Monday, January 21, 2008

Exacto Expert



Alright, I am more than half way done with my project. I think I have put a total of 24 hours into this thing. I don't think I have worked on anything so frustrating since I was in high school algebra, but even then I figured it out in a couple of days. I also didn't have to spend a lot of money every time I messed up.

I think the most frustrating thing about this project was when I would be doing really good, no mess ups, almost done, and then something stupid would happen, like my exacto would slip and I's scratch the main piece. The worst was when the rubber cement would dry too quickly and when I would go to pull up the area that I had cut out, the illustration board would come with it. Argh.
I realize that you have no idea what I am talking about, but if I tried to explain it here you would be more confused, so just go with it.

So all I have to do now with my four designs is mount them on some railroad board, and be done. Now if I can just measure and cut those right I'm in business. I had to stop for the day though. There is only so many times you can mess up and not lose your mind.

It's MLKJ day! Hooray for that. I heard this really great This American Life last year, and now I think of it every time I think of Christmas and MLKJ day.
It starts out with this man talking about his little girl. When she was 4 or 5 she was really curious about why we celebrate Christmas. When her dad explained to her that we celebrate Christmas we celebrate the day that Jesus was born. She then became really interested in who Jesus was. She would ask her dad all these questions about him. He wasn't religious by nay means and tried to answer as best as he could. When it came to his death, his daughter asked him why people had killed him. He simply explained that it was because he had a lot of beliefs that other people didn't agree with. She replied with "Oh." And that was the last of that.

The next month he didn't have to go to work on a Monday. His daughter asked him why he didn't have to be at work that day. He told her it was MLK day and that it was celebrating his birthday. She immediately thought of Christmas and Jesus, and asked him if MLK was still alive. He told her no, and she asked if he was killed because he had different beliefs like Jesus did.
"Yes. Yes, I guess you could say that," was his answer.

Needless to say, I was in tears at the end of the story. This American Life is good for that. It can have you laughing, crying, and pondering the mysteries of life all in one hour.

4 comments:

Linda O'Neill said...

Well, even though your assignments are frustrating you...your photos of Chloe shine through! She is such a doll baby...I just wanna squeeze that little girl!

Keep plowin' through, Michele!

Heaton said...

having previously been employed as a graphic designer (but unlike yourself; very very bad at it) i understand some of your frustrations.
i like your work; and your dog is cute.

Janice La Verne said...

those Chloe photos... she is so cute...
your MLK story inspired me to write about my MLK day. I could have added to your story the death of Harvey Milk, first openly gay supervisor? city councilman? of San Francisco. When he was killed we were all devastated. A great documentary is "The life and times of Harvey Milk". It's so powerful. Thanks for making me think.
You have great tenacity to hang in there with an exacto knife!

Michele Maule said...

Thanks Janice for that recommendation. I'll check it out. Unfortunately the public school system fails to mention any important figures that are openly gay/lesbian. And I admit that I don't expose myself to as much women's studies as I use to when I was in college...I should really get back into that.