:: the borg group ::

:-(

2007-09-20T09:01:00.000-07:00

The Borg must really be dead... I'm sad.

2007-07-05T22:24:00.000-07:00

There should be a way to edit your comments after you post.

2007-07-03T21:01:00.001-07:00

Trophy Soldiers

Something New

2007-06-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

In the middle of his life he left his wife and ran off to be bad. Boy, it was sad. But he bought a new car, found a new bar, and went under another name. Created a whole new game and the days went by like paper in the wind.

Everything changed, then changed again. It's hard to find a friend. It's hard to find a friend.

Meanwhile then his wife's boyfriend moved in and took over the house. Everybody was quiet as a mouse and it changed their lives, changed their plans. Slowly they grew apart. Boy, it woulda broke your heart and the days went by like paper in the wind.

Everything changed, then changed again. It's hard to find a friend. It's hard to find a friend.

flambeaux Retreat

2007-06-01T15:50:00.000-07:00

FUTURE: Straw core at natures whim, secure on man-shaped metal. Galvanized the internal fear of fires onslaught on carbon. It’s not the flame that frightens but the flambeaux, the source. As torches touch dry leaf and leaf, heat encroaches with smoke as companion. That beauty beyond, that matchstick divinity, struck by the invisible hand. It’s hard to breath, but it was before the stoke. We should've stopped, dropped, and rolled long ago, yet it burns ever closer causing choke and cough, even in rain billows gray air. Our recourse: a controlled self-burn round the shallow surface of each, making space for a ceasefire and revealing a frightened child underneath.

Water War

2007-05-29T19:59:00.000-07:00

Future: Lands purchased by states and countries for resources in karst topography. To the sellers gains beyond comprehension. Markup to no statistician’s deviation. Where the water flows along with blood. The new gold rush "WATER." Man cannot live on bread alone but can survive on eminent domain. Real water deep in the crust, perfect on a desperate tongue. Draught in the forecast where once streams allowed skipping rocks, but now just rocks. The battle for land and what lies below when technology cannot tame the masses cotton mouth. It will wage. Because with resource comes power that quenches every thirst.

Change and Singularity

2007-05-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

FUTURE: The question becomes one of downward spirals or upward mountains. Altitudes or abyssal planes in attempting to take the experiences around and make meaning for the mind. The spinning top of time ever closer to singularity; when you and I are hollow and free to pass through. We are loose change spinning round the charity disc gaining speed and near to the eventual. And, what is this charity, this life? It is obvious that our human structures, our internal controls, cannot withstand the coming rapid change. The levies are bulging. The downturns abrupt and upswings jarring change. This is about state of mind... Downward spirals or upward mountains as we seek time beyond physical biology. A future of only barriers but oneness all the same.

Trophy Soldier

2007-05-24T16:31:00.001-07:00

Untitled / 6 " x 8" / Bic pen on paper/ 2007.

Fiber Fist

2007-05-17T13:23:00.000-07:00

Click above to see a fake commercial that these guys
I've been working with and learning a little bit about
video production just made. It's pretty darned funny.

A little levity...

2007-05-08T18:20:00.000-07:00

JaxCAL.org

2007-05-04T20:49:00.001-07:00

My new project. Hope you guys are proud. Hows the Borg Group hanging?

Portal 3

2007-04-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

Portlet1.1

2007-04-02T17:16:00.000-07:00

Portlet1

2007-03-31T18:53:00.000-07:00

House Hunting

2007-03-24T18:22:00.001-07:00

The market is down, and there's lots of frowns. But we keep on looking. Looking for a house that's affordable, adorable and almost livable.

American dream, apple pie, white picket fence, and all. For all. Their are open houses all around town. Everywhere you look, homes are for sale. Balloons are a flyin. The reports have started tricklin. About adjustable mortgages adjusting thousands of incomes and weighing heavily on their outcomes of life, liberty, and the pursuit of their realities.

As the flag keeps on flying, as our kids keep on dying in the same old foreign lands. While walking on the same old burning sands. As their oil stained caskets get shipped back across the ocean. Back to their mother's land.

Even with all this confusion, a fusion, I'm still wanting in. I'm still wanting to have a place where we can plant our own seed. Where the children grow like weeds. Where I can plant my family crest and do my very best to be an honorable man. And try my very best to be a good example for the little ones around. But for now, I'll just keep looking in town.

New Orleans, Louisiana

2007-03-24T09:19:00.000-07:00

Bombgardener is DEAD!

2007-03-23T19:04:00.000-07:00

Call me...

2007-03-20T12:08:00.000-07:00

THE END.

2007-03-16T21:51:00.000-07:00

Portal 2

2007-02-24T15:35:00.001-08:00

Portal

2007-02-10T11:06:00.000-08:00

Portal / 24″ x 24″ / acrylic on wood / 2007.

Blackbird Hour

2007-02-04T18:14:00.000-08:00

My good friends Brad (vocals, guitar), Dave (bass) and Chad (drums)
play in Blackbird Hour.

They performed at Proud Larry's in Oxford last night

and I took a few photos . . .

Listen to "Careful Love" and "The Last Time"

on their MySpace profile.

Escape Vessel

2007-02-04T10:19:00.000-08:00

9th and Liberty

2007-01-26T15:03:00.000-08:00

2007-01-23T15:58:00.000-08:00

Satire can be funny . . . Here's how to know if you're a "hipster" -- Enjoy!

Apology

2007-01-19T15:03:00.000-08:00

Clean eating. Clean drinking. Water. I apologize for my past behavior. I apologize for my rants and negativity. Into thee. I have such passion. A lasting. It keeps me motivated, and associated. Competitive in nature. I have become a bully. Praying on the week. And dishing out judgement and I'm tired of such activity with it's ferocity.

Teacher, I apologize for my outburst in class. I apologize for not raising my hand before speaking. I apologize for looking at you and silently judging. I apologize for talking about you behind your back. I apologize for looking at your life's work and snickering inside. I apologize for I have no right to. No fight to. And I give up.

What step am I on? The step where I wake up and realize I have been an asshole many times and have not known it. I have left dirty messages. Wondered why things couldn't be better. Why? Everyone is trying their best. Who am I to judge? Who am I to fudge on common courtesy? I am tired of dishing out negative synergy. I am tired of thinking I know best. I am tired of forming an opinion on everything. I am tired of trying to back it up.

I want to be involved in flow. Surround myself with those who are not struggling against the current. Surround myself with those who have given up and have let the stream take them. Surround myself with positivity. With friends who are not out to get anything from me. And in return be that friend to thee. This is my apology.

2007-01-17T12:04:00.000-08:00

Zombie Letters from e-zombie.com

Post-Katrina Photography Series

2007-01-14T08:19:00.001-08:00

On Friday, June 9, 2006, I posted a series of photographs taken along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. At that time, it had been nine months since Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Waveland, Mississippi, laying waste to the homes and communities in her path.

It has now been sixteen months since that destruction and, lest we forget, much remains to be done. Recovery from a disaster of this magnitude does not occur in a matter of months or, possibly, even years. Will it take decades? An entire generation? Who can say for certain?

These photographs are installment two in this on-going series.

Bay St. Louis, Mississippi

2007-01-14T08:03:00.000-08:00

Piers along N. Beach Blvd.

Roadside debris (facing south)

Roadside debris (facing east)

The Borg has Risen

2007-01-06T14:55:00.001-08:00

Group Show Opening

2007-01-06T10:36:00.000-08:00

All,

Check out a link to the opening we had Jan 4th here in Jax.

Thanks to Joey from Urban Jacksonville for stopping by and
to Tony Allegretti for letting us use the space.

Check it out...

Click here to see some photos of the show.

2007-01-06T07:31:00.000-08:00

The Statue of Liberation Through Christ in Memphis, Tennessee
World Overcomers Outreach Ministeries Church

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
United States Constitution, First Amendment
Ratified: December 15, 1791

Happy New Year lil' borgers

2007-01-02T12:39:00.000-08:00

My latest piece Yo! Will to Self

2006-12-13T08:45:00.000-08:00

see more at http://www.kenvallario.com

Out of commission

2006-12-12T19:52:00.000-08:00

Greetings fellow Borgers. I'm just dropping by to apologize for my lack of participation recently. It seems my neighbor with wireless access has moved. So, I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and I should be back in action just as soon as I get my genomes adjusted.

New Painting

2006-12-10T10:45:00.000-08:00

The Nursery / 48′’ x 60′’ / acrylic on canvas / 2006.
Click here to enlarge.

How about that.

2006-12-07T17:05:00.000-08:00

click to enlarge.

KITTY

2006-11-30T17:59:00.000-08:00

Entering the way back machine...

2006-11-30T13:40:00.000-08:00

Whoa Kyron...now this takes me back...

ohhh

2006-11-29T22:08:00.000-08:00

Happy Borgsgiving from the Robotic Turkey!

2006-11-22T20:52:00.000-08:00

Dazed and Confused...

2006-11-19T07:26:00.000-08:00

circa 1994

family portrait

2006-11-16T18:10:00.000-08:00

by Dana Turner

Borg Proverb #1

2006-11-16T14:31:00.000-08:00

Fine china is fragile and has sharper edges when broken.

an old subject revisited

2006-11-13T20:50:00.000-08:00

LUXOR

2006-11-10T17:23:00.000-08:00

Something to keep in mind!

2006-11-07T20:18:00.000-08:00

Nothing upsets my stomach more than quasi-intellectuals, those who have a posture of intelligenge but are really wolves in sheep's clothing.

Never forget Bill Maher voted for Bob Dole in 1996 over Clinton, citing that he wanted to take the last opportunity to vote for a WW2 veteran, the logic of a 9 year old.

Also Dennis Quaid voted for Bush in the last election, these things should be remembered about public figures, that they are actually much stupider than the characters they play.

Correlates #1 - Angst

2006-11-07T20:11:00.000-08:00

Dramatic Increases

Migraine Headaches/Meaningless work/Caffeine intake...

Akbar Lightning #42 - The N Word

2006-11-07T10:29:00.000-08:00

Yo numbers, I've found a solution to the very controversial N-word problem. As it is a word that many find powerful and somewhat addictive, I thought perhaps we ought to find a way to keep what is good and rid ourselves of the negative, a word that everyone can use, an all color representative of that feeling of yesness, of brotherhood and good old fashion healthy human irreverence.

NINJA

What up my ninjas? Are you my Ninja?

it has history, it unites the east and west, it's black, it's white, jam on ninjas.

Gliotches my ninjas...

2006-11-07T10:27:00.000-08:00

by the way have you borg noticed that the borg site often dissapears from the browsers memory, i find that really strange, doesn't happen for any other site, we borg are slippery assimilated gliotches.

Querstion....Tech support

2006-11-03T19:52:00.000-08:00

Yo peeeps, how do people make these patterns I see all over the graphic design pages? they don't draw them, do they? what's the dizzy on this shizzy, fo rizzy?

Over the Mountain

2006-11-01T19:17:00.000-08:00

Feeling a bit scammed today?

2006-11-01T16:57:00.000-08:00

Hi Bruce,

I was so excited to receive this email today. I actually felt as if I had spent enough money at your store this year that maybe you were giving me a deal. After all my birthday is on Saturday and well, it was nice to feel special. Who doesn't want to feel special?

After work I rushed over to your store with my new minivan that I acquired just for buying over sized canvases. All day I dreamt of the right size canvas to buy to put the 40% discount coupon towards. After arriving at your store I quickly folded down all of the back seats of the van and tried to visualize the largest size canvas I could get in the van. I really felt special.

I quickly went into your store and directly to the canvas section. I sat in the back and eyeballed several sizes. It was a hard choice. I am preparing for a show in January and need a large canvas to sort of finish off the show. After I picked out the best size for the concept I've been mulling over, I approached the front desk. I put the canvas down against the counter and gave the employee my coupon. She told me without hesitation that the canvas was already on sale and that the coupon did not apply to already on sale items.

This was a bit upsetting to say the least. Well, I had to see what large canvas I could buy. There must be one. After going back to your canvas section. I realized that all of the large quality canvases were already marked down. That the only high quality canvas's that were not marked down were the most expensive ones, upwards of 125-150 dollars. I couldn't believe it. My whole day I had been visualizing this moment. After all the money I had spent at your store I had thought that just maybe, maybe I was getting a break. I mean really canvas's are extremely over priced, right?

Well that didn't deter me. I took the 36''x72'' canvas up to the counter. I decided to concede and buy it. By this time I felt a bit hoodwinked. But still needed a nice sized canvas to finish off the show. I approached the front desk and put another large canvas against the front counter once again, cost of 150 dollars. There was an older gentleman with a shaved head at the counter. He seemed like a reasonable fellow so I decided to talk to him.

I said that he could understand why it was a bummer that in order to use your coupon I had to by the most expensive canvas. He stated that all of the canvas 's were on sale because they were already at a great bargain price. I asked him if he bought canvas's. He said no. I informed him that they are extremely expensive and can easily bite into an artist's nonexistent budget. He seemed perturbed. He continued to check me out. I realized that his facial expression was not one of compassion for the artist. For the coupon that was made in order to make someone feel special, and in disguise was a scam.

I informed the sales clerk that I was not interested in buying the canvas. I took back my credit card in the middle of the process. As I started to exit the store I turned back and told the sales clerk one more thing. I told him that I could not believe that he could not agree with me that this was unreasonable to put the majority of the canvas's on sale in order to negate the coupon and force the buyer to consider buying a higher priced canvas than he would have not originally considered buying. He did look a bit alarmed at this moment, I must say, as he stated, "I was not arguing with you."

I just wanted you to know that I felt scammed. That your coupon took me from feeling like a special customer who deserved a break, to just another consumer who fell for a trick to get me in the store and to make more money. I will not buy from your store again and I will tell any artist's I know to stay away from your store. Not only because of the coupon, but because of the lack of compassion shown from your employees. It's sort of sad really. I've bought products from your store for 15 years now. I will order my products online, and definitely not from your new online store.

Good luck in your endeavours.

www.byronking.com.

Akbar Lightning #41 - Happy 401!

2006-11-01T16:35:00.000-08:00

This is the 401st post, we've come a long way babyborg...lord oh mighty.

what will it mean?

Who are we?

nothing....

in this absence, in the space, sketches, wretching, dead enemies, self-doubt, the trash can.

necessary.

the borg, boxed up devils.

2006-10-31T16:45:00.000-08:00

Storm King

Borgoogle - Halloween

2006-10-31T08:32:00.000-08:00

Happy All Hallow's Eve to my dormant brothers and sisters...

Stare at this - it really works!

2006-10-30T10:03:00.000-08:00

System Failure - The Common Cold

2006-10-29T15:43:00.000-08:00

Vallario is sick. The above is a diagram of the common cold virus, the one that is currently attacking my body. Although I will most likely live, I have a sore throat, a sore body and an awful mood. I spent the day watching V for Vendetta and planning my revenge on this cruel world. Ha Ha Ha, i'm crazy as hell! My wife made me soup. My dog is currently chewing on the knuckle of a pig and loving every minute of it.

The Word of the Day - Inbox Love

2006-10-20T09:49:00.000-07:00

I get 'word of the day' emails and today when I opened it up it was my name, what a way to start the day...

ken \KEN\, noun:

1. Perception; understanding; knowledge.
2. The range of vision.
3. View; sight.

Ken is from Middle English kennen, from Old English cennan, "to declare, to make known."

Giraffe.

2006-10-18T19:54:00.000-07:00

Borg Prophecy #1 - The Movie (Geico Caveman)

2006-10-18T18:38:00.000-07:00

This idea is so funny I predict it will be turned into a movie....

Akbar Lightning #40 - For the Wonderful things He does...

2006-10-17T17:10:00.000-07:00

Somewhere, colors and light and landscape and technology and toys, and boys and girls and frightened lions, rusty old lumberjacks, cracked up scarecrows, blowing in the wind, the nuclear transition on the yellow bricked road, load it all up and find the landscape there, for I said I would explore and open doorways, and say, let not the transition be so fast and overloaded, perhaps a slow injection of the spectrum, the horizon line knows, as we drift through space and race to mars only to face the same illusion, an edge up against the cosmos.

New One

2006-10-15T17:02:00.000-07:00

Tower View / 24'' x 36'' / acrylic on canvas / 2006.

Horizon Line

2006-10-12T07:22:00.000-07:00

Approaching my birthday and I'm brewing in my stew. Of life. Of mights. Of my personal fights. How much do I have left in me? I look at my mountain top that I have not nearly climbed. I must reach the peek by night fall this time. I want to stand tall, and view the horizon line.

Ten years have quickly passed. And I have amassed a collection of adventures. Not many pictures. But many images that are in my head. Images I will take with me until I'm dead. And this mental photo album will grow and grow. Until a force data dump obstructs it's flow.

I'll illustrate animals for generations to come. Drawing the icons we forget as we grow old. Make sure the little one knows which ones will bite. Make sure she knows not to quit without a fight. She will not reach her mountain top for years to come. I hope when she reaches it she'll find us standing tall in the sun.

Little one we are all on this journey and sometimes you'll find yourself alone. Sometimes along the way you'll find yourself a home. Sometimes along the way you'll find yourself a friend. All you can do is pray that your friends stick around till the end. And hope when it's all over we will all find that same mountain top that we all climbed. Then we can all look at the same horizon line. And we will see our life's work as it stretches through time. Then we can all pray for that moment not to end. Or maybe once there it will just start all over again.

Pop Goes the Borg #2 - Smashing Pumpkins

2006-10-11T12:47:00.000-07:00

SMASHING PUMPKINS
"Bullet With Butterfly Wings"

The world is a vampire, sent to drain
Secret destroyers, hold you up to the flames
And what do I get, for my pain?
Betrayed desires, and a piece of the game

Even though I know - I suppose I'll show
All my cool and cold - like old job

Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage
Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage
Then someone will say what is lost can never be saved
Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage

Now I'm naked, nothing but an animal
But can you fake it, for just one more show?
And what do you want?
I want to change
And what have you got, when you feel the same?

Even though I know - I suppose I'll show
All my cool and cold - like old job

Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage
Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage
Then someone will say what is lost can never be saved
Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage

Tell me I'm the only one
Tell me there's no other one
Jesus was the only son, yeah.
Tell me I'm the chosen one
Jesus was the only son for you

Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage
Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage
And someone will say what is lost can never be saved
Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage

Despite all my rage am I still just a rat in a-
Despite all my rage am I still just a rat in a-
Despite all my rage am I still just a rat in a cage

Tell me I'm the only one
Tell me there's no other one
Jesus was the only son for you

[x4]
And I still beleive that I cannot be saved

Akbar Lightning #39 - Cruisin

2006-10-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

A mystic is never gone, he is the perpetual dawn, the fawn feeding on grass, dew soaked wonder, condensation of our impulses making wet our dreams, he is a team of one, a ton of bricks made a home, a tome soaked skin wrapped wanderer of the cosmos, wondering at the wandering, thunder and lightning, whites of the eyes pure from devotion to sleep and creeping along this life without making a wife of commerce, without making strife out of the spirit, without taking life, without cutting, without, withholding the unfolding of a slave, depraved to others, a saint to some, a bum, a coming, a drumming, a strumming of an acoustic guitar on the summertime grass. This is his ass, this is his past, this is his gift, his sacrifice, his Jesus being, his prophet profit, his cruising and bruising the knees kneeling to, gesticulated yesness, bless him, the speed of the universe is captured in the picture of him.

Timothy 'Speed' Levitch pictured above, from his movie The Cruise ( check it out YO!)

Tower View

2006-10-06T11:42:00.000-07:00

I'm taken a back. Taking a wack to the head, Jack.
I look in side and it no worky here no morey. Words
are not coming out easily, fluently. I sit and stare at
a blank canvas. A line. An idea that has little idea. And there
is no beauty. And there is only hard work.

Wishing that things would flow. Like the
flow of my fingers knowing where the keys are hitting the
keyboard. Knowing how to, when to, automatically, auto
pilot. Flowing water down mountain top drip through rock,
stone, hard substance. Finding it's way. Drip. Drop.

Wanting ideas to shine, mountain top beam truth. Wanting
to set an example for myself to live by but not wanting to make
that example impossibly difficult, perfect. Know that you are going forth.
Slowly finding truth, but not beating yourself up over it. On it.

Thinking of icons. Towers. Built for little nuggets. Chicken
fried. Tied. Peeping out of their plastic side. vibe. I see it in
the distance. It is perfection. We are all gathered round.
Laughing. Well rested. Well fed. And it was all worth the test.

Pop Goes the Borg #1 - Devendra Banhart

2006-10-05T18:03:00.000-07:00

Cripple Crow by Devendra Banhart, no this is not an Akbar Lightning Poem, this is the greatest new piece of music I've found, the album Cripple Crow, by this little genius mystic Mr. Banhart, with my limited research it seems he's young, early 20's, part of the freak folk movement, this album was recorded in a few weeks, according to ITunes. I really love it, especially the songs Chinese Children and I Feel LIke a child... check it out, Akbar

American Idolatry # 10 - Movies and Ideals

2006-10-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

interesting discussion on privacy and government. compelling mostly because it was made in 1998, and seems to have a lot to say about the next 10 years. oddly, the NSA director's birthday is 9/11.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose - not really a horror movie, a comparitive analysis of modern psychiatry vs. religious methods for mental/spiritual illness.

Borgoogle #6 - Borg Portrait of the Master

2006-10-04T10:40:00.000-07:00

Commentary on The View

2006-09-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

Man gives to his child a vision of his future, magnified horizons of his origin, a taste of the line that fools us into thinking that the world is flat, that we are finite beings. the great mortality, the great awe-inspiring present is sweetly compressed into one lense, transferred to the child's eye so that he may not know what the father knows of the world, not yet, let it be a toy for now, a boy for now, a ploy against the mountains that rise up in one's soul, the unknown strata of history and masculinity, of psychology and pain, of longing and ecstacy, unto this we raise small shoulders into the elevation of adulthood, the view from there makes one happy to play with pebbles on the ground, to feel sound comfort in the imaginative limitations of youth.

The View

2006-09-29T22:03:00.000-07:00

I know I've got a ways to go before this is done.
Any suggestions or directions I might take would
be appreciated. The Borg seems lonely so I hope
this gives us something to talk about. Fire away!

Posted for Kana

2006-09-22T19:03:00.000-07:00

Favorite Flickr Photo [#3]

2006-09-22T06:58:00.000-07:00

pelican dan
Originally uploaded by astrocruzan.

Freedom

2006-09-16T14:36:00.000-07:00

new one

Favorite Flickr Photo [#2]

2006-09-14T06:36:00.000-07:00

clown!!!
Originally uploaded by Steven Is R.

Today's Episode

2006-09-12T06:06:00.000-07:00

Today's episode of the borg was brought to you by the letter V.

Virus

Vector

Vex

Virtue

Vallario

Akbar Lightning #38 - Pee Pee Poo Poo

2006-09-11T14:02:00.000-07:00

Table setting, bed wetting, blood letting, off-track betting, getting what you want, bunting to the infield, sealing deals with expensive meals, reeling, feeling, existing, listing, pistons firing, tiring of the road, of the load, boats in an endless ocean going nowhere, werewolves howling, crowded places and shotgun blasts, casting off idols, ready for more, the fall, leaves turning, moods churning...Akbar is living, giving and you'll never know the power, of cowering followers of the future wondering, thundering waves of sound of a burnt ground, the present, presented, relentless attack on the problem of the night.

Favorite Flickr Photo [#1]

2006-09-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

Where can we find a baby mexican wrestling mask?
Originally uploaded by <3 KB.

2006-09-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

The Reckoning

These are some friends of mine from Oxford who play in a band called Kill the Ego. They have an EP coming out soon which, according to the predictions of Nostradamus, will ROCK YOU.

Akbar Lightning #37 - Keep the Borg Alive!!!

2006-09-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

Ressurection of the borg, lore, friends, disciples, assimilated ends to creating means, to steam cleaning wonders, blunders of the tongue, running from the lung cancer, donner and prancer, chance meetings, alignment of spirit, gravity of serious minds, in kind, time is akbar's gaze, blazing flames burning and we all die, what a constantly meaningful meditation.

CHECK OUT MY NEW BOOK - "Akbar Strikes Mount Moriah!!"

http://www.kenvallario.com/AkbarLightning/AkbarLightning.html

A Friend of Ours.

2006-09-04T12:09:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine. Fine. Long years, splitting ears. Splitting tears. I have grown up now. A family of my own now. A life of my own, and we meet again. As we sit here again. And realize that we have come together, and this can be NO coincidence. For instance,

You have gone your own way. Found your way. To find your way back in to my way, again. This instant in time with mine. Let's grow from this. Grow with this experience. Ten years of travels and adventure brother. Sister. Your little ones, and my little one, can learn from one, can learn from much coincidence that must be for a reason.

Some folks were put here to be united in community. United in their travels, learning, knowledge, and creativity. There was something of you back then that made me know that there was more to this chance meeting of you back then. That made me wonder where you went back when. And now we sit here again. Let's not make the same mistake again. Let's stay in touch and start a life time of truth seeking again.

Let us begin.

2 years ago

2006-08-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

The Soul of Apathy

2006-08-26T19:23:00.000-07:00

Pour my soul into a bowl. Into a character of him. Of a reflection of myself. Driving to work hearing these atrocities. Being force fed these horrific events daily. May he find his way, Lord. May all of us find our way. May he wake up and realize that life is worth living. That he has something to give back. That his apathy is a disguise for his disappointment. Disappointment in a life that has not been validated. Not allowed him to be part of the village our ancestors took for
granted. We crawled out of our village and found the city not needing our specialty. For we had to compete for our specialty to eat now. There is a whole slew of us special folks. And some of them are homeless. So I am just happy to have a job now. Just happy to be able to take care of my family now. Just happy to be able to stare at my Television and not have to think about the genocides occurring in some far away land that I will never see now. Thank you for this gift of apathy. Thank you that I do not have to solve the worlds problems. That I can just think of me. Now.

I am aware. I am not aware. I am aware. I don't care.

Mr. Apathy

2006-08-25T20:46:00.000-07:00

Akbar Lightning #36 - Days of Borgdom

2006-08-24T14:33:00.000-07:00

The summer ends and we tend to prepare to dare to die again, to swim in the waters as they cool and freeze and like the greeks on friezes we pose, we turn white and slightly dead, well-read summer sizzlers, twisters and typhoons and goons and gongs and the throngs of beach dwellers, such a tragic thing, the sea, such a time to be, such a time to live, Ecclesiastes said it best, but yet we wrestle to write lines, time and time again, the summer's over, or almost so and we go here to the Borg Group 25, with its square root, almost less of us write, almost, but some of us resist the urge to splurge ourselves by another night of television, long division of our life, day denominators, death bed equations stand as a situation comedy. The Pastoral tradition, the wishing of fishing days and seeing the lake one more time, the trees hang onto their leaves, oh, summer...

Tommy Borg

2006-08-23T20:08:00.000-07:00

http://www.tomytec.co.jp/borg/product/telescope/80fai/77ed/index.html

Borgoogle #5- Bjorn Borg

2006-08-21T09:22:00.000-07:00

Borgoogle #5- Bolton Borg

2006-08-18T23:07:00.000-07:00

When you google Borg Random Michael Bolton's image comes up....Something to consider.

Work

2006-08-17T20:52:00.000-07:00

Double self portrait in my office of many windows. Pre-Claire working days.

I'm going through my camera phone archives.

Keepin it real!

2006-08-16T08:02:00.000-07:00

New One.

2006-08-13T16:35:00.000-07:00

Anxiety Blanket / 24'' x 36'' / acrylic on canvas / 2006.

Boxing.

2006-08-07T17:38:00.000-07:00

Clear eyes for the tired guy. One drop at a time. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

Staring at flat panel screen dream. 50 inch plasma, that's my Self. Staring at mirror images. Seeing fat cell deposits. Flesh. Apathy. Standing up tall. Yoga stance. Yoga prance. One vertebrae at a time. Sucking it in.

Tired of boxes. Tired of everyone talking about putting people in boxes. Thinking out of boxes. In the box. Out of the box. Jack in the Box. There is no box. Especially for fear of small spaces. Especially for tears in small places. Face this. Place this box out of your mind. Find time to breath fully with lack of boxes. Lack of limits. Infinite Spaces. Infinite Places.

Small town itch. Small town bitch. They don't know me. I am know one. I am everyone. I am mountain top. Anthill. Stream. River. Sea. The infinite minutia. Space eternal. Smiles and tears and fears and put this all aside, and stride. See the mountain top and climb. One step at a time. One pixel at a time. One brush stroke at a time. One word at a time. Climb.

Borgoogle #5

2006-08-06T16:54:00.000-07:00

This is a borg beginner's clarinet, take note..

Cotton Candy Makers

2006-08-06T16:15:00.000-07:00

- - - - - Original Message - - - - -

2006-08-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

From: Byron King [mailto:byronking@gmail.com]

Sent: Saturday, 2006 10:23 PM

To: 'Vilar Pahey'

Subject: new work.

Good evening,

I am currently seeking gallery representation.

Thanks for your time,

Byron

www.byronking.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On 7/25/06, 'Vilar Pahey' wrote:

Dear Byron,

Thank you for your inquiry. We currently have a full roster and are unable to represent any additional artists.

Best regards,

Vilar Pahey

Tom Smith Gallery

524 West 24th Street

New York, New York 10011

Tel: 212-243-0200

Fax: 212-243-0047

-----Original Message-----

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Byron King [mailto:byronking@gmail.com]

Sent: Saturday, 2006 8:09 PM

To: 'Vilar Pahey'

Subject: Honesty. Truth. Integrity.

Hi Vilar,

I simplified my site even more. Please take another look at it and tell me

what you think. Do you think I should have the digital work on there?

I'm really looking for venues to show my work. If you point me in the right

direction I will give you my next born child.

No really. I think the work is strong enough that I should not have to do that.

What do I need to do to get my foot in the door? I've been slugging away

at this for ten years now and have had no replies from any galleries. The

fact that you wrote me back took me by complete suprise.

Do you find any of my work interesting? Should I continue or am I kidding myself?

I really wish someone would tell me the secret to getting their work shown

and getting their foot in the door of galleries of your caliber.

Please help a brother out? Show some kindness and point me in the right

direction.

Honestly honest. Truly trying.

Byron King

www.byronking.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: 'Vilar Pahey' [mailto: pilar@tomsmithgallery.com]

Sent: Saturday, 2006 11:44

To: Byron King

Subject: RE: Honesty. Truth. Integrity.

Hi Byron,

I would suggest that you begin by showing your work at local galleries and becoming part of an artistic community locally before trying New York galleries. This could both foster interest and growth in your artwork.

As for the site, it's truly up to you to make it representative of your style. Once you have been in exhibitions, you should list those along with any press.

Good luck,

Vilar

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----Original Message-----

From: Byron King [mailto: byronking@gmail.com]

Sent: Saturday, 2006 12:47 PM

To: 'Vilar Pahey'

Subject: RE: Honesty. Truth. Integrity.

Hi Vilar,

Thanks for your input. I really do appreciate it. I did live in New York for several years

and could not get my work in any local galleries. I've tried all of the local galleries in

Jacksonville, FL even and they won't show my work either.

It's frustrating. If you know of any smaller venues looking for emerging artist I would appreciate

a reference.

Thank you for your time,

Byron

www.byronking.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: 'Vilar Pahey' [mailto: vilar@tomsmithgallery.com]

Sent: Saturday, 2006 12:57

To: Byron King [mailto: byronking@gmail.com]

Subject: RE: Honesty. Truth. Integrity.

Hi Byron,

I'm not familiar with the artistic community in Jacksonville, but surely there's an art class or studio space you can join and get involved with other artists. If there isn't, perhaps you could organize one?

Again, I wish you luck.

Vilar

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----Original Message-----

From: Byron King [mailto: byronking@gmail.com]

Sent: Saturday, 2006 1:14 PM

To: 'Vilar Pahey'

Subject: RE: Honesty. Truth. Integrity.

Hi Vilar,

So in a sense it's not about the work. It's about your art resume?

Thanks for your help. I will continue on as always.

Good luck to you too.

v/r

Byron

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: 'Vilar Pahey' [mailto: vilar@tomsmithgallery.com]

Sent: Saturday, 2006 12:57

To: Byron King [mailto: byronking@gmail.com]

Subject: RE: Honesty. Truth. Integrity.

Hi Byron,

It's always about the art, but your question was how to gain gallery representation. I responded to that inquiry.

Vilar

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: RE: Honesty. Truth. Integrity.

From: Byron King [mailto:byronking@gmail.com]

Sent: Saturday, 2006 14:59

To: 'Vilar Pahey'

Subject: RE: Honesty. Truth. Integrity.

To tell you the truth. I'm just elated you wrote me back.

For that, in my book you are an outstanding individual.

So my last and final question is and I'll leave you alone:

So, if my work was something you guys were interested

in and I had absolutely no art resume, would you

show my work?

Have fun tonight in Chelsea. Wish I was there.

v/r

- Hide quoted text -

byron

www.byronking.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Byron King

Date: Saturday, 3:39 PM

Subject: gallery research

To: Byron King

- Hide quoted text -

No REPLY FROM VILAR AT THIS TIME.

Findings:

It is all about the art resume.

Or Vilar is not into answering hypothetical questions.

The Borgopalypse #1 - Dialogue Begins

2006-08-01T07:39:00.000-07:00

Many of those people I think of as reasonable are frightened, and are so in a way that is mega-social, the epic nature of the present is being shared.

The usual, the almost given optimism that spiritual men and women at most times embrace is having the light of doubt cast a large shadow behind it, and into that darkness we go, wondering what is happening.

The environmental, political, population axes are crossing and colliding and the outlook is...Well, you must know, these are times against which we cannot make historical comparisons. We are entering new knowledge and in the past new knowledge came with death, with sacrifice, with plague...who is to know?

My cubicle.

2006-07-30T17:42:00.000-07:00

circa 2001
Herman Miller furniture.

What's In My Inbox Today?

2006-07-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

This email was from my friend DeMatt. He plays in a Jackson, Mississippi based band called The Moils (the title of this post links to their MySpace page). Whenever they have a gig, he sends out a reminder. Whenever he sends out a reminder, he takes the time to make it entertaining:

It's July; it's hot; and you're busy. So, in an effort to lend you a
hand in getting your affairs in line, I drafted this to-do list. You'll
thank me later.

- Pick up the dry cleaning
- Finalize Tuesday's lunch appointment
- Stock up on all ointments and balms
- Shave off the mohawk
- Retrieve cufflinks from the urinal
- Straighten up the Bat Cave
- Unload remaining Lawn Dart and Delorean stock
- Throw away old suspenders
- Buy new suspenders. Remember, tension is important.
- Apologize to the minotaur
- Touch up life-size multimedia portrait of J.L. Jones
- Practice the bassoon
- Return top hat (begrudgingly)
- Toss the medicine ball
- Check on the tomato aspic. Sufficiently firm?
- Explain to co-workers that you didn't really mean that
- Envy Burts Lancaster, Parks, and Convey. But hey, we are who we are.
- Leave the wetsuit at home
- Try Marlon Fitzwater one more time. But if he doesn't call back, it just
might be over.
- Massage your liver and posterior with The MOILS Friday night at Martin's
because your hungry libido deserves it.

circa 2001

2006-07-29T18:13:00.000-07:00

turnout on the only art show I ever had.
that BFA in painting is really paying off.