and let me not show myself an irresponsible lunatic. I think things were closer to ideal than disastrous. A bump here and there but a great experience overall. I've been thinking of more ways of asking a question then living an answer, suppose we'll see how that distills. In this case I am never a bigger a fan of internal quality as the only quality. Folks have pondered that I might I have failed if not for the specialty I was bringing. I can only say that if I were a plumber I would have plumbed, a builder- built. The trust I garnered, and the identification with my ideals was far more relevant to this project's success than any specific trade. In other words, any moderately healthy adult could do this provided their values were sound and they could project that. I feel really good about feeling this way. I feel good that now that it's all said and done this sentiment is stronger than it ever was before.
In my last days I went adventuring. Austin is a very quirky town. I don't know how it happens but it seems never bad for the morale of a place. In the vein of homeowners going zany with their residential lots, is Smut Putt.
Among the Cacti a thousand or so creepy doll heads on pikes do nothing to detract from the welcoming feel of this place.
After I was done lounging a bit, had some fun talking to Scott; the proprietor; He told a neat story about how he grown up a child of the Manhattan Project alongside the likes of Varner Von Braun's kids and several others. What a surreal world that must have been, I wont attempt parallels but you could probably imagine.
Invited in for a spell and I got to see Scott's collection of eclectic keepsakes and the cool paintings he'd done. Talked a lot about the old days in Austin (80's hardcore scene etc.) and how everything was changing. This is a consistent sentiment I'd run into quite a bit.
And now for your amusement (and my record keeping) a randomly placed sketch. Much like any oft traded for a beer, sandwich, ride about town or any other light concession.
Before departing I wanted a true Rusty in Texas pic. Thank you BOOT CITY for obligin a feller. No mind to the slack authenticity if you please.
This believe it or not, was the first phase of my impromptu sendoff party. Upon noticing I was the sole of my kind among so many cute chicks I had the waiter snap this pic. Little Abby(front left) had just returned from talking to the band with a drumstick prompting speculation of future groupy-hood.
A little later some of my guy friends showed but for them I was much more respectful of the waiter's time (chuckle)
And another sketch before.......
I am on a plane!!!! Perhaps over northeast Texas at this point. I had A,B and C all to myself and having not slept he night before I stretched out and dozed off.
Nearing my destiny I began to gaze upon objects loaded with memories and meaning. There's Providence I think,,,,,,,yup.
And there's my little Alma Mater; Umass Boston. Hey is that building new?
The wing turns a bit and there's that line I've looked a million times. I can already taste the pizza, pretzels and chowdah.
In a flash I am as downtown as on can be. I see my friend Tibor the Hungarian courier. I always run into Tibor when I'm downtown. After pleasantries and news of mutual friends he asks me what I've been up to and I write this website down for him.
"Yeah check it out man"