The Cowtown Chronicles

Jenna and I had an interesting discussion today about art as an existential concept.

We agreed that we both felt like while we could appreciate art for art’s sake, that we both felt like it was much more fulfilling to enjoy something practical and useful that’s also beautiful and “artistic.” I suppose that’s what draws us both so strongly to the Arts and Crafts movement and to early mid-century modernism. Both focused on the purity of the object as the basis for its beauty.

I’ve been thinking about art a lot lately, or perhaps less “art” as the concept is widely understood, but really thinking about Craft as something distinct but necessary for art.

This is probably because of all of the baking I’ve been doing lately, something that I’ve discovered is just as much craft as it is science and following recipes. In baking I’ve found something that I really enjoy doing that really makes me feel good both while doing it and because of what I’ve created. Few things in my life have made me feel as good as being complimented on something nourishing and delicious that I’ve made.

For a long time I’ve felt like I wanted to have a skill or a trade. Something like woodworking or blacksmithing that involves strength tempered with finesse and attention to detail. I decide that I’m going to find someone to apprentice with and try to go out into the world to earn my living as a craftsman. Then all of the typical self-doubt happens, where I question how I’m going to sell my work, how I’ll support myself while I’m learning, and so on. I have boundless admiration and respect for the people who’ve managed to ignore those things and gone out and just done whatever it is they’re passionate about.

I’ve been thinking a lot about business and the economy lately. Like, macro-level stuff, not everyday operations thoughts. Also thinking about culture (American culture in particular) and how it affects the business climate and our economy.

Been having a lot of thoughts as well on technology — as you probably know, I’m a pretty big fan of technology. I’m tired of “technology for technology’s sake,” though. Planned obsolescence, stuff like that.

Mostly I’ve been thinking about how I’m going to use my degree in Geography (with minor in Environmental Science) once I’ve completed it.

More fleshed out thoughts on this once finals are over and I’ve had time to decompress.

Instructions: “Five Ingredients”

Write something–anything–that includes the following five words/ phrases:

~urged

~When the servant entered with the soup

~show him the way

~zeal

~dead flies

Few things compare to the zeal with which a budding young writer likes to talk about his new passion. He’ll regale you with stories of how he’s reading the latest blogs about creative habits and getting things done — hoping they’ll show him the way to productivity and success.

He’ll start stupid mystery novels with lines like “When the servant entered with the soup” — hoping that a story will follow, or that just the act of beginning will propel him down the road. He’ll feel urged to take writing workshops, and he’ll probably start a blog (or knock the dead flies off his old one) where he shares his daily outputs and creative bursts.

Then he’ll realize that like any other job, writing is damn hard work. He’ll truly understand the quote he heard once: “A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than the average person.” He’ll experience all the same struggles that he’s heard the masters dealt with, mostly the feeling of inadequacy and self-doubt.

In the end, something may come of it, or nothing may come of it, but hopefully he at least gives it a go.

Ryan Place resident John MacFarlane is coordinating a group trip to the Rahr & Sons Brewery on April 25th for Ryan Place residents. Meet him at triangle park at 12:30, bring your Rahr pint glass (if you have one), and $5.

As you’ve noticed, I’ve been posting more and more of my photos around the web. Two weeks ago I set up an account with SmugMug so that I could sell my pics directly to the public.

I’m slowly adding photos from my catalog, and I’ll be adding new ones as I take them — if you’ve ever wanted a print of something I’ve posted online, here’s your chance to get one!

To see what’s available, visit: http://photos.petewann.com

Instructions: Today’s exercise is this: in five minutes, write as many beginnings as you can that have to do with food. Write one, two, eleven, whatever you can do. Again, by a “beginning” I mean anything from a sentence fragment to three full sentences, but no more than that per beginning.

Eggs don’t stick to painted walls, but they will stick to the ceiling.

The ancients talked about breaking bread with friends, but I have found that a fajita buffet is better at bringing people together.

David sat down to his usual lunch, a Cobb salad and a fifth of Beefeater Gin.

When cooking bacon, it’s usually best to keep the dogs outside.

Last night’s pizza hung around this morning like a girlfriend that wouldn’t stop calling, even after you’d broken up with her.

On my quest to find the best BBQ in Texas, I found myself in some unusual situations. Last week, for example, I stopped at a roadside hut surrounded by white supremacists. Bad company, but good BBQ. (Adapted from an interview with Matthew McConaughey in Men’s Journal.)

In beer, as in life, it’s best not to shake the bottle.

Meringue is the funniest food word I can think of. It’s important to have a list of funny words from different genres, like food. My favorite aviation word is “Bernoulli.”

The TCU Sustainable Futures Group is sponsoring a conference called “Urban Futures: Utilizing Green Technologies” this Thursday from 4PM until 7:30PM at the Omni Hotel in downtown Fort Worth.

Registration is $50 at the door, or $35 if you register online in advance. TCU students are now going to be allowed in for free, but Faculty and Staff will be charged $15.

Admission gets you free valet parking for your Prius (or your F350 Super Duty), beverages, and hors d’ oeuvres. There will be a cash bar, so if you want to get green around the gills while talking green tech, bring a grip of green. (I’M SO SICK OF “GREEN” EVERYTHING!)

Hat tip: Moose Peterson

1959 TCU grad Bob Schieffer will be hosting his annual Symposium, titled: “Obama and the Press: Is the media doing its job?”

Panelists scheduled to attend:

David Brooks, of the New York Times

Gwen Ifill, author of “The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama” (also moderator and managing editor of PBS’ Washington Week

Andrea Mitchell, chief foreign affairs correspondent for NBC News

Mark Shields, nationally syndicated columnist and commentator on PBS’ Newshour with Jim Lehrer

That’s a pretty bad-ass lineup of journalistic luminaries! I wonder if I can get them all into Scat Jazz Lounge after the Symposium? I’ll bet Andrea Mitchell could drink my buddy Steve under the table.