I have been telling myself for quite some time, my life will slow down once I finish school. In late March, the understanding of what had to be done in order to end my extended stay as a student here at the University of Utah entered my event horizon. Sections of my life were back burnered and put in a stand by mode, to include my little self documentation project here. In early April, I slid in a quick entry, the piglet's progress, partially as documentation (I was rather uneasy about firing the little bugger) and partially so my friend, Ellen, could have a look-see. I then dropped off the grid with regards to handling my life documentation. What follows is an attempt to relate what has been happening.
Kiln Frame
The top of my list was the frame for the gas kiln I am constructing and documenting here. What I've got to say is lengthy and I want it as part of my studio documentation. Suffice it to say, the thousand dollars I thought I'd save building my kiln from scratch has been spent. Several times. Read more about the kiln frame. View photos. Update: of cabbages and kilns
Graduation
Friday, May 9th, twelve years of playing at being a college student finally came to an end. I bought a hat and dress and snoopy danced across the stage to receive my empty diploma holder. I took the day off work and Nat, LaRayne and I made a day of both our graduations and lunch. It was a good day. Photos here.
Subfloor 5/1
Justin had issues with the floor in his living room. He didn't care for the carpet. He didn't like the creaks and the groans. He was a bit tired of listening to his friend's dodgy music coming up from the basement apartment. He started disassembling the floor when he needed something to do. It was casual. He worked at it when he was bored. Then, of course, he was notified he was to be laid off and subsequently found another position in the company. In Casper, Wyoming.
We shifted his subfloor replacement into high gear and knocked it out the weekend of May 1. We even managed a sufficient amount of insulation in the floor to dampen almost all of noise from the basement apartment. Justin snapped a couple of shots of the 95% completed floor. The remaining 5% was scheduled for Memorial Day weekend when we planned to handle the bathrooms.
Justin Moves
Number Six split for his new base of operations, Casper, Wyoming. He was in Casper getting oriented to the new job for a week before going to Denver for training for a month. The trip up was an adventure.
Pedestals
Each year, the graduating class from the art department holds a show at a local gallery. New Visions Gallery is a small artist run gallery and is also the hosting venue this year. They don't have many pedestals, so Patty, Shawna and I spent a couple evenings manufacturing some pedestals. Pedestal construction.
Surgery
I've had an umbilical hernia for a couple of years. It had been more annoying than actually inconvenient, but it was getting worse. Rather than wait until it was painfully inconvenient, I visited a surgeon and then scheduled surgery for the week after I graduated. Basically, getting patched meant no heavy lifting for the better part of a month. This, of course, added substantially to what I felt HAD to be done before surgery.
On Friday, May 14, Dr. Todd sliced me open, slapped in a vulcanizing patch and super glued me back together. The first couple of days, I found it difficult to move. I was, however, off the prescribed pain medication by Sunday and feeling quite well by Wednesday. Everything went well and my navel, though still healing, doesn't appear to have someone's finger poking through.
Senior Show
Thursday, May 20, Exit Exhibition, the senior show, opened. Nat and I popped in to see how it looked and skipped out with our friends, AnnMarie and Jake for some dinner after finding the lions share of the food money had been used for alcohol. One can only get so full on cheese, albeit delicious cheese, and crackers.
Rejection Letters
Part of seeking outlets for the stuff I wind up making involves form letters from folks who don't want me or my stuff. The week after I graduated, I bagged my first three rejection letters. It was a strange sensation to me. I expected to feel something, but even the sense of rejection wasn't excessively whelming. After a bit of consideration, I decided on a new album devoted to scans of my rejection letters. Anytime you are feeling down, Constant Reader, feel free to visit my digital shrine of unwantedness in writing. To date, I have rejection notes from:
- Salt Lake Farmer's Market.
- Finch Lane group show.
- The forthcoming Lark Books 500 Cups.
The Gallery of Rejection.
Justin Sewage and Bathroom
Memorial Weekend, Justin popped in from Denver. He and I spent all three days playing with his in progress bathroom remodel, to include replacing a good chunk of cast iron sewage pipe with PVC pipe. We also mixed and poured about two hundred pounds of cement. It just wouldn't be a holiday for either of us if we didn't whip out some cement. The previous Sunday, May 23, I pulled electrical line for his air conditioning condensor and then played supervisor for the install. View a few photos from both projects.
Home Depot Spend-A-Thon
Memorial Weekend also meant 12 months no interest at the orange store. I bought quite a bit of lumber. Now I just need to get a kiln shed built, upper windows in the house removed and the nursery squared away because...
We've got less than 10 weeks to go before the chap arrives.
I spent the last five days in a postmodern fugue of home deconstruction converting the loft overlooking our living room into a full fledged bedroom/nursery. We most likely have less than six weeks before the chap makes his appearance and I'd like the baby space to be in order before he arrives. I'll be taping, floating and sanding most evenings this week. I'm hoping to have the room nursery-ified by Monday, July 5th. 
Between getting my hair cut and my woodworking group, Saturday was pretty much a loss for getting much of anything done. Sunday, however, I got busy framing solo. Nat came out and helped me get some supports on the eastern wall, and John (Number Three) helped me move the north most wall from the patio into its position when he arrived for dinner. I whipped up some experimental tequila lime fajitas and acquired John's help with the last wall yesterday. I miss having 
My Constant Readers may recall my 
