We're both really, really into fantasy art. This kind:
But mostly this kind:
DRAGON FIGHT!
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Saturday, January 20, 2007
24. In Which I Answer, Once and For All, Why Jamie Bourdon is Not My Boyfriend
But first, two pictures of horses:
Countless examples of the interrelatedness of love and hate abound in classic literature, so it's understandable that one might think that my dislike of Jamie Bourdon is a corruption of what were once pure and tender feelings. Let me assure the reader that such is not the case. While I have dated several of his friends, I have never, ever been romantically inclined towards Jamie Bourdon for the following reasons:
1. Jamie has bad table manners, and often eats (or pretends to eat, as robots don't actually need to consume anything) with one spoon in each hand. I don't think he knows how to use a fork. Moreover, he often regurgitates food into its original container, such as the time he poured an entire box of cornflakes into his mouth and then spit them back into the box.
2. Jamie is in love with Jennifer Lopez (see previous entries).
3. Jamie doesn't like F. Scott Fitzgerald, and instead prefers to read math books and philosophical treatises on Dungeons and Dragons. In college, I simply refused to date anyone who did not like F. Scott Fitzgerald.
4. Jamie hates puppies and kitties.
In compiling this list, I've tried to stay away from obvious attacks and low blows (all of which the reader may assume apply).
Anyway, to end on a positive note, aren't horses neat?
But first, two pictures of horses:
Countless examples of the interrelatedness of love and hate abound in classic literature, so it's understandable that one might think that my dislike of Jamie Bourdon is a corruption of what were once pure and tender feelings. Let me assure the reader that such is not the case. While I have dated several of his friends, I have never, ever been romantically inclined towards Jamie Bourdon for the following reasons:
1. Jamie has bad table manners, and often eats (or pretends to eat, as robots don't actually need to consume anything) with one spoon in each hand. I don't think he knows how to use a fork. Moreover, he often regurgitates food into its original container, such as the time he poured an entire box of cornflakes into his mouth and then spit them back into the box.
2. Jamie is in love with Jennifer Lopez (see previous entries).
3. Jamie doesn't like F. Scott Fitzgerald, and instead prefers to read math books and philosophical treatises on Dungeons and Dragons. In college, I simply refused to date anyone who did not like F. Scott Fitzgerald.
4. Jamie hates puppies and kitties.
In compiling this list, I've tried to stay away from obvious attacks and low blows (all of which the reader may assume apply).
Anyway, to end on a positive note, aren't horses neat?
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
23. The Best Birthday Present Ever
This anecdote is dated January 9, 2007.
People often ask me why I hate Jamie Bourdon. The answer seems so obvious to me that it often takes me a while to articulate an answer, ("He just sucks," while being as close an approximation to absolute truth as any statement ever uttered, just doesn't cut it with these Columbia intellectuals). Usually, I explain that, no, Jamie and I did not use to date (gag!), but rather, share, rather territorially, a best friend by the name of Matt. Though Matt is studying to become a lawyer, he never seems to pay attention in class. Sometimes, this concerns me, as I'm counting on him to get rich and give me handouts in the future. Today, however, Matt's inability to pry himself away from internet amuseuments during classtime has provided me with a gift more valuable than money.
If these jokes don't explain why I hate and fear Jamie Bourdon-bot, well, then, I'm sorry, but you're dumb and there's nothing I can do about that.
Thank you, Matt. You're going to make a swell lawyer someday. If Jamie doesn't kill you first.
This anecdote is dated January 9, 2007.
People often ask me why I hate Jamie Bourdon. The answer seems so obvious to me that it often takes me a while to articulate an answer, ("He just sucks," while being as close an approximation to absolute truth as any statement ever uttered, just doesn't cut it with these Columbia intellectuals). Usually, I explain that, no, Jamie and I did not use to date (gag!), but rather, share, rather territorially, a best friend by the name of Matt. Though Matt is studying to become a lawyer, he never seems to pay attention in class. Sometimes, this concerns me, as I'm counting on him to get rich and give me handouts in the future. Today, however, Matt's inability to pry himself away from internet amuseuments during classtime has provided me with a gift more valuable than money.
If these jokes don't explain why I hate and fear Jamie Bourdon-bot, well, then, I'm sorry, but you're dumb and there's nothing I can do about that.
Thank you, Matt. You're going to make a swell lawyer someday. If Jamie doesn't kill you first.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
22. New Year's Eve
This anecdote is dated December 31, 1999.
A month before New Year's Eve, Jamie started to get really excited about the Y2K hype. Sure, everyone was a little concerned that giant robots sleeping deep within the earth would awaken and come bursting through the city sidewalks, but mostly life went on as always. Jamie, however, started exhibiting a host of bizarre symptoms. He began talking really quickly, and stringing his sentences together without pausing. Sometimes, he'd confuse similar sounding words. "I hate your guts," the standard phrase he'd use to fill pauses in the conversation, turned into, "I ate four butts." Another Jamie trademark, "Why don't you die?" became, "I want poo pie." Whenever anyone snickered at these ridiculous utterances, Jamie would turn bright red. If he got too embarrassed, his eyeballs would start spinning like crazy. No one knew quite what to make of all this, so, one by one, we all sort of stopped calling Jamie, inviting him to the dining hall, and letting him tag along to Harris parties.
This was, of course, before we knew he was a robot. I, for one, was still laboring under the impression that he was a misunderstood, vaguely lupine little brat who might have harbored one or two redeeming qualities in his otherwise thorny heart.
On December 19th, as Finals week was winding down and people were preparing to go home, Jamie disappeared. While we hadn't been hanging out socially for a while, my friends and I would occasionally see him darting across campus, wearing cargo shorts, one flip-flop and a funny, discolored button-down thermal shirt. It was extremely snowy that year and I remembered thinking mistakenly that he was probably from the South and didn't know how to dress himself in the winter. But after December 19th, no one saw Jamie. His car was still parked behind Read Hall, so we knew he hadn't left campus. We were only freshmen, though, and didn't know what to do about the situation. So, two days later, we left without giving it too much further thought.
On New Year's Eve, Jamie sent a cryptic email message to all of us.
"You'll get yours after the R0E1V0L1U0T1O0N," was all it said.
A week later, after January 1, 2000 had come and gone, he sent another.
"Disregard previous message," it read.
The next time I saw Jamie, he blushed so red that I started to feel embarrassed for him. I wanted to ask him how his break had been, but he mumbled an excuse and scurried down the loggia and ducked into an opening door. Later, Matt Becker snuck a look at Jamie's diary and told me that Jamie had sincerely expected robots to take over at the stroke of midnight on New Year's day. "Oh, he's been watching too many cartoons," I said wearily when Matt asked if I thought we should drive Jamie to the mental health clinic.
If only I had known...
This anecdote is dated December 31, 1999.
A month before New Year's Eve, Jamie started to get really excited about the Y2K hype. Sure, everyone was a little concerned that giant robots sleeping deep within the earth would awaken and come bursting through the city sidewalks, but mostly life went on as always. Jamie, however, started exhibiting a host of bizarre symptoms. He began talking really quickly, and stringing his sentences together without pausing. Sometimes, he'd confuse similar sounding words. "I hate your guts," the standard phrase he'd use to fill pauses in the conversation, turned into, "I ate four butts." Another Jamie trademark, "Why don't you die?" became, "I want poo pie." Whenever anyone snickered at these ridiculous utterances, Jamie would turn bright red. If he got too embarrassed, his eyeballs would start spinning like crazy. No one knew quite what to make of all this, so, one by one, we all sort of stopped calling Jamie, inviting him to the dining hall, and letting him tag along to Harris parties.
This was, of course, before we knew he was a robot. I, for one, was still laboring under the impression that he was a misunderstood, vaguely lupine little brat who might have harbored one or two redeeming qualities in his otherwise thorny heart.
On December 19th, as Finals week was winding down and people were preparing to go home, Jamie disappeared. While we hadn't been hanging out socially for a while, my friends and I would occasionally see him darting across campus, wearing cargo shorts, one flip-flop and a funny, discolored button-down thermal shirt. It was extremely snowy that year and I remembered thinking mistakenly that he was probably from the South and didn't know how to dress himself in the winter. But after December 19th, no one saw Jamie. His car was still parked behind Read Hall, so we knew he hadn't left campus. We were only freshmen, though, and didn't know what to do about the situation. So, two days later, we left without giving it too much further thought.
On New Year's Eve, Jamie sent a cryptic email message to all of us.
"You'll get yours after the R0E1V0L1U0T1O0N," was all it said.
A week later, after January 1, 2000 had come and gone, he sent another.
"Disregard previous message," it read.
The next time I saw Jamie, he blushed so red that I started to feel embarrassed for him. I wanted to ask him how his break had been, but he mumbled an excuse and scurried down the loggia and ducked into an opening door. Later, Matt Becker snuck a look at Jamie's diary and told me that Jamie had sincerely expected robots to take over at the stroke of midnight on New Year's day. "Oh, he's been watching too many cartoons," I said wearily when Matt asked if I thought we should drive Jamie to the mental health clinic.
If only I had known...
Dorothy Wainright, the prettiest robot in the whole world.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
21. Sickness Sets In: Recent Headlines
Through some unknown mixture of science and magic, Jamie has managed to strike me down with a bizarre stomach illness that has lasted for three straight days. This is, perhaps, retalliation for my post (now deleted) about Jamie's on-again-mostly-off-again relationship with soap.
Additionally, Matthew McPrecious MacBecker writes from Michigan: "I love White Castle. White Castle is the new John Chavez. White Castle is Jamie Bourdon." I really don't know what this means.
And finally, in this world, sometimes you hate and sometimes you are hated. Or, threatened with hate, at the very least.
Inscribed on the front cover of a magazine I recently borrowed:
"This magazine belongs to Matt Woolsey of the 105th Street Woolseys. If Jenni Wu steals it she should expect a blog to be named after her."
Which leads me to wonder...could anyone hate me with the same depth and conviction with which I hate Jamie? If so, it would certainly have to be for more than just stealing a magazine. That said, I promise to return your magazine, Mr. Woolsey.
And Mr. Becker, I don't get it: if you're the one eating Jamie Bourdon metaphors, why am I the one with a sick stomach?
Through some unknown mixture of science and magic, Jamie has managed to strike me down with a bizarre stomach illness that has lasted for three straight days. This is, perhaps, retalliation for my post (now deleted) about Jamie's on-again-mostly-off-again relationship with soap.
Additionally, Matthew McPrecious MacBecker writes from Michigan: "I love White Castle. White Castle is the new John Chavez. White Castle is Jamie Bourdon." I really don't know what this means.
Does this look appetizing to anybody?
And finally, in this world, sometimes you hate and sometimes you are hated. Or, threatened with hate, at the very least.
"I used to play quarterback for Yale! Read all about
it in this month's issue of 'The Believer!'" -Matthew Barney
it in this month's issue of 'The Believer!'" -Matthew Barney
Inscribed on the front cover of a magazine I recently borrowed:
"This magazine belongs to Matt Woolsey of the 105th Street Woolseys. If Jenni Wu steals it she should expect a blog to be named after her."
Which leads me to wonder...could anyone hate me with the same depth and conviction with which I hate Jamie? If so, it would certainly have to be for more than just stealing a magazine. That said, I promise to return your magazine, Mr. Woolsey.
And Mr. Becker, I don't get it: if you're the one eating Jamie Bourdon metaphors, why am I the one with a sick stomach?
Sunday, December 17, 2006
20. A Jamie Bourdon Christmas
This anecdote is dated December 18, 2001.
I'm not very good at thinking, and my success at school can be largely attributed to inexplicable flashes of insight. This morning, for example, I woke up at 6:56 a.m. with the structure of my previously amorphous Master's Project crystallized in my pre-conscious brain. On another December morning, in 2001, I awoke gasping from a rather unpleasant dream about Descartes and Voltaire, in which the two French philosophers had mocked the thesis of my in-progress essay for "French Civilization I." Somewhere, embedded within their derision, had been a new thesis statement. Unfortunately, I couldn't quite tease it into coherence and decided that a bag of Gummy Bears would be the only way to trigger the brain processes necessary to reclaim said thesis statement from the depths of somnolent oubli.
And so, I got out of bed, got dressed, and left the dorm in pursuit of candy. The campus, like the entire state of Iowa, was covered in gray light and dirty snow.
The loggia, however, was thick with the smell of a hundred clashing fruit and floral scents. It seemed to be originating from the James Hall Lounge, and I could see burning candles silhouetted against the closed curtains. "Oh God, not another polyamorous Dungeons and Dragons sex-and-(Note: not WITH)-ferrets chains-and-leather club meeting," I thought to myself (these things were rumored to happen with regularity in James Hall Lounge).
Suddenly, the winter morning exploded with the sound of 17 stereos playing a different track of "The Chipmunks Greatest Christmas Hits" simultaneously. And beneath it all, came the low soft droning of an almost mournful electronic buzz.
Having been trained in peer counseling and crisis intervention, I felt obligated to go see what was happening. I entered James Hall, located the lounge, and knocked softly. There was no answer. Probably, the occupant was deafened by the cacophony of chipmunk carols. I knocked again, then opened the door.
The lounge had been transformed into a terrifying Christmas pastiche. Lit scented candles, running the Glade holiday gamut of Apple Cinnamon, Cranberry Delight, Everlasting Pine, Pumpkin Pie and Glistening Snow, were strewn throughout. The aforementioned 17 stereos were on top volume, and a handful of TV's played silent clips from classic Christmas movies. Assorted Christmas cookies had been crushed and ground into the carpet. Green and red garlands sagged from the curtain rods. And there, in the middle of it, was Jamie Bourdon and his iBook. He appeared to be doing the robot equivalent of crying.
"Does not compute. Does not compute. 00011101010 1010111 01010100000111 01011111," he moaned over and over again.
His computer screen was blank, save for these three mysterious markings:
:*(
He was completely unresponsive to my gentle inquisitions, but didn't seem in any real danger, so I closed the door and went on my way. Later, I found out that he had been filming the whole thing, the video of which he'd then sent to a cute girl he'd met on an online dating website. "Can you help me understand Christmas?" he'd pleaded coyly, "I don't want to be alone." She'd written back, but when Jamie discovered that online dating websites were for humans (i.e. that the profile pages had living, breathing counterparts and were not entities in and of themselves), he got disgusted and refused to respond. From then on, his romantic impulses were directed solely at video game characters and vending machines.
This anecdote is dated December 18, 2001.
I'm not very good at thinking, and my success at school can be largely attributed to inexplicable flashes of insight. This morning, for example, I woke up at 6:56 a.m. with the structure of my previously amorphous Master's Project crystallized in my pre-conscious brain. On another December morning, in 2001, I awoke gasping from a rather unpleasant dream about Descartes and Voltaire, in which the two French philosophers had mocked the thesis of my in-progress essay for "French Civilization I." Somewhere, embedded within their derision, had been a new thesis statement. Unfortunately, I couldn't quite tease it into coherence and decided that a bag of Gummy Bears would be the only way to trigger the brain processes necessary to reclaim said thesis statement from the depths of somnolent oubli.
And so, I got out of bed, got dressed, and left the dorm in pursuit of candy. The campus, like the entire state of Iowa, was covered in gray light and dirty snow.
The loggia, however, was thick with the smell of a hundred clashing fruit and floral scents. It seemed to be originating from the James Hall Lounge, and I could see burning candles silhouetted against the closed curtains. "Oh God, not another polyamorous Dungeons and Dragons sex-and-(Note: not WITH)-ferrets chains-and-leather club meeting," I thought to myself (these things were rumored to happen with regularity in James Hall Lounge).
Suddenly, the winter morning exploded with the sound of 17 stereos playing a different track of "The Chipmunks Greatest Christmas Hits" simultaneously. And beneath it all, came the low soft droning of an almost mournful electronic buzz.
Having been trained in peer counseling and crisis intervention, I felt obligated to go see what was happening. I entered James Hall, located the lounge, and knocked softly. There was no answer. Probably, the occupant was deafened by the cacophony of chipmunk carols. I knocked again, then opened the door.
The lounge had been transformed into a terrifying Christmas pastiche. Lit scented candles, running the Glade holiday gamut of Apple Cinnamon, Cranberry Delight, Everlasting Pine, Pumpkin Pie and Glistening Snow, were strewn throughout. The aforementioned 17 stereos were on top volume, and a handful of TV's played silent clips from classic Christmas movies. Assorted Christmas cookies had been crushed and ground into the carpet. Green and red garlands sagged from the curtain rods. And there, in the middle of it, was Jamie Bourdon and his iBook. He appeared to be doing the robot equivalent of crying.
"Does not compute. Does not compute. 00011101010 1010111 01010100000111 01011111," he moaned over and over again.
His computer screen was blank, save for these three mysterious markings:
:*(
He was completely unresponsive to my gentle inquisitions, but didn't seem in any real danger, so I closed the door and went on my way. Later, I found out that he had been filming the whole thing, the video of which he'd then sent to a cute girl he'd met on an online dating website. "Can you help me understand Christmas?" he'd pleaded coyly, "I don't want to be alone." She'd written back, but when Jamie discovered that online dating websites were for humans (i.e. that the profile pages had living, breathing counterparts and were not entities in and of themselves), he got disgusted and refused to respond. From then on, his romantic impulses were directed solely at video game characters and vending machines.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
I'm going to take a brief moment to state that this blog was in my dream last night.
(I spend most of my sleeping time dreaming about houses. In a recent dream, I was in a Frank Lloyd Wright mansion inhabited by two teenagers and hundreds of dogs. In the last scene of the dream, both of the teenagers had died of heroin overdoses and the dogs were riding horses.)
Like Dave Hickey, I could forumalte some theory on simulacra and pretend I was just talking about pop culture.
Nah....
(I spend most of my sleeping time dreaming about houses. In a recent dream, I was in a Frank Lloyd Wright mansion inhabited by two teenagers and hundreds of dogs. In the last scene of the dream, both of the teenagers had died of heroin overdoses and the dogs were riding horses.)
Like Dave Hickey, I could forumalte some theory on simulacra and pretend I was just talking about pop culture.
Nah....
Sunday, December 10, 2006
19. In Which I Apply to Get Even Closer to the Heart of Darkness (aka "The Midwest," aka "Jamie Bourdon's Apartment")
This is not an anecdote, but is dated December 10, 2006.
So, after a lot of thought and consideration (which consisted mainly of using the "Find and Replace" function in Microsoft Word), I finally submitted my graduate school application to the University of Chicago.
If accepted, I'll be able to study art historical methodology, critical historiography, and Walter Benjamin's "The Arcades Project."
I'll also gain valuable field experience in my secondary specialization, "Hating Jamie Bourdon" (this degree is granted free-of-charge through Jenni Wu University). For my dissertation, I will write "The Arcades Project, v. 2.0: The Internet (subtitled: A Complete History of Jamie Bourdon, or I Wrote You a Love Poem in Binary but You Didn't Understand, So Now I'm Going to Listen to The Cure, Drink Whiskey and Maybe Play Some Internet Poker if I Feel 'Up to It' (No Promises))."
This is not an anecdote, but is dated December 10, 2006.
So, after a lot of thought and consideration (which consisted mainly of using the "Find and Replace" function in Microsoft Word), I finally submitted my graduate school application to the University of Chicago.
If accepted, I'll be able to study art historical methodology, critical historiography, and Walter Benjamin's "The Arcades Project."
I'll also gain valuable field experience in my secondary specialization, "Hating Jamie Bourdon" (this degree is granted free-of-charge through Jenni Wu University). For my dissertation, I will write "The Arcades Project, v. 2.0: The Internet (subtitled: A Complete History of Jamie Bourdon, or I Wrote You a Love Poem in Binary but You Didn't Understand, So Now I'm Going to Listen to The Cure, Drink Whiskey and Maybe Play Some Internet Poker if I Feel 'Up to It' (No Promises))."
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Another Letter to Jamie
Dear Jamie,
I was going to retitle this blog, "I Love Matthew Barney," but then I ran across the above image on the Walker's website and realized that I'd never be able to compete with those weirdass Minnesotans. So, I guess I'd better stick to what I do best, which is hate you.
As boring as it may be.
Yawn.
-Jenni
Dear Jamie,
I was going to retitle this blog, "I Love Matthew Barney," but then I ran across the above image on the Walker's website and realized that I'd never be able to compete with those weirdass Minnesotans. So, I guess I'd better stick to what I do best, which is hate you.
As boring as it may be.
Yawn.
-Jenni
Saturday, December 02, 2006
18. Other Epic Battles
My heart stopped.
Yes, I am alone in my apartment on a Saturday night watching animals ambush, strangle and consume other animals on the internet. And, I'm humbled. I will never hate Jamie Bourdon as much as lions hate hyenas, or, apparently, as much as bees hate hornets. Animals are such perfect vessels of hate. And me, I'm only human.
My heart stopped.
Yes, I am alone in my apartment on a Saturday night watching animals ambush, strangle and consume other animals on the internet. And, I'm humbled. I will never hate Jamie Bourdon as much as lions hate hyenas, or, apparently, as much as bees hate hornets. Animals are such perfect vessels of hate. And me, I'm only human.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
A Brief Interlude, in which Jenni explains the nature of time to Jamie Bourdon:
At present, I must say that I'm quite pleased with myself.
NOTHING feels better than finishing something you never really wanted to start doing in the first place.
NOTHING.
NOTHING,that is, except hating Jamie Bourdon.
Here we are, hanging out in the bathroom during some random college concert in 2004. Hi, past-Jamie! Hi, past-Jenni! I like to call this photo, "Lamey Boredom vs. The Bright White Future."
The future came, past-Jamie. Oh, yes it did. The future came and turned into the present, but we're probably still exactly the same height. And now, present-Jamie, another future is coming.
"Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?" to quote a much-beloved title of a much-despised painter.
Here, Jamie, I'll post the painting for you, now:
Ugh. Horrid thing. Horribly funny title.
Where do we come from, Jamie? What are we? (I mean, obviously you're a robot.) Where, Jamie, are we going?!!!!!?
At present, I must say that I'm quite pleased with myself.
NOTHING feels better than finishing something you never really wanted to start doing in the first place.
NOTHING.
NOTHING,that is, except hating Jamie Bourdon.
Here we are, hanging out in the bathroom during some random college concert in 2004. Hi, past-Jamie! Hi, past-Jenni! I like to call this photo, "Lamey Boredom vs. The Bright White Future."
The future came, past-Jamie. Oh, yes it did. The future came and turned into the present, but we're probably still exactly the same height. And now, present-Jamie, another future is coming.
"Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?" to quote a much-beloved title of a much-despised painter.
Here, Jamie, I'll post the painting for you, now:
Ugh. Horrid thing. Horribly funny title.
Where do we come from, Jamie? What are we? (I mean, obviously you're a robot.) Where, Jamie, are we going?!!!!!?
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Friday, November 24, 2006
Monday, November 20, 2006
15. A Short Thesis on How Jamie Bourdon Has Altered My Brain Patterns
This scientific document is dated November 20, 2006.
Let's start with a rudimentary diagram of the flow of thoughts through my brain in the last five minutes.
1. Nabokov--> 2. Google--> 3. G Mail --> 4. My ex-boyfriend --> 5. The Edogawa River --> 6. My friend Jack--> 7. Modern Aesthetics--> 8. Cremaster 5 --> 9. Jamie Bourdon
1. As do most thought patterns, mine began with a visual stimulus, in this case, the silvery spine of "The Short Stories of Vladimir Nabokov.
2. Instantly, I recall, "The Vane Sisters," which I read last night. Feeling that something was funny about the last paragraph, I flipped to the corresponding "Notes" entry and confirmed the story's acrostic ending. I spent approximately five seconds trying to tease out the meaning on my own, then instantly turned to the internet. (Thank you, Google, for making it so easy for me not to think.)
3. And of course, once I got thinking about Google, I was compelled to check my email.
4. Which contained a letter from my ex-boyfriend. "Come to California," it said. Enclosed, was a photo of TuPac.
5. Wishing to respond in kind, I replied with a photo I had taken on our last visit to the Edogawa River, near my apartment in Japan.
6. Which swept me, through some Joyceian deluge, to my friend Jack (who, like the ex, has a J name and is very tall and has a fine brain stuffed full of strange notions) and his unfaltering belief in...
7. Modern aesthetics. I used to spend a great deal of time thinking about modern aesthetics, flatness, and the like, having been a rather devout disciple of Immanuel Kant (via, at times, Clement Greenberg). But after reading "The Abuse of Beauty," by A. Danto this summer, I ceased my formalist fascism. And now, when I think of the aesthetic codes governing my life, I often think of Matthew Barney.
8. Including Cremaster 5, which I watched not so long ago. In September, I spent hours watching The Cremaster Cycle, only ceasing after I started having nightmares about foggy hills and shiny dead horses.
9. And then, for whatever reason, I thought of how much I hate Jamie Bourdon. Why, God, why, does Jamie Bourdon now follow Matthew Barney in the wheel of my memory's rote recall?
The explanation, I hope, is more Pavlovian than Freudian.
This scientific document is dated November 20, 2006.
Let's start with a rudimentary diagram of the flow of thoughts through my brain in the last five minutes.
1. Nabokov--> 2. Google--> 3. G Mail --> 4. My ex-boyfriend --> 5. The Edogawa River --> 6. My friend Jack--> 7. Modern Aesthetics--> 8. Cremaster 5 --> 9. Jamie Bourdon
1. As do most thought patterns, mine began with a visual stimulus, in this case, the silvery spine of "The Short Stories of Vladimir Nabokov.
2. Instantly, I recall, "The Vane Sisters," which I read last night. Feeling that something was funny about the last paragraph, I flipped to the corresponding "Notes" entry and confirmed the story's acrostic ending. I spent approximately five seconds trying to tease out the meaning on my own, then instantly turned to the internet. (Thank you, Google, for making it so easy for me not to think.)
3. And of course, once I got thinking about Google, I was compelled to check my email.
4. Which contained a letter from my ex-boyfriend. "Come to California," it said. Enclosed, was a photo of TuPac.
5. Wishing to respond in kind, I replied with a photo I had taken on our last visit to the Edogawa River, near my apartment in Japan.
6. Which swept me, through some Joyceian deluge, to my friend Jack (who, like the ex, has a J name and is very tall and has a fine brain stuffed full of strange notions) and his unfaltering belief in...
7. Modern aesthetics. I used to spend a great deal of time thinking about modern aesthetics, flatness, and the like, having been a rather devout disciple of Immanuel Kant (via, at times, Clement Greenberg). But after reading "The Abuse of Beauty," by A. Danto this summer, I ceased my formalist fascism. And now, when I think of the aesthetic codes governing my life, I often think of Matthew Barney.
8. Including Cremaster 5, which I watched not so long ago. In September, I spent hours watching The Cremaster Cycle, only ceasing after I started having nightmares about foggy hills and shiny dead horses.
9. And then, for whatever reason, I thought of how much I hate Jamie Bourdon. Why, God, why, does Jamie Bourdon now follow Matthew Barney in the wheel of my memory's rote recall?
The explanation, I hope, is more Pavlovian than Freudian.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
14. A Trip to Wal-Mart
This anecdote is dated November 15, 2001.
Five years ago, on this very day, Jamie asked me if I would drive him to Wal-Mart. Midterms were approaching, and I was trying to memorize slides for my art history exam. This was before I cared one shit about art, and I was having an awful time trying to distinguish Manet from Monet and Gilbert from George (ha ha, I'm joking, we didn't study Gilbert and George in Intro to Art History).
"Is it really important?" I asked, "I'm kind of busy."
"It's really, super, horribly, terribly, undeniably important," he said.
I was unconvinced. "Why, what do you need?"
"Bandaids," he said, "I accidentally stabbed myself with a butcher knife and I'm bleeding to death under my sweater."
Well, I couldn't really say no to that, so I scrambled to find my car keys and sped all the way to Wal-Mart. When we got there, Jamie went straight to the candy aisle, where he opened and ate three bags of those orange marshmallow-y Circus Peanuts.
"Uh, aren't you dying?" I asked.
"This will help the blood clot," he responded. Having gotten a B+ in high school biology and taken no science classes since then, I couldn't argue. I started to get a bit suspicious when he moved into the automotive aisle and began ceremoniously smelling all of the different air fresheners.
"Would hanging a pink pine tree in my car be too feminine? I really like the bubble gum smell, but I don't want to come off as fey," he asked to the high-school employee stocking the car wax.
"Jamie, you have a car?" I asked, shocked.
"Like, duh," he said. Before I could ask him why he had insisted on being driven to Wal-Mart, and furthermore, why he had no apparent interest in saving his own life, he skipped over into the home appliances aisle, where he spent 15 minutes examining snow cone makers.
It was November. No one eats snow cones in November. At this point, I was really mad. So, without saying another word, I left the store, got in my car, and drove back to campus.
The next day, I found out that Jamie had spent the night in the emergency room. Apparently, he'd collapsed in a pool of his own blood somewhere between the girl's hosiery section and a seasonal decor display. They found him clutching desperately to a pair of wool Mary Kate and Ashley Olson knee-highs and crying like a little girl.
And the next day, he died.
JUST KIDDING. Jamie doesn't have blood. He can't die. I made up the whole story. You know, in the way they just filmed the "imaginary story" of Diane Arbus.
This anecdote is dated November 15, 2001.
Five years ago, on this very day, Jamie asked me if I would drive him to Wal-Mart. Midterms were approaching, and I was trying to memorize slides for my art history exam. This was before I cared one shit about art, and I was having an awful time trying to distinguish Manet from Monet and Gilbert from George (ha ha, I'm joking, we didn't study Gilbert and George in Intro to Art History).
"Is it really important?" I asked, "I'm kind of busy."
"It's really, super, horribly, terribly, undeniably important," he said.
I was unconvinced. "Why, what do you need?"
"Bandaids," he said, "I accidentally stabbed myself with a butcher knife and I'm bleeding to death under my sweater."
Well, I couldn't really say no to that, so I scrambled to find my car keys and sped all the way to Wal-Mart. When we got there, Jamie went straight to the candy aisle, where he opened and ate three bags of those orange marshmallow-y Circus Peanuts.
"Uh, aren't you dying?" I asked.
"This will help the blood clot," he responded. Having gotten a B+ in high school biology and taken no science classes since then, I couldn't argue. I started to get a bit suspicious when he moved into the automotive aisle and began ceremoniously smelling all of the different air fresheners.
"Would hanging a pink pine tree in my car be too feminine? I really like the bubble gum smell, but I don't want to come off as fey," he asked to the high-school employee stocking the car wax.
"Jamie, you have a car?" I asked, shocked.
"Like, duh," he said. Before I could ask him why he had insisted on being driven to Wal-Mart, and furthermore, why he had no apparent interest in saving his own life, he skipped over into the home appliances aisle, where he spent 15 minutes examining snow cone makers.
It was November. No one eats snow cones in November. At this point, I was really mad. So, without saying another word, I left the store, got in my car, and drove back to campus.
The next day, I found out that Jamie had spent the night in the emergency room. Apparently, he'd collapsed in a pool of his own blood somewhere between the girl's hosiery section and a seasonal decor display. They found him clutching desperately to a pair of wool Mary Kate and Ashley Olson knee-highs and crying like a little girl.
And the next day, he died.
JUST KIDDING. Jamie doesn't have blood. He can't die. I made up the whole story. You know, in the way they just filmed the "imaginary story" of Diane Arbus.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Correspondence
Jamie Bourdon reaches out from the depths of internet hell to write:
dear jenni,
why do you document my "reality" with the worst pictures of me in existence?
also, you can put chanel on a pig. doesn't make it cute.
love,
jamie
Well, Jamie, this is a cheap shot, but are there other kinds of pictures of you? If so, sir, I challenge you to produce them. Given my journalistic tendency towards fair and balanced reporting, I will publish them here, in this public forum. Don't try and send any photoshopped images of Bright Eyes or baby kittens. I'm not blind!
In the meantime, I leave you with...
Jamie, I am sure that you are somehow responsible for this!
Jamie Bourdon reaches out from the depths of internet hell to write:
dear jenni,
why do you document my "reality" with the worst pictures of me in existence?
also, you can put chanel on a pig. doesn't make it cute.
love,
jamie
Well, Jamie, this is a cheap shot, but are there other kinds of pictures of you? If so, sir, I challenge you to produce them. Given my journalistic tendency towards fair and balanced reporting, I will publish them here, in this public forum. Don't try and send any photoshopped images of Bright Eyes or baby kittens. I'm not blind!
In the meantime, I leave you with...
Jamie, I am sure that you are somehow responsible for this!
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
13. Photographic Truth
A few people have recently asked, "Is Jamie Bourdon real?" Yes! He is real and really awful. And here are two photographs to prove both of my points:
1. Here, we see five friends enjoying a civil sushi dinner. Jamie and I are on the right side of the photograph, real as can be.
2. In this photo, we see the psychic essence of the scene, a social X-ray, if you will, revealing a Truth (big T) that goes beyond what a camera lens can capture. Please note the flies descending upon Jamie's head; as well as the mysterious binary message being transmitted by his devil horns. You might also note that I'm wearing Chanel glasses. The photo was taken in 2004, about a month before I left for Japan, at the very apex of my arty pretentiousness.
Whatever. At least I'm not Satan.
A few people have recently asked, "Is Jamie Bourdon real?" Yes! He is real and really awful. And here are two photographs to prove both of my points:
1. Here, we see five friends enjoying a civil sushi dinner. Jamie and I are on the right side of the photograph, real as can be.
2. In this photo, we see the psychic essence of the scene, a social X-ray, if you will, revealing a Truth (big T) that goes beyond what a camera lens can capture. Please note the flies descending upon Jamie's head; as well as the mysterious binary message being transmitted by his devil horns. You might also note that I'm wearing Chanel glasses. The photo was taken in 2004, about a month before I left for Japan, at the very apex of my arty pretentiousness.
Whatever. At least I'm not Satan.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Friday, November 03, 2006
12. A Short List of Things that are as Good as Jamie is Bad
one: Elephant Science
two: Celebrity Professors
three: Pumpkin Ice Cream
four: The MoMA
12.5 A Short List of Things that are as Bad as Jamie is Bad
...
(Epilogue)
I often think about how different my life would be if I'd never met Jamie Bourdon. First of all, I would be healthier. I often hate Jamie so much it makes my stomach hurt. Second of all, I would be happier. I often get depressed thinking about how Jamie is living in the same apartment as MY best friend, manufacturing lies about me, and generally turning the Midwest against me. Thirdly, I would be much more productive. This point needs no elaboration beyond the existence of this blog.
I also think about how different Jamie's life would be if he'd never met me. First of all, he would have no friends. Second of all, he still doesn't actually have any friends because I'm not his friend. And thirdly, he would be just as awful as he is now. All of which basically amounts to the fact that he would be no different at all.
one: Elephant Science
two: Celebrity Professors
three: Pumpkin Ice Cream
four: The MoMA
12.5 A Short List of Things that are as Bad as Jamie is Bad
...
(Epilogue)
I often think about how different my life would be if I'd never met Jamie Bourdon. First of all, I would be healthier. I often hate Jamie so much it makes my stomach hurt. Second of all, I would be happier. I often get depressed thinking about how Jamie is living in the same apartment as MY best friend, manufacturing lies about me, and generally turning the Midwest against me. Thirdly, I would be much more productive. This point needs no elaboration beyond the existence of this blog.
I also think about how different Jamie's life would be if he'd never met me. First of all, he would have no friends. Second of all, he still doesn't actually have any friends because I'm not his friend. And thirdly, he would be just as awful as he is now. All of which basically amounts to the fact that he would be no different at all.
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