Counterfeit Art

If you're not familiar with J. S. G. Boggs, this is his basic M.O.:

1. Create a one-sided drawing resembling paper money, but with different images, designs, and colors than the real thing.
   
2. Trade it at face value at a retail merchant, fully admitting that it is art and not legal cash.
   
3. Save the receipt and change, and sell it together online, with the name of the merchant they are from.
   
4. Watch collectors go nuts as they attempt to buy the original piece of art from the merchant, at far above face value.
   
5. See his art sell for 5 and 6 figures, framed together with the change and receipt that proves where it was spent.
   

I think it's brilliant, as a creative and social experiment. What's really wacky is the way he runs afoul of the Secret Service who think he is counterfeiting US currency. They just don't get it.

Modern Things

I haven't been a Nissan fan lately, but this thing is slick.



The BMW ad for the new 1 series is kinda cool, and I'm a fan of the hatchback models. Mini-wagons do it for me. The Z3 coupe is interesting, and the Z4 coupe is even cooler: a classic sportscar shape.

My new Asus laptop is super fun, and always draws interested questions. It started acting up a bit yesterday though, so I hope it doesn't need warranty service. We'll see.

Dork out

I didn't do a lot this weekend, but I got some of my Xbox features online. I now have weather forecasts on the TV, and I can watch videos stored on my computer through the TV. It's slicker than snot, picking recorded shows and checking weather with just the DVD remote. The online video stuff from Apple Trailers and YouTube don't work because my broadband is too slow, but I'll be setting it up to grab news feeds here and there, and maybe a video podcast.

Today I forgot we're having a white-elephant happy hour after work, but I improvised a gift. Thing is, I have a date at 7 so I won't be staying too long. I hope it goes well. I'm all self-conscious lately about my wardrobe and hair so I'm planning to change both soon. The condo is going to get a bunch of attention, with a trip to Ikea for all kinds of textiles. With the old windows, it's hard to get the place to warm up at all, so some fabric blinds should help a lot. Yesterday I wasted a lot of time on that, deciding which colors to get.

My exercise and sleep regimen have dropped off. Weekend karaoke eats up a lot of time and energy, and it's easy to just stay there all night without thinking.

I decided the way I have to make my lifestyle changes is to micromanage myself. If I think of it as supervising someone else, and detach myself from it enough to scold/reward myself as needed, it should get better results. This morning, I totally stayed in bed too long. It was bad, and I barely got to work in time for a meeting. Time to get another calendar, and record my exercise and sleep habits. I think just writing it down will encourage me to keep consistent and be more satisfied with the positive change. I need all the help I can get.

I did it

Finally ordered my geek toy I'd been waiting to get: the highly sought-after new Asus EeePC 4GB.

It's little, not much bigger than a DVD case! At $400 it's perfect for me. Now I won't have to be ashamed of my heavy and archaic laptop with no battery life. And I got a glow-in-the-dark star to stick on the lid, as my own version of the glowing Apple emblem on every MacBook.

Came home from Canada straight to two karaoke gigs, a dead truck battery, and a fridge that has decided to become a heater. The work party wasn't so great, but some co-workers are trying to set me up with a 22-year-old who thought I was cute. A little weird, but charming. Just when I got a date with someone over 25, for next Monday. But I'll go clubbing with those kids some Friday if they invite me.

Lots of parties this weekend and next! Sundays I'm set on swing dancing so I have to learn some stuff pronto.

Off to see a friend play in a band, later kids.