switching to linux, part one

part one - the downside

I started using Linux as my primary operating system about two months ago, installing Ubuntu in a dual boot configuration with Windows XP. I had actually set that up several months before when I was still toying with the idea of switching, wanting first to test the waters a bit. There came a time, though, when I decided to make the switch. I had started booting into Linux during the day while my wife was at work, and I honestly felt much more creative and much more productive during that time. Part of this was probably the novelty of it. A totally free operating system with open software and plenty of things to configure (actually, everything to configure). But mostly, it was the freedom of it, I think.

I'll start with the three things I still "need" Windows for (and these glitches apply mainly to my own present setup and could be overcome if I didn't already have Windows installed), in other words, the downside:

1) Scanning - my present scanner has no driver for Linux, so until I'm ready to purchase a new scanner, I'll keep Windows around for that. Incidentally, a little bit of online research will reveal plenty of choices of scanners that work fine under Linux.

2) Recording in Audacity - actually Audacity is working fine, it's just that my microphone, when plugged in, refuses to mute, so I get feedback from the speakers . . . and the only time I need the microphone is when recording in Audacity, so I just reboot into Windows for the time being. This is a problem with a definite solution . . . that I have yet to find. Grrr.

3) Gaming - Linux would play these games just fine if they were only written for linux. Grrr. There are several big 3d games available for linux, of course, but I've got a handful of Windows games already installed that I may still want to play (not that I've wanted to play them since switching, I'm just not ready to part with them yet).

Linux on the desktop is not for everyone, I'll be the first to admit. But it is definitely on par with Windows and Mac machines on most fronts [managing even to outpace Windows and Mac on many other fronts]. This is the only other downside I can think of: it isn't for everyone. If you are not a geek at heart and don't have a geek-on-call to "tend" to your Linux box from time to time, you might want to stick with another operating system. For the most part, Linux doesn't do hand-holding. [On this point, I should stress "For the most part," because there are several Linux distributions that do focus on the new Linux user] Oh, I just thought of another minor downside, and that is the negative press it seems to often get in the media (if it gets any press at all).

That's it. That's all the downsides I can think of. If you have used Linux or have an opinion or a question about Linux, go ahead and leave a comment. Maybe you can help me remember another downside? More to come -

a marathon, not a sprint

Some paintings are sprints, some are marathons. I've been facing this issue head-on for the past few months now. In the past, the majority of my paintings have been landscapes, with pet portraits coming in at the number two spot. And these type paintings, combined with my painting style -- throwing down paint, haphazardly, and then changing it until it's finished -- usually make for a quick and satisfactory painting process. A sprint. Not much room for second guessing, complaining, complicated emotions, or feelings of utter despair and resentment. You know: quick and clean. That's a sprint.

But commissioned portraits, that's another story for me. Here you have a person asking for a faithful, albeit artful, reproduction of [usually] a loved one -- a son or daughter, a husband or wife -- someone important to the person. That's a lot to consider when addressing the canvas [does one address a canvas?]. These commissioned portraits -- as opposed to portraits I've painted just for the fun and practice of it, which are themselves usually sprints -- more often than not become long drawn-out affairs. What's worse: many times I find myself three-fourths of the way into the painting process staring at a stiff, lifeless figure with a stilted smile and eyes too stern to be looked upon with affection. Disaster. That's about the time I put the painting away for a weekend and work on something else. I tell myself it's a marathon painting. I've seen this before, and I'll see it again. A marathon, not a sprint.

I know I'm not a portrait painter, and that's part of it. I have not devoted all my time to perfecting the human form on canvas; the nuanced facial features and lifelike realism achieved by such artists can be a stunning thing indeed. I'm no slouch, of course: I can and do eventually get to a point of satisfaction in a commissioned portrait -- and some don't actually stretch that far into the realm of marathon. Those that do, however, give me pause; make me take a step back and readjust my perception of the thing. This is a marathon, now. Not a sprint. I guess that's just the way things are [is it just me? I don't know] at any rate, I've learned not to see this as a lack of motivation or creativity on my part [which I have, wrongly, thought in the past] but as a perception issue. Could it be that there is a link between perception and motivation? Could be . . .

Anyway, that's what has been on my mind lately. Do you have anything to add? If so, leave a comment [comments can be quite motivating for me].

cereal-mixing

File this one under "and the wife just shakes her head . . . again."

One of my favorite things to eat is cereal. It's a natural breakfast food; it works great as a snack [in milk or even dry]; and if I'm fortunate enough to have extra space in my stomach by the end of the day, it's a great midnight snack. My favorite cereals are generally low in sugar - as a kid I'd douse my Cornflakes with sugar but now I find that Cornflakes and other cereals are actually sweet enough on their own.

For some reason, several years ago, I started mixing my cereal. It all started with Raisin Bran: not liking the overabundance of raisins, I mixed my own Bran Flakes with my own raisins and Voila! But since then it's escalated. My wife laughs when she sees me making multiple trips from the pantry to the counter top to the fridge, carrying armloads of cereal boxes, raisins, peanuts, milk, oats, etc. This morning for instance, it took me three trips to gather all my ingredients [three more return trips after their use].

Ingredient list:
Honey Nut Cheerios
Bran Flakes
Corn Flakes
Nutty Nuggets [Grape Nut's off-brand]
unsalted peanuts
raisins
milk
[and a black coffee chaser]

You may be wondering [as does the wife] "Why mix your cereals?" To that I can only respond, "Because I can. [crunch, crunch, crunch]"

By the way, I usually end up premixing my cereal, storing it in large [empty] pickle jars for easy, one-trip goodness. If you have a favorite cereal or a golden combination of cereals, leave a comment and let us know about it!

GTD update

This year I started organizing my life a little more (motivated by David Allen's "Getting Things Done" system), and I thought I'd post a quick update for anyone interested. I am still on track with it all - even though the geek-fueled, initial motivation has faded away, I am left with a daily system that consistantly satisfies the geek within. Perhaps this sytem wouldn't work with everyone, but surely many aspects of it are compatible with every personality type. The best part about it that I've observed is that when I procrastinate (yes, it still happens frequently), instead of wasting mindless hours of [insert favorite time wasting activity here], I tend to switch to another task on my list . . . busy work, perhaps, but something that needed to get done anyway (that's why I put it on the list, afterall).

Go figure: if throughout the day I find myself doing a lot of housework it's usually (ironically) because I'm being a slacker.

french quarter #2

French Quarter #2, acrylic, 12x12", $100

first dance

First Dance, acrylic 36x24", $400

cat-kat

Cat-Kat, acrylic 30x24", $350

under new management

It's January and I've been reorganizing the world around me. I've been easing into David Allen's GTD system of daily organization and I'm feeling empowered by it and all that, but the real test will be whether I'm still on the system a couple of months from now. We'll see. Meanwhile, I'm under new management - expect to see more regular updates here.

I've been focusing recently on figure paintings. Here are three that I recently dropped off at the Louisiana Furniture Gallery in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, where many of my paintings are sold.

More later. Here's a link to David Allen's website . . . davidco.com

Feeding the Gulls

(original photo left) Feeding the Gulls, acrylic, 18x24", $300

Merry Christmas!

Mason, acrylic, 14.5x11.5", not for sale

This is our four-month-old, Mason Douglas. He's the best baby in the world. I painted this for my wife for Christmas.

Garrison's Meet the Artist

Garrison's is a great little internet cafe with a wonderful atmosphere and wonderful people. Quite a number of people turned out to see the artwork and smile and shake my hand; and despite my introverted tendencies I could not help enjoying myself a little. [the compliments I received certainly helped]

I met many nice people [whose names escape me, now], and I sold a large painting [which is good great]. Also I was very impressed with the live music: Lilli Lewis; a one woman singer/songwriter/pianist whose artistry certainly surpasses my own [seriously, she has amazing musical/vocal talent and seemed like a good, sincere person to get to know in the short conversation we had].

meet the artist

On short notice, I will be appearing at Garrison's Cafe in Hammond, LA for an informal "meet the artist" from 5pm to 7pm next Thursday [Sept. 21st]. Several of my large paintings are hanging at Garrison's, and I will be bringing some new paintings for the evening. There have been some interest in my paintings there, so I'm hoping I will be meeting with some interested patrons. I'm excited/nervous - wish me luck!

"Everything in life is designed to wound me with the realization of the world's insufficiency, until I become so detached that I will be able to find God alone in everything. Only then can all things bring me joy."
--Thomas Merton

strange forecast

Strange Forecast, acrylic, 30x24", $400

strata #2

Strata #2, acrylic and china marker, 24x24", $300

dancing clover

Dancing Clover, acrylic, 28x24", $300

This painting went very quickly.

identity

Identity, acrylic, 24x24", $300

strata #1

Strata #1, acrylic, 24x24", $300

four acre spread

Four Acre Spread, acrylic, 24x24", $250

garbage in, gospel out

I've been experimenting recently with some nonobjective abstract painting, an area of painting I've shied away from until now [it's hard to get it right and if you do, you're left with something of questionable interest to others - to this I reason: if it interests me, it's bound to interest someone else out there]. Palpable texture and interesting shapes along with dark, inquisitive line [or at least the potential for these things] are what interest me most about abstract painting.

As for the title, it is a play on the phrase "Garbage in, garbage out" - this from wikipedia: "This phrase is a sardonic comment on the human tendency to accept the results from computer systems with unquestioning faith. An example of this blind-faith GIGO mentality is to believe that your work, stored in a computer, will be there whenever you need it even though you never perform data backup or virus scan."

Garbage in, Gospel out, acrylic and china marker, 34x30", $600