Wow the month is nearly half way over, can’t seem to keep up with time the least bit! While Annie’s visit is coming to a close, Todd gets steadily stronger. I can’t help but think of all the times my mother comforted me while I was sick or even in the hospital, you can not replace a mother’s love, it has a strength all its own. I am most confident that with his mother by his side Todd has felt a new level of comfort and peace. He returned to the chair today………and with the chair we ventured into the hallways for the very first time. He struggles to speak and it is just that time where you are anxious to return each day, to see what new changes have evolved however small. While our departure is still weeks away, every one is starting to get sentimental. One of his doctors let us know that he will be around for a good five years and looks forward to seeing and hearing from us as the recovery progresses. Despite all the struggles and difficulties, the doctors and nurses, can’t help themselves but to look at us and smile. To know and watch how hard we both work and how dedicated to each other and our love we are.
Shining Strong.
T+A
p.s. He was very into the desert house in the Dwell magazine. Hmm no big surprise there. Dreamer.
Update: I just looked at the photos posted from the Interface Show. Wow what a treat to see all the faces of those that showed up, some I didn’t even know where in town. On behalf of Todd I want to take a moment to formally recognize John Rogers, Julie, North, and Barney (I hope I didn’t miss anyone, please correct any omission) for maintaining Todd’s commitments…..keeping it all going. Those who know and love Todd, know that teaching at CCA is one of his truly greatest pleasures and that he dedicates a big piece of himself to his students and team. Todd and Barney have been working together for years to get this program to the place that it is now. This show is where the creative teaching team (army?) and his students get to shine or at least flicker. The day, or should a say week, of the interface show is a big one in our lives at home in San Francisco. Todd and all those involved slowly start coming home later and later as they dedicate more and more time to the students and the upcoming show….. which is the culmination of the entire semester’s hard work. Leading up to this night is a manic week to say the very least. If he had seen how many people showed up he would have talked about it for a week. At the end of this night we all sit around and have a beer down at the Irish Bar on College, students teachers and friends. I can think back to the many nights each spaced about six months apart…….. You guys all rock. Thanks for keeping the dreams alive and giving Todd so many things to fight for and return to. (The question is how many people did it take, to take the place of one lovely and brilliant man?) That answer makes me smile!
Todd Blair 
December 15, 2007 at 9:42 am
hope you guys had a wonderful saturday with more chair excursions. it’s sunny w/ blue skies in oakland. going to tilden to walk lucy.
love and hugging you, taara
December 15, 2007 at 9:49 am
sat 10am 12-15-07
Dear Todd Blair lovers,
We FedEx’ed a DVD containing a bunch of “Greetings to Todd” and it was delivered Dec 10, 2007 10;35AM and signed for by “J. Carolina.” We are worried that it somehow got lost – somebody there please track it down!?
FEDEX TRACKING # 8509 9004 0404
Thanks & Best,
Vale & Marian, RE/Search
December 15, 2007 at 10:38 am
After Sabrina’s Big-Fun pie making workshop in Kevin’s How-Cool- is-a-Water-Cutter?-Sooo-Cool! shop, I got to thinking about all the unintended positive consequences of the enormous sacrifices you and Todd have had to make over the past few months. You’ve both brought to the recovery process every bit of strength and virtue in your bodies and minds – and you’ll continue to do so. Meanwhile, back in the Bay area, there’s all these people meeting each other and saying “how do you know Todd”? I’m just struck with the numbers of amazing people I’ve met recently in Todd-related events – people who have been in and around the bay area for as long as I have but who I never knew before. Even though you and Todd are busy in Amsterdam healing and loving, it’s like you’re also here, activating a magic network of goodness – or maybe just hosting a party. I guess I’m trying to say thank you – and heal, heal, heal – and come home soon and be well.
love, C
December 15, 2007 at 11:55 am
Hey T and A.
I write you from a post-Interface stupor, with a happy heart at having done, I think, a passable job of guiding the students through their projects. North was definitely my better half for guiding them through the maze of electronics and computer patches that underlay the physical structures of each students work, as well as taking the lead on a catalog for the show (a first!) and numerous other details (such as rounding up Boris Carlos, the bartender, and all the attending booze). Sue Constable was instrumental as well in the digital focus, helping many of the students find their way through the magical computerlands of Jitter and Maxx MSP, programs that allow you to interface sensors, video tracking and other inputs with video, mechanical, sonic or other elements in the artworks.
But we must all three bow down to the Omnipresent DON DAY!! He was the glue that held the whole mess together, was there damn near every night, and was able to trouble shoot many of the kids problems before they arose. His boundless knowledge of all things electronic gave peace to the part of my mind that has fear of acronyms. USB, DVR, VGA gender changers, what the hell are these kids up to?? WIth his calm presence, he has been a great ally in the sending of psychic healing goodness to Todd and calm to Alex. And in the acknowledgment that despite the wonderfulness of this golden net of healing thoughts we are all casting, it will be nice when y’all are back in town!!
The students were a joy to work with, challenging us with all kinds of crazy projects, from Robert Yancy’s giant mechanical flower that overwhelmed the studio at points with its trails of capacitors and pneumaitc air lines, to Chris Konavaliv’s “WInds of Thor” piece, a tounge in cheek scientific carnival game breath tester. In the SRL vein, there was “Fall Off”, Justin Last-name-I-can’t-spell’s bucking chair, and in the more subtle realm, Suzanne Thorpe’s spooky goldifsh activated piece. And we had labyrinths and magical golden breathing guru statues, feedback loops, spying Christmas trees (thought of you, Alex!!), a little blacksmithing (thanks for giving me purpose Daniel!!), photos of the mean streets of Oakland with sounds, pools of video color, with Liisa Pine joyfully “swimming” back and forth, shy boxes, architectural ups and downs, 3-D skateboarding footage (woo hooo!!), and a very curious light fixture that would track your movement. And more, The turn out was great. Saw a lot of people I hadn’t seen for while. So I echo Catherine’s sentiment that however difficult the underlying reason for all of these paths crossing and recrossing, the resulting echos of love in the Bay Area are amazingly powerful. Todd, I’m sure you are proud of the network you have spawned, and which wraps you in it’s warm and many armed embrace.
Love and hugs and waking up slowly
Johnny
December 15, 2007 at 8:10 pm
T & A,
Welcome back to the chair and ventures into the hallways. And all the pictures & goodies from home that keep you coming back into the world. So happy to hear of each step you’re taking. Sending love & hugs.
Aunt Jane
December 16, 2007 at 7:35 pm
Oh, I’m so happy to read about Todd’s regained progress, and overjoyed to think of the two of you back close to us sometime soon! The interface show was great, the gang did a bang-up job and I had a good time, although I didn’t manage the necessary lung-power to make it through Wings of Thor. Todd should be proud of all their hard work, it was clear everyone had thoughts of him in their hearts.
I’m getting a wreath for my front door, Alex, and I promise to listen to some Christmas tunes this week to get in the Santa spirit.
much love,
PennyJ
December 17, 2007 at 10:00 am
Hello you two. Glad to hear the progress is still progressing.
Yes, the interface show was awesome and Todd would be proud. Turnout was great, people had a blast and as far as I could tell, most everything was working most of the time.
Looking forward to seeing you both this weekend, though I am scrambling to augment the one sweater I own…Am so loaded with gifts and presents for you two from people all over the place (including the iPod) that I may have to show up naked in order to pass the weight limits.
See you soon!
December 17, 2007 at 5:40 pm
It sounds like Mary is turning into Santa Claus, with only the red hat to keep her warm!! There are some goodies in there for you two, and an i-Pod full of freindly voices to keep the cold at bay.
I am getting set to meet Don and North and Sue at Cato’s to do this thing called “grading.” [pause for evil laughter and wicked rubbing of hands together] SO that should be a fun filled night. How to assess a chair that tries to kill people? Or a glow-in-the-dark labyrinth…
Hope all is well there, and the Christmas cheer is overwhelming.
Love and hugs and more evil laughter
Johnny
December 17, 2007 at 7:33 pm
Well, I couldn’t make the show – but know that I’m still sending you all healing and supportive thoughts!
Stay warm & snuggly….
Terre
December 17, 2007 at 7:56 pm
Did someone say evil laughter??
Heh heh…
Just wanted you to know that I am still collecting the odd few hundred dollars in leftover auction items from the benefit. Am I gloating over money? I could be, but no, I am rolling in goodwill!
Usually I see a lot of people I hadn’t seen in a long time via a benefit, but I didn’t expect to make so many new friends! New collaborations springing up, things in common with former strangers for projects or just conversation. Sometimes when catastrophe strikes, people are stressed and networks start to implode catastrophically too. Here, it’s new life and new growth all over the place. Thank you Todd, for putting this all in place just by doing what you have been doing all these years.
December 17, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Echoing what Liisa just said- through the B&G Ball, I ended-up meeting and having the opportunity to correspond with some *amazing* artists whom I otherwise woulda been too shy to approach (yes I have a big mouth once it gets started, but do tend to be shy up-front), and others I never knew about tho now am so amazed by.
Todd may remember how painfully shy I was when I first started at SRL, as my newbie story matches almost everybody else’s: “I went by the shop for the first time a ball of nerves, I met Todd, I felt relief and all went smooth as silk from there.”
Thank you a thousand times, Todd, for bringing into my life such amazing new connections via the rich web you’ve spun! Hoping you’ll be proud at how you’ve done this for not just me and Liisa, but I expect lots of others in the last coupla months, too!