Winter.

This might be my favorite song of all time. It reminds me of one of the best times of my life. Hit play and keep reading...

I was almost tempted to put a Spice Girls song there as a joke...

I've been busy lately, and it has caused me to choose which blog I want to spend time typing at in the middle of the night. Lately I've been feeling in the jokey mood so I've been posting at the scathing but hopefully funny My Problem With People, where most of the blog pot's begin with the words "Fuck You..."

But I don't really hate everything.

Like I said I am back from Mexico, and I couldn't have picked a worse time. It is very cold. So cold in fact that I got frost bite while waiting for the bus. It kind of resembles a callus except it's painful. But it's not too bad so I think I will survive, and emerge triumphant.

I came back from Mexico to fulfill a commitment I made to teach a painting class. I guess the correct term would be assist a teacher, as I am the teacher's assistant... Or I was the teacher's assistant until my friend and teacher Dan slipped on the ice and cracked his ribs, making it pretty difficult for him to move, much less get to class... Which has left me as the teacher. The class is being taught at Juxtaposition Arts, which is a non-profit community arts center with the aim of teaching and cultivating arts education for children in lower income neighborhoods, but specifically the Northside. I've been involved with them off and on for the past 5 years, and last year as a student of the advanced painting class I was lucky enough to sell a work of mine at the Burnet Gallery at the Chambers Hotel (you know, alongside Damien Hirst and the like...). Ironically enough Peggy Burnet, wife of real estate mogul Ralph Burnet was my buyer... and the painting was a criticism of gentrification, with the central figure being none other than a realtor. But don't get me wrong, both Peggy and Ralph Burnet have been nothing but cool to me, so I definitely didn't mind.

Well, this year I'm teaching that class, and the theme again is "Constructive Criticism," which requires the kids taking the class to define and address a social issue through their piece. I have actually been quite amazed and excited during the brainstorming process, because these kids are bringing unique perspectives and a lot of passion to the table. I feel as though I'm gaining more from trying to help them sort through their ideas and arrange them than they are, and I am beginning to understand why some teachers teach (shout outs to Leo Bicklehaupt). So other than the stress of becoming the lead teacher (at least for a little while) this experience in 3 days has already proved to be very rewarding.

Hmmm... What else is new? Oh yeah, I cut my hair again, with varried results. I have a mohawk, which I was kind of inspired to do by my trip to Mexico. I felt a deep connection to my native roots while I was there and decided to rock a traditional Aztec cut. But it kind of looks ridiculous sometimes, especially since it's so cold that it basically becomes a disheveled rat's nest under my winter hat. Pictures will come eventually. Maybe.

I also have been working hard on my application to Pratt and trying to sort out the 3 different transcript requests that I have to process before the 1st of February. I'm beginning to get the little butterflies of anticipation, and hopefully they don't turn to anxiety. I really want to move back to the East coast and begin studying illustration and Pratt is a school that I would love to go to. Besides I would be that much closer to the greatest fajitas of all time.

Friends, if you're reading this give me a call this weekend. It's the last before winter break is over for me, and I 'd like to shake hands and say hello.

Here's wishing Dan a speedy recovery.