Drawing Class

While I doubt I will take a picture & crop every drawing (as well as change the color, in this case) for the class I started this past Tuesday, it did seem appropriate to do it at least for a post dealing with the class. I recently decided to take a figure drawing class, since I was never very good at this subject matter, though I am sure some will say I still am not, but I thought it might be a bit of fun. Anyway, this is the result of the first class (2nd or 3rd attempt), and it is better than I had thought it might be, but not nearly as good as it could be, hence the cropping. It turns out class will be a pleasant three or so hours of drawing a model in a single pose, which will give a bit of time to actually flesh out the drawing. I remember doing gesture drawings in university, but never really liked it much, so I am pleased with the format of the class.

All I need to do now is make more time to draw in between classes.

What I found yesterday

Yesterday, I ventured into the Ballard Market (a store, not the weekly farmer's market), and aside from the above-pictured beverage, ran into a woman who made me want to cheer. If I had my camera with me, she probably would have thought I wanted to make fun of her by taking her picture, but that would not have been my intention. In all her glory, and she was well above a model's size, but Rubinesque would imply perhaps she was naked, and every bit of her was covered, most of it in metallic fabrics, and the rest with some sort of patterned clothing. As I passed, we exchanged courtesies, but I thought to myself it was wonderful I live in a place where people feel comfortable dressing and being as they like, and they aren't all still in school. This past summer when I overheard a conversation on the sidewalk between a youngish guy and a total stranger (female) discussing the merits of skirts, with the guy holding hands to what I took to be his girlfriend, and this young lady also adding comments, it gave me much the same feeling. (The guy & girl had similar cut skirts, though the color was different.)

As to the Leninade, I think I will mix it with some vodka and have a drink.

Playing follow the leader.

I have no real intention of going to every room in the house for this, but Dave's (Kristen's) trope about finding the nearest book, going to page 123, sentence 5 then copying the next 3 sentences into your blog left Dave chasing around, trying to find something with meaning, or define meaning out of what he found. Then again, I may have over-analyzed things, but he found quite a variety in his various rooms.

The closest book to me currently is the 1st edition, by Nicola Williams, of the Lonely Planet guide to Romania & Moldova:

South-east of Piata Universitatii at Str Histro Botev 18-20 is Bucharest's only Turkish restaurant. The Golden Falcon Casa Chebob serves delicious Turkish food. The pita bread is so large it won't fit on your plate.

I don't think there is a great deal of meaning there, and when I ate at the Golden Falcon, the meal was tasty. Chole lived around one corner from there, and the Peace Corps office was around a different corner, but there were more than four on this intersection, like so many in Bucuresti. On top of that I think a tramvai line went through the intersection as well. Such a fun bit of memories, all that and dog shit all over the place as well, since there were no "green" areas for a dog to do its business in, it could be anywhere.

Sunday Morning Laundry

With all my quarters piled so neatly on the chest of drawers, and dark laundry scattered here and there, I decided to do a bit of laundry this overcast morning, hoping it will clear up a little later. Not that I have ideas or plans for later, but a nicer day wouldn't really be that bad after all the unseasonably cold, icy, and snowy weather of the past couple of weeks. I say unseasonably because from what I have been told, it really isn't that common, and winter, while rainy and chilly, isn't supposed to be icy in the city, though it is the norm in the 'burbs.

For now, I guess I will get back to puttering about the house while waiting for the laundry to dry. The morning has been a mild cleaning sort of morning, but not a get the vacuum out cleaning sort of morning, for those that value the differentiation.

Pretty Decent Saturday

For a Saturday, I actually managed to accomplish some stuff today, from buying a mini-tripod for my digital camera to mailing some birthday presents which I think may already be late. It hasn't been all lounging about in bed or playing Guild Wars, even though they do have a test weekend going.

Weeks seem to be passing, and I can't quite believe it is almost February, though with a calendar saying January 20th, I guess that is the case. At least today was nice out, somewhere in the mid to upper forties, I would guess, and generally sunny. While out walking I did try the new pizza place, Snooze Junction, over on Market where pizza by the slice is available. The pizza was good, though the slice size seemed a bit small for the price, and the crust could be crunchier/firmer. The sauce and cheese were quite tasty, with the tomatoes sort of popping, which is a pleasant change from most places here in the Pacific Northwest. At some point, someone will get it right out here, and right while remaining walking distance from my apartment.

My guess is they do it because it is required by law, but I feel sorry for my former employers when they spend $4.64 to send a letter registered mail and all it contains is a single sheet of paper detailing the year in review on my 401K--information I am provided directly from the financial services company as well. It really wouldn't have made any difference if I had let them ship the letter back, since I briefly scanned it, folded it up, then placed it in my jacket pocket, where it will likely remain, until the pocket is too full with paper and I decide to empty it, scanning the contents while aiming for the garbage or the recycle bin.

O-Zone - Dragostea Din Tei

This song became well-known stateside because of a viral video, though I like this one, the original video, much better.

Fun with the above

If you caught O-Zone's "Dragostea Din Tei" video, then enjoy this version as well. The highlights of the original are still here.

Fun Romanian Dance Video

One of my favorite Romanian dance tunes--in part because I find the video hysterical, and the song is awfully catchy (O-Zone, "Despre tine").

Romanian Holiday Television

Since I know so many people are curious about the holiday offerings on television in Romania, and I haven't fully been able to explain them in person, while surfing around google video I found the below clip of traditional Romanian folk music. During the holidays, most of the local television stations resort to programming featuring traditional music (when they aren't showing the "Home Alone" series, or similar foreign holiday films), and below is an example of the programming. This is definitely not Christmas, but looks like some autumnal, harvest sort of thing with the corn. Christmas shows feature very similar costuming, about the same amount of movement, and snow--real or fake depends on whether it is filmed inside or outside (I did see at least one show that was filmed outdoors).

While it is not my style, many Romanians enjoy it, and while I don't like the New Year's Eve spectaculars, it is obvious many Americans enjoy them, so please do not take my commentary on this one as being critical of the Romanian culture.

Monica Stiopoane - Omule esci din pamant si cata lut

(c) 2006 by Daniel Vuescu / Resita / Romania - Romanian Music Videoclip

Reading and Hat Collecting

OK...so my holiday included some time at Guild Wars collecting holiday headgear. The pumpkin head is my dervish, Fractal Zed, dancing up a storm waiting for the festivities to begin. At some point, maybe I will put up an image of all my various characters, without non-traditional headgear, but not right now.

Other than this, I have been reading and came across a few things, though if they are thoughts for the new year or not, I will let you decide.

"In the democratic centuries that are about to begin, I think that individual independence and local liberties will always be a product of art. Centralization will be the natural form of government. " p.796, Tocqueville, Democracy in America

"Uniformity reigns in studies as in everything else; diversity, like liberty, is vanishing day by day." p.805, Tocqueville, Democracy in America

"Newspapers seek to inform their readers quickly rather than to inform them well. Truth is not the beneficiary in this setting of priorities." p.32, Camus, Camus at Combat

I was trying to decide if I should comment on these as well, and thought about it. In the end, I won't comment, and let the reader decide whether these quotes have any relevance.