Roses

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Lisa, one of my best friends, was in town for a few days on a business trip. We’ve known each other since we were teens in college. Even though we have grown in different directions and geographies, she remains one of the important ones in my life. I’m so thankful that we got to have at least one “date night.” We ran around Manhattan and Brooklyn with her hipstamatic iphone cam  (ridiculous and wonderful) in tow.
The reoccurring themes in our discussions the other night were – life shifting, refocusing, sustainability, decision-making, removing clutter and distractions, and satisfying creative needs. All of which Lisa beautifully metaphorized into a rose bush.
“Pruning rose bushes is intimidating to many gardeners, but actually very good for the plants. Becoming an accomplished rose pruner takes time and practice, but keep in mind that it is very hard to kill a rose with bad pruning. While there is a great deal of disagreement among rose experts regarding how and when to prune roses, it is generally agreed that most mistakes will grow out very quickly and it is better to make a good effort at pruning roses than to let them grow rampant.”
I love you Lisa.
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wonder

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photo: Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Eric Horvitz’s receptionist at Microsoft is a computer that can interact with visitors outside his office in Redmond, Wash.

An article in the New York Times yesterday set my brain off on the post-human tangent again….

There is still much to be done before a man-made device can understand the world, itself, and others in it. (It can be argued that humans have yet to completely comprehend those things. Are we getting ahead of ourselves?) If we can teach “one” to learn, to see, to understand will “one” eventually feel? What does that even mean? In regards to artificial intelligence, what is nature and what is nurture? What is alive? What is life?  Maybe it all comes down to context.

Times article:   Computers Make Strides in Recognizing Speech

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More along the robotics side of AI:

Grandpa

I enjoy that Honda named their creation Asimo, “the word’s most advanced humanoid robot”, after Isaac Asimov. Asimov, kind of the grandfather of artificial intelligence and robot themed science fiction literature, came up with a set of rules which robots must obey.  Asimov’s Laws of Robotics:

  1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
  2. A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
  3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeVUOauMawg&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

Laws are nice ideas. But things are always changing (maybe too fast.) And then there is entropy. As the human occupation of the planet, “acts of god”, and pop culture entertainment have all illustrated for us – life finds a way.

In closing – Is it just as funny to watch a robot fall down a set of stairs as it is a human?

5 minute photo shoot – time machine winter edition

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…Photo: Andytoad

Now that it’s hot again in the city, and officially summer,  I’m kind of missing winter. Kind of. (And Rebekah, not kind of.)

The above image was taken at the end of February. Rebekah and I have this winter morning tradition. On occasion if we wake to find a fresh fallen blanket of snow we strip to our underpants and run around outside. Like kids on a snow day. Until we get cold. Then we come in, put on dry panties, have hot cocoa, then go to work.

Seeing this makes me remember the stillness of those cold white mornings- listening to the muffled noises of the waking world stirring under soft snow.

muse and beauty

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Happy Family (2006) detail

Joana Vosconcelos

photos found on Lovely Textiles


 

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el corzon (heart)

cut paper

Elsa Mora


 

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Costumes from Das Triadische Ballett (1916-1932)

Oskar Schlemmer


 

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Shapeshifting

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My friend Cori Olinghouse and I continue to work on a project together, a series of experiments in vaudeville and shapeshifting.  Our project is a work in progress so I can’t say much yet. Video from our first showing, The Animal Suite, can be seen here.  And I will share this sketch….

daily muse

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(what is this a tumblr account? )

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16 Millimeter Earrings

Performed by Meredith Monk at Judson Church 1966


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Two Whistles – Apsaroke

Photograph by Edward S. Curtis (early 1900’s)


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Still from  – One Hour Photo

Film starring Robin Williams, directed by Mark Romanek, 2002


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Photography Feature

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Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning

I recently finished teaching a digital photography class at an all girls school in Queens. Once a week I would hang out with the ladies and we’d go on photo adventures. Below are some picks from our work together:


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Christopher Williams
My friend Christopher, some friends and I organized a photo shoot at the Irish Hunger Memorial last month. The images are to be used to advertise a dance piece, The Voyage of Garbhglas, that Christopher is staging at the memorial in August. I’ll also be designing some costumes for the piece. The model is dancer Michael Ingle who will be performing in the piece. Some of the images I shot:

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Grant Worth
Back during Easter-time my friend Grant organized an event – The Easter Glamour Portrait Studio x2 – Spring Forward – The Future of Spring 2010
I assisted in styling the attendees along with the sparkling Destiny Pierce and shimmering Stina Puotinen. Grant then shot portraits of the guests with Polaroid film. Here are some favorites:

The complete experience can be had here:
http://www.missionfantastic.com/polaroid.html

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