I went for a bike ride today on the Mt. Vernon trail. I left work late and traffic was horrendous, so even though I got changed and ready as quick as a gazelle, darkness was falling before the end of my ride. I suppose the setting sun was a good incentive to keep up a brisk pace throughout the ride.
The downside to riding in the evening (aside from the threat of darkness) is that you're constantly being bombarded by facefuls of gnats. I don't even want to think of how many I had to fish out of my eyes, and I'm sure at least a few got lodged in my throat. I even found them clinging to my clothes when I got home. Blech.
I've overcome my previous trepidation about the clippy pedals and now I actually like them. They give me a greater feeling of oneness with the bike, as if it's an extension of my body, my legs. I'm still a little anxious that I'll be unable to unclip in time one of these days, but most of the time I feel quite snug and secure when I'm clipped in.
Alley, Radio Show and More
Check out our latest Emerging Artist Studio radio features on the web! The most recent interviews spotlight Karen Bell talking with Colleen Leonardi (above) and Kal Poole. The spots air weekly on WOSU's Capital City Radio Station and are posted on the internet here.Notable News
Are you an artist? The Arts Initiative space is issuing a call for artists' proposals for exhibitions in our Arts in the Alley gallery for 2011. Deadline is Sept 10. Check out the application here.
Stop by a gallery before the football game! The Arts in the Alley galleries will be open this Thursday, Sept 2, from 6 to 9 pm. The Arts Initiative space continues the exhibition, HumanScapes: A Sense of Place, featuring duo artists Spencer Mustine and Nick Stull. Next door, the Shoebox gallery opens a show spotlighting the Couchfire Collective. And across the alley, the Ohio Art League hosts the new show, What Would Joan Do?, with works by Cyndi Bellerose-McAfee.Day 84: Week 13
Thirteen isn't supposed to be a lucky number according to our cultural superstitions and Week 13 of my Brazilian Butt Lift experiment hasn't started out so hot either, from a fitness perspective. I had to work late and then spent forever at Target trying to find a few little things I need for my Greece trip. Then to CVS to look for what Target didn't have (without success), and by the time I got home it was 8pm and I still hadn't had dinner.
Yes, I realize I could exercise now, at 9pm, but frankly, I'm mentally done for the night.
Yes, I realize I could exercise now, at 9pm, but frankly, I'm mentally done for the night.
Raschke, Perrakis, and Singer, eds.: Doris Lessing
Doris Lessing
Interrogating the Times
Edited by Debrah Raschke, Phyllis Sternberg Perrakis, and Sandra Singer
Doris Lessing: Interrogating the Times wrestles with the ghosts that continue to haunt our most pressing twenty-first-century concerns: how to reconceive imprisoning conceptions of sexuality and gender, how to define terrorism, how to locate the personal, and how to write on race and colonialism in an ever-slippery postmodern world. This collection of essays clearly establishes Lessing’s importance as a unique and necessary voice in contemporary literature and life.In tracing the evolution in Lessing’s representations of controversial subjects, this volume shows how new cultural and political contexts demand new solutions. Focusing on Lessing’s experiments with genre and on the ramifications of narrative itself, the collection asks readers to reformulate some of their most taken-for-granted assumptions about the contemporary world and their relation to it.
Contributors to Doris Lessing: Interrogating the Times assess Lessing’s vision of the past and its relevance for the future by revisiting texts from the beginning of her career onward while at the same time probing previous interpretations of these works. These reassessments reveal Lessing’s continued role as a gadfly who, in disrupting rigid constructions of right and wrong and of good and evil, forces her readers to move beyond “you are damned, we are saved” narratives. As rationales such as these continue to permeate global venues, Lessing’s oeuvre becomes increasingly relevant.
Day 83: End of Week 12
On Day 83, I went for a longish bike ride on the Mt. Vernon trail, starting near National Airport, going to Mt. Vernon, and back. I'm not sure but I think it was about 25 miles, maybe a little farther. It's always nice to be on the bike, riding on that trail, and I was pleased to pass three guys along the way who, when we all were resting at the turn-around point, commented at how fast I was. =)
Of course, a group of five guys also passed me at one point and, while one mentioned loving the Hello Kitty jersey, they did not later tell me how fast I was. That's ok. I'll take what I can get.
This marks the end of Week 12. Three months and nearly 90 days I've been doing this Brazil Butt Lift thing (well, mostly) and I still don't have a Brazilian Booty.
Next week I head to Greece, at which time I will consider this experiment officially concluded.
Of course, a group of five guys also passed me at one point and, while one mentioned loving the Hello Kitty jersey, they did not later tell me how fast I was. That's ok. I'll take what I can get.
This marks the end of Week 12. Three months and nearly 90 days I've been doing this Brazil Butt Lift thing (well, mostly) and I still don't have a Brazilian Booty.
Next week I head to Greece, at which time I will consider this experiment officially concluded.
Day 82: It's Just, Well, Annoying
I confess to being a little sore today in the posterior area, thanks to all that glute-work I did with Leandro last night. Huh. That is both surprising and annoying. Also annoyingly surprising. To think that after laying off the regular Brazil Butt Lift workouts for just a couple of weeks in favor of cycling (which also works the glutes, might I point out), my hiney muscles would already need to be reconditioned.... It's just, well, annoying!
I didn't exercise today.
I didn't exercise today.
Day 81: Leandro
I've decided I need to make up with Leandro and make him part of my life again. (Also, I didn't have enough time to go for a proper bike ride after work today.) Today I did Bum Bum with Leandro and the Beach Beauties. Thirty-five minutes of squats, lunges, and the like. Ah, he is cute and charming! I did find myself responding to his mischievous smile and that twinkle in his eyes.
Knowing how the lunges wreck havoc on my knees (you'd think I were an old man, not a healthy 30-something jeune femme), I skipped the most intense lunge segments, but I did do all the squats.
At the end of this work-out, Leandro leads the Beach Beauties through a series of stretches, most of them leg stretches, to cool down. They do them all, however, while standing up, even though a far more natural (and easier) position for some of the moves would be lying down on one's back. Ok, so he wants to mix it up and keep them standing; I get that. What I don't get is how the Beach Beauties actually manage to DO some of these stretches. By the time I'm done with the workout, I'm all sweaty, including my legs. There's no way I can bend my right leg and balance my right ankle on my left knee--it slips off. Even folding one of my legs to pull that knee up to my chest (while standing) and holding it there is nigh impossible because my shins are too slick with sweat for my hands to grasp. As a result, I do most of these stretches lying on the floor, where gravity works in my favor.
Ah, Leandro, it was good to see you again, darling!
Knowing how the lunges wreck havoc on my knees (you'd think I were an old man, not a healthy 30-something jeune femme), I skipped the most intense lunge segments, but I did do all the squats.
At the end of this work-out, Leandro leads the Beach Beauties through a series of stretches, most of them leg stretches, to cool down. They do them all, however, while standing up, even though a far more natural (and easier) position for some of the moves would be lying down on one's back. Ok, so he wants to mix it up and keep them standing; I get that. What I don't get is how the Beach Beauties actually manage to DO some of these stretches. By the time I'm done with the workout, I'm all sweaty, including my legs. There's no way I can bend my right leg and balance my right ankle on my left knee--it slips off. Even folding one of my legs to pull that knee up to my chest (while standing) and holding it there is nigh impossible because my shins are too slick with sweat for my hands to grasp. As a result, I do most of these stretches lying on the floor, where gravity works in my favor.
Ah, Leandro, it was good to see you again, darling!
Days 78, 79, and 80: Hello, Week 12
My discipline lagged severely on Days 78 and 79. Read that as: no exercise. To be fair, I had a meeting with one of my mentees after work on Day 78 and didn't get home until around 8pm, starving. On Day 79, I just didn't make exercise a priority, preferring instead to read the book I was sucked into.
I made up for it on Day 80, however, when I went for a 90-minute bike ride on the lower half of the Mt. Vernon trail. (Now that I have this new bike, I am motivated to ride more often, to ensure I get a good return on my investment!) The trail wasn't crowded, the weather was perfect, and my legs felt strong. It was a great ride, except for that fact that two guys kept passing me. One was short and compact, wearing a blue jersey, and sporting some sort of head lamp on his helmet. The other was taller, string-bean skinny, in a white jersey. They passed me not once, not twice, not three-times-a-lady, but FOUR times!! Argh!
How could they have passed me so many times if we were all going the same direction, you ask? I'll tell you.
They first passed me about three or four miles into the ride, after which they peeled off the trail to ride through some adjacent residential neighborhoods. Their route must have been longer than mine on the trail, because they overtook me again later, about a mile from the turn-around point (which is the end of the trail at the Mt. Vernon estate itself). I huffed and puffed up the final hill after them, reaching the top as they were circling the Mt. Vernon visitor parking lot before stopping to rest. I also stopped to rest and have some water, then hopped back on my bike while they were still finishing their Cliff Bars.
A couple of miles into the return trip, I could hear someone coming up behind me and suspected it was them. I pedaled harder to stay ahead of them, zipping down a hill and somewhat regretfully applying the breaks as I approached a gentle turn at the bottom. Sure enough, before I'd even completed the turn, they were whizzing past me on the road (I don't know how they got from the trail to the road at that point) and cutting across the street into the residential neighborhood again.
By this time, I knew what they were up to and that I'd have to really work if I didn't want them to pass me again. About two miles from my original starting point, I was getting ready to pass a guy in front of me in a yellow jersey when I sensed someone gaining on me from behind. We were at a very curvy segment of the trail with a fair number of pedestrians going both directions, making it tricky to pass. Not wanting to risk an accident by darting out to pass Yellow Jersey, I opted to wait until the trail straightened out a bit or we got through the pedestrian cloud.
A few seconds later, Helmet Lamp seized a brief window of opportunity to cruise around me, then a minute later, he jumped ahead of Yellow Jersey. This time, I was seriously bothered by all the excessive passing. As he passed, I said, "This is the fourth time you guys have passed me! That's very annoying!" He was apparently too far in the zone to hear me because he didn't even acknowledge that I'd spoken. His friend, Skinny White Jersey, must have heard my comment or seen my scowl because a moment later I heard him say, "He's really hard to keep up with." Uh-huh.
The minute Helmet Lamp got in front of me (again!) on the trail, I decided that this was war. I started pumping my legs as hard and fast as I could, keeping my bike in a high gear to maximize each rotation of my feet on the pedals. I was determined to at least keep up with if not overtake Helmet Lamp. Faster and faster I went. My legs were strong, my breathing was regular and not labored, my heart was humming with adrenaline. I was gaining on him, then keeping up, then closing in on Yellow Jersey (who, incidentally, was also going much faster now that Helmet Lamp was in the lead). I tucked into a more aerodynamic position, hunched over the handlebars, bearing down on the pedals. I was like a greyhound in hot pursuit of a mechanical rabbit on the race track, chasing an object just a few paces ahead of me. I was not going to let that dorky Helmet Lamp beat me and my new bike!
And then, I started feeling nauseous.
In spite of not being out-of-breath, in spite of legs not aching in the least, I felt ever so slightly like I might throw up. Oh bother! I slowed down incrementally. Skinny called out from behind that he was "passing on your left," to which I replied bitterly, "Go for it." He overtook me, raced ahead to catch up with Helmet Lamp. I saw Yellow Jersey peel off the trail at the cross-street up ahead, then Helmet Lamp and Skinny disappeared around a bend, leaving me grumbling in their dust. I mentally shook my fist at them, and at the universe.
Nausea abated, I pulled over at the rest area to refill my water bottle, then downshifted for the last mile or so of the ride, muttering epithets about Helmet Lamp and Skinny to myself the whole way. They won today, but next time we meet on the trail, I'll be the one calling out, "Passing!"
I made up for it on Day 80, however, when I went for a 90-minute bike ride on the lower half of the Mt. Vernon trail. (Now that I have this new bike, I am motivated to ride more often, to ensure I get a good return on my investment!) The trail wasn't crowded, the weather was perfect, and my legs felt strong. It was a great ride, except for that fact that two guys kept passing me. One was short and compact, wearing a blue jersey, and sporting some sort of head lamp on his helmet. The other was taller, string-bean skinny, in a white jersey. They passed me not once, not twice, not three-times-a-lady, but FOUR times!! Argh!
How could they have passed me so many times if we were all going the same direction, you ask? I'll tell you.
They first passed me about three or four miles into the ride, after which they peeled off the trail to ride through some adjacent residential neighborhoods. Their route must have been longer than mine on the trail, because they overtook me again later, about a mile from the turn-around point (which is the end of the trail at the Mt. Vernon estate itself). I huffed and puffed up the final hill after them, reaching the top as they were circling the Mt. Vernon visitor parking lot before stopping to rest. I also stopped to rest and have some water, then hopped back on my bike while they were still finishing their Cliff Bars.
A couple of miles into the return trip, I could hear someone coming up behind me and suspected it was them. I pedaled harder to stay ahead of them, zipping down a hill and somewhat regretfully applying the breaks as I approached a gentle turn at the bottom. Sure enough, before I'd even completed the turn, they were whizzing past me on the road (I don't know how they got from the trail to the road at that point) and cutting across the street into the residential neighborhood again.
By this time, I knew what they were up to and that I'd have to really work if I didn't want them to pass me again. About two miles from my original starting point, I was getting ready to pass a guy in front of me in a yellow jersey when I sensed someone gaining on me from behind. We were at a very curvy segment of the trail with a fair number of pedestrians going both directions, making it tricky to pass. Not wanting to risk an accident by darting out to pass Yellow Jersey, I opted to wait until the trail straightened out a bit or we got through the pedestrian cloud.
A few seconds later, Helmet Lamp seized a brief window of opportunity to cruise around me, then a minute later, he jumped ahead of Yellow Jersey. This time, I was seriously bothered by all the excessive passing. As he passed, I said, "This is the fourth time you guys have passed me! That's very annoying!" He was apparently too far in the zone to hear me because he didn't even acknowledge that I'd spoken. His friend, Skinny White Jersey, must have heard my comment or seen my scowl because a moment later I heard him say, "He's really hard to keep up with." Uh-huh.
The minute Helmet Lamp got in front of me (again!) on the trail, I decided that this was war. I started pumping my legs as hard and fast as I could, keeping my bike in a high gear to maximize each rotation of my feet on the pedals. I was determined to at least keep up with if not overtake Helmet Lamp. Faster and faster I went. My legs were strong, my breathing was regular and not labored, my heart was humming with adrenaline. I was gaining on him, then keeping up, then closing in on Yellow Jersey (who, incidentally, was also going much faster now that Helmet Lamp was in the lead). I tucked into a more aerodynamic position, hunched over the handlebars, bearing down on the pedals. I was like a greyhound in hot pursuit of a mechanical rabbit on the race track, chasing an object just a few paces ahead of me. I was not going to let that dorky Helmet Lamp beat me and my new bike!
And then, I started feeling nauseous.
In spite of not being out-of-breath, in spite of legs not aching in the least, I felt ever so slightly like I might throw up. Oh bother! I slowed down incrementally. Skinny called out from behind that he was "passing on your left," to which I replied bitterly, "Go for it." He overtook me, raced ahead to catch up with Helmet Lamp. I saw Yellow Jersey peel off the trail at the cross-street up ahead, then Helmet Lamp and Skinny disappeared around a bend, leaving me grumbling in their dust. I mentally shook my fist at them, and at the universe.
Nausea abated, I pulled over at the rest area to refill my water bottle, then downshifted for the last mile or so of the ride, muttering epithets about Helmet Lamp and Skinny to myself the whole way. They won today, but next time we meet on the trail, I'll be the one calling out, "Passing!"
Barr: Willing to Know God
Willing to Know God
Dreamers and Visionaries in the Later Middle Ages
Jessica Barr
Although authors of mystical treatises and dream visions shared a core set of assumptions about how visions are able to impart transcendent truths to their recipients, the modern divide between “religious” and “secular” has led scholars to study these genres in isolation. Willing to Know God addresses the simultaneous flowering of mystical and literary vision texts in the Middle Ages by questioning how the vision was thought to work. What preconditions must be met in these texts for the vision to transform the visionary? And when, as in poems such as Pearl, this change does not occur, what exactly has gone wrong?
Through close readings of medieval women’s visionary texts and English dream poems, Jessica Barr argues that the vision required the active as well as the passive participation of the visionary. In these texts, dreamers and visionaries must be volitionally united with the divine and employ their rational and analytic faculties in order to be transformed by the vision.
Willing to Know God proposes that the study of medieval vision texts demands a new approach that takes into account both vision literature that has been supposed to have a basis in lived experience and visions that are typically read as fictional. It argues that these two “genres” in fact complement and inform one another. Rather than discrete literary modes, they are best read as engaged in an ongoing conversation about the human mind’s ability to grasp the divine.
Day 77: LIVESTRONG Challenge 2010!
On Day 77, I had the honor of participating for the fourth time in the LIVESTRONG Challenge. This annual fundraising event benefits the Lance Armstrong Foundation, supporting and empowering people who are affected by cancer. Thanks to the generosity of everyone who donated, I raised over $1,300, and together the 5,000+ participants at the Philadelphia Challenge raised $3.1 million. Million!!
Sporting my trademark Hello Kitty jersey, I got to test out my new bike in the hilly countryside northwest of Philadelphia. The bike didn't make me go any faster but it did make the hills much easier and kept my legs from getting as tired. Yay for new bikes! (And for one-of-a-kind Hello Kitty jerseys--mine got lots of compliments!)
The one downside to the event was the rain that fell off-and-on throughout the morning, making the participants wet and the roads slick. It didn't dampen out spirits, though, and I experienced the same rejuvenating feeling of camaraderie and inspiration that's present every year at LIVESTRONG.
Thank you to everyone who donated and offered expressions of encouragement and support. Here's to living strong every day!
Day 75
My last ride before The Precious and I head north for the big LiveStrong Challenge ride this weekend! I got a much later start than I'd planned, hence my ride was shorter than I'd wanted--an hour and 15 minutes on the Mt. Vernon trail instead of the two hours I was hoping for. The setting sun prevented me from going farther and I made it back at dusk.
It was a good ride but I have to admit that I'm ever so slightly concerned about all the hills I'll encounter this weekend and the degree of havoc they're going to wreck on my legs. Even a better bike can't help me defy gravity when I'm struggling uphill.
Thanks to everyone who made a donation towards my LiveStrong fundraising efforts. Wish me luck this weekend!
It was a good ride but I have to admit that I'm ever so slightly concerned about all the hills I'll encounter this weekend and the degree of havoc they're going to wreck on my legs. Even a better bike can't help me defy gravity when I'm struggling uphill.
Thanks to everyone who made a donation towards my LiveStrong fundraising efforts. Wish me luck this weekend!
Day 74: Trying to Get in Gear
Today was another cycling day--my second ride on the new bike. (And by the way, I found myself spontaneously referring to the bike as "The Precious" the other day. Scary!) I went for a short ride (about 15 miles in 1 hour, 15 minutes) on the W&OD trail. This trail is what's called a false flat--it seems to be flat, and it's definitely not hilly, but in reality, it's slightly graded, so you're always going slightly uphill or downhill. Tricky!
Allow me to quickly put your mind at ease regarding my safety with the clippy pedals. I successfully unclipped my shoes from the pedals every time I had to stop and didn't fall over at all. Phew!
I felt very sluggish for the first 30 minutes or so, then finally hit my groove and seemed to have more energy (or maybe I just hit a downhill segment). I'm definitely still getting used to the gears on this bike and spent most of the ride changing them up, trying to figure out which gear to use when. For some reason, that part hasn't been as straightforward as I thought it would be.
I only have one more chance to ride (tomorrow--Friday) before LiveStrong on Sunday, since Saturday I'll be driving to Philly and then resting in preparation for the big event. I'm planning to do part of the Mt. Vernon trail tomorrow to really test the bike out on some hills (and test out how well I do on those hills with the new bike). Stay tuned for that scintillating report tomorrow!
Allow me to quickly put your mind at ease regarding my safety with the clippy pedals. I successfully unclipped my shoes from the pedals every time I had to stop and didn't fall over at all. Phew!
I felt very sluggish for the first 30 minutes or so, then finally hit my groove and seemed to have more energy (or maybe I just hit a downhill segment). I'm definitely still getting used to the gears on this bike and spent most of the ride changing them up, trying to figure out which gear to use when. For some reason, that part hasn't been as straightforward as I thought it would be.
I only have one more chance to ride (tomorrow--Friday) before LiveStrong on Sunday, since Saturday I'll be driving to Philly and then resting in preparation for the big event. I'm planning to do part of the Mt. Vernon trail tomorrow to really test the bike out on some hills (and test out how well I do on those hills with the new bike). Stay tuned for that scintillating report tomorrow!
Ten Levels of Fame
Many of you have asked me in the last week or so how my tryout with the Harlem Globetrotters went, but unfortunately I signed a confidentiality agreement and I don’t want to write about it until I know for sure what I can and cannot discuss. I was obviously going to blog about the experience, but the confidentiality curveball took my material away from me, which is why I had the two week layoff. Sorry.
Following the tryout, I took a mini vacation (cause that’s what unemployed college graduates do, I guess) to Charlotte, where I hung out on Lake Norman, and made so many jokes about Charlie St. Cloud every time I saw a sailboat that the people I was with probably thought I was trying just a little too hard to mask the fact that I couldn’t wait to see the movie (no comment on whether or not this is true). After a few days in Charlotte, I traveled back to my hometown of Brownsburg, Indiana to mooch off of my parents and hit on the high school girls at the local movie theater (and maybe catch the 7:40 showing of Charlie St. Cloud???). While I was in Brownsburg, I made a routine stop at Goodwill to pick up some staple items (like sweet old school t-shirts), only to find a Club Tril shirt hanging on the $1.99 rack. My immediate thought was that this was a sign of how irrelevant I’ve become, but as I thought about it more I realized that, yeah, it really is a sign of how irrelevant I’ve become.
Following the massacre of my ego, my family and I embarked on a journey to nearby Danville, which is where I spent the first 12 years of my life before moving to Brownsburg. After giving my fiancée my glory days tour (I once hit nine HRs in a 12 game Little League season – extrapolated to a MLB season, that comes out to over 121 steroid-free homers. If you ever want the rest of the tour, just let me know), we headed over to my favorite restaurant in Danville, Dave’s All-American Pizza & Eatery. When I walked into the restaurant, the owner (who coincidentally is named Dave) immediately healed my bruised ego by telling me what an honor it was for me to be there as he handed me a Sharpie and asked me to sign a basketball hoop. I was so honored by his being honored that I obliged and wrote my name with “Go Bucks!” all over his IU backboard. I’m guessing he wasn’t very honored with that.
Being the F-list internet pseudo-celebrity that I am, I have encounters like the one at Dave’s every now and then, and it always turns out to be the highlight of my day. As cool as it is, though, the fact remains that I’m obviously nowhere near as famous as someone like, say, Zac Efron, star of Charlie St. Cloud (in theatres now!). And before I was an F-list internet pseudo-celebrity, I was Greg Oden’s unknown friend who would walk around with Greg on campus and marvel at the absurd amount of attention he was given every time he was in public. It really was a crazy experience just to hang out with Greg, if for no other reason than to see how people reacted to him when they saw him. As we drove home from Dave’s, I thought about how weird it is that the hot Indian chick from Top Chef was in Glitter with Mariah Carey. But then I thought about my freshman year and realized that getting asked for a single autograph at a restaurant in rural Indiana isn’t even close to the attention Greg gets on a daily basis. That’s when I got the idea for this blog post.
After thinking about all the time I’ve spent with people who are much more famous than you or me, it has become clear that a person’s fame or celebrity can be measured not only by how many people know who they are, but also by the reaction of their fans when they are spotted in public. Keeping that in mind, I decided to outline what I think are the different levels of fame based on reactions in public, beginning with the most subdued and escalating to borderline orgasms. This list is kind of a work in progress in that I didn’t exactly give it that much thought, but then again it’s not a work in progress at all because I doubt I make any adjustments to it after I publish it. Still, I think it’s a much more descriptive and informative system than the letter list thing (A-list, B-list, etc.) and it’s how I will forever measure celebrities from now on. If you have a suggestion on how I can make the levels better, let me know in the comments section and I’ll probably either disregard it or agree that it’s a good idea but not do anything about it. With that being said, here is my proposed system for measuring celebrities, henceforth known as the Ten Levels of Fame.
Note: I know, I know. Doing this kind of thing makes it seem like I’m trying to be Simmons. I sort of agree, but I don’t care. This is something I’ve thought about way too long to not write about, so if it makes me look like a copycat so be it. Besides, I’m not a real writer (I’m just a guy with random thoughts and a laptop), which is another way of saying I don’t really care that much if it looks like I’m imitating real writers. Plagiarism obviously isn’t cool, but using a similar concept of establishing levels for things shouldn’t be that big of a deal. If it really bothers you that much, you can suck it. Seriously.
LEVEL ONE
Recognize, but can’t place it
This is a pretty self-explanatory level that obviously is the lowest of the Ten Levels of Fame. These people tend to be the most annoying, because if I can’t figure out where I know them from it will bug me for much longer than it probably should (see: my former classmate with three testicles). I always enjoy it when people treat me like a Level One celebrity (I’m not saying I’m not), because someone asking, “How do I know you?” is basically an open invitation for me to try to convince them that I’m famous for completing the Aggro Crag in world record time and having a brief but passionate affair with Mo shortly thereafter.
My Example: Local car dealers (or any other local business owners) with awesome commercials (like Bob Rohrman in Indianapolis)
Note: I just realized that this whole thing pretty much makes no sense because a celebrity can be a huge deal to one person and not really matter all that much to another, so it’s impossible to definitively classify a famous person using this method (I also just realized that I’ve been using italics a lot lately, but that isn’t important right now). This means that the Levels are entirely subjective and can be applied by an individual to a celebrity however they see fit. What’s more, most of you probably would never have a Level Nine or Level Ten reaction (we’ll get there soon) because they are pretty much reserved for tween girls, so basically this entire thing is ridiculously flawed. I love that I couldn’t figure this out before I got this far. Oh well. I’ve put this much work into it, I might as well keep going. If nothing else, you get to witness the train wreck that is my thought process and see a sweet YouTube at the end of it all. And you can be almost guaranteed to see more italics. So there’s that.
LEVEL TWO
Recognize, can place it – don’t do anything about it
Being a Level Two celebrity is kind of a backhanded compliment. On the one hand it’s cool for the celebrity to be recognized by the everyman, but on the backhand it’s a slap in the face that the everyman isn’t fazed at all by the celebrity’s presence. I guess there are a few reasons in which a non-reaction doesn’t necessarily mean a slap in the face, though. For instance, if the celebrity is a regular at a restaurant or (more likely) a bar, the other regulars probably don’t have quite as intense of a reaction as they did when the celebrity made his/her first appearance. Think about it. If you went to a Golden Corral in New York every few weeks, the first time you walked in you’d probably have some sort of reaction when you saw Eddy Curry sitting at a table by himself. But when every time you come back, he’s always sitting at the same table with the same combination of fried chicken and ice cream in front of him, you will eventually stop noticing him altogether.
Still, even though there are a few exceptions to the rule, the general idea behind the Level Two celebrity remains unchanged. These are the people that you see in public, know exactly who they are, but either don't respect them enough or aren’t really fans of their work enough to even begin to care that they’re 20 feet away from you.
My Examples: Local newscaster/weatherman, Howie Mandel’s soul patch (please, for the love of God, don’t acknowledge that thing – it will only encourage him to keep it)
Note: I told you there would be more italics. Also, you might be saying to yourself, “It’s possible to recognize someone, respect them and be a big fan, but still not want to do anything about it. I don’t see the point in talking to celebrities or asking for autographs cause they’re just people and I refuse to put any of them on a pedestal, no matter how famous they may be.” Damn. I never thought about that until right now. It’s safe to say this whole system sucks. Maybe I should have given this some more thought before I just started blindly typing.
LEVEL THREE
“Big fan”
Level Three celebrities are the people whose work you enjoy so much that you feel like you should let them know that their efforts are appreciated. This is usually accomplished by simply saying, “I’m a big fan” or “Love what you do, keep it up”, although it can also be accomplished by flashing your jugs and shaking them violently (my personal favorite). Really, anything that lets them know they’re doing a good job.
This level is most likely the celebrities’ favorite level, because it requires no effort on their part but still manages to sufficiently stroke their ego. A Level Three reaction also happens to be the maximum reaction many fans will give a celebrity, which is yet another reason why this system isn’t exactly working like I hoped it would. Whatever the case, Level Three celebrities are important because they serve as inspiration for you and me. Sure they’re famous/well-known, but they probably aren’t that famous, which suggests that if we had one halfway decent idea and got a little lucky, maybe we could be Level Three celebrities too.
My Examples: Non-superstar college athletes, Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor (the character, not Tim Allen), the Crazy Frog Brothers
Note: Since I’ve already established that this is all entirely subjective, the examples I am giving are examples that apply to me. In other words, the people listed above are people I would treat as Level Three celebrities, even though you might be a huge Tool Man fan and think of him as a Level Six. By the way, I promise I won’t do italicized notes after every level. I just wanted to make the example thing clear, because this is all pretty confusing for me. Which is sad because these are my thoughts, so I can’t even imagine how confusing all of this is for you.
LEVEL FOUR
Try to get to know them personally
This level is inspired by some of the reactions I’ve seen from people upon meeting Greg and/or Evan “The Villain” Turner. These people would do the “I’m a big fan” routine, but instead of going on their way, they would prolong the conversation by asking questions about the celebrity’s personal life. I have no idea whether this is an attempt to get some inside information about the celebrity or just an attempt to get to know them better so they can in turn relate to them better. Either way, it’s funny to see a handful of guys that Greg just met try to figure out his feelings toward Arby’s Horsey Sauce or whether or not he really thinks Trina is, in fact, the “Baddest Chick.” Although, now that I think about it, I actually do want to know Greg’s thoughts on both of those things. Maybe it isn’t that funny, after all.
My Examples: Matt Stone and Trey Parker from South Park, the guy who played Napoleon Dynamite, the Old Spice guy
Reminder: The examples are how I view these celebrities. You may rank them higher or lower as you see fit. And I swear one of these times I’ll stop using italics at the end of the levels. When I have to clarify things as much as I already have, it’s probably a strong sign that this Levels of Fame thing isn’t working very well.
LEVEL FIVE
Autograph/Picture
Level Five is perhaps the most debatable of all the levels just because of the nature of it. There is a large group of misinformed fans out there who seem to always think a particular person is a much bigger deal than what they really are, which explains how some people who I think should be only a Level One or Level Two celebrity jump all the way up to Level Five with other fans. This also explains why I’ve signed autographs for many of you, even though at my popularity peak I should have been no higher than a Level Four for people who read my blog and a Level Two for people who don’t (by the way, I now consider myself a Level One or Level Two for people who read the blog and a complete unknown for people who don’t).
Usually the people who mess up the interpretation of Level Five are little kids, but every now and then adults ask for autographs from people who really aren’t that important (again, I know this because some of you have asked me for an autograph). I can’t say I’m completely innocent of this, but in recent years I’ve certainly tried my best to not make this same mistake. But then again, autographs and pictures might mean more to some people than they do to me, so who am I to tell you to not ask for them? After all, as my 10-year-old neighbor likes to remind me after cheating in whatever game we happen to be playing, it’s a free country and you can do whatever you want, whenever you want.
My Examples: Farva from Super Troopers, Sam Elliott’s mustache, John Stockton, Samuel “Screech” Powers, Maury Povich
LEVEL SIX
Autograph/Picture followed by call/text to friends
Level Six is obviously a lot like Level Five with one small yet very important difference. The call or text to friends may not seem like much, but in reality it’s a very big deal. It insinuates that the celebrity you just met is so important that someone, anyone, needs to know right now. Usually the phone call or text is made in an attempt to make the friend on the other end of the line insanely jealous, and usually the friend on the other end of the line acts like he doesn’t care even though he absolutely is insanely jealous. This is the first level in which fans begin showing signs of freaking out over the celebrity (that’s why I made it the first level on the second half of the scale – maybe I do know what I’m doing after all), as evidenced by the fact that most of these phone calls begin with, “Dude…guess who I just met!”
By the way, have you ever met a celebrity that you thought was a very big deal and called your friends right after you met them, only to find out that your friends have no idea who you’re talking about? This has happened to me a couple of times and it honestly makes me question my friendships. I once went to a taping of The Jerry Springer Show and met Steve Wilkos after the show. I convinced him to Ric Flair-chop me, since I was in Chicago for Wrestlemania XXII and after he did it, I called a handful of people to brag about the incident. None of them knew who Steve Wilkos is and a couple of them didn’t even know who Ric Flair is. Needless to say, I stopped talking to every one of them.
My Examples: Vanilla Ice, Jared Allen, Jeff Gordon’s Rainbow Warriors, Rune Glifberg and his “Christ Air” from Tony Hawk Pro Skater
LEVEL SEVEN
Fear
The word “fear” suggests that Level Seven is comprised of celebrities who literally terrify us. You know, celebrities like Marilyn Manson, Ray Lewis, and Greg Oden’s penis. While that’s certainly an aspect of Level Seven, there’s more to it than that. The “fear” in Level Seven is meant to predominantly be a non-physical fear. You can be scared for your life because Ray Lewis just walked into your favorite Chipotle or you can be scared of contracting cocaine-laced gonorrhea (that’s the worst kind of gonorrhea) from shaking Lindsay Lohan’s hand, but you can also be hesitant to talk to a celebrity because you’re scared you will completely embarrass yourself. That’s the kind of fear I really mean here. The fear that you are so insignificant to the celebrity that there is absolutely nothing you can say to them that will make them even halfway care about you. The fear that makes you realize no matter what you say the famous person, you’re just going to end up hating yourself after you’re done talking to them.
The inspiration behind this level is derived from whatever preseason tournament we played in this past basketball season that was held in Madison Square Garden. As we were warming up for one of one of our games, I got sidetracked from my usual routine of intentionally airballing shots in hopes I’d hit our managers standing under the basket in the face with the ball (I don’t think I can ever fully explain how much fun this was for me) because I noticed Bob Knight sitting at the commentators’ table (he was calling our game for ESPN). I’ve already mentioned that I grew up in Indiana, so you should already know that Bob Knight is like Gandhi to me except, ya know, Gandhi never physically assaulted people (but Gandhi also never lead the Hoosiers to three national championships). I stopped screwing around and thought about how I should approach Coach Knight. I played out all sorts of scenarios in my head and every single one ended with him saying, “That’s great but I’m trying to work here so go warm-up and let me do my job.” After over 10 minutes of psyching myself in and out of talking to him, I decided to just go for it, because I figured I’d hate myself more if I passed up the opportunity to meet one of my heroes. I introduced myself and told him I grew up on the west side of Indianapolis and was a diehard Hoosier fan before IU sent him packing. He surprisingly responded by saying, “Well I tell you what, if I were still coaching at Indiana you’d be playing for me and not Coach Matta.” I told him he was absolutely right, shook his hand, and then tucked my erection under my waistband as I returned to the layup line.
I wasn’t scared to talk to Bob Knight because he has a history of being a short-tempered, fiery personality who chokes and smacks his players. I was scared to talk to him because there was a slight chance that one of my heroes would make me feel like I completely wasted his time, which would consequently destroy an enormous chunk of my childhood. Also, I was scared to talk to him because he has a history of being a short-tempered, fiery personality who chokes and smacks his players.
My Examples: Bob Knight, Charles Barkley, Jerry Seinfeld, Tom Hanks, Snoop Dogg, Borat, Garth Brooks
LEVEL EIGHT
Paralysis
As hard as it is to believe now, the truth is that I was 6’4” in 8th grade and haven’t grown at all since (so pretty much the exact opposite of my former high school teammate, Gordon Hayward). It’s one of the more depressing things I have to deal with on a daily basis. Being the beast of a little kid that I was, I always played center on all my basketball teams until I got to high school. When it came time for me to pick an NBA player to look up to, I naturally wanted to pick a center, but my only local option was Rik Smits and as cool as he is to me now, 8-year-old me wasn’t exactly a huge fan. I instead decided that I wanted to be Shaquille O’Neal, if for no other reason than he could tear down basketball goals with his dunks. I tried to model my game after his, I changed my jersey number to 34 when he signed with the Lakers (and have kept it ever since), I spent most of my childhood crying when the Magic/Lakers lost in the playoffs, and I even bought all of his CDs and movies. I was as big of a Shaq fan as there’s ever been.
Over the years, I saw Shaq play a handful of times and even got to sit right behind the Lakers bench when they played the Pacers one time. It was obviously very surreal for me to sit behind the bench and see a hero of mine up close, but I never really appreciated the magnitude of the experience until five or six years later. Fast forward to last October, when the Cavs had signed Shaq and were playing a preseason game in our arena in Columbus. For whatever reason, I completely forgot what day the game was supposed to be played and was surprised to see a few Cavs and Celtics players stretching and lifting in our weight room as I walked into the arena for practice. As I thought to myself, “Oh yeah, that game is tonight”, Shaq emerged from around the corner and almost brushed shoulders with me as he walked by. It was without question the most surreal moment of my life. All those childhood memories flashed in front of me – knocking Jordan out of the ‘95 Eastern Semis during Jordan’s comeback year, the Kobe-to-Shaq lob against the Blazers in 2000 that capped the greatest comeback I’ve ever watched live, Game 4 of the 2002 Western Finals, and trying to justify Kazaam as a good movie to my friends. It all came rushing back. And here I was standing five feet from the guy with nobody else around. Sure I’ve been close to him before, but that was during a basketball game. This was different. This was just everyday life. If ever there was a time for me to talk to him, this was it. So what did I do? Nothing. I couldn’t. I was truly and utterly paralyzed. I stopped dead in my tracks and just watched him walk by, trying to take it all in without really knowing for sure what “it” was.
That’s the meaning behind this level. These are the celebrities you see and don’t have time to process what’s going on because the moment is too surreal. Even if you are aware of what’s happening, you still don’t want to disrupt whatever it is the celebrity is doing because you just want to enjoy the moment. It’s kind of hard to understand unless it’s happened to you, but hopefully that makes some sort of sense to somebody.
My Examples: Shaq, Larry Bird, Jay-Z, George Strait, The Dude
LEVEL NINE
Need to touch
I got the idea for Level Nine while watching a YouTube of Michael Jordan running into the crowd to save the ball. As he made his way back to the court, seemingly every fan in the first five rows hurried over to try to touch him. That’s it. Just pat him on the back or reach out and touch his arm. That’s incredible to think about. This guy is so famous that people push each other out of the way just so they can tell all their friends they touched him. No wonder all these athletes have sex with so many women. The ladies literally can’t keep their hands off of them.
My Examples: Michael Jordan, any US President, Pam Anderson’s breasts
LEVEL TEN
Touch produces some sort of dramatic emotional feeling
It can be hard to distinguish the difference between Level Nine and Level Ten, but this is it – you touch Level Nine celebrities so you can brag to all of your friends, but you touch Level Ten celebrities for yourself. You feel the need to touch these people because doing so will somehow complete you. Sure you’ll probably still brag to your friends, but that’s not why you ultimately did it. You touched the celebrity because you had to. Because the celebrity represents something bigger than yourself. Or something like that. I think. I don’t really know because the highest reaction I’ve ever given a celebrity is Level Eight, so I’m kinda just guessing here.
Level Ten reactions are pretty much reserved for tween girls who act like they’re getting their cherries popped when those Twilight vampire dudes touch their hands, but it’s also perfectly plausible for a grown, mature adult to have a Level Ten reaction. “Dramatic emotional feeling” doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be crying, convulsing, and screaming at the top of your lungs. It also means getting chills or being overcome with the magnitude of the moment. For example, I’m guessing that for most black people (and many other people too) President Obama is a Level Ten celebrity because of the obvious tremendous importance he has in the entire African-American community. And rightfully so. Level Ten is for people who will be in history books hundreds of years from now. People like Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, and apparently Robert Pattinson. Oh, and don’t forget about Zac Efron, star of Charlie St. Cloud, the heartwarming tale about a young man being forced to choose between family and love.
My Example: Steve F’ing Perry
Note: Yes, I do know how many sexual jokes could be made about how the last two levels involve touching. I chose to omit them an attempt to get my point across, which is why the last two sections where relatively short. In retrospect, I probably should have just included the jokes.
After re-reading everything I’ve written up to this point, I’m convinced the Ten Levels of Fame makes as much sense as Usher’s logic in “Confessions Part II”, when he tried to place the guilt on his boo/girlfriend after he impregnated another women he barely knew. “I hope you can accept the fact that I’m man enough to tell you” is going to be my opening line for every confession I make in my future marriage. “I hope you can accept the fact that I’m man enough to tell you that I just a bought a wrestling ring for the backyard. Since you found out from me first, you can’t be mad. It’s the Usher Rule.” Seems like a perfect strategy to me.
Even with a few major flaws (just thought of another one – I didn’t take into account how you might react when you see a celebrity you don’t like. My head now officially hurts), I still like the Ten Levels of Fame as a way for measuring how famous celebrities truly are, probably because I’m the only one who understands what it means. If you don’t take it too seriously (why would you take anything I write seriously anyway?), it’s really not that bad of a system. The best case scenario is that you’ll think it’s the most riveting and intellectually stimulating thing you’ve ever seen in your life. Worst case scenario, you think everything you just read was a complete waste of your time. Either way, I don’t care because I can take comfort in knowing that at least I figured something out through all of this – I’m never writing nearly 5,000 words about celebrities ever again. Also, I think I really want to see Charlie St. Cloud. ___________________________________________________
Your awesome YouTube was sent in to my by Daniel M. There’s your shout-out, Daniel. And here’s your video.
Proud To Be An American But Even Prouder To Be A Buckeye,
Mark Titus
Club Trillion Founder
Day 73: Rain, Leandro, and The Plank
It rained all day today, meaning I couldn't go for a ride after work, and then Rachel called as I was driving home and asked if I wanted to go to a movie in 90 minutes, which of course I did. This left little time for exercise in between. Luckily, Leandro was available to lead me 20 minutes of Tummy Tuck before I had to leave. Parts of that work-out are getting easier but, Man O Man, The Plank still makes my muscles quiver!
Day 72
I did not exercise today. I had to take care of some car problems after work, then attend a work social event (I hate those), and didn't get home til around 8pm. Back in the saddle tomorrow!
AEJMC 2010 Conference Report
COPS was well represented in Denver at the 2010 Association for Education in Mass Journalism and Mass Communication Annual Convention. Below is a list of conference presentations COPS members.
- Beam, M. A. (2010). Modeling time in multilevel models. A paper to be presented at the the Communication Theory and Methodology Division at the Association for Education in Mass Journalism and Mass Communication Annual Convention. Denver, CO
- Geidner, N. W. (2010). Group involvement and the spiral of silence: Using agent-based modeling to understand opinion expression. Paper presented at the Communication Theory and Methods Division of the 2010 annual meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Denver, CO Top Student Paper!
- Hill, M. R. (2010). Fictional minds and symbolic interaction: How the act of communication facilitates understanding between characters. Paper presented at the Entertainment Studies Interest Group of the 2010 annual meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Denver, CO
- Hoplamazian, G. and S. Knobloch-Westerwick. (August, 2010). Social Self-Esteem Responses to Race Representation in Advertising: Downward Social Comparison and White Guilt. Paper presented at the Advertising Division of the 2010 annual meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Denver, CO
- Hoplamazian, G., & Holbert, R. L. (2010, August). Structural Equation Modeling and the Study of Advertising, 2004-2009. Paper to be presented at the Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication. Denver, CO.
- McCluskey, M. Kim, Y.M. (2010, August). Polarization or Moderaterism? Activist Group Ideology in Newspapers. Paper presented at the Newspaper Research Division of the 2010 annual meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Denver, CO
- Nisbet, E.C. and Meyers, T. (2010, August) Anti-Americanism as a media effect? Arab media, prior cognitions, and public opinion in the Middle East. Paper presented at the Communication Theory and Methods Division of the 2010 annual meeting of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Denver, CO
Lastly, several past and present COPS members were elected to leadership positions within AJEMC for the 2011 annual convention. Former COPS member and OSU alumni Heather LaMarre was elected to be co-research chair of the Mass Communication and Society Division. Jason Reneike, another former COPS member and alumnus, was elected research chair of the Communication Theory and Methods (CT&M) division. Myiah Hutchens, who recently graduated and is now at Texas Tech, was also elected as an officer-at-large to CT&M. Erik Nisbet, a current COPS member, was elected to be the co-research chair for the new Political Communication Research Group at AEJMC.
Day 71: Maiden Ride
When I bought my new bike on Saturday, I also got special pedals and shoes that clip into the pedals--essential gear for anyone who's more than just a recreational cyclist. I'm not gonna lie: the clippy pedals and shoes terrify me. If I'm being honest, I might admit that that fear is part of the reason I haven't gotten a new bike sooner. True, I spent my weekend rides dreaming of a better bike, but part of me was also secretly afraid of those clips and the lack of control and accompanying potential for grave bodily harm they represent. One sudden stop, without time to "unclip" your foot, and you're sprawled on the ground in a mangled, bloody mess. YIKES!
Tonight after work I took my bike out for an inaugural spin. Severe thunderstorms were in the forecast and I confess to hoping a tiny bit that it would rain so I would be spared the trauma of locking myself onto a moving vehicle that I might not be able to escape later. In spite of practicing getting in and out of the pedals last night (with the kind assistance of my brother-in-law, Jason), I was still very worried.
Ultimately, I survived unscathed. I spent close to an hour riding at a fairly leisurely pace through my own and the surrounding neighborhoods, circling the same blocks over and over while I got used to the new bike's gears and repeatedly clipped my feet in and out of the pedals. I covered several hills of varying length and grade, giving me a pretty good workout. (Leandro would be happy to know that I really worked my inner thigh and outer glutes, thanks to the new pedal-shoe combo.)
I was seriously paranoid of falling over in the middle of the road, unable to detach myself from the pedals, for the first 20 minutes or so, causing me to unclip about every 50 feet and/or anytime I approached a stop sign, corner, or suspicious-looking twig in the road.
Eventually, I relaxed a little and focused more on shifting and pace. I also felt a little bit of glee anytime I came across another person on a bike, particularly if they looked like a hard-core cyclist. Look at me! Look at my brand-name road bike with the clippy pedals! I'm bona fide! I'm a real cyclist too!
I passed a group of guys who were straddling their bikes at a corner, talking, apparently waiting for someone else to join them before they took off on a ride together. I felt them watch me as I passed, although I avoided looking at them beyond an initial glance, and I was certain they were checking out my bike. I was equally certain they were giving it--and, by extension, me--a positive appraisal. One brief ride around the block and I'm already developing a case of Bike Ego.
Ha ha. I'm just excited I survived my first ride in the clippy shoes without falling over!
Tonight after work I took my bike out for an inaugural spin. Severe thunderstorms were in the forecast and I confess to hoping a tiny bit that it would rain so I would be spared the trauma of locking myself onto a moving vehicle that I might not be able to escape later. In spite of practicing getting in and out of the pedals last night (with the kind assistance of my brother-in-law, Jason), I was still very worried.
Ultimately, I survived unscathed. I spent close to an hour riding at a fairly leisurely pace through my own and the surrounding neighborhoods, circling the same blocks over and over while I got used to the new bike's gears and repeatedly clipped my feet in and out of the pedals. I covered several hills of varying length and grade, giving me a pretty good workout. (Leandro would be happy to know that I really worked my inner thigh and outer glutes, thanks to the new pedal-shoe combo.)
I was seriously paranoid of falling over in the middle of the road, unable to detach myself from the pedals, for the first 20 minutes or so, causing me to unclip about every 50 feet and/or anytime I approached a stop sign, corner, or suspicious-looking twig in the road.
Eventually, I relaxed a little and focused more on shifting and pace. I also felt a little bit of glee anytime I came across another person on a bike, particularly if they looked like a hard-core cyclist. Look at me! Look at my brand-name road bike with the clippy pedals! I'm bona fide! I'm a real cyclist too!
I passed a group of guys who were straddling their bikes at a corner, talking, apparently waiting for someone else to join them before they took off on a ride together. I felt them watch me as I passed, although I avoided looking at them beyond an initial glance, and I was certain they were checking out my bike. I was equally certain they were giving it--and, by extension, me--a positive appraisal. One brief ride around the block and I'm already developing a case of Bike Ego.
Ha ha. I'm just excited I survived my first ride in the clippy shoes without falling over!
It's All About the Bike
On Saturday (aka Day 69), I bought a new bike. A proper road bike. Isn't it beautiful? It's a Specialized Dolce Comp, with an aluminum frame specially designed for a woman.
Every year as I struggle up hill after hill at the LiveStrong Challenge, I vow to get a new bike before the next year's Challenge. During every ride I take on the weekend, I crave a new bike, as much because I want to go faster as because my ego wants the serious cyclists on the trail to see me as one of them. My hybrid has served me well, but it was time for an upgrade.
This sleek feat of engineering is now reposing tranquilly in my living room. I'm gazing at it as I type, feeling, I must admit, a little giddy at the sight. Let's just hope the engine on the bike (aka, me) will be capable of powering this superb machine to a strong finish this weekend!
Day 69: Too Much of a Good Thing?
So I've been trying to make up for lost training time on my weekend bike rides, knowing what awaits me at LiveStrong next week (45 miles of HILLS!). Today was no exception. I wanted to increase my endurance a little through a longer-distance ride. To wit, I planned to go 50 miles on the W&OD trail, which is a very long, relatively flat, paved trail that runs through the Washington, DC, suburbs in Northern Virginia. Most of the trail is in a corridor of trees, bushes, and other foliage that cuts through the middle of residential and a few commerical areas. The great thing about this trail is that you can really build up some speed and push that endurance by going a long distance w/o stopping or even slowing down to cross a rode.
I rode 54 miles in 5 hours, 25 minutes, including three breaks. I felt hungry but otherwise great when I hit my turn-around point (which was also my first break), but coming back was rough. Really rough. Oh man, I thought my legs were going to fall off!
The weather was perfect for cycling: overcast all morning without a drop of rain, cool temps, and a low breeze. Ahhhh.....
I spent most of the return trip "spinning," which is what you do when your legs are tired. You put the bike into a lower gear so that your legs don't have to work so hard every time they go around. This works your heart more and gives your legs a break. Essentially my legs were SCREAMING at me for most of the ride back. Poor legs. They performed admirably.
If I had been training more on the bike this summer, 54 miles would have been a challenge but not a big deal. I did multiple 50-mile rides last summer without trouble. I think today's ride was simply a little too ambitious at this stage of my training.
The good news is, my heart didn't get tired, which I must attribute to all the working out I've done with Leandro this summer. My thighs still aren't toned (I know, I checked after the ride) but my heart is strong thanks to Leandro's relentless coaching. As Leandro constantly admonishes: "Give it all, don't settle for less!"
I love that I can go such distances on just the power of my own two legs. The human body is truly an amazing thing.
I rode 54 miles in 5 hours, 25 minutes, including three breaks. I felt hungry but otherwise great when I hit my turn-around point (which was also my first break), but coming back was rough. Really rough. Oh man, I thought my legs were going to fall off!
The weather was perfect for cycling: overcast all morning without a drop of rain, cool temps, and a low breeze. Ahhhh.....
I spent most of the return trip "spinning," which is what you do when your legs are tired. You put the bike into a lower gear so that your legs don't have to work so hard every time they go around. This works your heart more and gives your legs a break. Essentially my legs were SCREAMING at me for most of the ride back. Poor legs. They performed admirably.
If I had been training more on the bike this summer, 54 miles would have been a challenge but not a big deal. I did multiple 50-mile rides last summer without trouble. I think today's ride was simply a little too ambitious at this stage of my training.
The good news is, my heart didn't get tired, which I must attribute to all the working out I've done with Leandro this summer. My thighs still aren't toned (I know, I checked after the ride) but my heart is strong thanks to Leandro's relentless coaching. As Leandro constantly admonishes: "Give it all, don't settle for less!"
I love that I can go such distances on just the power of my own two legs. The human body is truly an amazing thing.
Day 68: Bike Shopping
My exercise today consisted of taking three test rides on two different bikes--part of my on-going (eternal-feeling!) search to upgrade from my hybrid to a road bike. I've just spent the last hour+ looking at bike reviews on the Internet so my head's all full of jargon about shifters and components and aluminum. OY!
Wait! This is an exercise blog! Right. Although I didn't do a traditional workout, I nevertheless got some decent exercise on those test rides, including a couple of hills. Plus, I'm going for a long ride tomorrow (at least 50 miles; pray for no rain!) which I think will compensate for any missed activity today.
Cross your fingers that the weather will cooperate!!
Wait! This is an exercise blog! Right. Although I didn't do a traditional workout, I nevertheless got some decent exercise on those test rides, including a couple of hills. Plus, I'm going for a long ride tomorrow (at least 50 miles; pray for no rain!) which I think will compensate for any missed activity today.
Cross your fingers that the weather will cooperate!!
Day 67: Rain, Rain, Go Away
Actually, I like the rain. I was simply hoping it would hold off a little this afternoon so that I could get some exercise during Pool Talk, which was apparently not meant to be. Jen and I had only been in the water for about ten minutes when we heard thunder and were informed by the lifeguards that the pool was closed. The sky had been looking menacing for a couple of hours so we weren't too surprised, just disappointed.
I'm going bike shopping again on Day 68--wish me luck! Assuming it doesn't rain after work, that is. I really, really need to be able to go for a bike ride after work and, especially, on Saturday morning, so please pray to all your gods and put forth good vibes into the atmosphere for me.
I'm going bike shopping again on Day 68--wish me luck! Assuming it doesn't rain after work, that is. I really, really need to be able to go for a bike ride after work and, especially, on Saturday morning, so please pray to all your gods and put forth good vibes into the atmosphere for me.
Day 66
Today's workout was supposed to be Pool Talk again, but due to some miscommunication, Pool Talk didn't happen. Instead, I walked to do my errands instead of driving, for a total of about 25 minutes of walking. Then I did High & Tight with Leandro after dinner. The first series of exercises uses a resistance band, however, since the band that came with the Brazil Butt Lift package broke after less than a month of use, I put on my ankle weights to get a little more benefit from those moves. I really need to talk to Leandro about including a higher-quality resistance band with his product. I'm hoping that all the leg exercises in High & Tight will help get my legs in shape for those hills I have to ride during the LiveStrong Challenge, since my time to train on the bike itself is running short.
August Art Fun in the Alley
Last Thursday evening, Arts in the Alley was hopping with visitors for our "First Thursday" gallery openings. In the Arts Initiative space, a happy crowd browsed around viewing new works by Spencer Mustine and Nick Stull (above). Their show, HumanScapes: A Sense of Place, continues through September. Both artists, says curator Kate Dowell, use abstraction to take the figure beyond simple representation, and both keep use of the figure engaging by reinterpreting a sense of place.
Throughout the evening, gallery-goers and passers-by enjoyed the artwork and live music in the alley. The Shoebox gallery hosted an opening reception for its new show, the ARTillery Invitational, with works by Ron Abram, Aby Algueseva, Waylon Bigsby, Allison Buenger, Molly Burke, Sarah Fairchild, Brittany Ference, Giovani, Joey Monsoon, Beth Nash, Tristan Seeger, Kristin Patton and Elaine Quave. And the Ohio Art League gallery (below) opened It's Complicated, with works by Clare Fox and Tara Polansky.
Surprise visitors to the alley were two British chaps straight out of the 1800s (below). Liam Cronin (left) and Dwayne Blackaller are stars of the comedy Shipwrecked, a play presented by Whistling in the Dark Theatre Company and now playing through Sunday at The Green Room in the alley. For discounted tickets, click here.
Krasner: Home Bodies
Home Bodies
Tactile Experience in Domestic Space
James Krasner
How do acts of caring for the sick or grieving for the dead change the way we move through our living rooms and bedrooms? Why do elderly homeowners struggle to remain in messy, junk-filled houses? Why are we so attached to our pets, even when they damage and soil our living spaces? In Home Bodies: Tactile Experience in Domestic Space, James Krasner offers an interdisciplinary, humanistic investigation of the sense of touch in our experience of domestic space and identity. Accessing the work of gerontologists, neurologists, veterinarians, psychologists, social geographers, and tactual perception theorists to lay the groundwork for his experiential claims, he also ranges broadly through literary and cultural criticism dealing with the body, habit, and material culture.
By demonstrating crucial links between domestic experience and tactile perception, Home Bodies investigates questions of identity, space, and the body. Krasner analyzes representations of tactile experience from a range of canonical literary works and authors, including the Bible, Sophocles, Marilynne Robinson, Charles Dickens, John Steinbeck, and Sylvia Plath, as well as a series of popular contemporary texts. This work will contribute to discussions of embodiment, space, and domesticity by literary and cultural critics, scholars in the medical humanities, and interdisciplinary thinkers from multiple fields.
Day 65: Pool Talk
A few friends and I got together after work to go to the pool, where we treaded water for about 50 minutes while catching up. My heart rate was definitely up and I felt my core working too. It was blistering hot here today (high of around 95 degrees F) and the pool was soooo refreshing!
Day 64: New Measurements; Start of Week 10
"I promise you, I guarantee to you, that your body's going to change." -- Leandro Well friends, given that I've passed the 60-day mark, I thought I'd see if Leandro's promises of a changed body had come true yet. Since I haven't been 100% faithful to the Brazil Butt Lift workout plan, I knew I wouldn't yet have experienced the dramatic results witnessed in the infomercials but I was expecting some sort of progress.
The moment of truth, color-coded for easy reading:
Week 1----------> Week 10
Chest: 36"------> Chest: 36"
Arms: 12" ------> Arms: 11.5"
Waist: 34" -----> Waist: 32" (ish)
Hips: 41" -------> Hips: 42"
Thighs: 23" ----> Thighs: 23"
As you can see, I've lost a bit off my arms and waist, which is encouraging, but what's up with the EXTRA INCH ON MY HIPS??? Is that what all those squats and lunges and leg lifts have done to me? Beefed up some part of my posterior muscles? Actually caused them to GROW instead of tone and lengthen? No wonder that skirt doesn't fit me properly anymore!
I'm pretty peeved by that hip measurement. This might be a turning point in my relationship with Leandro. I did Tummy Tuck today and he just annoyed me with all his "I promise you, your body's gonna change" and "stick with me and you'll have beautiful abs" and "this is how to get the body you want" lines. Uh-huh. We might need counseling to salvage our relationship.
That aside, I'm taking a break from him for the next two weeks anyway while I pull out all the stops to train for the upcoming LIVESTRONG Challenge. I've been so focused on working out with Leandro that I've neglected my cycling training. (Lance Armstrong might not be as charming as Leandro, but he's way more inspiring, AND he's coming to LIVESTRONG!) I had a mild panic attack on Saturday when I realized that I only had one more weekend for a long ride before the event. I'll be going cycling after work at least a few days this week and next, and plan to do 50+ miles on my bike this coming Saturday. I've ridden the Philly course twice before and those hills are unforgiving. Maybe more cycling will get rid of that extra inch I've accumulated around my hips.
Welcome to Week 10.
Today's Entertainment at the Cox Fine Arts Center...
Saturday, July 30
11 am Noon Guided Exhibition Award Tour (Meet at north entrance)
Noon The Wexner Center for the Arts Presents 2011 Ohio Short Film and
Video Showcase, Youth Division
2 pm Blue Level (Gallery)
3 pm Guided Exhibition Award Tour (Meet at north entrance)
4 pm Brian Griffin (Patio)
6 pm The Wexner Center for the Arts Presents 2011 Ohio Short Film and
Video Showcase, Youth Division
Day 62
Went for an AWESOME bike ride early this morning on the Mt. Vernon trail, which winds along the Potomac River. It's my favorite trail and always delivers a great workout. I rode 35 miles in 2 hours, 52 minutes (including a 7-minute break at the turn-around point). I'm getting faster!
I still look lumpy in my bike jersey, but when I'm on the trail, I don't care. All that exercise makes me feel fantastic.
When I finished the ride and bent over to do some stretches and I just had to tell my legs, "good job." They performed admirably, carrying me that entire distance without failing. A healthy, strong body is a wonderful thing.
Only two weeks to go until my big annual bike ride, the LIVESTRONG Challenge. Neither my training nor my fundraising are where they should be, but I intend to change both of those before the event itself. (You can help me with the fundraising part by making a donation!)
See you later, Week 9!
I still look lumpy in my bike jersey, but when I'm on the trail, I don't care. All that exercise makes me feel fantastic.
When I finished the ride and bent over to do some stretches and I just had to tell my legs, "good job." They performed admirably, carrying me that entire distance without failing. A healthy, strong body is a wonderful thing.
Only two weeks to go until my big annual bike ride, the LIVESTRONG Challenge. Neither my training nor my fundraising are where they should be, but I intend to change both of those before the event itself. (You can help me with the fundraising part by making a donation!)
See you later, Week 9!
Day 60
This week is turning out to be a wash when it comes to my fitness regimen. Like yesterday, I went to my sister's after work to help with the kids. I did take my workout clothes and a couple of BBL DVDs so I could exercise but by the time they got to bed and we had chatted a bit, it was time for me to head home. Luckily, tomorrow is another day....
Day 59
My workout plans were abruptly derailed today when my sister called me at work in the late afternoon to see if I could come over and help her with the kids. She was sick, her husband was out of town, and she thought perhaps the kids ought to eat something besides crackers for dinner (which they'd been eating all day). So I went over after work and took them to a near-by Burger King with a play area for dinner and to get out of the house. They were in heaven and, hey, they didn't eat any crackers!
After dinner I took them home and put them all to bed, while my poor sister continued to lie on the sofa. By the time I got home, it was nearly time for me to go to bed and, needless to say, I wasn't able to exercise. C'est la vie. I was glad to be able to help my sis, and Leandro can wait one more day.
After dinner I took them home and put them all to bed, while my poor sister continued to lie on the sofa. By the time I got home, it was nearly time for me to go to bed and, needless to say, I wasn't able to exercise. C'est la vie. I was glad to be able to help my sis, and Leandro can wait one more day.
Sarah Fairchild: 2010 People's Choice Award Winner!
Congratulations to Sarah Fairchild's "Sweet Corn and Flame Stitch" for winning this years People's Choice Award!
Here's an artist Statement from her website:
And, to see her award winning piece, please visit the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition!
August 5th to August 8th, 9am- 9pm.
Here's an artist Statement from her website:
Growing up in a small town in Northwest Ohio, I often helped my mother and grandmother pull weeds and plant seeds. This early exposure to gardening and nature has inspired and informed my work. I am moved by the ordinary forms and objects that surround us - weeds and plants that I observe everyday on the highways and roadsides throughout Ohio, as well as the fence forms and flowers I see on my morning walks in the alleys throughout my neighborhood.
Working with fluorescent paint on paper is a relatively new media for me as an artist. In the past, working with oil paint on canvas, my flower forms and pattern have adorned still lives and interior spaces. My current work is committed, simplified and modern. I have taken small sections from my previous works and explored the essence of one idea, one moment. The paintings of flowers become modern versions of the classic botanical print.
Fluorescent color is typically associated with the garish, sterile nature of neon signs, rather than the elegance and beauty of fine art. I am intrigued with the process of transforming something ordinary or mundane into something extraordinary. My intent is to give life, vibrancy and importance to these common forms. I am drawn to the visual impact and scintillation that is created through the use of fluorescent color. While this effect may be difficult to glean from a photographic image, when viewed in person, the impact is undeniable.
The use of the silhouette is a common theme throughout my work. It allows me to capture the essence of the forms; it is simple and understood collectively.
I purposely paint the silhouette in darker colors, never black, with the intent to give an updated perspective from the traditional paper cut outs of the early 1800's. At first, the paintings have a flat graphic quality, however quickly transcend into much greater dimension. The surface has a tactile feel that comes alive thru the use of punched holes, grommets and the juxtaposition of thin layers of color next to the liberally painted surface of the silhouetted forms.
And, to see her award winning piece, please visit the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition!
August 5th to August 8th, 9am- 9pm.
Today at the Ohio State Fair!
We are excited to welcome you all to the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition 2010! We are pleased to present to you our exhibition, along with various other entertainment throughout the day. Today's schedule is as follows:
9am- 9pm-- Fine Arts Exhibits And Children's Tour
9am- 9pm-- Carole E. Kerber- Status Dude and Status Dudette
10am, 4pm-- Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Short Films Screening
10am- 9pm-- Desdemona's Body Art
9am- 9pm-- Fine Arts Exhibits And Children's Tour
9am- 9pm-- Carole E. Kerber- Status Dude and Status Dudette
10am, 4pm-- Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Short Films Screening
10am- 9pm-- Desdemona's Body Art
Royal Shakespeare Company Announces Five Plays for NYC in Summer 2011
Lincoln Center Festival and Royal Shakespeare Company announced yesterday that the RSC's 44-member acting ensemble will perform five Shakespeare plays at Park Avenue Armory as part of the Lincoln Center Festival, in association with The Ohio State University, next summer in New York City. The five plays are As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet , King Lear, Antony and Cleopatra and The Winter's Tale, and will be presented during a six-week engagement, July 6-Aug 14, 2011. The five plays will be performed on a specially built thrust-stage theatre -- named the Scarlet and Gray Stage for the event -- based on the RSC's newly transformed theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. (Above, Sam Troughton and Mariah Gale in Romeo and Juliet; photo: Ellie Kurttz)The announcement appeared in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.
One New York performance will be exclusively assigned to Ohio State for "Scarlet and Gray Shakespeare" -- a national benefit gala -- on July 12, 2011 featuring the RSC's critically acclaimed Romeo and Juliet. For more details, see our website.
Notable News
This Thursday, Aug 5, Arts in the Alley comes alive from 6 to 9 pm with opening receptions for three new exhibitions, live music outdoors and free refreshments. In the Arts Initiative space, artists Nick Stull and Spencer Mustine present paintings in their show, HumanScapes: A Sense of Place (above). The Shoebox gallery hosts the ARTillery invitational, with works by Ron Abram, Aby Algueseva, Waylon Bigsby, Allison Buenger, Molly Burke, Sarah Fairchild, Brittany Ference, Giovani, Joey Monsoon, Beth Nash, Tristan Seeger, Kristin Patton and Elaine Quave. And the Ohio Art League gallery opens It's Complicated, with works by Clare Fox and Tara Polansky.
Shipwrecked, An Entertainment: The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont, by Donald Margulies, continues through Aug 15 at The Green Room, a new theatre venue at South Campus Gateway. The show, presented by Whistling in the Dark Theatre Company, is based on the true story of a shipwrecked British explorer in the late 1800s, whose adventures – along with his trusty dog Bruno – included high-seas tales of giant sea turtles, flying wombats, a man-eating octopus and Queen Victoria herself. With a focus on the power of storytelling, Shipwrecked runs Thursdays-Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm. Tickets are available at the door or – at a discount – online here.The Green Room is sponsored by the Arts Initiative at Ohio State and Campus Partners. The new space, a former storefront in the Arts in the Alley area that also houses three galleries, is the summer home to Whistling in the Dark, which is breaking ground by bringing "sustainable theatre" to Columbus. The company strives to be eco-friendly and cost efficient wherever possible.
Oh, The Things You'll Do and See at the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition!
I will never forget the feeling. That "It's fair day!" feeling. When I was younger, I would sit anxiously in the family van with wide eyes and a watering mouth, bouncing with anticipation for the rides, the horses, the
corndogs and cotton candy; all the 
while wondering why it was taking so long to park the car!I still get that same feeling today. However, today I am anticipating something even better than candy and corndogs. Today I look forward to what The Ohio State Fair's best kept secret has to offer. I look forward to the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition! Rain or shine, (and we all know, here in Columbus, there has been plenty of both) whether its a comfortable 80 or a blazing 100 degrees outside, on Wednesday morning when its seems you
have the entire fair to explore all for yourself, or Saturday afternoon when it seems everyone in Ohio has had the same idea all at once; you can count on the The Cox Fine Arts Center to be a haven from the elements of the fair. And this year's exhibition is better than ever.Of course, we have welcomed back the fine arts exhibition "regulars" such as the professional and amateur art exhibits, Kid's Tour -N- More, featuring crossword puzzle activities and the ever popular Recycling Mural,and Mural demonstration by Andrew Neyer,(which will both be displayed in window space outside our building next year) The Wexner Center for the Arts Short Film/ Video Showcase, and Desdemona's Body Art, who presented a body painting demonstration. We have also had visits from exhibition entertainment favorites such as Mixed Bag with the Recreational Folk Dancers of Columbus, and the musical styling of Blue Level.
New this year were the Carole E. Kerber- Status Dude and Status Dudette, Loosely Strung, the music of Brian Griffin, John Lafollette, ICC Outreach performances, The Capitol Barbershop Quartet, Hand Quilting by Sarah Brown and El Ritmo Flamenco Dance Ensemble. We were also very excited to introduce the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition's very first Short Film Division and Fashion Show, featuring the elegant designs of Legair Brand, Ltd. We also invited Olinda Jansupka as part of our Community Street Art Program. Finally, we were pleased to announce the addition of our Outdoor Performance Space near the East entrance of the Cox Fine Arts Center.
Acknowledgements from Pam O'Loughlin, Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Director:
Thank you does not begin to describe the great appreciation we have for all who have Helped to make this exhibition possible.
Ken Emerick, Kathy Singorino, and the Ohio Arts Council, for your continued support of the exhibition and your tireless efforts to help Ohio artists, we are always grateful. Thank you so much for being there when I needed you most and for introducing Tim Rietenbach to our exhibition. To Tim Rietenbach and Annegreth Nill , thank you for you major contribution in making the show one of the best yet. Please know that your diversity and as well as your collaboration are not taken lightly, and I can't thank you enough for your time, and compliance jurying this year's show. Thank you both!
Melissa Vogley Woods, we miss you! It was a pleasure to have you back as a juror. Your enthusiasm and experience made quite the difference. Thank you so much!
Thank you to the more than 300 artists who submitted more than 800 artworks. The willingness to submit your work to the exhibition is what makes this show so successful. If you were not chosen to participate this year, we encourage you to keep trying, as every year is a new opportunity.
To Virgil Strickler, General Manager, and the Ohio Expositions Commission, thank you for all of your support of the Fine Arts and Ohio's artists.
Deborah, thank you for your guidance and leadership. And, thank you, Mary Ann, for being so calm and comforting when everything around us gets crazy. I appreciate you both.
I'd like to give a special thank you to Luis for helping to keep us standing, and to the maintenance crew for the beautiful landscaping. Joe, Dilly, and all the guys who made our outdoor performance patio, you are awesome! Thank you all.
I, as director, am committed to producing the best art exhibition possible. I will continue to strive to be a support for artists from every part of the state of Ohio, with the support of the Ohio Expositions Commission and the Ohio Arts Council. On behalf of us all, thank YOU!
A big thank you to all the Fine Arts staff, assistant director, Chaz O'Neil, Deja, Mariella, Marquis, Alyssa, Cody, Gabbi, Meagan, Shanelle, Kate, Linda, and Nicholas, You all are the best!
Sincerely,
Pam
As you can see, there is so much to see and do at the Ohio State Fair Fine Arts Exhibition. Be sure to visit during YOUR trip to the Ohio State Fair! See you next year!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)