The sustainable consultancy I work for, FutureProof, took part in one of the exhibits at "Something From Nothing", the new exhibit at the Contemporary Arts Center. The opening is tonight from 6pm - 'til and I will be there perusing all of the new art.

You'll see a cistern installation (1500 lbs worth of water, a pond, a dual flush toilet, and a green roof, some amazing wall paintings, a cloud constructed of found textiles and cushions, and many other interesting installations.



Something from Nothing

Gallery Hours: Thurs.-Sun. 11am - 4pm
Admission:$5. $3 for students, seniors. FREE for CAC members and children under 15 every day.

Opening Reception: Friday, January 18, 6pm - Free admission.
HENRIQUE OLIVEIRA, Tunnel

Henrique Oliviera, Tunnel

For this exhibition, 15 internationally-recognized artists from around the world have been invited to New Orleans and challenged to create something from nothing. All artists, required to arrive empty-handed, have constructed new site-specific artworks out of materials that they have only borrowed, found, bartered or have been given by new New Orleans friends and strangers. Artists include Josh Blackwell, Sean Duffy, Marie Eichhorn, Bruna Esposito, Ellen Harvey, Paula Hayes, Nancy Hwang, Jarbas Lopes, Jason Middlebrook, Eko Nugroho, Henrique Oliveira, Marjetica Potr,,, Mario Rizzi and Shinique Smith.

The idea is to present the current condition of New Orleans as a test case for how art today can function as social communication. Rather than being left to fend for themselves, invited artists will arrive with a pre-established set of social contacts - the curator, local collectors, perhaps friends or family, and the like - that will enable them to obtain the materials and/or equipment that they will need.

This will not be a new challenge to the artists included in the list, many of whom have attained international recognition through work that has used performance or social-networking modes.

Exhibition curated by Dan Cameron.

(On view in the First Floor Galleries.)

For information, call (504) 528-3805

Just signed up for an account on Fantagraphics. They promise you all kind of members benefits and so on.

However, when filling in the form, it asks for Business Name, Prefix, First Name, Last Name.

I filled in the following -
Prefix: Dr.
First:Vivi
Last:Doom

Most of you probably didn't know me when I was last in my workaholic mode. I reguarly used to work 12 to 15 hour days - usually just to make sure none of the balls being juggled were dropped: no intellectual heavy lifting or anything like that. Life was different back then. I usually only ate one meal a day, consumed a cup of coffee an hour and (shamefully) spent alot of time leaning out of a window smoking. While my life is changed greatly from that time, I feel the good old familiar work pull.

I'm there again - working late, wanting to work late. I'm just a matter of days from heading to the office for 7am. I'm not sure, but I suspect it may be an avoidance technique: throwing oneself so fully into work as to not have to worry/think about those things that weigh heavy on the mind. There has been alot of questions flying around in my head lately: what I want out of this life, what and how much I'm willing to compromise, where do I go from here. Many aspects of my life have been in circling in a holding pattern for some time now and I've probably been overthinking it all. I need a break.

So, yeah. Its nice to be in work mode, avoidence technique or not. The silence of the office after everyone has left is calming. The phone usually doesn't ring past 6. Its comfortable, warm and has a huge library of green building books (geek). And if I move my car to the front of the building, I don't have to walk through a dark alley.

Its definitely more productive than drinking wine and watching crap tv.

Dear TMobile,

Please disable my ability to send and receive text messages.

Ok?

Best,

Vivi Doom

I wish I had a Tim Gunn to walk in and say in his oh so calm voice, Talk to me. What are you doing? Maybe he could talk to me through the somewhat questionable decisions I have a tendency to gravitate toward. I have a feeling that he is a pretty handy guy to have around - and not just for fashion emergencies. I bet Tim is really handy when it comes to career drama, boy trouble, and even that 4th glass of wine (Is this moment really an appropriate time to get drunk? Talk to me. Tell me what you are thinking.)

I'm excited. Know why?

I just received my copy of McSweeney's Issue 13



For those of you that have not yet bowed down to the genius that is McSweeney's, start with this one. It is guest edited by Chris Ware, the cartoonist from Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth, and is chock full of amazing comics to feed your inner nerd. Additionally, you can actually take the cover off and read it AND it includes two mini comics.

I also finally got the new power cord for my mac, but that is just not as exciting.

Perfect example of they type of panic I frequently experience in social situations (feel free to laugh):

Walking into a comic book store and realizing you have no idea which issue of DMZ you last purchased
Panicing because you suddenly feel very conspicuous and out of place
Quickly grabbing issues 11 - 16 despite the fact that you are pretty sure you already have 11, 12 and 13; paying for them, jumping back into your car and speeding the hell out of there
All in 2 minutes

I didn't even look around. NEEEEEEEERRRRRRRD.

That makes me an neurotic, uber nerd.

Flat Track Fever is a newish roller derby blog on nola.com. Meredith Barnhill does a fabulous job of recaping BERG bouts. Every week she features a "Rollergirl of the Week". This week she profiles me, but past profiles include Trixie la Femme, MILF Duds and Sophie Nuke'em.

Anyway, keep up with Flat Track Fever - Meredith even has a cat named Derby!

Shoves and Kisses,

Vivi Doom