hello there...
So, I have been meaning to post for awhile but haven't quite been in the right mood. On Friday I just chilled and took my week's Sabbath day rest, as the only non-lazabout thing that I did was to tour the art gallery on one of the Free Gusto at the Gallery days. I managed to do the Elmwood Avenue Arts Fest in alittle under two hours with my little sister on Saturday, and then put in a brief appearance at Shannon and Joe Canaski's wedding reception/corn roast. Yesterday about wore me out though, as I agreed to pull a ten hour shift at work in order to make up for one of my co-workers calling out--between closing on Saturday and closing on Sunday, my feet and knees and eyes were telling me that it was time for bed--at 9PM. Except that Borders closes on Sundays at 10PM. *sigh* Needless to say, I did not want to get out of bed this morning.
Last weekend was a bit more exciting, as I spent a good chunk of Friday at Jamie's good-bye party, did the Wyoming County Fair thing with Sara, and then only spent eight hours of my Sunday at work. I feel--and Sara definately agreed--that the Pike Fair just isn't as good as it used to be when we were kids. The ride all rides premium is too expensive while the rides themselves just aren't as fun--it definately got worse when they changed from Hammerel Ammusements to the Buffalo Ride Company. Over the past three years, we've both also noticed that there's less and less vendors and non-profit booths to visit in the home arts and community buildings, as well as in the fair's park area. I don't know...there was just something that seemed empty about the fair this year--or, maybe it was just that I went on Saturday, and for some god awful reason, they make the animals leave before the fair officially closes. It may just be that nostalgia factored into our negative reaction, as the both of us have grown up going to the Pike Fair each summer, and as farm kids, have gotton used to the county fair as the end of our summer. Or, it may just be that either, A.) less people live in Wyoming County now, and consequently less people are going to the fair B.) people just plain don't care to go to a traditional country-style county fair, or C.) the people running the fair are doing a crappy job. Or, a combination of all four factors...
My little sister finished moving in on Sunday, spent her first night in the apartment last night, and started classes at Villa Maria today. I'll have to not only get used to having a roommate again, but also get used to living with my little sister again, as it's really been eight years since I've done that on a regular basis. Yikes. Has it really been that long since I've graduated from high school?
Now that I've consistently gotten a few fridays evenings off from work, I've been making the effort to go to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery during their Gusto at the Gallery Free Friday series of events. Free art is always nice, whether you're looking at it or owning it. Anyways, I usually don't like postmodern art, especially when its seems obtuse, excessively abstract, or just weird to me. But my favorite of the newest installations in the permanent exhibition space at the gallery is this almost completely dark room. Its a smallish-to-midsize space, which since its designed to accomodate only six people, gives the viewer a sense of intimacy. The room is completely dark, except for a blue screen, which at first glance seems like a blue movie screen. But, once you walk up to it, it turns out to be a recessed space that actually has some depth and perspective--another, smaller room that's full of dark blue light. (and is a few feet lower than the room that you actually stand in) The optical illusion is crazy--at first it seems like you shouldn't be able to put your hand through the "screen," and then there's this whole other space with just barely visible perspective lines and dimensions!
But its also quiet, and sometimes I like to just go into the exhibit space and stare at that blue rectangle. It's strangely soothing...like watching a fishtank or something like that...
Last weekend was a bit more exciting, as I spent a good chunk of Friday at Jamie's good-bye party, did the Wyoming County Fair thing with Sara, and then only spent eight hours of my Sunday at work. I feel--and Sara definately agreed--that the Pike Fair just isn't as good as it used to be when we were kids. The ride all rides premium is too expensive while the rides themselves just aren't as fun--it definately got worse when they changed from Hammerel Ammusements to the Buffalo Ride Company. Over the past three years, we've both also noticed that there's less and less vendors and non-profit booths to visit in the home arts and community buildings, as well as in the fair's park area. I don't know...there was just something that seemed empty about the fair this year--or, maybe it was just that I went on Saturday, and for some god awful reason, they make the animals leave before the fair officially closes. It may just be that nostalgia factored into our negative reaction, as the both of us have grown up going to the Pike Fair each summer, and as farm kids, have gotton used to the county fair as the end of our summer. Or, it may just be that either, A.) less people live in Wyoming County now, and consequently less people are going to the fair B.) people just plain don't care to go to a traditional country-style county fair, or C.) the people running the fair are doing a crappy job. Or, a combination of all four factors...
My little sister finished moving in on Sunday, spent her first night in the apartment last night, and started classes at Villa Maria today. I'll have to not only get used to having a roommate again, but also get used to living with my little sister again, as it's really been eight years since I've done that on a regular basis. Yikes. Has it really been that long since I've graduated from high school?
Now that I've consistently gotten a few fridays evenings off from work, I've been making the effort to go to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery during their Gusto at the Gallery Free Friday series of events. Free art is always nice, whether you're looking at it or owning it. Anyways, I usually don't like postmodern art, especially when its seems obtuse, excessively abstract, or just weird to me. But my favorite of the newest installations in the permanent exhibition space at the gallery is this almost completely dark room. Its a smallish-to-midsize space, which since its designed to accomodate only six people, gives the viewer a sense of intimacy. The room is completely dark, except for a blue screen, which at first glance seems like a blue movie screen. But, once you walk up to it, it turns out to be a recessed space that actually has some depth and perspective--another, smaller room that's full of dark blue light. (and is a few feet lower than the room that you actually stand in) The optical illusion is crazy--at first it seems like you shouldn't be able to put your hand through the "screen," and then there's this whole other space with just barely visible perspective lines and dimensions!
But its also quiet, and sometimes I like to just go into the exhibit space and stare at that blue rectangle. It's strangely soothing...like watching a fishtank or something like that...