Life in Oleg v2 last updated: 03/27/2006 5:41 pm
03/27/2006
- Just finished the flyer for the next poetry reading, "This Poetry Must Be Heard". Click here to see it. I'll be reading some sonnets, the March 8th Haiku's and maybe a random poem or two. Let me know if you can make it and how many people you're bringing! If not for me, come see the talented and witty Sean and Debbie.
03/09/2006
- "New Voices" poems posted in the Writing section.
11/27/2005
- Check out some new content posted in the Other section.
11/25/2005
- Life in Oleg v1 is scrapped. v2 is borrn from an idea I got while reading an essay by Walter Benjamin, though not necessarily inspired by it. My goal was to simplify the website by shifting the purpose from everything Oleg to just my art. Today, I have transferred all the artwork from Life in Oleg v1 to Life in Oleg v2. I will be adding more daily since a benefit of v2 is that it is much easier to u/l(upload) to; it cuts down on the bureaucracy of Life in Oleg v1.
The purpose of Life in Oleg v2 is to be an online gateway to the art of Oleg Kagan. By making v2 a simple 2-level site in directory format, I hope to allow easier access to my art limited only by the allowances of the internet. My hope is that through this website more people will be able to see, reproduce (for non-commercial purposes unless allowed by me, of course), and share my art. Also, more personally, Life in Oleg v2 serves as an organized store (in the sense of storage) of my poetry, drama, photography and other art, whereas physically it is not as in order as I'd like it to be.
I was planning to look at the purpose of Life in Oleg v2 in a more philosophical sense, but I figured why bother? They'll understand.
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I was born in Kyiv, Ukraine on October 4th, 1984. When I was 5 and a half, my family (Vladmir Kagan, Augustina Kapnik, and my twin brother Igor) and I immigrated to the United States. We settled in West Hollywood (greater Los Angeles area), California and have lived here ever since. Though, we have lived in North Hollywood (also greater Los Angeles) since around 2001. It wouldn't be correct to say that I was immersed in art since I was a child, but my parents are cultured people, and have passed on a love and appreciation of reading and visual arts. In my youth, the family and I would occasionally visit museums, theatre's and other venue's of art, but it wasn't a regular thing (I'm sure if we were better off economically there would have been more time and money for the former, point is, it wasn't for lack of desire). I did always enjoy it, but didn't start developing a real sensibility until high school where I started writing poetry(around m sophmore/junior year) and caught the theatre bug(senior year). From then on, I have pursued both theatre in all its aspects and have written many poems. Other then those, I had a painting class in my youth, which I did NOT excel in (I was average at best attending only a few classes. After an episode where I had a stomach ache which stopped me from painting the teacher's parrot, I can't remember attending any more.). Also, in summer school (between 10th and 11th, I think) I had drawing and design classes, both of which were relatively fun (I did okay in both, A-/B work). Currently, I'm a 3rd year English major at UCLA looking to go into the field of Library and Information Science. There's so much more to say about all of the above, but that's for another time...
At some point, I will be posting autobiographical writing here (memories etc.) that have not yet been written.
P.S. - Talking/Writing about myself rules! I always learn new things. So if YOU, who is reading this site, have any questions about me. ASK! Who knows, maybe you'll start me on the autobiographical writing I mentioned above! Go Email me!
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-Poetry-
Click Here to read poems from "New Voices" Poetry Reading!
Eat This Poem! (Bitch) (also available on audio, d/l the .mp3)
-Prose-
None up yet.
-Drama- (All .doc files. If you have trouble viewing them, Contact Me)
The Black Hat - A short comedy with two characters about love, friendship and a black hat.
The Un-Importance of Invitations - Written in 2003 or 2004. This play is an amusing comedy/spoof based on "The Importance of Being Earnest", though not as ambitious. Has its moments, I think.
-Other-
None up yet.
- Lassiter Lizard @ SBBG (Here's one of the lizards that we saw and named at the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden. We watched him until he ran off the first time. Later, we passed by again and he was in the same place, sunbathing.)
- Yellow Butterfly @ SBBG (Also upon entering we saw a field and I shot this butterfly. Came out a nice contrast of colors, I think.)
- Shadow of Leaves on a rock @ SBBG (Here, I indulge in some artistic photography. It may symbolize hope for those that are alone in the world.)
- Looking out... (Oleg Kagan, on a train on the way to Fillmore to cut down a tree. Taken by Anastasia Washington.)
- Oleg as an Artist (self-portrait)
Here are some links I like and I know you'll enjoy. I like all kinds of funny and amusing websites, and my bookmarks are many. I'll post some of them here and keep updating this page with useful links.
Website of Jacques Foti - Has information about the modern pianist/singer, actor, humorist, photographer, writer and friend. Actually, it's a site to sell his artwork and book. Quite enjoyable, since I'm responsible for most of the content on there.
Website of Erika Foti - Sculptures - Here's a website of Jacques' wife Erika. I really love her sculptures.
Website of Erika Foti - Paintings - Erika also paints, this is the site that houses her paintings.
ReelViews: James Berardinelli's Movie Reviews - If you're looking for honest, knowledgeble, independent movie reviews, this is the place to go. His are the only reviews I read on a regular basis, for good reason.
My deviantART page, bossxi - Where you'll find some of my photographs, poetry and other writing. Check out some of the other artists on this site, aside from the whiny teenage poetry and numerous snapshots of the sky(not that there's anything wrong with either...haha), there is some true talent there.
PostSecret - This website always gets some kind of emotional reaction from me. I read it weekly. The premise is that people send in postcards with a secret that are scanned in, and a selection is posted. Some of these are very creative, others very disgusting, others just scary.
The Facebook - a MySpace type site for students. I have a profile on there. If you're a student go join and add me as a friend.
How to tie a Tie - Useful website for men (and women) who want to learn to tie a tie. I just used it and now proudly tie my own tie!
The Six Dumbest Ideas in Computer Security - A random article I read. It's interesting so I'm passing it on.
TopIn light of my switch from Life in Oleg v1, to Life in Oleg v2, here are some quotes about change:
"Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change." -Confucius
It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory. -W. Edwards Deming
You must be the change you wish to see in the world. -Mahatma Gandhi
Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken. -Frank Herbert
The more things change, the more they remain...insane. - Michael Fry & T. Lewis, Over the Hedge, 05-09-04
Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action. -Benjamin Disraeli
The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself. -Ben Franklin
Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. - George Bernard Shaw
To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly. - Henri Bergson
The best way to predict the future is to create it. - six john / Peter F. Drucker
The future is not a result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created--created first in the mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made, and the activity of making them, changes both the maker and the destination. - John Schaar
Unless you are prepared to give up something valuable you will never be able to truly change at all, because you'll be forever in the control of things you can't give up. - Andy Law (http://www.leadershipnow.com/changequotes.html)
Whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the times. - Niccolo Machiavelli
I'll go anywhere as long as it's forward. - David Livingstone
Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. - John F. Kennedy
Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death. - Anais Nin
They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself. - Andy Warhol
Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. - Leo Tolstoy
If you don't like the way the world is, you change it. You have an obligation to change it You just do it one step at a time. - Marian Wright Edelman
If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies. - Unknown
Some people change when they see the light, others when they feel the heat. - Caroline Schoeder
The greatest revolution in our generation is that of human beings, who by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives. - Marilyn Ferguson
"Costumes change, but the same undersea opera plays on..."- Jacques-Yves Cousteau (from Amazon river exploration video)
and finally...
To change one's life: 1. Starte immediately, 2. Do it flamboyantly, 3. No exceptions. - William James
email: [email protected]
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