Graffiti 6

This past week I watched a movie that really inspired me, 'Exit Through The Gift Shop.' After watching I realize my classification for this series of posts may have been a little inappropriate or inaccurate. I should have titled these 'Street Art' but for the sake of continuity I will continue to use the term 'Graffiti.' Also some of the things I've featured wouldn't necessarily qualify as street art. Like this sticker for example has a website on it so it's more promotion or advertisement than genuine street art. Moving forward I may make that distinction.

“The thing I hate the most about advertising is that it attracts all the bright, creative and ambitious young people, leaving us mainly with the slow and self-obsessed to become our artists. Modern art is a disaster area. Never in the field of human history has so much been used by so many to say so little.” -Banksy

Panang Curry: Opart Thai House

Tonight HP and I went to Opart Thai House for dinner. The curry was very good. Other than the curry and chicken there was a significant amount of basil which I appreciated. The curry was not as thick as I'd prefer but the flavor ran deep and it was the perfect amount of spicy. I was asked how spicy I'd like it, I requested medium and received medium, which at times isn't always the case. The chicken was a nice surprise, succulent and of a superior quality. Would I go again? Emphatically yes. I haven't seen HP in a while and we had a nice catch up session. At one point...

HP: So me and this girl Lindsay have this class we teach together. And we've been teaching this group since they were 4 and they're 8 now. They're all really great kids and level headed, they go to school together, Hebrew school together, and take our class together.
Me: Sounds nice.
HP: So she has this whole lesson plan written around St. Patrick's day. Leprechauns and shamrocks and stuff. And this one kid looks at her and says "I'm NOT gonna do this! I hate St. Patrick's Day! I'm not Irish and I'm not Catholic! I'm gonna draw Stars of David over all this!" Can you believe it? (laughs)
Me: (pause) Yeah. Good for him.
HP: What!?!
Me: Well I mean it's a Catholic Saint's holiday. Why should he have to participate? I mean he doesn't believe in it.
HP: But to disrupt class and come on it's really a secular holiday.
Me: Well I mean it is Saint Patrick's day. It's become secular because of commercialism. But it's still a religious holiday. A lot of holidays are Christian, just because they're popular doesn't mean you must celebrate them.
HP: Sure but...(pause)...Steve (laughs) you're like really on this kids side for standing up to the status quo.
Me: Oh yeah. Fight the power.
HP: (laughs)

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Nerd Art

What would Andy Warhol say?

Steve's Guide To Happiness

1. Always Carry A Book- You never know when you'll get a flat tire, have to wait for a bus, or need a prop to avoid conversation. Having a book will always allow you to entertain yourself, to escape, to be interested. A book can be a shield, calm in a storm, or a warm friend. When you're reading a book you have a life that you're living parallel to your own. If yours isn't going well, you're a page turn away from anything: adventure, romance, the plush heat of the Amazon, the biting breeze of the Himalayas.

2. Have A Hobby- Have something outside of work and your social life that you're interested in. It can be anything from riding motorcycles to playing chess. Have something that excites you, something you want to spend time with. Something that brings you joy simply by doing it.

3. Treat Yourself- Every once in a while indulge yourself. Get yourself something you really want. That dress that's a little too expensive, court side seats to the Bulls game, dessert. You deserve what you want, give yourself a little encouragement.

4. Have A Passion- Have something that you love to do. Something that you could do and talk about endlessly. In a perfect world this would be your job but the worlds not perfect. If it's not your job FIND what it is. Find that thing that brings you the most energy, the most fire, the most desire to DO. Find that thing that keeps you up at night thinking. Find that thing that once you finish doing it, all you want to do is begin again. For my dad it's the Law, for me it's Improv. What is it for you?

5. Friends and Family- Surround yourself with people that inspire and challenge you. People that make you laugh and bring out the best in you. People that want nothing less than the absolute best for you. People that care about you no matter what. People that you could talk for hours with or companionably share a silence. People that hug you hello.

6. Love- Love as much as you can. Love your friends and family. Love the sunny days and the cloudy nights. Love your anger and your sadness. Love the dappled forest and the sprawling concrete jungle. Love mysterious strangers and the people you see everyday. Most of all, fall in love. Kiss, embrace, and give as much of yourself as you can. It'll make you rich and alive. Who knows, you may find someone you can't live without...

"Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it." -Groucho Marx

Isolation

(via phone)

Me: I think we can kind of broaden the scope at this point. Branch out from emotion.

Beanpole: What you got?

Me: I got a couple, but now I'm feeling 'Moon' for Solitude.

Beanpole: ...hmmmmm...(long pause)...

Me: ...Good or no?

Beanpole: (pause)Yeah...how about, Isolation?

Me: Good.

Del Awards 2011

'Song of Solomon' by Toni Morrison is one of my favorite books. One of the lines from that book that has stuck with me over the years is "Share your happiness with me, not your unhappiness." She's describing the attitude of Milkman, the main character of the book. This quote occurred to me last night before the Del Awards at iO.

Each year the iO improv community has an awards show to honor and poke fun at the previous year of improv. Caitlin asked me at the beginning of the week to help with The Katydids opening number. I painted my face like a white tiger and Caitlin came out on my back for the final chorus. One of the awards is 'Drunken Spectacle' which I was nominated for. The nomination read as follows "Steve Nelson for ruining a Bird and Bison show by getting up on stage and saying woosh." This was a very dark moment for me. Possibly one of the things I feel worst about in my entire life. And of course I won. I knew I was going to. That moment was too juicy and horrible not to get attention. Which brings me to the quote.
The audience was packed. They didn't want to hear about my struggles, they didn't want to hear about my problems, or my regret. They wanted to be entertained. Share your happiness with me, not your unhappiness. It's a feeling I imagine a lot of comedians feel from time to time. Give me all you can, make me laugh, but don't count on me. There was also another layer. Facing the music.

There comes a point where you have to take responsibilities for your actions. Chickens coming home to roost, made your bed now lie in it, any number of phrases. The award seemed to me a reprimand. It was mine, I owned it. I felt a lot of tension the whole night until they said my name. I walked to the stage, accepted the award, and froze. I saw Vince in the front row, took a deep breath, and gave my speech.

Me: I'm ashamed to win this award(laughter). I want to take this opportunity to apologize to The Bird and the Bison, their coach, and specifically my best friends on the team Vince, Eli, and Jillian. I also want to thank Craig Uhlir for having my back and getting me out of the trouble I got myself into(pause for laughter). This was not a good thing. (more laughter, exit)

I wondered for a while why people were laughing. I didn't realize till later I still had my face paint on. Craig called it Kaufman-esque.

That chapter on my life is closed. Last night sealed it.

Own your mistakes as well as your triumphs.

Panang Curry: Sticky Rice

Wes and I went to Sticky Rice tonight for dinner. I, of course, ordered the Panang Curry. The curry was good not great. The consistency of the curry itself was half way between thin and thick, I'd have preferred it to be a little thicker. Other than the curry and the chicken the only additions were the five small chunks of tomato and the two basil leafs you can see in the photo. Overall it was a little lacking, it felt a little incomplete. The spiciness was a good level but this was the first Thai place I've been to that didn't ask you how spicy you'd like it. Presumably however spicy they make it is how spicy you get it. Wes recommended it and after the meal he said it wasn't as good as he had remembered it. Overall I was a little disappointed. Would I go again?

Doubtful.