Time for tunes

As of next week, I'll be at my new apartment for 2 months and still have yet to put stuff up on my walls. In the lyrics of a Sum 41 song, "motivation, such an aggravation." (I will probably reference many song lyrics in blogs to come, just to give a head's up.)

In case I haven't mentioned it before, I love music of a wide array of genres. This coming weekend I will be attending the Family Values Tour at Jones Beach in NY. I've never been to a show such as this, so I'm super excited. I believe its' an all-day event, with some opening bands and then the frontrunners Stone Sour, the Deftones and Korn. I find it most amusing that my last concert was Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band which featured (among others) Sheila E., Billy Squier and Richard Marx in addition to the former Beatle. I think I'm a bit eclectic... what do you think? ;-)

That being said, if you have any music you'd like to share with me, please do so. I'm into most everything, from classic rock and '60s pop to today's rock, hip hop and r&b. And I have a very open mind, so I'd be interested in anything you want to share. I already turn to friends and my fellow blogger Pat Ferrucci for his musical mentions, but the more the merrier!

Also, keep an eye out for an upcoming message where I will need your help for a project I'm working on!

Back at the Pilot Pen

I was able to return to the tournament action again today in time to catch two of Russia's finest tennis players mid-set, as seen from the top of the main court in the photo above. Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Elena Dementieva two sets to one.

This was the first time I saw a tennis match in person. Sure, I had watched them on TV whenever I flipped by one, but I never stopped to really watch it. I was fascinated.

These women were running all over the place, playing hard and hitting balls that I would run away from. The sounds of agony at a mistake, the cheering of the crowd as a player scored... it gave me a new appreciation for the sport.

And the fans... they came in all shapes and sizes. I was impressed at the age range, from small children to older adults who were completely engaged in the action.

Play on, Pilot Pen!

Explaining my cartoon self

My fellow blogger Julio Urdaneta (editor of Registro, the New Haven Register's Spanish language publication) told me that he had received comments from several people who wondered why I am the only blogger without a real photo. He suggested that I either add a photo to mine to go with the rest, or that I explain my cartoon (seen above).

I think Julio is correct. As I looked at our Blog Central page, I realized an explanation was warranted for my deviation.

I love art. I have for as long as I can remember. I'm not just talking about painting and sculpture, although I do love those and other forms found in museums, exhibits, galleries and installations. I love all art forms, including music, theater, film, dance... you name it, I probably enjoy it.

That being said, I've also enjoyed drawing and writing poetry for many years. While I was in college, I spent a great deal of time on the newspaper staff. I was a staff writer, Web site editor, head photographer, Campus News Editor and Managing Editor. One of the best jobs I had, though, was as editorial cartoonist. For 3 years, I showed my thoughts through cartoons. It was a great outlet for me as an aspiring artist and as a journalist.

The image that appears on this page and our main blog page is from the very last cartoon I drew for my college paper. I wanted my readers to see who was behind the spot all those years, and what better way than to draw myself as I had drawn so many other things.

I plan to return to my drawing and post some work here along with blog entries. I hope you will like them, and I hope that this explains why you see the cartoon me.

The first day of action

I went to the Pilot Pen again today to take in the scene. This Mercedes caught my eye, so I thought I'd share it with you.

A fair crowd attended today as the only tennis action was qualifier matches. I wandered about, popping into the draw ceremonies and seeing what people do when they aren't sitting in matches.

I posted two articles on our Pilot Pen section - "Pilot Pen 'draw's' a varied crowd on opening day" & "Pilot Pen: More than just a tennis tournament " - so please check these out. I'll also be keeping a photo gallery during my travels which is hosted on the Pilot Pen section. Let me know what you think!

I'll be away this weekend (heading home to NYC), but will return to the Pilot Pen and my blog on Thursday, Aug. 24, with more photos, stories and observations.

If you are attending the tournament and take any photos you'd like to share, send them along! You can email them to me at NHall@nhregister.com, along with a description and a photo credit and I will add them into our photo gallery!

The Players' Lounge

Before the matches began, I got to see where the athletes would be spending their free time.

This lounge was like the coolest living room I could imagine. There are plush couches arranged throughout the spacious rooms surrounding large flat screen TVs that would be equipped with PlayStations and X-Boxes. I took these photos as I marvelled at this space.

There were other cool features about this room, including an art exhibit highlighting local artists as well as a surrealist master. Check out my article on this exhibit that is available in the Pilot Pen tennis section on NHRegister.com.

This is some cool stuff!

So this is the Pilot Pen...

I had heard the name in passing over the last four years, but never knew what it was all about. I've never been an avid sports fan; I like baseball and (recently) hockey, but beyond Olympic events I never branched beyond these two sports. My knowledge of tennis was limited to the intense grunts of the Williams sisters (I'd hate to be on the receiving end of their anger, that's all. Sounds like they have a lot of pent up energy).

Now that I work for the New Haven Register, I have the chance to cover this nine-day tennis tournament my way. I'll be looking at the scenery, the people, the atmosphere and feel from the perspective of the newbie - new to the Pilot Pen and to the world of tennis.

Today I had the chance to go behind the scenes before the action happened. Whatever days I can, I will be going back to report on what I see and the stories that happen around the play. Check back to see what I found in the Players' Lounge, what the grounds look like and what I feel as I go through the next nine days.

Going off to college...

It seems like only yesterday when I was prepping for my first move-in day. True, it was only four years ago, but it felt much more recent as I was reading "Soon-to-be college freshman and their parents ponder the big leap" by Sandi Kahn Shelton in today's New Haven Register.

I remember battling with the same thoughts that the students interviewed mentioned - impending freedom, fear of leaving home, focusing on ways to ease the transition, etc. I never felt held back while living at home, but I did experience guilt when my mother would stay up late waiting for me to return home after a night out. Hanging out at school was more guilt-free because I knew that mom was sleeping rather than waiting for me to make my way home.

The hardest part for me when I went away to school was not that I was moving to a new place into a new room surrounded by new people. Yes, that part was thoroughly frightening but I was more concerned with the people I was leaving behind. In addition to my family, with whom I am very close, I was also leaving behind many friends that I had made in the first 18 years of my life.

Most of my friends from high school stayed in NYC, commuting from home and sticking around the old neighborhoods. A few of us ventured out to dorm living, and it was rough. We, the resident students, were the minority and our commuting friends could not understand some of the issues we faced while away. They could still meet up and hang out, while we needed to rely on phone calls, instant messaging and the occasional visit back home to stay in the loop. It was tough, and there were times when I really thought I was losing touch with those friendships.

To anyone leaving for school in the next few weeks, I want to provide some comfort. Four years later, I decided to stay in CT and not return to where my old friends remain. We managed to stay in touch because we all learned that if you truly care about people you will find a way to make it happen. They supported my decision to stay here, and I support their choices in NY.

I think that is is very important for students to live away from home, at least for a little while. The sense of independence and personal responsibility that I developed could never have come from being a room away from my parents. It's an essential part of growing up, and it gave me the courage to step out on my own and start a new life.

As long as you keep people in your thoughts and in your heart, home is never farther away than phone call. That's how I've made it this far, and how I get through the occasional (and inevitable) lonely days. It'll all work out, I promise.

Let me begin by saying awesome.

What is so awesome, you ask?

This weekend I was surprised with a visit to the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art in New York. I've loved art for as long as I can remember, and even started to draw at an early age. I was the editorial cartoonist at my college paper, and took numerous art courses during my collegiate career (I plan to take more as soon as I become more financially stable). As you can see art is a huge part of my life.

Now it would have been significant enough for someone to take me to this museum on principle alone. I love art museums of any kind, and this specific area of focus is something close to my heart. However, it was even more thoughtful than that.

The special reason that I was taken to MoCCA was for an exhibition entitled "She Draws Comics: 100 Years of America's Women Cartoonists." Running through November 6, this exhibit showcases the history of female cartoonists from the dawn of the genre through WWII to the present day graphic novelists. It showed how women have been there from day one, paving their own way in a male-dominated arena by refusing to conform to standards set by the men.

Needless to say, I loved it. Even though I only drew for a college paper, I feel honored to be the tiniest part of what those incredible women have done. I haven't drawn anything major in a few months, but I honestly feel that it is something I must get back to because it makes me happy. I've been inspired!

If you are interested in cartoon and comic art - and there is more there than just the women cartoonists for those who are skeptical - I encourage you to take a day trip into Manhattan and check out MoCCA. Can't make it down? Check out the online exhibitions to get a feel for MoCCA's style. I highly recommend it!

Is it bad that I'm starting to get used to living out of boxes?

I have not fully unpacked from my move, and I'm at the point now where it no longer bothers me. After all, the majority of them are not out in the open. I have boxes tucked away in closets or stuck in corners where they aren't constantly in my sight. It's gotten so easy to say, "Oh, I'll just do that tomorrow. I don't feel like it now." I guess it's not terrible since it's only been a month, but part of me feels as though I should care a little more.

I have a busy weekend ahead of me and I won't be home much at all. I'll just unpack stuff next week... ;-)

[and the cycle continues]