Bwooomp woomp happy trees

1. Running

If you couldn't tell from my last post, I may have some anger issues. Soooo, instead of punching walls I just run. In high school I ran a ton, but that sort of trailed off as I progressed into college. One day I realized even a pack a day smoker can run a significant distance and the rest is history. Currently I'm training for a half marathon, hacking up pieces of lung the whole way. Really it's not that bad, and the stress release is second to none (except maybe biking). A run is just a nice time to be alone with yourself, your music and some pavement. It's one of the only activities that quiets the yelling in my brain. Earlier this summer I realized Nike and iPod have created something amazing. In short: a chip in your shoe, transmits to your iPod, information is delivered vocally through your iPod during your run. A voice will interrupt your music to inform you of your mileage, and the last 400 meters. Afterward you get tons of stats about the run including average mile time, total length, any notable progress, AND you can upload it all to Nike.com, where you can see charts and graphs and all sorts of geeky stuff.

So yeah. I guess I'm a geek about the whole thing. The Statistics!!!

2. Dubstep

Nothing pumps up your run quite like some dubstep. If you aren't familiar. Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music featuring massive bass, occasional vocals, random beats, mixes, and of course 'the drop'. The drop is a moment in the track where the tension builds and builds and builds and suddenly BOOOOOOM. It hits the fan. Dubstep is not for everyone, and not for every occasion. The energy level is unique and for a good run or those groggy days in the studio it's a good pump up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQmOi3sjDIo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY97gfGUFR0

3. Bob Ross

Yes, Bob Ross is my artist influence of the week. In addition to my BFA, I'm working on an Art Ed degree. It's great being serious about my artwork, but I also have to be serious about teaching. After all, teaching art is where I'm going in life so it's a little important to pay attention to that. Riiiiiight?

I consider Bob Ross to be one of the greatest art educators of all time. His television show "The Joy of Painting" ran for nearly ten years. Through this venue he inspired tons of people to be excited about art. Using wet-on-wet oil techniques, Ross broke down complicated landscapes to simplified shapes, lines, and blobs of color which all combined into a quick yet detailed painting. We may not consider landscapes of mountains and winter scenes to be the pinnacle of art making, but does it really matter how we get people excited about art? The interest alone is notable, especially at a time when budgets matter more than the arts. The sheer volume of Ross's influence is what is most amazing. He is a household name with a cult following. Oh, and the landscapes all the time were a direct reflection of the time Ross spent in Alaska with the Air Force. I've never been, but I'm sure the scenery is indescribably beautiful.

So listen. You can't make fun of Bob Ross. He was a machine. One happy, happy machine.

When asked about his laid-back approach to painting and eternally calm and contented demeanor, he once commented: "I got a letter from somebody here a while back, and they said, 'Bob, everything in your world seems to be happy.' That's for sure. That's why I paint. It's because I can create the kind of world that I want, and I can make this world as happy as I want it. Shoot, if you want bad stuff, watch the news."