Yeah, I know, I haven’t updated this page in a couple weeks, and to all of you who haven’t recieved an e-mail from me in a while i’m sorry, my schedule is crazy right now. Excuses excuses, right? Fact is there hasn’t been a whole lot to talk about anyway. My classes currently are allright, they go on a stricter project schedule than i’ve been accustomed to at this school though, but that’s probably a good thing considering it’ll be probably a million times worse when i’m working in the field full-time. Maybe I shouldn’t use the word worse, because it’s not really a bad thing at all. I actually enjoy school, unlike some, so I guess i’m lucky and have an advantage that way. But i’ve actually been pretty stressed out. Not depressed or anything, just stressed out. Sometimes I can’t understand why. Sometimes I think I just don’t get to have any fun and maybe i’m not quite old enough for some of the responsibilities i’ve taken on, but then again i’d be miserable if I wasn’t striving for the best. I guess it’s just a confusing time. Then again, people are getting really annoying too. I know that sounds bad, but seriously people are just getting under my skin lately. People out on the freeways who can’t drive, the customers calling me at the bank with crybaby excuses who can’t accept responsibility and have absolutely disgusting attitudes even though they’re twice my age. There’s also the real bright U of M students who disgracefully represent my age group and are starting cars on fire after the Gopher game (real real bright people), and there’s people protesting the war in the middle of the day while people are trying to get to their jobs. Oh and then all the people in the editorial page of the newspaper, making absolutely no sense at all. Reading the editorial page, I came across a stern and determined essay on the need to continue the peace protests. The first reason given: the war violates international law. You know, if you paw through the reams of resolutions put forth by the UN, I’m sure you’ll find one that outlaws special jails for children, too. I’m no longer interested in reading the arguments of people who regard a war that empties the children’s jails as a greater evil than the jails themselves. And I don’t share their horror for the word “illegal,” particularly in the context of international law. Is the worst thing about modern-day slavery its illegality? Or the fact that it’s slavery? Like me, i’m sure you’re completely sick of the war — sick of watching cable, sick of reading the paper. The military campaign has basically been won, as far as i’ve heard. So the adrenaline is leaving, the overwhelming urge is to breathe a sigh of relief and get back to normal life, only more so: normal life minus current events. Yet this is just the moment when it’s probably most important to pay attention to what is going on in the Middle East, because these are the weeks when we will or won’t make the mistakes that will cost us the benefit of all the sacrifice of life and treasure. I was discussing this with a few of my fellow co-workers. They go to the University of Minnesota, and it seems that everyone who goes there believes they are actually going to Harvard or something even though the U of M accepts any idiot of the street and basically lets them go there for free. Rather than counter-arguing my point, this U of M student who thinks he’s so smart, said what i’m saying is groundless and I have no credibility because I just go to an art school. Taking great offense, I told him to “just go start some cars on fire or something.” Clearly he was too thick to realize I was insulting him, because he laughed right along with me. To suggest that artists have no credibility, or no say in or impact on society is absurd. Artists participate with everyone else in the social construction of reality. Collectively we seek meaning. Beyond the galleries, art has an integrative role with the larger community and our environment. Art that challenges current “positions” and belief structures, expands the context that gives value to social and environmental factors. Contemporary artists who create responsibly, are reaching beyond the limits of personal accomplishmet. Art is a tool that is deliberately and consciously used by certain artists who are interested in contributing toward a greater understanding between people. It may help in bringing about — at least in a small way — a greater understanding of the dynamics of cultural and social paradigms. Art is another means of helping people see and better understand the dynamics of our world and how human consciousness impacts it at every level. There are a lot of people who don’t understand art, and that’s fine. My co-worker’s statement, although probably just sarcastic, was so offensive that I almost lost it. However I figured the workplace was no place to get upset, so I let it go. I shouldn’t take him seriously anyway, he’s just an accounting major, wouldn’t you agree his direction in life has a whole lot less to do with social issues than mine? Even with that in mind, everyone plays their own part in society and so why does someone have to have more credibility than any other? Everyone’s opinion matters, everyone’s feelings matter, even if you or me or anyone else doesn’t agree with them. I’m proud to be an artist, and more importantly i’m proud to be who I am. But i’m not too proud to step all over other people and say they are anything less than I am. No matter how many times people don’t take me seriously, say i’m unintelligent because i’m an artist, run over me for whatever asinine reasons, i’ve been through enough to discover exactly who I am and what I want from life and that’s all I need. What I have to say counts, too. My shots at the U of M does not mean I think my school is much better, but it just really isn’t what so
My Mood Today
Indifferent
