Neon Poisoning: December 2009

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Let the End-of-Year Navel Gazing Begin + Visions of A Brave New Year

2009: The Year of Sloth

...at least that's how it feels right now. But isn't this quiet time before the New Year just perfect for dwelling on all the failures and missed opportunities of the past year. So easy to do so.

2010 Goals:

Stop dwelling on all the failures and missed opportunities of the past year. Not so easy to do.
Find that inspirational New Year resolutions post I read online yesterday. Read something good by a creative type (could swear it was Karen O!) about productive strategies and not sabotaging yourself in the process. Now, I couldn't find it to save my life. Why is the Internet so big?
Blog more. This website (and Flickr) has put me touch with some good people and the occasional paying gig. I like interesting people and $$$. More of those, please!
Write more. National Novel Writing month had me busting out some decent writing on a long term book. Since then nada. Not feeling the Muse. Find Muse. Feel up Muse.
Make more music. Got a good start on some electronic noodling that I'm pretty pleased about. But I'm reaching the limits of my musical skills and need to get some feedback. Looking to find some Houston based peeps for help. So, do that.
Be a better husband. My missus is fantastic. Be the husband she deserves. 'Nuff said.

2009 is moving away in the rearview mirror, and I'll be spending the new year with two great women of my life and a lot of opportunities that are only mine to screw up.

That's not such a hard list.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Let the Cleaning Begin: Post-Christmas Review

Bullet Points:

Thank God it's over.
A very Venture Bros. Christmas (4 DVDs for me and the soundtrack for the missus.)
Remarkable toy-buying restraint on the part of the grandparents.
Will need to work on serious grinch-like tendencies before Christmas '10 when the sweet kid will be aware of such grumpiness.

Once the appreciated-but-slightly-misguided surprise gift I got the missus is returned, my stress will all but go away.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Wayne White Has Left the Rice University Art Gallery

Wayne White Has Left the Building - Rice University Art Gallery - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

The Wayne White show ended this evening. Hours later, this is how the gallery looked.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

The Weekend Snow Daze: Wonderwild and the Houston Museum of Natural Science

Last weekend was all about snow (and for the sake of this entry, the weekend was Friday and Saturday.)

Lovely, large, picturesque snowflakes fell from the sky on Friday. This foreign white stuff from the sky cleared the roads nicely. The remaining traffic was remarkably unstupid; proper distances were maintained, signal lights used, etc. It was on this snow day the we three finally got to visit Wonderwild. An indoor playground for kids (pre-walkers, walkers) and on that day a 39 year-old birthday boy.

Zoe and Rob @ Wonderwild - Houston, TX, originally uploaded by Mr. Kimberly.

White, clean and cavernous, the playground was built in part of a commercial park not too far from the Heights neighborhood in Houston ( 707 N Shepherd Dr, Ste 500). Started by an Arts Institute instructor, the place has a modern aesthetic and artwork from Houston artists on the walls.

For quite some time, we had the whole place to ourselves and it was nice. Eventually some other parents realized what we already had (that braving the snow meant fewer people to share the place with) and started filtering in. One little boy could be heard screaming in joy before he was even seen. He raced by all, with eyes solely on the multi-story climbing gym. Definitely a do over.

Saturday was spent at the Houston Museum of Natural Science for Snow Flurry day. The museum imported 80,000 lbs of snow for the kids to play in. The morning was sunny and lovely, and our little girl enjoyed tromping around in the white stuff.