Something Out of Nothing

Maura's New Studio

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 22:54:00 +0000

I'd like to present to you the newest addition to the Fowler/Cluthe home:

We've been spending most of our free time working on Maura's new studio and it's all been worth it! In fact I took a week of vacation to help with the siding. We're so excited to see it near completion. There are only a few more small details and it'll be ready for Maura to move back in!

I've been obsessively taking pictures of the whole process. You can see them all at my Studio Renovation Gallery. Thanks to our friend Mike Mastin and his crew, Mike, Pete, Chris, Randy, and everyone else that helped. They do great work if you need anything done to your house!

This is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:57:00 +0000

I remember going shopping for my mom for Mother's Day one day long ago - my brother and I picked out a plaque which read "This is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life!" Of course, neither of us had the slightest clue what it meant but it sure sounded significant. Over the years, that phrase has stuck in my head. It just pops up every once in a while and I think about what it means. It has always sounded kind of silly and contrite to me, but last night it popped into my head again.

Today is the first day of the rest of our lives. Today, for the first time in a very long time, I can actually say I'm proud to be an American. Today al whole lot of Americans voiced their opinion on how they think conservatives have been running the country for the last eight years. All I can remember since first caring anything about politics is a sense of cynicism and hopelessness. Today I have hope. I woke up this morning feeling like a huge weight had been lifted.

Obama will certainly have his work cut out for him, especially with that new puppy running around the White House!

Same as it Ever Was

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:07:00 +0000

This has been quite a concert season for us. First we saw Midland Theatre. Then we drove to Denver to see Sigur Ros at Red Rocks, followed quickly by Beck the next Monday at the Uptown. Sigur Ros was great, especially considering the location. Red Rocks is a beautiful place, and the sound was awsome. Beck was technically good, but he seemed burned out somehow, like it was just another day on the job. It all pales in comparison, for me anyway, to last night's concert. After a lifetime of being a fan, I finally saw David Byrne live! He is, by far, one of my favorite artists. He's so original, and yet totally genuine. He seems to be truly touched.

One of the two first tapes - yes, tapes - I ever bought with my own money, back in junior high, was Talking Heads '77 (the other was Joan Jett - I Love Rock 'n Roll). I've loved his music ever since, whether as part of Talking Heads or his solo career.

In concert he looks like he's really having fun. The audience gave him a standing ovation the moment he got on stage and by the end of the third song another one, worthy of a cheer for an encore. I think he and his band were truly taken aback by that - they looked a little surprised and touched. David Byrne smiled a lot, which is great to see. The first two encores at the end of the concert were expected, but the third looked totally impromptu.

The whole evening felt a little surreal to me - I couldn't believe I was actually seeing him in person. And we had some great seats, center orchestra, just seven rows from the stage. Byrne played a great mix of material. I wasn't sure he would since the concert was billed as an evening of him performing his collaborations with Brian Eno. Don't get me wrong, I would have been just as thrilled to experience that, but he also included stuff from his own solo career as well as some Talking Heads material. It was the most incredible evening. I was in tears for a lot of it - overwhelmed by his presence. Anyway, enough gushing, here are some pictures (these and a few others are now on my Flickr Page):

And a couple movies:

Too busy to think

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:34:00 +0000

I'm swamped at work - the new semester starts next Monday and, just like every other year, everyone realizes that they need everything at the last minute. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining - I love my job, more than ever, but it's wearing me out. The last two and a half weeks (is it only Monday??) I get home and crash, I can maybe stay conscious for a movie, but that's about it. I can't wait for the semester to actually start so that I can breathe again!

But that's not what I set out to share. This is:

Two of my favorite musicians - David Byrne and Brian Eno - have collaborated again, thirty years after their first incredible collaboration. I've been listening to this as much I could all day and it's great. Everyone that came into the office asked what it was - they were all really digging it.

AND David Bryne is coming to Kansas City in October! I missed him last time he was in town - I'm not going to make that mistake again!

Vancake

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:08:00 +0000

If you didn't already know, I have a soft spot in my heart for vintage VW's - Ghias, Vans, Squarebacks, Things, but particularly Beetles. I have an extensive collection of toy VWs, mostly Bugs, only a portion of which I have the room to display. Someday I hope to photograph my collection and post it. We just buy a beautiful new display case which lives in our front entry so several more of my friends can live out in the open. They love sharing the space with Maura's robots too!

The observant amongst you will notice that the walls are a different color. It's a bad picture taken at night with a flash, so the color's not 100% accurate but you get the idea. We did that last weekend, it needed new paint and we decided to go with something a little different.

However, none of that was what I really set out to write about. What I wanted to share with you was this:

From the original post:

Volkswagen parts specialist Just Kampers teamed up with artist Andy Saunders to produce the World’s Lowest VW Bus – also known as the Camper. The 3-foot (1 meter) tall VW Bus entitled "Vancake" that’s fully road legal was created by Saunders and his team in just three days during this past weekend’s (July 18 to 20) Bug Jam festival at the UK’s Santa Pod Raceway. Apart from lowering the roof the team also applied a custom paint job and an electric sunroof.

I love seeing the modifications people have made to their classic VWs. It's great to see them restored to their original condition, but some of the mods are very creative and fun!

One Hundred Pushups

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:29:00 +0000

Maura and I quit the gym we had been going to - a good friend of mine had an unfortunate interaction with the owner (I won't provide details, but the owner could have handled the situation better), and in all honesty, we hadn't been in a while. A couple weeks ago a ran across www.hundredpushups.com and lacking any other physical exercise, we decided to try it. It's a progressive pushup training program, each week you are required, and able to do a few more, until after the sixth week, you should be able to one hundred pushups in one go, with no breaks. I managed to do twenty-five in the initial test, which surprised me. At the end of the first week I did sixty-three with breaks.

We just started our second week and I definitely feel a difference. Right after doing them my arms feel like jelly, but the pain I felt when I first started, which lasted for a few days, is gone. I don't hurt at all after a new set.

I realize that it's far from a complete workout regimen, but it's a start.

Spore!

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 01:59:00 +0000

Electronic Arts will soon be releasing Spore by game designer Will Wright (creator of such titles as Sim City and Sims). Today, as a way to get people addicted, they released the Spore Creature Creator and it's very cool. I've wasted (XX) hours playing with it today!

Meet Yarfla, one of my Spore Creatures

You can create creatures using all sorts of parts, body colors, and by stretching the pieces around to liking. Then you can move him around a test area and take snapshots! The full game will be much more complex, involving the survival and evolution of your species. If the Creature Creator is any indication, I can't wait to see it!

I made a couple of different creatures and took some candid shots of them in action. Check them out! And then go download the Creature Creator, the demo is free!

My Debut Album

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:57:00 +0000

I found the instructions on the net, so I can't claim anything here, but it was kind of fun! I might have to do another one!

Go to a random Wikipedia entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random Wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.
Go to Random quotations:
http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.
Go to flickr's "explore the last seven days":
http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

Put it all together, that's your debut album.

Here's what I came up with:

Going to Nashville

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Fri, 30 May 2008 13:10:00 +0000

Maura's been working on some pieces for a show at Tag Art Gallery in Nashville and I think we're going to try to make the opening! In the four years I've known her, we have yet to make it to one of her openings together. She's been out in the studio a lot in the past two weeks, with the exception of last weekend of course) and she's been doing a lot of super fun stuff! This is one of my favorites:

Visit her page on the TAG website for a preview of the work she's displaying. Here's more info about the show.

Another very cool piece:

I'm very excited about the trip. Nashville is an interesting place, but it's also the first opening of hers that we've been able to attend! It should be a lot of fun!

Corkboard Mac

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Thu, 29 May 2008 21:15:00 +0000

Man, this give me some ideas...

This old disassembled laptop still works! I have a couple old non working laptops that I've thought about doing something interesting with. This is kind of a cool idea. Knowing me though, I'd have to dress it up a little. Let's see, what do I have going on this weekend...

Another shot:

Second Anniversary

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Tue, 27 May 2008 00:27:00 +0000

Two years ago today Maura and I got married! We spent the weekend in Lawrence at the Eldridge Hotel.

The hotel has an interesting history, as does Lawrence. The existing hotel is actually the third iteration. The first - The Free State Hotel - was burned down by the pro-slavery sheriff Sam Jones, the second by Quantrill and his raiders.

The hotel was beautifully renovated and reopened in May 2005. Our room was spacious and very comfortable. Everything looked as historically accurate as possible. The staff was very courteous, if a little impersonal. Room service was prompt and tasty! We had a great weekend checking out the town. We go to Lawrence pretty frequently, since most of Maura's family lives there, but we spent more time downtown than we normally get a chance to. We found all sorts of treats!

Here's the view from our Mass. Street window:

Dinner at Ten was excellent. The winner, in my opinion, were the truffle and parmesan fries I had with my garlic rubbed ribeye, which was also superb. I know, fries, right? But wow, my mouth is watering just thinking about them! Maura had the corn & crab encrusted sea bass and it was incredible as well. Check out the menu. They also have a great bar and wine selection.

It was a great weekend spent with my wonderful wife

Here's to many more years together, Maura. I love you

Hell Boy II

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Thu, 22 May 2008 20:23:00 +0000

Guillermo del Toro + HellBoy = AWESOME

Check out the TV Spot here

Twittering

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Thu, 22 May 2008 20:11:00 +0000

I've been neglecting my blog lately and I had been doing so well! I got sort of addicted to Twitter and it seems all my writing juices have been filtered into it. I promise I'll try to do better, but I've also begun studying to become Leopard certified. Not a monumental task, but the tests are very detailed - like stuff I'd never need to know in the real world.

As for the Twitter thing, I'm not going to explain why. If you think it's a dumb idea, don't do it. If you're mildly interested, give it a try and either find yourself totally addicted or drop it like the dumb idea you initially thought it was.

I like it because it's like a constantly updated IM blog. There are a ton of interesting people, some even saying interesting things!

Kitten Update

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:42:00 +0000

I think we finally settled on a name. Thanks to Äna for the suggestion! Drumroll, please......

Introducing Luna!

Luna, playing with her favorite toy

She's settling in fine. She's been spending most of the daytime hiding under the bed and doing some exploring at night. She also seems to think 3:00AM is a good time to play with the noisy toys and nibble at fingers. Luna seems to fit her better every day!

In the picture above you can see her oddly bent tail. It looks as if it had been broken in two different places and didn't get a chance to heal correctly. She doesn't seem to notice at all - she wags it just like she would if it were straight. Our first visit to the Vet is tomorrow morning!

Smile for the camera!

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:18:00 +0000

Smile for the camera!

My wife got me a cat for my birthday! We adopted her from Second Chance Pet Adoption. They get animals from shelters and put them in foster homes until they are adopted. Her number was up the day they got her from the city shelter. I'm glad they rescued her, she is the sweetest cat!

We don't have a name for her yet, but we're considering Slinky. Her tail looks like it was broken in two different places; it no longer sits straight - it has two ninety degree bends in it. She's sleeping now - she's had kind of a rough day. We picked her up on the ways to my mom's for dinner so she's been all over town today!

Events

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:09:00 +0000

Thirty-seven years ago today, at about 1:00PM, the most significant event of my life took place. It would form the basis of all other events in my life. Every single person I have met has been affected in some manner. Everything I have ever done - none of it could have happened if not for this event. Yes, thirty-seven years ago today, I was born into this world. I have to say, life's been pretty good so far. Particularly the last several years, thanks to my amazing wife, Maura. She got me this awesome new (old) tin toy Beetle to add to my growing collection!

As is happens, tomorrow the second most significant event in my life happened. I didn't know it at the time, but this event would change my life in more ways than any other event, besides the one I mentioned above. Yes, thirty-seven years ago tomorrow, my awesome, beautiful, talented, smart, kind, generous, playful, silly, colorful wife, Maura Cluthe, was born into this world. Thank you, Maura, for making life so wonderful.

No. 329 The Brat

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:10:00 +0000

Last November Jim Woodring posted a pen and ink drawing on his blog called The Brat featuring his characters Frank and Pupshaw. I commented on it asking him if it was for sale and now it's on it's way to our home! I can't wait to see it in person! Jim Wooding is an amazingly talented artist. I love his aesthetic of surreal cartoon characters, and the bright colors he uses in his paintings are so vivid and happy! His work reminds me of the cartoons I grew up on and yet there's something totally "other" about them. I like to look at them and wonder what the heck is going on.

I had bought Maura some limited edition plastic collectibles of Frank, Pupshaw, and Pushpaw a couple years ago. We're excited to have an original work of Jim's hanging on our wall!

Jim Woodring's The Brat

Road Rovers

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:39:00 +0000

I officially have another collection. The rule in our household is if you have three or more of anything, it's a collection. I've had one of these for years - Scuttle Bug, the little yellow guy, second from the left. I found the Banana Bus in the River Market Antique Mall a couple years ago. This weekend I found three more in the Antique Mall in Lawrence - Fuzzmobile, Vroom Broom, and Carpool.

While I'm not one to collect items made by Hallmark, I love these little cars. They were made in 1975, 1983, 1984 and 1985 and I don't think very many were produced. I keep my eye out for them whenever I go to an antique mall. They're so colorful and cartoony - they make me happy! For more pictures, go check out my Flickr set!

Road Rovers

Booze test (hic!)

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:26:00 +0000

It doesn't mean anything! I just happen to know a lot about alcohol for some reason... Really! Take it yourself!

I need another drink.

100%ALCOHOLIC

Old Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 19:20:00 +0000

It's amazing how talking to old friends, especially ones you haven't seen in a while, can put everything in your life into a new perspective.

I don't know if it was the weather or maybe I was sending out some kind of homing signal. Last Wednesday within one hour of each other two people who I haven't talked to in over a year called me. Both good friends from the past - one I worked with a few years ago when I lived in central Missouri - Nicole, and the other I went to college with -Ryan. We met Nicole for dinner last thursday - it was great to see her and catch up. She and her family kept me sane through a somewhat dark time in my life. Ryan has been in school since he was five. He's now an anesthesiologist in search of work - he interviewed at a local hospital and should know within two weeks!

I'm typically very bad at keeping in touch with people. Friendships are a two way thing, I realize - it's not just me, but I should probably be more proactive. Even friends that live near - a good friend who lives north of the river just had his second child and I haven't even met the first yet! As in introvert, I don't tend to seek out a lot of people and yet the friendships I make tend to last. I lose touch with people and when we find each other again, it's like nothing happened.

In visiting with Nicole, she commented that it was great to see me so happy. I know that I'm much happier now than I've ever been in my life (all due to my awesome wife), but hearing her say it made it even truer somehow. It gave me a basis for comparison I guess - this is how far I've come. It's also good to hear that she and her family are doing well, as well as the other people in Columbia that I do a terrible job of keeping in touch with.

I guess my point in writing all of this is that I need to quit being quite so solitary. I need people; I need to stay in touch with those that are not near and I need to actually hang out with those that are.

1888 photo of Helen Keller and Anne Sullicvan found

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 01:16:00 +0000

From the AP article:

Researchers have uncovered a rare photograph of a young Helen Keller with her teacher Anne Sullivan, nearly 120 years after it was taken on Cape Cod. The photograph, shot in July 1888 in Brewster, shows an 8-year-old Helen sitting outside in a light-colored dress, holding Sullivan's hand and cradling one of her beloved dolls.

Experts on Keller's life believe it could be the earliest photo of the two women together and the only one showing the blind and deaf child with a doll — the first word Sullivan spelled for Keller after they met in 1887 — according to the New England Historic Genealogical Society, which now has the photo.

Simply put, Helen Keller is one of my heroes. The first time I encountered her story, I was in grade school - only eight years old. It was the 1979 made for television version of the Miracle Worker with Patty Duke as Anne Sullivan and Melissa Gilbert as Helen Keller. I recall being inspired by the story, but also horrified. I empathized with Keller's situation so strongly that it scared me. I remember trying to fall asleep after the movie and feeling physically sick, nauseous, as I tried to comprehend what it would be like to be Helen Keller. Never to have heard nor seen anything - no birds in the Spring, no conversations, no colors, nothing.

At that moment I realized, if not my mortality, then my limitations as a human being. I experienced something which I later realized - as a Philosophy student - was akin to an existential moment. I know, I was eight. That's awfully deep for an eight year old, right? I guess. Obviously, I didn't really understand what was happening to me. It was only years later that I was able to put it into some kind of context. Regardless, it affected me deeply.

Helen Keller was born almost completely shut off from the world and yet she learned to talk and more importantly, write. Anne Sullivan was pretty amazing as well. She believed that Helen could be taught and she had both the patience and perseverance to do it. Reading the news about this photo made me think about these events from almost thirty years ago. It captures an amazing moment in the lives of two amazing women.

Read the full article here.

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable.
Helen Keller

Sometimes you can judge a book by it's cover

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 03:50:00 +0000

Neil Gaiman has finished his latest book and has book working with the talented Dave McKean to design the cover. he posted the version he and Dave are happy with, but the publishers still need to approve. I love the semi-final cover. The distressed type is great and the illusion in the gravestone is cool. The color and the texture of the background is great too, dark and somehow soothing. I can't wait to read it!

Click image to see large version

Song Charts

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:42:00 +0000

I will warn you now, if you are prone to earworms, do not continue to read this post. Turn back now. Last chance... Okay, don't say I didn't warn you.

There is a group pool on Flickr of Song Charts - charts created with song lyrics as the subject matter. For example:

Terrible song, but that one cracks me up! Most of them are not terribly well designed. Some songs are not immediately obvious, but they're all pretty funny. I find myself listening to songs a little differently, scanning them for lyrics that would make good song charts. I'll let you know when I post my first. Go check em out, and add your own!

Spring!

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:57:00 +0000

I know it's supposed to snow tomorrow, but it's simply beautiful out today. I don't know if it's because I'm a March baby, if it's because I'm tired of scraping off my car every morning and trudging through slush, or if it's seeing the Sun again after months of darkness, but there's something about this time of year that's like a shot of lightning-laced caffeine straight to my brain. It's such a rush to just wake up and see light, hear birds and be able to take the dogs out without bundling up like the kid in A Christmas Story. Anyway, enough talking about it - I'm heading outside to enjoy it while I can!

As I write this, I swear I write something similar every year - I'll have to look back through my archives and see how manic I sounded about it in the past.

Welcome our new Lego Overlords

noreply@blogger.com (Jake) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:02:00 +0000

Boing Boing Gadgets posted some images of a couple potential new Lego sets - one of them is a throwback to the old space sets, which is awesome. I can only hope they actually make the other one - it's a tentacled, robot skull thing - see for yourself:

The above image is from Brickshelf - pure lego porn. Dang, there goes my day. I have spent many, many hours playing with Legos, both in my youth, and well, hey, I'm still young!