Month: November 2009

We’re starting to figure out this whole video thing

So, we’ve had a video camera since last year and we’ve taken videos but we were never able to do much with them. Catherine finally figured out how to upload them to Youtube and I’ve upgraded the back-end of our wordpress blog

You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

Here’s the video of Li Li singing happy birthday and playing her Ukelele

After a significant amount of painful trial and error I downloaded and learned how to use the plugins so hopefully going foward we should be able to post more videos. Let us know what you think. -t

Li Li’s First Art Exhibit

The University Art Gallery displayed Li Li’s drawing in her first exhibit. The 22 drawings were chosen and hung by the artist herself. Critics praised her bold use of color and form, as well commenting on her strong use of technique in the texture and layering of her ink. The critics however weren’t universally laudatory – several found her use of non-archival means to exhibit her work as a short-sighted decision that reflects poorly on her sense of her own position in the evolving dialectic.

The use of irregular canvas sizes was deemed to be a commentary on the necessity to not accept the normal and the requirement to forge one’s own identity in a cookie-cutter world. In addition the choice to hang her drawing so densely forces the viewer to take them into their consciousness simultaneously and interact with them as a cohort versus isolating them individually. The 22 pieces are untitled and available for view until the artist, or her parents, decides the exhibit if finished. Prices are available on request. -t

Li Li draw and hung these pictures all by herself.

Li Li drew and hung these pictures all by herself.

 And here is a detail of some of the pieces.

The reason for the variation in picture hanging has not been explained by the artist.

The reason for the variation in picture hanging has not been explained by the artist.

Splish-Splash

We spent last weekend at a Rugby tourney in Amherst, MA. I’ve been helping out as an assistant coach with the Brown Women’s University Rugby team, not that they need my help since they’ve qualified for the USA Rugby Championship’s Sweet 16 for the 4th consecutive year. The two days of the tourney were a study in contrasts.

Saturday was just about the most miserable day with torrential rain, standing puddles and mud everywhere. But the Brown women played great coming from behind to score 26 points in the final 15 minutes to win the game and qualify for the championships. Sunday’s weather was beautiful – sunny and warm. But the Brown women lost to Army for the second time this fall.

Catherine and Li Li wisely chose to only attend the Sunday match. Here are two pictures from this weekend. The first is one of the the Brown Women scrumming down against the UMass Amherst women’s team on Saturday. You can see the rain, mud and the umbrellas in background. The next picture is of Li Li enjoying sunny 65 degree weather on Sunday.

The Brown women played great in miserable conditions.
The Brown women played great in miserable conditions.

Not the nicest weather but it’s those bad weather games that you remember, especially if you win them.

Li Li had a great time playing with her new friend Macy in the large puddles.

Li Li had a great time playing with her new friend Macy in the large puddles.

Li Li had a great time hanging out with the Rugby team. Saturday night she rode the bus to dinner with the team and immediately chose several players to be her new best buddies. They were incredibly nice and patient with her. She also enjoyed breakfast with the team as they all fawned over her. She’s cute and she now knows it. In fact after meeting the team for the team for the first time she came home and said to Catherine – “they tell me I’m cute”. And well she is.
Catherine’s interest in Rugby could only be charitably described as minimal, but she gamely drove out to the game on Sunday and watched the match with Li Li after a stop at the Yankee Candle Flagship store (who knew there was such a thing, and that is was packed at 10am on a Sunday). Given how poorly the game went for Brown I think Catherine wisely chose to watch Li Li play with her new friend, Macy, and not pay a lot of attention to the game. The calendar may have read November, but it felt a lot more like May. -t

Bike ride to Bristol

Today we were blessed with yet another unusually warm fall day. So Li Li and I took advantage by riding the bike out to Bristol, RI and back. It’s 32 miles round-trip and we normally spot all of the usual animal suspects. Today was no different although we missed seeing a turtle – we think they are already hibernating for winter.

We are good if busy. I’m still looking for work but hopefully things will pick up soon. Li Li is doing and saying new things every day. We’ll add more to the blog soon. -t

Li Li is bundled up in her seat on the bicyle as we rode along the East Bay bike path.

Li Li is bundled up in her seat on the bicyle as we rode along the East Bay bike path.

 

Swans are abundant along the bike path as our most other waterfowl.

Swans are abundant along the bike path as our most other waterfowl.