http://picasaweb.google.com/chris.tolley/MemorialDay07/photo#5072041892879321266
'nuf said
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
I Love It
Go sign up on OkCupid. It's the most fun I've had in a social site. Oh and it has that dating thing too.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Final Glass Class
I picked up my stuff from The Crucible today (last class was Wednesday).
SO what you're looking at is two icicles and a lattichino marble. The interesting thing is that both types are made almost the same way. First, make a paddle of stock glass about the size of a fifty cent piece. Then put some strips of color on the glass. The icicle on the left has three blue stripes. The marble has five stripes (black in the center, two white, two blue). If you're making a marble, sandwich the color between another paddle.
Next, get the thing all melty warm. Then twist. If you want a marble, let it gather into a ball with the flame. If you want an icicle, pull apart as you twist. To finis 'em up, put a loop on the top of the icicle (the icicle on the left was a rush job at the end of class so it doesn't have color or a loop). If it's a marble, you pull off some glass form each end as you twist the marble so the color comes down to a point.
My marble is exceptionally round. I should say it's it comparatively round to my other marbles. It has one little flat spot (you can actually see it in the picture on the top of the perimiter) where the punty (aka stick of glass that keeps me from having to put my hand in the flame) was. I argue that it gives the marble a nice spot to rest as it perches on your desk.
 |
| From The Crucible |
SO what you're looking at is two icicles and a lattichino marble. The interesting thing is that both types are made almost the same way. First, make a paddle of stock glass about the size of a fifty cent piece. Then put some strips of color on the glass. The icicle on the left has three blue stripes. The marble has five stripes (black in the center, two white, two blue). If you're making a marble, sandwich the color between another paddle.
Next, get the thing all melty warm. Then twist. If you want a marble, let it gather into a ball with the flame. If you want an icicle, pull apart as you twist. To finis 'em up, put a loop on the top of the icicle (the icicle on the left was a rush job at the end of class so it doesn't have color or a loop). If it's a marble, you pull off some glass form each end as you twist the marble so the color comes down to a point.
My marble is exceptionally round. I should say it's it comparatively round to my other marbles. It has one little flat spot (you can actually see it in the picture on the top of the perimiter) where the punty (aka stick of glass that keeps me from having to put my hand in the flame) was. I argue that it gives the marble a nice spot to rest as it perches on your desk.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Glass Catch Up
Well I've been through four of five classes.
In week two I made a pear shaped pendant. It's got some diachronic glass (which gives it the sparkle). Then the back is decorated with a brownish color to give the sparkle the yellowish color. A pendant is made the same way as a marble, but you smush one side flat while the glass is hot, then put a loop on it.
In week three I made two pieces. One was an implosion that ended up as a pendant. The idea is that you blow a small bubble, decorate the outside, then head it up and it draws your decorations in through the clear glass, stretching it out. If you ever see "coral" or some kind of seascape, it's done with this technique. I used a white glass that boiled and bubbled a lot and was really hard to work with, and my implosion didn't work so well, so I smushed it and called it a pendant.
The last piece is another marble. This one much more round than the one I made two week before it. Also diachronic glass for the sparkle, but then I put clear glass on top to make a lens that magnifies the sparkle. A little coloring on the back makes it look like a professional third grader might have coughed this one out.
Then this past week I made something that should turn out really cool if it doesn't crack. I can't wait to get pictures of it. Next week is a free for all. I hope to crank out a marble with some spiral thing going on inside.
 |
| From The Crucible |
In week two I made a pear shaped pendant. It's got some diachronic glass (which gives it the sparkle). Then the back is decorated with a brownish color to give the sparkle the yellowish color. A pendant is made the same way as a marble, but you smush one side flat while the glass is hot, then put a loop on it.
In week three I made two pieces. One was an implosion that ended up as a pendant. The idea is that you blow a small bubble, decorate the outside, then head it up and it draws your decorations in through the clear glass, stretching it out. If you ever see "coral" or some kind of seascape, it's done with this technique. I used a white glass that boiled and bubbled a lot and was really hard to work with, and my implosion didn't work so well, so I smushed it and called it a pendant.
The last piece is another marble. This one much more round than the one I made two week before it. Also diachronic glass for the sparkle, but then I put clear glass on top to make a lens that magnifies the sparkle. A little coloring on the back makes it look like a professional third grader might have coughed this one out.
Then this past week I made something that should turn out really cool if it doesn't crack. I can't wait to get pictures of it. Next week is a free for all. I hope to crank out a marble with some spiral thing going on inside.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Blog About the Dickersons
I realized I haven't blogged about hanging with the Great Dickersonians since their wedding. I feel kinda bad because I have a blast hanging out with them and it's great having top notch friends just two hours away. They came down to SF for my birthday and slept on an air mattress just to see me. They took me out to a really nice Italian restaurant and we had some awesome gelato afterwards.
And then I was up there two weeks ago for a going away party for one of Matt's coworkers. I won about $30 in cash and got to see a girl jump into a retention pond wearing significantly less clothing than when she joined the party. That girl never called me that she was supposed to give my number to, oh well.
And there's always Settlers of Catan. All kinds. They have all the standard sets and we've taken to mixing and matching to the point that there's so much going on that I fail miserably to take action at the right time. But it's still way fun and they're notably improved at just treating it like a game. We also discovered that boiling rubber can fix a toilet.
But above all, they listen when I just need to bend an ear. And it's great to talk to them both because they have different perspectives with this common ground they draw from. Next weekend we're going car camping with some people they know. I can't wait to be a lazy bum the way nature intended: with good company at hand.
And then I was up there two weeks ago for a going away party for one of Matt's coworkers. I won about $30 in cash and got to see a girl jump into a retention pond wearing significantly less clothing than when she joined the party. That girl never called me that she was supposed to give my number to, oh well.
And there's always Settlers of Catan. All kinds. They have all the standard sets and we've taken to mixing and matching to the point that there's so much going on that I fail miserably to take action at the right time. But it's still way fun and they're notably improved at just treating it like a game. We also discovered that boiling rubber can fix a toilet.
But above all, they listen when I just need to bend an ear. And it's great to talk to them both because they have different perspectives with this common ground they draw from. Next weekend we're going car camping with some people they know. I can't wait to be a lazy bum the way nature intended: with good company at hand.
A Fine Visit
True, I only got to hang out with them for a few hours, but it was really awesome to see Brittany and her boyfriend Jeremy. She kinda brought with her a piece of my history, some of it newish, some of it seven years old.
It was the first time I'd met Jeremy though. He strikes me as a good match for Brittany. They were off to a weekend in Napa paid for by one of Jeremy's clients (he does some kind of web related work). I can't even score a free pair of shoes from Zappos, so I was kinda jealous that they got a weekend getaway for the price of airfare.
But we went to he beach, no one went in the ocean even with just their toes. There were a shit-ton of kite surfers out, then the wind died on all of them, which was sad to see them all self-rescue back to shore. We had a nice dinner at a place on Bay St. and Taylor, then we rocked out the basic version of Settlers of Catan. By then they were pretty dead, having been up since like 3 am and being another three hours ahead. SO they partook in the new furniture (sleeper sofa mostly). Then I saw them for a little bit this morning before I had to take off for work and they had to head for Wine Country.
Good Times.
It was the first time I'd met Jeremy though. He strikes me as a good match for Brittany. They were off to a weekend in Napa paid for by one of Jeremy's clients (he does some kind of web related work). I can't even score a free pair of shoes from Zappos, so I was kinda jealous that they got a weekend getaway for the price of airfare.
But we went to he beach, no one went in the ocean even with just their toes. There were a shit-ton of kite surfers out, then the wind died on all of them, which was sad to see them all self-rescue back to shore. We had a nice dinner at a place on Bay St. and Taylor, then we rocked out the basic version of Settlers of Catan. By then they were pretty dead, having been up since like 3 am and being another three hours ahead. SO they partook in the new furniture (sleeper sofa mostly). Then I saw them for a little bit this morning before I had to take off for work and they had to head for Wine Country.
Good Times.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Evidence: Part II - Opposites Attract
Along the lines of needing to be needed, there's the age-old saying "Opposites attract". Anyone who has ever taken interest in another has probably experienced this before. You meet someone who is nothing like you, you have zero common ground, and yet you find her to be the most fascinating person. Maybe you go out a few times, somethings work really well, some things don't seem to work at all. You each fill a need for the other - stability, enthusiasm for life, financial savvy, or creativity, but there's no common ground to start from.
I believe we need that kind of opposite in our life. It validates my character, my choices, my weaknesses, my strengths and gives them all a meaning, a purpose.
I believe we need that kind of opposite in our life. It validates my character, my choices, my weaknesses, my strengths and gives them all a meaning, a purpose.
Evidence: Part I - Divorce Rate
Because I feel a need to convince myself that what I believe is true, I was thinking about the divorce rate. In previous generations, there were gender roles. The wife did the cooking and cleaning, and the rearing of children, the husband went to work, fixed the house, and managed the grill.
Today, both genders do everything. I have nothing against women in the work place or stay at home dads, I think this is a fine direction for our culture to take. There is a drawback to all of this and my point is that we're all a lot more autonomous. Our society has changed and we no longer need the other gender as much as we once did. When you've got the skill set to do everything that life requires of you (but maybe not the time), it is a lot easier to cut ties and move on to something else and find someone new who needs you.
Today, both genders do everything. I have nothing against women in the work place or stay at home dads, I think this is a fine direction for our culture to take. There is a drawback to all of this and my point is that we're all a lot more autonomous. Our society has changed and we no longer need the other gender as much as we once did. When you've got the skill set to do everything that life requires of you (but maybe not the time), it is a lot easier to cut ties and move on to something else and find someone new who needs you.
Inventory: Part I - Physical Stuff
- I have a washer and dryer
- A spare place to sleep (this was crucial in meeting my second girlfriend when her apartment flooded)
- A kite
- Left-handed fencing gear
- Left-handed golf clubs
- Skis
- Partial set of camping gear
- Full set of dishes and cook ware
- [Girly] beer in the fridge
- A box of random electronics
- Power tools and hand tools that let me fix most anything around the house/apartment
- Some rope
- Books I like
- Some DVDs
- A Wii
- An internet connection
If you should need to borrow or use any of these things, I'm your man.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Every Clock...
...has something that makes it tick. For me, I need to be needed. This simple statement is the very core of who I am, it is what drives my decisions, my beliefs, everything. I made the discovery while trying to convince Michelle that life was not about being independent, that it was about the relationships, about having healthy dependencies on other people because a group is stronger than the sum of its parts. She was adamant that independence was key, at which point I realized, not that I was wrong (or right), but that I was different from her in this way. Quick examination made me realize that I'm different from most people in this way.
I remember a conversation with the GD my freshman year about codependence. I thought then, and still think now that I am not codependent. I can survive on my own, but I function an order of magnitude better when I'm in a situation where I feel needed. I found another diagnosis HPD that seemed more inline with me but still off. On one hand, it mentioned needing validation, which I do seek out whether I like to admit it or not, extrovertedness (me in a nutshell), but it also pointed to a character lacking resolution - someone who changed who he or she was just to please others - and a poor sense of reality. That's not me at all. I'm stubborn, people are turned off by who I am sometimes, and it doesn't bother me in the least and I'm pretty sure me and reality are on the same page.
But that simple phrase, "needing to be needed", explains so much. I can point to my love affair with fencing that way. I was needed to be president, I was needed to open a new club, I was needed to be a coach. And when I had taught others to coach, I was no longer needed. It explains why my friendships are so intense, and why historically they've had a limited shelf life. It explains my level of job satisfaction at both present and past places of employment. In the context of volunteering I often say "I may seem like a helpful guy, but really I just like making others happy because it makes me happy". Everything makes sense in this context.
I know have perhaps the most valuable piece of information. My gut reaction was to "fix" it, to become less dependant on others. But I thought about how adamantly I stood by my statement that life is meant to be shared, that others are important when measuring the success of one's self, and I realized this is not something that would be easily changed. I also looked back at the experiences I've had when my need was being met - I have done amazing things, been an amazing person, a person I'm proud to say I know I have in me. So I think I should keep it, and find a productive way to feel needed at work, in my friendships, and in my romantic life, and be the best person I've ever seen me be. Next step: Inventory of what I have to offer that someone else might need.
I remember a conversation with the GD my freshman year about codependence. I thought then, and still think now that I am not codependent. I can survive on my own, but I function an order of magnitude better when I'm in a situation where I feel needed. I found another diagnosis HPD that seemed more inline with me but still off. On one hand, it mentioned needing validation, which I do seek out whether I like to admit it or not, extrovertedness (me in a nutshell), but it also pointed to a character lacking resolution - someone who changed who he or she was just to please others - and a poor sense of reality. That's not me at all. I'm stubborn, people are turned off by who I am sometimes, and it doesn't bother me in the least and I'm pretty sure me and reality are on the same page.
But that simple phrase, "needing to be needed", explains so much. I can point to my love affair with fencing that way. I was needed to be president, I was needed to open a new club, I was needed to be a coach. And when I had taught others to coach, I was no longer needed. It explains why my friendships are so intense, and why historically they've had a limited shelf life. It explains my level of job satisfaction at both present and past places of employment. In the context of volunteering I often say "I may seem like a helpful guy, but really I just like making others happy because it makes me happy". Everything makes sense in this context.
I know have perhaps the most valuable piece of information. My gut reaction was to "fix" it, to become less dependant on others. But I thought about how adamantly I stood by my statement that life is meant to be shared, that others are important when measuring the success of one's self, and I realized this is not something that would be easily changed. I also looked back at the experiences I've had when my need was being met - I have done amazing things, been an amazing person, a person I'm proud to say I know I have in me. So I think I should keep it, and find a productive way to feel needed at work, in my friendships, and in my romantic life, and be the best person I've ever seen me be. Next step: Inventory of what I have to offer that someone else might need.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Hiarcut
I went to a salon and paid the most I've ever paid for a haircut, but I think I got exactly what I asked for. It's still just as long on top, but way short on the sides so my hair kind of falls over on the sides and back. It feels very weird, and the new look is growing on me. Pictures to follow. Matt and Lauren are visiting and we're having a kick ads time eating some Za and playing games.
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