Corporate Culture

Not that anyone really wants to hear anything on politics, but there is something about Romney that is bothering me, so I figure it may be worth my while to spell it out. He has been claiming that he hasn't had any direct input into activities at Bain Capital since 1999 -- the precise month, I don't recall, but it isn't relevant to my purposes in this post. Whether he was directly responsible for any activity there or not, since he founded the organization, he also established the culture of that corporation, and by that I mean a set of acceptable business practices and a standard operating procedure. Claiming that he didn't sign off directly on any off-shoring of jobs formerly done in the United States after 1999, doesn't relieve him of the responsibility that he established a corporate culture at Bain Capital where such activities are considered perfectly acceptable, and perhaps even encouraged if they can be proven to be profitable. Currently there is a big hubbub in Illinois over closing down a profitable business, moving it to China, and then making even more money on it. So the culture at Bain isn't just to move failing businesses to China, but ones that are succeeding as well. Amid a poor economy, moving jobs that are already yielding profits in order to make even more money is pretty heartless, and perhaps it is why I really don't care for Ayn Rand's philosophy, and why I don't mind a bit of regulation, since I won't trust business to do what is best for anyone but the current CEO. This sort of decision isn't one you can regulate, but I think it reflects poorly on the corporate culture established by Mitt Romney, and maybe even gives a clue as to what sort of culture he would plan to install in the executive branch during his administration.

If the man created a company that doesn't look at the human costs of its business decisions, then how can anyone expect him to be a successful president when it doesn't appear that he cares about the human costs of decisions placed before him, whether the people who form the ranks of the military, those who have retired, or those on welfare.

Just Playing

I can see how Twitter would be a better medium for posting if one is typing on a virtual phone keyboard. I have Twitter, but have used it less than my blog, though I do enjoy the news and pictures of those that I am listed as following. Following is not the best word, since in most instances it just fills up into my Flipbook, and I check that as I go along during the week, but that is seldom more than twice a week, so less a follow and more of a feed. At some point I may try a bit of streamlining, so I don't have a dozen things going at once, but that isn't a priority, because I don't connect with all the services often enough to be overwhelmed.

Blogging from the Phone

I just discovered that there is an app that allows me to update this on the go. Since I don't take the time to update it when I am at home, there is no telling just what sort of update rate will actually follow. If nothing else, it gives me something to do while waiting in a restaurant.

Benign Neglect

I look at the date on the previous blog post and realize it was done about the same time as I had my automobile accident. No one was hurt in the accident, but it seems that one effect was this blog being dropped almost totally from my awareness. Writing must not be one of those things I just have to do, though I do enjoy it as a release now and again. Six to eight weeks after the accident I also changed positions at work, and have been working nights. Before that shift change though, I did need to purchase another vehicle due to the aforementioned accident. The picture is of my new vehicle, and I am enjoying it -- 2012 Mocha Latte Pop.

Sitting and Pondering

I have been debating on whether or not to replace my aged PC in the living room that serves as the access point to anything other than DVDs for the television, and also the sync station for my iPod. It doesn't run as well as it could, has a tendency to drop the wireless connection, and takes a fair amount of time to boot up iTunes. All of which seem to be good reasons to replace it, but I just can't figure out what would serve me best as its replacement. If I buy a replacement, I have been thinking about a mac mini, as I think it would do what I needed it to do, work well with my laptop (macbook) and also have minimal issues when it came to syncing either my phone or my iPod, and of course it would take up less space. The current PC just sort of sits on the floor next to the television. While I do use the drives to transfer music from Cd's to iTunes, I don't really use them for much else, so I don't see great issue with not having them. It is really just a minor decision, but one that I will eventually sort out.

A bit baffled

At one point this evening I may have had a topic that fit the heading, but not really so much anymore. I have been reading online news, and whatever insight I may have had from dinner that I wanted to carry into my blog have vanished. I do recall really enjoying some lines from the 1st Elegy in Rilke's 10 Elegies, but don't feel like transcribing them here. If memory serves, they were the last 3-4 lines, and I am sure they can be found somewhere-- and, any other day, I would probably be willing to locate and link to them, or even transcribe them, but not tonight. Tonight is staying awake another 30 minutes or so, and doing what I need to do that, and while it should probably be exercise, at least part of it is going to be spent typing. I rather wish I actually had something to write, but lamenting work and politics seems just a bit too typical, and it doesn't necessarily make me feel better. That being said, perhaps I will do a bit of yoga, as that normally does make me feel better.

Slow picture weekend

While I went to a birthday party at a friend's last night, I took no pictures. I haven't taken many pictures at all this last week, perhaps the fact that continuing Summer hasn't seemed to change the local landscape enough for me to see something new and striking worth the pixels. Who knows, as it could also be that my phone has been left at home often, since I get tired of carrying it about, and enjoy being non-connected every now and again. The weekend has been pretty quiet, and aside from the birthday party, I haven't done much aside from speak with Mom a bit earlier-- always nice that, but it doesn't exactly make for a noteworthy day.

Thursday...

Really, there isn't much to say, except that it is Thursday, and I felt compelled to drop a message of some sort on here. The week has been pretty unexceptional, and there isn't really enough to write to fill more than a paragraph, but the urge was there, so I am fulfilling it. Truthfully, aside from filling a few more minutes prior to bed, I can't think of a single reason for this entry, but, also, for some reason it feels really nice to just type a bit of nonsense and call it a day. The end of one, with only one more until the weekend, and all the promise it supposedly holds.

Beautiful day, didn't get much done

Well, it was a beautiful day, and I didn't get much done-- the bike ride didn't happen because I am not accustomed to the hard saddle on my bike, and my backside was telling me not to repeat that just yet, and other stuff didn't happen because I was reading on the balcony, napping, or finding some other distraction for my time. I still have laundry, but enough clean clothes for the first part of the week, if not the entire week. Since I finally bought some new sandals this past week, I don't use socks on the weekend, which gives me a few extra days with regard to those, but that isn't the real reason for sandals, just a bonus.

The other day I did hit Sonic Boom Records and did some old fashioned music shopping, and ended up with a Klezmer compilation, MGMT, Florence and the Machine, and Hey Marseilles, and today got around to uploading them to my iPod. I don't really know percentages and what not, but since I enjoy the record shop (CD shop) experience, I will continue to buy the old fashioned way, and hope the shop stays in business, as too many shops have closed due to Internet purchases. One of my pet peeves is people who love to go browse in bookstores, find something they want, then buy it at Amazon, or some online channel, other than the store they found it in. When the store vanishes, most likely complaints will ensue, and hopefully they will review their actions and see how they contributed to the store's demise, though I doubt it. I am becoming a bit cynical in my view of many people, who seem to want the convenience and benefits, but are unwilling to pay for them. (If I were to transfer that thought into the political realm, then this entry would devolve into a rant.)

Still Summer

Perhaps it will be more than a tease this year, as the gorgeous weather is continuing once the morning clouds get burned from the sky. I took my bike out yesterday to Gas Works Park and got this photo of Seattle from there. I also managed not to get a sunburn, though my arms definitely got a bit of color. Since I was doing that, I didn't really work on any sort of art, or actually think much about it. The day was pretty and I was enjoying the moment, taking care to enjoy myself, and not worry too much about else. Unfortunately, that makes for a dull blog post, but I wanted to add something, before the time between posts appeared to be more benign neglect on my side.

I did learn something interesting, as I haven't really ridden my bike much, but in one of the stops I made, the bike riding owner of Hub and Bespoke advised me to get lights if I planned on riding much past dusk, as the police do ticket riders for that. That is nice to know information, and since I haven't ridden much, something I should definitely consider if I am still riding regularly come fall and winter. I have always been a fair weather rider, so I don't really know if I will need them, as if I am riding this fall and winter, I will probably want fenders too, to keep splash to a minimum, since I can't imagine there not being water on the roads.

Gorgeous Saturday

It is a nice day outside today. I was out and enjoying it for a bit. I strolled down to the Ballard Locks, but didn't take pictures of anything but flowers, though people were out in force as well. (There is a black and blue bird sunning itself on my balcony right now, but I can't tell what type and since he just flew away can't take a picture of his backside for folks to guess.) As the afternoon progressed and I was reading CNN or BBCNews, I stumbled across some article on Facebook, and there came a mention of Instagram and all the hipster over-processed photos there as a result, and all I can say, is that I don't recall ever seeing any of my friends post something that looked as if it were processed using Instagram. My guess is either none of my friends use that photo app on their iPhone, or else since my friends aren't the twenty-somethings mentioned by the author, they are all too old to be taken in by such trendiness. Oh well, shallow or not, the app is fun, and that is really all that matters to me.

iPhone App stuff

I have been enjoying some new photo apps on my iPhone lately, Instagram is one of them and the other is Nofinder. Instagram is what I have been using for the square photos in all the posts this week. Kind of a neat program that gives a choice of filters for immediate gratification in the processed style of your choice, though there is a no filter option. Nofinder is a different beast, as it really makes your camera a point and shoot and you don't really know what that shot will be since you viewfinder is blacked out.

What really struck me today was how cropping and processing can really change the way things look. These two pictures were taken twenty feet or so apart, but with the same two people walking in the same direction both times. One really looks suburban desolate, in my opinion, while the other isn't quite so bleak. The Nofinder picture with the greenery in the foreground took me by surprise. But I think it makes a nice contrast.

With the phone cameras I can see that I am taking more pictures, and they tend to be of more mundane things, but so many great pictures aren't great because the subject (physical) is great, but because mood, light, and subject all fit together with a degree of serendipity that qualifies the whole as extraordinary. (None of my experiments so far qualify.) Even without qualifying as art photographer, I am having fun with the camera on the phone, and will continue to putter about with it, as long as I am enjoying the results.

Another day, another entry

Perhaps not interesting in and of itself, but I find that when I am making a conscious effort to avoid the time sink that is MMO gaming, I tend to create more blog entries. Gaming is fun, but it is very easy to lose way too much time doing it. After so many levels and whatnot, there doesn't seem to be much to do, unless you have friends online and can chat with them. The games themselves are very similar to each other, and the rewards are as virtual as you can imagine, perhaps if you are lucky, and upgrade to your armor that allows you better use of the skills the game has gifted your character with. There is nothing inherently wrong with spending time like this, but when most of one's time is spent there, there is nothing really gained either. Aside from the social aspect, reading gives better rewards, and forcing oneself to actually do something, even something like typing up a blog entry, I think may be even better, as it is engaging your brain in forcing it to create, rather than just blithely gorging on content.

It seems summer is going to be an "on again, off again" sort of affair this year, as the evenings seem very summer-like, and the mornings do not. Considering I work days, this state of affairs is somewhat satisfactory, though I want my weekend to be all beautiful, all the time-- but that is just me being greedy.

One last thing, I did get stopped by that bridge this morning on the way to work, but rather than the usual single sailboat going by, a larger ship did, so I had a pleasant surprise early in the day.

No more blue sky

The lovely weekend we had has retreated into a gloomy Monday, with weather more stereo-typically Seattle, than what summer should actually be. This is supposed to be the dry season, but it sure hasn't seemed that way.

I wasn't sure when I started writing tonight if I wanted to discuss the politics currently going on in DC, and I think I may pass on saying much of anything, except I hope something is worked out that doesn't just benefit a small percentage of the country. Our republic doesn't feel like it is running they way it was intended to, as the parties in Congress are supposed to compromise and not just hold their breath until they get everything they want. I guess those without children finally get to experience the exasperation of a parent with siblings that refuse to work together.

Overall, I would have to say that today was another generic Monday at work, like so many before, and like so many probably to follow. There is nothing wrong with a lack of crises and fires to deal with, but there is also something extremely deadening about the lack of variety. In addition to the overcast skies, I am sure this is contributing to my less than stellar mood.

Summer and Neglect

Well, this is the second go at this. My earlier post didn't post, nor did a draft save correctly, so I guess I will write something else. I know I had said something about how my hopes and efforts at the beginning of the year gave me some belief that I would actually manage to write on a regular basis, and keep things moving to such a degree that momentum was formed, and the blog kept moving, rather than petering out to the occasional I am still here sort of thing. This weekend has been gorgeous here in Seattle, with temps in the low-mid 80's, which was high enough to cause someone at the neighboring table tonight to complain about the heat, while I was finishing my beer. Oddly enough, we was sitting on a patio at a restaurant that did have indoor seating, and he chose not to go someplace with air conditioning. Since it was very comfortable in the shade, I don't know why he was complaining, but folks seem to do it out here, below 40 is too cold, above 80, too hot.

Rather than bemoan what I thought was a really nice weekend, I have been thinking about glass casting, and what to do in my next class, which is in August. I picked up some beach toys, so I can make glass castles, rather than sand castles, though either way I am still playing in the sand. I have been thinking of what to do that would make my glass pieces even more fun, but since I have three weeks to figure that out, I hope to have some decent ideas.

End of May

The end of the month arrived and I didn't manage to write anything. I guess that is not a big surprise, as writing seems to happen sporadically. Anyway, I finished up one glass class and start another, this one also using hot glass, but with a bit more about mold making and such, I think. It is called explorations in cast glass or something of the sort. I signed up because it started at the right time, and would keep me in glass. Other stuff was interesting, but didn't work for whatever reason. There is another block printing workshop this summer, and I may do it, so I am guaranteed some new images for a quick 4 classes in 2 weeks Casting class I am signed up for in August. Oh well, there is an entire summer between then and now, and at least one trip to home to visit the family.

Hope everyone had a good holiday weekend.

Happy May Day

Well, May 1st is here, and while I have been lousy at updating this the last couple of months, and I don't expect to resume regular posts any time soon, it would be nice if I can keep this going, however irregularly, for some time further, as I do enjoy writing about works in progress and such. Todays pictures are of two pieces of cast glass that I had pressed a block print into the sand as my casting mold. The image, while technically the same, has taken a different aspect, more desiccated from the imagined abuses the gent has piled on himself, or as I like to think, this is what happens when too much absinthe, or abuse of any substance, has been taken for too long. I chose absinthe because the original image was from Modigliani. (See post from 20 February for the block printed image.) What I do know with these glass "blanks" is up to me, as I have been told by the instructor that much of cast glass work ends up as part of something, rather that itself as a unit. Not knowing this beforehand, I have made a lot of stuff that may or may not work well solo, and these will probably end up a series, painted and finished differently from each other, each exploring some aspect, whether it be color, surface finish, or something else that I find interesting at the time I do that work. I did get some transparent glass paints that crafting sorts use to do imitation stained glass, so I am sure a few of these will fall prey to that.

Keeping Busy (with allergies)

While I have no real excuse for the lack of posts these last two months, these past two weeks I have been busy in the hot glass studio at Pratt (with a weekend in the cold shop for good measure). My latest class involves sand casting, which is basically pouring molten glass into a mold created in sand. It is rather fun, and some interesting items can be made. One thing that is a bit different here seems to be how you "finish" the piece, and while cold-working is an option, it still just leaves you with a piece of glass, with very little of the high polish people expect from glass. Some of the other options are painting with glass paint or burnishing with leaf. I am going to explore some of those, I think, and next week may include a few inclusions in the background areas, with the hope that they bring the man in the print more into focus. Only time will tell, since I can also play with colored glass at this point too, so who really knows what is up.

Oops...

It seems that without new pictures from my pattern bar class, I have been neglecting my blog, which is not intentional at all. I have started processing my first pattern bars into something else, but I didn't take any pictures last night of the first piece before fusing, and I haven't taken any pictures of kilns loaded with stuff ready for firing into pattern bars. If I am lucky, I will post a picture of the first piece, prior to slumping, next week, as it should be out of the kiln and ready for slumping. Other than that, next week is really all about cutting up the several remaining pattern bars I have and assembling those into something ready to fuse, and whether I will get the assemblage done next week is probably an open question since I quite a bit to slice and dice. One good thing is I know the blade is about 1/8 of an inch, which is something I didn't know before, but means I need to adjust some of the marks on my bars that I put on them last night if I want to create thicker pieces. The piece I am fusing now will be about the same thickness as some of my previous work, as I managed to do a decent job keeping my individual slices down to between 1/8 - 1/4 of an inch thick. Of course, all this has nothing to do with flowers, but flowers are nice, especially with Spring and daylight savings time fast approaching.

Just a Friday

Here is the finished version of my circle project. I am not sure if I can get a better picture, but I may try tomorrow. I had thought about going out tonight, but walking home from dinner I decided it was too cold for me to bother, though that does mean I need to make a bit of an effort tomorrow night to get out. Yesterday I discovered that my upcoming 2 day glass workshop is cancelled, so I won't get to set up little vertical strips of glass and make things that way. I am sure it will show up again, and the biggest disappointment is that it means I will have less stuff to use as fusing fodder in my current class as well as my fusing 2 class. I was sort of hoping to get some fun bits and pieces from the strip class, but such is life.

While it is not late, I am yawning a bit, so I may just call it early and sleep, which is much more fun than venturing out in the cold and hoping someone will say "Hi" in a bar.