Notes from the Artists Homestead
Experiments in Living
Today I decided to do some grocery shopping as I was pretty much out of fresh fruit. So I went to hop on my bike to pedal there and…
discovered the front tire was flat. My initial reaction was, “crap”, but right on the heals of that I was suddenly VERY grateful. Now why would I be so grateful for a flat tire?
Continue reading “Stories of Gratitude – A deflated bike tire”I don’t want to be writing this blog post. I really don’t. This is both because I detest that there is even a need for me to write it and also because I would much rather be working on my art today. However, my conscience is seriously bothering me for not doing so, leaving me feeling like a morally repugnant being for not at least trying to share what I’ve learned when so many are living in various states of fear and suffering right now. So I humbly apologize to you all for not doing this several days ago when I learned what I’m about to share, and realized I should probably do my part with this blog post.
Continue reading “Recent Studies Reveal Awesomely Effective Treatment for Rampaging Disease”In my previous blog post I reviewed the book, Building a Better World in your Backyard Instead of Being Angry at Bad Guys, by Paul Wheaton and Shawn Klassen-Koop. As part of that review I noted that I thought this would be an excellent selection for book discussion groups. It is relatively short, easy, and entertaining to read. The authors prime intended audience are those with little to no experience with ecological/environmental matters though I feel it would of useful interest to those more versed in the subject too. This should help make it appropriate for all that might be a part of such book groups. The material covers a wide range of subject matter offering many ways for everyone to connect to it. I would anticipate lively conversations sparked by the book.
Continue reading “Book Group Discussion Questions for Building a Better World in your Backyard Instead of Being Angry at Bad Guys”Sometime in my childhood I seem to have taken on an environmentalist bent. I’m not sure quite when or why. It just seemed like the right thing to do and support, and still does. Thus, in my time I’ve read a lot of books, and watched hours upon hours of movies relating to this general genre. Despite all this information that has been out in the public sphere these past decades I’ve also watched things continue to decline. Who remembers the days when any sort of serious car trip involved stopping occasionally to scrape bug guts off the windshield so you could see out? When was the last time you REALLY needed to do that, and what does that say about the health of insect populations? If you’ve got enough years under your belt I imagine you can think of plenty of other similar examples yourself. So it would seem that all these past books and materials promoting environmental ideas haven’t been effective enough to overcome the increasing tides of destruction. Now here I am looking to review another book. Is yet one more going to be any different?
Continue reading “Building a Better World in Your Backyard Instead of Being Angry at Bad Guys – Book Review”Here is the next in the series of republished old Art Calendar Magazine articles with updated commentary. This time around I don’t feel like I have much to add in terms of updating. It’s basically talking about an approach I used to help stay fully conscious of my spending so I wouldn’t waste it on things that didn’t give me enough fulfillment. I believe it’s an approach that can work for many other people too, though perhaps not everyone. It feels as valid to me today as it did when I first wrote about it.
Continue reading “Perceived Value of Money – AC9 Financial Management Article”Once again its been too long since I’ve posted a new blog entry and I’ve also been failing to get all the old Art Calendar financial management articles up with their updated commentary. So today I’m going to tackle the next one in the series where I took a look at some issues involved with setting up my art studio. As I just reread it for the first time in years I was intrigued to realize I wrote it prior to building my earth sheltered studio. This was done when I had my initial metals studio here on my homestead in what has now become the wood shed! Still I think there is some good info here that might help others, esp. if you are looking to establish your first art studio beyond college. So without further ado here is the article with my updated thoughts sprinkled in.
Continue reading “The Art Studio – AC8 Financial Management Article”I am a junk food addict.
I don’t say that in some sort of joking manner, laughing about a love of chocolate or some such thing. I say that as somebody who can find myself obsessing over junk food all day, having my thoughts completely consumed in a battle between knowing I shouldn’t eat it and wanting it, finding excuses to get it, reasons “I deserve it”. I say that as someone who will literally spend a half hour to an hour doing nothing but waging an internal battle to not get in the car and drive off to get some. I say that as someone who usually ends up in that car and just might in rare circumstances win the internal battle while on the road, turn around and head home, only to find 30 minutes later I am at the gas station checkout M&M’s in hand. I say that as someone who even now while writing this blog is gorging on junk food with the thought in my head that this will be the last final blowout “meal” of it, trying to quietly ignore the dozen or so other last final blowout “meals” I’ve had in the past couple weeks. This is what I mean when I say I’m a junk food addict. I’m not kidding about it. I’m brutally serious.
Continue reading “Struggles with Food Addiction”It’s been far too long since I’ve made a new blog post here. Partially my excuse is that I’ve been doing a lot of work rebuilding my davidhuang.org site. In particular I’m quite happy with the new page documenting the making of a complex vessel from start to finish. If you haven’t seen that you might want to check it out. I think I’ve also been a bit out of sorts, trying to adjust to changes in my career brought about by the COVID-19 crisis. I was realizing the other day though that I really should get the rest of these old Art Calendar articles republished if for no other reason than they could be all the more relevant to people now as our economy is being thrown into turmoil, making personal financial management even more critical.
Continue reading “AC7 – Transportation”So last week I finally flew home to Michigan from my extended trip to Arizona. The Governor had just implemented a lock down in the state. I’d been following this whole virus thing for some time, concerned I wouldn’t be able to get home. Thankfully for me my flight wasn’t cancelled, and was only about 1/4 to 1/3 full, so we all had plenty of space. I had a whole aisle to myself! I doubt I’ll ever have that luxury when flying again!
Continue reading “COVID-19 Why Everyone Should Wear a Mask!”Again, I’ve been way too lax in getting a new blog post written lately. In my defense I was plenty busy getting final preparations made for a couple workshops, and then teaching the workshops. Both went fantastically, with great groups of students. Thanks to all of you who were there!
Continue reading “AC6 – Debt: How to Avoid Its Trap”
