this is it!

Last one! 12 months... some were lame and I even failed at one! I don't recommend doing this... this year flew by and I blame the compartmentalizing (big word). I would have thought my health and state of mind would have improved but it just added to my stress levels. I was going to give up technology this month but I can't... and that's just sad. (work won't allow me) There is so much more I would like to do, volunteer, learn a language, juggle..? but alas the year is over and who gives a shit.

So for my last month I am going to do nothing.
(actually I'm going to try to learn some flash but that's lame) 

Thanks for playing along and keeping up with this, good for you. I am going to keep this page up and use it for art and randomness.
 

i caved

I ate lunch with Russ today... peer pressure. I will keep my dinners at home but this one cut into my social life, what little there was/is. I did lose some weight so there is something to it. December is around the corner and a year of this crap is behind me. December may be the month I do nothing... or maybe disconnect. We'll see.

November

I will not be eating out this month... I am a chronic eater outer so this could be a bad deal. It was pointed out to me recently that I have gotten fat... ahem... so this should help. News at 11.

October

Guitar lessons. yep.

diet coke.

Been a week... don't miss it.
Here are some pics from the sketchbook, 20 pages done, 60ish to go.

Sept 2 things

One hard one and one harder one. This month I will be giving up carbonation. I have done this before, here comes grumpy jeff. I like me some caffeine as well as saccharin, aspartame and sucraloce... yes I know "killing me" I'll just drink tea.

Secondly? I will be keeping a sketchbook on me or near me for the month, gonna do a little trade with my buddy billy in P.A.. I bet I lose it on day one. I'll do my best.

joke.

This month is a wash and a joke... I did so much better with not eating meat. I could run 1000 miles before I could give up this stuff, it is in EVERYTHING! Maraschino cherries... the freaking vitamin I take, it is everywhere.  I did my best and avoided some of it, but when it's in the salad dressing, salsa, ketchup, bread, etc... there is only so much one man can do. Onward and upward, taking suggestions for next month.

Sugar free August

High Fructose Corn Syrup... Gonna do without it. I enjoy reading labels and asking the wait staff silly questions they can't answer. The last few months have been one giant stress ball so I don't need to add something to my life, so I'll take something out. No candy, ugh. I have several art projects out and I will post them when I finish, looks like last month will spill over into this month.

is it august yet.

I lack the motivation to do anything; nevertheless, I am doing a few silly things. The free art fairy is making his last few stops with his silly art buss, so you better get on board. I have been drawing a lot and have ideas for a few big things but my time is consumed and it's to freakin hot. Here are a couple pics of things happening as well as the bounty from my almond tree... majestic. Deer and raccoons ate all my other fruit. sneaky.

maybe

So I have been working, (on art) a little. Working with my friend Lauren on a sculpture and a small painting for a charity auction. I am also designing a few murals for a pediatrician friend. (pics soon) Plans for a low edition print too, if you would like one let me know.

 

art... slow but going.

I am working, when I'm not in the air or on the road or actually working-working. Life gets in the way and is confusing.

1,2,3,4 what do i have this for.

Ok! Not much to report on - I kinda dropped the ball on logging about this month (it was a hectic month). I believe this one was a stretch for me... running 100 miles, not eating meat... all child's play. I like the idea of organization and some things I do are organized but I don't know if I am wired to do it. I get sidetracked. Let's take my iphone, for example. I wanted to "organize it", you know - take all the Leroy B's and Bobs and Stephanopolis' and give them first and last names and assign emails and put pictures with them. Ha. I get 2 numbers in and I think "Hey, I should call Andy Anderson!" (I don't know an Andy Anderson.) The same goes for getting my studio in order... I go down today to work on that (a disaster, by the way) and I start by cleaning out the air-conditioned part (of course) and then I step out on the front porch and start cleaning it down on my hands and knees, pulling weeds and moving gross stuff. Then I notice the ground is wet... huh, that's odd. I move the gravel and more water... next thing I know, I'm covered in mud and am stuck fixing pipes for three hours. The same thing will happen when I do actually get in my studio. I will stop and admire every little piece of metal and wood and screw and tool I touch. I got the OCD. (obsessively compulsively disorganized)

ugh.

I planted a bunch of trees... that was a good one. I still owe a couple of people trees. The fall is a better time to plant trees though, so maybe I will do it again. I will be keeping a shovel in my truck and will keep up the guerrilla forestation (I have been sneaking trees into places I think they should be). School is over this week so my time will be freed up... somewhat. (2 new building projects, ha)

So May... this one is going to have to be an easy one, too. I have lots of traveling and the aforementioned building projects to contend with. May will be about organization. Organizing... my time, my phone, my computers, my studio, my house... my life. Tips are welcome.

erf day

About half way on my 30 trees... I need more hours in the day. I have planted several dogwoods for Dawn at the arboretum. One tree for Stevo (banana magnolia) and have a few other trees poised and ready for the ground. I love me some trees.

I plan on planting a few at the house today to celebrate.
happy earth day!

the root of it.

I have been whirling this month's idea over in my head and have come up with some pretty simple, but fun, guidelines. First, I want to talk about how I have failed to implement previous month's activities into my daily life. Veganism, which was hard, made me feel better; mediation, which I enjoy, was replaced by running - which is meditation while moving; and now, I fear running may fall to the wayside. The strenuous nature of lugging around 240 lbs everyday made it impossible to focus on much else and took a pretty good toll on my feet and legs, nevertheless, I will do my best to retain the run and try to implement meditation as well as cutting back my meat intake. I just finished the book "Born To Run" and it is an eye opener. Apparently, we were born to run.
This month, I anticipate planting and documenting at least 30 trees -  some at my house, some at friends houses and maybe a few guerrilla plantings. Along with trees, I would like to implement a few things around my house to save on energy and water consumption. Maybe even a nice little earth day party to bring it all together. There you have it - a leisure, tree-planting month... if you would like me to plant a tree for you, let me know.

done. 102 miles.

Now that was anticlimactic.
I wouldn't recommend this one. I'm sure I have done irreparable damage to my feet and my longest run was only 6 miles but I ran 29 out of the 31 days. The everyday thing is the bad idea. I won't even go into the messed up metabolism, shin pain or hairless thighs. Don't ask, I am a hairy man.
I started a book Born to Run, it is fantastic. I will spare you my synopsis but it has made me want to keep running and to do it bare feet for 100 miles at a time and with vigor. Running is a primal, amazing thing and I think it's in our DNA. Those of you with knee pain or foot pain or just a case of the lazies - read this book.

Next month is still a mystery, I really need suggestions... it's tomorrow! 

 

50%

I am half way there.
It all is a little silly seeing as there are people running this far and more in a week, hell a day in some cases; nevertheless, I am here and I feel slightly accomplished.
On the down side, my feet hurt and I am grumpy... I wanted to post something fantastic to mark my mid-point, but my cluttered brain will not allow me. I am listening to Bill Bryson's book, A Short History of Nearly Everything, while I run and I recommend it (if you like having panic attacks and want to feel inconsequential). I don't know what's worse - being lost in your own head during a run or being drug on some existentialist mind trip? I take that back -  it's a great book. Even better the second time... especially when a smooth, British voice is reading it to you. 

running is hard.

I have found that I am out of shape. I have a clumsy gate. I lack a pace suitable for an adult male bipedal homo sapien; nevertheless, I trudge on. I have had to run everyday to keep on pace... this hurts. Having said that I recommend this approach to running. Force yourself to run everyday, disregard how terrible it is for you. It gets you through all the aches and pains quickly. I have heard this phrase a 1000 times "running kills my knees", really!!! No shit, it's called exercise... it goes away. I am forcing myself to run everyday, no matter how slow or how terrible I feel. 13 minute miles are the norm so far. I will take a day off when I get it under 12. 

Tendinitis

I will start off on a positive note- spring is in the air.
I have ran 11.27 miles in three days.
My right knee and right ankle feel like they once belonged to Abe Vigota. My left arch might be convex and I hate to look as I feel I may be missing all of my toenails. There is a general feeling of doom as each step leads me to some future orthopedic procedure.
Flashback to the summer of 2007... I'm on this run I have no idea where I had been, running for a good while, soaking in the surroundings. I was lost in the zen of the run, endorphins flooding over me in a euphoric - wonderful - blissful goo. Senses were acute and tuned, primal jeff was ready for anything.

Now look at me. ugh.
88.73 miles to go. All I ask for is 1 more runners high.

Running

I begrudgingly start this one... I will be running 100 miles in 31 days. Just finished the first run, 3.2 miles, kill me. This is a terrible idea, I am a fat, stressed and a bit lazy... this is a terrible idea. I will rant on this when I can feel my lower torso.

terrible idea.

down dogs

I sit down this morning to knock out a 30 minute meditation. Time to clear my mind and face the morning sun... I think to myself "this is awesome." The house is empty, the sun is rising and what a way to start the day. I do a couple quick stretches and a little bend and twist and slowly ease into the sitting position - ready to reach nirvana. I close my eyes, feel the warm sun on my face, hear the peaceful roll of the waterfall from outside (ohhhh, this is going to be the one)... in breath is great, out breath is good - no distractions - in my mind, no worries.

SQUEAK... Whine... Growl... open my eyes - 3 dogs... 3 cold dogs. I try to push them out of my head, in breath - out breath... SQUEAK. Screw it. I let them in. 5 minutes of look at me, pet me, what were you eating, smell my butt, and everyone settles down. Sun is still up. I find a seat I close my eyes again. In breath - out breath - with a faint scent of dog breath. I open my eyes and there is a dog staring at me 2 inches away from my face... I ignore her, she lies down. Okay, breathe in - breathe out, thoughts drift off to things. I bring them back... in - out, in - out. Off to my right, my smallest dog has reached maximum nirvana on the couch and has taken on a nice hardy snore, drowning out the waterfall and my attention. I sink my breathing with hers and go on my way. FOCUS. Then (tooooot) the big dog farts and that's it for me. Meditation will wait.

Next month vote ------->

2 weeks

So... 2 weeks of meditation, I missed one day and that was so I could play in the snow. This one has been anticlimactic, no good side stories of bad waiters or bland food. Only 13 days left in this one so I need to consider next month, suggestions welcome. For those of you with visions of meditation a friend of mine (russ) passed this video along to me, no new age crap just the facts. Simple and to the point, other than its over an hour long... worth it.

ommm (nom nom)

Meditation is a strange thing - I have an active mind, a little too active. This morning I was listening to this guy tell me to make a ball of positive energy light from inside of me and pass it to someone I was in conflict with... then make the person pass it back to me. I made the person shoot giant fireballs at me. Yeah.

This has actually been harder than being vegan: I could control what went into my mouth, I cannot however control what floats through my mind and subconscious. I have been trying different approaches, focus on breath, mantras, body part relaxation checklist (I like that one) even listening to a sexy-voiced scottish guy telling me "yourd mooskles ard geeting evier"... all with some results but not the total enlightenment I was hoping for, but it has only been a week. (a week I gained 4 of the 14 lbs back. I am such a dork)

I get the light metaphors and the "energy" crap but what I really want and enjoy about meditation is the act of being mindful... that is the important part for me. I will type it again - MINDFUL, mindful of what I am doing at all moments, not just the meditating ones and that is very hard with all the crap I do. Lesson plans (plans) projects due (due) class time (time) lunch date (date)... Add to that dumb shit I've done in the past and will do in the future. When am I/When are we going to be living in the now. Blah... that was a rant, sorry I've had a drink. For the 4 of you that read this, think about this for me, be mindful of what you are doing. If I am having a conversation with you, I will try to listen, not think of the next witty quip. If I am flying a kite I will try to focus on flying that kite... Maybe you can do the same. Yea for unfocused rants!!!

we did it...

well, that is if I can make it through tonight without getting that cheeseburger I've craved. 31 days, about 14 lbs, 2 belt holes and the annoyance of reading every label and asking every waitress... I am done. It was insightful. I do not want to be a vegan. I see things differently. I learned a lot and I will pay more attention to what goes into my body, but I do not mind using a few animals. It would be hypocritical for me to be vegan. I am not an activist, and if I were, I don't see where you draw the line. The ultimate outcome would be to sell off everything and go to darfur, afghanistan or haiti or some crazy-ass 3rd world place and dedicate yourself to helping those who really need it and never consume, purchase, or use anything. But no, I am not - and I feel, for me, cutting out dairy and the occasional chicken sandwich would just be silly in the grand scheme of things. I applaud anyone who does this (good job), but it is not for me. Thank you to my vegetarian and vegan friends for all the encouragement, recipes and support.

I do recommend you try this. It's a good way to kick-start a healthy diet, lifestyle or just make you aware of what you put in your body. I actually don't crave meat as much as I did and will probably cut back, maybe meat four or five times a week (very little red meat) - not to save the animals, but to save my cholesterol and fat ass from dying. One of the best things that came out of it was I had to cook a bunch and Angie and I spent a lot of time together in the kitchen. (she needs all the practice she can get ;))

Month 2 - I have revamped month 2 into *WELLNESS* there are hand motions and like a little musical intro that goes with that... *WELLNESS* it needs to be said with a light airiness whhellnessss, anyway it's about overall health and well-being. A regiment of a few things... rising at 6 a.m., morning meditation followed by light exercise and breakfast, sensible meals and in bed no later than 10. Sounds normal enough. The focus is on meditation, of course, but I felt a need for the other to make it a routine. I doubt this will have the drama or mood swings the vegan diet had, but one can only hope and hey, it's only 28 days this time.

ted video on living to 100.

Plant based diets (interesting). Not that I want to live to 100- but healthier longer would be nice. 6 days till meditation and some cheese.

3 weeks

Classes started today and my inbox at work filled up, posting about my little vegan jaunt may have to wait. I am 3 weeks in and feeling pretty good. Dropped a total of 10lbs, skin looks good, stomach is not always in knots (just sometimes) and I no longer want to stab anyone in the face for a pork chop (well, maybe).

On to next month - I have been trying to sell meditation to people and it must have worked. I have a busy stressful month and meditation will do me good. Art making, albeit one I will enjoy, needs to be in the summer and in a month with more than 28 days.

Also saw Food Inc. this week... worth the watch, it will help me through the next 10 days not that my awesome wife doesn't keep me focused.  (I think she actually enjoys this diet)

Next.

Not that veganism is not the greatest thing ever but I do look forward to eating a little meat, at least some fish... fish are assholes anyways. Pescetarianism? Well I'm done with isms for a few months. To help me move on to the next month I enlist the 7 people that read this to cast your vote for next month. On your right over there in that poll, it's anonymous so do it. If you have other ideas pass them on to me (insert winky emoticon).

I have had a couple of glasses of wine or I would regale you with a witty anecdote or story ( I almost typed antidote). One good thing about veganism 2 glasses of wine = 4.?

Math. 

true story

So, I am gobbling down this organic-granola-cardboard-animal free cereal the other day (in soy milk). It was particularly cold outside, so I let my still-carnivorous dog in - where she took her place on the rug beside me. I stood up to wander around and fish the last bits of "food" from the bowl. Having felt confident in the eradication of the cereal, I tipped the bowl back to drink the "milk". I looked down at my beautiful majestic dog in repose on the rug and thought "what a great dog." At that moment, I realized I had missed a piece of the "cereal" and it was now lodged in my esophagus just enough as to completely restrict airflow. I sat my bowl down and tried coughing... no luck... after what seemed an eternity (and zero help from the dog), I thought to myself, "this is it: veganism killed me". Simultaneously, the morsel jostled loose and with a violent cough went flying across the room - landing just inches from my dog's nose. Without missing a beat, without lifting her head, she stuck out her tongue and ate it.

11 days down. I am contemplating the move after this in regards to meat. I am thinking about meat free days or only consuming meat once or twice a week. I don't know yet 20 days to go.     

one weak (a pun)

10 things I know of veganism 7 days in:
1. No matter how you cook a brussell sprout it will never taste like bacon.
2. One must read all labels. Animals are sneaky.
3. Albeit unhealthy oreos and diet coke are vegan.
4. Eating out at a restaurant is almost impossible; however, entertaining.
5. Even vegans argue if honey is vegan? Bees eat sugar and throw up with or without people?
6. I have lost 6lbs.
7. If no consequences: I would punch the closest of friends in the neck for a candy bar or a slice of cheese.
8. There is animal "product" in some toothpastes?
9. My shoes are not vegan but I bought them a long time ago.
10. A plant-based diet causes a significant amount of flatulence... which leads me to think that this could be the cause of global warming..?

24 days to go, I  look forward to doing something a little more fun next month. IDEAS!!?

Vegetables

Animal free for 4 full days. I can't say that I have gone without meat for more than a couple of days? I have a fantastic memory of my (at the time) 70+ year old tiny grandmother hunched over from osteoporosis chasing down a chicken with lightning speed and decapitating it with an axe: All in some sort of surrealistic, kung-fu ballet. I must have been around 5, I see it all; her pale bluish dress; the slow-motion, headless, flopping, stark white bird; the backdrop of deep green pine trees. It all sounds barbaric, but at the same time wonderful - a house full of people... the smell of fried chicken... everyone smiling - all because of that chicken.

This is a hard question: Why do we eat meat? We evolved because we ate meat. Omnivores - that's what we are. There are good arguments on both sides. I don't have the answer. Commercial farms are sad, tofu is dumb.

This is just as hard as I thought it would be. Roasted Vegetable Soup for dinner.

 

Project 1 of 12

I will be trying something new each month suggestions are welcome.

Month 1 Vegan.
I am a life long carnivore, I have fond memories of setting at a table with my mother and father and devouring massive amounts of animal flesh. This will not be a diatribe on the woes of eating meat or the sins of animal cruelty. Just me not eating meat or consuming animal products for a month. Just curiosity, people do it all the time, people I know. Why? I want to know what they go through and how I feel doing it.

I'm on day 2... my body is showing signs of confusion already.

not resolutions.

I did 2 weird things last year:
I avoided shopping at wal-mart for a year.
Also left town maybe 10 times all of those under a 100 miles.
This was kind of hard.

1. wal-mart.
December 2008 I stood in wal-mart with a sick feeling... walls of cheap plastic crap surrounding me, mouth breathers, screaming children, and the slow drone of thousand florescent bulbs killing me from the inside out. I decided to avoid it, if I needed a coat hanger at 3 a.m. it would just have to wait. I will skip all the self righteous wal-mart is the devil crap. I just thought it was a giant ugly beast and wanted it out of my life. I went back last week, me not going there really didn't slow things down.

2. homebody.
I don't know if the world is getting hotter. I don't know about polar bears. I could care less if the ice caps move to Tahiti. I just felt minimalism was what I needed and still need. So I decided no travel in 09, I missed peru, chicago, ireland and some other place that escapes me. I am a big clumsy human and I wanted to avoid making anything worse.

That leads me to here: a new decade a new year and a small art/life project.
This is me documenting it.