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Esoteric Easter Irony
Apr 13, 2006

At work, my email is beeping happily to itself as we receive notices from other offices across the world that they are observing a local holiday tomorrow, and the following Monday. It's Easter.

This being America, we're open for business and raring to go all across the weekend.

HOO-rah. Etc.

Point of Irony Number One (International Politics): the nation the rest of the world vilifies as either Too Christian or a Crusader does not provide an institutional celebration of the Ressurrection.

Whereas the more secular Hong Kong and Singapore do.
Hong Kong is Chinese now. China is communist. Religion is the opiate of the masses. They're shut for Easter.

Point of Irony Number Two (Local Religious): the fun and games that American kids identify with Easter have nothing to do with Jesus. The Easter Bunny, the hunting of hidden eggs - all Pagan symbols, thanks awfully.

Irony?

(95 replies, Latest reply: May 2, 2006)

Art!
Mar 31, 2006

Sort of a tribute to the great John Walters, that.

Last weekend we packed the Gradientlings off to see some Art.

There was a wee festivalette in Phoenix, with art galleries and studios opening their doors to anyone who cared to visit. And visit we did, discovering a thriving little Artists Quarter tucked away on what I thought was a bit of a shabby side to the city. It turns out that the area is intentionally a bit shabby, it's home to artists.

I'm going to kick aside my own musings on the bohemian lifestyle and stick to mentioning what the kids thought of the whole thing.

Firstly, they liked meeting artists. After all, when you go to a museum it's just boring old pictures and people telling you why they're good but when you meet the artist you get to know the real reasons for stuff ("I really like red").
Second, they were very happy with the idea that they could have their own opinions about Art. (And it was a lot of fun for me to ask those great leading questions like "Well...what do you think?" and just listen to the results without anyone having to be right).
Third, they liked realising that they could do this stuff too. Several of the artists were very chatty about how much not expensive stuff they used ("ooh, I just bought some acryllic paints and a couple of pencils and a drafting pen...I think I spent about $20 on this..." - total sale cost of art: $800) and how they went about actually doing things, leaving all four gradientlings in no doubt that if they felt like throwing together a heartfelt image or two...they could!


Having done with Art, they now want to go to the Science Museum.

Coooool.

(3 replies, Latest reply: Apr 5, 2006)

It's all Sho's fault
Mar 22, 2006

I've been writing, and re-writing, and shoving stuff around to make it look like writing.

And I'm going to post a link to it all on the main part of the page here.

And if it's any good, I'll be delighted.
And if it's not, I'd love constructive criticism.

And either way, it's all Sho's fault.

Can we have her Canonized or something?

(1 reply, Latest reply: Mar 22, 2006)

A little touch of discord
Mar 9, 2006

So, as I remarked not so long ago, I got a new job.

I am enjoying my new job, which has me removed almost entirely from dealing with the public.

I am becoming rather good at it too. This is pleasing becasue I wasn't at all sure I would be. The people are nice, the day moves quickly enough and there's occasionally time to spend with a colleague or two discussing art or philosophy.

No, seriously.

With all other matters in my life brought to an equally calm and harmonious spot...Mrs Gradient decides she's had enough and wants to move to Texas.

No, your ears do not deceive you. The sound of running boots is BH, fleeing his home state. But worry not. I think, though I am by no means certain, that reason has won the day.

You see, I like Arizona. And Phoenix. I really do. And I don't want to move. Although there's nowt wrong wi' Texas, and the house prices there are lovely (and we'd be riding the crest of the wave in terms of fleeing Californians pushing up the house prices), as are the houses...I don't wanna. So there's a little tension at Chez G right now. The other place on Mrs G's list was Mississippi but I refuse to live in a place I cannot spell reliably.

(9 replies, Latest reply: Mar 15, 2006)

New! New! New!
Dec 31, 2005

New Year: Can't wait. This year has been very good to me, if rather busy and with far too little H2G2 time, so I am looking forward to what next year brings.
- it hasn't all been good, though. There were recent traumas (I'm not one of those people who feels the need to document them, though, because I'm completely aware that other people also have lives equally stressful and I know the support would be there if I asked for it...which means I don't need to!) and they are dealt with leaving the field clear for 2006 to be another mostly great year.

New Job: I'm getting a pay rise, moving into a completely different field of work and will not have to deal with customers for at least a year, at which point my near total customer-service burnout should have abated and I'll start to like people again.

New Doctor Who: Mr. Tennant is marvellous. Yes, I'm still in America and no, it's not being broadcast here yet...but one has ways and means and a friend in the US with a serious TV obsession who gets ALL SORTS of channels! Yay!

It's going to be a busy year, 2006. I have high hopes for it.

So to those of you reading this:

Have an excellent new year. May 2006 bring you friends, fun, opportunity and joy.

(4 replies, Latest reply: Jan 3, 2006)