The cover of this one is beautiful. It's from 1883.

It reads: "This belongs to Barbara Smith to be kept here till talen by the owner. Autograph Book of my grandfather F. L. May"

"To Frank, Jan 3rd, When the distant sun is setting and your heart of care is free and of absent friends your thinking, please do think of me. Your Sister, Sillie."
"To Frank. From all things: hold fast to that which is good. A friend."

I think that's a good sentiment.

My favorite entry I discovered after the photo session:

"New Albim April 1th 1893 Dear Pappa Remember your little Olli"

On the back cover Olli signed his name as well.

"...the paper itself suffers from careless writing."

Say bad, disjointed, sloppy, poor, hasty, ill-conceived. But don't say I didn't care.

Fun Fact: I learned that this mountain I can see from my backyard is called Gass Peak.

Autographs, continued: This is the only foreign autograph book. I think it's written in Dutch, but I can't be sure. I enjoy the one lone illustration though.

Autographs. A Series

I collect old autograph books. I can't remember how it started. Either my mother bought one for me, because I also have a general collection of old, dusty books, or I found one belonging to a distant relative (Pauline?) when rummaging in my Great-Grandmother's basement. The oldest is from 1864 and is coming apart at the spine. I believe the most recent is from 1951. I decided I would take pictures to document some of their entries before they disintegrate.

This is fairly good writing. I don't want to say I'm surprised. He attended a variety of top-notch schools. Though, surprise is better than disappointment.

http://www.esquire.com/fiction/james-franco-fiction-0410

I'm a little over half-way through with A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius.

This caught my eye. It's a little melodramatic taken out of context, but it is well-written.

"You will die, and when you die, you will know a profound lack of it. It's never dignified, always brutal. What's dignified about dying? it's never dignified. And in obscurity? Offensive. Dignity is an affectation, cute but eccentric, like learning French or collecting scarves. And it's fleeting and incredibly mercurial. And subjective. So fuck it."

I love the western sky.

Found this while deleting old files on my laptop. It's still funny.

If only I drank coffee

First full summer day

I was surprised that anything can bloom out here.

Blink.

I will probably run out in a week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LZ4j4598ws

I would argue that this is the best School House Rock Video.

Irises in the garden next to Sorority Court.

Overheard at Newport News International Airport: one TSA agent explaining to another how the Dalai Lama selects a successor.

Misheard at the Newport News International Airport: "This terminal has now been vindicated"

I only wish airport terminals could vindicate themselves. Turns out, they can only indicate that they are non-smoking areas.

Trivia Night...

...is my favorite night at the Leafe. I imagine this is how I will spend my Monday evenings spring semester, 2011.

The roof of PBK is a whole other (magical) world.

I'm terrible at canoeing

I discovered that today. Also, that I have only 1 semester left at this place. And we all know that the semester goes by quicker in the spring than in the fall. I don't want to leave, and I don't want to grow up.

I'm calling him Tyson the Bison

Summer goals

1.) Finish watching the American Film Institute's list of 100 greatest films. I have roughly 40 more to go

2.) Paint a massive Chuck Close style self-portrait.

3.) Work on portrait photography

4.) Hike on Mt. Charleston

5.) Work through reading list, which includes:

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius- Dave Eggers

Sweet Thursday - John Steinbeck

Tender is the Night - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail - Hunter S. Thompson

Visions of Cody/Visions of Gerard- Jack Kerouac

Things Fall Apart- Chinua Achebe

Heart is a Lonely Hunter/Member of the Wedding - Carson McCullers

Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand

6.) Yell at the moon with Buzz Aldrin

Spotted: Duck on election day. I like to think he was on his way to the polls, hopefully to vote for Scott Foster.