Wide eyed and so discrete

2008-11-05T16:17:00.000-08:00

This is a time of great change...and transition.

My blog has moved to samtaters.wordpress.com

Fall...And New Beginnings

2008-10-24T18:27:00.000-07:00

Things have been a little crazy, quit one job, started a new one. Up and downs...mostly ups. So I've been a little out of the loop as of late. For this, I apologize.

Recently took a job at Maryland Institute of Art (MICA) in the Advancement Department. It's like night and day. The stress level is almost zero, I'm surrounded by positive and professional individuals. I've only been there a week, but I feel settled. Working on getting my office situated, right now it is bland and sort of depressing. That will change soon.

I'm getting pumped for the MICA Art Market. I get the chance to support the students, faculty and staff. It doesn't hurt that it's a great opportunity to get unique handmade items for a great price. This is only their second year doing it, but I know it's going to be a big hit.

In other news, the weather is a-changing. I love the fall. I'm a knitting, cat cuddling, grandma sweater wearing kinda gal. I'm already starting to go into hibernation mode. It also so happens that I only really enjoy alcohol in the Fall and Winter. Tonight was wine, tomorrow will most likely be a Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale kinda of night. Hmmm...

#Bmoretweetup

2008-10-07T04:15:00.001-07:00

It all started with Gavin and I just wanting to drink and hang out. It ended up with 15-20 Twitter users drinking and mingling at Holy Frijoles in the Baltimore neighborhood of Hampden. I think I speak for everyone in saying I met a lot of great people. I'm sad to say I didn't get to talk to everyone, but I hope that's not the case at the next Baltimore Tweet-up. I'm determined to ensure the next event is on a weekend. I'm currently surviving on 4 hours of sleep...and I'm pretty sure when I woke up this morning I was still drunk. This work day should be interesting. All signs point to a great night and a successful Tweet-up! Thanks to all who attended and spread the word!

If you were there, comment and I'll add you to my blog roll here and make sure I'm following you on twitter.

Also, Jake and Gavin over at Charm City Podcast did some recording from the event, so that should be up relatively soon. I apologize for anything I may or may not have said. Don't judge. I believe there was also some flip-camera coverage...that may surface one day.

Until next time, Follow me on Twitter.

Baltimore Book Festival : Michael Ian Black Impregnates Me.

2008-09-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

For those in the Baltimore region, Friday thru Sunday is The Baltimore Book Festival. If all goes as planned, I will be on hand for AT LEAST Saturday's festivities. As, I must see one of the loves of my life, Michael Ian Black. He will be promoting and signing his book My Custom Van: And 50 Other Mind Blowing Essays That Will Blow Your Mind All Over Your Face, and bringing the laughter. I'm psyched, as I missed him the last time he was in town.

This past week's Charm City Podcast gave mention to this subject, if you care to take a listen.

I leave you with an episode (#6) of Wainy Days. Although Michael doesn't utter a word in the episode, I'd still like for him to make babies with me. It also happens to be a down-right hilarious episode. Props to Mr. David Wain.

Baltimore Crafters

2008-09-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

The Charm City Craft Mafia and Baltimore Etsy Street Team (BEST) are making themselves known in Baltimore after having a large presence at both Hampdenfest and Artscape. Utilizing a variety of crafting / art making methods, the members of these two groups have a lot to offer the consumers / art and craft lovers of Baltimore. Craft on, crafty bitches!

TigerLillyShop makes nature inspired jewelry. My favorite series features flowers or seeds pressed into, or sometimes encased in, brass. Even more beautiful in person.

Val Lucas, a MICA graduate, runs BowerBox Press. Using a Colt Armory press rescued from a basement, Val prints mainly books, cards, and stationary.

Illegible Ink, whose name stems from a grade school experience, uses the linocut printmaking technique. The artist focuses on nature for her subject matter, which is cut out of a linoleum block, inked, and then printed on wonderfully colored and patterned papers.

Other notable members of The Charm City Craft Mafia and BEST:

Red Praire Press

Block Party Press

Spaghetti Kiss

Pistol Designs

Green Museums

2008-08-20T16:49:00.000-07:00

"Green", "Sustainable", "Eco-friendly". It's all we hear about these days. Well, you have to sit through yet another mention. Sue me.

On my car ride to pick up lunch this afternoon I was listening to WAMU, which provides my daily NPR fix. The Kojo Nnamdi Show had a great segment on museums facing eco-challenges. Museums are an afterthought in the quest for all things green. It is often difficult for museums to implement large scale and costly improvements without cutting back on important museum programs that benefit its visitors as well as it's community.
Props were given to The Phipps Conservatory and Arboretum and The National Building Museum, just two of the museums mentioned that have adopted more eco-friendly practices.

There is a big push for all new construction to be LEED certified. I'm a proponent and understand that importance and goal of LEED certified architecture / building. I just wish to place emphasis on reusing and repurposing existing architecture. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, PEEPS!

Definitely worth a listen.

MacAttack

2008-08-20T08:30:00.001-07:00

After longing to have my own Mac since I first touched one, 5 years ago, it has happened! I came to the conclusion that I hadn’t truly treated myself to any splurges in quite some time. I got a fairly good bonus in July, which I clung tight to until we had moved into the new place and settled, should any unexpected expenses arise. That bonus was burning a hole in my pocket, and I knew if I didn’t spend it on a Mac, I’d just do something completely reckless / far less rewarding with it.

Andrew can account for me being super indecisive and going back and forth between whether I wanted a Macbook or iMac. There were a lot of things to consider, and boy did I consider them. I have to admit, I never go into a purchase, no matter how small, without exhausting my options. Sometimes it’s a good thing, sometimes it just drive me and those around me crazy.

I got a great deal, thanks to the old trusty student ID (even though I’ve long graduated – GO TIGERS!). I have to say I’m extremely pleased with both the purchasing experience and the products! I find myself spending far more of my free time glued to my Macbook exploring Apple related blogs (and Lifehacker) trying to maximize my computing from here on out!

Any suggestions for applications/software I shouldn’t live without? Gavin over at Gavin 1980 hooked me up with SimplifyMedia so I can stream my iTune at home to my iPod Touch and my work PC. I’m also enjoying sharing iTunes libraries with some good friends via SimplifyMedia. That brings me to my next question:

What would be the easiest way to go about transferring the music from my old iTunes library on my Dell Laptop to my Macbook? I have an external hard drive that’s actually never been used. I wasn’t sure if any sort of formatting issue would rear it’s ugly head. I’d like to think they sell some sort of USB connector that can connect two PCs together so I can just click and drag. Suggestions from all your smarty pants out there?

Enjoy a random PhotoBooth shot of my kittens, cuddling on the back of the couch. I swear they also have bodies, they're not just heads!

Barcode

2008-08-14T04:03:00.000-07:00

Pretty sweet barcode, man!

Barcode Building by Vitruvius & Sons of St. Petersburg. [via girl in a green dress, which was via eikongraphia.]

Printmaking Rainbow Brite.

2008-08-13T10:16:00.000-07:00

Durham Press' blog entry from May 15th documented the production of Polly Apfelbaum new editions. A pretty sweet first hand look at the printmaking process.

Rainbow Brite flashback, anyone?

This Ain't No Disco

2008-08-08T04:20:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge fan of This Ain't No Disco (it's where we work) and a strong believer that your work place surroundings have a direct impact on your productivity and overall mood. The site features the work place environments of companies around the world.

A few of my favorites:

Crowell Advertising, Marketing and PR / 12 S 400 W, Second Floor, Salt Lake City, UT 84101, USA

www.crowelladv.com
----------------------

Menage / Travessera de GrÃ cia 124, 08012 Barcelona, Spain

www.menagedesign.com
----------------------

Trust Creative Society / Finlaysoninkuja 25, 33220 Tampere, Finland

www.trustcreativesociety.fi
----------------------

Visit This Ain't No Disco (it's where we work) and tell me which are you favorites!

07.23.08

2008-07-23T04:39:00.000-07:00

I've cleaned up a few entries. I'm taking this blog in various directions. Currently settling into the new apartment in Charles Village (Baltimore) and trying to manage a 50 mile commute to work daily. Job hunt is in full swing. Once things are fairly stable, I will redirect my focus.

In the meantime, follow me on twitter.

Random posts to follow.

04.12.08

2008-04-14T19:28:00.000-07:00

Photogs

2008-04-14T07:55:00.001-07:00

In honor of my new camera. A post featuring a few of my current favorites.

Photographer, Hong Jang Hyun
(via foto_decadent)

Swedish Photographer, Lina Scheynius (via Lina Scheynius dot com)

Photographer, Marita Aguilar (via the girl in the green dress)
Artists, Unknown

Photographer, Kim Kyung Soo
(via foto_decadent)

Eye of a Tokay Gecko by Alan M. (via Wired.com Macro Photo Contest)

Inside and Out by Hamish Grant (via Wired.com Self Portrait Photo Contest)

My new baby...

2008-04-12T06:29:00.001-07:00

She's a beauty!

For any occasion

2008-03-24T18:27:00.000-07:00

Hilarious E-cards from Someecards.com

My love for Bill Murray lives on.

2008-01-23T10:37:00.000-08:00

Purchased this little gem yesterday. They were sold out, but Jeff at Visual Technicians found an unnumbered one he could send to me.

20"x16"
Four color screen print

Will soon be gracing my boring, bare walls (sad, given I was an Art History major/now work at an Art Consulting firm)!
WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Found the website on one of my fav blogs (also found on my blogroll): the girl in the green dress

Home-y

2008-01-18T11:45:00.000-08:00

I want everything in THIS HOUSE, except the phallic glass pieces ontop of the fridge, I could live without those.

Rooms from President and Co-founder of Branch Home, Paul Donald's House. Source: Design Sponge

Shelving Chair

2008-01-18T09:37:00.000-08:00

Design: Jan Murakoshi

You've got a devastating point of view

2008-01-18T06:55:00.000-08:00

Let me preface this little diddy by saying, I've never been a big Bruce Springsteen fan. That said, does the Boss' "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" sound like The Magnetic Fields to anyone else? That is if any of you have ever heard the greatness that is The Magnetic Fields. Maybe it has something to do with my current 'zombie needs some coffee!' state.

Inspire Me.

2007-11-26T18:40:00.000-08:00

What is it about me that attracts emotionally unavailable people? Not only are they emotional unavailable, they are plain and simple - emotionally retarded. I look around me and 90% of the people I know, I don't even "know". Is it me? Is it them? Is it 2007 and all the shit that comes with it?

I want to meet people who excite me, challange me, inspire me.

Today I saw...

2007-11-26T17:54:00.001-08:00

A construction worker, with a jack hammer in one hand (jack hammering away) and a cell phone in the other (most likely texting away).

people these days.

Say Anything, John Cusack.

2007-11-17T07:25:00.000-08:00

Since when do I watch "chick flicks"? Since this morning, apparently. When Harry Met Sally and Serendipity, to be exact.

Reminds me of an exerpt from Chuck Klosterman's Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs :

"...But whenever I meet dynamic, nonretarded Americans, I notice that they all seem to share a single unifying characteristic: the inability to experience the kind of mind-blowing, transcedent romantic relationship they preceive to be a normal part of living. And someone needs to take the fall for this. So instead of blaming no one for this (which is kind of cowardly) or blaming everyone (which is kind of meaningless), I'm going to blame John Cusack.

I once loved a girl who almost loved me, but not as much as she loved John Cusack. Under certain circumstances, this would have been fine; Cusack is relatively good-looking, he seems like a pretty cool guy (he likes the Clash and the Who, at least), and he undoubtedly has millions of bones in the bank. If Cusack and I were competing for the same woman, I could easily accept losing. However, I don't really feel like John and I were "competing" for the girl I'm referring to, inasmuch as her relationship to Cusack was confined to watching him as a two-dimensional projection, pretending to be characters who don't actually exist. Now, there was a time when I would have thought that detachment would have given me a huge advantage over Johnny C, inasmuch as my relationship with this woman included things like "talking on the phone" and "nuzzling under umbrellas" and "eating pancakes." However, I have come to realize that I perceived this competition completely backward; it was definitely an unfair battle, but not in my favor. It was unfair in Cusack's favor. I never had a chance.
It appears that countless women born between the years of 1965 and 1978 are in love with John Cusack. I cannot fathom how he isn't the number-one box-office star in America, because every straight girl I know would sell her soul to share a milkshake with that motherfucker. For upwardly mobile women in their twenties and thirties. John Cusack is the neo-Elvis. But here's what none of these upwardly mobile women seem to realize: They don't love John Cusack. They love Lloyd Dobler. .."

I may fall outside this '65-'78 time frame, however I would like to here and now express my deep love for Mr. Cusack. More than anything I think this "crush" came about the first time I ever saw High Fidelity. Regardless, I just now came to the horrid conclusion that I am just like every other woman in one aspect.

I would "sell my soul to share a milkshake with that motherfucker".

2007-11-15T18:29:00.000-08:00

Delta, Easy

2007-11-13T12:09:00.000-08:00

Still completely in love with John Westmark's work.
He is also one of the nicest people in the world.

2007-11-12T19:26:00.000-08:00

Currents:

Album: St. Vincent - Marry Me
TV: Dexter, Season 2, Episode 3
Website: http://www.lifehacker.com/
Book: Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips - Kris Carr
Blog: http://www.argyleacademy.com/blog.html

2007-11-02T23:47:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love this time of year. Hooooooray cold/fall weather.

Gearing up for the 'rents' move, Thanksgiving, my day 'o birth, and Christmas. So glad I'm not working retail anymore. I apologize to those who are.

homesick

2007-10-26T15:06:00.000-07:00

My parents bought a new house. My childhood home will no longer be "home". Mixed feelings.

90% sure i'm moving back to the Baltimore area once my lease is up. You don't know what you've got til it's gone. Thank you, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts.

2007-10-16T10:12:00.001-07:00

LouBear

2007-09-29T13:10:00.000-07:00

2007-09-26T12:54:00.003-07:00

Everyone is always curious about where I work and what the art we sell looks like. Thought I'd be lazy and just direct any inquierers here. So here are some pics.

The barn (yes, I work IN a barn):

My favorite artist that we've rec'd art from in the past month or so.

I feel like CTRL + ALT + DELETE-ing myself.

2007-09-24T20:16:00.000-07:00

new home

2007-09-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

I suppose this is my new home. hello, new home.

Random rant of the day:
Why is Dane Cook doing a World Series commercial? Why is Dane Cook doing any commercials? Why does Dane Cook exist?