Ok, why not...

First of all you realize there are only 8 Favorites and 8 Currents, and only when you get to Firsts does it actually correspond with the number???

Or I am not getting something... because that's possible too...

Ten Favorites
Season: Fall
Color: blue-green, but a intense one, leaning to the blue...
Time: mid morning, 10:00am ish after a good night sleep
Food: Orange chicken and other americanized Chinese
Drink: Beals Oberon, a local (Kalamazoo) brewed summer wheat beer
Ice Cream: chocloate rum gelato from Florence
Place: sitting at the potters wheel
Sport: tennis

Nine Currents
Feeling: hot and sweaty
Drink: water
Time: 11:14pm
Show on TV: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Mobile Used: Verizon
Windows open: none, the bugs will get in... but upstairs, all
Clothes: pajama shorts (my best find this summer!!), tee shirt
Thought: I wish my sister would call me back!

Eight Firsts
Nickname: Bobby
Kiss: Dawn Van Gorp... maybe
Crush: ? don't know
Best Friend: JM DeYoung
Vehicle I owned: what vehicle?
Job: real job... School Stuff
Date: Megan Landsteiner... to homecoming
Pet: I think Corny my chicken... and then Sunny...

Seven Lasts
Drink: Coke
Kiss: peck on the cheek from Lizzy on Sunday because she is going away to law school and I won't see here for months!
Meal: Ramen
Web Site Visited: a fish website... about platties
Movie Watched: Lady in the Water, the new Shamalayan- I really liked it!
Phone Call: Chris Snyder, asking if I wanted to go to his parents for Sunday dinner
TV Watched: Star Trek: the Next Generation, three episodes this evening before, during and after dinner...

Six Have You Evers
Broken the Law: Yes -- speeding
Kissed Someone You Didn't Know: No
Been in the Middle of/Close to Gunfire: No
Skinny Dipped: No
Broken Someone's Heart: ha... no

Five Things:
You Hear Right Now: fan, fish tank filter and bubbler, my roommate walking around upstairs
On Your Bed: sheets, quilt, 3 pillows
Things You Ate Today: sandwich for lunch, ramen for dinner, and a really good chocolate/coffee shake my roommate made me! Thanks Justy!
Things You Do When Bored: watch movies, watch tv, read, clean our house, sketch
Things You Do For Comfort: make myself tea, read a book I love again, nap

Four Places You Have Been Today: my house, the Art Department, the Spoelhof Cafe, the sidewalk between here and Calvin

Three Things on Your Desk Right Now: my charging phone, a legal pad, a cup with water

Two Choices:
Coffee or Tea: depends on the day, no joke, and that's not just coping out!
Spring or summer: summer

One Place You Want to Visit: Japan

This evening...

The wedding in the field is today.
It is grey and cloudy, I just hope it doesn't rain.
Or my allergies act up with all the nature around the ceremony.
Or the bugs bite.
Or it be super hot.
Yeah, it's a wedding in a field.

Should be fun!

Holy Giant Storms Batman!!

So went into the movie theater at 8:30 pm to see Pirates of the Carriabean (which was great by the way, and I can't wait for the third one) and about halfway through, noticed a constant rumbling in the background of my hearing.



Exited the movie theater at 11:20pm to a deluge and lightning storm I have not seen the equal to since living in Fort Myers. Constant lightning. Amazing... and kinda freaky.

At least we needed the rain... I just hope my power dosen't go out and I miss my alarm tomorrow morning!

Oh, and by the way, that line of bright pink was just on top of GR... yeah we got it all!

Political commentary & a little religious talk too

Just thought I'd talk a little, since I'm at work and bored, about some of the things happening in Washington DC this past week:
- oh, and forgive me those of you who disagree...

- Flag Burning:
The Senate defeated a Constitutional Amendment (sponsored by Republican Congressman Randy Cunningham, before he was jailed for taking $2.4 million dollars in bribes) by a slim vote... only one shy of outlawing the desecration of the flag.

Two things about this:

If the government wants to ban desecrating the flag, what about those people who wear tee-shirts and jackets and pants, indeed whole outfits made to look like the stars and stripes. Maybe its me, but isn't that just as disrespectful to what proponents of this amendment see as 'the symbol' of American freedom? If you want to protect the supposed sanctity of the flag, don't let people abuse it in other ways either... burning is not the only form of desecration.

I may hate what you say, how you say it, what you burn in protest, ect. but I will defend to the death your right to say it. It is only cloth, after all. I know people have died defending it, and I respect that, but until Americans have more respect for it in every day (ie, no more American flag outfits). I can't deny someone who understands the symbolism of the flag and uses that to protest. He who burns the flag understands its power and symbolism better than he who wears it as pants.

- Trials at Gitmo
In other news, the Supreme Court ruled that President Bush is not free from all law, but does in deed have to answer to some one. Namely the US Congress. (oh wait, that's what checks and balances means; no one is allowed to become supreme ruler of the US, they have to obey the law just like anyone else!) Mr. Bush is not a military dictator, and he cannot make up rules for prisoners of war, or rather "enemy combatants" who he is detaining at Gitmo without trial, without counsel, and without rights. They may be enemies, but they are still human beings. The Geneva conventions apply, Mr. Bush. And I don't care what you say, torture is NEVER a course of action the United States should take.


- My own thoughts on stuff...

I look at some of these things that are happening and I just sit in wonder at the abandonment of looking at other people as image bearers of God. I don't care what they have done or not done against the US; never should we lose sight of the fact that these people too, are created in the image of God. For all their use of the Bible and religious hot button issues, this Administration seems to forget about that fact often, only bringing these issues up when it suits them. I know I'm mixing religion and politics, but for me they go hand in hand. Equality as creatures in the image of God is Biblical, but seems to have been forgotten by so many people.

I know, preachy, right? But all the same, what this country, and the world in general needs is a huge dose of grace. I can't recall reading Jesus preaching about torturing your enemies and barricading yourself behind missiles and guns. I think there was more emphasis on forgiveness and understanding others in light of our being bearers of the image of God. I know, national security is important, especially against those who disregard the value of life. But in no way does that mean we are to do the same!

Ok, so that's my 2 cents... well, maybe 5 cents...

That time of year...

Most of my friends who had dispersed after graduation are coming back in town this week, as on Saturday, the first of the weddings will take place. Kinda weird feeling, knowing your good friends are getting married, but it's good too. It should be a fun weekend with the wedding and hanging out with them all again.

Aside from that, life in the art basement goes on, as the summer flies by.

Allergies suck, but hey that's why they make Claritin, and its cheaper Target knockoff, for which I am grateful...

so much happening so fast...

Moving

I am now officially in my new house and I love it!

There is something aout having a room of your own that makes a huge difference from sharing one. Its not that I didn't like living with the guys these past two years, but having a place to arrange my way, and slum and get dirty if I want and do just about what ever with, is kinda nice. I feel much older and more in real life with my own room... if you can believe that!

Moving was stressful and painful... elbows should avoid doors in the future. and concrete is not a good mattress... but that was only for one night... and I did have blankets, but by the end of the night they felt like they were paper thin...

Anyway, so my bed is now in my room, my clothes are in my dresser, and my books are getting up on my shelves... yes, things are coming together.

The summer job is continuing... the show in the gallery is up and ready to open Monday, the studios are getting cleaner, and things are progressing as usual.

This coming week should be fun as a candidate for the position of painting professor is coming. That should bring some excitement and will be fun to meet him.

Aside from that, life progresses, and I plan on making some more headway on boxes the next few days off...

oh, as a side note, I would like to take this time to brag: for the second semester of my tenure at Calvin, I have 4 pointed... that's right, straight A's for Bob... I keep my scholarships for another semester!

leaving

Well, today I'm moving most of my stuff out of my apartment. You don't realize how much stuff you accumulate over two years, but it adds up. I won't have access to my computer for the next two weeks, as it will be in transition, but after June 1, things will be on their way to sorted out in my new house. I will still be avaliable with my cell, so give me a call if you need me.

Just one final critique today, and a lot of hauling boxes... almost done with another year of college!

Almost there...

Well, 2 classes are officially over, both my Advanced Drawing and my final core class Intro Sociology are examined and done... As for my others, Asian Art Monday afternoon, Painting Wednesday afternoon, and Ceramics sometime in between/whenever as it's an independent study.

We are moving out of our campus housing this Thursday, but seeing as our lease doesn't start till June 1, I'll be relying on the good graces of art friends for a while, bumming a floor off them.

I can't wait to move out, I can't wait to move into my new house, and I can't wait to get this year over with.

Summer work starts the 22nd, and hopefully things will be as exciting as last year!
Almost done!

Calvin Spoof

Dear Family and Friends,

I don't know if you all have heard, but the Calvin Chimes spoof 'Cliche' a send up of the Back to God Hour's 'Today' has hit hard. With the refusal to publish it under the censorship of the newly empowered 'Spoof Review Committe', the publication made its way on to the web. By now, stories have appeared in both the GR Press and WOOD TV 8 (the local NBC) and numerous postings on Calvin Matters (the faculty and staff online forum) have shown that this is not going away quietly.

The link: www.calvinspoof.com

Please don't see the cover and click off. Don't just read a few and leave. If you do decide to read, be sure to at least (after reading a few) make it to the bottom and read the entry for June 30. PLEASE don't dismiss this as unthought out fluff. This has a message that is applicable for everyone I know.

For those who want to read Calvin's 'Official' response it can be found here: Calvin's Response

There are multiple things being addressed, issues of the Calvin community, issues of donor money and impact at Calvin, issues of social justice, issues of gender relations, issues of purity and holiness... the list goes on.

One of the biggest issues critics raised is whether or not the use of scripture and prayer is allowable in satire. From my point of view (and from knowing many of those who worked on the spoof/satire) this use of scripture and prayer came from a true concern with how scripture and prayer are so often misused by shallow expressions of faith in our community. Bible verses are taken out of context and misused (I've heard preachers do it), and I see the spoof as showing this.

Is it funny? I laughed so hard at some of the entries, I cried.
Is it offensive? At times, yes. But we have to look at why it is we are offended, for at least in my case, the offense comes when the critique hits too close to home.
Is it blasphemy? I never think it crosses the boundary, and I truly believe this is a sincere call to reform in our consideration of our faith. Satire is meant to shock people; just think of Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal"... or more applicale his "An Argument against Abolishing Christianity"... talk about Christian satire!

I also think that Calvin has stepped too far in censoring. There is the idea of Voltaire that "I hate what you're saying, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it" that I truly believe in. In this I am not talking about mean or hateful things, but rather things which I don't agree with, but are problems and issues that need to be dealt with.

In my opinion Calvin has turned its back on honest critique. If you don't believe that this is an honest call for change, read the last entry, June 30. It is in this entry, after all the poking fun of and making light of, that the Chimes staffers who participated in this, honestly brought it back to the Lord. In my opinion, those who would like to see the spoof gone, skipped over that last entry and only saw what they wanted to see. They only saw the big issues raised, the questions that must be answered, the hits too close to home, and the accurate read of the situation, not only at Calvin, but of the broader CRC community that the spoof found.

I defend the spoof in its entirety for what it represents to me, a call for serious contemplation and reflection on what it means to be a Christian in the 21st century in the Reformed tradition.
I know that this spoof will offend some of you. I know that this will hit close to home (it did for me). But please understand this in light of the sincere prayer from the June 30 meditation:

"Lord God, give our readers a spirit of understanding and humility. As we go out to reform our fallen world, remind us that we too are fallible. Amen"

So friends and family, sorry about the length, but I leave you with these things to ponder, and I pray that Calvin will not become an irrelevant institution because of its unwillingness to laugh at itself now and then and hesitation to reexamine the issues that surround it.

New Haircut

For those of you who missed it, I got a new haircut... so here it is!







Yep, my ears are again visible...

I like it, and it's nice for spring, so hooray all around. Who knows, I can always grow it out again! :)

Today I...

-helped nervous applicants set up for their BFA applications
-finished loading and fired a bisque kiln
-found out that another student, in their drawing of a comic book (which is what he wants to get into), gave me super powers
-found out that my superpowers are controlling clay/earth... yes it's a comic of students in the art department and he assigned powers based on people's inclinations in art
-realized just how dorky art students can be
-got a haircut; I think I'm now respectable enough for grandma again
-did laundry
-delayed writing a paper by posting on my blog

Hopefully tomorrow will be as exciting!

Ok, I know...

So I haven't posted in a while...

I'm truly sorry.

The list of days is growing shorter, and sadly, the yet to do list keeps finding things to add to itself.

However, here are a list of things that made me happy today:
- Taylor survived her wisdom teeth surgery and has no brusing, and only slight (very slight) swelling.
- Taylor on pain pills is hilarious, espically at 9:00 in the morning.
- I think I know what I'm going to put in my BFA review
- I still have three weeks till my BFA review
- A good friend bought me lunch because she has extra money on her pre-paid account and dosen't want Calvin to get it at the end of the semester
- I ate lunch outside on the grass
- My outside of class drawing recieved a good crit
- My in class drawing was really good and I'm hapy to say was hung up in the hall
- My rough draft, which was originally due Tuesday was pushed to Thursday, so I'm a little ahead of the game

On Becoming 22

It's March 26. I am officially 22.

So much has happened this past year, so much accomplished, and yet at the same time as I think about it, I still feel so lost and confused about where I'm going, what I'm going to be doing in the next years and what I have left to do.

As one of my friends put it, '22 is the first meaningless birthday'. And while I'm not quite sure its THAT bad, he's right to some extent. 21 was big, because in everything I am not legal, with all the responsibilities and rights that entails. 20 was big because it was the whole 20's thing. 19 was big because it was the last year as a teenager. 18 was big because I could vote and serve in the military. The ones before that were all looking forward to what was to come...

And now I've hit 22. So many things I've wanted to do or say, that I've left undone. So many things I've started but not finished.

I think to myself, have I done all I could to fulfill my calling in what God wants me to be doing? Am I truly where He wants me to be? Have I truly tried to change those things about myself that frustrate me, like my messiness and procrastination? Have I done what I wanted to in my art, or have I only done what I needed to to just pass?

Where will I be next year? Will I be any different, or will I be asking the same questions again?

I don't know. Sometimes I look at what I've done and I see the gaps, the faults, and the failings, and other times I see the successes and accomplishments. Would I really change things if I were to go back in time and fix mistakes or unfinished projects?

I don't know.

[OK, so I went back and read this post, and while it sounds uber depressed and sad, I'm not really that bad. I guess it was just a combination of being tired and kinda introspective on my birthday. BTW, I had a great time tonight with my friends. We had dinner at the Nobel's and they must have had some kind of contact with the parentals because they had many (ok almost all) of my favorite dishes for dinner tonight. After dinner we played games and just had a blast. Thanks Mom and Dad for the input... it was very much appreciated.]

I wish

I wish I was here:

But not here:

Notice the grey sky and bare trees?

Spring Break- the halfway point

So here I am, already halfway through another spring break. Since I haven't gone anywhere, I thought I'd make this spring break a productive one... let's recount and see if I've done that so far.

So far I have:

-Spackled, primed and painted two colors of paint in my roommate's new house with his fiance and other friends (the roommate is off singing around the midwest with Capella- oh does he ever owe us!)
-Cut a woodblock and printed 250 invitations for a friend's wedding, by hand with no press.
-Thrown and finished 6 mugs and 2 jars (had a day where nothing I threw I liked/was good therefore the number does not reflect my time spent in the studio)
-Primed and painted the gallery wall for the new show going up (I get paid for that painting at least)
-Started catching up on some homework I let slide (I know, slap on the wrist)

So Here's what I still have to do this spring Break:
-Find paper and print out the information parts of the invitations for the Postema-VanderKooy wedding
-Work on my one research paper for this semester (maybe get it mostly written??)
-Finish the homework I've been stalling on.
-Hem a painting, maybe two. OK, don't ask on this one... it's too hard to explain right now.
-Glaze my ceramics that have been already bisque fired.
-Reflect on turning 22 this coming Sunday... (ahem...cough cough)

Yep, that's about it. Not too bad, and I've alread accomplished a lot, and even if some of these things don't get done it won't be the end of the world. So... for those of you in Sunny anywhere, I wish I was there... Did I mention that the temp was in the 20's... and grey.... woot for a West Michigan Spring Break...

The Oscars

So it was an entertaining evening with the friends, watching the Oscars and chatting about who and what won, and which we agreed with and which we didn't. Overall, it was a consensus that indeed, 'Crash' was the best movie of the year and so deserving of its award. I saw it last week for the first time, and while I know Em talked about it once, I'll say it again: this movie will change your life. So powerful, so well done, and such an amazing cast.

As for the other categories, it was a good mix, with no one film monopolizing everything, which made for a fun time watching.

Hope your weeks go well.
Can't wait to see mom and dad on Thursday!

it snowed again today

i've been in class for four weeks now, this is the fifth
i don't feel like i've done much work, but i know that i have

spring break is in two weeks

mom and dad are coming up next week
i can't wait

i've submitted my art department scholarship applications
hopefully i'll get a renewal or at least something

justin jonker and i are looking at a duplex for next year
we go to look at it at 1 on saturday afternoon
we still need a third roommate
it's a white on the corner of burton and edgewood

i got two of my drawings from class hung up in the hall
that's big praise from prof. speyers
he scares me sometimes, by being very harsh and critical
but when he gives you praise, you know you've earned it
and my drawing is getting better

i'm not sure what i want to do for spring break
i would love to go home to orlando
plane tickets are expensive and i can't drive down
time in the studio will be good as well though

i have at least three weddings already for this summer
at least that i know i'm getting invited to

i don't believe in giving up things for lent
it's not part of our tradition and kinda meaningless when not heartfelt
my roommate is giving up meat
i decided to add more time of prayer instead

my sociology class is cancled today
it has been raining and freezing all night
i like it that my prof lives in muskegon

mom and dad are coming up next week

spring break is in two weeks

i miss the sun

i'm proposing a show for the downtown gallery
my friend taylor and i want to do it together
keep next october open, at least part of it
it will be unconvential portraits
hopefully our proposal will be accepted
taylor will be doing paintings
i will have ceramic sculptures

it's thursday
i don't have class tomorrow
hooray for the weekend starting early

The first...

Ok, after a long enough delay, I finally figured out how to get a program that works that will easily hold my photos... the ones I have loaded already are ones Justin Jonker (my roommate on the trip and friend) took with his digital camera, though 'my' photos look very similar and should be coming soon... anyway, with no further ado, here are a few images of Italy to (hopefully) sustain you all for a while longer while I try to organize my trip into a narrative...



The coffered ceiling of the Pantheon... very cool to actually see in person...









Taylor and myself looking at an obelisk... there are numerous of these stolen from Egypt scattered throughout Rome... one of the biggest is in St. Peter's Square.








A Mosaic that was in the Vatican Museum of an early Christian (a very weathly one at that to have the mosaic made of her). There was a matching one of a gentleman who I assume was her husband since they wer done in the same size, style and bakcground... kinda cool to see all the tessera (the little tiles- some with real gold imbedded in them!) make up the larger portrait




"The Scraper" - considered to be 'the' ideal male form, perfect in all proportion... I believe that this is a Roman marble copy of a Greek bronze original. Not much of the oldest bronze statues survive, they were either melted down and turned into other statues, trinkets, or such, or turned into massive sculptures that are now in St. Peters (such as Bernini's canopy over the high altar)








The Fake David- after years in the plaza, the original David was moved to the Academy in Florence, inside away from things like pigeons and stupid tourists... cooincidently, now you have to purchase photos of the 'real' David as no photography is allowed in the Academy. Ironically, there are about a dozen other sculptures in this plaza, and the David is the only one that has been moved indoors; all the others are original and still outside!






Well, I hope this gives you a little bit of relief, knowing that I did indeed go to Italy and these things were actually seen by me and my group.
More to come!

I'm a Porsche!!

Woot woot!!

I'm a Porsche 911!

You have a classic style, but you're up-to-date with the latest technology. You're ambitious, competitive, and you love to win. Performance, precision, and prestige - you're one of the elite,and you know it.

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Just a note...

Just a quick note to let you know that I got my pictures back and that I'm in the process of getting them on my computer so I can post them... don't worry, they are coming soon!
Happy Friday!