soundtrack | Backyard Babies: Ex-Flies

Project Emptying-Minds-By-Strange-Teaching-Medthods continues. Last week's teachings session ended in Friday evening at eightish - after which I went straight to Jaakko Valo's exhibition opening at´
The Jyväskylä Art Museum... and then there was some time spending procedires at Parnell's, Vihreä Haltijatar (Green Fairy) and Vakiopaine Bar (eh... Standard Pressure Bar...) - all which of them are pubs. I missed the christmas party of the Craft Museum of Finland to which I was invited to but luckily I didn't miss all the goodies. Mikko participated the christmas party and met us later on the pub - and brought me a doggy bag with salty snacks and chocolate things. But I have to say, a quite large piece of strong cheese in same doggy bag... Well, it didn't actually spoil the surprise but I have to say that the chocolate tasted a bit strange.

The following days - la dolce vita mode. The very next morning we went to visit my parents and what we did: slept, ate, slept, ate and played some cards. And then slept. On Sunday morning (eh) I woke up at half past one (on DAY that is), spoke html for a couple of hours and then turned into a zombie and watched tv about eight hours straight. *Bling bling.* It was about one in the night when I realized that a) I had to start making the demo for Aalto Foundation if I want it to be ready on Friday and b) new teaching period would start at 10 o'clock next morning. So I started coding the demo and got a good four hour sleep before waking up.

I actually wasn't so tired as I thought I would be. Teaching period of the day went well. But then I decided to go to the art class and when I waited in the corridor for the class to begin - in a really good chair and covered with my soft and furry winter coat listening to the quiet noise of the library hall... Oh boy. I almost reached the coma. After that moment I've been strangely non-efficient. I've replied all the emails I've received today, worked with MUHI layout and even done some small updates - but some projects (like writing Webgallery Spirited Herring project description for the Arts Council and plans for Jani) just take ages.

And yes, The Racthet & Clank 3 is now over and on the second run... I'm trying to keep some pause in that. Have some work to do.

soundtrack | Megadeth: Die Dead Enough

I've been so busy that I'm practically neglecting my friends. Yesterday Teija called me if I'd like to go to have lunch with her - I had to refuse (being busy). Today she called and offered to buy me a lunch in thai-restaurant - but still I just had to say no. Some other people have contacted me and asked if I'm ok since there hasn't been entry in my blog and there's a total email silence. Not a good sign. Me, bad. *ashamed*

Well, here come the excuses. I've been a bit fewerish. I should have stay in bed last week when I had a chance - at least in theory. But there was this one killing project that has been hanging since the beginning of July (not my fault, the orderer missed the deadline for ONE MONTH) and I just had to finally get it out of my hands. But working instead of sleeping the fewer off was not so good idea. And the situation didn't get any better when I decided to go and watch fireworks - there is actually a VERY frosty atmosphere outside. When did the winter start? Snow and all.

And I've been working like maniac. The fun part was Arctic & Fabulous Film Festival in which I was a member of the jury last weekend. There were some amazing short films (documents, animations, experimental, fiction...) We were unanimous about the winner: Karaoke, a short animation by Aiju Salminen.

And then there is Racthet & Clank 3 (PS2...) I can't work 24/7, can I? And dont worry my friends, you'll have me back soon, I'm almost finished with that one.
The flu won't be over, I know. This week I'm teaching each evening in äThe Adult Education Centre of the City of Jyväskylä. And on weekend I have to finish a couple of demo sites. Plus all the other projects. Actually, there should be a panic button here. I'm almost glad that I'm too tired to panic...

ps.
FILE 2004 website 2004 + festival is open. I was invited to participate with my work Book of Days - but then as I browsed around other participants I noticed that [R][R][F]2004--->XP project is also participating. I have one work, Silence, in [R][R][F]2004 Violence XP project... So, I have actually two projects exhibited in Sao Paolo, Brazil. [R][R][F]2004/ Violence XP project actually tours in other places too: 04XI-04XII 2004 Ist INTERNATIONAL EXHIBIT OF DIGITAL ART - ORILLA#04, Museum of Contemporary Art/Foro Universitario Santa Fe /Argentina + 7-12XII 2004 404 - Electronic Art Festival Juan B. Castagnino Art Museum Rosario/Argentina... Me, good. *grin*

soundtrack | The Cure: Lullaby

HA!

Right after the last entry I dropped out from the network all together. The next morning I called to the helpdesk of my connection provider and they told me that there is something wrong with the net connection - not just my imagination - and that there was nothing else to do but wait. Luckily I had scheduled one meeting about The Online Gallery Henkevä Silakka / Spirited Herring with Anssi so I didn't need the connection right then. We had a lunch in one Chinese restaurant and we planned the gallery project together. I wasn't sure about our budget so after lunch we visited the The Arts Council of Central Finland and set the total budget amount from The Arts Council; we'll propably try to get extra money from somewhere else. Anssi will propably get the most of the money since his job is the most basic one and because it's harder to get grants for programming. That will be seen. I'm meeting Jani tomorrow (well, today, after a good night sleep) and we'll make more plans and maybe more accurate budget. Anyway, the Online gallery thing is now developing. Finally.

When I came home I chatted for a while with Teija (in non-virtual mode, person to person) about some work business + some non work things. After getting gome I was happy to notice that I was back online and able to update. Except. I could download my email but not send email. My email provider helpdesk was allready closed so I just had to wait for the next morning. My mail works now but the problem was not really solved. We noticed that somehow I could use another port and everything is ok, but something is blocking the usual port. Shitty Shitty Bang Bang.

Anyway, on Thursday Ulla and I met in the The Craftmuseum of Finland: The colour+dyeing exhibition we've been planning WILL BE the main exhibition of the museum in 2006 - from May to September. WOW! It feels really great but at the same time... *fear* would propably be the right word for this. It's still too big thing to fully understand.

And some updates (working like maniac here after a forced pause mode): The Arts Council of Central Finland, Elämän värit, Arctic & Fabulous Film Festival, The Craftmuseum of Finland, Gallery Becker, Alvar Aalto Foundation, Centre for Cultural Affairs of Jyväskylä... Also made some layouts for Alvar Aalto Foundation and printmaker Aino Kaarina Pajari.

*zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz*

soundtrack | Björk: Triumph Of A Heart

NOT A SINGLE WEEK this stupid &%¤&%¤%¤¤%### c:ter is not trying to annoy me to death. Anssi mailed me (with tilt on subject) - we both seem to have a same problem. Access to one network doesn't work. As so happens, I can't now update the Aalto site, Craft Museum, or Arctic & Fabulous - just to mention few.

Today (...oops, it's already yesterday) I was teaching at Jao and on Thursday I'll go again. I've actually had fun with the students ... But I'm not so sure that the feeling is mutual. I bet they let it all out when they go home after class. Grrrr... I have to say I almost angst-paralyzed when I realized that I'm teaching every week of this month. But now as I am, it really isn't that terrible. One thing bugs me though: Ratchet and Clank 3 (PS2) will be in stores next Monday: I was going to buy it (well, uh, send Timppa to buy it) and then lock myself inside and play, play and play. And play. But frell. Can't do that - duty calls. Maybe I'll just have to develope some kind of mind blowing project and nobody will know the teacher is missing.


Oh boy, oh boy. I have such a ;) project going on... First I thought it was a good idea for some kind of commentary artistic work but the more deeper I've sank into the project, the more I've become convinced that I must be mad and there if there is something artistic, it must be the void space in my head. There is propably a computer which could do what I'm doing about zillion times faster but do I care? No. Now I'm too embarrassed to tell what that project is but as I have continued it already ten days, I just have to finish it. This project is soooo good example about my nerdy life.


---
Oh, and I've decorated my new monitor with colourful post-it parade. Feeling cozy already.

soundtrack | Bitch Alert: Psycho Drama Queen

Really.

Noboby will believe me anymore. I'm running late with all the projects because of these /&%&¤##¤%¤¤#¤%#¤ machines who won't respect me in any way. On Wednesday, I had just saved the draft of the entry below and was about to start updating sites when my monitor, my sweet sweer Silver, passed away. Died, so to speak. There was only a bright flash of spectrum and then - the darkness.

Of course this was at the evening when all the stores were already closed. I had no chance but to watch television all evening. Which would have been relaxing if there wouldn't been there deadline images in my mind. And too tight schedule stranglering me.

I bought a new monitor right in the morning. I really hadn't time to think because my day was scheduled from noon to midnight and I just had to get the screen right away. I just made the fast decision to be traditional: I bought an good old fashioned monitor, not TFT one. Which actually bugged me for a while. This is *a big* black 19" ViewSonic. I adjusted the monitor for about two hours and still I wasn't very happy. My Silver was a flat Sony Trinitron - the image was really sharp and the lines were straight. Well, this new one is not flat. Now I'm getting used to it. Actually, the adjusting is really easy and big resolutions work well - big prints are now much easier to handle.

But I can't help it. I still miss the good old Silver.

*Oh my god. I've given name for my screen....*

Okay... I'm starting to worry me...

Anyway, after we had brought the new monitor home, I ate a small piece of tuna pizza and rushed to Craft Museum. Ulla and I presentated our exhibition idea for the management of the museum - and voilá. We'll meet again next week and start making a budget for the exhibition. More about that one later when it'll be more accurate.

After the meeting I headed for JAO where I teached to about 7.30pm. I have to say: I'm loosing my touch as a teacher. Or propably I just was so tired because of my rebel c:ter relatives and all the adjusting... When I came back I made some small updates but the big projects are still still... Soon Stilton if my luck keeps going on like it has.

Today I had a meeting at The Arts Council of Central Finland and we discussed about the future of their web pages and of my online gallery project (coffee + cookies). Then I went to see Luova foorumi (Creative Forum) people (coffee+cookies). When I was returning home I met Rune and we went to hide from the rain to a small eco cafe (coffee+cookies). Easy living.

Well, the positive point of this is that now I can watch FarScape in bigger screen - looks good.

soundtrack | David Bowie: Wild Is The Wind

(This was actually written on Nov 3)

Day before yesterday it was the FarScape which won over going to art class. And - *hih* - I was the only viewer. Some guy (who had the same kind of reddish combat boots which I have - except mine are not exactly combat boots... *babbling goes on*) came to start the movie and after a while he left - and there I was, alone in a small movie theater, watching the series all by myself. Really. Then when it ended some other guy came to turn the machines off. I walked back home through the dead silent town - I was home before 11 pm but I was so tired I went to sleep almost right away.


Maybe it was (uh, the tiredness) because of my sudden cleaning activity which took place on Sunday. I finally got bored to look at the metallic locker thing in our one room - we got the locker from our neighbour and it just has stood there about two monts waiting for someone to fix a place for it. So I started this project on Sunday, emptied one shell system from cd's + vhs tapes etc and then pushed the locker into its right place. The only problem is now that it was relatively easy to empty the shells but it isn't that easy to fill them back. And then there are the extra doors I had to move from one corner to get the locker to fit... We have one old wooden door from one common sauna (I think) which is really beautiful ..and heavy and now homeless and without proper place.
I was going to continue the project on Monday but - FarScape. And yesterday I had one meeting and then I was teaching yesterday.

Anyway, it's making me really tired - playing some sort of hide and seek type of game with this &&%¤¤¤%%### c:ter. Online offline. Conscious - unconscious.

soundtrack | Spiderbait: Black Betty

Good news first:
Arctic & Fabulous Film Festival 2004 has been online since Friday.

Bad news then:
Since I worked so har on last Thursday and Friday I decided to keep a few days holiday and enjoy the weekend. So I did. On Saturday I visited my parents, we played cards among other things. Then in the evening Timppa and I went to a Maj Karma + Bitch Alert concert in Tanssisali Lutakko - and came back about 3 or 4 am. Needless to say, Sunday started after midday and I practically watched tv the whole day. La dolce vita!


After a good rest I woke up refreshed and energetic - to what? My computer had decided to download XP service pack 2 - all by itself - and I sort of accidently ended up installing it. After which all worked fine otherwise but I couldn't click anything on desktop - *TILT*. I ended up calling Microsoft help desk and there was this young guy (I suppose so) who helped me a lot and I actually got my C:ter working again.
But after a while... The story actually didn't end like that but after some bliiblaa and blahblah everything is now ok. I think...


And other stuff: as soon as I got back online, I updated Coloria and Webgalleria Henkevä Silakka / Spirited Herring. Last week I actually managed to proceed with Spirited Herring project; I'll write more about that when I'll got black on white. But one thing is sure: Spirited Herring is going to change a lot and it won't be just my project anymore. More about that one soon.


I've worked a lot with Väripaletti project and I got the first demo finished a few hours ago.
Made a few layouts for Piitu Nykopp, an artist who makes dolls. Still a few artist layouts to make.


I should really go to my art class but there's a screening of FarScape / Peacekeeper Wars at 7pm... It's not hard to guess which one will win this battle in my mind...