ZOMBIE ROBOT FROSTING

King of the Pill: new content every day

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:38:00 +0000

Have you been looking for a free family friendly web comic to read? Looking for an online adventure with goofy characters set in a fantasy world? A web comic that updates every single day. In 2012there will be 365 new panels in 365 days!).

If those things sound good to you, you should be reading King of the Pill:

You get to follow the PG adventures of Jasper who has taken a pill that has given him the power of the Face of Many Hands. It is a glorious upgrade. Now Jasper will meet a bunch of crazy characters who are all up to mysterious things, and then he must embark on a crazy quest across the planet. If you like goofy stories, funny comics, and bright and colorful worlds, this is a comic for you.

Come read the funny web comic adventure King of the Pill today. I endorse it, because I am the one who makes it! It is also why I have not had the time to post new content on this blog lately. Please help spread the word and support my one year web comic venture! Thanks for your support and readership!

Skyrim, Wincredible & a Brutal Cage Fight: Christmas Time in the Midwest

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:40:00 +0000

Three Themes of Christmas in the Midwest
The snowflakes begin to gently fall on the highway in front of me as I make me drive from St. Paul to Minnetonka for work. Today I leave a few hours early because I've got some Holiday shopping to do, and only a few days left to do it. It is always the frantic few days before Christmas when I still have all my shopping to do that I really start to get int the Christmas spirit. I even turn on the Christmas tunes in the car. On my way down I-494 I pass three huge and notable billboards. The first is:

Skyrim the billboard! For those of you unaware Skyrim is a fantasy video game that has surpassed $650 Million in retail sales. Over 10 million copies have been sold. People all across the world are entering and experiencing this massive game with dragons, werewolves and all sorts of adventures. I have forbidden myself from all time sink video games, because I have too little time as it is. I do admit to spending time learning all about the game, and being interested in it, even if I myself do not want to spend the endless time or money playing it.

The second billboard said: WINCREDIBLE! This billboard showed a very happy fellow that seemingly just won a lot of money at the casino. Mystic Lake Casino to be specific.

The third, and probably most attention getting sign of them all was a big black screen with illuminated vibrant red text advertising: BRUTAL CAGE FIGHT! It continued to tell you when and where.

Video games, Gambling and Violence! The three themes of Christmas in the Midwest apparently. Nothing festive or holiday like at all on all three billboards. Simply an invitation to enter a fake world, the illusion of winning money, or the chance to watch people bash each others face in. In an effort not to be hypocritical, I want to be clear that all three of these things I have enjoyed in my life; video games, gambling and violence. Having said that, I am still surprised and bewildered that these are the floating images in the sky during this holiday season. The billboard signs make me both sad and happy.

The Glorious Toy Isles
The huge non-holiday signs did not damper my rare holiday spirit, as I was off to get gifts for my little nephews. This meant I get to browse the toy isles. For anyone that has ever been with me in a department store knows that I have an uncontrollable urge to browse the toy isles. I do not buy much, but I love toy culture. Today, I have both an excuse to browse those isles, but also to buy things. Oh happy day.

If my shopping strategy was a little more scheduled and organized I would probably try to buy all of my gifts from local artists like sock creatures, wood carved animals or figurines made of sculpy clay. If I was really planning ahead I could make all the gifts myself. But, procrastination sends me to the mall instead. And part of me loves it. I love crowds of people, and isles of toys. I even enjoy trying to navigate the crowded isles and listening to the kids yelling: "I want that, and that and that and this!"

Just getting to browse the Star WArs toys, Hot Wheel cars, and Pokemon puts a smile on my face. It reminds me of being a kid, and I still love all these things. Even if they aren't part of my personal mythology anymore.

However, walking down the halls of the mall I have to ask the question:

When did Christmas Start to Stink?

The Christmas stink, which may actually be more appropriately called "mall stink", is the most extreme and upsetting standing between the Ambercrombie & Fitch store and the Pretzel Time store. The gas cloud of cologne mixed with the doughy smell of the pretzels is enough to turn my stomach fluids to cottage cheese. The smell fight is so disgusting I have to stop and admire the horridity (i know its not a word, but its needed here) of it all. Every single food shop is shooting their smells like missiles into the hallways trying to lasso me in as I walk by. For some reason; maybe because I rarely visit malls these days, or because each store has their scent cannons turned up to level 11, or maybe I have just become over sensitive to the smells, or maybe because all these smells are intermingling to create a nasty hybrid monster smell: everything is just gross. Good thing I can weave from one side of the hall to the other avoiding the smelliest of the shops, while on my search for the perfect toys.

Capitalism Greed
I am a abnormally fast walker to start with, and an even faster walker when I only have 60 minutes before work and a list to complete. I enjoy the tables of young teenagers laughing and flirting with each other, the families and kids traveling in packs all linked together holding hands, the kiosk worker who is flying some airplane around the mall trying to land it on the fountain, it is this hustle and bustle of the holidays that I really like. But I feel like a fraud. For those of you who know me, or read this blog: I am an activist, I am part of the Occupy movement, and I am basically a hippie (or at least hippie in training). Peace man!

The receipts that pile up in my pocket make me feel guilty. The economy is terrible, unemployment is way up, and many people have lost their homes or jobs since last Christmas. I have been fortunate enough to find work wherever I go, although underpaid and under appreciated; I still have work and a little money to spend. Wandering through this maze of capitalism that we call a mall makes me both sad and happy. To me, the American consumerism model is not a sustainable system and I know that I am pouring my hard earned money into the pockets of the 1% and not into my community where I should be putting it. I can find solace in the fact that the rest of the year I am pretty good about spending my money at farmers markets and buying from self represented artists, but during my annual holiday lapse, while fun, it is against my beliefs. I know I can do better.

Snowflakes on the Plush Doll
I rush out of the mall with a bag full of toys, I feel guilty and satisfied. I zigzag through the cars that fill up the giant mall parking lot. As I do, I notice that a perfect snowflake has landed on this tiny little plush animal. The stuffed animal has HUGE anime eyes and the snowflake sits delicately on its fur. I stop right there, almost unsure if the snowflake was real. I admire its miniature delicate beauty. It is magically perfect, and sitting completely in the center of this little creatures forehead. A third eye. As the little snowflake melts away, it seems to also melt away my anxiety for the holidays and even melt away a bit of my guilt. It reminds me of how incredible the small things are, and how little time we have to enjoy them. It makes me both sad and happy.

Happy Holidays.

If you enjoy this article please considered subscribing to my blog in the sidebar or check out my art blog. You might also enjoy my Occupy Rant, and quit drinking soda forever

A Sheep or a Rebel: Occupy

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:19:00 +0000

Heroes and Villains
What an exciting time to be alive. The weight of centuries of oppression, exploitation and bad decisions are forcing the common people of the world out into the streets. We live in a time where there are definable (although arguable) villains, and a chance for us (yes you) to be a hero. The most important part of this growing Occupy movement is that we are all on the same team and we are the good guys. From every country and every part of the world; the protesters, the stay at home moms, the gas station clerks, the police, the laborers, the working, the children, the elderly, the homeless on the corner, the teachers, the small business owners are all on the same team. Right now the most important part of this movement is to spread awareness all across the globe that the 99% needs to be in this together, and invite them to the dance. This is the rally call! The 'dance' that I am referring to is the public streets of every city, and if you cannot get to the streets then the dance can be done in solidarity at home and on the internet. Joining the 'dance' is being an active member of the 99% and standing against the 1% of the population that controls the majority of the wealth and power in this world.

The Maze
As the illusion of the middle class (American Dream)luxuries fade, and the walls of the financial maze start becoming more and more clear, we are realizing first and foremost, that we are trapped. We spend way too much of our time working jobs we do not like, for pay that is too little, consuming entertainment that does not make us smarter or challenge us, we eat food that makes us sick, our medicine makes us sicker, we spend too much money on education, our education does not give us the opportunities we deserve, and the corporations show profits while we wade in pools of debt and watch our homes get foreclosed on. We are in a maze, paying tolls and taxes at every corner, while being chased down by the dogs of debt. We are treated like sheep, or cash cows. Often times we are running this maze with our families and our neighbors, our bosses and our friends. Even those who would be considered wealthy, successful or privileged in our society are running this maze and while they may be further ahead than others they are caught just the same.

Escaping the Maze

The maze exists and it is a worldwide problem. The maze has been cleverly built by the 1%, and there is no exit. If you are in a maze with no exit, is there any hope? Yes, there is. The thing is, we are taught to think independently and laterally while forgetting that we can think and act vertically as a community. Because the walls of the maze, while thick and strong, only go so high. With teamwork we can climb the wall and we can escape the maze. This is why Occupy is so important. Time is of the essence, as we must escape before the 1% builds a roof over the maze and makes it a true jail.

Why Occupy?
A lot of people ask: why occupy? A lot of people want to know what the endgame is. When will we leave? What do we want? If you read the paragraphs above you know that there are some huge problems right now. 99% of the people on this planet are trapped in a system that exploits them and benefits the 1%. You have also read that there is a way out of this system, and that way is teamwork and a collaborative effort to climb up and over these oppressive walls. The Occupy movement (as of November 2011) is a gathering of people who realize that the maze exists and that want to escape the system and give power back to the 99%. The Occupy movement seeks to expose the system to more people and seeks to discuss ways and structures that will help us over the walls and also plans for what we do when we do get over those walls. Currently we are a crowd of people puddling up in the maze, figuring out how to stand on each other. We are building infrastructure. We are building the metaphorical steps that will help ourselves and the rest of the 99% over the walls.

What is next for the Occupy Movement?
As I mentioned in the first paragraph, right now we need more people. Outreach is the most important. The Occupy crowd needs to grow. The more people the more impact. Different parts of the maze will be revealed, more connections will be made, new answers will be provided and solutions will be explored and carried out. I am the 99% and this blog post and the poster I created is just two of many ways I am joining the fight. I ask you to join Occupy and help now. If I am already preaching to the choir (hello fellow Occupier) then I ask you to use this post as a catalyst to continue your work. Solidarity.

Help Now
Join the fight right now, by spreading this message using the share buttons below. Like it on facebook. Plus it on Google+. Share it on Twitter. You can also show your support with an I AM THE 99% poster. Put it in your car, house window, or work cubicle. If you have a chance, get to the nearest Occupy gathering near you and get involved. Meet new people. Join a committee. Together we can change the world.

I AM THE 99%

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 08:21:00 +0000

I have just thrown together a simple free printable sign, "I AM THE 99%" to be use for people who occupy at home. The idea is to get people to post 99% solidarity signs at work, at home, in their cars. A lot of people are in favor of the movement, and I think we should all show our support by hanging the number 99 everywhere. Hanging up this sign means that you stand with the Occupy movement wherever you may be.

A lot of people have busy lives, work many jobs, have young kids, families, or medical conditions which makes it hard for them to get out and Occupy. This sign is just one way to Occupy at Home. Join in, show your support.

I will be making all of the colors available in printable PDFs very shortly.

The Best Kind of Pie; is OCCUPY

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 10:15:00 +0000

I believe in power to the people. I believe in small communities. I believe in self sustainable systems, I believe in locally grown foods. I believe in a majority of people taking part in the decision making process of what goes on in the towns around us. I believe in barter and trade. I believe in dancing and communicating with neighbors. I believe in peace.

I, William Hessian, stand in Solidarity with those who OCCUPY.

See photos from my visit to Occupy Minneapolis at the Government Plaza.

Solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street Movement

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:31:00 +0000

Despite working 5 jobs (to pay my debts) and 7+ days a week (a few double shifts), I have managed to get over to Occupy Minneapolis a few times. I held up signs and participated in a general assembly. I am inspired by the Occupy Wall Street and stand in Solidarity with all Occupy movements happening right now. I am especially inspired by Punk Patriot and my friends at the Free Change Collective. They are in New York peacefully protesting...which means getting arresting, pepper sprayed, and shoved around: all while filming a documentary. I am proud to know them. Click the links to see dozens of videos from the Occupy Wall Street protests.

Videos like this:

This is a really exciting time, but we need more support. We need numbers. We need more people to show up at Occupy and let the country know that we care and that we are paying attention. I will be returning to Occupy Minneapolis this week, and I plan to get as involved as I can given the time that I have. Here is a quote that I found really inspiring:

There are no excuses left. Either you join the revolt taking place on Wall Street and in the financial districts of other cities across the country or you stand on the wrong side of history. Either you obstruct, in the only form left to us, which is civil disobedience, the plundering by the criminal class on Wall Street and accelerated destruction of the ecosystem that sustains the human species, or become the passive enabler of a monstrous evil. Either you taste, feel and smell the intoxication of freedom and revolt or sink into the miasma of despair and apathy. Either you are a rebel or a slave. (by chris hedges)

Half way done with my Facebook Fast

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:49:00 +0000

15 days down, 15 days to go. It feels like I have been away from Facebook for months. It really does. It is amazing how detached I feel from communications with others. At the same time I feel liberated. I am sleeping better, reading books, and getting art projects done. I still have a laundry list of MUST DOs, which I hope to take care of during this social media vacation. I do admit that I meander onto Google Plus from time to time, and probably use my cell phone to text a little more socially then usual. All in all, its been a nice break.

While I still feel the urge to get on Facebook, I have been really busy and productive with other projects. I figure I typically spend a half an hour to an hour per day of Facebook, sometimes longer if I start playing mindless mini games. Facebook is just a little too labor intensive for me when trying ti multi-task with other projects. Youtube (especially Ted Talks), music and/or Justin TV have been great entertainment background noise for me while working on other projects and more than fills the void that Facebook left behind.

My plan is to find a happy medium for my future Facebook usage. A fifteen minute session to catch up on important things or communications and then logging off for the night. I plan to give this schedule a try on October 16th when I make my return to Facebook. I will be Faceback.

5 days with 25 days left to go

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:25:00 +0000

I have given up Facebook for 30 days in an effort to curb my addictive tendencies towards the social media website. Yes, I am on a Facebook fast! It has only been 5 days and yet it feels like weeks. I feel oddly disconnected, and oddly at peace. There are so many moments in between doing tasks where my instinct is to check Facebook. After I eat...check Facebook. After I watch a video on Youtube...check Facebook. After I wake up from a nap....check Facebook. I had no idea how many times this urge appears over the course of a day.

I am already fantasizing about the 31st day. When the fast is over, I will log into Facebook and see a bunch of messages and tons of notifications. Oh how sweet it will be. I will feel so popular. However, the whole point of this fast was to turn my attention to other things, art projects, blogging, daily chores, showering.

I woke up today and I had a bad hangover and I questioned if in my unplanned drunken night, that I may have broke my fast. It would be quite a failure. I do not get drunk very often, but last night I did. Way too drunk actually. Enough to drunk dial people and even drunk e-mail some people. I have only done this a handful of times in my life and it is not very flattering. Meanwhile, I was very nervous to check my browsing history but found that I had somehow held true to fast even in my drunken stupor. Lucky me. But giving up getting that drunk should be my first adjective, because that is never fun. Thankfully, I held true to my vow and hope not throw my own monkey into my wrenches....if that makes any sense.

25 days left to go.

And when it is all over I plan to set new limits and expectations on my use and abuse of social media.

30 Day Break from Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 08:28:00 +0000

From September 16th until October 16th I will not log in to my Facebook account. My Facebook profile image will be this:

Many people go on cleansing health diets, some religions fast, often times people give up things for lent. I need to put my brain on a Facebook fast. I love passive aggressive socializing as much as the next guy, maybe more than the next guy. I often spend hours of time on Facebook when I should be sleeping, working on art projects, cleaning or paying bills. I blame my addictive personality for this problem more than Facebook itself, but it is such a potent tool for communication and an endless trap of insubstantial information. Facebook is a communication tool that slowly takes over large parts of our lives. Like the cell phone, another thing I boycotted. I did have have a cell phone for the first 29 years of my life (newsflash I got a cell phone this year. you can read about it: sad truth: i now own a cell phone). I need 30 days to let my mind relax, give my brain a break from reading notifications and looking at pictures of hundreds of people who I don't communicate with on a regular basis.

I want to write at least a dozen hand written letters in this 30 days. I want to put on music and sit down at my art supplies, instead of at my computer. It is sad that I have to force myself to take 30 days off in order to get myself to follow through with these actions. I can be very weak when presented with an easy way to distract myself from other concerns, and Facebook needs a break.

My mindbrain needs a break from the Facebook

Give up Facebook? Is it worth it?

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 11:42:00 +0000

In place of Facebook, I will meditate. I will log on to the social media of my mind.

Last week, I wrote a blog about my 30 day Facebook Fast. In one week I am going to attempt this social media fast and not log in to Facebook for 30 days. Like an addict, I am already fearing the worst. You can read all about the goals and reasoning of my fast in my last post.

This post is in regard to the massive support I have received from friends and fellow bloggers. I know a handful of great people, mostly from Maine, who do not use Facebook at all. I also know a lot of people who begrudgingly use Facebook. I got a lot of support from people who also feel they themselve abuse social media sites and get sucked into spending way too much time on them. I also got a lot of people defending their own use of Facebook. A lot of these conversations took place....on Facebook.

This brings me back to functionality of a social site like Facebook. While I write the blog post on my blog, only a handful of people actually come over to my blog, and even less people leave comments. I love those of you who do leave comments, please leave more comments on my blogs. But the point I am trying to make, is that actual conversations and discussions of value can take place on Facebook. There is content. There is an ability to contact people. There is an easy way to keep up with people's doings. All of these things I am fine with and enjoy. For me, I also love Facebook for being able to present my artwork, my blogs, and subjects of conversation to my friends. It's a business tool as well as a social tool. Okay, so now that I am telling you all the reasons to 'LIKE' Facebook. Now, I want to once again explain why Facebook is addictive and corrosive.

Facebook is designed to be an endless loop of snooping, mini games, and advertisements. Your friends, people we like and our interested, provide content and we make Facebook money by sitting on the site posting new content for our friends to consume. We feel like we are engaging in community or friendship and really we are just helping Facebook sell ads. Okay, we are actually communicating with our friends, that part is real, but everything is designed to keep us checking back every two minutes. The mini games are designed to make you come back each day to get a special item, a free bonus, a free spin, an every day multiplier, a little cookie prize when we return. I find myself doing tasks and immediately returning to Facebook to see if anything changed. This is unnecessary, but hard to stop. My issue is with Facebook's sheer addictive power.

When I go on my 30 day fast, I can cheat a little bit because I can post a Twitter update and without logging into Facebook, the Twitter will automatically update my Facebook page. It's pretty cool actually, and a good way to still use Facebook as an advertising tool for my work, while still avoiding ever logging into it. I want to take this 30 days to work on the 40,000 projects I need to be doing. Maybe I will even do some house chores or clean out my jungle of a car. Could I do all these things and still use Facebook? Sure. But I want my time away from Facebook to be productive and constructive. The last thing I want is to find myself spending time of Myspace instead. That would be the ultimate blow to my will power.

Have you ever considered quitting a social media site? Do you find yourself spending to much time on a particular website? What/How do you make time for things like social media and what role do they play in your life?

In place of Facebook, I will meditate. I will log on to the social media of my mind.

Facebook Fast: giving up the social media site for 30 days

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 09:16:00 +0000

On September 10th, I am going to quit Facebook for 30 days. A social media cleansing. A Facebook Fast. I need to a take a break.

On an average day: I come home from work. I open up my laptop. I log on to Facebook. It only takes 5 minutes to read notifications, respond to messages, accept friend requests. However, I continue to sit on Facebook browsing photos, wall posts, and worst of all playing mini games. While I may eat a meal, watch a documentary, watch youtube videos, or read articles at the same time, Facebook is constantly open in the background.

I will admit my real 'need' for Facebook is less social, and more promotional. I use Facebook as a means to promote my true passion in life, being a visual artist. Facebook helps me tell friends about artwork for sale, art show opening, events, gain inspiration and collaborate with other artists. It is only a bonus that I can keep up with friends and make new ones along the way. But, especially since returning to Minnesota, the amount of time I spend logged on to Facebook is alarming to me. I am actually very anti-Facebook, I even have this bumper sticker on my car:

'Facebook Erodes Real Communties. Let's stop staring at screens and talk to our neighbors. Organize a potluck. Start playing music with friends. Go for a bike ride. Learn to start fire with sticks.' This was made by a friend of mine, and I really agree with it. However, I am a massive hypocrite when I step out of my car and sit down in front of my computer.

The sticker shares space with my 'Coexist' bumber sticker and my 'I heart (lobster) Maine' sticker.

It also sits right below my 'Fear No Art' bumper sticker.

I will admit that Facebook makes loneliness a little less bitter. I am a nearly 30 year old artist, with no kids, and no wife; and I am not complaining about it. I can easily to find myself alone in front of the computer spilling hours of my life into something I do not believe in. Facebook is an easy fall back, and creates a false feeling of connection to people when you are away from them. The transition from the Midwest to Maine and back again has been difficult for many reasons, and for some reason the last few weeks of my life I am resorting to Tetris and digging for imaginary digital treasure instead of doing to thousands of things I want to be doing with my life.

During my Facebook Fast I will refocus my life and set new goals. This means that you will see a lot more posts being created on my art blog. Hopefully I will have more to say, and more time to say it.

Pyramid of Power

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 09:26:00 +0000

I had an idea for an illustration. I went searching for a few things and stumbled upon this pyramid of power based on the New World Order. It reminded me of the Pyramid of Pay post I made a few years ago, mostly because it was a pyramid. However, sometimes I run across very straight forward images like this and I just have to share. My illustration will show up here when I find time to get it done.

Oh the fun things we find when we search the internets.

censorship on facebook?

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 01:41:00 +0000

.tneconni eht fo htaed eht tsoc reven dluohs modeerf .modeerf ruoy tsoc reven dluohs modeerf .sevals era ew .rewsna eht ton si tnemnrevog eht

.em htiw ecnad dna tniap emoc dna .yub fo daetsni retrab .nedrag a worg .boj ruoy tiuq enoyreve

______________________

Today on facebook I had to write the message above backwards. When I originally posted it the first time, this message appeared:

"This comment has been flagged by FaceBook as inappropriate or offensive. This user has been warned for expressing ideas and/or opinions that are considered controversial."

Has anyone else had this issue with facebook? Facebook is censoring my comments?! It seems many of my friends post much more controversial things than my post, and I have never seen the censorship message before. Plus, it seemed to censor my post immediately. This seems like a very scary thing.

BIN LADEN DEAD TROOPS COME HOME!

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 21:35:00 +0000

I finally found the image above at the Portland PAstes flickr Political Posters. I had originally seen it on the walls of a bridge in Portland Maine the day after Bin LAden was announced dead.

There is a video of those posters you can watch at the Portland PAste YouTube page.

Put it back up! LePage and the Labor Mural

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 06:34:00 +0000

It is my duty as an artist and my job as a worker in the state of maine and my job as an American, and my job as a human being to stand against Governor Paul LePage. My stance is that if you, LePage, want to take down the labor mural I will put it up a hundred times.

If you do not know what I am talking about, I will explain. I have been caught up in a whirlwind of political excitement here in Portland Maine and have not had the time to blog about all the fun. Not to mention my laptop broke. Regardless to say I wrote on my art blog a week ago that the Governor of Maine, Paul LePage, should never take down that mural. The mural I am speaking of, is a mural of the history of labor painted by Judy Taylor.

The Governor of Maine, Paul LePage, has been making the news for his insensitive and rude comments not to mention signing horrendous policies and cutting funding on basic human rights but he has made the most impact by removing a mural. When he decided to illegally take down a fantastic mural because it was too 'pro worker, and not pro business enough' it pissed off a lot of people. As many of you know, I have only lived in Maine for 6 months, and I already take pride in this state. If the Governor wants to disrespect the working class of Maine and kick them while they are down, you Lepage are kicking the working class of America and the working class of the entire world in the gut at the same time. I strongly disagree with censorship of art, and feel strongly that our history as workers needs to be more present and represented in the world around us. Taking down Judy Taylor's mural is the exact opposite of what a Governor in America should be doing right now. Workers are being treated unfairly right now in 2011, and this is a pattern that has been repeated since forever (forever = in the history of human beings).

I stand with the working people of Maine; I stand against Governor Paul Lepage. If you, LePage, want to take down the labor mural I will put it up a hundred times.

I'll start with stickers and murals, and I have friends who happen to be workers and artists, and they have friends, and they are armed with stickers and murals. And pretty soon this mural you took down Governor LePage, this mural is a walking breathing army of workers following you around. The mural will be everywhere. It is our history, our fathers and mothers, our grandmas and grandpas, our great grandmas and grandpas, the workers that paved the way for us, we ARE ALL that mural. The mural is everywhere. We ARE the mural.

I speak for everyone when I say, "Put the mural back up!". However, what we mean by put the mural back up, is that you, Governor LePage; you need to physically put the Judy Taylor mural back on the walls of the Department of Labor but you also need to apologize for your actions, and give the working class the respect that we deserve. When I say 'respect' I mean you need to start signing policies that provide health care, education, housing assistance, human rights! You need to starting working for us, or get the hell out of office.

CLIMB THE CAGE!

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 06:57:00 +0000

This was my response to this great video by the Punk Patriot:

Fighting the system is hard work. its easy to submit to the life of hard work for no pay. have a kid, a family, get in an accident, spend beyond you means, go to college, and just like that..... you look back and you are trapped. grasping at the suffocating walls of debt as they close in on you. You worker harder, but only fall further. We are rats in an endless maze, every step we take, the man gets another shiny penny. Time to climb the cage! CLIMB THE CAGE!

Stand with Egypt

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 19:16:00 +0000

Above is the poster I create for our stand with egypt event here in Portland, Maine. The group managed to get the attention of the local news and we spread our support to a lot of the public who were driving or walking by.

Wells, Monica and myself began making music with the mail boxes and newspaper dispensers. It was a lot of fun, and helped the protesting gain attention. We made a number of signs and had a number protest chants to sing.

Not only did we have a lot of really good signs, we also had a really good turn out of people on the tiny post office park. We eventually moved to the street corners and had a lot of opportunity to talk with people about why we there, and what we were doing. Many of us had been watching the protests in Egypt on Al Jazeera television and it was really exciting to go stand with the people and show support for people from a different part of the world.

I have found a great connection to these people. They are devoted people who have compassion and a willingness to sacrifice their time for bigger causes. The people of Egypt have inspired me, and our entire group, it is extremely exciting to see people gathering and chanting for change. I'm tired of seeing politicians and leaders telling the people how to think or what to do, and it is refreshing and powerful when the opposite happens; and you have the people telling the politicians how to think and what to do.

Indoor Garden Treasure

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:13:00 +0000

I grew watching my mom grow gardens both outside and inside our home. However, I was far to busy drawing and playing video games to ever get my hands dirty. Unless it was a dreaded chore. Like pouring compost water on the garden, or covering the garden with raked leaves. For some reason my connection to growing things, nature and plants never really blossomed in the suburbs of Minneapolis. So then 2010 happened and I found myself in the very rural town of Unity, Maine. Far far from home. I was in a town surrounded by real farmers, many young organic farmers. Amazingly, I found myself behind the counter of a deli, staring at a whole new world in front of me. I was presented with a different way of life.

This deli, Cross Trax Deli, thanks to Monica Murphy the owner, was in fact the only deli in town, and happened to the backbone of the local farmers in the area. I met some amazing people in that place, and every day these people helped open my eyes to some very important things. I would always say that organic food is important to me, but I did not really understand who was growing it, or how it got to my plate. I always attended the Minneapolis Farmers Market and met the vendors, but did not understand what it took to get the food to that table each week. I always planned to grow a garden some day, but just figured i would do it someday in the future; because gardening was for middle aged people.

I was living my life from a very city centered perspective. Which, I guess, is understandable growing up right outside of a major city. However, things I said were important to me were only important to me in my mind, and not in my actions. It is like I, and an entire culture of pseudo hippies in Minneapolis, were faking it. In Unity Maine I met the kind of people every in Uptown Minneapolis tried to pretend to be. Punk farmers. People who didn't just say radical things, but did radical things.

I am grateful for this subculture of people for shopping at farmer's markets, and supporting organic and local products at their health food stores; it is very important. I was one of those people. It took moving to the other side of the country and to watch people dragging in bag after bag of carrots and kale, or dragging crate after crate of beets down into the cellar. I watched beaten and bruised farmers strolling in after sundown, filthy, just to pick up the compost slop buckets from the deli to feed to their pigs. Hard work, was actually hard work.

Then came the break up. Not long after my long term relationship with my girlfriend ended, I felt like the small town of farmers was too foreign for me to stick around. I was drawn to a bigger city. But things in my head changed. The common ground fair changed me, cross trax changed me, Unity changed me. I need to let my action speak louder than my words, and my words speak louder than the choir in my head. I can tell myself I am a good person tell the cows come home, but unless I get out and do something about it.... I am only good in my head. And that is a scary realization.

So, here is my very humble start to an indoor garden:

Arugula, Arugula, tomato, and basil. I plan to start a few pepper plants and maybe make a few more of each one. The arugula is already sprouting and I am very happy to have things growing under my care. I know it is a very small step, but it is an important step when it is a step I havnt taken in 28 years. So many excuses to not start an indoor garden, and my new outlook is to get rid of those excuses and turn them into results.

Oh, and just to prove that I am acting on this mind frame since moving to Portland here are a few video you will find me in, protesting for peace:

I'll probably repost these videos and talk a bit about my adventures in activism in Portland, Maine.

Vegetarianism: From Compassion to Environmentalism

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 08:39:00 +0000

Why are you a vegetarian?

"Compassion" was my answer. I believe that a living creature should not die because we enjoy how it tastes.

What about plants?

"Plants grow to give seeds" I said. Growing a plant, eating it, and allowing the seeds to grow again is a natural and productive partnership between a plant and its consumer.

At some point, didn't we need to eat meat to surive?

"Yes," I said. I know that at some points in history eating meat kept people alive when no other food was available. Eating meat made us who we are today. However, the survival of our race no longer depends on killing animals. we have more than enough resources to feed everyone on the planet a vegetarian diet.

You do realize that eating manufactured soy-based products and other meat substitutes can use far more overall resources than eating locally raised meat? Therefore, at times it is more environmentally ethical to eat meat than not.

"Yikes" I said. That is a very good point, and one that cuts deep into another issue. The environmental aspect of not eating meat can be trickier than the compassionate reason for not eating meat. In fact, it is more important. If I am making a choice to eat vegetarian alternatives to meat, and those products like soy based meat substitutes that are often grown over seas, manufactured in one place, packaged in another places, and then shipped to my grocery store, then I am basically putting my foot in my own mouth. Now, it is true that most meat, especially beef, is extremely hard on the environment for the same reasons listed above. Choosing a vegetarian option is definitely better than eating beef or low grade meats usually found in fast food restaurants and cheap frozen dinners. But local meats..... I agree that local meats are much superior to eating the less humane, less environmentally friendly, and less affordable meat. For compassionate reasons eating meat, even locally, which is admittedly better (both for your health, and for the planet) is still something I will no longer do.

Are you alright with making decisions that are more harmful to the environment than another available option?

"No, I will go one further and be even more environmentally friendly than your options listed" I answered. I will not eat meat for compassion reasons, and I will no longer (or at least significantly reduce) eating vegetarian products that take a lot of energy to make it to my plate.

How will you accomplish this?

"To limit my environmental impact, I will buy and eat a very locally based diet," I said. I will buy vegetables in bulk from farmers markets. I will research where my food is coming from and choose options that are closest to me. I will choose foods that are not processed, or minimally processed. I will not buy frozen prepackaged food. I will no longer buy fast food. It is my new mission to not only eat compassionately but also environmentally.

How will you afford this?

"Well, that is always an issue," I said. Accept farmers markers can be reasonable, although limited. Eating healthy is not only expensive monetarily, but even more expensive in time. I spend more time preparing food, shopping for food, researching food. I am challenged to spend time either making lunches before work, or bring the tools to make lunch at work. I have to learn new recipes that use the items I have before they go bad. Eating is a struggle. But it is a fun struggle, because it is honest, and it is aligned with my beliefs. Eating used to be something I did lazily and without much thought. No longer is that the case. I will put money where my mouth is, and commit to eating an animal friendly local vegetarian diet. And I will enjoy it.

9/11 Nuclear Demolition of the World Trade Center

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 06:42:00 +0000

9/11 Nuclear Demolition of the World Trade Center is a series of interviews I just recently watched put out by Dimitri Khalezov. Khalezov explains that the 9/11 buildings were demolished using old underground nuclear bombs that were initially put under the building when built as a demolition requirement.

The interview is a long talk and explains much of how he knows this information and using many other clips and videos to help convince us.

Recently I have been getting into a lot of new truth movement videos and websites. I have been getting involved with Peace Action Maine and a few other groups in Portland, Maine. This Friday I am putting on a Paint for Peace set up, while the Youth Network holds a series of speeches about the "History of Activism in Portland".

I will be posting more about these involvements in the near future. I have been focused on finding a job (success) and working on art projects. Now that I have settled in, I can start making more regular posts to Zombie Robot Frosting, especially about my recent involvement with Peace Activism.

The sad truth: I now own a cell phone

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 01:22:00 +0000

I have gone 28.75 years without a cell phone. However, sitting next to me as I type this is a brand new pay as you go TracFone. A cell phone. I own a cell phone. I swore to never have a cell phone. I fought people and jobs about why I would never need one. I went from thinking I would never own one, to having just written a text message! Yeah, those things that people do instead of paying attention to their driving.

What has happened to me? Why did I give in and buy a cell phone? Is the world coming to an end?

These are all valid questions. I watch a core group of friends named Adam, Matt and Kris all get cell phones when they were at one point fellow non-cell phone people. I watched as each one decided to get a cell phone for their own reasons, and valid reasons I should add. However, I was sad. As each close friend who was part of my "no cell phone alliance" began getting cell phones I knew my time was limited.

On December 18th, 2008 I wrote a blog called 10 reasons not to own a cell phone and also a blog called why i dont own a cell phone. I stood passionately about this issue. And it took a huge change in my life to realize that I was fighting more against HOW cell phones were used, not necessarily the cell phone itself. Although the cell phone embodies some pretty big evils.

To fully explain how it came to be that I know put a cell phone in my pocket before I leave the house I would have to give you a pretty extensive history of my life in the last six months. Instead, what I am going to do is re-list the 10 reasons not to own a cell phone and along the way explain why I made the decision to have it, despite this great list of reasons not to. Here we go:

1. cost
Cost is still an issue. However, land-line price have been going up, and land-lines do a lot less things. I have been a land-line lad for my entire life. Once I got to Portland, ME and was job hunting while living with a family with no land-line, it became clear I needed a cell phone. Jobs wanted a phone number, and I needed to be able to call people/jobs without driving to a pay phone.

2. dependance
Cell phones combine a dozen different electronic appliances into one small device. It is easy to understand why cell phone owners find themselves at the mercy of the cell phone itself, 'never leave home without it'. The world seems to revolve around the cell phone, instead of the person. It is common to hear a cell phone user saying they would be lost without their cell phone, and that is a scary thing. I vow to never make this a problem I have.

3. cancer
It has not been proven that cell phones are linked to cancer, brain tumors or other psycological imbalances. However, recent tests also can not prove that cell phones do not cause these things either. It is clear that there are some health risks that we are not fully aware of, and that more testing needs to be done. It could be minor, it could be major. I would wait until they figure it out, before you are simply a statistic. I do not sleep next to my phone.

4. replacing electronic devices
A cell phone is a calender, a phone book, a telephone, a camera, the internet, a beeper, an answering machine, a calculator, an instant messenger, an alarm clock, and a daily planner. The simple fact that a cell phone can replace so many electronic devices is frightening, because if you lose the one cell phone you are losing so many tools. It really makes your cell phone something indispensable, and furthers a dependence on a fabricated device.

5. annoyance
Cell phone users seem to be able to ignore this apsect. For me, cell phones are great for interuptions, and can happen at the most inoppertune times. During a lecture, a speech, a conversation, or a movie. People can also elect to answer a call in the middle of a prior engagement, which can be annoying for the crowd, or even be annoying to the cell phone owner. It's another constant thing I might be aware of... is my phone on silent? Is the keypad locked? Is it even in my pocket? Why did I buy this?

6. distraction
I think cell phone use in a motor vehicle should be illegal. 85% of all cell phone users use their phone while driving and 'each year, 21% of fatal car crashes involving teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 were the result of cell phone usage. This result has been expected to grow as much as 4% every year'. Cell phones can literally kill you. If you call me while I'm driving, you will be ignored until I arrive.

7. laziness
People often use their super phones to be lazy. Instead of paying attention to directions, you can simply call someone to guide you through the city. Instead of learning how to solve a problem you can look it up on the computer or phone a friend. Cell phones instant access to answers creates laziness.

8. impersonal
I find conversations on all phones to be impersonable, and text messanging to be a lame excuse for communication at all. Face to face contact is all but extinct nowadays and we have the cell phone to thank for this. I still agree with myself here, however I do find texting to be an effective tool for giving small amounts of data like, "i'm outside now" or "are you by the fountain?" "what time is the show?" etc. Texting allows for simple answers to questions that do not need a conversation to figure out.

9. memory loss
Going along with laziness it is also proven that owning and using a cell phone on a regular basis will cause memory loss. People memorized more numbers and facts before cell phones and the internet. Unless you are activily trying to counteract the memory loss your cell phone will slowly turn your mind into mush. But at least you'll still have a killer razor phone for show your friends.

10. trackable
Everyone seems to be against trackable chips in our liscenses or identification cards. Meanwhile, we all carry around cell phone that are connected to service towers and account numbers that are easily traced and tracked. Your cell phone is like a tracking device no matter where you go and what you do. I have no idea if they use this technology to track us, but it would be easy to do, and we would have no idea. And this is still an issue.

While I am still opposed to the cell phone culture. I am understanding their usefulness and have found it quite handy in the short week I have owned mine. I do promise to read my own list multiple times over the next few months to remind me of my own concerns. My goal is to use the phone as a functional device, and to make very specific choices as to what functions I want it to serve. I think we should all ask ourselves what our cell phones are to us, and if they are too much, to pull back and use them only to fit our needs, not our desires or to facilitate bad habits.

I Love/Hate the internet

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 16:27:00 +0000

Have you ever loved something you knew was bad for you?

This is how I feel about the internet. I just got out of a 3 year relationship, and am currently sitting in an empty apartment (well, empty of my things) getting ready to leave in the morning to move into a new town. I have experienced an unhealthy urge and addiction to the internet for nearly a year now. The internet provides me with so many beneficial things, communication, job opportunities, art opportunities, community, entertainment, knowledge, directions, and inspiration. However, while all those things are extremely valuable, it also offers me a world of distractions, games, endless videos, the false sense of being awake, access to information I don't need, and advertisements.

I am sure every one of you reading this post, has at some point been distracted by something on the internet that then takes hours away from your life. Or, at best, sidetracks you from what you were initially intending to do. When I have constant internet access I never have time to just sit and think because my mind immediately wants to check the internet again.

Gmail....any new messages? Facebook.....any new notifications? YouTube....any new subscribed videos?

When those three options are explored then there is a secondary ring of things to check, or else if I pressing matters in the real world (cooking food, cleaning, art projects, friends) then maybe I will just be done with the internet for a while. But as soon as I have a chance to take a deep breath, I race back to the computer to check those three sites again. Like an obsession.

I know I have a problem using the internet to distract myself from other emotions or problems. During the end of my deteriorating relationship with my girlfriend Kelsey, I would find myself turning to the internet more and more often. I do admit, if I wasn't turning to the internet, I would be turning to something else (video games, sports, books, movies) to distract me. The internet just happens to be so good at distracting me that it creeps into distracting me even when I want to be doing the things I want to do. For instance, I love to paint and draw. I often sit down to work on projects and find myself taking necessary breaks to check up on the internet. These breaks usually brood into long internet sessions with breaks to paint and draw. It is becoming a problem.

Separation Anxiety

Why am I writing this blog right now? I'll tell you why. It is because I currently am sitting here without the internet. It is true. I can't do my routine check ups. Gmail....any new messages? Facebook.....any new notifications? YouTube....any new subscribed videos? I realize how quickly I become uneasy and concerned about not being connected to the internet and want desperately to check my gmail, facebook and youtube. I could be using this time to paint and draw and yet I am here writing a love letter to the internet instead. How I miss you dear internet, with your sweet html's and your beautiful links and sidebars. The thing is, this is why I do not own a cell phone. Because I am acutely aware of my ability to become easily enchanted by such technology. I have slowly allowed the internet to take a pretty serious grasp of my attention away from the rest of the real world and the things I love to do. This a sad and difficult thing to deal with.

What is the Solution?

With this painful but valuable time I have without the internet, the whole three days until I go to the library, I am going to come up with some solution options to help me fix my problem. For this, I need your help. I am going to make some suggestions and I want you to tell me if you have any better solutions or if you think my ideas will work. My new apartment will eventually have internet access... which is a relief, since I really do use it daily to communicate with job opportunities, art clients, art sales, friends and family. However, it is also a burden, especially if I fall into pattern of using the internet all day long. I need to give myself some rules and guidelines that I will not only follow but adhere to, in my daily life. I often tell myself things like, “alright I'll be on until 2am, and then I need to sleep,” or “alright I'll check my stuff and then finish this painting.” Needless to say I end up watching videos and playing games until long past my own deadline and regretting it later. My rules need to be firm, and I need a way to keep myself honest and respectful of my own usage of time.

Options:

NO INTERNET. This option would involve spending no time on the internet at home, and only using it for specific tasks by visiting the library or public spaces. I have tried and considered this option many times but I write three blogs on a regular basis and get a lot of art sales business based on posting new work of art all around the internet. Therefore, avoiding the internet at home would just hurt those things I need to do online. The times I have tried it leads me to spend countless hours at coffee shops and internet hot spots trying to suck up as much internet as possible.

ONLINE CURFEW. Having a set time to go on the internet, or a set time to not go on the internet. Closing down my computer completely, packing it up and putting it away from 5pm- 10pm, or after 8pm each day. The reason this has not worked for me yet is because given my varying work schedule I feel like I cannot set proper time periods and end up being too loose and flexible and ignoring any curfews. Is there a decent way to keep myself from breaking my own curfews?

COMPUER YES, BUT INTERNET NO. This is a solution which I have tried a few different times with some decent results. The idea is to give myself a set one or two hours per day to use the internet but then unplug the internet for the rest of the day. This allows me to download videos I want to watch, e-mails I need to respond to, images I need for references, and then when the cord is pulled I only have the most important things on my computer to work on/watch/ respond to. When I exhaust those things I then need to be spending my time doing all the things that I keep ignoring.

These are the three options that I have come up with and I feel there is probably a perfect solution somewhere in between. Again, I would love to hear how you keep yourself from over indulging on the internet. The best relationship I've ever had with the internet was when I did not have it at all, and only on days that I went in to work as a security guard would I then use the internet and consequently also get paid for it. It was the best possible scenario, because I had the internet a few days a week, but when I left work I was free from it. It did not follow me at home, and it did not keep me up at night (other things still kept me up at night, just not the internet). Maybe the solution is to find another job as a security guard with internet access.

Oh I Forgot About Those Things

Catherine, one of my friends I met in Unity, Maine asked me what my new years resolutions were this year, and I told her I had not even thought of it. Which was true. Then I began thinking about it, and there were a number of things I have been trying to resolve in my own life that would make PERFECT resolutions. I am happy to say I can include limiting my internet usage to the things on my resolution list this year. I will post my new year resolutions in a upcoming post.

Do you have a problem over using the internet?
What are the ways you try to limit your internet usage?

growing trees into healthy relationships

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 09:15:00 +0000

The last few weeks I have had some really deep probing and healing conversations with some very special people. Having these very introspective soul searching talks always reminds me of my childhood; spending hours and hours talking with my mother, Lori, about life, death and everything in between. The people I respond to the most are people that are passionate, and learners. I have been blessed to find a handful of these people in Unity, Maine. If you read my last few posts about the move to maine or breaking up with my girlfriend, you may be clued into a lot of the things that are on my mind recently.

During a conversation tonight I used this metaphor for relationships:

dont just be two trees growing next to each other
intertwine
touch leaves
grow new branches together

I have seen so many couples who grow up together on their own, and I find that so many trees end up growing away from each other in order to spread their branches. The end of my last relationship was a great example of two people who grew a lot together during the relationship, and while our physical bodies intertwined, our minds were growing branches that pushed each other away. Somehow in places that I thought we were intertwined as people, we were simply growing really closed together.

We are now in the process of replanting ourselves, grooming ourselves and plugging our roots deep into new soil, with new tree friends. The romantic in me is so excited and scared to begin touching leaves with new trees, I find myself wanting to be intertwined. However, I need to remind myself that trees do not fly, and that I should be very cautious of where I grow and make sure I have what I need to grow strong. I need to respect the rooting process.

I realize I am going really far with this metaphor, however, I find the imagery to be helpful to me when thinking about my future. Today, I am a tree.

I am so excited to meet new people and refocus my life in the direction I really want to go in. Three years ago, when I first started dating my ex-girlfriend, I was a very different person. As sad as it is to say goodbye to a person I have cared so much about, I feel good to be turning my attention to myself for a while. Hopefully I will many more conversations that will help lead me figure out where I go next.

Getting Lost in a Bad Relationship

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 05:36:00 +0000

I knew we had problems. I knew we weren't being good for each other. I knew we couldn't communicate. We couldn't trust each other. But. I was clouded by dreams of living together til the end of our days. I could see pictures from the future of us by the fireplace with our kids and pets, all smiling and happy. I drove with her from the midwest to the northern tip of the east coast because I love her. Little did I know, the clock was ticking.

Turtle Love has Shattered

When is it okay to give up on a relationship with someone you love? When do you cut your losses? When is it just hanging on?

For Kelsey and myself the time to give up was a week ago. The end of a three year relationship that was chalk full of great moments, and terrible moments. We both sat down and agreed it was time to go our separate ways, and as this decision was sinking in, I felt like I was standing all alone on a deserted island watching my lover sail away. Unable to look away. I am a trillion miles from my friends and family in Minneapolis, and the one person I care about the most in the entire world is gone. Well, not gone, but going. I am only here, in Unity Maine, because of her. I don't have anything left for me in Unity. I do have a job, but its not really me. I have met a handful of really great people here in Unity. This handful of people (actually three) I have come to really enjoy (moreso than expected in such a short time), people I hope to know the rest of my life. But all three of these awesome people are in someway going to be spending time in Portland, Maine. Which leads me to the next adventure in my life...

Portland Maine

As the dark emotional clouds of the break up begins to fade, I can clearly see hope and inspiration in the future. Everyone who knows me, knows I am an upbeat optimistic person... even when my situation doesn't warrant it. This is why, despite the sickness in my stomach and sadness in my heart, I am completely ready to move on. I have so many things to look forward to, I don't have time to weep into my pillow. Actually that is not true; I give myself an hour to cry into my pillow, but thats it. I have so many things to be thankful for. For one, me and Kelsey are going to try to remain friends. Two, we do not have kids and we do not have any big purchases together making this break less messy. Three, I love a new adventure. And four, and maybe most importantly, pain inspires me. I have created more artwork this week than in the last six months combined. It is kind of like letting a beast out of its cage. All this pent up emotion and pent up pain spills out onto the canvas.

I am still getting to subject of Portland, Maine. Since, I know Unity, Maine does not really have the things I need to be an working artist, or anything close, I need to relocate. This means either making a 180 and moving back home to Minneapolis where I have jobs and friends and family; or by moving two hours south and living in Portland Maine. Portland has an incredible art scene and is a place I would love to sink my teeth into. Plus, as mentioned above, three of my new friends are connected to this area. I really do not want 2010 and the state of Maine to be the place where I broke up with Kelsey and if I leave now that is all it will be. Instead, I want Maine to be the place where I began a new chapter in my life. I have all the tools and the energy to transform this really hard time in my life into something really great. If I can piggyback on my frantic emotions and use this energy to catapult myself from Unity to Portland I can give myself a jump start on conquering a brand new city.

Love Expert

I am not an expert in relationships. I am barely a relationship novice. However, I do feel like I build better relationship skills with each person I get involved with, in fact I make it a serious point of mine to learn everyday of my life. I am also very self reflective and I am doing my very best to reflect on mistakes I made during the relationship. Three years is a long time to reflect on, and if I slowly retrace the events in our time spent together I can gather information on how to make myself a better boyfriend for the future. Because I am getting close to the age, 28, where it starts to make sense to think about settling down, getting married and having kids. Although, I do think part of the reason the art is flowing out of me right now, is because relationships take a lot of time and effort, especially when they are plagued with problems. The veil has been lifted and now I can plug this time and effort into my old mistress...art. Hopefully my next relationship can live a little more harmoniously with the artist side of me.

This is a very tough time for me. I miss her a lot, even though she's still sleeping in the room next to me, and I get to talk to her every day. And even though I miss her, I can see past her. Where I once stared into her beautiful eyes, I can now look past them, and past her, and I can see all the way to Portland and I can even see the life I will be living once I am there. Things look good out there.

The present is dark and shadowy, but the future is shining bright.

If you enjoyed this post you might also like to read about my first reaction to arriving in Maine. I also want to know: would you take a pill instead of eating?

The Common Ground Fair in Maine

noreply@blogger.com (williamhessian) — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 03:33:00 +0000

"If you’ve ever been to the Fair, you know — and if you haven’t been, anyone who has will tell you — it’s an event like no other, that brings together so many people from so many walks of life, all in the spirit of celebrating the rural and agricultural traditions of Maine."

The Common Ground Fair is an incredible experience. A lot of effort is put into focusing and highlighting organic farmers and gardeners from Maine. The fair ran from September 24-26th. I spent only 6 hours at this fair, and I learned a lot about organic farming and a lot about Maine. I was impressed with the way in which the fair was conducted and how committed this fair was to a cause beyond making money. The Common Ground fair was an eye opener.

The fair is put on by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners (MOFGA) which is conveniently located in the small town of Unity, Maine. Luckily for me, it is within walking distance of our apartment. If I was not working most of the weekend I would have gone all three days to volunteer or sign up for workshops, or listen to lectures from renowned farmers/gardeners from around the country. The entire week of MOFGA's Common Ground Fair transforms the tiny town of Unity into a frenzied overcrowded spectacle, as a hundred thousand people show up from all over the world to attend. People camp out in MOFGAs fields, relatives fly in to visit, nearly every Unity College student and towns person is at the fair working and people staying home are setting up garage sales or little booths to sell vegetables or crafts at the side of the street as the endless streams of cars start pouring in. The whole town gets involved.

Once you get to the fair you start a long walk, or take a tractor ride to one of the fair's two entrances. You can either sign up to volunteer, or pay a ten dollar entry fee and begin your exploration. Much like any fair, there are tents everywhere, tables, booths, displays, benches, signs, smells and posters. The Common Ground fair only sells locally grown food at vendors. Their booths must be related to local companies or products and must focus on farming/gardening and the state of Maine. There were a lot of animals, and also many demonstrations about all sorts of things. We saw a demonstration on saddling a carriage on two horses, and at the same time watched how to heard sheep. A few steps away they were showing you how to cut wool off a sheep (the sheep was not happy). At the next tent they were dying some sort of fabric. We walked be dozens of other interesting looking demonstrations of lecture that we did not stop for. Most people that are familiar with the fair plan out their weekend based on what they want to learn. Primitive skills like starting a fire, organic farming in small settings, saving seeds, optimizing yields, building your own cottage, and the list is endless.

My personal favorite booth for me was the beehive collective, which was displaying amazing posters that told intricate stories about some problem in the world. The posters were stunning, and the organization members were there explaining the meaning behind the newest poster; which was absolutely brilliant.

Only a few months ago, I was living in the mid west surrounded by huge fairs like the Renaissance Festival and the Minnesota State Fair. I have had experiences with huge fairs. While parking, large crowds, weather, expensive prices, bathrooms are all still problems that Common Ground has during its fair, there is a noticeable difference between the Common Ground Fair and what I normally think of as a 'fair'. The Common Ground fair puts its money where its mouth is and really holds to its guns about making the fair about organic farming and gardening. I did not feel like I was under pressure to buy products. I felt the food choices were respectable and not food that was going to kill me. I also felt that people working at booths were not there simply to make money, and seemed more concerned with supporting Maine. The general consensus from people I would talk to at the deli I am working at, was that the fair was a great places to spend your day learning about valuable skills and knowledge that was going to help them in the future. The one farming lecture we stopped at was fascinating and filled with so much good information it made me wish I had a garden to immediately put some of the ideas to use.

In the end, I was impressed and cannot wait for next year to go again. I met a guy who biked from Ithaca, New York to Unity, Maine (9 hours by car) just to volunteer at the fair and then he was going to bike home. He even slept in our backyard one night. Strange and wonderful things happen during the MOFGA week and I look forward to further embracing it next year.