s n a p p e r h e a d

daytrip detritus (cat photo-art)

daytrip detritus - 6 photos collected Winter 2019 thru Spring 2020 during Vermont day-trips and hikes.

other photos or composite art:

2019 Cecil Photo

Rule of Three Haiku

Serling's Mailbox

Serling's Mailbox - 11 May (Twilight Zone Day)

List of Twilight Zone episodes represented in this composite-collage artwork: answer key.

mailbox art series:
Santa Claus' Mailbox - 25 Dec (Christmas)
AULDLANGSYNE's Mailbox - 1 Jan (New Year's Day)
Sommerzeit's Mailbox - 8 Mar (Daylight Savings Time 2020 / 'Summertime' in German)
ÔSTARA's Mailbox - 19 Mar (Vernal Equinox / first day of Spring - northern hemisphere 2020)
Avril Poisson's Mailbox - 1 Apr (April Fools Day / April Fish in French)
St. George's Mailbox - 23 Apr (Feast of St George)
May IV's Mailbox - 4 May (Star Wars Day)

image portion by Jamie Wheeler

Whatz The Story Behind That? 2

This faded, chenille-stem dancer with long yellow hair, a ribbon-tamborine, and a basket of flowers—most-probably born from the hands of a craftswoman in late 1940s-occupied Japan—caught my eye in a Montpelier antique shop because someone had painted PORTLAND, Ore, on the base of the 2½ inch (65mm) tall figurine, which tickled my coincidence-button since we've both been faded by life (the pipe-cleaner statuette and I) and we both once resided in Oregon but now live in Vermont. Together.

The phrase: occupied Japan causes me to ponder an unhappily married couple. They no longer fight. She succumbed for the well-being of her children and then patiently tolerated his choices and changes, walling her own desires away with as much fortitude as it took to not forget past mistakes (made by both) all-the-while resigning herself to a hopefully better future. When people ask her why, she answers: Shikata ga nai (仕方がない) It can't be helped. During both the war and the occupation, he acted as he always had: intentionally blunt and indignantly non-nuanced internment camps, fire-bombs, and hydrogen bombs, followed by pretending to have no knowledge of the magnitude of his actions, the availability of better options, and the mantra: she started it. He has not changed (if anything, he is worse today) while she has changed for the better (a lack of totalitarian-fascism will do that), but it took too many decades and her self-image is still less than positive.

I am intrigued by the figurine's label because in 1963, US state abbreviations were standardized as two-letter postal codes—Ore. became OR—which means the figurine was created between 1945 and 1952 (US occupation in Japan), spent some time before 1963 in Oregon and then ended up in Vermont by 2019.

Select an item from your environment.

Provide a picture, sketch, or other form of visual presentation.

Tell its backstory (explain what it is, why you selected it, etcetera).

continue reading about stuff:
Whatz The Story Behind That Series (ongoing)

Limestone Sphere (BK Germany)

WTSBT (Vermont maple syrup can)

Open Letter to Fuzzy Headed Faces from Prestigious Places,

          Please stop dumbing-down your [specific area of scientific expertise] to coloring book level. I'm really sorry [name of college or university] doesn't pay enough for you to disregard all those enticing offers from [television channel] but every time you recite from a script written to be understood by [target audience] you inflict excruciating pain in my brain.
   I know. Brains don't actually have pain receptors. But, when watching [video of gravity tests in a testosterone-laden common-sense-free environment] I experience (real-to-me) empathetic groin pain and I feel a similar pain inside my skull when I watch you transmogrify [complex theorem or formula] to the level of SeeDickAndJaneRun.

Because specifics are better than vague analogies:

• Tweedle Dee, aka Brian Richmond, The George Washington University (NOVA, Becoming Human minutes 2:28 thru 3:00) - his explanation of a few theories why quadrupedal protohumans became bipedal: "...they stood up to be able to see over tall grass...they stood to be able to pick fruits off of the low branches of trees...(or)...to cool more efficiently so that we don't have as much sun beating on so much of our body."
          • Tweedle Dum, aka Daniel Leiberman, Harvard University (NOVA, Becoming Human minutes 3:00 thru 4:40) - his favorite opinion why quadrupedal protohumans became bipedal: "...the most compelling hypothesis is that it saved us energy."

These two idiots bruised my frontal lobes. Their few seconds of Discovery Channel fame only proved one thing: neither of them actually understands natural selection.

In a muddled attempt at simplicity, this NOVA episode completely fails to explain natural selection and offers information as true, which is the exact opposite of the truth. The show paints a picture that six million years ago, in the middle of protoAfrica (with the environment in flux and jungles becoming savannahs)...for reasons we can only guess at...a protochimpanzee stood on its hind legs and, subsequently, passed that ability to constantly walk upright to its progeny.

The fiction—like that of so many television shows based on psudo- and/or fuzzy-science—is relating that the reason/desire to walk upright preceded our distant ancestor's ability to do so. But when somebody from [prestigious place of higher learning] says, "they stood up in order to..." how can we interpret it otherwise?

What actually happened? How did a few of the little ancient monkeys who walked on four legs many millions of years ago eventually walk on only their two hind legs? The same way every gradual evolutionary change occurred in every living entity since the beginning of life. It happened by mistake. Zillions upon Trillions of miniscule beneficial mistakes. The same number (or more) of non-beneficial mistakes also (must've-probably) occurred, but any of those mistakes (those which don't improve their possessor's chance of procreation) are useless in evolutionary terms and lead to extinction.

One quadrupedal protohuman gave birth to a malformed baby with a slightly misshaped pelvis (I'll call her Miss Takè). Her pelvis was a bit too flat, too horizontal...and all the quadrupedal kids at school teased little Takè because she wasn't very good at reindeer games; but she was able to survive long enough to procreate and pass along that genetic error because she was [reason for not dying...including being lucky]. She had a fifteenth cousin twice removed with a slightly bent thumb which made swinging from branches a little harder than normal, but she always won at thumb-war; and her imperceptibly encephalitic and slightly taller great-great-great grandson (who could never peek over a log without his forehead being seen when playing hide-n-seek) became a great hunter because of his above-average eyesight...and his eighteenth son from his fifteenth mate (who happened to be distantly related to thumb-war cousin) was taller-still but he happened to have less body hair, hated the winter, and walked a long distance in order to live in a warmer place...ad infinitum...modern man.

          South Park's Mrs Garrison's grasp of the theory of evolution is more accurate. The fact that Trey Parker and Matt Stone are more capable than NOVA at explaining natural selection makes me giggle-cringe (but inflicts no pain in my gulliver).

original post: 2011

May IV's Mailbox

May IV's Mailbox (4 May - Star Wars Day)

mailbox art series:
Santa Claus' Mailbox - 25 Dec (Christmas)
AULDLANGSYNE's Mailbox - 1 Jan (New Year's Day)
Sommerzeit's Mailbox - 8 Mar (Daylight Savings Time 2020 / 'Summertime' in German)
ÔSTARA's Mailbox - 19 Mar (Vernal Equinox / first day of Spring - northern hemisphere 2020)
Avril Poisson's Mailbox - 1 Apr (April Fools Day / April Fish in French)
St. George's Mailbox - 23 Apr (Feast of St George)
Serling's Mailbox - 11 May (Twilight Zone Day)

image portion by Jamie Wheeler

Chasing Svelte - Films From the mid-2000s

          Chasing is the opposite of repoussé, which is a metalworking technique in which a malleable metal is shaped by hammering from the reverse side. The two are used in conjunction to create a finished piece. While repoussé is used to work on the reverse of the metal to form a raised design on the front, chasing is used to refine the design on the front of the work by sinking the metal. The term chasing is derived from the noun "chase," which refers to a groove, furrow, channel or indentation.

          Svelte is an adjective denoting something which is judged to be attractively or gracefully slim by the viewer; slender in figure, or lithe.

          But what does all this have to do with films you ask?

          Following the premise: as a small part goes, so goes the whole (used to infer—maybe, correctly—that if American banks crumble, so will our entire country) the current Climate of American Civilization And Society (CACAS) can be measured by examining a microcosm within the CACAS and I am going to examine: film.

          First, some back-story: hundreds of films are released every month. Most are 'direct to DVD' (this includes dozens of TV series, both old and new); a small few are wide-released (in thousands of theaters); some receive a limited-release (if they make money, they may later be wide-released). It is important to remember that all of these films employ hundreds-of-thousands (millions, world-wide) of people... from the lowly, ticket-taker at the single-screen, second-run, downtown, art-theater, to the mega-millionaire-family of Pitt-Jolie. Yes. We... who know films, and love them, and know the films-we-love, tend NOT to focus on business and only discuss the art, story, acting, and that ever-elusive quality, which makes good film different from bad movies.

          The makers of movie-money are 'chasing svelte' by tooling the final product (in most cases: a ninety-minute one) until they have about a ninety-second slim, attractive, excerpt. This small preview, commonly referred to as a 'trailer' even though they have not followed the feature presentations for 50+ years, is more important than the film to money makers.

          In many cases the DVD will make more money, for the producers, studios, and film-makers, than the theatrical release; where distributors, theater franchises, and concession-providers profit most. The trailer needs to fool people into buying tickets and also sell, or rent, the DVD (and let us not forget the video game).

          Over the past years I have seen thousands of trailers, and got sucked in by them, causing me to rent—as well as actually pay to sit in theaters and watch—many dozens of terrible movies. My 'good-trailer-terrible-movie' radar is only a 4.9 version and needs an upgrade.

          But, thankfully, and most importantly, I saw some incredibly fantastic films. Here are my top twelve (for the period 2005 to 2008) in alphabetical order.

          If you have not seen one or more of these, then, see them TODAY... or this weekend (and STOP watching the news . . . ).

11:14 is a 'who/why dunnit?' suspense-film that keeps you guessing and engaged. If you are one of those people who dislikes the gimmick of showing the same few minutes of real time over and over again, just realize this is not some shit like: 'Vantage Point' (one of the many 'good-trailer-bad-movies', I fell victim to).

Across the Universe may be the best musical ever put on film. One prerequisite: you need to be familiar with, and not-dislike, Beatle's songs (Note: not-disliking is different than liking, in this case). The songs weave into the plot, small snippits of Beatle-lyrics jump out of the dialogue, and the whole thing is capped off by some great cameos by Salma Hayek, Eddie Izzard, Bono, and Joe Cocker.

an inconvenient truth, a documentary by Al Gore, is the only documentary that made it to this list (and I watch quite a few). If you want to learn some of the specific reasons scientists know the earth is warming because of things we've done and are doing, watch. If you already know everything because FOX news tells you about all the things the bible leaves out, don't watch.

Brick is the most unusual mix of 'young love' meets 'Sam Spade'. Joseph Gordon-Levitt can almost do no wrong in my book (and his character, here, is no exception). The dialogue requires your complete attention; not a film to watch while anything else could distract you (a friend told me it helped when she watched it with subtitles because of the constant, fast-original, slang).

Cashback is about a sketch/painter-artist (so I may be biased to include it here). It also contains dry 'British' humor and pretty naked women (two other things, which may cause me to give it preferential treatment). It has a subplot that centers around a science-fictionesque ability of the main character . . . and an SF trailer can suck me in better than most. So—with all that aside—how can this be a great film? It just is.

Children of Men is Clive Owen at his absolute best. If there is a better representation of the 'ever-weary-reluctant hero' character I have not seen it. This strong futuristic-SF/road film should be at the top of your to-see list (or your to-see again list if you've watched all of these).

Hard Candy, a small-budget revenge-film that doesn't get off-message and delivers in a chilling, thrilling way, shows that Ellen Page (Juno) has always been able to pick a great role (and was always able to nail her performance).

No Country For Old Men is the best drama on the list. If you haven't already seen this film you must not be a film-watcher; maybe you don't watch films recommended by others, or shun films that have won awards. If so . . .there are some funny things over on U-Tube, whyn't you go check 'em out? Right now. Yea, now.

Old Boy will shock and enthrall those who don't mind subtitles (it's Korean). It was released in '05, but I didn't see it until '07. If you do any research on it, you'll have the plot-twist(s) spoiled and then it won't be a mystery, will it? Not for squeamish viewers. Strangely, this is the only subtitled film that made this list of must-see's. Since my taste runs heavily foreign (maybe as much as 30%) I'm surprised only one made my list. (I do not recommend the re-make.)

Shortbus is the best quasi-porn-esque film I've ever seen. John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch) wrote and directed this sex-story, included funny dialogue, a real plot, found good-to-OK actors and actresses, and actually got it distributed (limited release) in theaters. If you have always hated porn films (except the parts between the fast-forward's) this is for you. If you are homophobic, religious, or in any way put-off by sexual acts and conversation, this is not for you.

Southland Tales, one film I've, now, put on my see-again list. Mostly, because I'm certain I'd get more out of the second viewing. An SF-mystery-thriller that is confusing and a half-dark funny; it's the one you'll love or hate, understand or quit watching (with a "WTF did I just see?"). If you have to pee or if you are hungry when you watch this, you will lose the spider-silk-thread of plot. Requires 10 times more concentration than Children of Men.

Wristcutters, a love story contains a funny, one-of-a-kind plot about what the ever-after holds for suicides. This film was almost beat-out by 'Wall-E'; but because it made me laugh-out-loud, contained some sharp dialogue, and actually made me think... it stuck in my head more than the animated, cute, SF film.

I provide this list in 2020, as a springboard for my new list of Arthouse Bizarre Convoluted Dark Films (ABCD Films).

Covid Diary - Weeks 1 thru 4

don't come in, the water's not so great...

          Friday, 24 APR. My wife, Pam, and I suspect we are both infected with COVID19. Unsure at this point.   Pam's symptoms began in the early morning hours (prior to 6am). My symptoms began in the late afternoon.
   Thinking back: last night, 23 APR, we both suffered from diarrhea but had not eaten the same food at all that day, and wondered about the coincidence. This was our first symptom.
Our Temperatures, today, are both lower than 98.6 (no fevers). The main symptom, for us both, is physical fatigue. We feel as if we have over-exercised and now have acute or delayed-onset muscle soreness—without the burn or itch from healing muscles, just a difficulty/inability to use our arms and leg muscles. We have both spent many hours in bed due to this extreme fatigue.
Pam has a very-slight cough (in any other situation it would go without notice, with about one throat-clearing an hour) and she has an unusually-strong headache. I have no cough, just a slightly itchy throat and headache.

          Saturday, 25 APR. Pam's cough has increased slightly, her fatigue has decreased significantly, still no fever. Headache the same.
My fatigue has increased exponentially; I have not left my bed for 20 hours (what was just long-muscle fatigue is now whole-body). My appetite is gone, but my sense of taste/smell is still present. Increase in body temperature less than one degree (still would not consider this to qualify as a fever); headache the same.
Thanks to all who have written best wishes. I apologize for not writing individual responses, texting, or calling until after I am feeling better.

          Sunday, 26 APR.   Today is better than yesterday for both of us. Body-fatigue is still present but less severe. Neither of us have a fever over 99.5 degrees F. Our coughs/throat issues remain slight. We both have experienced instances of dizziness as well as rapid heart-rates after only brief exertion (climbing one flight of stairs).
To answer those who asked why we have not been tested and what we base our assumption of contracting Covid19 on, without high fever or difficulty breathing: Testing is limited (CDC testing criteria) and Pam is considered a Priority 3. Since it is likely she contracted the virus last week at her "critical infrastructure job" (grocery store with three Covid-positive coworkers) the purpose of testing would be for her to return to work if Covid-negative. Since her symptoms are not serious and she can self-quarantine, that is unnecessary. As to our basis for assuming it is Covid, it is the most logical reason for both of us (her first and me 12 hours later) to be afflicted with such an extreme case of whole-body fatigue. My hope, now, is that we do not experience any more symptoms and fully recover.

Monday, 27 APR. Body fatigue almost completely gone in both of us. Slight headaches and throat irritations vary with time-of-day and amount of pain medication we each are taking. If this were a "routine-normal" cold, we would consider returning to work today (85% is good enough to get back to work)—but this is not any of that. We are contagious and will continue to self-quarantine.

Tuesday, 28 APR. My symptoms slightly increasing/returning, which would be considered "normal flu symptoms" (in any other situation): headaches, runny nose, congestion, itchy throat. Very late this evening, I notice I have a slight, unusual, chest pressure which comes and goes.

Wednesday, 29 APR. My light chest pressure from last night is still intermittently present. Not related to food, caffeine, exertion, or hydration. My breathing does not feel restricted in any way; I do not think it is lung-related,. Best guess (based on anecdotal evidence) is that I have become too focused on my own health symptoms and have caused myself to become stressed. Time for a long walk and some deep meditation.

Week 2: Thr, 30 APR thru Thr, 7 MAY. Our minor symptoms for the entire week are those attributable to any infection or to seasonal allergies: cough, sneeze, nasal blockage, fatigue, soreness in joints and headaches.

Week 3: Thr, 7 MAY thru Thr, 14 MAY. Symptoms almost completely gone except for one 20 hour period for me and one 10 hour period for Pam (fatigue, gastrointestinal distress, headaches, etc) returned with a huge spike. Added minor symptom for me: sore throat.

Week 4: Thr, 14 MAY thru Thr, 21 May. Symptoms gone. No headaches, no fatigue, no sore throat. (Only a small period of seasonal allergy symptoms; runny nose, nasal drainage.)

Covid Diary - Chapter 2

lighter Covid19 notes:

Covid Kōan
coronavirus abstract art
Haiku / quarantine art (re: Logan's Run)

Re-fractured and Vibrant Echoes

          In one of Driz's (now defunct) posts at ex movere, he included his interpretation of the quote: The disappointed man speaks: ‘I listened for an echo and I heard only praise.’ After exchanging comment volleys, I couldn't leave the thought alone. I started picking at it and decided to expand-expound.

          What did this Nietzsche quote mean?

          My thoughts: when one spends a quantifiable amount of anything (hours, brain-cells, words, brushstrokes, it-matters-not-what) on creating something, I think the results are the echo Nietzsche was listening for. My drive to create has resulted in more than a few select two-dimensional echoes, or reflections of my inner self, which I proudly hang on my—and other people's—walls.

          Along this vein, I think Davecat's blog title: Shouting to hear the echoes captures this action-idea in its barest simplicity. And my vague memory of Davecat's (years ago) statement that a web log containing decades of essays is a portrait of a persons life, an accomplishment, a digital distillation or reflection of a person's gestalt ... or something like that, I don't recall his exact words and now that I think about it, I may be attributing words to Davecat that he never typed. But, anyway.

          A created object is a reflection of the author-creator-artists imagination. Although the intent of the creator was, initially, primarily and ultimately, to see what his brain could create—to translate something from his imagination to reality—once it was created, and (as Ditz has correctly pointed out) the creator has made the decision that it is finished, it immediately becomes subject to criticism. This includes self-criticism.

          I think that praise is what Nietzsche was disappointed to receive; because praise is (almost always) synonymous with apathy.

          To me, every "I like it" feels like a white-lie or an act of guest-book-signing.

          Want to see what I mean by this? Go to any blog which averages more than 25 comments per post. About 90% of those comments are pap—each saying less than nothing; muttering their praises because if they don’t...I guess, nobody will know they were there, right? (If ANYONE knows of a blog where this is not true, where the majority of the more than two-dozen plus comments are viable, helpful, insightful and interesting, please point me there!) In a deeper ring of hell than that which broils sycophantic blog comment-ers are: micro-blog Twitter-ers and their constant desire to amass followers who will read their rarely thoughtful, mostly vacuous, and wholly innocuous tweets (and the reply-comments they spawn).

          An artist receives praise with a skeptical smile, but welcomes derision, comparative-criticism, and advice (no matter how unhelpful) with a warm embrace. In my case, viewers who tell me what they see in my digital renderings are great, because my creations are nurtured by pareidolia and are mostly-worthless to those who are unable (or unwilling) to be afflicted by the phenomenon.

You get more joy out of the giving to others, and should put a good deal of thought into the happiness you are able to give. — Eleanor Roosevelt

revised Apr 2020; original: May 2009

ancillary articles on art and art-critique:

examining art and thinking about what you see
critique of film critics

Uncouple Here

The summer-ease of naïve wanna be best friends along the Maumee with incessant Katydid skriitch and calling parents by their first names; accidentally broken in a foamy pile of brown glass on the concrete steps of some school. Not forgotten as easily as our names, which lasted.

To each adult relationship strained by each—our own—lacks in temerity, willingness to question, be questioned or to even look inside—our own; intentionally left in an unread message-dross folder of some google. Ponder unhappiness or exercise your frown-smile-muscle. Which lasts?

How to renew your friendship with one lengthy questioning sentence written, texted, or asked—by you: I want to improve our relationship and need your most heart-felt advice on what I can do to become a better friend. Listen, ask for more and listen some more. Which is lasting.

Other articles on relationships:
Can You Canoe?

when in need of a tiny giggle

This addendum is provided because a friend told me he didn't understand the antique mirror under Avril Poisson's Mailbox; he understood the other image-elements were either supporting-the-creepy, or were included to show that April Fool could be a person (or both) but asked, "what's up with that mirror next to the trash bin?"

It was my hope that people would look closely and recognize—in the antique picture frame—a young Rick Astley with the faint words 'never gonna give you up' above his head as an attempt at a two dimensional Rick-roll (which, for those who weren't alive fifteen years ago, was a lame internet prank from the early 2000's). Obviously, my attempt was less than successful.

Most of my mailbox-series artworks are attempting to tell a unique story, in a creepy way, about a single day of the year, and for April Fool's Mailbox I hoped viewers (who did not already know) would research and learn that, in France, they celebrate April Fish day instead of April Fools. An old prank played on Poisson d'Avril was taping a paper fish on people's backs in much-the-same-manner as US children once taped paper signs. I hoped this knowledge would, then, help explain the paper fish in the trash bin, the one paper fish on the back of a large doll behind the nearly empty "prank stand" and the sign warning against no contact pranks.

For those in need of a tiny giggle (and sticking with the theme) I provide this from the musician Mr Anthony Vincent: