_05

So, the Water/ Politics/ and Hope exhibit turned out to be really great. I was pumped that so many people came and that the response was so positive. It was so fun to organize and put up an exhibit.. now I just want to do more exhibits all the time! Also, it was so fun to conceptualize and produce all the promotional stuff for the exhibit (a collaboration with Keenan), and I think that I really want to do more work in that arena in the future, professionally. Anyway, it has been really cool also to hear people's responses to the exhibit (there is an email on the website where people can send in their thoughts about the work). Today someone that I don't know sent in this response to my piece:

"I really enjoyed this piece. It was my favorite in the show. I think that the way it presented it's message was very powerful. The contrast between those who have water and those who do not was shocking. We are so fat here in America and we take so much for granted. It really became apparent when you place a picture of a starving child next to a typical American child. It was cool how he used the orange which is a very dry, warm color and contrasted it to the blue, cool, wet color. I think the compostion is very good too, letting us see how our view is refracted. I give this two thumbs up! Keep up the good work!"

I really like to hear feedback about my work in that sort of way, from people I don't know, and where it's not solicited so directly, like "here look at this and tell me what you think" but actually a response that someone felt personally inclined to give on their own. Even when people's interpretations of the work isn't exactly what I intended to convey. I actually like that, not being there to explain every detail or intention, but just allowing the viewer to interpret.

_04

Amber and I just went with a couple of our friends to a going away party for our dear friend Bardhi Haliti. When we first got there, a girl that we haven't seen in awhile called out across the room "Hey! Jon and Amber have come out of their cave!" I thought it was really weird, and also a bit presumptuous of her to say that. Sort of funny that one might assume that if you don't hang out with them then you don't hang out with anyone. Or to assume that you must not have any real friends that are outside of "their circle" or do things that are outside of "their awareness." I have nothing against anyone at that party, as a matter of fact a lot of them are good friends of mine and have been for a long time even if we don't see each other all the time, and some of them are good friends of mine that I do see often, and some are people I've never seen before in my life. But regardless, I was disappointed that someone felt like greeting us with a comment that essentially meant "Hey, I haven't seen you guys in a long time, and that must mean that you are living a friendless life void of human interaction and activity!" No offense, but that kind of comment certainly doesn't communicate any sincere "nice to see you" and is really just pretty annoying. Anyway, we said our farewells to Bardhi, who I am sad to see go, but also very excited for him. He will do very well in NY, I am sure. And who knows, maybe we will move back there next year... Anyway, back to the cave.

_03

We went to k-mart last night to buy a dish scrubber. When we were at the check-out counter I told they lady "oh, its okay, we don't need a bag for that. we can just carry it out." She seemed shocked at first, and then said "oh yeah, I remember you two, the one's that don't use bags."
I was a little surprised because a). we haven't been to k-mart in a few weeks and b.) I would imagine that there are other people in provo who recognize the pointless waste it is to wrap every little item they purchase in an extra layer of plastic that is only going to be thrown away. am I crazy? or does anyone else agree that plastic bags are pointless, especially if you are only buying one or two or three items. Why not just carry the items out in your hands? And for bigger purchases bring a tote bag? Anyway, I know there are a lot of people out there that already do many things to reduce waste, and conserving plastic bags is just a tiny little part of it. But I was amazed by the fact that so few of the shoppers at k-mart choose not to use plastic bags that the employees there are beginning to recognize us as "the one's that don't use bags."
pretty funny. and maybe a little sad?

_02

What was I thinking this morning as I was shaving? Boredom? Over-confidence? Was I trying to be funny? Tough? Ironic? Whatever the motivation, I decided to leave the mustache. Of course, I never leave the mustache. At least not longer than a few minutes (any guy who says he doesn't play a little game of "what if I was an undercover cop?" in the mirror now and again is probably lying.) At any rate, this morning I must've got carried away with delusions of drug busts because a few hours later I still had the mustache and was feeling frighteningly okay about it. Not to mention a bit creepy. Little did I know, the day was about to get a lot creepier.
So, I'm on gmail and my brother Dave [that's right the one that lives in Philadelphia, 2,150 miles away] sends me an email. All it says is "wore this bad boy this morning" and—you guessed it—there is a picture of him with the sickest mustache I've ever seen. (see below)
I tell you, it is just too weird. Neither Dave nor I are the mustache type, nor can I recall a time when either of us actually decided to wear one out of the house (or even the bathroom)... but without any planning we do it on the same day? That is too creepy... check this out:

_01

last night amber and i went to a pretty delicious cafe in springville called gingers. it has all kinds of natural and raw and nutritious foods and crap like that. i got this crazy "pizza" that was actually some sort of insanely nutritious raw oat or granola cracker thing with a bunch of veggies like red and green peppers and onions and lettuce and avocados and mushrooms chopped up on top of it and some sort of tasty brown sauce on top too. really good food. also their water is apparently some sort of phenomena called reverse osmosis. i don't really understand at all what that means, but you can read more about it here.