Today, TBWITWW and I went to the Renegade Craft Fair. It was an interesting gathering of people and stuff to look at. I think it's telling though, that while we spent a couple hours there, we didn't find anything we wanted to buy. (We did come close to buying an Inigo Montoya baby shirt for Tommy, but it was just a little too expensive. There were some interesting items, and we collected a few business cards of places we thought would be worth another look. Among these were Eight Gang Switch, Loose Leaf Collective, Traveling Rhinos, Campfire, Aisha Celia Designs, Catia Chien, and Avec Mes Mains. Unfortunately, the truly interesting an unique stuff was the exception rather than the rule. Unsurprisingly the crowd seemed to be similar. Every other booth seemed to have the same type of kitchy small buttons, and lots of "outsider art" type graphics. Silk screened drawings similar in quality to what children produce without the innocence that children bring. Many of the people who were attending the event had the same sort of sameness about them. The whole "I'm a rebel, just like all my friends" aspect seemed prevalent. I think it's trendy right now to be part of the "crafting movement". Hopefully a balance will be established between the people who are crafting because it allows them an outlet, and the people doing it because it's trendy. There's good stuff out there, and more and more people are interested, so it's become easier to find supplies, and support.

A subset of this is the people who see digital cameras as bad for photography because they make it too easy to take crap pictures. Therefore, more people are taking, and seeing, huge numbers of crap photos. However, I think people have the ability to learn the difference between what's truly great and what's just good. Now, people who wouldn't have had the resources to have created their art, or the audience to get the art seen, have that ability so more great stuff is accessable now. Eventually, this can only help the overall quality of the art in general. People who, 10 years ago, would have taken a handful of snapshots at family gatherings will now take enough pictures to become curious as to how they can make their photos better. They'll learn about "the rule of thirds" and lighting. The same applies with crafts. People will begin to think more of how things are made, and explore making things themselves. They'll get ideas for layout and composition that they may not have seen before. In the end, we all benefit from art being something for everyone rather than for the elite.

TBWITWW and I are rapidly approaching our 5th anniversary. It's been a heck of a long 5 years, but lucky for me she's still hot. (Okay, she is, but all of the things that are actually more important are being saved for an acutal mushy, sickeningly sweet sort of post a few weeks from now.) (And, she's totally hot.) Anyway, we decided quite some time ago, that with the credit cards paid off, and our finances in better shape than they've ever been, we would actually go on a trip for our anniversary. The question of where to go was a bit harder to decide on. We're not the resort type.

When Skippy and Chris J Davis suggested that I should try to come to Ohio Linux Fest I looked at the dates and said "I somehow doubt that TBWITWW is going to want to go to a Linux convention on the day after our anniversary." But I had forgotten one detail. She is, in fact, TBWITWW.

Seriously. Here she is getting me a beer, the pressure was low, so she decided the thing to do was to squat down on the floor to get the nozzle below the top of the keg. I was just going to wait till it was repressurized.

On with the story... Later that evening, she was looking over my shoulder at the computer and saw, in the IRC window, the converstation. She said "We could probably do that. We can find fun stuff to do in Columbus as easily as anywhere else." So, with my geekyness, and her closet geekyness and desire to meet these people I talk to more frequently than people I've actually met in real life, We're going to OLF.

I'm looking forward to this trip for a lot of reasons. It's first real vacation that we've taken where we're not worried about if the money it's costing is going to hurt us down the road. We'll be able to relax and enjoy ourselves, knowing that when we get back, we won't have bills waiting that we're not sure if we'll be able to pay. It's also a chance to meet some people that I consider friends, but have never been in the same city as. And, as a firm beliver that community is more than a buzz word, but rather the fundamental requirement for civilization, it's a chance to strengthen my ties to a community that's made me feel more accepted than almost any I've seen.

So, my mother-in-law forwarded me an e-mail (yes, she's one of those people) that suggested that in order to qualify for welfare, one should be subject to random drug screening. This suggestion has me wondering. Is this a good idea? Would it help? Many companies now require drug screening as a condition of employment, as well as in any situation with a work-related injury. I personally don't know how I feel about the former, but the latter makes sense to me. And, in many ways, the idea of drug testing welfare applicants makes sense to me too.

This isn't to say that both the welfare system and the "war on drugs" need some serious restructuring to be effective, but this may be a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, I also believe that random drug screenings are a presumption of guilt. "We're testing our employees because some of them are probably using." I think that's disrespectful to your employees, and a poor way to maintain morale. I think the same goes for welfare applicants. Of course the biggest problem with this, as with anything connected to the welfare system, is that it's usually children who will bear the brunt of any changes.

I also suspect that the cost doing the tests in a way that is fair, would probably outweigh the benefits. Either you'd end up with it being far to easy to beat the assembly line style tests, or else you'd have to spend an incredible amount of money to insure that the person taking the test doesn't cheat; maintain chain of custody, and record everything, while still maintaining medical confidentiality. It's an interesting idea, but I'm not sold. Can anyone else see any other pros or cons on this one?

I applied for a job in June with a small theater company. After my second interview I was told "We'll be making our decision next week. We'll call you after the 4th of July Holiday".

The first call I've recieved from them was earlier this week. From the person who (apparently) got the job I had applied for. She said that they had gotten my number from someone at another company as someone who was experienced running sound. Would I be available Saturday morning.

Ummm... yeah. I haven't run sound at all in about 5 years. Also, you think someone might have mentioned to this person that asking someone to come in for a one day gig after you blew them off two months ago, might not be the best tactic. I suppose I should be glad I didn't get the job and stuck in the position of being the person on the other end of those phone calls.