Prismacolor has its website up now. Looks pretty cool.

I’m about ready to start adding color to this thing. I’d like to scan it first though. I’ll have to figure out where I want to do that. Update 1 (9/14): I think I’ve settled on four different prismacolor marker colors: Crimson Red (PM-4) / Lime Green (PM-36) / Sand PM-70) / Periwinkle (PM-146). I may add two more colors to the drawing itself. There is also the possibility of a background color. Update 2 (9/15): I decided to add tulip yellow (PM-21) and violet mist (PM-60)to the mix and have started coloring.

To see this picture alongside earlier phases of the same project, go here.

This site that offers 66 optical illusions looks like it could be interesting.

[For pictures of the new building, go here]

We went to our church meetings at the new ward building yesterday. Here are some notes I want to write down about the experience.

1) We walked to church. The new chapel is a little more than ten blocks away from where we live. It took us about twenty minutes to walk there. In the past we had to take a) two buses, b) a bus and a subway or c) a taxi to get to church. There were a few times I walked to or from church (crossing through Central Park) but that meant a nice hour-long walk.

2) Wow, the ward membership is bigger than I thought. The chapel and overflow areas were filled all the way. Every folding chair that was available in that area was used. I’m getting to know long-time members who I never even knew existed as well as some inactives who have shown up. One even announced himself that way when he was asked to introduce himself in priesthood meeting. He said “I’ve been inactive.” Almost in unison everyone said: “Welcome!”

3) There were a lot less visitors. Despite the “visitors welcome” sign over the door, this was a good thing. On a typical weekend there are 100-300 LDS people visiting New York City. Almost all of them elect to attend morning ward meetings at the building where the temple stands. This used to dilute our ward meetings to a tremendous extent and it made it difficult for the actual members of the ward to mingle properly or to recognize new members. New members usually had to attend meetings for three or four weeks before the general membership began to pick them out of the crowd.

4) There were still visitors … which was suprising since it is our first Sunday in the new building. Word has gotten out. However, it was the normal trickle of visitors you would expect in a typical ward.

5) Is there a such thing as “that new chapel smell”? Yes. I’m not sure if it’s the smell of paint, varnish, freshly-dried concrete, new seating … but there is a distinct newness smell to the new chapel.

5) Question: How is the new basketball court? Answer: It isn’t ready yet. In fact, the fourth and fifth floors of the building are still not finished and are off limits. Also, the wooden flooring for the basketball court won’t be done for another year. The fourth floor is a space that is being reserved for making additional classrooms. The fifth floor will in fact also be the site of a second chapel as well as a basketball court. Right now I can’t imagine how that will work. That doesn’t mean I’m skeptical. I’m just curious to see the fifth floor layout for myself.

6) The air conditioning isn’t working in all areas of the building, but that should change shortly. The bishop tells us that the air conditioning system is much more sophisticated than what existed in the old building. The temperature in each room can be controlled (with some limitations).

7) We share the building with a singles ward. They are referred to as the Manhattan 3rd Ward.

I may think of other things that I would want to remember about the first Sunday in the new ward. For now this will do.