Far Out!!!!!

Griffith Observatory, viewed from the "Orbit of Pluto"

Yeah, it's been a while.

I'm again vacillating on what I intend to accomplish with my blogging. Because such naval-gazing grows tedious, I'll spare you the details. However, Paideia will probably go "photoblog" for the next month or so. There will be daily updates of image posts, occasionally with a bit of prose and exposition.

Come mid-August, there might be a change of program. We'll see how it goes. ;-)

For now. . .

Enjoy!!!

Declaration of Intent: June 2013

Shadows and light alternate in the patio at the South Coast Botanic Garden

Alright. Last month could have been more productive, less image dependent, and more focused upon my main selling points as a "culture" critic and enthusiast. To an extent, it was a shortage of time that derailed my blogging. I definitely had plenty of photos to share and many interesting topics to discuss. It's a pity that I couldn't get around to featuring them.

And that's an all-to-common refrain here at Paideia. The stores of unused photos sitting on my hard drive and back-ups are mind-boggling. So, rather than let them go forgotten, these images will be dredged up and given the spotlight, even if it's something from a couple years back. With so much material from which to select, there is absolutely no reason for me to go a day without providing an interesting image.

Moreover, I'm again going to attempt to put up posts with significant critical written content, be it regarding art, cinema, or music. And we'll get back on track with our weekly features, such as Friday Flowers. Seriously, it isn't that much work, requiring a very small investment of time in creating a popular and pretty aspect of this blog.

So, it's time to roll for initiative and get this project back in flight. ;-)

Aerospace mural in El Segundo

Enjoy!!!

2013 Weekly Wrap #7

Detail of Sunbathe Barbie at Bombay Beach (2009) by Jen Trute

Well, it's been over a month since we last put up one of these Wrap posts. I really ought to drop the "Weekly" qualifier from the title. On the other hand, I've been picking up the pace. Perhaps, we will eventually get back to a rate of production that justifies a weekly wrap.

Of course, the bulk of posts have been "image of the day" types. That's cool with me; it is better to create content and share, than let the front page stay idle. At some point, I do intend to increase the writing, reviewing, and critiquing elements of this blog. I do intend to bring back some videos and musical treats. However, for now, quickie picture posts will do the job.

And who doesn't love the occasional Barbie doll photo-blog? ;-)

Lawrence at the Getty, on a hazy day

So, let's look at the Wrap:

As mentioned above, there were many image posts, ten out of eighteen in total. These included a couple sunsets, the Palos Verdes Promenade at night, views of Los Angeles, the "Pink" Moon, an empty tram at the Getty, a train ride at the South Bay Galleria, Tapwanu masks, views of San Diego, a clocktower at the Farmers Market, and another sunset sky.

Regarding Art, we had three posts. One featured the Richard Jackson exhibit at the Orange County Museum of Art. Another focused on Bad Dog, which was featured at the Jackson exhibition. Then, we looked at a few Alebrijes. Fun stuff!!!

Two holidays were celebrated, Earth Day and Cinco de Mayo. Barbie was our hostess for each. ;-)

Friday Flowers were tulips. We listened to some Native American flute music from R. Carlos Nakai. Finally, we celebrated the thirty year anniversary of Flashdance. Woo hoo!!!

Well, that's it for now. I'm looking forward to sharing more and more interesting images, memories, stories, and thoughts with you all over the next week and beyond. Thanks for reading!!!

Richard Jackson's Bad Dog may have moved on, but he left his mark. ;-)

2013 Weekly Wrap #6

Barbie celebrates the 80th anniversary of King Kong

Curses!!! Foiled again!!!

Yeah, it has been over a month since I last wrote a "weekly" Wrap. What can I say? Lazy, stupid, busy, or whatever, I'll try harder next time. Just like I promised the last time this blog slipped the schedule. ;-)

Anyways, we had fourteen posts in this period, with lots of Barbie doll photos, celebrating such diverse topics as St. Patrick's Day to the anniversary of The Birds. Indeed, our blonde plastic friend from Mattel has been the featured star of the last month. I don't know what I would have done without her.

However, I've stocked up on plenty of photos over the past month. So, as of this Wrap, I'm going full throttle on doing the "photo blog" thing. Although I'd rather provide significant writing to accompany the images, it is better to just have a picture than nothing at all.

We'll see how it goes.

Lawrence at night

So, here is the Wrap:

We celebrated three holidays. Barbie hosted St. Patrick's Day celebrations. The Kewpie dolls presented Rankin & Bass Easter cartoons. Finally, the odd music of Llyn Foulkes was accompanied by laughing dummies on April Fools.

Movies and music together comprised five posts. We celebrated the anniversaries of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds and the original King Kong. For the month of March, we had our normal selection of songs from over the decades. Then, we celebrated the birth dates of Tartini and Bix Beiderbecke.

The Worm Moon and a trip to the beach were featured in snapshot style posts. Along the theme of phobias, we looked at photos featuring heights and darkness. And we had two Friday Flowers, camellias and Paschal White. Pretty stuff!!!

So, that's it for this Wrap. We'll do better next time. I know it. ;-)

Or maybe we'll head back to the beach for some more relaxation.

Enjoy!!!

Life's A Beach

Waves, viewed from the Hermosa Beach pier

Although I live relatively close to the Pacific Ocean, I don't make an effort to photograph it very much. It might be that I've become so familiar with the beach, the waves, the people and birds, that I have developed a "blind spot" towards them. Well, I'm fortunate to be within a healthy walking distance of some of SoCal's finest beaches. So, I ought to make stronger efforts to share the local beauty with you all.

Previously, I mentioned that I was considering a change of blogging schedule. Because a generally have a very active Saturday schedule, I'm thinking of instituting "Snapshot Saturday", a quick and easy sort of topic about which to form a post. We'll bounce "Silly Saturday" on over to "Funny Monday", when I'll have something of a humorous or bizarre nature to share.

Beach-goers and volleyball games

I also think that I may switch "Spooky Sunday" posts back over to "Terror Tuesday", again to accommodate the demands of my weekend schedule. And maybe I'll designate an "Aesthetic Thursday" in which I can showcase some art or an exhibit at one of the local museums or galleries. I always intend to put up art-related posts, but somehow time seems to slip away before I can. Perhaps, setting up a scheduled day will help out.

As always, we'll see how this goes. My intentions do not always become actualized as deeds, but it's worth considering.

Hermosa Beach pier

Enjoy!!!

Lunacy and the Worm Moon

The first full moon of Spring, also called a Worm Moon, Crow Moon, or Paschal Moon.

It's been a while since last I posted. That seems to be how I start each blog post nowadays. Pretty soon, I'll set up a ritualized opening, something like "Forgive me, father, for I have sinned. It has been x days since my last confession." ;-)

Well, although I've been away from here, I have not been idle. I've got works in motion, new ideas, and innovations to my approach to blogging. Yes, we're getting experimental again!!!

In any case, we've done this routine a few times before, mostly to middling results. But this time will be different!!! I'm a changed man!!! I've got a foolproof plan!!!

Detail of Maita in Gold Dress (2010) by Priscilla Monge

Trust me. It'll be awesome.

2013 Weekly Wrap #5

Detail of Things Dragged, Not Said by Kukula

To celebrate my two years blogging here at Paideia, I took a few days off. It'll keep me energized and engaged, looking for things fun and new to share with you all. Alternatively, you could say that I've been a bit lazy. Either way works for me. ;-)

So, since our last Wrap, our posts have been primarily related to music and flowers. Well, there's nothing wrong with that, but I like this blog to have more of an eclectic feel, more ingredients in the mixture. I'll work on it. Moreover, I'm going to attempt to increase the posting rate, even if I have to rely on quickie "Photo of the Day" types. Yeah, I've said that before, on many occasions, but THIS time I really MEAN it!!!!!

Or not. We'll see how it goes. . .

Lawrence in front of a bookcase, looking to his left

So, here are our posts from the past few weeks:

We had three Music posts. Two birth dates were celebrated, for Nina Simone and Fats Domino. Then, we finished out the month of February with our Monthly Music Fest, enjoying various musical trends from over the past five decades.

Two posts featured Art. The first was a quickie showcasing an image of Frederick MacMonnies' Diana, part of the Huntington collection. Then, we looked at a few photographs from my gallery-hopping expedition to Culver City and Bergamot Station. Good stuff!!!

Flora was prominent in this cycle, being featured in three posts. We enjoyed a stroll through the prickly trails of a Desert garden. Then, we had two Friday Flowers, with magnolias and echeveria.

Then, we hit Paideia's 2nd Blogiversary, which was celebrated in a subdued but satisfied manner. I promise more fireworks for our 3rd year. ;-P

And our selections were rounded out by celebrating Tootsie Rolls and laughing over some eye-catching "Soup of the Day" signage. It was a fun time.

Anyways, that's how it's been. I'm looking forward to sharing some more exciting images and entertaining stories with you all in the next cycle. So, stick around and see how things turn out!!!

How many licks does it take. . .

Enjoy!!!

Happy 2nd Blogiversary, Paideia!!!

Detail of Decadence and Despair (2012) by Sarah Joncas

Two years of blogging!!!

It seems like such a long time, like something that I've been doing for ages. I've had plenty of ups and downs, cycles of productivity and stagnation. There have been countless shows, exhibitions, and events. I've written about numerous topics, from music to religion, literature to automobiles. Every day, a new topic and novel experiences provide grist for the mill, material that churns through my mind processing into a blog post.

Even with the wild fluctuations in my posting rate, I have averaged one post per day for two years!!! That's some serious dedication. Actually, that's borderline obsessive compulsive behavior!!! ;-)

To be honest, the last year has been rough. However, there is always something in which I can find joy. And this keeps me going. As the past few months demonstrate, I've got the writer's stamina to play the long game, to put up a body of work both prolific and diverse.

It may not be much, but it's something, a little thing, about which I can feel some pride.

The sun sets behind the Mirage Casino in Las Vegas.

Anyways, I'd like to thank all of you who read this blog. I know that my meanderings from topic to topic, rambling enthusiasms and critiques, and haphazard photography make Paideia a choppy read. So, I want to express my great appreciation. There are so many interesting places out there in the vast expanse of the internet that I'm honored to have you visit this site.

Hopefully, the upcoming year will have entertaining and informative material that I can share with you all. The world is filled with beauties and delights; I hope that we may find them and take satisfaction in the discovery.

Again, thanks for reading. May the next year bring us happiness, prosperity, and wisdom!!!

Enjoy!!!

2013 Weekly Wrap #4

Tinker Bell admires her reflection in a mirror.

It has been two weeks since we last put up a Weekly Wrap.

Well, we're still keeping up a reliable daily posting average. Moreover, the topics have ranged across the spectrum, from Disney animated features to Imagist poetry, from liberationist reggae to commercialized "meat product", from flirtatious coquettes to gloomy lighthouses. The wandering focus and diverse interest of Paideia was in high form during this recent period.

There is plenty of space for improvement, but I'm currently satisfied with the consistency, the fact that I'm producing something new almost every day. Although my readership is still down, decimated by Google's new image search, those that remain seem to be "quality" readers, interested in the blog's content rather than a grandstanding image, like Daphne Blake exposing her panties at Bergamot Station. ;-)

So, maybe the reduced readership is an improvement for now. We'll see how it goes.

Lawrence, eyes obscured by reflections

Let's get to the Wrap:

We covered two holidays, Mardi Gras and Valentine's Day. On both occasions, we had the joy of admiring Barbie in seasonally appropriate finery. Additionally, a couple works from the local museums got the "front page" treatment, as part of the festivities.

We also had two Friday Flowers, orange clivia and blue forget-me-not, the later being paired up with the poetry of Elizabeth Bishop. But one poetess wasn't enough for us this time around. We also put the birth date spotlight on the works of Amy Lowell.

Food and drink were not far from our minds either. We enjoyed some rum, be it mixed with Coca-Cola or worked into a fancy cocktail. Then we "enjoyed" some SPAM; well, we enjoyed mocking the cartoon mascot, Sir Can-a-Lot. ;-)

Our journeys took us to a couple local lighthouses, but our imagination also flew off to Neverland in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Disney's Peter Pan. Though we occasionally felt zombie-like, deprived of vigor and joy, the rousing music of Bob Marley kept us from succumbing to the hopelessness of Babylon!!!

Finally, we listened to some music by Ladyhawke while looking at a photo of a fountain. Yeah, it was kind of random.

And that was how we went over the last "week" of blogging. I'm looking forward to another set of exciting and engaging posts for the upcoming week or so.

Point Fermin lighthouse at night.

Enjoy!!!

2013 Weekly Wrap #3

Twilight, overlooking the Pacific Ocean

This has been a very bad time for me.

You have probably noticed that I'm dealing with serious unhappiness in my personal life. Well, to make matters worse, Google has played around with its Image Search, resulting in a massive drop of viewers to this blog. To explain the situation in a succinct way, the images of this site can be viewed in full without having to actually visit this blog. Therefore, Google Images gets the traffic that my content generates, but Paideia gets nothing.

Now, as I have said on past occasions, I don't blog for fame or fortune. My goal is to share information, ideas, and my diverse enthusiasms with anybody who is interested. It's all about learning and experiencing, conveying my love for the arts and sciences to others and, hopefully, encouraging them to cultivate a similar passion for learning. I am an evangelist preaching a gospel of aesthetic revelation.

Therefore, it doesn't really matter if it's me or Google that gets the credit. As long as my message is expressed, then this blogging is worthwhile. However, I am a rarity in this matter; most bloggers want something for their hard work, a reward for the content which they create. Yet, their material is being scraped away and their traffic revenue is plummeting. That's not fair.

I'm waiting to see if the situation will be addressed. It feels somewhat unethical to be donating my content to Google when they're causing such difficulties for my fellow bloggers. I may have to close down the shop or stop putting up images. We'll see.

Lawrence under the nearly leafless branches

Anyways, here's the Wrap.

We had four Art related posts. First, we appreciated the street artistry of Angry Woebots. Then we visited CoproGallery to view the exhibit, Conjoined III, filled with ghoulish imagery. Next up was a birthday celebration for Claes Oldenburg, featuring some of his works in Las Vegas. Finally, we appreciated Cesar Santander's painting of Betty Boop, which was part of Route 66, an exhibition at Skidmore Contemporary Art.

There were two Friday Flowers, a white winter and some Birds of Paradise. Silly Saturday took us to the World of Mr. Toast. ;-)

We brought back our monthly celebration of music, looking at the songs of January over the decades. And then we had three photo posts, some random groceries, leafless trees, and an image of twilight descending; it was a weepy collection.

Anyways, we'll see what the future brings. I'm driving in the dark right now, but I don't know when things will brighten up, when the sun will eventually rise.

Detail of Midnight 76 (2012) by Eric Nash, part of Skidmore Contemporary's Route 66 exhibit.

Enjoy!!!

2013 Weekly Wrap #2

Detail of Lost & Found by Eric Joyner, part of the Corey Helford Gallery's exhibit, Crucifixion

Yes, we have a flexible definition of "weekly" here at Paideia. Let's assign it a value of ten days plus or minus two. Therefore, a year at this blog will have approximately thirty-six "weeks." ;-)

I was hoping for a better production rate, but circumstances interfered. However, seeing as how I visited some galleries this weekend, my rate over the next "week" ought to be much improved. Moreover, I'm really getting into the whole photography blogging.

Of course, things within my personal life have ways of trumping all my blogging intentions. To be honest, things are a bit tough right now. Yet, writing these posts is a welcome way to take my mind off of the troubles of my daily life, a mental escape in which my whimsy can take flight. Unless I'm really too drained to write, it's fun to get away from the quotidian woes.

I hope my blogging gives you, my dear readers, a pleasant diversion as well.

Lawrence at the library, again

So, here's the Wrap:

We had a couple Friday Flowers, with a return to our old tradition of including poetry. First, we showcased a selection of beauties from the South Coast Botanic Garden, along with a poem from Emily Dickinson. Then we put the spotlight on some lovely roses, paired to a Shakespeare sonnet.

Regarding Art, there were two posts. First, we celebrated minimalism and the works of Tony Smith. Second, we reviewed the Corey Helford Gallery's exhibit, Crucifixion, which we thoroughly enjoyed. You can't beat Pink Ice Cream cones, robots, and Wicker Man sacrifices. ;-)

For Music, we had two posts, birth date celebrations. We listened to some Foo Fighters on Dave Grohl's birthday. Then, we enjoyed the sultry sophistication of Eartha Kitt on her birth date. It was purrfect!!!

Our one view of Cinema was another entry into the Hall of Shame, to which we consigned Leprechaun from 1993; just give him the gold so we can put an end to these horrible movies!!!! Then we looked at some Toys, various collectibles from the local retailer, Pop Monster, featuring some Tokidoki Unicornos and Kidrobot Dunnies. Good stuff!!!

And then we had three posts that primarily featured my photography. One was all about taking pictures of the sun, green retinal burns and all. Then we looked at some random photos while enjoying a few renaissance musical pieces. Finally, I demonstrated my love for vanishing points and linear perspective.

All in all, it was a fun batch of posts. I'm looking forward to next "week" and the diverse topics that we will be able to explore.

"A friend with weed is a friend indeed."

Enjoy!!!

2013 Weekly Wrap #1

The elephant-headed Ganesh, among the Norton Simon Museum's collection of Hindu bronzes

We're done with "Week #1" and here's the Wrap, just like in the good old days. It's been a long time since we've put up one of these, but it's been a long, long time since we've had sufficient posts to justify one. After all, why put in these "real time" indices, when looking at a month or more of material is as easy as scrolling down the page?

Well, at least for the first ten days of this year, we have enough material to make it worthwhile. And that's reason to celebrate!!! Woo hoo!!!

Now, I know that a bunch of my posts were on the "fluffy" side, but we did touch base on our usual weekly features. Art and music, history and mythology, flowers and toys, so many of these things that I adore made their appearance over the last eleven posts. Can it get better? Certainly, there is a whole lot of room for improvement, but the core interests of this blog were well represented. Though I hope make it even better, my assessment with the current state is highly positive.

Most importantly, I've been having fun!!!

Going back to basics, the Wrap will feature a photo of me again. ;-)

So here's the Weekly Wrap.

Our posts were a bit mixed in subject matter. For instance, there was plenty of art, music and literature, but they were combined together into hybrid posts. That's what creates that "fluffy" feel that I mentioned above. But we did have a few distinct features.

Friday Flowers featured some phalaenopsis orchids from my household collection. Silly Saturday showcased the wonderfully entertaining Loteria exhibit at the Museum of Latin American Art. On Spooky Sunday, we took a look into Hell as part of our celebration of Gustave Dore's birth date.

Regarding music, we celebrated Tolkein's birth date by listening to music inspired by his works. The holiday season came to a triple-royal finale on Epiphany. The birth date of Al Bowlly, a crooner from the early decades of the 20th century, was the occasion to appreciate some old-time singing. Then, we had a whimsy post featuring music inspired by ancient Egypt, along with a cute mummy doll. ;-)

We opened the year featuring the image of and music to the elephant-headed god, Ganesh, Lord of Obstacles. Then I set out a "meta" post that discussed my intentions and resolutions for this year, 2013. Finally, we had a couple pure "whimsy" posts showing a stop sign and a Budweiser delivery truck.

Fun stuff!!!

"Come and play with us, Danny. Forever. . . and ever. . . and ever."

Enjoy!!!

Keeping on Pace

Budweiser truck, delivering the King of Beers!!!

Well, I've kept up with the daily posting schedule, even with conditions beyond my control that made my new resolution tougher to handle. So, I think it's time to celebrate!!!

Of course, my other personal resolutions haven't fared as well as my blogging. Yeah, the photo above is a clue as to one area in which I have fallen short, albeit not totally failed. I love me some beverages. ;-)

In any case, this post is just to boost my spirits and give a cheer for the improved rate of posting. I really was about to throw in the towel last November, but here we are, perhaps better than ever, writing posts both whimsical and critical. And that makes me happy.

Woo hoo hoo!!!

Opportunites Presented by the Calendar

 Perpetual Calendar by Hemisferium (front)

If one is going to undertake a project, then it ought to be worthy of one's best effort. This is especially true for “labors of love” which give no material rewards, providing satisfaction only in having done it well. This is the situation that I find myself facing with this blog. I'm writing here merely because I want to share my thoughts and inspirations with the readers, but haven't been doing it as well as I would like. Therefore, it's time to rededicate myself, to return to a regular rate of blogging, to entertain and inform as best as my time and talent will allow.

With the flip of the calendar, I am presented with a new starting point, an opportunity to get back on track. I'm going to be putting back my old features to establish a reliable rhythm of blogging, from Silly Saturday to Friday Flowers, from Weekly Wraps to Monthly Dance Parties. Moreover, my 365 Photo project will formalize the previously haphazard “Image of the Day” posts upon which I have been heavily relying over the past few months.

At least, this is my intent. This is my resolution. I love writing, playing with words, conveying my experiences through prose and verse, even if they frequently drift to the shade of purple. So, I am again committed, dedicated anew to blogging, compelled to do it properly.

 Perpetual Calendar by Hemisferium (back)

And, hopefully, these words are worthy of you, my darling readers. ;-)

Ending 2012

Mr. Snowman wishes you all a Happy New Year

Another year comes to an end, but the blogging goes on.

Yeah, there were times in 2012 that I considered closing up shop. My production schedule slowed to such a degree that doing the Weekly Wrap wasn't worth the effort. Likewise, I felt silly putting Friday Flowers back to back to back.

But we're turning the page. With the new year, we have a fresh opportunity to get back into the groove. For certain, there will be more posts, mainly because I'm going to do the 365 Photo challenge, but I'll also make a point of putting up worthwhile essays, reviews, and reports. There are so many awesome things that I experience every day, such magnificence, such excitement.

It seems a shame that so many fine memories of this outgoing year have been left to fade away in my mind, unshared and unreported. It's one of those “tears in the rain” situations, where these inspiring sparks of life's glory go away when I go away, unless I first convey them to my readers. That may sound really self-important, but I feel that we all should share the wonderful tales of our everyday existence, sifting through the dross of routine expectations and finding the special aesthetic moments, like gemstones, that can brighten our lives.

So, hold on to your hats and glasses, 'cause there will be a lot of stories, ideas, images, and memories coming this way. ;-)

Time Slips Away

Pretzels spilled on the pavement, wasted.


Ugh!!! I'm really wanting to put up a solid post with interesting ideas. However, time always seems to run out. There are plenty of cool things that I've seen. There are countless interesting topics to discuss. Each day presents a new birth date, anniversary, or holiday for us to celebrate.

But my time rarely seems to be enough.

Oh well, let's give a Happy Birthday shout out to "Weird Al" Yankovic, born on October 23, 1959.

Poster for "Weird Al" Yankovic's 1989 movie, UHF


Now, let's look at some vids.

Kurenai Considerations

Crimson tints in light and shadow

Well, I've been promising a period in which my blogging will mainly consist of "Image of the Day" type posts. As the past few updates indicate, that time is now!!!

But that doesn't mean I won't be posting my random thoughts, birth date celebrations, or art show reports. It just means that the daily churn of posting will be photographs, a couple words, and, occasionally, a few music vids after the jump. But when I have the time and energy, you can count on my traditional style of blogging, for better or worse. ;-)

Anyways, I'm glad to be back at the keyboard, in good health, and of a disposition quite optimistic.

Now, let's listen to some music.

2012 Weekly Wrap #15

Image from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998): "This is bat country."

I confess. I've been a slacker. ;-)

Ideally, this Wrap would have gone out on Friday. It didn't. But I feel like the posts have been engaging and fun. From ballerinas to arrogant bastards, from Bat Country to Turkish harems, we've covered a wide array of topics.

As always, I'm hoping to improve the pace of posting back to at least a "one per day" average. But I'm not going to stress it. I plan to be blogging for the long haul and I'm going to do it at a comfortable and sustainable pace. If I have the time, energy, and inspiration to get back into a rapid production mode, then that's how we'll go. For right now, two posts in three days isn't bad.

So, before I start experiencing bad waves of paranoia, madness, fear and loathing, intolerable vibrations, let's get to the Wrap.

Michael Heizer's Levitated Mass at LACMA

With eleven posts in eighteen days, here's the breakdown:

We had three Art posts. A visit to LACMA allowed me to get my first view of Michael Heizer's Levitated Mass as a completed installation. In a hybrid post, we looked at some examples of "old school" orientalism in art and music. Then, we celebrated the birth date of Edgar Degas with some photos of his works in local collections.

For Music, we had three posts. Inspired by the Oh Nancy show at the Torrance Art Museum, we listened to some songs on the topics of Easy Bake Ovens and light bulbs. Then, coming across a mannequin of Elvis at a local shopping center, we enjoyed some classic Elvis songs from 1957. Finally, in celebration of George Clinton's birthday, we had a funky time and tore the roof off the sucker. Can you dig it?

One post went to Friday Flowers, featuring sunflowers. Another post went to literature, celebrating the birth date of Hunter S. Thompson. And one post went to advertisements, looking at the images on the side of beer delivery trucks.

Finally, two posts were at about personal interests. I expressed my growing interest in landscape photography. Then I recollected old times at the Del Amo mall in Torrance.

And that's the "week" that was.

Elvis has left the building.



Enjoy!!!

2012 Weekly Wrap #14

Image from the title sequence of the James Bond movie, The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Well, I was hoping for a better rate of productivity, but my life has been busy over the past few weeks. It's been pretty good actually. So, I can't get too disgruntled by missing my blogging targets. ;-)

Anyways, I've been having fun with the various topics, even if I'd like a better pace. Let's face it; the old rate of two posts per day are long gone. If I can put up five entries per week, I'll be content. Certainly, I can inflate that number with "Image of the Day" and other such "tagger" posts, but I feel better providing more content.

Maybe I'll try out more quickie posts. It seems to be conventional wisdom that short-form blogging is more popular. On the other hand, I'm not writing Paideia to become "popular" or build a large following. I'm blogging because I want to share my thoughts and experiences in a public venue, in a manner that is both fun and comfortable.

We'll see. . .

Detail of Image Peddler with Female Shopper (2011) by Gerit Grimm


Anyways, here are the eleven posts since our last Wrap:

As regards Art blogging, we had three posts. First, we zipped across Los Angeles visiting a few museums and many galleries, checking out numerous interesting sights. Then I reviewed the excellent show of Dale Johnson's work at dnj Gallery, "By the Sea". Finally, we took a look at Gerit Grimm's exhibit of ceramic figures at the Long Beach Museum of Art.

We also had three Music posts. Two were birth date celebrations. The first was for the opera composer, Alfredo Catalani. Next, we wished a Happy Birthday to Carly Simon. Then, we looked at some empty classrooms and gothed out to some Darkwave vibes. ;-)

Our single Pop Culture post was in honor of that feline funny page legend, Garfield!!! Now, I'm in the mood for some lasagna.

Our Friday Flowers were again without poetry, but the silent roses need no words to enhance their charm. We also celebrated the arrival of Summer and the Full Thunder Moon.

Finally, I celebrated Post 600 with a bit of navel-gazing.

Over at Madrona Musings, we discussed the Colloquy panels in which various topics of relevance to the Los Angeles art scene are considered. Then we turned our attention to the two day Oh Nancy show, "Blank Land". First, We discussed the project's narrative premise. Then, we shared some photos from the Opening Night. Good times!!!

Well, that's all for now. Hopefully, we can get more productivity and quality over the next few weeks.

Cover image from Garfield Says a Mouthful

Enjoy!!!

600: Thoughts on Blogging

A collection of magazines

When I started this blog, my initial expectations were not set very high. I had serious doubts about the value of undertaking this project. My concerns were varied, but the most salient was in regards to "wasting" time. In short, was this blog going to be a purposeless vanity project that would drain away my time and energy?

So, I came to terms with the strong possibility that I would be writing for nothing and to nobody. It was likely to be enthusiasm and creativity lost among the sea of information, pixels poured into the endless flow of the internet. If this was the almost certain outcome, then why should I start a blog? What is my incentive?

I turned my focus inwards. Although I would love to have a large and faithful readership, as long as I am having fun writing, it is a worthwhile endeavor. This blog is all about me and my interests. If it entertains or informs an occasional reader, then that's just icing on the cake.

More magazines

Well, the blog has grown fairly well over the past year. By most standards, it has a miniscule readership, but it's large enough that I constantly feel amazed that there are some people out there who actually want to read my odd ramblings. On average, I put about an hour a day into this blog. Considering this relatively minor effort, I feel pretty good about things. ;-)

And I hope you, my dear readers, find that coming to Paideia is a rewarding visit. I know that the internet has a nearly infinite supply of sites to meet just about any desire. So, it is with humble gratitude that I welcome you to this little blog.