I'm not as cynical as (e:Joshua) - in part because the project was privately funded. It's not my money being wasted, and it's not my park that is being "decorated" as such. I suppose I don't care. If people enjoy it, fine. If people think that it's garbage, that's fine too. Some New Yorkers think it makes the park look ugly. Others don't. There are a variety of opinions.

One thing I've learned recently about the art world is that it isn't always meant to give people happy feelings. Sometimes it's there for shock value (like Piss Christ), and sometimes it's there to get any kind of reaction out of you (good or bad). It's there to make you think about things differently. So while I may look at a piece and think that a third grader could do it (therefore lessening its value in my mind), others may find something interesting about it. It's all in how you allow yourself to perceive it. I'm still learning though, admittedly.

Jason

I went to the Car Show this past weekend. A friend had tickets so I thought it would be interesting. Other than being completely unprepared and grubby looking when I ran into the object of my affection it was alright. I thought there would be more concepts and sport automobiles but I was disappointed. Then again, this is Buffalo and nobody has enough loot to buy those cars anyway. I did see the Lamborghini though and snapped some photos with my Sidekick. Hopefully none of you will be offended by photos of a car.

One thing that annoyed me were the young bar hoes who are there to try and get you to go to their establishment. They're all over Thursday at the Square, and nobody wants the stupid flyers there either. I don't know whose bright idea it was to trick out a Neon, either. Oh, look, a Neon with DVD players and racing buckets and all sorts of other things! But it's still a Neon! What's the point of tricking out a Neon, anyway? Chances are there is an issue if you spend more money on car accessories than the car itself.

Jason

Blah. :(

After I had a change of heart, I chatted with an unnamed e-stripper about plans to spread love around the neighborhood, or at least a radius of 100 feet or so around the apartment. I said I wanted to go to Kuni's and give a rose to each of the waitresses. I thought it would be a good thing to do. And, hey, who knows, maybe one of them doesn't have a boyfriend! Then I thought perhaps it wouldn't work out, because what if they all have Valentines? Kuni wouldn't make the girls miss out on V-Day, would he? Maybe the restaurant would be closed. The unnamed e-stripper laughed.

Of course, the restaurant was closed. At least I have some flowers!

Jason

Maybe V-Day ain't so bad. Maybe it just reminds me of all the painful times I've gone through in the relationships that haven't worked. Maybe it reminds me of my own insecurity and self-doubt. Maybe it makes me think more acutely about the things I believe aren't good about me that need to be changed if I'm going to love again someday. If I'm with someone they understand I love them and appreciate them all the time, not just one day of the year. I would rather focus on the positives and be happy, then focus on the bad and be miserable. I'm having second thoughts about V-Day. Someone is going to know at least one guy in the universe hopes they have a happy V-Day.

Jason