April 30, 1994

The day of the annual Cardboard Boat Regatta. This was a class requirement for the 3D Foundations class at SIU every spring, a major campus event for all students (any student could participate), and a regional news story for national television networks. The rules were that boats could be made from corrugated cardboard, glue, and waterproofing materials, decorated in any way you want, but not metal fasteners allowed of any kind. Also, all boats had to participate in at least one race around the campus lake. (life vests and a motor boat were employed to help out those students whose boats proved unseaworthy) Trophies were awarded in various categories- design, racing ability, most spectacular sinking, etc. Some boats were small, some large enough to have a crew of several students. The one in the image was a Viking style boat in the shape of dragon, tail at least 10 feet tall, the head about 8 feet high when attached, with a crew of at least 4, constructed by my former student Amy Kucharik.

April 29, 1994

I took an afternoon nap, and when I woke up I had an intense craving for a hamburger. So I went to the nearest place that I could buy a hamburger, Sam's Cafe (a place on the strip that specialized in middle eastern food), and bought one. I devoured it instantly, satisfying my need.

April 28, 1994

My old boots, pulled out on a particularly rainy day. I had gotten these boots when I was in 8th grade, for hiking and other Scout activities. They ended up lasting about 25 years, and might still be in use if the padded collars around the tops hadn't ripped away from the uppers.

April 27, 1994

A national day of mourning for Richard Nixon. Nixon had died several days earlier, but with presidents, it takes more than a few days to prepare a funeral, which was held on this day. Nixon was the first president that I was aware of, and that was mostly because of the incessant tv news stories about Watergate, though it would be years later before I knew what all the fuss was about.

April 26, 1994

Another ceramics sale. Manning the booth on this day was Mi Wu, print student and occasional Chinese translator. She suggested that I buy the mug shown on the left. I saw the 3 round red shapes as tomatoes, so I agreed to spend a few dollars for the odd rounded bottom mug. I also bought the one next to it.

April 25, 1994

I went to the Newman Center to see the display of pieces of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. The quilt was started in the late 80's, a collection of 3' x 6' panels, not necessarily involving traditional quilting techniques, but all involving a cloth base and a variety of applied materials, each meant to honor someone who died from the disease. The panels are sewn together into 12' x 12' blocks, and several of these blocks were on display in the main room of the center, the rows of chairs used for Mass having been all put away. Volunteers in shifts took turns reading aloud from a list of names of those who had died from AIDS. Next to each block was a box of tissues, I assumed for those overcome with emotion.

April 24, 1994

Sifting sand. I was in the process of working on my final project in my glass class, which would be a mixed media sculpture. One part of it would be a cast glass shape. A sand mold is made by sifting sand into a large wood box, so that it's loosely piled in the box. Then the object that will be used to make the mold is pressed firmly into the sand, hard packing it around the original piece. After removing the original, molten glass is poured into the vacated space, taking the shape of the original object.