June 10, 2010
June 5, 2010
Crafts in the Park
Went to the Renegade Craft Fair today in Brooklyn. Me plus artists selling their wares equals serious wallet danger. I am such a sucker for handmade stuff.
My favorites:
* Awesome wood block print studio: Tugboat Printshop
* Hand painted resin from Fernworks. The photos on her website don't do these mini masterpieces justice. They actually have an incredible 3D depth effect.
* I can't quite explain The Mincing Mockingbird. He is clearly talented - several of his original paintings were on display and quite amazing. But then he does this thing with the subtext...it almost feels like a gimmick, except it's too damn well executed.
* Pretty shiny silver things: Daphne Olive
My favorites:
* Awesome wood block print studio: Tugboat Printshop
* Hand painted resin from Fernworks. The photos on her website don't do these mini masterpieces justice. They actually have an incredible 3D depth effect.
* I can't quite explain The Mincing Mockingbird. He is clearly talented - several of his original paintings were on display and quite amazing. But then he does this thing with the subtext...it almost feels like a gimmick, except it's too damn well executed.
* Pretty shiny silver things: Daphne Olive
May 28, 2010
Round Up!
Work has been utterly insane. It's our season for investing in vast quantities of assets, which translates to vast quantities of hours at the office. I've been working 10 hour days and weekends too....
But onto a few positives. The veggie harvest has begun (oh how I've missed that box of delectable green goodness!) and none of my tulips were destroyed by deer. The new Dresden Files book returned the series back to its rightful pulp-fiction urban-fantasy legacy. Iron Man 2 was awesome. I got to see Joel McHale live stand-up and lo, he was funny! My husband made me fresh blueberry muffins this week. There's cold beer in the fridge. Our cat is purring contently on the pillow.
Sometimes it's the little things.
But onto a few positives. The veggie harvest has begun (oh how I've missed that box of delectable green goodness!) and none of my tulips were destroyed by deer. The new Dresden Files book returned the series back to its rightful pulp-fiction urban-fantasy legacy. Iron Man 2 was awesome. I got to see Joel McHale live stand-up and lo, he was funny! My husband made me fresh blueberry muffins this week. There's cold beer in the fridge. Our cat is purring contently on the pillow.
Sometimes it's the little things.
May 13, 2010
Eulogy
It was my first sleepover at Chloe's house. One of my best high school friends, Chloe and I bonded over sword and sorcery. We were fans of Meredith Pierce and Robin McKinley, Monica Furlong and Anne McCaffrey. Brooks, Tolkien, Moorcock, Weis & Hickman, Le Guin -- these were the superstars of our world, the creators and keepers of our lore.
Chloe was the storyteller, the dreamer. I was the illustrator, the one who brought her tales to life. After spending several hours filling notebook pages with words and drawings (yes, this is how kids amused themselves before the internet), Chloe suddenly said "Wait, I have to show you something!"
I followed her downstairs, through a dark living room, into the family library. Chloe thumbed through rows of books and pulled out a handful of thin softcovers.
They were from the 1970's. They belonged to her dad. I was utterly smitten.
Three of the books were simply titled Frank Frazetta with numbered volumes.
Frank Frazetta: The Living Legend.
The Fantastic Art of Frank Frazetta.
Artbooks filled with amazing, vibrant, captivating paintings and sketches: pale skinned princesses, warriors with bloody blades, furred and fanged monsters, wild sorcery, heaving muscles, the excitement of battle, the blush of exoticism, all with an undercurrent of raw sexuality.
I spent the next few hours examining and absorbing those sacred tomes, finding new delights at the turn of each page. Like millions of others, I drank from the Frazetta wellspring of inspiration and my approach to art changed forever.
I never became a professional artist. But Frazetta still holds a special place in my heart. His style is instantly recognizable, always imitated but never duplicated. Nearly every comic book and fantasy artist has paid him homage. The Moon Princess, the Death Dealer, the Egyptian Queen, Conan the Adventurer -- these are fixtures in the world of sword and sorcery I love so much, the standard for fantastic and mythical imagery.
Humanity has lost a great talent, a genre defining master, a legendary influence. Rest in Peace, Frank Frazetta.
Chloe was the storyteller, the dreamer. I was the illustrator, the one who brought her tales to life. After spending several hours filling notebook pages with words and drawings (yes, this is how kids amused themselves before the internet), Chloe suddenly said "Wait, I have to show you something!"
I followed her downstairs, through a dark living room, into the family library. Chloe thumbed through rows of books and pulled out a handful of thin softcovers.
They were from the 1970's. They belonged to her dad. I was utterly smitten.
Three of the books were simply titled Frank Frazetta with numbered volumes.
Frank Frazetta: The Living Legend.
The Fantastic Art of Frank Frazetta.
Artbooks filled with amazing, vibrant, captivating paintings and sketches: pale skinned princesses, warriors with bloody blades, furred and fanged monsters, wild sorcery, heaving muscles, the excitement of battle, the blush of exoticism, all with an undercurrent of raw sexuality.
I spent the next few hours examining and absorbing those sacred tomes, finding new delights at the turn of each page. Like millions of others, I drank from the Frazetta wellspring of inspiration and my approach to art changed forever.
I never became a professional artist. But Frazetta still holds a special place in my heart. His style is instantly recognizable, always imitated but never duplicated. Nearly every comic book and fantasy artist has paid him homage. The Moon Princess, the Death Dealer, the Egyptian Queen, Conan the Adventurer -- these are fixtures in the world of sword and sorcery I love so much, the standard for fantastic and mythical imagery.
Humanity has lost a great talent, a genre defining master, a legendary influence. Rest in Peace, Frank Frazetta.
May 12, 2010
Calorie Conundrum
Regular Coke: 140 calories per 12 oz can.
Simply Orange brand 100% Orange Juice: 110 calories per 8 oz serving.
So there's roughly 2 more calories per oz of orange juice! If you're simply limiting calories in your diet, juice actually isn't the better choice.
Now, I bet a person is more likely to drink an entire can of Coke, and maybe just half that amount in juice. And Coke is truly void of any nutritional value, while the juice at least has vitamins. But it does make you wonder if public perceptions of soda are skewed.
Guess when it comes down to it, water is still the healthiest beverage!
Simply Orange brand 100% Orange Juice: 110 calories per 8 oz serving.
So there's roughly 2 more calories per oz of orange juice! If you're simply limiting calories in your diet, juice actually isn't the better choice.
Now, I bet a person is more likely to drink an entire can of Coke, and maybe just half that amount in juice. And Coke is truly void of any nutritional value, while the juice at least has vitamins. But it does make you wonder if public perceptions of soda are skewed.
Guess when it comes down to it, water is still the healthiest beverage!
May 4, 2010
Should I be Offended?
On several occasions now, our new manager has described me as "cute." It's not sexual in any way. Walking into my office today, she says "Oh, you're so cute concentrating so hard on that computer screen!" Or a few weeks ago, "It's so cute how you cough into your elbow to avoid getting germs on others!" Or "What a cute habit you have of walking everywhere with that notepad!"
I don't sense any malice, but it does have a patronizing vibe, like she can't get over how young I am. Perhaps I'm some sort of managerial kitten or little puppy director, and she can't help but coo when she sees me do grown-up professional things.
But I'm not sure if I'm offended. She's doing her best to run a business completely new to her, while trying to win over those of us in the core group. Maybe this is just her attempt at making nice. It definitely catches me off guard, though!
I don't sense any malice, but it does have a patronizing vibe, like she can't get over how young I am. Perhaps I'm some sort of managerial kitten or little puppy director, and she can't help but coo when she sees me do grown-up professional things.
But I'm not sure if I'm offended. She's doing her best to run a business completely new to her, while trying to win over those of us in the core group. Maybe this is just her attempt at making nice. It definitely catches me off guard, though!
April 30, 2010
April 23, 2010
Happy 20th, Hubble!
Hubble was launched at just the right time for my budding scientific curiosity. At nine years old, I found space enthralling (doesn't everyone want to be an astronaut at that age?!) and the media attention around Hubble only encouraged me. Of course, I didn't end up working for NASA, but the fascination with math and science endured.
So bottoms up, Hubble! Testament to humanity's innovation, and provider of awesome wallpapers!
So bottoms up, Hubble! Testament to humanity's innovation, and provider of awesome wallpapers!
April 18, 2010
The Best Way to Start a Sunday Morning
Just came back from a private viewing of Kick-Ass, courtesy of our local comic book store. It was fucking awesome. Pretty much everything I wanted in this kind of movie was there, and in a spectacular way.
No spoilers here, but one of my favorite parts: first person shooter fans, there's a scene that belongs to you!
No spoilers here, but one of my favorite parts: first person shooter fans, there's a scene that belongs to you!
April 3, 2010
Heartache and Headache
This past week has been the most tumultuous in my life so far.
On Wed afternoon, the entire risk mgmt team of my business unit was fired, along with our head managing director and chief operating officer (my boss). Not because of financial performance or budget woes, but some legal shit that unfortunately couldn't be explained in detail due to that most haunting of phrases: "ongoing investigation."
I didn't expect to be so emotionally impacted by this. But these guys have been with the business since its inception. They were around when the company was struggling to meet payroll and meetings took place in someone's kitchen. Later, they took a shot at a graduate fresh out of school, trusted her with tons of responsibility, and rewarded her for hard work and the right attitude.
And so I realized not only did the business lose valuable experience and knowledge, but I personally lost mentors and friends. I respected my managers, not just for their financial acumen, but also the small company corporate culture they fostered and maintained, even though we were swallowed by two large institutions in as many years. It hurt to see them let go, especially when 2009 was our most profitable year to date. I surprised myself by oscillating between rage and depression.
Oh, and fear as well. I have a new boss. A whole chain of folks from outside the business have been called in. I have to start all over establishing myself, making sure my direct reports are taken care of, finding where I fit in the new world order. I have to play the corporate politics game. The small company feeling is already gone; in its place is the typical Wall Street jockeying and bureaucracy built on ego. I fear not only for myself, but for the business as well. Risk is everything in asset investment, and by taking out our risk team, they have taken out the core of our success.
The shock and fear will ebb, I suspect. But my job has become that much more stressful. Spring is traditionally our busiest season - there is so much work to be done, and to achieve both financial results and coalesce with new management is going to be one hell of a challenge.
On Wed afternoon, the entire risk mgmt team of my business unit was fired, along with our head managing director and chief operating officer (my boss). Not because of financial performance or budget woes, but some legal shit that unfortunately couldn't be explained in detail due to that most haunting of phrases: "ongoing investigation."
I didn't expect to be so emotionally impacted by this. But these guys have been with the business since its inception. They were around when the company was struggling to meet payroll and meetings took place in someone's kitchen. Later, they took a shot at a graduate fresh out of school, trusted her with tons of responsibility, and rewarded her for hard work and the right attitude.
And so I realized not only did the business lose valuable experience and knowledge, but I personally lost mentors and friends. I respected my managers, not just for their financial acumen, but also the small company corporate culture they fostered and maintained, even though we were swallowed by two large institutions in as many years. It hurt to see them let go, especially when 2009 was our most profitable year to date. I surprised myself by oscillating between rage and depression.
Oh, and fear as well. I have a new boss. A whole chain of folks from outside the business have been called in. I have to start all over establishing myself, making sure my direct reports are taken care of, finding where I fit in the new world order. I have to play the corporate politics game. The small company feeling is already gone; in its place is the typical Wall Street jockeying and bureaucracy built on ego. I fear not only for myself, but for the business as well. Risk is everything in asset investment, and by taking out our risk team, they have taken out the core of our success.
The shock and fear will ebb, I suspect. But my job has become that much more stressful. Spring is traditionally our busiest season - there is so much work to be done, and to achieve both financial results and coalesce with new management is going to be one hell of a challenge.
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