September 25 2025
It's interesting. Through the summers since I've been working at MPA.I have been rehabbing old MacBooks and iMacs with Linux Mint or PopOS - another variation of Linux. Most of the computers are being taken out of recycled bins. I have replaced batteries and memory, and the hard drives with solid state drives once I add the mint or pop. The computers are brand spanking new in terms of their performance. Both of these operating systems are based on Ubuntu but I haven't been using that OS since it seems to be so heavy-handed.
It feels like I've been doing this as kind of a meditative practice, as well as be kind to the Earth, recycle reuse and creating things that had lost value into things that have value and purpose. I guess what's the most interesting is that I'm doing this at the same time that I'm doing my artwork which currently looks like it's mostly learning how to oil paint I suppose it's the duality of the left and bright brain at work the painting seems to take a long time to finish and sometimes wondering what finish is. The computer is on the other hand if I can manage to put it back together and get it up and running is very satisfying. I just haven't really figured out a way to hand these off to anybody after I've got them up and running.
Selling off my old tech, Apple tools, Emate, rebuilt, minis, that kind of stuff... things I collected through my years of working with educational technology. I guess to feed this ongoing interest in rehab tech, and it keeps my head in the game. I think as a way of continuing to be a fix-it guy as one of my little tiny backup plans for when I'm not working at the school– the other of course is seeing if I can make paintings that I love but also I can sell we'll see about that. The photography could be a thing, but for some reason, I'm not as engaged in creating photographs prints in this case as a commodity, the painting seem kind of more to true to spirit.
Helpful to have the Morrison paintings in the house as they kind of encourage me to see them my work as more than just musings and getting closer to being artifacts of thinking and creativity and meditation
Feb 8 2025
Back in COVID I started working on learning about Linux as a way to develop my technical chops and adress my interest in reCycle/reUse of computer tech. I had been helping folks with their personal computers: how to update, clean them up, light fixit stuff. When I started at a local school I was hired to teach Intro to Computer Science. (as well as a Makerspace class). This gave me the opportunity to dive deeper into learning about how to use my computer - into the OS and the hardware. Working with the great Tech department I've been able to explore how to rescue and reuse computers and keep them out of the waste stream. reCycling hardware entails figuring out if its too old