jjsblog1

chicken joy

2011-09-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

Yolko has two new-ish friends...Louise and Esther. They joined the flock this spring and have both just started laying eggs. I'm so proud! Yolko lays green, Esther brown and Louise white. Very colorful, right?

2011-03-22T11:57:00.001-07:00

I just posted to Fluxlist when I thought I was publishing to this old blog that is just mine. Sigh. I seem to have trouble keeping up...

I was glad to get Ruud's comment--maybe I can get busy here. I love reading this sort of thing from other people. See you in the mail!

Hey, this was a pretty good blog--

2009-05-28T15:07:00.000-07:00

I should try to keep it going!

Here's Yolko!

2006-08-19T12:51:00.001-07:00

Here's Yolko!
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

It's tough to get these things to work together, but I've joined a pet website and, even though it's late in the month, I'm eager to get the word out that chickens are great companions...and the $1000 wouldn't be bad either. So go vote for Yolko-- a vote for her is a vote for entertaining poultry everywhere! Thank you for your support.

vote for Yolko!

2006-08-19T12:51:00.000-07:00

src="http://media.petster.com/photos/26555/852-960-725-342-52994-thmb.jpg" border=1 width=50 height=50 align=left>

Vote for Yolko at Petster.com for the $1000 Petster of the month give away!

complete COSTUME ENHANCER

2006-07-02T13:23:00.000-07:00

complete COSTUME ENHANCER
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

Joel Cohen (The Sticker Dude) sent a pack of silliness created for the Dada @ the MoMA week in NYC this month. He asked for photos of me using the Costume Enhancer kit so I took a few. Here's one.

gecko by my door

2006-07-01T21:17:00.000-07:00

gecko by my door
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

Animals are some of my favorite people and I don't think I've mentioned that enough. My roommates consist of a dog, 3 cats, 2 parrots and a chicken. Also in the house are my son (mostly human, 18 years old) and his snake Amy, a ball python. This gecko hangs out around the front door at night when I leave the porch light on to draw the insect snacks. It's one of several. There's one bigger, but it's even more timid. They're really transparent, as you can see. I think you can even see its little brain!

yolko and me

2006-06-24T07:03:00.000-07:00

yolko and me
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

Oddly enough, this crazy chicken (yes, I named her Yolko) is a source of entertaining silliness (as well as quite a bit of poop). She was a chick when I got her on Mother's Day last month...now she's looking much more grown up. My parrot, Zulu, doesn't know quite what to make of her. She seems to think he looks pretty interesting. She's not shy. She's tried to jump on the dog, Zoe, for a ride many times. Freaks the dog out.

Mop & Drake in front of the Mail Art wall

2006-06-13T10:50:00.000-07:00

Mop & Drake in front of the Mail Art wall
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

If you look right over Drake's right shoulder you can see Rudi Rubberoid, but most prominent are the add & pass sheets I sent out featuring me and my parents. I got a lot of 'em back. Mail Artists are wonderful.

from rudi rubberoid

2006-05-23T07:36:00.000-07:00

from rudi rubberoid
Originally uploaded by jim leftwich.

Jim Leftwich posted this online yesterday. Cool, huh?

fb 20006609 (back)

2006-04-04T11:17:00.000-07:00

fb 20006609 (back)
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

Here's the back of that Buck. It's a classic.

Neosho Fluxus Buck 20006600

2006-04-01T22:26:00.000-08:00

Neosho Fluxus Buck 20006600
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

This buck was something extra special, just the artist known as Neosho doing her thing. I've got to get the back of it on here so the drawings of traffic can be appreciated.

Fluxus Buck B20006915 Front

2006-04-01T03:14:00.000-08:00

Fluxus Buck B20006915 Front
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

You've just got to love this tape transfer on a buck of buZ...

TX fluxus buck

2006-03-23T23:20:00.000-08:00

TX fluxus buck
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

A swell deluge of mail continues to flow this way....here's a little buck that was part of it.

fluxus bucks on view

2006-03-14T00:45:00.000-08:00

000_0042
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

here's a link to a "set" on flickr I'm building with Fluxus Bucks and mail art...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliej/sets/72057594080637935/

outgoing mail

2006-03-14T00:31:00.000-08:00

007_7
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

Here are a few things I sent out last week. They're all recycled in one way or another. The top one (to The Sticker Dude) was an order envelope from the days I had a rubber stamp company. The middle one (to Opal Moiety)was originally from Thru Your Eyes Mail Art. The last envelope (to Robbie Coulton) was a page in a magazine we weren't able to sell at work--most of the magazine was water damaged.

whew! I think I've actually made it back!

2006-03-12T23:36:00.000-08:00

Computer glitches and unresolved problems with images have me discouraged, but the good news is that the mail keeps rolling in. As much as I enjoy the computer miracles, nothing compares with opening my mailbox and reaching in for art from all over the planet. er, and that big ol' red wasp that was in there Saturday thinking about making it home....yikes!!! I left the door hanging open all weekend in the hopes that it would look too bright in there to be attractive to a wasp. Since most of my mail art shows up in my rented box over at the post office, my mail art isn't actually at risk.

More soon! I'm glad to be back.

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! etc.

2005-12-25T20:19:00.000-08:00

It's been a while, I know, but the mail art keeps rolling in. I'm not keeping up with that, either... But I'll do what I can. I think it's a shame that most of my mail art is only seen by me. I get terrific stuff. More to see here soon.

clemente padin fluxus buck postcard (A.1)

2005-09-18T11:24:00.000-07:00

clemente padin fluxus buck postcard (A.1)
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

One of the many bucks that arrive as a postcard.

page 3 of the bucks bound together

2005-09-18T11:08:00.000-07:00

page 3 of the bucks bound together
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

This is the last page of the little book made by ??? I've been scouring the documentation and can't remember who sent this...if you recognize it, let me know!

fluxus buck 2004 (2)

2005-09-16T22:58:00.000-07:00

fluxus buck 2004 (2)
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

Rudi Rubberoid stamps his blimp on a buck!

fluxus buck 2003

2005-09-16T11:43:00.000-07:00

fluxus buck 2003
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

one more buck for today--I finally got a digital camera! Hurray! Maybe birthdays aren't so bad...

fluxus buck book

2005-09-16T11:33:00.000-07:00

fluxus buck book
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

about time a fluxus buck got posted--the first of many (I hope)

Documentation = dog eating vomit?

2005-04-23T23:59:00.000-07:00

On one of the online lists about mail art, I asked if there would be documentation of an old friend who doesn't seem real clear on some of the mail art concepts of exchange and one of the old timers--who actually knew Ray Johnson--GASP!--made the comment that documentation is like a dog eating its own vomit...

Since I think the documentation, as much as it's a pain in the ass, does a lot to expand the network and keep it alive. Some people think the network is dead or dying. maybe that's because they don't do documentation?

Or something. Comments?

ex posto's mail art going out

2005-04-11T02:02:00.000-07:00

ex posto's mail art going out
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

here are a few that went out one day last week

mail art 4/05

2005-04-11T01:57:00.000-07:00

mail art 4/05
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

The mail comes in,
the mail goes out,
the mail plays piggy wig
on your snout...

All of what was in my mailbox on a day last week. Nice haul, eh?

0930506-R1-020-8A

2005-03-27T00:56:00.000-08:00

0930506-R1-020-8A
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

I'm going to see what I can do to get some mail art showing up on my blog. This is mail from Thursday I think. Or Friday...it was good stuff to get. I guess I need to show off the goodies inside the not-postcard-type mail.

aw crap--

2005-03-22T23:57:00.000-08:00

I just remembered my new plan for photographing the mail I get each day--I started it yesterday...and forgot today. But it's not too late, is it? It's still today. I got some good mail, too. Rudi Rubberoid sent me a DVD or something with his letter and other ephemera...I'll have to check it out. Also got a postcard from Neosho and 2 local galleries--the one from Gray Matters looks really interesting. On the postcard it shows an altered book...with some found objects, etc...

Collaborative projects

2005-03-18T10:07:00.000-08:00

I know some people really hate add to and pass sheets, but I like them a lot. Sometimes they just become a jumble, but when they work it feels like a community of artists working together. Heck sometimes the jumbles feel that way to me, just because they keep getting mailed along until the zeerocks is grainy and the addresses faded. Kinda cool.

I also love the one Random Journal I got back when I sent out about 10 of 'em. I asked people to record a day in there and they did and it was amazing. Such a satisfying little book with stuff practically falling out of it...I think I'll have to send some more of those. So much to do!

Lookeee!!! Links!

2005-03-15T22:21:00.000-08:00

I've finally figured out how to do links. I'm feeling pretty darn proud of myself. Since I can't yet put examples of fabulous Mail Art on my own blog, you can check out the links to see some. Better than nothing!

grandma blog/mail art blog

2005-03-14T10:36:00.000-08:00

Clearly it's time for another blog for me. Drake is terrific and as his grandmother I'm totally interested in every little wrinkle in his tiny expressive face, but those reports and reflections do not belong in a mail art blog...I'll post Drake info somewhere else.

Meanwhile, I'm thrilled as ever with the mail that comes in. I'm sending out a whole bunch today and very little of it mentions Drake. No guarantee that will continue, but for now...

I'm going to send Ross Priddle 20 fluxus bucks for his Fluxus Canucks compilation project...sounds like a good one to me. Compilations are generally a whole lot of fun to get. I wonder why I've never attempted one of them myself? Probably because Fluxus Bucks and their unending documentation take enough time and attention--there's not a lot left over.

Drake and his J.Ma

2005-03-12T09:38:00.000-08:00

0628271-R1-014-5A
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

Born 3/11/05, Drake Malachite Paquette is the best thing to happen to this family maybe ever. Drake arrived yesterday at 3:48 a.m. He weighs 6 lbs. 12 oz. and is 21" long and is the cutest thing I have ever seen. Sweet natured and patient, he's got us all fascinated.

Eddddddddd Might Be Right....

2005-03-01T01:14:00.000-08:00

Postcards just aren't as fun as a fat envelope of surprises! Not that postcards SUCK exactly, but there's something completely magical about those wild envelopes with goodies inside. But I'd happily take a postcard or two over an empty mailbox anytime...

i wonder if anyone's ever gotten a grant to make mail art

2005-02-28T10:33:00.000-08:00

would that be WRONG? Mixing money and mail art that way?

I found a pretty big bundle of Fluxus Buck documentation that should have been mailed out in August or September 2004!! How shocking. I'm going to mail them out this week. Good grief.

I keep admitting my disorganizational skills in the hopes that accepting the problem I'll be able to solve it. So far, not even close. Deep sigh.

hot cold hot cold warm hot cold Fluxus Bucks!

2005-02-24T19:21:00.000-08:00

No matter the weather the bucks roll in. Neosho sent a number of 'em back as did Isao Yoshii. Jokie X. Wilson got some to me, too. I may have to figure out a new venue to show them off. Oh, yeah. If I decided to do that I'd have to start collecting them rather than sending them back out all the time.

fluxus bucks energize me!!!

2005-02-23T00:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I got mail from all over the place (France, San Francisco, Arkansas) and I just find it so thrilling to see a Buck with addresses from all over the world on the back! I may not get around much but my bucks do! Yay!

sunny day, everything's a-ok

2005-02-15T22:14:00.000-08:00

Today's mail brought lovely things from The Scribe (she comes up with some wonderful projects), Yooper Hill, Jassy Lupa, and Through-Your-Eyes-Mail-Art. I'm so lucky! Jassy worked over the add to & pass I sent her (one of the "A Snapshot from the Life of ex posto facto" series) and sent it back. It's so COOL! Very thoughtful. She even included a shot of herself as a wee one. This is only the second one I've gotten back, but if this is any indication I'm going to have a blast seeing these again!

overcast and grey--perfect for loafing and mail art

2005-02-11T11:01:00.001-08:00

I love having a day off when the weather doesn't call me outdoors--I get to play with all my paper stuff. Hopefully I'll get lots of stuff ready to mail because I'm feeling like I'm way behind, though in theory we can't really get behind, right? Mail Art means never having to say you're sorry and all that.

back at the mail art stuff...

2005-02-04T14:27:00.000-08:00

A little lapse, but my heart still belongs to mail art.

I got mail from Barb Nellis and CZ Lovecraft today. Nice stuff. I get the best mail in all of Garland, Texas--I'm sure of it.

Next I've got to get some more sent out. In the last few days I've sent to Rudi Rubberoid, Ed Giecek, and Neosho. Seems like there's another one, but I don't remember. Plenty more addressed and ready to go.

04choir

2005-02-01T18:20:00.000-08:00

04choir
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

This was taken last summer, but here is the 3'oclock Mail Art Choir as it existed that day. l. to r. Sue Watkins, Rick Garlington, Sheila Cunningham, Andy Hanson, me,Sylvia Moore

attempt at posting a fluxus buck

2005-01-28T11:07:00.000-08:00

fb05.BBdVGOqQWW
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

I guess stealing something I originated isn't punishable by death, right?

a little insomnia...

2005-01-22T01:53:00.000-08:00

A nice little stack of mail art ready to go--each waiting for a little note from me before I seal them and mail them away. I may just have to mail them without before the stack gets any bigger. But I love getting little notes! This documentation thing definitely has its pluses and minuses.

Insomnia, too.

fluxus bucks to Chicago?

2005-01-19T19:20:00.000-08:00

My mail art friend Neosho is giving a workshop and asked if some fluxus bucks would like to be there for it. Heck, yeah! I wonder how many and if she wants fresh ones or filled up ones? Guess I'll write and ask.

quickie

2005-01-16T23:21:00.000-08:00

busy day--lots of high highs: some good laughs with friends--and low lows: teenage angst and depression argued and discussed and worn out...

Mail art? Did somebody say mail art? No time for my escape! Sheesh.

it's ridiculous

2005-01-15T03:34:00.000-08:00

Hours on mail art and only one thing ready to go out tomorrow. Sigh. But closer on a few. Zeerocksed the latest documentation pages for the fluxus bucks, addressed the last few envelopes for the artists on those pages and then stuffed doc and bucks into them. Most are people I've come to enjoy a note from so have to include one from me to them so I'll get one back. Shuffling through the outgoing envelopes I see mostly stuff with an abundance of stickers. Sometimes it's all stamped. Other times I'm using envelopes I've received and not doing a whole lot to alter them. Sometimes I start with a blank and bland envelope and use rubber stamps or colored pencils or both or maybe markers. Sometimes watercolor can be fun and collage is always a big favorite. Am I suffering from a multiple personality disorder? I mean, shouldn't one adopt a style? Or something? Nevermind. I do this because I CAN be scattered and no one seems to mind.

I got a haircut today. I'm much cuter now.

summer returns to Texas...ugh...maybe I should go to Belgium

2005-01-09T21:30:00.000-08:00

I got the notice Geert sent (or should I say Sztuka Fabryka?) about the biggie festival in Belgium in April. Sounds like a whole lot of fun and like there will be some wonderful mail artists there. I think it might be a blast to go, but I'm a little anti-social when I least expect it. I COULD take a bank bag or two of Fluxus Bucks...hmmmm. I wonder how expensive it would be? Do they take fluxus bucks for food in Belgium??

knitting takes over

2005-01-08T10:47:00.000-08:00

New passion is usurping my limited time off--I've got to knit. Maybe i do have OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). It'a all I wanna do right now.

But I'm looking forward to my mail, as always. Just hard to guess when I might get around to answering it...

sleepy daze

2005-01-07T10:03:00.000-08:00

Up late means you make up for it later, I guess??? FER SHER!
I worked late last night being a server. Good money, the work not too strenuous. I'd enjoy more gigs like that...working for the severely rich is always pretty fascinating. A different world from mine and not one I'm interested in joining. Don't get me wrong--money is a blast to have!--but it seems to suck people into bizarre traps of appearance. The people I worked for last night are genuinely nice to people and great to work for, but their HUGE house is full of animal trophies. Rhino heads, stuffed hyenas, bears, wolves, goats, crocks, monkeys, big cats, tables with elephant feet for legs, a floor covered in ostrich skin...YIKES. But I'm in good shape to buy postage today!

lovely mail from lovely Laura B.

2005-01-06T00:15:00.000-08:00

Not a lot of mail, but good stuff! Laura sent artistamps and wrote her note on some more of her collage-y cool postcards. I'm going to work on getting some more Fluxus Buck documentation in shape to go out tomorrow.

New Year's Resolutions, anybody? Mine: More play. More laughter. More joy. More good smells. More organization. More empty space. More time to read, write, make art....

sleep? who needs sleep?

2005-01-05T04:44:00.000-08:00

I gotta read blogs! Document mail art! Listen to annoying paid TV Informertials about how to become rich Rich RICH! I am rich! I bet I have as many Fluxus Bucks as anybody and if I ever feel like I don't have enough I just make more. It works out pretty great. It's the documentation that can kill me.

Oh, yeah. I guess I do need sleep. Work tomorrow and Zac needs a ride to school--in just a few hours. A nap. Just a little snooze...

3'oclock Mail Art choir meets today

2005-01-02T13:25:00.000-08:00

I'm looking forward to seeing my friends (and their mail) today at the biggest Half Price Books in Dallas. We used to gather monthly, but it's pretty haphazard now. It's been happening for over 10 years! Members come and go, but the core remains the same.

In the mail art sense, I'm delighted that the holidaze are over so we can get on with life and regular mail delivery...

ZULU

2005-01-01T04:52:00.000-08:00

ZULU
Originally uploaded by ex posto facto.

Test! Checking out making photos appear...

Happy New Year 2005!

2005-01-01T03:07:00.000-08:00

I'm thinking about changes to make that might make getting out of bed in the morning more of a thrill...

One idea involves getting rid of some of my piles of clutter by recycling old mail art more...but I'm pretty sure not everyone would appreciate getting old mail art. Should I alter it? Reuse it in other ways--like collage or something? I'm just not the archiving type...so what do ya'll do with yours?

blah at the mailbox!

2004-12-30T12:20:00.000-08:00

But the holidays can do that...

I'm happy to be getting caught up! I have lots of stuff going out again today. I'm not sure it's all that interesting--mostly just documentation for the Fluxus Bucks I've received, but sometimes it's just time to take care of business, right?

Or maybe not.

What I really need to do is some housework. UCKY smells coming from the art room due to the cats deciding it's theirs. One cat box in there is apparently not enough...

tomorrow's my day off but I want to do mail art today!

2004-12-28T13:20:00.000-08:00

Oh, well.

Yesterday I got over 20 pieces of mail out the door! Yay! I love dumping lots of mail in the mailbox over at the post office. I love checking my PO box and finding a ton of great mail stuffed in there. Yesterday it wasn't too packed, but it was good stuff. David Alvey, who lives just a city away, showed up with a mail art man in a "sorry we damaged this in the mail" and a stamp that said something about having sent it to the NIXIE DEPT. I love that! What the heck is a nixie dept? Do we all need one?

christmas is over...YAY!

2004-12-26T13:48:00.000-08:00

I think I accidentally discovered how to get past the resistant screen that won't let me type in it--so I'm back!!! This came about by deciding to start a whole new blog and that still wouldn't allow me to make and entry.

I'm looking forward to the end of holiday madness at work--all the retail crazies on both sides of the counter have lost their charm. But that may be moot--I'm thinking I've got to search for my next job starting early next year.

Mail art drizzles in--I'm happy to see every odd envelope of it. What an amazing gift it is in my life. (A little holiday sentimentality comes creeping in there, sorry.) I do love my mail.

It's something I truly look forward to in 2005.

part time job, hello on the blog!

2004-12-22T00:32:00.000-08:00

Look! I'm back. No telling for how long, but I've got it working today!

Still loving the stuff that Michael Leigh is doing to show off his massive and delightful mail art collection. I'm also still searching for an inexpensive but wonderfully functional digital camera to be able to do the same. Or a scanner, but I think a camera would be the funnest toy. I thought I'd found a good one for only $60 but it didn't really do the things it said it was supposed to so I returned it. Anybody out there know of a great digital camera that costs next to nothing and is easy to use? (I don't ask for much, do I?)

Mail art has slowed down a little although I did get to hear from Neosho, John Held Jr, Dale Spiers, Picasso Gaglione, CZ Lovecraft and a few others recently. I think the holidays are slowing ME down so I'm not surprised it's happening to others.

Speaking of holidays, have a happy!

moans and groans aside, I'm fine...I just can't get the blog to work

2004-12-15T01:36:00.000-08:00

could it be that I can enter text again??? arrrgh! NO

2004-12-10T22:28:00.000-08:00

brrrrrrrrrrrrr

2004-11-30T20:08:00.000-08:00

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

2004-11-29T01:14:00.000-08:00

Don't give up on me...

2004-11-22T01:21:00.000-08:00

blogging problems: title ok, text not

2004-11-16T17:45:00.000-08:00

My son's a married dude and I can have my life back!

2004-11-15T18:02:00.000-08:00

sorry about the pause...

2004-11-08T22:52:00.000-08:00

boo!

2004-10-31T23:40:00.000-08:00

I had a few little goblins come by begging for treats tonight. Son Zac set up the strobe light and I lit the 3 jack o'lanterns so they'd know we had treats. Since we live on a cul de sac we don't get too many kids coming by, but I enjoy the ones who do. Very cute young ones this year. Spiderman x 2, a fairy princess, bumble bee, some kind of victim covered in blood, etc. I think there was even a ghost. I watched Halloween-ish movies--"Donnie Darko" and "Urban Legends"--both sorta scary and unusual...I really like "Donnie Darko."

I worked on getting some mail art together to go out tomorrow, but I didn't get very far. I need to sleep now, too, so I don't know what I'll be able to come up with before the post goes out.

you want details? I'll give you details!

2004-10-28T01:02:00.000-07:00

Since I last blogged about who the mail art was from I've heard from Fabio Sassi in Italy, John M. Bennett in Ohio, CZ Lovecraft in California, Dan Buck in South Dakota, ENERGYMAN Michael Lumb in England, Ross Priddle in Canada, Ed Giecek in Washinton (not DC), invitation to participate in a show in Romania & another postcard from Jokie X. Wilson in San Francisco. Oh, and one more from Rudi Rubberoid who said he knows he just mailed me stuff, but he's getting caught up so I get another piece of mail from him. I like it! I think that's everybody...isn't that lots? I'm impressed.
I'm starting to worry about buZ. He usually writes right back. Maybe he's travelling? I found some keys to mail him! I think I'll either need to get a little box for them or mail one per letter for a while. Although he's mentioned that he's had keys go missing in the mail when they've been sent loose in an envelope. Maybe tape it to a little card or something?

Lots of stuff has been coming in the mail!

2004-10-27T00:15:00.000-07:00

I love it! I've even been mailing lots of stuff. I'm on a black envelope kick--seems seasonally correct due to the Halloween thing comin' up.

Unfortunately, I cleaned my room up some and now I can't find my bank bag full of fluxus bucks! Yikes! Time to undo the tidying up, I think.

Oh, lookee, there's edDDheaD!

2004-10-24T01:08:00.000-07:00

Yup, this abundance of blogging Mail Artists is quite remarkable. I know blogging takes away from my mail art making time...but so far I'm not ready to give it up. I'm still trying to figure it out!
Once again a good mail art day--The Scribe knocked me out with another bright envelope and some great ideas for Halloween projects. She does good work. I also got an update from Rudi who sounds like he's managing to keep a pretty good attitude despite the hip breakage and surgery. What a guy! I also got a postcard from Jokie X. Wilson in SF, CA. And, hurray! a Neosho pack o' info and joy. And Julie Voyce sent some peanut dudes on fabric to use creatively and then send her a photo of the result. cool.

no incoming mail in two whole days!

2004-10-22T12:39:00.000-07:00

Due to the lack of mail coming in, I 've had more time to get mail sent out. Oh, and I made another 100 fluxus bucks. Today I'm sending mail to Henk J. VanDoyen, Dale Speirs, VIC, Tamara Wyndham, Haddock, Yooper Hill, Eleson Grogan and Paul Tiilila. Black envelopes mostly, the others are recycled. I like reusing mail art rather than archiving, but I like making my own stuff, too, so I have lots of mail art hanging around. I wish I could figure out something cool to do with it. I like what's happening with A.1's stuff, but after the picture posting you still have to figure out what to do with the actual piece of mail...

I tried to start another blog, but ended up starting 2. Sigh. I'm such a blog dope. Now I have to find out if you can erase an accidental blog.

slow moving blog today...

2004-10-20T16:05:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting so long for this page where I can type to load that I forgot what I was going to say! Sheesh.

I mailed some stuff--3 things I think. I didn't remember to remember who they were to. Yesterday I got mail from Julie Voyce in Canada, Jokie X. Wilson in SF, CA, Ruud Janssen and Henk J Van Doyen in the Netherlands, and Paul Tiilila in Finland. I am so lucky! I'm sure I get the best mail in the state of Texas.

I tried to add a photo, but I don't think it worked. I'll have to check.

cough, cough, sniff

2004-10-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

I'd be happily dozing off if I didn't have a sick teenager in the house with me. Not good timing at all for both of us to get these colds at the same time. But we've done it. We're off to Wal-Mart in a few minutes for meds and juice.

Yesterday's mail brought in surprises from VIC in Louisiana, Leavenworth Jackson in Berkeley CA, Tamara Wyndham in NYC, and Eleson Grogan in Alabama. I'm mailing a few things, but right now I don't remember much of anything--i'm still coming off the NYQUIL...

At least I'll be able to stop at the post office and see if there's anything in the box!

licking elephants

2004-10-17T13:26:00.000-07:00

This sticker isn't sticking and it's supposed to after you lick it! Damn. Guess I'll drag out the glue stick. This yellowish elephant will look great on this purple envelope.

Tomorrow I'm mailing 40 wedding invitations--for my son's wedding next month. I'm so glad they're finally ready to go out! Whew! I also need to go make some Fluxus Buck documentation copies so I can send that out as well, but I'm not sure I'll get to that. Maybe. I'm kind of enjoying being in bed (I'm still sick, but not very--thank you for your kind wishes, Michael).

NO mail today (Sunday), but yesterday was good. I got mail from Dale Speirs in Canada, Pascal Lenoir and Jean-Marc Renault in France, and Linda Hedges in Wisconsin.

Gotta go suck a lozenge.

I called in sick...

2004-10-16T13:11:00.000-07:00

but I really just wanted to check out the blogs online...

Not true, exactly. I do have a sore throat and a cough, but I could have made it through another day at the bookstore. I just couldn't convince myself I needed to be there more than I needed to be here. (Especially on a busy busy Saturday with people packed into the small space of the bookstore.)

I signed up for HELLO and hope to have some images on my blog before long. ya'll are inspiring and helpful! Thanks. I keep looking at scanners and cameras but haven't found the bargain I need just yet.

I sent something to A.1 a couple of days ago and yesterday I mailed to Neosho. Today I have things going out to Ed Giecek, Isao Yoshii in Japan, Jose Roberto Sechi in Brazil, E. Sundermann in Austria, and Baudhuin Simon in Belgium. Yesterday's mail brought things from Ryosuke Cohen, The Sticker Dude (I did manage to get his perfed stuff into the mail!), Neosholio, and Haddock. The day before I got mail from 2 people new to me: Yooper Hill in Florida and Terry Tilford in California.

much to learn

2004-10-14T11:20:00.000-07:00

Michael has put up a new blog with lots of mail art from his archives. I can't figure out how to get one image and he's got zillions! How'd you do that, Michael? It's a lovely blog and I'd like to link to it, but I haven't figured that out either...sheesh.

Mail yesterday saved me from my crabby mood--two nice pieces with letters from Neosho--also a fluxus buck she addressed, put a stamp on and mailed naked. Cool. CZ Lovecraft in California sent a nice fat envelope of great stuff--but the envelope is always the best part from CZ. I also heard from Rudi Rubberoid in Washington state. He seems perky for a guy who isn't getting around very well. I also got postcards from Picasso Gaglione(Chicago) and Bruno Capatti (Italy).

finally! the mail came!

2004-10-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was another good mail day with mail from The Scribe in New Jersey, joao alberto LUPIN in Brazil and David Lawrence Stafford in Australia. Inspiring variety abounds in this Eternal Network!

Going out today from me is mail to Clemente Padin in Uruguay, Tim O'Neal in Oklahoma, Jim Hayes in Georgia and Pedro Pescador in Arizona. If I can get it packed up I'll also mail some things I've perfed for the Sticker Dude.

Busy day. I really don't have time for work...but I guess I'll probably go.

up and at 'em!

2004-10-12T09:12:00.000-07:00

Lots to do today so I'm trying to be efficient (those who know me may laugh out loud now). Mail going out to Dan Buck (Fluxus Bucks for a Buck in South Dakota), Neosho in Chicago, IL and John M. Bennett in Ohio. Since yesterday was a postal holiday (grrrrr...) I'm excited to see what shows up in my mailbox.

I have to buy 500 black envelopes to save all kinds of money (i actually spend $4 more than I would if I only got the 200 I need, but I end up with 300 extras! If you can't follow my math, join the crowd). So I have to drive across town and pick them up and to do that I should be ready for work because everything seems to take longer than I think it will.

Yesterday I photocopied the latest finished pages of fluxus buck documentation (pages 77 & 78). I also made some copies of FB. I'm going to make 100 extra fancy fluxus bucks to help celebrate 10 years of fluxus bucks. November is the actual month that the anniversary falls in so I'm sort of planning ahead. (very unusual)

While at work I had enough time to make a few collage-y sheets to write letters on. Neosho got the two most finished ones. I use books and magazines that are in the recycle bin from the used stuff we buy from customers. I was totally jazzed about this process when I started it earlier this summer, but I'm already losing interest. NEXT!

Whew!

2004-10-10T23:35:00.000-07:00

I am so lucky! I have a friend with a husband who knows about cars!!! YAY! He managed to get my driver's door window up on my Honda--it's been down for nearly 2 weeks. It's not so bad except when it rains, which it's managed to do a lot. And rather than the $300 motor for the window (that still works) it's just a switch I need. It may be fairly expensive, too, but not anywhere near $300. You know what that means, right? More money for postage!

Tomorrow I'm sending mail out to CZ Lovecraft and buZ blurR--so far. I think I may manage to get a few more things ready to post before morning.

long day at work...

2004-10-09T21:38:00.000-07:00

but I got a chance to look at the mail art I picked up on the way! I got a big bright envelope from The Scribe in New Jersey, a spiral monograph (?) on an envelope from Trisha Burr in Georgia, a postcard of watercolor paper w/bright colors, Gene Ray George in Denver, CO and Pinky in Genova Italy. Good mail day. Fluxus Bucks in the Scribe's, Pinky's and Tricia's.

Tomorrow is Sunday--no mail. I'm always a little bummed about that.

wishing for a scanner or digital camera...

2004-10-09T00:21:00.000-07:00

When I visit blogs of other mail artists I really enjoy seeing the stuff they've sent or received. I also like reading what they have to say about the whole process a lot, too. But man, oh, man do I ever LOVE when they've got both. I wanna have both. It's time to figure this stuff out...

In my mailbox today? A nice stuffed envelope from Ed Giecek in WA, a postcard from T. Torkildson in MN (a new contact for me) and a short note and Fluxus Buck from a mail artist I haven't heard from in a long time, Melon-Knee in AL.

mail art IN today--

2004-10-07T22:43:00.000-07:00

A postcarded buck from JK Post in Utica, NY. Nicely arranged. It asks the question "Are you a mail art myth?" I think the answer is, "Not yet!"

I mailed to Neosho and somebody else...(I have a lousy memory--I guess I ought to log in and make a note of what's going out of here while I still have the mail around to look at).

I'm a little distracted because I'm supposed to be creating invitations for my son Sam's wedding to Amanda that is scheduled for November 13!! We should have mailed already, but NOOOooooo--I can't squeeze the info out of the busy lovebirds. Sheesh. I may be scribbling something out in crayon and mailing it in postcard form...yikes.

I'm digging the COMMENTS. Yeah, I can see how this blogging thing gets addictive. Great to see old friends!

Friendship without a face-to-face meeting--real or not?

2004-10-05T23:55:00.000-07:00

Real.

Today I got a lovely letterbook from Neosho in Chicago. It's such a lift for me to hear from her. What a cool human! I like her art, humor, writing, attitudes, ideas, etc. I'd love to have her for a neighbor, but it's great to have her where she is, too--in my mailbox!

It was a little slow at work today so I got to tear up a 1889 edition of Charles Dickens' Our Mutual Friend. It was once a beautiful little book with leather binding, illustrations, marbled end papers--but it was falling apart! The cover was already off and the pages were mostly there, but the powers that be at the store had determined that it would be tossed. So rather than just trash it, I got to salvage some good collage stuff --which is one of the biggest blessings of this used bookstore job. It seemed like a sin or something to rip it up, but it would have been worse to see it go in the dumpster and disappear...

Now if I can figure out something terrific enough for it to be a part of...

mail art in Texas

2004-10-05T10:42:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned to many mail art friends that Garland, TX feels like an art wasteland so I'm very dependent on the mail art museum that is my mailbox for a feeling of connected-ness to artistic energy. It's incredible that it's a global family! Yesterday's mail brought me greetings and art from Uruguay (thanks Clemente!) and Brazil (thanks Jose--I can't make an accent, sorry). I'm mailing to Japan, Texas, Florida, Utah and Hawaii today--and who knows what might be waiting once I get to the post office! (Anticipation is a lovely part of the whole mail art thing for me.) Tuesdays are generally my slowest mail days, but it's hard to guess what might show up.

A.1's Michael was telling me that his mail service has really slipped because sometimes he doesn't get mail til noon--my mail at the house doesn't show up until 4 or 5 p.m.--pretty lousy, huh? At the P.O. I can count on it being there by 10:30 a.m. which is earlier than I usually get there. Heck, it's earlier than I usually roll out of bed...

I'm not too sure about this...

2004-10-03T01:15:00.000-07:00

I'm here because I enjoy the blogs of others and because ol' mail art friend Michael Leigh encouraged me to quit lurking and give blogging a try in the snail mail art I got from him today (well, yesterday, actually--since it's after midnight).

I love journaling and have done some version of it since 1967 (yes, I'm old...). Since I'm a paper freak and fan of anything that makes a mark, I'm not sure I'll enjoy this pen and paper-free method of journaling. What if I start small and go bigger? I think so. So that's it for entry #1.