The Two x Twos

The Two x Twos #8

Art thoughts, assignments for self, The Two x Twos

Previously on Assignment #7

Surprisingly, mainly to myself, I have really been on top getting through the various artistic works in the assignments. In the past, I struggled. It was so hard for me to find the time. With raising my kids, a day job, a night job, going back to college…you know, life…I would miss works. That was why I changed the Two x Two’s from weekly to bi-weekly. Yet with assignment #7 something changed. Shifted even. I am not tired anymore. I hunger. (Mother Wolf could this be you and your pack running through my life again?) Could art be like a salve during a chaotic time. Good art can move you, as the saying goes, but can it heal?

And now Assignment #8

Albums

  1. Aladdin Sane from David Bowie
  2. True (Avicii by Avicii) from Avicii

Cinema

  1. Aladdin (1992)
  2. Dinner For Schmucks (2010)

Literature

  1. Along For the Ride by Sarah Dessen
  2. The Columbian Orator by Caleb Bingham

Comic Books/Graphic Novels

  1. Astro City Vol. 04: Tarnished Angel
  2. Astro City Vol. 05: Local Heroes

Video Games

  1. Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash (3DS)
  2. Bomberman GB (Gameboy)
  3. Dr. Mario (Gameboy)

Update: My Bomberman GB cartridge is not working, so I am substituting it with Dr. Mario.

The Two x Twos Episode 7 (June 22nd, 2020)

Art thoughts, assignments for self, The Great Works Project assignments, The Two x Twos, thinking

PREVIOUSLY IN EPISODE 6

Episode 6 had a few surprises. Ocean Waves and All Systems Red were great. Something I was thinking about was time and connection. Like how events in our lives may be in different points in our lifespan but sometimes a connection occurs. In my head, I visualize this connection like a long ribbon of sunlight and at each end of the ribbon are the two connected moments. The ribbon spreads through time shifting and twisting so that I now feel as if these two moments are one moment, right now. Distance is an illusion. 

Watching Ocean Waves was one of these moments. 

As I watched it, and loved it, I started to think about when the film was made. It was produced and aired in Japan in 1993. Why didn’t I see this movie in 1993? I wouldn’t because it takes time to translate and travel overseas. So maybe I could have seen it in 1994 or 1995. Then it happens…two moments meet. I remembered that I first saw Metropolitan in 1994 one late evening on Channel 11 WTTW (Chicago PBS station). What I felt watching Ocean Waves were the same feelings I felt watching Metropolitan the first time. Wow.

THE TWO X TWOS EPISODE 7 (06/22/2020)

Albums

  1. Aja from Steely Dan
  2. Playlist: The Very Best of 311 from 311

Cinema

  1. Akira (1988)
  2. You Might Be The Killer (2019)

Literature

  1. All’s Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare
  2. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas by Frederick Douglas

Comic Books/Graphic Novels

  1. Astro City Vol. 01: Life in the Big City
  2. Astro City Vol. 02: Confession

Video Games

  1. 80’s Overdrive (Nintendo 3DS)
  2. Crusader of Centy (Sega Genesis)

One last thing I should mention is that doing the Two x Twos on a weekly basis feels too rushed. I would like to have a little more time to spend exploring each work. Starting today, the Two x Twos will be bi-weekly.

The Two x Twos, or an attempt at a life appreciating the gift of art – Week #6

The Two x Twos

Week 5 went a little smoother than week 4. I was definitely better able to relax and enjoy the various works. Vintage Dance Orchestras Nº 70 was a blast. Loved it. Airborn was riveting. It was one of those books that I just wanted to spend more time in that world. A book like that is a bittersweet thing. I read and read racing through the book only to find myself slowing down as I get closer to the end. Hesitant to finish because I know if I do, then I have to leave that world and the characters I have grown to love. Still worth it though.

Week #6 – the week of 5/29/20

Albums

  1. Ah Um from Charles Mingus
  2. Abandon Ship from Knife Party

Cinema

  1. Alice in Wonderland (1951)
  2. Ocean Waves (1993)

Literature

  1. The Alchemist by Ben Jonson
  2. All Systems Red by Martha Wells

Comic Books/Graphic Novels

  1. Arkham Woods TPB
  2. Arrowsmith: So Smart in Their Fine Clothes TPB

Video Games

  1. KISS Pinball (PS1)
  2. Gravity Falls: Legend of the Gnome Gemulets (3DS) (Slowly but surely…)

The Two x Twos, or an attempt at a life appreciating the gift of art – Week #5

The Two x Twos, Uncategorized

Week four was a little frustrating. I did not make as much progress as I had hoped too. My kindle’s screen cracked, stopping my reading progress while I sorted that out. My 2DS aggravated my hands and wrists, stopping my gaming progress and also my script writing. Frustrating. Very frustrating…

…deep breath…

…So, I focused on slowing down. Focused on remembering that most of my stress is self-inflicted. A gap forms between what I think should occur and what actually occurs.  Slowing down allows me to start pruning back expectations. Snip, snip, snip and calmness returns. Ultimately I come to this thought: What was the original intention of the Two x Twos exercise? Was it to achieve a box of accomplishments, powering through a to-do list? Was it to enrich your life by exposure to these wonderful creations and what ever magic may be etched inside? The latter obviously. Then lets work towards that and if it takes a while, it takes a while.

Week 5 – May 22nd, 2020

Albums

  1. Album from Girls
  2. Vintage Dance Orchestras Nº 70 from Cisneros Y Su Orquesta Latina

Cinema

  1. Ali Zaoua (2000)
  2. Safety Last! (1923)

Literature

  1. Airborn by Kenneth Oppel (I just started this book when my Kindle’s screen cracked. Shame, as I was really liking it. I did find that if I turned the back lighting of the Kindle to low, like 4 or less, that I can ignore the crack.)
  2. All Systems Red by Martha Wells (I have been looking forward to reading this one for a while now. So excited.)

Comic Books

  1. Angel and the Ape #3
  2. Angel and the Ape #4

Video Games (Going to try switching to using game controllers, which should help my hands. I have a Rock Candy Xbox One controller that is the most comfortable controller I have ever used. Going to switch to that and play for short bursts.)

  1. Kingsley’s Adventure (PS1)
  2. Gravity Falls: Legend of the Gnome Gemulets (3DS) 

The Two x Twos – week #4, or another week among the Arts

The Two x Twos, Uncategorized

Week three went by fairly well. Age of Adz really struck a chord, pardon the pun. Been feeling really stressed, confused, and anxious lately. It is more than the pandemic, though that is a large factor. Artistically, academically, socially, professionally and a thousand more ways feeling…hard to put into words. It is like feeling that I am moving too fast while also feeling I am not moving at all. Then when I put that album on, man, all that went away. Here was somebody else making art at a point in there life where they were feeling something similar. Then when it was over, I did the best thing I could do. I took a breath, said thank you to the world, and then hit play again.

The Two x Twos – Week #4 (The week of 05/15/2020)

Albums

  1. Aha Shake Heartbrake from Kings of Leon
  2. Bobby Byrne And His Orchestra – Vintage Dance Orchestras Nº50

Cinema

  1. Airplane! (1980)
  2. The Trotsky (2019)

Literature

  1. Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
  2. Big Night by Joseph Tropiano (I did not get to finish the book last week and would like to finish it.)

Comic Books

  1. Angel and the Ape #1
  2. Angel and the Ape #2 (These are from the Phil Foglio mini-series)

Video Games

  1. Resident Evil (PS1)
  2. Gravity Falls: Legend of the Gnome Gemulets (3DS) (This game is 1/2 of the reason I bought a 3DS. Hope it is good.)

The Two x Twos week 3, or a life lived among the Art

The Two x Twos, Uncategorized

Time for the next batch of art to fill my life with…well hopefully joy and gratitude. The shelter-in-place has been rough. My mood is up and down and I do not like it. Maybe things will get get better. I made a small tweak to format starting this week. Instead of two works I already own, I am going to do one work I already own plus one work from The Great Works List. There is some kind of magic that occurs in my life as I work through that crazy list.  Could use some more magic in my life now. Definitely.

The Two x Twos week 3

Albums

  1. The Age of Adz from Sufjan Stevens
  2. Vintage Dance Orchestras Nº47 from Bobby Byrne And His Orchestra

Cinema

  1. Babe (1995)
  2. Columbus (2017)

Literature

  1. The Call of the Wild by Jack London
  2. Big Night by Joseph Tropiano (excited for this one!)

Comic Books

  1. The Astonishing Wolf-Man Vol 1
  2. By Night Vol 1 (The whole series is only 12 issues, so might read whole thing if I like it.)

Video Games

  1. Tomba! (PS1)
  2. 1Xtreme (PS1) (I don’t know about this one.)