Living on the street

For the past three years I have lived in a live/work space that has really been nothing but a drain on my energy, time and resources. We had a few high points, such as Momo's series of performance salons, but basically it's been a wash-out. The level of noise and activity has made me even more insane than before I moved in.

As I write this, someone upstairs is using power tools to grind away at something or other. I don't know what's going on up there, but I assume it's another of the endless construction projects that are always in progress. It seems that each month, someone new moves into a space somewhere in the building, requiring walls to be knocked down and new ones built up.

There's also a growing metropolis of telecommunications equipment right outside my window. T-Mobile has built a mobile phone tower on the roof, and every couple of weeks a new crew of workmen camp outside my window to install more gear.

At least twice each day, I'm jolted out of sleep or relaxation by a horrifying noise that Shaz calls the "lion shredder." We don't know what it is, but we think it might be a rolling metal door or some kind of industrial bulkhead that gets opened and closed every day.

A kids' playground has moved into the space next door. Luckily I don't hear the kids shrieking that much, but I do hear the telephone in the office next door. It wakes me up every morning.

Every morning and every night I have to listen to one of my housemates slamming doors, yakking and cackling up a storm. It's making me go absolutely mental. Plus, every time I want to use the toilet, shower, or kitchen, I have to check in advance to see if there's someone already there. If I want to make sure I'm not late for work, I have to reserve the shower the night before by leaving a note on the door. I come from a small family and am not at all accustomed to queueing up in my own damn home.

As if that weren't enough, some of the aforementioned housemates are complete and utter slobs. You should see the interiors of their rooms; they look like those photos on the Internet that document obsessive hoarding behaviors. The common areas are a constant problem. Despite the fact that I've hired a cleaning service, Shaz and I still have to clean up after other people on a daily basis.

When I walk out my door, I'm confronted with 18-wheel semi trucks lined up down the street, all idling their engines and spewing out diesel exhaust. They're here to pick up shipments of beer from the brewery next door.

The neighborhood itself is just way, way too busy for me. There's a steady stream of traffic, both cars and trucks, all day. The infrastructure is under constant flux. The department of water has been jackhammering the street outside my window, as well.

A home is supposed to be a refuge from the insanity of the city, but this place is very far from a refuge. Really, over the past three years I feel like I've been living on the street. The hustle and bustle never stops, the noise and hassle goes on all day. I mean seriously, it starts at around 7:30 am and goes until about 11:30 pm, every day and every night. It's actually WORSE on weekends when every housemate (and their guests) is competing for the same limited domestic resources.

So, the bottom line is, I hate it here and am going to move. Shaz and I are looking for an apartment together. If you know anyone who has a two-bedroom apartment available in San Francisco's Mission, Noe Valley, or Bernal Heights, perhaps you could hook us up?

Xmas party Dec 7

Ho, ho, ho! It's time for a Xmas party! Here's the invite from Shaz....

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It's that time of the year again!

......Time for Xmas cheer in the form of Brandy, Beer, and most importantly, for all forms of Booze-aholics to unite!
So, join us at Encounter Studio for a Xmas party to celebrate the festive season.

Date: Friday December 7th

Time: 7-11pm

Bring: Your favorite Xmas liquid cheer and food for a pot-luck dinner.

Location: Encounter Studio, Potrero Hill. (Email me if you don't know the address)

We will meet up with old friends, watch classic Xmas animation, and enjoy background Xmas songs guaranteed to make you drink even more.

Come see the fairyland-lit up space, decked out with Xmas tree, flying reindeer, strategically placed mistletoe, and assorted sparkly festive crap.

$5 donation suggested to help pay for the new Xmas stove - 'Stella'. Stella's cooked wares of Xmas scones and Xmas pudding will be worth the donation alone!

See you next Friday night...

'Twas 18 days before Christmas, when all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, 'cos the 3 Encounter Studio cats ate the mouse.

Go Ginger!
Go Vermina!
Go Sasha Bella!

Movie night and BBQ Sept 1: "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"

Movie Night: "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
and
Third Annual "Not Necessarily An Anti-Burning Man Party"


You are invited to enjoy a bad movie and good food this Saturday.
If you are in the city over Labor Day weekend, join us for fun and film!

Saturday, September 1, 2007
6pm – 11pm
Movie starts at 8pm
Location: Encounter Studio, Potrero Hill, San Francisco.
(Send a message to Dr. Yo for location details)

BYO whatever... we start the grill at 6:30

Please note: the Bay Bridge will be closed all weekend, but we would be happy to give you a ride from BART if you make arrangements with us in advance!

Yes, it's that time of the year again. The cafes are empty. Parking is plentiful. Most of the "cool people" are at Burning Man. So what shall we do to pass the time? Eat yummy barbeque, drink booze, and watch a hilariously bad movie on the big screen!



"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
1978, 113 minutes
Director: Michael Schultz
Writer: Henry Edwards
Musical Director: George Martin
Starring: Peter Frampton and The Bee Gees

Dr. Yo says:

This is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. It was meant to be campy fun, but unfortunately for those involved in the film, it turned out even more preposterous than intended. Watch and listen in rapt, amazed horror and delight as Peter Frampton and the Brothers Gibb butcher the best and worst of the Beatles' back catalog. George Martin must certainly have earned his place in hell for participating in this atrocity. His loss is our gain, as we now have the opportunity to laugh our heads off at schlocky disco interpretations of such songs as "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "I Want You (She's So Heavy)." The mind reels when contemplating the implications of "Strawberry Fields Forever" twisted into a 70's easy listening version, complete with sappy girly vocals courtesy of the utterly talentless Sandy Farina.

But wait, there's more! Not a single member of the cast is given the opportunity to leverage their talents to best advantage. George Burns and Steve Martin try to sing. Alice Cooper appears as a psychedelic cult leader. The members of Aerosmith don boy scout apparel and do their best to look menacing. And let's not forget the "story" -- clearly it's a half-assed attempt to force the lyrics of unrelated Beatles songs into a narrative framework. I won't spoil it for you, but imagine "Carry That Weight" re-envisioned as a funeral march.

All told, this movie stands out as one of the worst films ever made. A recent home screening kept me entertained for two solid hours, laughing with glee. Feel free to heckle the film, that's how it's best enjoyed.

movie night July 13: "Atanarjuat"

Hello everyone,

It's time for another little private movie night at Encounter Studio, our artist live/work space. If you'd like to join us for "Atanarjuat" this Friday, please send me a message. Hope to see you then!

--Aaron

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Friday, July 13, 2007
Doors open at 7:00, movie starts at 7:30 pm

Bring your own whatever. Kid-friendly environment, but this film isn't for kids, and it's subtitled. Please don't bring pets.


"Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner"
2001, Canada, color, 172 minutes
Director: Zacharias Kunuk
Screenplay: Paul Apak Angilirq et. al.
Inuktitut language with English subtitles


Dr. Yo says:

Don't be scared off by the nearly three-hour "running" time... or the subtitles. "Atanarjuat" is not to be missed under any circumstances. It's a one-of-a-kind film, made by native people living above the Arctic circle in Canada. Based on an Inuit legend, it has everything: black magic, intrigue, jealousy, adultery, murder, igloos, and, of course, a naked guy running across the tundra. It doesn't get any more mind-blowing than this, my friends. The realistic depictions of life in an insane climate, and the delightful performances by non-actors, remind me of "Himalaya." "Atanarjuat" is every bit as beautiful, and its storyline more compelling, so it's no surprise that it won the Golden Camera at Cannes as well as numerous awards at international festivals.

4th of July BBQ at Encounter Studio

Happy Independence Day!

Dr. Yo and Shaz are hosting a Fourth of July barbeque at Encounter Studio. We hope you will come by to celebrate the birth of a nation, or at least watch stuff blow up. We have a grill, a big space to hang out, and we'll have a few small pyrotechnics to play with. Walk about a block up the hill at 9:30 for a view of the fireworks displays on the bay. But above all, have a beer and a good time. We'll start up the grill about 7:00. Hope to see you then!

Aaron

incredible Humboldt experience

Shaz and I just got back from a week in Humboldt and Mendocino counties, and we loved it! The redwoods and the coast were amazing. We took lots of photos and video, so look forward to a new vacation video soon! We've got footage from Monterey, Hawaii, and Humboldt now, so it should make another fine half hour piece. Sorry, no Parisian soccer fans going mad this time.

I love this girl.

The best part of my day is when she comes home to me.

movie night June 15: "The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes"

Hello everyone,

One of the advantages of living in an artist live/work is that we can watch movies on a big screen with a digital projector. So I'm going to have a little private get-together this Friday in the Encounter Studio space, and we're watching the movie "The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes." If you'd like to join us, just drop me a line. Hope to see you then!

--Aaron

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Friday June 15, 2007
Doors open at 8:00, movie starts at 8:30 pm

Bring your own whatever. Kid-friendly environment, but this film isn't really for kids. Please don't bring pets.


"The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes"
2005, color, 99 minutes
Direction and animation: Stephen Quay, Timothy Quay
Screenplay: Stephen Quay, Timothy Quay, Alan Passes
Executive Producer: Terry Gilliam

Dr. Yo says:

The Brothers Quay are internationally recognized artists who have made astonishing forays into the unconscious with their short surrealist stop-motion films. Like their artistic predecessor, Jan Švankmajer, the Quays have extended their work into the full length feature format. However, unlike Švankmajer, the Quays' features have fully retained the surreal qualities of their shorter works. Their blending of live action and animation is hypnotic and seamless, unquestionably the product of artists who have demonstrated mastery of the media.

"The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes" cloaks a convoluted experimental narrative in a shroud of decayed satin and lace, all the more beautiful for its tattered decomposition. The film is an enigma without a solution, a poetic opera open to interpretation rather than a conventional cinematic narrative. To paraphrase one of the characters in the film, it's like being inside someone else's imagination. Because the story does not have a neat and tidy resolution, but allows the viewer to engage in the creation of meaning, American audiences tend to be confused. This resulted in a mixed critical reception when the film was released. Viewers who wish merely to be spoon-fed their daily dose of escapist entertainment will be frustrated by this film. It needs to be taken on its own terms, free from the narrow expectations imposed by a lifetime of conditioning to passive consumption. On the other hand, those who delight in explorations of the mind and the senses will find the film to be a work of genius worthy of repeated viewings.

As with many great works of art, this film is essentially ahead of its time. Perhaps in the future, "The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes" will be recognized for the masterpiece that it is, just as "Metropolis" and "Citizen Kane" were belatedly celebrated long after their initial releases.



Official website (kinda broken):
www.thepianotunerofearthquakes.com/


Trailer:
www.zeitgeistfilms.com/displa...ler.php

barbeque this sunday

Hello Friends,

Since it's a three-day weekend, Shaz and I are hosting a barbeque at Encounter Studio! We'll be preparing some food on the grill, but please bring more. The same goes for drinks. We'll celebrate the good weather, hang out on the deck, and later we may heckle some movies on the big screen.

We hope you can join us for an evening of fun and relaxation. Tell your friends, but please don't repost to public lists.

Sunday, May 27
6 pm to 10 pm?
Encounter Studio
De Haro and 18th Street, SF

Cheers

Aaron

tribe is a waste of time

Someone give me one reason why I should stay on this site.

Over the past four years I've met a lot of people on tribe.net. The vast majority of those have been casual acquaintances that did not enhance my life, but merely distracted me from more important things, like true intimacy, career development, and artistic achievement.

This is not a criticism of anyone here, but merely an observation that I'm not really a "people person" after all. So don't get your knickers in a twist; it's my problem, not yours.

To its credit, tribe.net has allowed me to meet a handful of people I can really connect with. At the top of that list is, of course, the lovely Shaz, who has been more supportive and loving toward me than all other people I've ever known COMBINED.

Over the past year I've seen the performance of tribe.net plummet into the toilet. It's so bad now that I go to Slashdot and read the entire front page while tribe.net's home page is still loading. When I finally do get logged on to tribe, I am confronted with absurd personality conflicts, accusations, and insults. Oh, and invitations to join tribes like "Sexiest Smile." Thanks, but no thanks. If that's not a waste of time, I don't know what is.

So unless anyone has a truly compelling reason why I should stay, I think I'm going to pull the plug.