Ain't life strange?




My eyes are shutting due to the illustration party I threw last night, all by my lonesome. Really energizing time with Whitney--and I am off on a new tangent that somehow is frightening but the right thing as I depart the land of the ORANGE. The kick in the booty is taking advantage of the wealth of my sketchbooks, the new vector point of view and the merging of textures--both hand drawn and photoshop manipulated photos. I am on a whole new tangent. This accordion folded project was an impressive project--everyone rose to the occasion-- and the work had some magic in it..matter of fact, for some, it was the best work they ever had done. In 24 hours, there were fresh ideas--some of them progressive, narrative stories, some of them moments in time, others experimental using the xerox, and xerox tricks to move the work somewhere. Next step is 8-12 new images (this is for NYC), expressing a personal "look book" which could be anything from a progression of work, a work process/methodology, or random topics...it can be comprised of sketches and/or finished work, and/or inspiration or writing etc. etc. The work needs to be delivered as a Lulu book>

Lulu (or Blurb)is a network of on demand printers that can deliver black and white or color books(hardbound, perfect or wire bound)--also comic book (newsprint) books either as a one off or more. Relatively quickly turn around. Provided as a pdf (Adobe InDesign)--etc.Not only will Lulu create the books, but they also will market etc. Whitney showed us 4-5 different books her students created--and the color is acceptable quality color--and definitely "real". One of Whitney's students created a screenprinted dust jacket and screenprinted vellum pages that were tipped into the books that were created by Lulu. Another student embellished the book by enclosing it in a custom envelope with art letterpressed on the envelope along with reinforced holes with a ribbon binding/bow. This really looks like fun for me. I am thinking of a book of random images with recipes from the Luckystone Kitchens with nice quotes from the past year from the blog. Maybe a wrap cover from the epson...Or maybe a bird book with quotations..? There are 22 bird images...which with quotes etc...could easily do 32pps or a little more.

Whitney's books were 3 student books (one a children's book, one a recipe book, the other an art book) along with a book of personal photographs with derivative typeface (by Whitney) recapping the french month she spent last year and a book of student work from MICA of the Katrina work done for the Wendy Popp illustration initiative for Katrina. Very polished and refined. Nice typography--a museum catalog at a discount. Inspiring. These students have the world at their fingertips. Think of all the opportunities with the bookmaking.

Now, my notebooks make more sense. I am jazzed about them again. My work is not ridiculous and the notebooks stuff does not have to be held to the chest (at least not as tightly) as there ia wealth of personal scrap work right there. Now, how to build a few bodies of work--with and without color. The vector time has been worth it. And what about printing/engraving/ etc. How does this filter in? I am leaving Syracuse with questions. No answers. I would say worth the past two weeks of work. This will keep me pushing until Round Two begins.

We had a talk by Roger DeMuth. He is a lot like people I know. He is a Mr Make It-He can bookbind, garden, illustrate, comp, print on a letterpress, illustrate etc. No shortage of energy and talk. He merchandises his work--and is conscious of all of that...(reminder, need to go to the Merchandising/Licensing Show @ the Javits to understand what all that is about). His work is very antiquitites inspired, typographic conventions inspired, in the world of the original "MacKenzie Childs"--with pattern, color, William Morris etc. all folded into a children's book whimsical style. His energy is infectious. He is prolific and is probably an inspiration to the undergraduates. I have a bunch of notes.

Our opening was semi quiet. SU did a nice job...but tranquil with only 5 of us graduating. It is def. that next year's class will not have the SUArt Galleries or the Lubin House as they are both scheduled for rennovations. John will need to get creative with this.

Tomorrow, more work on the future book...drawings. And, the packing of the work (and moving to the hotel room. We have a dinner and then farewell.

I think I have had enough. I am wasted....and lost. I think I got my money's worth this session.

A reminder to me, I need to talk a bit about Whitney's sketching out of the possible feel and what's fixed for ICON 5 in NYC>

More later.

One down, one rushing





We all got the CDs to the crit by 10 this morning. After a little talk etc.until 11, we were then assigned this project: Create an eight paneled, accordian folded book (either 6" x9" or 7.5" x7.5" --lulu.com formats) that are autobiographical. We were to interview each other and then after the art history time, we had the afternoon to essentially draw and noodle and doodle to then construct these pages. All due by eleven tomorrow a.m. Its late here. I need to sleep. I have done around 6 of these things (mainly rendered in the ever wonderful Dr Martins Black Star Matte on weighty trace(dreamy)--and then worked on in illustrator/photoshop. I will talk a little about Whitney's coaching and words of wisdom tomorrow.

shorty

Just a note before I forget. Terry Brown is using Keynote and loves it. Whitney has discovered the benefits of using the Macintosh "Preview" feature to give a slide show. It can do some cool stuff ( like show thumbnails of all your images on the screen at once that one can select an image from and it zooms up (kind of like the way the faces of albums zoom up from flipping them in itunes). It looks good, its built into Macs and it's pretty generic (assuming you are bringing your own computer etc.).

Need to google this to get more information on this one.

More later. Need to move.

Single Day Project


To design and illustrate a CD (all graphics and type) for a CD we each were to bring to the class. Only big requirements...One color, black and white xeroxable. Had some fun fiddling with the type and monkeying with a photograph which seemed to be okay with Whitney. The crowd was grumpy with this project except for the two of us who come from a graphic design background. I like the way the type is looking.

Whitney presented her work, her viewpoint and her hopes for the MICA program under her direction. What is great about Whitney as she is constantly changing and growing, shedding a former skin as she moves forward and all builds one idea on top of the last. She had a lovely month in France last year--under a MICA managed program in France that she encouraged all of us to apply for. The work she accomplished was beautiful and thought provoking. I am very inspired by her as an artist, a person with lots of gumption and brains with a lovely personality and sense of humor. Her strength and opinions should hold her in great stead with her work, her students and her passions benefiting from her energy and intelligence. Whitney Sherman has been a terrific add--finally a thinker that lives beyond oil painting for all of us...not to denegrade the unbelievable Gary Kelly.

There is a lot of talk about the class behind us having their show in NYC during ICON. It worries me as the messaging seems rather wierd...somehow celebrating the knife being stuck in the 28 yr progression of illustration study (ISDP) at Syracuse--with 4 future graduates that might not be as strong a group as there have been in the past. I posed that to John T. and he blew it off as it it was of no import to him. I pushed him to say, that it might reflect badly on the institution or even his undergraduate program...and he again, said it did not affect him. Whoa. I cannot control this, so I need to let this go. It freaks me out a little--it somehow feels sad and tacky at the same time.

More later>>

eyes shut, wonder bread, pen on the end of a stick


Poor Terry Brown was on for early (7am) and it took a good 2 hours to get the digital projector to function properly--so the schedule slid around a bit to accomodate this change in schedule. Terry was very interesting--but oriented his discussion of illustration history around topics versus around trends/styles/timing/inspirations. We clipped through Winslow Homer all the way up to the work for Filmore West in less than an hour or so...around topics. I was glad I had the early grounding from Murray or my head would have been spinning. We watched 3 videos during the noon session (one created for one of the ICON conferences from SOI, another a promotional piece to develop funding for a possible full film on the history of illustration and the final a little clip of a video on NC Wyeth with reminiscences from his elderly children interspersed with family photos, paintings and stories. What a sad ending for Wyeth (he was very depressed and was in a car that stalled on a railroad track with his young grandchild (some say child via his daughter in law), Newell--and they both were killed. I missed the p.m. to get in front of the Whitney homework for 12 of us with only 2 scanners in the computer lab.

We all showed our slide shows to Whitney and the class. Very telling. The better the illustrator, the shorter and more to the point the slideshow. The longer the show, the more tentative, less developed illustrator. Makes sense. Just a surprise that was the way it all worked out. The show and tell took the better part of 3 hours to get through. After the slides, we were given the first assignment:

--take 4-5 pieces of wonderbread and make letterforms out of them (see entry above).
then xerox them.

--study the words: bread, eye, edge,stick. Close your eyes and draw the outside silhouette of the letterforms and the counters--or draw the letters (outside and then counters). Draw the words a few times. Xerox the words...creatively--blowing things up, finding interesting lines.

--tape a sharpie to the end of a long, wooden dowel. Pin paper to the wall. Holding the dowel at the end, write lines of copy on the paper. Xerox creatively--moving the paper on the xerox machine--creating new forms, stretching the image, folding the image etc.

Tonight we are to create scans (300dpi) 8.5"x11" of these letter studies and produce a burned CD for Whitney for tomorrow. We will be working on another in class assignment tomorrow.It was not quick going with the sleepy scanners we have...but its done. This work isnt completed.I will loop you in as we progress. Tomorrow pictures of the show.

I thought this was pretty fun. I was def. in the minority. Folks were actually mad about this work. Wasn't painting. Was something new...and Whitney through her words and books she shared with us is into the building and illustrating with letterforms. I am totally there. I am looking forward to tomorrow...I cannot vouch for my classmates.

She is very organized and succinct...and handed us a bibiliography sheet along with links she finds valuable. Some good ones:

Ed Ruscha: They call her Styrene, Phaidon Press, NY, 200.

Rothenstein, Julian & Gooding, Mel, More Alphabets and other Signs, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, CA 2003

Whitney was very interesting on her involvement in ICON, the trials of figuring out, planning and organizing this big event...and how sometimes,all the planning in the world sometimes does not guarantee success. The plan is for people to engage in the sessions, mix with others and have a chance to learn more about illustration and the services surrounding the practice.

Its late. Wonderbread on the brain. Hotter than you know what here. More later.

Perfect summer day


We sat in our jammies outside in the brilliant light early this morning--drinking coffee and making plans for the Christmas holidays. Los Angeles. Las Vegas? Both? Neither? Las Vegas has the Guggenheim? and gondola rides. Disneyland on it's ear...Worth seeing but maybe not over Christmas. We need to see it for the entertainment value and the sacred and profane aspects/ church and state..and how does it work? how do they bump up against each other? does it work? Who is there to participate in culture versus gambling? Or are the two hand in hand?

Now is the time to plan, and if you have to buy tickets, the best prices for airfare is now. Hotels can wait. Cloudless with a breeze. We talked about seating for the porch, the farmer's market, opportunities for our littles. The cooking last night parlayed into breakfast and lunch--so we eased into the time without that hanging over us. R. art directed my slide show...suggesting different layouts, different approaches...which was helpful. I decided to take quotes from wonderful Wayne Thiebault and cut them into my slides of work (black background, white Requiem typography). Reading about Thiebault, looking at my books and thinking on the events of the last week within the context of breezes and water, quiet and amongst family was a balm and a context setter for me. I will keep working, trying and growing.. and my work is trying and growing. Not fixed...and the art, if it's there, it's there. There is nothing wrong with what I am doing, nothing wrong with working on my hand and craft, nothiing wrong with my imagery. I am not trying to be artful. I am making pictures that speak to me...some more than others.I did not enter into this enterprise to be set apart to be made defensive of the work and effort I have put in the last 24 months. The real work for the past year...exactly.

Whitney Sherman tomorrow. Making the slide show has been good...and has prompted me to think about the idea that we should have shown our work in a powerpoint format day one of SU (or Hartford) to the student body to introduce ourselves broadly to the larger group. If it was too much..at least midway through as a levelset to our fellow students to share in your personal growth...and being able to fully understand it. I plan on adding to this slide show as it would be nice to show during the Ithaca Art Trail weekends as an introduction to the work. Terry Brown does the art/illustration history at 7-8:30 am, 12-1 pm and 4-6 pm. I think I will take the two later ones tomorrow and see how it goes.

We floated in the lake in the perfect, and clear water. Shady Grove swam too...chasing pine cones willingly. The gulls are still frightened by the bobble headed owl and our scare eye. K was full of beans, jumping off the dock, paddling around with flippers and goggles. A happy, sweet dear girl. A. is off with his friend for lake time and dogs, music and basketball. His first big sleepover for more than one night. We know he is going to have a terrific time.

Late now. Must go. Tomorrow is coming on quickly.

Tigerlily in a Larvex blue bottle in a pool of light in our kitchen.

Wonderful drive


I drove up the hill and got a dozen ears of corn ($2.75/dozen--which normally goes for about $4/doz.--I guess the rain is helping things)from the amish farmstand north of Rt 96. Then, I bought 2 boxes of tomatoes ($3.@), a pint of blueberries($3.50@), a box of regular peaches ($3), 4 onions ($.50@), a big container of patty pan squash ($2.75) and the most exotic (pictured above), donut peaches. White flesh,teensy/tiny pit, freestone, sweeeet...the man at the stand referred to them as the "krispy kreme of peaches". Not far from the truth--they are all GONE!More tomorrow, I think for the drive up to Syracuse.

It is domesticity compounded. Two loads of laundry. No carbon drying on the line. A blueberry cake in the offing. Cornell chicken in marinade. Lunch for the troops. Fresh iced tea on the porch with the wind blowing, whitecaps on the lake. A and I are working on all of this. R mowed to perfection. The lawn looks like a golf club.Maybe some pruning later. Need to add pix to the slide show.

Two new fabulous illustration blogs from fellow SU Alumni (as I am an alumnae now--or at least in my mind):

Scott Bakal>>
Jim O'Brien Hartford MFA site>>

Take a look. These guys are excellent illustrators and wonderful people. It will be interesting to see their blogs develop in time--and see their work as it progresses.

Sunny Sheldrake


The wonderbus arrived this morning at 9 with two sleepy smiling boys to pick me, my dirty laundry and dented self-confidence up to bring me back to sunny Sheldrake, land of the fresh tomatoes and smiling dogs. We had a down and dirty breakfast at one of the umpteen greek delis on Marshall Street, steaming home on Rt 20 to admire a fascia in Elbridge that suggests what we may be doing with our carriage house. Now that we are back, the breeze is blowing. Shady Grove is tracking on a duck and ducklings. K has two teen girlfriends over--to lots of loud talking and carbo ingestion. A. is asleep again after eating and discovering that sugary Frappuchinos are his new favorite drink.

My plans are to think about my five minute talk, cook a little for everyone, and start some drawings for a series of postcards for the Corning Museum of Glass. One is "pumpkin patch", another is "flower power" (about the Blascka Harvard Flowers) and the last Winter Solstice (celebrating 10 years of the Hot Glass Show). I could be literal--or really think about them. To be honest, my head is go "fluffy and dumb"--as it has to be a snapshot and the audience is more into the party at 2300 degrees than the intellectual offering that a Museum offers as well. So, in the spirit of Gary Kelley, I plan to work up a bunch of sketches , enlarge one and finish it...and then "do" the illustration. Tedious, but the results WILL be better.

Had a nice dinner with the cutie pie Traci Van W. Her work has grown tremendously and we are all very, very proud of her effort, her energy and her drive to not take the crummy things that have been said to her to heart..but to move forward in a positive, and happy light. She is a lovely spirit and I will miss not having regular time with her as she has been my roommate for the last two years on the road, and I am very fond of her. So, back to Traci. She has become a certified sky diver and we pondered the details of selecting your own 'chute, how to pack it and the foibles around the different types of packing (like origami), the fashion aspects of being a girl parachutist (I was strongly urging her for a def pink point of view. T. has all pink luggage that really suits her along with many of her accessories being pink--When I see shocking pink these days...Traci is the first thing I think of). It was fun living in that world with her. She giggles and laughs and hugs and is adorablely genuine. She is a live flame...adding to any situation. We all wish we had an art teacher in elementary school as wonderful and cool as Miss V.

For her thesis,Traci did a collection of images around fantasy creatures (a witch, an ogre, a fairy, some fantasy ducklike creatures, a creature based on the sculptures from Assyria I forced her to see at the British Museum (which I adore). My favorite is a stand of birch trees that she has incorporated eyes into...and the color palette is a little eerie...--All of them are prismacolor and miles away from the baseball picture of two years ago. Her piece for Gary Kelley was blues (sadness). She shot reference of Jen Betton and with a suggestion from Gary, she reversed the image and drew that on a dark blue paper with cream prismas and a dark blue one. Very monochromatic and elegant. Put that right in the portfolio!

We talked about teaching art and how it teaches you. She also talked about how the art process surfaces issues in or with the kids she is working with and how these things happen and resolve themselves. Miss V. has taken CF Payne projects and simplified them and given them to her fifth graders to her delight and pleasure. She told us about a few that were very funny in the telling and I am sure in the real pieces.

I promise I will shoot Traci's work next week to give you a peek. Also, as a reminder ...I will need to copy down her artists statement...It is a scream...all about how she defined what her thesis would be about from watching one of those fashion runway, realism shows on t.v.

Off to the little man up the street's produce stand. Everything looked fabulous.

More later>>

Colossal statue of a winged lion from the North-West Palace of Ashurnasirpal II (Room B)
Protection for the royal palace from the forces of chaos
Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), northern Iraq
Neo-Assyrian, about 883-859 BC
British Museum, London

New Improvement

New illustration website up!

check it out>>
The intent was to model my illustration website on the blog aesthetic--
and link to the blog via this page...however, no link to graphic design as the every knowledgable Dave Tabler cites, "don't tell 'em that". Right. Learned that the hard way..not too hard...but learned none the less.

Check off the list. Got the postcards, got the goodies, got the new website, got the portfolio sites (with more links later). Ticking off the marketing stuff.

Not finished


Well. I got up this morning with an illustration half baked and another finished (the solution was front of mind when I woke up). Gary Kelley would only look at the half baked one (which, to his credit, is the tough thing for me. Gary seems to have an extrordinary ability to size up each student, identify their abilities and push them to work in the scary space. For me, he rightly feels that I need to be bringing my own drawing into my illustrations --the the need for the devil. This is very astute--and though this illustration is not complete--he has forced me to begin to bridge this...and I will complete this piece to prove that. At the final critique, every student put a piece up that transcended every piece they have done to dste...Gary gave salient and intelligent input and ideas--along with summing up where each person needs to work and struggle. Wow. Well worth the time. He is the BEST.

The class behind us may get some meetings with then Battle Axe to Grind prior to working on their thesis so they can build the art in...kind of like building "the quality in" their thesis. Art and artfulness. Lucky ducks!

Hotter than the land of the dancing demons.

More later

Notes on monotypes with Gary Kelley


Gary Kelley's Black Cat Bone
Gary Kelley is intrigued by monotypes--inspired by Cezanne and Degas. He spoke about how monotyping was a social activity amongst artists who got together to make these prints. Monotype party! Maybe this is a new sketch crawl? Sounds like fun. This is a very simple process which I am sure can get more and more complex as you crank up surfaces, finishes etc..but there is a kitchen table mode which Gary demonstrated this morning.

Equipment:
2 pieces of single ply plexiglass (clear)
charbonnel engravers ink (oil based)--Gary prefers tubes to cans (raw umber and ultramarine blue)
small can of turpenoid
paper to print on (GK uses different colors of Stonehenge)
a small brayer
tape
a small kitchen sponge
a wooden spoon
old brushes
a soft rag
2 pointed triangles from left over mat board

Gary taped an enlarged xerox of an image from his sketchbook to the back of the piece of plexiglass he was going to create his print on (reading up through the glass). He reminded us that in planning for your print to consider what is right reading citing type, guitar playing, and little details such as how shirts button etc. Plan your work, work your plan. And think about how it might look flipped.

He mixed a nice neutral from raw umber and ultramarine blue on the other piece of plexi. When it was where he wanted it to be, he took the brayer and rolled out some ink. He then rolled out a mess of ink on top of the plexi with the image taped on the back(let's call that the plate). He then took a rag--wiping away areas to make the outside shape, pulling out aspects of the illustration. He continued to work into the illustration using a series of brushes either dry or with a tiny bit of turpenoid. He uses all sorts of tools, textures etc to work into the monotype. Additionally, he will use the brayer to add color, add texture etc. The cool thing is that you can add more than one color per plate--so that you can make the picture in one pass (or if you are ambitious, you can continue to work into the image on the final print, or with further registration). It is all very intuitive and experimental. Gary told us about rolling out ink on his plate, laying crumpled oilskin on top, running it through the press and using that initial textured ink on the plate as a place to start his monotype. Cool. The idea that you can prep your plate on the press...just like printing on paper. That gets the gears going for me.

Gary had been interested in monotypes for a while but the first real one was an image he did for Interview with a Vampire illustration (featuring Tom Cruise). It was very simple--black defining the face and frame of the face. Gary went in with a pastel and colored the mouth and surround which got right to the point. He goes in spurts where he creates a body of images...and then gives it time, and does more later. He is mainly working in oils these days (pastels are on the shelf, so I am delighted we saw the pastel demo in 2005/summer as he is just not using or demonstrating them).

During one of our evening chats with Gary, he was very positive about George Pratt, an illustrator and well-loved and respected teacher at the Illustration Academy (and I think Ringling). George is passionate and his monotypes are more slashing, more spontaeous. The book above, Black Cat Bones, is a project instigated by Gary Kelley about the influences and art of the guitarist, Robert Johnson. All the illustrations are monotypes--some inspired by folk art, other out of the hand and head of Gary Kelley. After seeing his simple presentation--looking at those Robert Johnson images are absolutely mindblowing--multiple colors and textures, some complicated illlustrations, some simple and strong. The book is a jewel--probably a purchase in the near future.

Working--but not much progress.


Struggling with the demon. Its looking totally crappy. I have been at this all day...and feel like I am not even close to finish for one tomorrow. Now for the girl graduate reminder: This is not for credit. This is for fun. It's 11 and I can knock off...and start tomorrow morning...and not to break a sweat. If it's finished, it's finished. If not, its a good exercise with a portrait. Phew. The point of doing a picture of depression is not to make you depressed. I will try to take pictures of the gallery show to show you all some examples from the show. It looks very strong.

Just a confirmation, everyone in the SU ISDP Ad 2007 group is NOT graduating. Not ONE person has completed their thesis. I wonder what the finish rate is for the 2006 group is? Your friend the idealist and her companions are shocked by the laughing and chatter, the bubba stuff continues despite no one completing their work. Isn't anyone reading the tea leaves on this one? Not exactly affirming...the only affirmation is time to shut that show down.

Everyone (illustration hangers on, and advertising hangers on) who have not completed their thesis have 7 years from their targeted graduation date to complete their thesis to have Syracuse still honor the work and commitment. I hope someone is letting the folks who are outstanding that this is their option. I know there are a bunch of people that could complete a body of work and finish it up before they lose that opportunity.

A little monotype chat tomorrow before I forget it.

More later>>

Syracuse: Day Four


Today is one of those perfect Syracuse days: 95 degrees in the shade, 98% humidity, and still. As expected, the studios had the "italian" air conditioner in the windows. We were all gripping the edges of our drawing tables hoping not to fall on the floor with heat exhaustion. Wet faces. And the secretary sits in a cool office. No changes...but 'splain?

Got my "orange folder" information in--and the new Lisa insisted I turn the folder in too...(I was using it for my sketches too). So, I get to do the registry work, track down the missing grades, remind my professor about the paperwork around the thesis to get the final grade--and they wouldn't let me keep the folder! I hope this will stave off the "we can't send your transcript" cha-cha that many of our former classmates struggled with. Crossing my fingers.

Had a nice time with Gary Kelley, John T., James Ransome and the Williams brothers last night. We had some drinks and some bar food...and talked about illustration, illustrators, Baron Storrey (what we love about him...), teaching techniques, and the reps that Gary and John were repped by...and the whole rep thing. It was nice and normal...and inspiring because it was so normal. This all reinforced how much I like Gary..and made me love James Ransome. He is a nice man who loves what he does, his family and the path his life has led him. He is warm, engaging and enjoys the students. This was all good. Maybe this will encourage Mr. Williams to rejoin the Society (and me too) to reconnect/connect with the people we know. I love the whole society gig...and should support it personally and financially. It is a rare group of people supporting a wonderful tradition of american illlustration. I need to pencil this onto the "to do" list.

Jim Carson showed his slides yesterday--his illustrations, his graphic design, his sensibility. His illustration is changing due to his coloring of his line drawings on the computer. Now he is doing a new style and is exploring an alphabet book. He is such a nice person who is reasonable, does pro-bono, is engaged in his community, teaches and continues to learn. An inspiration.

Today, James Ransome spoke. His speil was interesting as he showed pictures of his original house, his schools, maps of where he has lived, his studio, his family, his children (and their art). He delights in everything. He spoke of the 40 children's books he has done...range of topics, a bunch of different styles. Her recent work is much stronger design. He has done murals. He has written books and/or worked on scripts his wife has written. I liked the personal approach of his discussion. Seeing his life connects his work to the man...and dimensionalize it for the audience. I need to take notes.

Blue pictures coming along. Richard is doing Bluebeard. Chris W. is doing "blueblood" (a guilletine with blue blood along the blade), Traci is doing "blues" (sadness), Jen--"the bluebird of happiness". The other class is fighting it...we will see the results tomorrow. I am on the wacom for the night tonight in my refrigerated room (yay!). We have a crit at 1 tomorrow.