oh yes

summer school is kicking my ass. but that's ok. it's also good for me, right? yes. why yes it is good to be on your toes and listening [really listening] to what people are saying and figuring out how to respond in a thought provoking way. but it means my mental capacity for almost anything else is simply a goner.

i did manage to bust out the yu du and screen print a doodle i had done on the side of a page i had taken grading notes on. the truth about my yu du experience? getting the emulsion on the screen was not a piece of cake. i definitely missed the ease of my gocco. and the image fell apart [in a way that ended up looking cool, but still] when i cleaned the screen... but size capability is definitely a bonus. and the whole apparatus makes it easy [burn and print in one locale]. i will try it again and see what trial 2 is like....

i have all these grand plans of things to post about, but i can't get it together. my stamina this week is better than last, so maybe next week i'll be able to write something for reals. if not i'll catch up on all the day to day drawings... yeah. those are still happening.

in the meantime... here are some fabulous rules for students and teachers from the amazing john cage. i stumbled upon these again recently and they ring true. every time.

ONE:: Find a place you trust and then, try trusting it for a while.

TWO:: Duties as a student...Pull everything out of your teacher. Pull everything out of your fellow students.

THREE:: Duties as a teacher...Pull everything out of your students.

FOUR:: Consider everything an experiement.

FIVE:: Be self disciplined. This means finding someone smart or wise and choosing to follow them. To be disciplined is to follow in a good way. To be self-disciplined is to follow in a better way.

SIX:: Nothing is a mistake. There is no win and no fail. There is only make.

SEVEN:: The only rule is work. If you work it will lead to something. It is the people who do all of the work all the time who eventually catch onto things. You can fool the fans - but not the players.

EIGHT:: Do not try to create and analyze at the same time. They are different processes.

NINE:: Be happy whenever you can manage it. Enjoy yourself. It is lighter than you think.

TEN:: We are breaking all the rules, even our own rules and how do we do that? By leaving plenty of room for 'x' qualities.


HELPFUL HINTS:: Always be around. Come or go to everything. Always go to classes. Read everything you can get your hands on. Look at movies carefully and often. Save everything. It may come in handy later.

do you have a favorite??? [six really sings to me, but so does 5, and 7, and what the hell. all of them].
till soon....