Hey people. I am half way through my road trip. So far all has been good. Car is running smoothly. Wish I had more time, realizing now that I may not be able to make all the stops I had intended.

Monday

Got in Ft. Lauderdale, cabbed it over to “Auto Connection of America”—you would think that the Auto Connection for all of the Americas would be more than a one room office, small shop, and chain link fence. I signed some papers…had some tense moments, and I hit the road. I stopped in Savannah, Georgia for a driving tour and a beer, then a $30 motel.

Tuesday
I drove into Raleigh, met up with my friend Cristel, read, napped, played with Silas the dog. Then we all went to the pool hall to shoot some stick. Hey, pool ain’t a bad way to pass the time. I hear that if you keep at it, the balls go in the pockets easier. I doubt I will ever test this hypothesis.

Wednesday
Took stroll through the NCSU campus. Lots of brick buildings. Read outside most of the afternoon. I have a tan right arm.

Thursday
Took Silas the dog for a walk and hit the road for Philadelphia. I waited for Foster to get off work and we went for a beer at a pretty cool basement bar. Then I followed him out to his parent’s house for the night. I owe Foster $10.

Friday
Laila got a hold of me as I was getting ready to leave and convinced me to stay another night in Philly. We went to their first Friday’s gallery deal, a nice dinner and I took her to the cool basement bar of Thursday.

Saturday
Took off for New York, nervous about driving and parking in the the city. No troubles and found a spot straight away. Got settled at Kristina’s and went to see some bands at a packed bar. Then more packed bars for beers. Really the first night to test my anti-binge drinking campaign. The best way to get through it is to talk to people about it.

Sunday
Went for breakfast at a diner. Then met up with Jess. Did some walking around, made some purchases, talked about all there really is to do in New York is walk around and eat. Went to a movie—Triplets of Belleville, hate to say that I was disappointed. Back to Kristina’s for the much anticipated (not so much by me) Soprano’s show.

Sleep Log discontinued…both annoying and depressing.

Well, I type this in Kansas City, Monday morning I fly to Florida to pick up my ebay car… I am taking the long way home, crashing on couches of the East coast and middle of the USA… Stay tuned, not a lot of thoughts other than getting the car. If you are concerned that the car is a lemon, or may catch fire the moment I turn the key…you are not alone. I have heard these concerns from every last person that is privy to the ebay car.

Loose itenerary is: Ft. Lauderdale, Raleigh, Philly, NYC, Boston, North Adams, Toledo OH, Chicago, Decauter, St. Louis, KC, Wamego… If you live in any of these locales expect a phone call.

Here is something I typed out earlier this week:
Man, I am sick today (tuesday). As far as not getting dressed, taking a bath and eating soup (at the same time) I am doing ok. I just hate being sick though. I feel like I am getting over it. Hopefully it wont require me to see a doctor as I don’t have any insurance. My mom offered to pay, but I can’t justify a potential $200 bill if I can wait it out a day and see. This is my one small motivation for actually looking for a real job… if only everyone had health insurance… I guess I’ll have to move to Canada (or Cuba) if I want to live that dream. I haven’t been to a doctor or a dentist for about two years now.

I have been less productive than ever this week. I upgraded my computer to the newest operating system, and don’t have any of my usual graphics programs. I could use the old ones, but I don’t want the hassle and I like the excuse to look at the internet… I try and think of all the things I am learning. This writer whose name I forget predicts that kids in the future will learn more by randomly clicking on the internet than they will in the classroom. I can’t imagine that the classroom of the future won’t have the internet though. I was talking with Jake the other night about the awesomeness of laptops and wireless internet and we were getting all gay about the future and how you will be able to easily access the internet anywhere you go. The amount of excitement I garner from this possibility really bums me out sometimes.

Picture of the Week:

Sleep Log
Sunday 4:00am–11:30am
Tuesday 2:30am–9:45am, 10:30pm–4:30am
Wednesday 7:00am–9:30am
Thursday 2:30am–9:30am
Saturday 2:00am–12:00pm
Sunday 3:30am–11:00am, 9:30pm–4:30am

I can’t stop looking at the internet. I can’t start working on my projects. If I traded the amount of time I am on the internet with time drawing or reading or creating something I would be the awesomest. (This is a call for help.)

I urge you all to rent/borrow/buy Noam Chomsky’s dvd Manufacturing Consent. I have always been weary of this guy as I figured he was some super extremist nut. However his documentary was very compelling (and long). If you are like me and are facinated by media criticism you won’t be disappointed. If you can’t find it I would suggest that you sign up for a free trial on netflix.com have it sent to you then cancel netflix.

Friday night I went out in Manhattan and had a good time. I drank responsibly and was able to drive home, and felt good about myself.

Saturday night I drank too much. I knew it was going to hurt the next morning, but I thought somehow I would avoid that hangover. Nope. I hate hangovers so bad. I think I am going to start a personal campaign to end binge drinking…I know some organizations have attempted this before.

Before I did all that binge drinking I went to an event called “farmers’ night” in Wamego. It was at the tractor store and they clean it up nice, make some benches out of hay bales and planks. There is open bar for an hour, then some raffles, then the big show featuring a olde timey bluegrass band called the Ferris Family. Man, they were cool. Mom, dad, and four boys. I was digging it. Then binge drinking later.

Sleep Log
Monday 5:00am–1:30pm,
Tuesday 5:30am–2:30pm, 9:30pm–1:30am
Wednesday 8:00am–10:00am, 6:15–7:00
Thursday 11:00pm–9:30am
Saturday 4:00am–12:30pm, 5:30pm–11:59pm
Sunday 10:30am–2:30pm

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My immediate plan is to buy a cheap car and travel light for as long as I can, and if a job happens to find me, then maybe I will stick around somewhere. I really have no idea what I will do, but the act of publishing this to all nine of you that read this will be one more bit of motivation to make something happen in my life. I almost bought a car on eBay tonight, and it was a very exciting process. I love the internet.

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One of my resolutions Is to be more knowledgeable on politics. My biggest issue is where to start?—First by going to what I hoped were unbiased sources: c-span, bbc, npr, pbs, guardian. Then to a lot of progressive web sites MoveOn, commondreams, michael moore, wonkette, vitw, in these times. And a few conservative outlets: fox, cnbc, drudge. My conclusion—shit is impossible to crack. I still don’t know what the hell is going on. This whole project has made me feel even more powerless in the system, and reinforced my belief that govt. interests are with corporations first, and common Americans second (or lower). In my opinion, the whole process is ruined from the very beginning with the cost of running an election, and the need for politicians to look to special interests and corporations for money.

It is now clear to me why so many are ignorant to politics. The media tells us what to think, and mostly they are saying “there is nothing you can do about it.” I believe this is about the only real truth I discovered. This last sentence is my official declaration that I have reentered the populus and don’t give a shit anymore.

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I talked to my old boss at gripdesign Tuesday and he was saying how he is getting connected with Step Inside Design magazine and he is pitching an article titled “5 designers the AIGA doesn’t want you to know about” [me being one of them (the AIGA is a professional org for graphic designers)]. I think the premise is that it is trying to promote the idea that designers can be good and didn’t have to go to Yale or RISD or work for Tibor Kalman and maybe us peons deserve a little credit. (The funniest thing to me about this whole notion is that when I was working at grip, 80% of my duties were non-design related, and when I did do some things, few were produced, or my work was critiqued for not having strong concepts—that is probably why AIGA doesn’t want me out there!)

I am about 99% certain the article will never go through. But my mind is racing—what if it did? What would I have to show for myself? I haven’t done shit for shit in the past year. What if he wants me to talk about Humble Empire? Well, we made some posters for some people… I really want to get together (virtually or physically) and define a sort of press release for humble. When the reporter called from the Kansan last summer I was really at a loss of words. I almost wanted to come clean and say “we don’t do shit” -—that might be a funny spin/approach to a press release.

The boss is really stoked on The Book of Matthew (my next promo). Previously I was advertising it as concept only, but now it has turned into a tangible, gonna happen project. I have to get moving on that. I would like to make this promotion focused on self-awareness, personal priorities, the idea of a life map, etc. highlighting only personal projects, what they mean to me and my decisions. Do not have to be tangible “graphic design” objects. Can include activities I participate in as a whole. This is very scary as I don’t want people to think I am getting too lofty or stuck on my own ideas (nor do I want criticism). But I really want to share my point of view on life in hopes that others will do the same. Illustrate the sleep log, in chart and an alternate information, emotional sense. Answer the questions of why I am turned off by design, then why I am inevitably going to be a designer. Other topics include; what, in my own mind, I am accomplishing in my life right now—as far as building up a portfolio, not a lot. As far as building relationships with people—tons. My erratic, short term living situations, internship after internship is quickly building a small network of Matt Cassity supporters. I am also on the search for a mentor.

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This weekend I made a journey to Kansas City and hung out with the old college chums, and there were a lot of us. I don’t think I have chilled with a group of more than 5 people for a long time. I was really worried that I was missing out on something at the other end of the table.

I don’t remember saying anything stupid. But I came away from the night feeling like I had been arrogant or nasty in some way and that maybe some people weren’t too stoked on me.

Also on the way home I stopped at Nebraska Furniture Mart (in Kansas) to look at mac laptops. I think I will get one as my old imac has a hum that really hurts my ears.

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I mentioned to some friends this weekend that I am reading a book that will hopefully change my life. I will have that conclusion by next week.

I also got some other potentially influential book in the mail, as well as a couple Andrew W.K. cds. A great week for my mailbox.

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Diner and 3 Days of the Condor are both excellent movies.

Friday I went to the High School girls basketball game. It was exciting—yet the crowd of high-school fans were apathetic and sad-looking. Jake and Ted’s sister was crowned homecoming queen! We left for Lawrence directly afterward and stopped at this small town bar on the way. It was clean, there were people aged 15–60 all hanging out, live music by some middle-aged guys. It was so nice and wholesome, really the way a small town bar should be.

I have participated in two trips to Lawrence in the past weekends. Both were fun nights, followed by intense hangovers and plates of eggs.

A couple of personal rules I broke between the hours of 2–5 am:

1. Do not call people. (sorry to the people I called)

2. Do not attempt to insert reason and logic into a drunken argument.

Saturday night beer was consumed in a responsible manner in Council Grove and White City. We went to the White City Bar (Kelly’s)—which was cool, but not nearly as wholesome. There are just too many things to write about this experience. A lot was taken in.

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I forgot to mention that last week I went to a basketball game and they had dogs catching frisbees at half-time and they actually played “Who Let the Dogs Out!”

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Sleep Log
Sunday 5:00am–12:00pm, 6:00pm–7:00pm, 9:00pm–3:00am
Monday 7:00pm–8:30pm, 9:30pm–2:30pm
Tuesday 7:30pm–2:30am
(I have reached my fulfillment of excess sleep, and now only require the necessary sleep (5–7hrs) to be functional for the entirety of the day. I fall asleep in early evening and wake up at the moment my body is recharged. I am like an eager child.)
Wednesday 7:00pm–12:30am
Thursday 5:00am–12:30pm
(I take back what I said on Tuesday.)
Friday 4:30am–9:30am
Saturday 5:00am–12:30pm
Sunday 5:00am–1:30pm

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Regarding Art
I have been slowly transitioning from the title of designer to artist. My biggest worry about this move is people asking me to talk about art, explain myself, and listen to their opinions. I had a boost in confidence last week when reading an article about young people starting galleries. My biggest motivation for this transition is the excuse not to have a real job—”I am an artist.”

“As for the art, the reigning spirit seems to be coolly detached and style-conscious. With all the talk of youth culture being digital and high-tech, many of the artists shown in the new galleries are obsessed with craft and the physical act of making art. Knitting and sewing are popular, as is a kind of doodle drawing.
At the same time the works carry little social or political freight. Nobody is protesting anything…
“It’s all about being happy about whatever you can be happy about,” he said. “My generation grew up in a time when we didn’t have heroes. You grew up believing you were being hoodwinked and manipulated — and knowing you were, but learning to enjoy it because it came in fun colors or was on MTV…

While the art I am most interested in calls for social change, I don’t really enjoy or have the knowledge to create that type of work.

I am ready to quit graphic design. I just get bored and can’t seem to force myself to give a shit about this logo for a food distributor or whatever. Maybe since I don’t have to pay rent right now I have the luxury to have a bad attitude. All of this talk is more theory than action. I will most likely seek a design related job someday.

Hey dudes, I am writing this on Saturday in anticipation of being snowed in or hung-over tomorrow… getting ready to go to Lawrence to celebrate Jake, Ted, and Alison’s January challenge – no alcohol for a month.

edit: the hangover won

I’ve been sitting in front of the computer quite a bit, doing some freelance here and there, and avoiding going outside. I am a cold weather pussy. As far as the computer goes, my newest hobbies include looking at gossip blogs, [gawker, wonkette, adrants] news sites, [tmn, guardian, nytimes] and craigslist.

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Movie Reviews
netflix is awesome. I get movies in my mailbox! Matt Blume says that if you threaten to cancel they drop the cost by $5.

I gave you a glimpse of this feature last week with my David Cross, ‘Let America Laugh’ Review [not very good]

Manhattan, Woody Allen. Pretty good.

Devil’s Playground. This is a documentary about Rumspringa, the period when Amish teenagers get to go nuts and decide if they want to join the church or be like normal people. I have always wondered why people don’t make fun of the Amish more, they would never find out about it. I heard the CBS is pitching a Rumspringa reality series. This movie lacked the Amish teen sex I was anticipating.

The Harder They Come. A supposed classic starring reggae great Jimmy Cliff. This movie should be subtitled, because I couldn’t understand what the hell the were saying, talking all Jamican and what not. Plus it wasn’t a good movie. Basically a Jamican spin on the American western genre. The soundtrack is good, but they cycle the same 5 songs over through the whole movie…low budget.

Gimme Shelter. Documentary following the Rolling Stones in 1968 that leads up to this free concert they put on in San Fransisco. It was promoted as a woodstock type deal. Well, they had the Hell’s Angels help out with security and they beat up some hippies. Pretty ok. Made me see that Mick Jagger was a sexy bitch.

Stevie. A documentary about Southern Illinois white trash. Do you like long, depressing stories? This is for you. I enjoyed it.

Love Liza. I was stoked for this move starting P.S. Hoffman. He sniffs gas because he is sad. It wasn’t great.

Nico Icon. She is pretty, german, and sang for the Velvet Underground for a little while. She is also boring.

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Current Interests: Cereal, push-ups (the exercise), gossip, teaching Taffy the dog to fetch her hamburger. recieving mail, thinking about reading.

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Cities I have been to (outside of Kansas and airports): Kansas City, Chicago, Denver, Dallas, Seattle, New York, Orlando, Raleigh, Washington D.C., St. Louis, Vancouver, Des Moines, Sante Fe, London, Copenhagen.
I was hoping that list would be longer.

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Sleep Log
Monday 6:00am–1:00pm, 8:00pm–1:30am
Tuesday 6:00am–9:30am, 1:00pm–4:00pm
Wednesday 12:00am–8:30am (normal!), 2:00pm–5:00pm
Thursday 1:00am–5:00am, 5:00pm–7:00pm
Friday 1:30am–9:00am, 7:00pm–8:00pm
Saturday 1:00am–4:00am 7:00am–1:00pm

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E-mail Highlights

You should see this highly-lucrative freelance job I am involved in… Excerpt: “In the church of human connectivity, these hot dogs are the communion wafer… ” —Sam

Last night I drank three beers and felt like I was really having a freak out good time oldie. —Matt B

I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately. For the most part, because I’ve been trying my hand at silk screening, and failing miserably. What are you doing these days? —Colleene

Reply:

I am in beautiful snow blanketed Wamego Kansas. I am doing some freelance and I work part time painting at the newly opened Wizard of Oz museum in town!

who in the hell is hupe marrying?
where in the hell is that ole boy living?
i need updates.
by the way, stop sending me that liberal propaganda. —Jake

Picture of the week:

Holy Jesus, I am doing this thing again. Why? I am not sure, I have extra time. My sleeping pattern in beyond repair.I read through some of my old entries and I wasn’ t completely embarassed. Finally—you, my readers, demand it! I will try and update this every Sunday, so that you will see fresh content every Monday morning when you sit down at your desk with your fancy computer.

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Like I mentioned my sleeping pattered is f’d up. Here is as far back as I can remember:
Wed andThur – 3:30 to 9:30am
Fri – 6:00am 9:30am, 11:30am to 5:00pm
Sat 8:00pm to 1:30am
And here I am now, 7:0am Sunday morning. My mom is vacuuming already! She seroiusly has OCD for cleaning.

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There is so much I could type, I don’t know where to start. I am just going paste in some excerpts from last weeks e-mails (e-mail is my favorite thing) to give you an idea of what is on my mind:

1. Tonight I downloaded a few songs from this band, The Unicorns. Amazing. I just look at pitchforkmedia.com and scan the reviews.

2. I haven’t figured out what I am going to do with myself yet. I think I’ll be ready to move soon, but i’m gonna have to come back to KS every 3 weeks for weddings! I have 5 weddings to attend from April to October.

3. I’ve never been to Minneapolis

4. I am pushing my art and illustration right now, I haven’t had to solve a real design problem in almost 2 years now, and I don’t really miss it. I do believe that if I work harder at the art aspect of my life I will be happier.

5. Also, I rented david cross, let america laugh dvd. not that funny.

6. I surprised myself by doing 30 push-ups tonight. I got weak shoulders.

7. Hey, maybe I will move to Portland. I have never been there, but I read a great book about it.

8. I lived in Logan Square for a year or so. Right now I’m in Kansas, thinking about where to go next…

9. I have never ever seen a logo like that before.

10. Went to the dance at the American Legion with my mom and my grandma. Geezers Gone Wild! Man, do old people love dancing!

11. The other day I was working and I thought “man, I am working. I am not in school anymore, and may never be again.” I didn’t really feel one way or another about it.

12. Hey, I am glad to hear about California, I have never been there, but I want to go soon. The plan is to buy a car (and a laptop) in April and drive East for a month, come back to KS for a couple of weddings, the drive West for a month and come back for a month, then back to KS for another wedding. That will be the middle of July and I will then decide what is best for Matt Cassity. But that is just this week’s daydream.