The End of the Worst Month Ever

Had an incredibly stress-filled but productive day with Emily. We visited the horrible torture chamber known as IKEA bought supplies there and at Home Depot and managed to pick up our wedding rings along the way. The rest of the night was devoted to making a bed frame out of shelves and lumber and I'm pretty proud of it...

I'm using it as my "365" project for the day because it took up the whole day and it was quite the achievement.

Haiku of the Day:

Crackling wood boards

pop in and out of silence

and smell of sawdust

Today's Drawing (inspired by the word "Gaze" from the base of the sternum.)

Today's "365" Project (Make some thing you can hide. This is a stretch, but the bed frame has tons of places you can hide in!)
"The King's Throne"

Work-out Roller Coaster

Feeling very weak today. I hate to admit it, but I think I overexerted myself with the running (28 miles in five days is apparently too much) ...should have eased back into it more gradually. It doesn't help that sleep has been sub-par as well. Stupid health.

Aaaaand that was written before I went for a run. NOW I feel invigorated, strong and capable. What a beautiful jolt to the system a little exercise can provide.

After this foray in wort-out bliss, I sprained my knee and now am faced with a tough decision in regards to the weekend. I will have to rest.

Haiku of the Day:

Two ice fishermen

rods and drills in hand, venture

on the frozen Charles

Today's Drawing (inspired by the word "Cull" from the hot sweat of the brow. It's selecting from a large group, often with the intention to slaughter.)

Today's "365" Project (Make something with a needle and thread. I sewed on a patch to my sweatshirt from a webcomic I enjoy called Dresden Codak. I did it crooked cause I haven't sewed since I was little. Oh well.)
"Dark Science"

Buzzed with Giant Baby Heads

Today was a good day. My supervisor wasn't in, so I didn't feel terribly pressured or on edge like I usually do. I ran to see Emily for lunch and had delicious pizza and talked productively about wedding stuff. Then I ran back and experienced the supreme and ass-kicking high of post-pint exercise. Spent the rest of work pretending to be normal and relearning how to walk. Exciting!

Haiku of the Day:

Giant baby head

cast in iron, gazes out

from a field of snow

Today's Drawing (inspired by the word "Awe" from an emotion wheel I stabbed a pen into.)

Today's "365" Project (Open a drawer at work or at home and make something with the contents.)
"Rubber Bonanza Barry!"

The Drawer

The Thing

Four Months Left...

Another milestone! I'm 8 months into this sucker and it's looking good. Started drafting an e-mail I'll be sending out to loved ones to cover me for my wedding/honeymoon. Really looking forward to not having to think about this space for two weeks and to see what other people come up with.

Week 35

Stats:
Running Mileage: 598.83/1,000
Push-ups: 6,475/10,000
Sit-ups: 6,475/10,000
Pages Read: 6,327/10,000
Books Completed: 19/25
Words Written: 59,077/100,000

Fasts (Days without)
Internet: 68/100
TV: 98/100
Gaming: COMPLETE 183/100
Meat: 69/100
Junk: 68/100
Booze: 63/100

So relieved to see those running numbers start climbing again, despite realizing to meet my goal I have to log AT LEAST 100 miles a month for the next four to make it. Have already been dialing down the pace to concentrate on mileage. Only time will tell.

I'm happy to say I've hit my stride with the fasts and will probably make all of them without too much grief. I'm worried a bit about my reading, as my consumption has gone down with a lack of interesting books as of late, but with vacation less than 45 days on the horizon, I'm due for quality reading time.

Haiku of the Day:

Snowy residue
stains dry white on creases
where the action lives

Today's Drawing (inspired by the word "Gourmand" from MW's word of the day. It's a dude or lady who likes food and drink a whole bunch. Duh.)

Today's "365" Project (Make something appear it is defying gravity.)
"Fall Here"

Running again!

Returning to the pre-snow regimen with the running. I feel like I'm beating back the monstrous deficit with a pair of frayed palm fronds but it's fun so I can't complain. Each run brings the relief of hitting a juicy, red reset button. I had so missed the sweat and the constant pain and the whole "gear-up" ritual. I think I may have a problem.

Haiku of the Day:

Paper-thin mindset

pops like a ruptured eardrum

under waves of strain

Today's Drawing (inspired by the word "Fanatic" from a misread emotion wheel.)

Today's "365" Project (Look at a very small part of a space and use it as your inspiration today.)
"Purple Glow"

Fuzzy Tongue Hole Syndrome

A good day, but stressful. Nearly all days are like this. Questing for baby breakthroughs in harsh grey static fuzz. Fighting against myself and time. These arbitrary requirements hold like concrete in my mind; they're air-thin delusions to the outside. I'm a Quixote in the self improvement age.  Swinging at windmills in a blind fervor, weeping at the failures for tasks that don't exist outside the brain box. Such is the discourse. Such is the struggle. Each day brings with it the stipulations of a stoic shaman, deadpan and drenching in goat's blood, urgling out diatribes peppered with demands and congealed rancor. The vibrant red flecks of his annunciations freckle the dull landscape.

Blah blah blah. Dantesque horrors and the like.

I don't wish to comment. My revisiting makes me nauseous.

Haiku of the Day:

As daylight thickens

and snow ekes into the bay

my feet retake earth

Today's Drawing (inspired by the word "Dread" from the prickle running down your neck.)

Today's "365" Project (Make something with popcorn, popped or not.)
"Sad Sad Poppy Man"

Bombastic Bowling

Opening with today's "365" project, which is make up a new sport. I deemed this a pretty daunting task, so I went the amendment route and decided on creating rules for a pre-existing sport: Bowling.

Bombastic Bowling

So before you start a regular round of bowling, you put the following list of rules into a "hat." Then before each frame, someone picks one of the rules out and follows it for the entire frame.

The regular rules for bowl apply EXCEPT:

At random, (you figure it out,) the bowling order is established. The player that bowls after you is known as your "Buddy". You get to chose the name your buddy has in the system and is then referred to for the rest of the game.

-Confessional Bowl: Tell an embarrassing fact about yourself right before you bowl

-Look Ma, No Holes!: Bowl without the holes...in fact during the whole frame, act as if there are spider eggs in the holes

-Granny Style Deluxe: Not only bowl granny style, but pretend to be a grandma the whole frame

-Robot Parade: Everyone is a robot. Talk like a robot. Move like a robot. 

-No Talkie: No one can speak the whole frame. Try out other forms a communication if you must.

-Show Stopper: After each person bowls they get a standing ovation and they must bow

-Work Out!: The number of pins you knock down is the number of sit-ups/push-ups or jumping jacks you have to do as told to you by your "Buddy"


-Vanilla Bowl: Just a normal frame of bowling, except if there is ice cream, YOU MUST GET ICE CREAM

- Hey Buddy...: Your :"Buddy" bowls for you. If your "Buddy" scores no points that bowl, you may chose the ball your "Buddy" bowls with the next frame.  

-The Future is Now: you can't not look at your phone the whole frame. Even while bowling.

-Planet Hollywood: be a celebrity this frame. The worst your impression, the better. If you can't pick a celebrity, it is picked for you by your "Buddy".

-When in Omeray: Speak Pig Latin the whole frame

-Look over there!: Players are encouraged to yell or spook the current bowler just as they're about to bowl.

-Bully for You: When a player does poorly, the remaining players must point and laugh/jeer/boo

-Diviner: Everyone but the current bowler takes a guess at how many pins they'll know down. If they are correct, they are exempt from the next frame's rule

-Dominent-Schmominent: Everyone bowls with their non-dominant hand this round. If you gutterball during this round, you have to stuff your dominant hand in your shirt and not use it until the next time you bowl.

-Choose your own rule!: The person with the least amount of points gets to make up a rule. They may forfeit this responsibly to a more willing player if they kiss that player's hand like that player is a princess.

At the end of the game the person with the most points thumb wrestles the person with the least points. The winner of this contest wins the game. If another game is played, that winner gets to chose the names of all the other players for that subsequent game. If this was the final game, the winner gets her shoes removed by the 1st runner up, returned by the 2nd runner up and her regular shoes put on and laced by the loser of the thumb wrestling match.

Haiku of the Day:

Muddy treadmarks paint
A filthy mosaic on
White linoleum

Today's Drawing (inspired from the ether)

Chillin'

First weekend free of events in a long time.

Haiku of the Day:

When the dust settles

My atmosphere runs fluid

and cools like aloe 

Today's Drawing (Inspired from the ether)

Today's "365" Project (Make a something with chopsticks.)
"A Pencil!"

Ice Door

Look up Ice Dam if you don't know what it is. Here's a link so you don't even have to Google it. This is what's happening at the entrance to my apartment.

I saw an article today posted on the New York Times (sorry conservative relatives) about how this massive snow accumulation should be considered a disaster. And I agree with her. There's a strange desperation about the whole city. People are ornery and there's signs of flooding and damage everywhere. The thing that's truly terrifying is that it is not over yet...There's still quite a bit of winter left, and more than a week's worth of February to stink up the place. Did I mention I hate February? God what a dumb and terrible month.

Haiku of the Day:

A blazing white line
reflects into the head sphere
full measured glimpses

Today's Drawing (inspired by the word "Histrionic" from MW's word of the day. It means theatrical or overly dramatic.)

Today's "365" Project (Make a mural. I markered an abstract for my mouse house.)
"Is...Is it upside-down?"

Wh@7?

Bleak day with bleaker prospects. Feeling those good ol' post show blues...could be the complete lack of sleep. Naps anyone?

Haiku of the Day:

Hormones course thorough,
lighting exposed circuitry
body on the fritz

Today's Drawing (inspired by the word "Whammy" from MW's word of the day. It's like a curse or a spell, and the term originates from a magic character in Lil' Abner, a cartoon from the 1950's. This character could paralyze people with his eyes. One eye was a "single whammy" and both were a "double whammy"! Isn't that freaking cool?!)

Today's "365" Project (Make something in a frame!)

"Distinguisher"

Pizza!

Only ten more days left of horrible, horrible February.

Bring it on Febs.

Week 34

Stats:
Running Mileage: 579.98/1,000
Push-ups: 6,220/10,000
Sit-ups: 6,220/10,000
Pages Read: 6,302/10,000
Books Completed: 19/25
Words Written: 57,555/100,000

Fasts (Days without)
Internet: 67/100
TV: 95/100
Gaming: COMPLETE 178/100
Meat: 67/100
Junk: 68/100
Booze: 61/100

Still lagging miserably with the running, but I got some ten miles in between Baltimore and jogging home in the city tundra. Most everything's back to an even stream, except I can't seem to get back to posting all my stuff per day. I can no longer call this a true "365" project, (hell I lost that privilege at day 150) but I will to continue to put a post a day. So the goal has now changed to have 365 things completed in 365 days. Still a feat, but not the coveted "everyday" title. Ah well. Hopefully I can hit all my goals too! It's looking pretty good for the fasts, which have wormed their way into my subconscious so every time I go to watch TV or eat some junk food a tiny voice goes "can you afford it?" which is exactly what I would hope would happen. Still can't figure out how to avoid the excessive binge, but I think I may work in a whole new system. That being said, I may also take a month break from all sorts of improvement activities for the sake of Emily and my blood pressure.

Haiku of the Day:

Atop a snow pile
I consider the grey plain
heavy in the dusk

Today's Drawing (inspired by the word "Vox Populi" from MW's word of the day. It's a popular sentiment.)

Today's "365" Project (Do something with markers. I added to the roof with the Sharpies I got for Christmas!)
"Void Network"

Slush

I jogged most of the way back home because I refuse to get caught in one of those terrible hope-crushing T lines during this closeout. I got my New England asshole on and "excuse me'd" my way through the narrow muddy walkways.

I enjoyed the weekend, but it was one of those "squeeze living daylights out of every moment" sort of things so I didn't come out of it very well rested. This friggin' weather and travel ban does NOT help things.

Haiku of the Day:

Ground to a fine pulp
my mindset resembles the
brown slush underfoot

Today's Drawing (inspired by the word "Superfluous" from MW's word of the day.)

Today's "365" Project (BAEIHRIDSFDFSBHBXKJCVHKJSHDJFHKEHFDUMBDUMBDUMB. Make a stamp. I put it on the door to my house for the dead mouse.)
"Welcome."

Planes, Trains and AARGAGRHOISDOISKDUFHW!!!!!

At the end of a much needed trip to Baltimore. Flight got in over four hours late due to weather and she'd unlink complications, but as far as commuting troubles it could be worse - you could have your entire public transit system be yanked out from under you due to an absurd amount of snowfall and a grossly underfunded infrastructure. Oh wait. That's what I'm coming home to. The MTBA has dealt a heavy blow for the thousands of commuters who depend on it everyday and announced it's running and very abridged train schedule for the next 30 days. You heard me right. 30 days. And this is all under the presumption that we don't get anymore snow this season. HA! Forecasts are already saying we'll have two more storms THIS WEEK.

My personal opinion is that everyone should just hole up until the snow's melted down to three feet and than go back to work. Nothing's going to get done in this garbage.

In other news, I've fallen woefully behind once again with the project aspect of the blog. Between creative fatigue and some of the tasks just not being as stimulating as ones in the past, I'm having a heck of a time getting them done. My goal is to have everything updated by the end of tomorrow. We shall see.

Haiku of the Day:

White patches on black

The snowy multitudes pop

stark from the night sky 

Today's Drawing (Inspired by the word "Helpless" from what i was feeling while traveling.)

Today's "365" Project (Make a bird house, or a house for some small thing. It does not have to be functional. I made a house for the mouse I saw back in September that is probably dead.)
"House for Dead Mouse"

Caveman

No matter where I'm at these days, I'm constantly rubbing elbows with people that are much smarter than me. I feel like a foolish rube with a lazy eye and a finger up his nose.

Haiku of the Day:
Undulating rings
pepper my field of vision
in the pale green dawn

Today's Drawing (inspired by the word "Droll" from the mind ether.)

Today's "365" Project (Make something desaturated. I did some found modern art.)
"Rubbish"

V-Day

Valentine's day full of friends and games and running and cooking. Sweet and brief and lovely.

Haiku of the Day:

Back at the Owl Bar

In the midst of a huge storm

Warms my feeble heart

Today's Drawing (Guest Drawing by Ellen Ambrose inspired by the the word "Crochet.")

Today's "365" Project (Make a Bookmark! Guest Project completed by Emily Kuehn.)
"Red Marker"

B'more Bound!

Heading down to good ol' Baltimore to visit and carouse. Excited to see old friends and celebrate Valentines Day/The end of my show/getting married. Will try desperately to not get hungover but I imagine it will be a futile effort. I'm looking to spend some part of this trip putting together a solid plan for the next 50 days until the wedding so I can get my ducks in a row before they say their vows...OH right! Vows. Crap. I should start working on those to so I'm not reading them from a piece of paper like a CHUMP.

Oh and one last thing:

REALLY FEBRUARY?!?! 

YOU HAVE A FRIDAY THE 13TH?!?! 

IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A VALENTINES DAY!!!!!

IS IT NOT ENOUGH THAT YOU'VE DUMPED OVER 6 FEET OF SNOW ON US WITH MORE ON THE WAY?!?!? 

I CAN'T EVEN-

I MEAN-

AAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

At least it's halfway over now...

Haiku of the Day:

Security line
empty for the first time since
I can remember

Today's Drawing (inspired by the word "Untenable" from MW's word of the day. It means both unable to defend and unable to be occupied.)

Today's "365" Project (Carry an object with you all day. I took my friend with me from this post back in October. His name is Wendell and he's a depraved angel waiting for the end.)

"Wendell's Journey"

Warbles

The twitchy, desperate, neural firings of a squashed insect

-I still haven't shook the feeling of being on bonus time, like I'm in some afterlife, or behind some veil, excluded from the main event. My memories hark back to a time of clarity and drive, whereas my present is a Vaseline-sheen muddle, a mundane mid-waking with tingling limbs - vague, gentle chest pains. I blame the digital life. I blame the prescribed drugs of my adolescence. I blame the gasping, bloated mind, soaked in fever brine, porous and nibbled by scavenger fish. I breathe joy in spacey intervals, a perpetual orchestral warm-up, waiting for a cooperative clarity, a baton to follow. I feel lost and in love and secluded and burnt. Living with the superstition of a sailor, clinging to any meaning in a vast, unforgiving sea.

-Oh to be stoned and sloshed, addled to the brink on cunning poisons - delicate tinctures crafted by dark engineers in warehouse spaces, skirting authority and their own feral tendencies. Modern alchemy turning the leaden to golden escape.

- I may take up napping. I think I could do it really well if I put in the effort. It's just a matter of finding the time in my schedule to parse it out. Maybe invent a whole new sleep schedule for a while. Get in a whole different time and space from everyone. Worth experimenting with to found a circadian Goldilocks.

Haiku of the Day:

I wish I could sleep
in a state of true comfort-
drifting off the coil

Today's Drawing (inspired by the word "Xeros" which I poached from MW's word of the day, "Xeroscape." It's Greek for dry and I love the look and feel of it.)

Today's "365" Project (Make something that balances.)
"Knobhead"

Olive It!

More Shame. Boatlaods of Shame. My feet are itching to get out and there's just more snow coming. BAAAAHHHHH! Well at least the show is done and I can do some small sprints of activity here and there before wedding stuff starts to bark round the corner.

Week 33

Stats:
Running Mileage: 569.25/1,000
Push-ups: 5,900/10,000
Sit-ups: 5,900/10,000
Pages Read: 6,184/10,000
Books Completed: 17/25
Words Written: 56,390/100,000

Fasts (Days without)
Internet: 64/100
TV: 90/100
Gaming: COMPLETE 173/100
Meat: 65/100
Junk: 66/100
Booze: 58/100

Haiku of the Day:

Black rubber olive
squeaks with fleshy relish on
my tooth enamel 

Today's Drawing (inspired by the word "Poignant" from MW's word of the day. It's deep cutting or to the point.)

Today's "365" Project (Make something with your body.)
"Hand Mash"

Snow Day #4!!!

Second day of no work due to the MBTA being down and more heavy snowfall. I spent the day hanging with Emily while she did work. I finished a book, played some games and made somewicked good eggplant "meat"balls. A truly lovely day.

Haiku of the Day:

Thrumming on hard bone

the body resonates dark

hollow frequencies

Today's Drawing (inspired by the word "Eradicate" from MW's word of the day. This is a word I use often, and I only just now learned it means to eliminate from the roots. Interesting.)

Today's "365" Project (Relabel things in your home.)
"Nonsense Lessons"

Snow Day #3!

Dairy of a snow day:

6:45 AM Awoke oddly refreshed. Laid in consciousness for thirty minutes contemplating fear and work and The "capital-F" Future. Came to a calming inner peace and read some twenty pages of "The Autobiography of Red."

7:20 AM Emily's alarm goes off three or four times in succession. She gets up to turn off the big, loud alarm on the floor and I decide to my fancy coffee with the Italian stove-top bubbler. Go back to reading and forget about the bubbler until I hear the sound of it boiling over on the stove. I salvage what I can and get Emily up to take some sips.

8:00 AM Emily leaves for work and I immediately dig into getting caught up on the blog stuff. Spend the remainder of my early morning drawing pictures and writing while listening to music. Do a series of push-ups and sit-ups while watching Crash Course. Look up conditions for running. Get really discouraged that running will be difficult the next few weeks.

11:15 AM Realize Emily had called at 10:45. Call Emily back and help her find some files she needs on her computer. Watch some impressive dance videos and try out some moves. Go down an internet rabbit-hole that involves looking up Sam Smith songs, a BBC article on the future of media and maps of beer origins.

11:34 AM Realize no food has been consumed yet today and have some oatmeal with dried cranberries.

12:56 PM Gather and scan tax information and have a brief conversation with a co-worker on Facebook.

1:35 PM Decide to do a snow day journal and tediously go through the events of the day up to this point forward

2:02 PM Spoke with brother William about a triad of short scripts he had sent me a few days ago. Make english muffin pizza snacks over the course of the chat.

3:08 PM Tear up watching a video about Slaughterhouse Five. Dive back into "The Autobiography of Red."

3:35 PM Book abandoned to pursue a nonsense poetry sputum parade. Mind darkens with the day and I sit in whirling, postulative eddies for a good half hour.

4:27 PM Resurface with the foresight to do some shoveling. Make a face in the snow. Return upstairs refreshed and start constructing glasses.

5:19 PM Call from Emily that she'll be coming home in a little bit. Start reading again.

5:40 PM Begin cooking a parchment paper fish dish.

7:07 PM Finish fish dish and eat while watching TV

9:17 PM Make bug glasses and continue to watch TV

10:02 PM Emily reheats cornmeal baked green beans and they're delicious.

12:15 PM Bedtime! Finish the remainder of the blog stuff.

Haiku of the Day:

Alone, I thrive and

stew like mosquito larvae

in standing water

Today's Drawing (inspired by the word "Tantara" from MW's word of the day. It's the blare of a trumpet or horn.)

Today's "365" Project (Do something with clouds. I made a face from the product of clouds because that's what the day constituted.)

"Snomonster"