Thomas Arthur Schaefer
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Thursday, December 22, 2005

You Hear It... There Is Always Music In The Air

At 3:03pm this afternoon the deed was done. The four will see the results soon.




So today it begins...


Performance


United States Postal Service Dispute #1
December 22, 2005 — 3:00pm
Little Five Points Post Office
Atlanta




Come join me as I defend your pocketbook and your rights. Drinks before the event at the Vortex. Drinks after the event El Myr.
A SPECIAL HOLIDAY EVENT... BE THERE OR BE SQUARE


MAILING TRANSFERRAL
DECEMBER 22, 2005
—————
(remailing)
BARKER - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 02 - 05 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
KANKA - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 02 - 05 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
STOUT - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 02 - 05 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
VICTORE - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 02 - 05 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)

(new mailing)
BARKER - Swimming Lessons: Innuendo 01 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
KANKA - Swimming Lessons: Innuendo 01 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
STOUT - Swimming Lessons: Innuendo 01 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
VICTORE - Swimming Lessons: Innuendo 01 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)

LUDWIG - Fishey Hooters 01 (postcard/pin)

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Domesticated Tricksters Are Showing Bits And Pieces In Your Cities Malls

United States Postal Office.... how dare you!



When I went to my mail box this evening I was greeted by a large official envelope from the USPS. Wow something good I figured, perhaps a mailng from a friend that got damaged. When I opened the envelope I found 4 sets of my recent mailngs and a hand written note. Here is what the note said.

To whom it may concern:

These letters have been sent back to you because they are lacking the 12¢ extra that we charge. The button you have on the letters is the reason for the surcharge. Please make the change for any future mailngs. Thank you for understanding. — USPS


So... understanding huh. Let me tell you people about understanding. What I understand is that you are completely wrong. First of all, these are not letters, they are postcards. A letter goes in an envelope... postcards do not. If they did, they would then become letters. Secondly these cards already have your 12¢ surcharge paid for on them because of their 37¢ or 39¢ stamps. Still don't understand... we let's look at the your regulations shall we.

USPS Postcard Regulations
Regular size ($0.23 each):
Maximum size: 6 inches long by 4-1/4 inches high

Large size ($0.37 each):
More than: 6 inches long or 4-1/4 inches high

All clear... good. So what does this mean. The cards you returned measure 6" x 4" (below regular size). They do not have a 23¢ stamp on them, they have a 37¢ or 39¢ — some 14¢ – 16¢ more than 23¢ and more than what you claim is now required. You say you need the 12¢... hey like I said, it's already included stupid.

Now lets say that these were letters... guess what again... they weigh less than the 37¢ required for a first class letter. So again... what are you people thinking here.

Tomorrow I'm going to go have a little chat with the USPS and get this taken care of. Make sure they understand that I know more about their regulations than they obviously do. These cards will mail tomorrow as is or we'll be talking to the Post Master General.

So to Barker, Kanka, Stout, and Victore... I must appologize for these idiots. Because of them, you have been denied 4 sets of cards and quit possibly, like many of my other correspondents, may be asked to pay 12¢ when it is not nessesary.


New Correspondents

Bedard - Atlanta, Georgia
Bonanno - Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chavarria - Chattanooga, Tennessee
Cordero - Tampa, Florida
Mangle - Jersey City, New York
Medley - Chattanooga, Tennessee
Meister -Atlanta, Georgia
Seiler - Burbank, California

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Middle Class American Warfare With A Spoon And A Fork

Must suck to be a New Yorker today. — Well I am a New Yorker by heart and heritage... but I'm glad I'm not there right now. Poor bastards.

So today I'm going to attempt to wrap up all of my postal needs for the rest of the year, all those beside my 2 New Years mailings. I have about 80+ cards to prepare so I'll be busy, busy, busy. Tomorrow the 'Fifty Fiver' commemorative postcards will mail. They are close to finished.
Also today I will begin my 5 days till Christmas 'Twin Peaks' marathon... been doing this every year for the past 4 years... never miss it. Still waiting for them to release the second season on DVD... sources say next year... so again I'll suffer thru 2nd season VHS.
Time to get to work.

Monday, December 19, 2005

I Was A Nazi Stormtrooper — Cooking Lessons From The German Front In My Head

Went out looking for frames yesterday afternoon for the now completed 'Fifty Fivers'. Found lots of great quality glass frames for cheap prices, but I need 25 of them. I wasn't too interested in paying out that wad of cash until I had explored all my options, so I didn't leave with a big cart full of them. I did pick up a few items here and there though. Purchased a clear slip-sleeve book to house the 50 burned Arnold secondary works. These are the sheets of paper that were used underneath the 'Fifty Fivers' as they were burned. Each sheet had a black & white image of Arnold being sworn in as California Governor Novermber 17, 2003.


I attached to each of these 8.5" x 11" sheets cut off portions of the color chips I used on the main pieces. I affixed the chips with melted canning wax. I used this same wax on the 'Fifty Fivers' as well. In the bottom corner of each work I dripped some wax and placed a nickel on it face down. Once all the wax had cooled I popped the nickels out. The wax took the impression and now when the light hits the work just right you get a relief of Jefferson. I also made 50 - 1" buttons out of the remaining materials — Arnold head tracings with a small hole punch circle from the color chips in each. These I will attach to a specialty postcard and mail out to my correspondents to commemorate the completion of the work.

Saturday, December 17, 2005

'Fifty Fivers'

'Fifty Fivers'
December 17th, 2005 — 12:00 Pacific
A performance piece by Thomas Arthur Schaefer


11:10pm
Terminus


6:42pm
Finish with a dash of fire.


3:32am
Finely sliced notes...


3:09am
I'm even trying to cover the facts... just like others. The paper riddled with lines for cutting, hides a fiver benith its flesh.


2:52am


2:17am


1:34am
I still hate drawing this shit!!

1:25am
I absolutely hate drawing Arnold. If I did this same drawing I'm doing, the number of times I'm doing it... and let's say that I only draw it once a year.... I'd be 78 years old when I was finished. Arnold... screw you and your arms. They are too big. They are.

12:01am
It begins.

Friday, December 16, 2005

Physical Demeanor Exudes Gentleness And Restraint So Often Canceled Out

Bonnie Burns You?

Sunset Blvd. (1950) Directed by Billy Wilder
=
Heat (1972) Directed by Paul Morrissey

Paul Morrissey is a genius... plan and simple. 'Heat' is a modern day version of 'Sunset'.... but in truth... 'Hea't is a far better film. I'm not sure if it's because of its color or modern drama. I think the 1950's lack of realism is the reason. It's the hollywood system... it's the hollywood system. i'm sure Morrissey would agree. I need to figure out what the 2nd film, 'Trash' (1970) is related to. 'Flesh' (1968) is obviously a retaliation to the creation of that bullshit film Midnight Cowboy (1969) Directed by John Schlesinger. Schlesinger is another one of these hacks I continue to comment on.

"I believe that the quintessential task of every painter in any time has been to concentrate on the essential." - Gerhard Richter

Thursday, December 15, 2005

I've Got This Sickly Snot-Nosed Child Tearing About By My Side

While in my sickly state last evening I made a great deal of progress on my main web site... and yes it will actually launch on the 1st of January — FO' REAL. Feeling some-what better today but looking forward to getting some more sleep. I'll do a little more work on the site this evening if I have the time.

Preparing things for Saturday's work on the 'Fifty Fivers'. Should be interesting...

Added a new link in the Blogs section — Roman Blog. This blog features video clips of artists in their studio working and taking about their process.

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Feeding Frenzies Are A Relationship Between The Meal And Yourself

At home today... I'm feeing like shit. Must have been something I ate yesterday. I was up all night. So today has turned into a home work day even though I had not planned on that. Ohh well... thats how it goes I suppose.

Much of our intelligence turned out to be wrong.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

In Recognition Of The Extra Effort

Ahhh... Tuesday the 13th — What a wonderful and cursed day. The luckiest day of them all I suppose. I don't have much planned for this evening... I think I'll continue work on the 'Fifty Fivers'. Unfortunatly I'm at that juncture where I'm not too sure what to do with them next... but I have a few clever ideas.

Monday, December 12, 2005

Chumba Chumba Coco-Lata — What The?

Happy Mondays — hmmm... but are they really happy?

Went to El Myr last night for a suprise get together. It was Kanka's birthday. I bought him a bunch of Yo-Yo's.... good stuff. Many drinks were consumed, as well as some food. Good times... good times. The most interesting part of the evening, besides learning what a 'Biddy' was, had to be the bill. A whopping $60... wow... I guess pitchers of Guiness are cheaper than by the glass. Who would have figured.
Didn't get in until after midnight, which was a suprise... just didn't realize it had gotten so late.

biddy |ˈbidē| noun ( pl. -dies) informal
a woman, usually an elderly one regarded as annoying or interfering : the old biddies were muttering in his direction.

Sunday, December 11, 2005

As The Lines Build... The Children Grow Restless

Nothing exciting to report on today. I worked on the Sacramento 'Fifty Fivers' pieces... glueing, outlining and painting. Lots of white paint. I've gotten them all consistantly completed to their first stage. I will begin the second phase of the works and have them prep'd and ready for completion on the 17th, this Saturday. Planning out something interesting. I will videotape the 25 works being completed. Locationl is still a bit unknown as the site isn't too important... what is important is finding a place to drink afterwards.

Saturday, December 10, 2005

Holy Cow And Other Things Worthy Of Sacrafice

12:02pm
Saw a show at Dad's Garage last night 'Chick & Biizy present: "It's a hoo-Haw Christmas".


—————
Washed-up B-movie star Chick Starley is heading home for Christmas this year. And of course, Boozy the alcohol-swilling imp is along for the ride. Can they still pull off their classic variety extravaganza in small town America?
—————

I must admit some really funny stuff at times and a good show all-round. Worth the price for admission... if you have to pay... ha ha... it's good to know people who know people.

This is a costume from Dames Aflame star Luna Luxx. It was udderly amazing. Look at the detail... right down to the teat paisties. Suddenly I have a hankerin' for some milk... a bowl of cereal would be nice too.


12:33am
Hey Spielberg... guess what? You're a fuckin' washed up hack... been that way for years. Can't believe you actually have the gall to state your pathetic movie Munich, can save the middle east. "It's a prayer for peace". Who do you think you are Scorsese ? —

"What I'm doing is buying 250 video cameras and players and dividing them up, giving 125 of them to Palestinian children, 125 to Israeli kids, so they can make movies about their own lives," he said. "Not dramas, just little documentaries about who they are and what they believe in, who their parents are, where they go to school, what they have to eat, what movies they watch, what CDs they listen to -- and then exchange the videos. That's the kind of thing that can be effective, I think, in simply making people understand that there aren't that many differences that divide Israelis from Palestinians -- not as human beings, anyway."



What planet are you from.... my gosh. Ohh yeah I forgot... you're from hollywood. You idiot.. the only thing you were good for was selling E.T. lunchboxes and Reese's Pieces. Why don't you go re-edit one of your other bullshit films... add another color to Schindler's List. Maybe apologize to Kubrick so he doesn't kick your ass in the collective afterlife for making a mockery of his A.I. ... watch out for Phillip K. Dick, he's pissed too, and he's not in the minority about that one.
Just keep your mouth shut and maybe you'll turn it into something special for once.

Friday, December 09, 2005

What Is, Why Does and How A Gift



Kanka is standing with my latest work — Motorcycle. Essentially what happened was this. Kanka has friends with bikes that cost more than his... thousands of dollars more than his. So I told him that I could increase the value of his bike far beyond that of his friends bikes if he let me sign and title his bike. So I signed the bike and gave it a title... nows it's valued at $10,000 and will probably make more at auction.

MOTORCYCLE

A limited edition of 50 signed and numbered prints of this photograph are available for $100.

To order one of these limited edition prints, write me at —

motorcycle@cherrylipped.com

They make a great christsmas present.

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Look At My Notes And See Me If You Have Questions

11:27pm
Go to sleep you stupid fool... nobody cares enough about you as to staying awake... not even yourself... sleep you blanketed fool. Sleep and dream your dream... Sound just like a hippie while you type this if you must... but sleep my lonely child... lie down in that flower'ee meadow... the Daed are clanking away in the back of yer' noggin. Why not give them a nod.... let them know that J is still a part of the air they breath.
Wretched souls... leaving the spelling to school children. By telephone, two weeks from now, I'll announce my sentence and close your front door. We'll sit aside a fire... the glow... the indecision... what to do with my new... my new... what to do with you.



12:32pm
Well I had 4 hours of sleep finally... wow bob wow... yeah it was so great — right! So I got up super early this morning to get to work before 7 for a meeting at 8 that got post-poned until 9. What a life — what a world.

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

What's The Use In A Title

11:31pm
Alright.... I've finished two 20 page concept books full narrative with 3 spreads into the 10-K. I'm buring the CD and going to sleep. have a meeting for this stuff at 8am... have to be at work by 7 to mount the prints to boards. Here we go...


4:09am
So I'm just lying here... it's dark, quiet and comfortable, but all I can seem to do is lie here. Another night of this. Another night... I've gotten up and decided to go back to work. Gonna fix a cup of coffe... will have to go to work in a few hours anyways. Can't sleep, too much on my mind... usually I can just write a list of everything thats on my mind and then I seem to be able to forget and go to sleep, but I can't write lists this time. So I'll stay awake and try to occupy my mind with work. Write in the blog some more... I'm gonna shoot some photos, make a postcard and then get back to doing layouts for work. Was up until 3am doing these annual report layouts and now I just got out of bed... I'm shaking my head now... why am I awake writting on this at 4am... go to sleep. Man... I'm just sitting here talking to myself... so pointless. Need to begin the work I guess. I'm going to feel miserable tomorrow... I wonder when I'll hit the peak. Every other time I've gone without sleep I notice that there is a peak you reach and then suddenly the last thing you need is sleep and everything seems ok again. The insomnia is setting in and everything from this point to the peak will be like it always is. Ohhh drab...
I wonder what the rest of the world is dreaming of tonight. I don't remember any of my dreams lately... strange... Kim Gordon is singing about dreams in the background... the irony of this all. 'It's just a dream' she's singing... 'It's just a dream I had... it's just a'... man iTunes is weird so days. OK enough of this... gonna do some work... I'm shaking my head at myself again.

MAILING TRANSFERRAL
DECEMBER 7, 2005
—————
BARKER - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 05 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
KANKA - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 05 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
STOUT - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 05 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
VICTORE - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 05 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

What Means To You What Means To Me

Had a good conversation last night that made me think about my work on the ride home. My current meticulous organiztion of work, media, and materials is a form of Retroconsumerism. Almost turning my own life and home into a kind of 24/7 Walmart of my life. I like that... at least at my Walmart I consume products I desire... but this also raised another question... wasn't there something else back in the back when time?
From this plain of thought, I dug up some old notes and then concepted a new work that I will execute this week. And baby... it's all about the title (well not really)... a totally Damien Hirst expression of long-windedness I will admit.
So... I have concepted a few pieces about 4 years ago based on the ideals behind the idiom of Annihilationism, this work will be a departure from those works but still the first ever physically created. I'm very excited about it. The concept deals in total extremes. Like Ray Johnson's gesture of reconstituting his previous work into small white blocks, I too will take a legitimate work and reduce it to its fined part, but in doing so also remove another step in my art creation process — documentation. This form of fact collecting has become very important in the current work of the past 4 years. With this new work we will break the documentational barrier by taking the work to its most finite stage and having that be the work. i will create the work in one of several ways. The first form of Annihilationism is based on a work that is created to the point of obliteration without any form of documentation. This style can be done alone, simply leaving the artist with a title and no tangible work or could even be performed live (leaving only human memory to document). Annihilationism in it's second form — works of art, worked and manipulated so vehemently that they no longer resemble the original work... but thus become the work.
I wonder if one could create a work in the second form while on video but with the work out of view. Does the work then become the footaage that was shot, the obliterated work, the performance live, or alterior documentation other than film.

annihilate |əˈnī-əˌlāt| verb [ trans. ]
destroy utterly; obliterate

annihilationism |əˈnī-əˌlāt sh ənˈizəm| noun
an early 21st-century style and movement in art, in which the artist utterly destroys a work until it exists, just as it did the moment before it's conception


The Cult Of Ray Johnson Five Part Plan For Success

1. Paint all my artwork white
2. Cut it into tiny pieces
3. Roughly sand the pieces
4. Put pieces into envelopes
5. Mail envelopes
6. Go for a swim



MAILING TRANSFERRAL
DECEMBER 6, 2005
—————
BARKER - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 04 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
KANKA - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 04 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
STOUT - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 04 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
VICTORE - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 04 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)

Monday, December 05, 2005

Standing Faster Moving Faster

MAILING TRANSFERRAL
DECEMBER 5, 2005
—————
BARKER - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 03 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
KANKA - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 03 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
STOUT - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 03 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
VICTORE - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 03 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)

Sunday, December 04, 2005

I've Been Waiting For A Girl To Come And Take Me By The Hand

Spent day working on main Flash website. Had a hail storm hit around 5 o'clock. Hail the size of nickles & quarterts. I considered collecting a large amount in a tall clear glass and pouring a drink over it... but the hail is dirty. Perhaps I should use it to make a dirty martini.

Saturday, December 03, 2005

Lost In The Dark Woods

Scanning and organizing digital assets of works this afternoon. Built out up to date sections for the postcard reference books based on mine and Barkers mailings. Began year end tallies for works (Barker has recieved 200 mailings to date).




MAILING TRANSFERRAL
DECEMBER 3, 2005
—————
BARKER - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 02 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
KANKA - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 02 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
STOUT - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 02 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
VICTORE - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 02 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)

Friday, December 02, 2005

It Lives As It Breathes As It Feels

This machine has finally come to life... my home is now internet ready. The main system is configured and purring away and the wi-fi is flowing. Ready to get to some serious work again.


MAILING TRANSFERRAL
DECEMBER 2, 2005
—————
BARKER - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 01 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
KANKA - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 01 — Cult of Ray Johnson(postcard/pin)
STOUT - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 01 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)
VICTORE - Swimming Lessons: Gesture 01 — Cult of Ray Johnson (postcard/pin)

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Pushing A Wide Face Into A Mirror... Just Like The Old Days

BLAST FROM THE PAST
DARTH VADER SLURPEE ATTACK IN DALLAS




MAILING TRANSFERRAL
DECEMBER 1, 2005
—————
BARKER - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
BLACKMON - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
BURNS - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
BUTTREY - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
DECILLIS - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
GIBB - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
KANKA - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
KIDWELL - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
KUTZBACH - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
KUTZBACH - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
KUTZBACH - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
KUTZBACH - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
LINTON - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
LUDWIG - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
MOODY - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
NEWMAN - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
NEWTON & GEIER - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
NOBLE - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
PEARSON - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
ROETZER - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
SCHAEFER - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
SCHAEFER - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
SCHAEFER - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
SEARCY - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
STATTS - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
STOUT - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
SYLVESTER - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
VICTORE - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
VINSON - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
WEISS - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)
YORK - Korea Dress (postcard/pin)