Midwinter Jicker

I'm sure Olympia is on some part of the way to Solla Salloo. Good Heavens, maybe it IS Solla Salloo, and that's the whole point. Hell. The river, Wahoo is racing down the street. It's dumping midwestern buckets out there, washing away the hail pebbles from moments ago. There is just enough light from the blue spots in the sky to notice the cherry blossoms dodging the raindrops. Whoops, I refilled my coffee, and it's done now, very bright, yellowy gray, but bright.

I get the blog thing now, I like this just because I like to write, and I like to read. Go Speed Racer. One of my favorite parts of school was the paper writing, and reading other people's work. Lately, I'm really enjoying all these blogs I'm reading. Finally started Streets of Laredo too, and that is a hard hitter so far. Anyway, phlegm brains make for disjointed writing. Moving on. Here's where I test my high tech linking abilities.

The first blogs I read were friends splendid sustenance and second overtime, or at least those that came before, never mind. Someone is whistling in my ear, and as far as I can tell, I am alone. I found chobitss randomly, and now I spy her on other pages I read. I can not explain beyond the pure pinkness, why I like her so much. I guess I'm fascinated by her food pictures and her cheerful disposition.

Then there is a small cluster of pages I read sometimes, and just recently, when I clicked a link, it led to myself, which made me laugh. They are in no particular order, and I'm sure I'm forgetting some, all and sundry, sprinting to hell, absolutely nothing novel or unique, no really, it's just my face, i write, and vw sista.

The sky is now screaming blue. Out.

Happy Days in my Head

Ok, cool, the youtube video worked. Is there a way to put it into a post though, with writing, or does it have to be separate?

Anyway, the other day I woke up with a Happy Days episode in my head. The premiere of Spike. I don't want to hear any scrappy doo references or sell-out shark jumping pointers. I love every single happy days episode, plus all following spin-offs.

Laverne and Shirley are babysitting hellion children from my work, and rope Ritchie and Fonzie into helping. Fonz freaks out and bolts for the door declaring - "The Fonz don't hit kids." To Ritchie's, "where are you going?" He says, "to find someone who does."

Spike shows up, threatens everyone into submission, and everyone has a happy day. I guess I don't watch t.v. much now because I'm still laughing out loud at Happy Days. So, I couldn't find that episode, but I did find Crispin Glover as Roach. I love watching the Fonz teach college.

Crispin Glover on Happy Days

The most beautiful bookshelf in town

It's finished! I'm so proud. Look, it's red like the tree painting, which is upside down at the moment. Look at the smooth finish and lovingly rounded corners. Notice how Tom Jones is waiting to sit on the bottom shelf. I've had my stereo in the kitchen cupboards for months now because I lack the perfect shelf. I'm weird about electronics that way. But, now, all comes together in deep red wood. Mm mm mmm.

Finished Drawing

Half painting really, watercolor pencils, colored pencils and a bit of acrylic paint for the bride. A lot of pencil sharpening went into this picture, and was fun and comical. Like a book, I'm sort of sad it's done. But, onward to something wet and more blendy.

There is a lot of space left here, so I think I'll fill it. Are these pictures blurry, or is it me? I know I need some spectacles, so hard to say.

Next morning, Wednesday. I dreamt of this crazy cherry tree. I was tasting it, and I was disappointed that it tasted like bubble gum. It's very fleshy looking, don't you think?

To My Left

Two Halves

Here are two drawings in progress, that I'm stalling on, and hoping to boost my motivation by sharing. The wedding picture is cracking me up, and is for a co-worker, who has wooed my heart with her sexed-up-soccer-mom ways. Plus, she is a huge part of why I can cook now. Ordinarily, I never, ever do commissions, except for the occasional mural. I love to make art for other people, but I don't take money, and I don't draw images from other people's heads. The conversation intro of "you draw, right?" is usually followed by a yellowed photograph emerging from someone's pocket, in hopes that I can recreate it into something that doesn't require a magnifying glass to comprehend. When I balk, the reply, is "but I'll pay you," to which I say then Hell No. See, when someone asks me to paint a vision from their head, it can only look like my interpretation of that vision. That can disappoint. When you add money into the mix, the pressure of matching visions escalates and skews the entire process. I feel guilty if I disappoint, and the fun is gone. So, I had to laugh when this lovely woman produced this blurred image from her pocket for me to reproduce. I refused her money, firmly planted the word "interpretive" in her head, and said yes. Because I like her that much. Now, it's close to complete, and I fear it's muddiness. I fear the tree on the left, and I'm not sure of the mountainous forest in the background. I'm never unsure of my own visions, this is what happens. Let's not gloss over the psychobabble angle of drawing a wedding picture from a fresh divorce standpoint either. My dear-pain-in-the-ass co-worker suggested I think of this as therapy and pay her. I admit, she has a point. But, although it's a bittersweet project, I'm still a Pollyanna romantic, and the springtime happy image makes me smile. I just hope I don't regret my choice of watercolors, because they sure muddy up in an unskilled hand.

Next, half a lizard. The endangered chicken-foot lizard. He's just hanging out, wondering if anyone will ever finish him. Trouble is, there is a burning building on the flip-side that is slightly more demanding.

Sunday Visuals

There are some tantalizing secrets today. Streets of Laredo sits unopened, but I dreamt of dusty horses as an appetizer. I want to paint everything lately. I would paint this trailer for Lars and the Real Girl. There aren't a lot of movies that catch my eye, but this is one. Looks like there might be a few good scary ones coming up too. Paintings ------one moment.

Why I Don't Miss T.V.

I've never really been a huge t.v. watcher, mostly I just binged out on Top Model marathons when nobody was looking. But, now I just have super mario brothers and a dvd player which mostly plays music. ~Someone just honked at me, driving by my apartment. ~ Traffic on wet pavement is soothing, possibly more so than the ocean, or at least equally so. Anyway, a few surreal moments from last night. Does the word "surreal" seem passe to you? What about the word, "passe?"

~I'm higher than you. No, I'm higher. I'm a geek, I'm a spaz, I'm a retard. I'm a freak, I'm a spaz, and I'm higher than you. Swing racing. Cherry blossoms sprinkling down between the raindrops. Flash to yesterday and he's wielding jagged glass and humping door-jams. He'll be in juvie next week, but they're full now. It's a concrete hotel, you have to have a reservation most of the time, at least a week or two out.

~Selecting condoms with random guy staff, for a 15 year old, who's claiming to be a neo-nazi, but his jet black eyebrow stubble is starting to poke back through, and "no, you can't have a razor." Would you believe that we have a huge bag of condoms and lube behind the fax machine?

~Recovering over 2am biscuits and gravy, asked the waitress about the "hot link", as opposed to the sausage links and sausage patty. "Oh, that's just something on the menu, we don't actually have that." Jesus was playing pull-tabs, my first time there was in 94. I'm fond of the people at the table, fleeting, yet comforting.

Nothingness Shuffle

That's my goal today, my day off, the goal of nothingness. Went on a drive in the sunny rain, perfect. Now, for more nothingness, a silly survey that I like because I'm listening to forgotten music. This came from redmolly, who I found on Ashley's page, and who I tried to link to, but I feebed out, and couldn't handle it for some reason.

So, if you want to play too, do this.

1. put your music player on shuffle
2. press forward with each question
3. use the song title as the answer to the question

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
"I'll fly Away" Allison Krauss & Gillian Welch - From the Oh Brother Where art Thou soundtrack - And I flew on a drive, sure.

WHAT'S YOUR OUTLOOK ON LIFE?
"Friday, I'm in Love" The Cure - Pretty funny that it's friday, no?

WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY THINK OF YOU?
"Steel Stars" Pan American - Hmm, sounds pretty.

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
"Let's Lynch the Landlord" Dead Kennedys - yes, yes, yes

WHAT DO STRANGERS THINK OF YOU?
"Unconsciously Screaming" The Flaming Lips - I love picturing strangers unconsciously screaming as they pass me on the street.

WHAT DO YOUR EXES THINK OF YOU?
"The Land of the Gun" Immortal Technique

HOW IS YOUR LOVE LIFE?
"The Fly" Dr. Dre - These answers are funny. And personal even.

HOW WILL YOUR LOVE LIFE BE IN THE FUTURE?
"Magic Window" Boards of Canada

WILL YOU GET MARRIED?
"Bag Full of Thoughts" The Flaming Lips

WILL YOU HAVE KIDS?
"99 Problems" Ice-T - I swear, I'm not editing any of this.

ARE YOU GOOD AT SCHOOL?
"Teddy Roosevelt's Guns" Silver Mt. Zion - I'm good at what I'm interested in, but I know zip about Teddy Roosevelt.

WILL YOU BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE?
"My Own Planet" The Flaming Lips - Hell yes, I like this answer. I'm also seeing that my itunes shuffle with over 10,000 songs is heavily slanted towards The Flaming Lips. Who can blame it, what's next?

WHAT SONGS SHOULD THEY PLAY ON YOUR BIRTHDAY?
"It's Gonna Rain" Violent Femmes - Pretty much a guarantee when your birthday is in under Northwest Autumn skies.

WHAT SONG SHOULD THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
"If Everybody Looked the Same" Vertigo - Sweet, rave on me.

THE SOUNDTRACK OF YOUR LIFE
Holy Moly - Could it get better than this? ------"Go Down Emanuel Road" Harry Belafonte - I think we were born together, or something along those lines.

YOU AND YOUR BEST FRIEND ARE . . .
"Frohgemut" Roedelius - I now know how to put my feelings into words.

HAPPY TIMES?
"Run To The Hills" Iron Maiden

SAD TIMES?
"Simple Things" - Zero 7 - Tis a melancholy song.

EVERYDAY?
"Tears of a Clown" - Andre Nickatina - Not so off, really. Either this or the English Beat version would work.

FOR TOMORROW?
"Cop Killer" Body Count and Ice T - Tonight we get even.

FOR YOU?
For me, for you? What does this mean? - "Elevate Myself" Granddaddy - more music I forgot about though

WHAT DOES NEXT YEAR HAVE IN STORE FOR ME?
"Dark Hollow" Grateful Dead - sounds grim, but it's a pretty pep me up song actually

WHAT DO I SAY WHEN LIFE GETS HARD?
"Log of the Deadwood" - The Orb

WHAT SONG WILL I DANCE TO AT MY WEDDING?
"Garbage Man" - The Cramps - Sure - I could dance to this.

WHAT DO YOU WANT AS A CAREER?
"Welcome to Atlanta" Outkast - I don't want to go to Atlanta.

YOUR FAVORITE SAYING?
"Teardrop Explodes" - Log Cabin - Or it might be the other way around. I can't tell, it's a mystery track.

THE SONG THAT YOU WILL PUT AS YOUR SUBJECT?
"Dead" Pixies - What subject? That makes no sense. But, I'm enjoying my itunes shuffling. Maybe this survey was put out by the marketing department at itunes HQ. Well, if so, they win. For now I shall paint and continue enjoying the surprise of the shuffle.