maurag.com

Now..I do have a history of being incredibly lucky when it comes to finding lost things..but ..Ok. I went to the park today and lost my house key ..again. Only this time I realized it before I got home. So..being the optimist I am..and being related to “reach in a muddy river and pull out a bike pedal” Wayne I headed back to look for it. I start retracing my steps and a lady says..”are you looking for this?” and shows me a ratty ball. “no. my hou….” and she says..”oh, this?” and reaches down by her foot and pulls up my key. Oh yes.

But then..she says..

“I found another key exactly like this a few months ago..I still have it at home.”

Same lady found both of my keys.

Thank you Beth in the park with Boo and Lily.

This book is brilliant. All drawings. An inspector goes on a hunt for a terrible monster and is so focused and consumed by what is only in front of his face, and not his surroundings that he never notices that his faithful loving dog slays and eats every monster that tries to attack the inspector. As the hunt goes on..the dog gets larger and larger and uglier and uglier and so menacing that in the end when the inspector finally turns around, he is petrified of his own dog that has become even more horrific than the original monster that the inspector was looking for. Brilliant. And the illustrations are really great.

So…after my Wooster posting..the artist himself sent some more work in..and it’s also awesome.

AND…there are more here on his Flkr account..and his blog. Be sure you go through his work. He has some really, really great pieces. This isn’t a one hit wonder, this guy is transforming the rez landscape with some killer work.

Thank you Jetsonorama. I think what you are doing is interesting and exciting.

More good stuff from W+K.

We are all joined to each other by invisible strings. Not just the people we know and love. Even strangers who live in different lands. We kid ourselves that events occur in isolation. We think our thoughts don’t change anyone’s mood – and that our actions will change nobody else’s life than our own. But though we can pull some strings more easily than others – and though we may try to stop our own strings from being pulled – we are connected.

Jonathon Cainer

I used to call this the undercurrent of consciousness..I think it’s true. Not just on an emotional level..but on a intellectual level, and maybe even some sort of unseen physical level..once you get into investigating synapsis and neurons and other things that are tough for me to understand. Not as unrelated as this might seem..but I just saw Avatar..which seems to weave a lot of American Indian and Eastern Indian beliefs, fantasy aesthetics and left wing politics into some strange concoction of 3-D multi-million dollar imax’ness. I didn’t think I was going to like it much..but I feel for the 3-d hook..and I dug it. Interesting..and visually compelling. It’s still your standard Hollywood shallow throw all the expensive effects in and no one will notice the bad script or cheesy lines or over acting kinda piece..but still. Go see. In the theater. With the glasses on an imax screen..don’t gyp yourself. (and watch this trailer in the HD version..yum)

I took these pictures just outside of Black Mountain Trading Post, Arizona, wheat paste posters of traditional Navajo icons, the Coyote, the sheep, and the Mom/Dad/Grampa/Gramma sheep herders on the sides of water tanks. San Francisco peaks, home of the Hopi & Navajo kachinas and spiritual deities in the background. Truly outstanding.

UPDATE: 2/22 – Check me out..I made Wooster’s site and daily newsletter. Yay!

So…this..is Leonardo da Vinci’s letter to Ludovico il Moro,  the Duke of Milan in 1482 when at the age of 30, Leonardo was looking for work.

And supposedly..this is the translation.

“Most Illustrious Lord, Having now sufficiently considered the specimens of all those who proclaim themselves skilled contrivers of instruments of war, and that the invention and operation of the said instruments are nothing different from those in common use: I shall endeavor, without prejudice to any one else, to explain myself to your Excellency, showing your Lordship my secret, and then offering them to your best pleasure and approbation to work with effect at opportune moments on all those things which, in part, shall be briefly noted below.

I have a sort of extremely light and strong bridges, adapted to be most easily carried, and with them you may pursue, and at any time flee from the enemy; and others, secure and indestructible by fire and battle, easy and convenient to lift and place. Also methods of burning and destroying those of the enemy.

I know how, when a place is besieged, to take the water out of the trenches, and make endless variety of bridges, and covered ways and ladders, and other machines pertaining to such expeditions.

If, by reason of the height of the banks, or the strength of the place and its position, it is impossible, when besieging a place, to avail oneself of the plan of bombardment, I have methods for destroying every rock or other fortress, even if it were founded on a rock, etc.
Again, I have kinds of mortars; most convenient and easy to carry; and with these I can fling small stones almost resembling a storm; and with the smoke of these cause great terror to the enemy, to his great detriment and confusion.

And if the fight should be at sea I have kinds of many machines most efficient for offense and defense; and vessels which will resist the attack of the largest guns and powder and fumes.

I have means by secret and tortuous mines and ways, made without noise, to reach a designated spot, even if it were needed to pass under a trench or a river.

I will make covered chariots, safe and unattackable, which, entering among the enemy with their artillery, there is no body of men so great but they would break them. And behind these, infantry could follow quite unhurt and without any hindrance.

In case of need I will make big guns, mortars, and light ordnance of fine and useful forms, out of the common type.

Where the operation of bombardment might fail, I would contrive catapults, mangonels, trabocchi, and other machines of marvelous efficacy and not in common use. And in short, according to the variety of cases, I can contrive various and endless means of offense and defense.

In times of peace I believe I can give perfect satisfaction and to the equal of any other in architecture and the composition of buildings public and private; and in guiding water from one place to another.

I can carry out sculpture in marble, bronze, or clay, and also I can do in painting whatever may be done, as well as any other, be he who he may.

Again, the bronze horse may be taken in hand, which is to be to the immortal glory and eternal honor of the prince your father of happy memory, and of the illustrious house of Sforza.

And if any of the above-named things seem to anyone to be impossible or not feasible, I am most ready to make the experiment in your park, or in whatever place may please your Excellency – to whom I comment myself with the utmost humility, etc.”

From  MktgLadder

A few weeks old…but here is my dear friend Lisa at work. Truly a wonderful person and an inspirational artist. See more of her work..Lisa Kowalski

I love this house. I love..love..love the atrium with the roof that slides back for open air access to the garden and the library. Add a workshop/garage behind this and we have perfection. At least one version of perfection.

From Dornob.

But be sure you check the original source. A multitude of other fantastic houses that make me want to move this second.