wiloka:

mrfuel:

yoko:

So.... maybe I wasn't as direct as I should have been?! Me, Josh, Erik (and Windy) were expecting Buzznet to judge the battle! But no one really "buzz" their favorite one (vote). Erik and Josh were kind of upset and thought that there was favoritism towards mine, because everyone kind of figured out who's was who's??? This kind of PISSED ME OFF, I then called them babies and told them to host the pictires on their own sites, maybe get more people to look at the boards? But they declined! I was still mad! Josh was butthurt saying, "no one likes mine, dude" and, "so, what is the prize for winning??? We don't even get anything!!?"

I said, "You get RESPECT, bitch!!"

ahahah!

and THEN, Erik was all EMO because he wasn't happy with how his piece turned out. I was like, stop projecting on us!! If you aren't happy with your shit, you have no one to blame but yourself!

There was lots of DRAMA in the days proceeding the battle!! I think everyone was just overly sensitive. I said a lot of mean things........ which I don't really regret saying (HA HA HA), but I did feel bad (kinda).

At the party, everyone was too drunk or distracted to even pay attention to the boards....

Only ONE person acknowledged mine, but I was so touched!!! It was one of my best friends... he didn't even know it was mine-- he just pointed and said, "I like THAT one"

I jumped up and down (drunk) and said, "OMYGAWD! R U SERIOUS?! That is MINE!!! O MY GAWD!"

So, when thatmissgrace and markw, said they liked my board- I was STOKED!!!!

This is when I started feeling the backlash and freaking drama began with the others... I found myself having to defend myself by saying that people only liked it because they are a bunch of pervs and that they thought it was hentai...... I'm sorry, people... I did not mean to call you pervs, not in a bad way, at least..... NEWAYS! You can see my progress and how the blank deck same to be, here.

What took the others 3-days, took me 3-WEEKS.....

There were many contributing factors to the long process.... A look into how easily distracted I am:

As I googled "octopus", this sent me to WIKIPEDIA from there, I read about how octopus sometimes eat their own limbs... it is something called autophagy.

This then led me to cannibalism.

From there I read about Armin Meiwes. I then spent the next hour watching an Australian documentary about Armin on Youtube, called, "The Man Who Ate His Lover" ....

I was then heavily repulsed, but then continued reading about him....until I found, Issei Sagawa.

From there, I remember feeling very disturbed, but still curious... I then spent the next couple hours on CrimeLibrary.com

This was all because I was trying to find some pictures of octopus.... hahaha ah man..... I can't believe I did that... damned Wikipedia!!!!

NEWAYS, my Mom LOVED the boards and couldn't stop talking about them, so I guess that feels good :0)

I came across this last week

(I thought it was AMAZING!)

It reminded me of you- I forgot to share it with you.

I thought it might make you smile.

I'd like for you to smile, right now.

Love,

yoko

Zebra

From Murphy comes a series of links to a collection of photos of painted cardboard structures that the homeless lived in back in the 90's in the Shinjuku station. The site were we nicked them from has this description:

There was a commune, an independent nation even, of people who lived their lives on the street.

Hundreds of cardboard houses grew up in the underground passageways of the west exit. On each of these houses were paintings. Mysterious and magical, they threw vivid colors of resistance out into space, a kaleidoscope of derisive laughter against the state.

A group of painters painted them. Leading the group was Take Junichiro, who is also the person who made this website. Once during the painting process Take was arrested and forced to spend 22 days in jail. The painting continued even after his arrest, but finally came to an end when the underground kingdom was destroyed in a huge fire.

After the fire, the authorities started reconstruction on the tunnels so that the homeless could never occupy them again. They succeeded in kicking the homeless out of the west exit underground.

This website was made to call attention to the paintings on the cardboard houses, and bring back to life the kingdom within a city that once was there but has now become nothing more than a phantom.

The works included here are only a small portion of all the works that were painted.

We didn’t photograph the works ourselves. We felt that the moment of life didn’t leave room for recording.

The photographs here are the work of photographer Sakokawa Naoko and others who sympathized with what we were doing. They generously gave their permission to use them.

We give them our deep thanks.

This wasn’t art that bowed to the system, nor did it have the weakness of finding authenticity only in its marginalization. This is why the work that sustained the cardboard art is so important and valuable.

Take Junichiro
(訳:Justin Jesty)

Orignially Posted by marc @ http://www.woostercollective.com/2006/11/in_the_underground_beneath_the_enormous.html

http://cardboard-house-painting.jp/mt/archives/cat2/index.php?page=all

This morning I woke up, not in the best spirits --I've been working on my board and having a very difficult time with the paint markers and particular medium. It is much harder than I anticipated. Whereas, I am very happy with the concept, the overall exectution is poor and not my best work. I am not sure I can make peace with it in the next 48 hours. My trash talking was to motivate Josh to not slack off, but to do his best and for Erik to not "underestimate us", but DAMN! I am really EATIN' it now!!! This is definately NOT my best and now I may have to accept DEFEAT!!! GAH- I wish I hadn't joked around and talked so much. I wish my paint and materials worked out in my favor. I wish I had "practiced" more. I feel like the same as I do when I try to go to the gym after a long-ass period of not working out... I never go down in weight and I force myself to work out with the same intensity as I would, had I not stopped. Well- I am about to be SORE tomorrow!!

I saw these cardboard homes on http://www.woostercollective.com this morning and it touched me in a way I can't explain. The reason behind why they painted their homes... the spirit it captures... the message... the expression. It's all about the message- and having heart.

Please take the time to browse thru the link that was provided in the article, above. It is not in English, but just scroll down and look at the pictures.

I was really taken by this, this morning.

Enjoy, friends :0)

yoko

I will unlock that Gallery when this is all done, but YAH-- I can't believe it was that long ago....... NEWAYS, to refresh your memory, I called out Erik to a battle (before I found out how dope an artist he is), I guess, just to determine skill-level and to see who could come harder, and of course, so I could say, "YOU GOT SERVED!!!!" :0P
ahhaha I wish it was that easy------

Joshua has decided to join ;0) and just recently, very last minute it's confirmed that Windy (wiloka) wants in,

the deadline is Nov. 11th

Josh has finished weeks ago, but has been re-working his board every week that goes by. He said he has finally made peace with his board. Erik has also finished and complained of problems with the clear-coat /laquer on his board.

We are all working on blank-wooden skateboards, but Erik had a slightly different (smaller) one, because he purchased his first.

This is a picture of the tracing paper I am preparing to draw the sketch on, before I transfer it to the board. Sometimes, I think I should have drawn it directly on the board, as I always have problems transferring my concept drawings to the actual medium (sketches always turn out better than actual piece).

I've actually already drawn the sketch on the board and as I had feared-- it is distorted!! And my scale and perspective is all jacked up. O well.....

The hardest part was trying to design / plan my concept drawing around that STUPID LOGO, which I had to go over at least 20x with white paint marker.

I also bought the wrong paint markers, some of which would not adhere to wood like they claim to! I ended up scratching off that paint with a razor blade and totally botched the surface!!!!!

Bascailly, my main frustration is learning how to use these paint markers....... Josh and Erik lended me their pens, but they are DRY (I have to borrow, because stores are not open). So, I have complications with my pens, paint that won't stick to the board, an F*cked up surface.... things are not going as planned.... my original idea for this board, I could not do, because of the LOGO........
The paint markers not working out for me, basically made me feel INCOMPETENT, like I can't draw.............. I actually CRIED I was so frustrated!!

NEWAYS, YAH I am learning to slowly let go. I am such a perfectionist (ANAL), working on this has really taught me that sometimes things just do NOT go the way you initially plan them and you have to just make due and improvise (I think a better word is- compromise). It's been really hard for me, but I am just trying to go with the flow, otherwise, I won't get anything done.

I am having a difficult time trying to 1- Figure out what I am supposed to do, during my existance here on Earth and 2- Learn and realize what it feels like to be Human.

I have so many questions, but no one seems to have answers. Does this mean I must turn to a higher power?

Where do these answers exist? Am I asking questions that have no answers?

I want to know what my purpose is? What is the objective to be accomplished in life?

Am I merely here to survive?

Am I supposed to reproduce?

If the World is supposedly filled with people like me, why do I still feel alienated most times?

Am I too "sensitive?" I always thought it was just that people around me are not sensitive enough.

I feel like I live in a society that only gives a fuck about themselves...

It's hot as hell up here in the Valley.

Saw this just now, made me say, "Wow"

CAR DUST, PEOPLE!!!!

http://www.woostercollective.com/2006/07/amazing_car_dust_art.html

I wonder if it's the same guy

http://yoko.buzznet.com/user/photos/?id=56282&p=10

I don't really know what to say. Actually, I have a lot to say, but I am so sad.

And I don't know if it's too late to say it