Harry Harrison (via Warren Ellis' Orbital Operations):

“Joan's mother, a paragon of virtues in all other ways, does not realize the basic needs of a writer or she would not have opened the door when I was writing, as she did once years ago when we were staying in her home, and say, 'Harry, since you aren't doing anything, would you go to the store for me.' A writer's family understands; my daughter knows when I have that glassy look in the eye and am staring into space that I am not to be disturbed because I am 'working'.”

Sums up why I will never cohabitate again, because truth be told a writer's family doesn't always understand. If ever circumstances were to once again necessitate the unfortunates of cohabitation, then this is the only way I might deem it workable:

The studio homes of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, separate structures connected by bridge. Masterfully designed by Juan O'Gorman, photos will never do the place justice. It's a very spacial experience, as spaces ought to be. It was something of an eureka moment for me when I first paid it a visit in Mexico City a couple years ago. For both Rivera and Kahlo, the majority of their home(s) was designated studio space, because a true artist's art practice is in fact their life. None of this “work/life balance” nonsense, that shit's for office jobbers.

Edit: That Harry Harrison bit is apparently from the book HELL'S CARTOGRAPHERS, a short article from which lives on Michael Owen Carrol's website.

#journal

Newsletter drafted and scheduled for tomorrow but my week—despite it being a Friday evening already—is still not over. Much email to catch up on and my RSS reader is at 36. Would like to bring it all down to zero before night's end. If I can.

#journal

Insomnia kicked in the other night, and I found myself beaming RIPLEY. Beautifully shot series! Entirely black and white with some of the most unusual angles I've seen on screen. In this iteration, Mr. Ripley is actually not all that talented, and in fact kind of a fuckup.

It's all played far more believably than the Matt Damon portrayal. Though, it's been a very long time since I looked at that one.

#journal #watches

Mythomatic orders fulfilled and paintings hauled to the vault, and that's my exercise for the day. Read Dominic Boyer's NO MORE FOSSILS, which distills extensive research into an immensely insightful handy 96-page sort-of-pocketbook.

Remainder of the day will have to constitute feeding myself and tidying up after spending weekend with the child, get the space in good operational order for the work week ahead.

#journal

“Marijuana smoking by white youth represented a symbolic threat to normative suburban values and capitalist ideologies” — Mathew D. Lassiter on America's war on drugs.

The U.S. military's Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) expresses concern over China's expanding presence in Antigua and in the Caribbean region.

House passes contentious Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan aid package — “China, Russia, Iran and North Korea are working together in a new axis of evil to harm our alliances and undermine our national security,” House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., said on the floor ahead of the vote.

Some light reading after failing to put the little one down for nap time. Thought for sure soccer practice would zonk him out. Could use a little shuteye myself tbh.

#journal

Steven Heller isn't wrong in calling me an “Artist Who Designs (and Vice Versa)” in this short interview over at his blog The Daily Heller (hosted by Print Mag).

Quite an honor to be featured on Steven's blog. I remember first encountering his book, Design Literacy, at the tender age of 19 some decades ago. Very formative reading for me and one that I still recommend to young designers just starting out.

#journal #coverage

Accounting today, which I am behind on and will certainly suck my soul dry by day's end.

Also on the docket: – Fulfilling Mythomatic orders. – Meal prep (because not enough time over the weekend). – Excercise

And that's probably already one thing too many to fit into a single workday.

#journal

Love me a good drag show.

The thing about drag shows is that they could either be a sign of a closed society (where women performing in public is considered taboo) or an open one (where men needn't abide by heteronormative restrictions). I get the sense that in Houston, it's actually a little bit of both.

#journal

Apparently, there are websites you can't access from Texas anymore.

I remember how the use of VPNs became quite wise in Egypt towards the tail end of the half-revolution, certainly becoming a thing amongst more tech-saavy folk. Never would I have expected it to become a necessity after settling in America, but here we are.

The downfall of western civilization aside, work on TSG coming along today. Detailed fucker of a page though.

#journal #ResistDystopia

Awoke last night to the sound of thunder and discovered a mad storm brewing, lightning from every direction blasted bursts of light into the apartment. Most of the morning was gray, the city enveloped in thick clouds. Then suddenly by day's end, the blue behind the clouds revealed itself and the sun shone bright. It would've been sweltering hot had it not been for the windy tail end of the storm playfully lingering about.

Not much of an art-making day, but a good day nonetheless. Newsletter drafted and scheduled for late Friday night central time. Mythomatic orders dropped off at post office, and groceries picked up. Many emails responded to, but still going through the rest. 51 between inboxes, but many are notifications, and a few are bills.

Tomorrow should be a good TSG day, and Friday can be blocked off for Project Oldbook.

#journal