hank of a jiggy

update

2007-04-23T12:17:00.000-07:00

I've been away for far too long. My studio computer has gone the way of the dinosaur. I am currently saving for a new unit w/ a new scanner. I hope to have something up in the next few weeks...????

the KOZAKS

2006-10-02T08:46:00.000-07:00

I googled my name and didn't realize that it was set to images. These guys share my name sake...

None of them look a bit like me but I had fun drawing them!

other pictures......

2006-09-26T13:08:00.000-07:00

Mhm, yeah, when I scan shtuff side ways and turn it counterclockwise it cuts the top off and drops it to the bottom.

And this girl was much better when I was doodling at work. I tried to redraw her in my moleskine and didn't much care for what came forth.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Maybe I'll draw the matches that my 7 yr. old son took to school and proceeded to pass out the other day! Thankfully he doesn't wet the bed or enjoy torturing little animals. I'm not sure that he's much into fire either. Just a wee bit mischievious!!!
No serial killers in my family. :)

GRID!

2006-09-26T12:38:00.000-07:00

I've been following a group over @ The Drawing Club. The point is to fill a page with a grid and then fill the grid. I did so while I was at work last Friday. The bottom three on the right are from inside my car. Tah tah!

new pitchuhs

2006-09-12T16:42:00.000-07:00

This is my girl from a photoessay about street kids, I tried to capture the forlorn look on her face.

These parrots were for a coworker who has to git rid of her parrots. Boo.

Bumper Sticker

2006-08-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

I saw a bumper sticker on the way to work today, it really sums it up:

THE ANSWER IS ART AND MORE DOGS

Yes! Yes!!

I look at all the lonely people....

2006-08-14T13:16:00.000-07:00

Here are some practice faces, I know for sure that one of them is a lonelyish type guy.

This guy is my old boss. Divorced, has a girlfriend w/ a kid from another guy....

This looks like my friends son although it's not actually a picture of him.

And this guy was supposed to look mad. A feeble attempt I know but these are just practice/experimental pictures...

new drawings

2006-08-10T08:28:00.000-07:00

I think I'm over my technological set back. I've been working on some portraits...
TIM BURTON

MOBY
MARY WINKLER

CHRIS CUNNINGHAM

My scanner bed is 8.5 x 11 and these were drawn on 12x18 sheets so, you're seeing a cropped 8.5 x 11 of the originals. Hopefully, I'll be getting more back into this...???

absence of absences

2006-06-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

I have been away from this blog for way too long! I have been drawing a lot and if I get my computer set up, I will be putting some of those drawings online. Hopefully sooner than soon. If anyone is paying attention, I am sorry....

update

2006-04-04T13:55:00.000-07:00

It's been way too long, I know...
I will be back up and running really soon. I'm going to Bay St. Louis in Mississippi next week but I will start posting again when I get back...

Some interesting things...

2006-01-23T11:54:00.000-08:00

A few points to ponder while my computer w/ scanner is packed away:

1. My son was told to do his homework the other night. I noticed that he was in the bathroom. I thought for sure that he was screwing around since he does this often. I ask him what he was doing and he replied, "I'm going to the bathroom. (short pause) And daddy, my pee smells just like yours!" Yep, a chip off the old block.

2. One of our favorite restraunts in town (Flagstaff, AZ) is the Beaver St. Brewery. The first three years that we lived here, we went once a week. Anyway, in the mens bathroom they have one of those diaper changing stations in the stall. I think it's made by Rubbermaid. The actual name of this contraption thing is "STURDY STATION". Big deal right? Well some brilliant sabetour scratched of the S and Y on the word STURDY. So what do you get? TURD STATION!!! Ha ha hahaaaah! I JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH!!! It kills me everytime that I see it...

3. I did my final drawing of the ROASTER in Macy's Coffee shop today. :( While I was doing said drawing (which will be posted as soon as the computer is back up), there was a guy and two girls sitting one table over. THey were talking about fundamentalist christians and the guy said, "oh, they'll be gone soon anyway." Kind of cryptic and sort of spooky. Maybe the aliens will come zap us off the earth!

4. And my fourth and final point deals with a great new book I got. THE CREATIVE LICENSE by Danny Gregory. Yay! I JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH!!! I have been soaking it in for the last three days and I JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH!!! If you are at all interested in any creative endeavor, you absolutely need this book.

Well people of the revolution, I must go now. My time is almost up on the library computer and I have to check one more thing so, taa taa!

boo hoo...

2006-01-03T12:22:00.000-08:00

Oh man,
to all of my adoring fans, I done broke down and ain't drawn nothin' in like a month! Boo hoo. Don't hate me cause I'm lazy. Actually, I'm not lazy. I've gone through some tremendous turmoil this last month. I had to move out of my studio space due to financial constraints. As a result, my scanner is packed away in my garage awaiting the big move to Northern California. We'll not be leaving for three or four weeks so I won't have anything to post, other than just thoughts and various meanderings... So solly. (ancient chinese accent)

new paintings...

2005-11-29T10:45:00.000-08:00

OK, so here are some paintings that I've made recently.
I am pretty sure that I can draw fairly well. Every time that I tried to work with watercolor, I would fail quite miserably. So I took a class and now I love watercolor in combination with my pen and ink drawings.
My painting skills are sort of lagging. I am tryng to paint with acrylics. I love to paint but I don't think that I'm doing too well. Anyway, here are two that I'm kind of satisfied with. Let me know what you think...
This is the girl from "JUNG LOVERS" She turned into a guy with a case of sunburn on the forehead.
And this is one of the girls from Dr. Dolphins dating game....
Give me a holler and let me know what you think. You know, critique style. Let me have it!

Dr. Dolphins illustrated blog

2005-11-23T11:22:00.000-08:00

Aight! I like that word. "Dookie" too, dookie and doodoo. Anyway, here's the latest batch off Dr. Dolphins blog.THis woman is stuffing her face with some pizza. I didn't quite capture the expression but I like it anyway.

Oooh, and this guy with his dark eyes...supposedly an alleged glue sniffer.

THese two kind of go together. I dig the evidence bag that I drew on.

This one is probably my favorite of the batch. Kind of emotional...

more faces....

2005-11-21T23:56:00.000-08:00

Here are more faces from fecal face.com

I've been having fun with these guys. This guy has really long fingers...????
This girl had a bright pink wig on. She's very pretty and the wig is fun.
Once in awhil I add color selectively. This is one of those times. Dark red lips.
And here's three girls. The one in profile didn't turn out the way that I would have liked but you git what ya pay fo!

slow times

2005-11-20T05:52:00.000-08:00

I been laggin, pants are saggin. I did some drawings tonight and will post later today. I hate the way people spell cool "kewl". It's just gay. I'm too tarred to write anything wortha nything. There's a lot in the head but the eyes want to close. I think the reason that I haven't been drawing as successfully as I would wish is that the weather changed and it's colder than frozen snot. Hmmm? Don't know. And for NIFF, I actually do have ONE favorite but I can's appear too biased.
Here's a misc. image....yummers!!!!

Woot!!!

2005-11-16T23:35:00.000-08:00

So after lastnights post I did some pictures of san franciscans who participated in the dolphin safari 2: shark sandwich internet dating game

This is Dave. He's slightly bushy looking. One of my favorite drawings.

This girl is named Sabrina. She's my favorite drawing out of the four that I did.

This girls name is Ying. Cool. This one is my favorite.

And this dudes name is Tony. He looks like a OK guy. And he's my favorite drawing.

This guy actually didn't make the grade for the dating game. First of all, he wasn't in San Francisco. Secondly, he wasn't invited, and thirdly he wasn't in San Francisco. This is my favorite. He actually started out as a blind contour and finished as this. I am pretty sure he's a Navajo. He just sat there waiting for some lady while I lurked in the shadows, covertly drawing away. He had no clue that he went down in my Moleskine.

recent past

2005-11-15T23:48:00.000-08:00

To all of my adoring fans:
I've been dead in the water for the last week and a half. Everything that I've tried drawing has been really forced so I just stopped. I watched Modigliani the movie with andy Garcia and I feel the need to draw again. Check back for more soon...

BCF x2 11.04

2005-11-04T13:17:00.000-08:00

That's right blind contour fans! Two blind contours for this week!! I actually stayed true to the blind contour format and didn't look as I drew.

The first of these fine drawings is a little folk art angel figurine that graces a desk in my studio!

And this little gem is my new binocular viewing device that I purchased to go along with my motorcycle so as to enjoy or explore the view when I'm out on one of those dusty back roads here in Northern Arizona. Both drawings were done with my Rotring Artpen that has been down and out for quite some time. I found some great sepia colored ink to put in the refillable cartridge. KOH-I-NOOR Trans Mix Media brilliant ink! It doesn't clog the nib, it's waterproof, and it takes to my Moleskin wonderfully! Yay!! Have a happy weekend....

BCF 10.28.2005

2005-10-28T15:02:00.000-07:00

This started out as a blind contour drawing but I cheated and repositioned my pen many times. I was trying to draw this couple without being noticed. They were very quiet, and they ate their breakfast in a somber mood. I think they were married but they didn't seem like they liked each other. Maybe a lovers quarrel so as to have the making up all the more sweeter??? Her big ass head is too big!

THis was a true blind contour drawing. I only placed the pen twice. It's the salt-n-pepper shaker, sugar jar, sweet-n-low down sweetner and other stuff on my table. I covertly used it to draw the previous drawing when the unhappy couple noticed that I was trying to draw them. I think the guy tried to crane his neck to see what I was doing but I didn't let him!!! Hah!!!

John Groshong's buddies

2005-10-28T14:53:00.000-07:00

Here's Josh Groshong.

This was started out purely as a blind contour and I got the proportions all wrong so I turned her into a little witchy-poop...
Peace out!

These jumper cables intrigued me, hanging on the fence like that. I went out to draw them and there is a big gun locker right next to where they're hanging that says, "less lethal" spray painted on the front. I put the two together and am somewhat reminded of the whole AbuGraib screw ball situation...

more moleskin pic's

2005-10-27T02:54:00.000-07:00

Ive been checking out this guy John Groshong's photo blog
of San Francisco and drawing his friends.

Here's something fun that I did with a picture of a brother and sister:

And here are the pimps of poverty, Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton. I got that phrase from an interview of George Carlin talking about New Orleans and some of the idiots over there...PIMPS OF POVERTY. "Sling it baby!!!"

day down

2005-10-26T02:19:00.000-07:00

I didn't git to the studio today so no scans were made. Tomorrow, another day!

moleskin + 1

2005-10-25T02:01:00.000-07:00

I left my big sketch book in the scanner at the studio so I had to use my moleskin, which I've been avoiding for some reason. The Moleskin pic's were done in pencil.
THis cow skull is my favorite latest drawing.

Here's a little baby bird that I found at Clayton Cubitt's website.

Here's just a picture of some guy looking up...

And here is my Starlet!

studies...

2005-10-24T03:08:00.000-07:00

I found this neat blog of some guy making pictures of Katrina victims and such and I've been doing drawings of his subjects.
Snaggle TootH!
This lady turned out looking like my fathers mother, Alice Cobb.
Here are some experiments that I've been doing. I've been trying to reproduce the same picture and use different color combo's. Here's two...

this week...

2005-10-23T02:36:00.000-07:00

For any who happen to check here, I haven't drawn anything for a few days. I got a new motorcycle and I've just been riding and sleeping. Sorry, if anyone is paying attention. I will have some stuff up tomorrow.
Peas!

4 new studies

2005-10-18T03:47:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of pieces that I was working on lasnight. I colored these with watercolor on crappy sketchbook paper so it warped a bit as you can see.
Yes, that's a pile o' poo in the corner

Here's evil little Salome.

Here's my demure long headed starlight lookin' at girl.

And finally, my long necked ancient shinese secret.

BCF 10.14

2005-10-14T12:01:00.000-07:00

MR. Miles Davis all blind countoured, stretched, big handed out!
I don't know if it's because it's Halloween season but my drawings have taken on sort of a dark overtone. I saw this caption somewhere and decided to run with it. FACE YOUR FEARS!!
In other news, I've been experimenting with coloring only a portion of my picture. It's been great fun...
Here are my scary hands. Bu-ha-ha-haaa!!!!

some watercolory stuff

2005-10-11T05:33:00.000-07:00

Here's my halloween freak-witch! Boo!!!

I've been wanting to draw a bird cage for some reason so I did and here it is.

Here are my jung lovers. I am especially fond of the odd looking girl.

BCF 10/07/2005

2005-10-07T11:48:00.000-07:00

Here's my BCF for this week. I was sitting in line at the bank and I was kind of sick and it was hot and there were two cars ahead of me. I did what any self proclaimed artist would do, I pulled out my sketch-o-matic and did a blind countour of the ford truck in front of me. It's funny how proportion goes out the window when you're blind contouring. This was fun and helped whittle away the time.
HAPPY WEEKEND!

Catch up

2005-10-05T01:33:00.000-07:00

Here are four new images to make up for lagging the last few days.
Here's my Shakespeare girl.
Here's a nice doggie for Halloween month.
Here's some convict guy.
This was drawn based on a Japanese mask. I kept going and gave him a sort of 16th century style cardinalish hat.
I'm getting sick so I don't know if I will be drawing for the next few days, (I don't even know if it matters becasue I don't know if anyone is reading and looking at my blog anyway.)

BCF 9/30

2005-09-30T15:07:00.000-07:00

Here's CHAIRY, the most comfortable chair in my studio. I kind of lost the proportion and I tried to do it in one continuos line, which broke two or three times.

And here is my local coffee shop, Macy's. They're a bunch of granola hippies over there but I must confess that I like the vibe (and they make killer coffee). Sometime I'll scan one of the pictures that I've made of their roaster.

And here is my first and last experiment with watercolor in my moleskin. No good. Too much pigment and not enough water. The pages have some kind of anti-moisture force field surrounding them so boo.
Happy Weekend!!!

nothing...

2005-09-29T02:32:00.000-07:00

For some reason, BLOGGER won't let me post my newest pictures. Boo.

moleskin pages

2005-09-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

Here's Niff and Sutter
A 7up add circa 1960's
And here's my peacockadoodledoo!

Blind Contour Stoplight

2005-09-25T01:06:00.000-07:00

Here's the deal.
Draw the car in front of you at a red light. Blind contour. Speed.
I also drew an RX-7 but the scanner didn't pick it up well, the line was so thin.

Bling Contour Friday!

2005-09-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

Yes, I meant to write 'bling'. Actually, I didn't but it fits.

Here's the little lawn gnome that I got for $4.99 last week. He's only about 8" tall. I have him next to my computer in the studio. He is a rather jolly fellow.I embellished him with my prismacolor pencils. I forgot how fun those pencils can be. Have a nice weekend!

Moleskin

2005-09-22T11:38:00.000-07:00

Here's the first page of my first Moleskine sketch book. The pages are nice and creamy colored and they're thick so I can watercolor onto them (hopefully). I've got two blind contours for Friday but you'll have to wait to see them until tomorrow. Have a spectacular day!

Denny's

2005-09-22T02:25:00.000-07:00

Yeah Baby!!!! My boss ordered Denny's for everybody lastnight at 3am. Part of the deal is that I have to buy him breakfast at Martan's today. Not a bad trade.
I intended to draw the food that I was about to eat but it didn't make it so I drew the container. :) hee-hee!

Copycat

2005-09-21T01:35:00.000-07:00

I was so tired lastnight. I've been trying to be self-disciplined and get atleast one drawing in a day. I was at Sabrina Ward Harrison's and I wasn't very personally inspired so I bit some stuff off her and put it all together. The MK's on the bottom are my experimenting with the Die Brucke
style of putting my initials in the picture in a cool way. (actually, Schielle and Durer and Klimt were big on doing that stuff, but check out the neat exhibit of Die Brucke anyway...)
I'm just so worn out lately. I can only sleep for three to four hours and then I'm just awake, laying in bed thinking...

Death

2005-09-19T02:16:00.000-07:00

Hmmm,
a lady died lastnight in my jail. I tried to bring her back to life along with two other guys. We did not have any success. We performed CPR on her for eight minutes before the EMT's showed up.
Death is a strange thing.
When I got home from work yesterday I just held my son. He asked me what was wrong. I told him that I had a hard time at work so he asked me if I wanted to go ride our bikes together. I accepted his invitation. I am thankful for my son and his little brother. I am thankful for my bride. I am thankful for all my breaths. Watching someone die puts a lot of things into perspective.
We had to go to a meeting afterwards to talk about the incident. It's strange, I keep going on this rollercoaster of emotions. I don't feel responsible for her death. When she was taken to the hospital, her blood was so thick and clotted that the medical personnel were unable to draw blood for testing. Her liver had failed. She literally drank herself to death.
I looked at her thirty minutes before she died. She was on her feet. I didn't take the time to look her in the eye though. Maybe I would have seen something in those eyes. You know how a cat knows when it's going to die? I wonder if Reyna (not her real name) knew that she was at the end of her life. There's nothing I could have done. The nurses at FMC said that with the best triage nurses she would have died. It's just such an odd thing to hold a dead woman, trying to breathe life back into her.
Sorry for the downer post, but that's where I am today and talking about it helps.
Here's my visual response to the last few days.

Cameron woman dies in jail cell

By LARRY HENDRICKS
Sun Staff Reporter
09/20/2005

A Cameron woman was found dead in her jail cell Sunday morning.

While an autopsy is still pending, jail officials are assuming she died from health complications related to her alcoholism. It is the second such death this year.

Rena Yazzie, 51, did not wake up for the breakfast call at 6 a.m., said Kurt Braatz, commander at the Coconino County Detention Facility.

"She was unresponsive," Braatz said, adding that jail staff gave Yazzie CPR until medics arrived. She was taken to Flagstaff Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 7:37 a.m.

Detective Mike Sifling of the Coconino County Sheriff's Office said preliminary indications from hospital staff is that Yazzie's health problems stemmed from liver failure. At this time, Sifling added that there are no indications of foul play.

"There are indications she had problems with alcohol," Sifling added. Yazzie has had numerous contacts with local law enforcement agencies. Her family also confirmed her struggle with alcohol.

According to Flagstaff Municipal Court records, Yazzie has a variety of convictions associated with alcohol use.

Braatz said that Yazzie had been arrested Saturday morning during a traffic stop conducted by an officer with the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

The driver of the vehicle was charged with DUI. The passenger, Yazzie, was found to have a warrant out for her arrest from Flagstaff City Court for failing to appear for court appearances in connection with a false reporting to law enforcement charge.

Braatz said Yazzie was booked into jail at 11:30 a.m. At the time she was processed, her blood-alcohol level was .135, above the legal limit for driving. According to jail policy, people can be booked into the jail without a trip to the hospital for observation as long as their blood-alcohol level is below .25.

A blood-alcohol level above .25 requires a trip to the hospital for the inmate to be stabilized.

At the time she was booked, Braatz said jail medical staff put her on a detox protocol, which is a procedure to minimize the effects of alcohol withdrawal.

Braatz said Yazzie complained of cramping in her legs Saturday, which is typical of alcohol detoxification.

Sifling said an autopsy scheduled Wednesday. A toxicology screen will be conducted. The results can take up to a month.

"The autopsy will answer a lot of questions we have about what was going on inside her," Sifling said.

The case remains under investigation.

In March, another inmate being treated for alcohol withdrawal became ill and was taken to FMC, where he later died. The inmate had a variety of health-related issues connected with his diabetes.

And here's an Egon Schieleish creative endeavor.

Blind Contour Friday

2005-09-16T16:22:00.000-07:00

Here's my blender. I kind of cheated on the buttons but it is the closest I have ever come to an actual true blind contour drawing.

New pitchures

2005-09-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

Here are two more from my MailOrder catalog:
MailOrder Pepper

And MailOrder Floss
The Story w/ the floss: I bind my own journals and I bought some "bookarts" twine, supposedly made for the express purpose of sewing together the signatures in my books. Well, it's junk. It tends to fray and rip after about the 3rd or fourth signature so I decided to use floss, and it works splendidly!

Incarceration (unfinished)
Here is the truth about incarceration. I work at a jail and I work the graveyard shift at that jail so it tends to infect some of my creative endeavors.

And here is my "suicide watch" girl. When someone is incarcerated in the facility, we ask them if they plan to hurt themselves or anyone else. If they answer in the positive, we take everything away from them, give them a "suicide suit", and they go into a rubber room where they have a hard time hurting themselves. Cell #6 in the "incarceration" picture above is just such a room/cell and that guy that I drew in there was a total loon.
Suicide Suit Girls Hair (detail)
Hope that lifted your day right up! Gotta go get some sleep!
Ciao!

End of my week post.

2005-09-15T02:07:00.000-07:00

Here's the last scan for the week. My week that is. I will have some new bizarro posts tomorrow. Actually it will be today but I work graveyard shift so my days are nights and they all run together. Boo. Anyway, here's this part of the days offering...

And by the way, I have to hype the watercolor pen that I do all my coloring with:
It's the Niji Watercolor Brush

This is one of the best things since sliced bread! The water goes right in the handle and once you get used to it, you find that life is to never be looked at in the same way again! It will be full of watercolory colors!!! Yay! Wooot!!

The very latest...

2005-09-14T00:18:00.000-07:00

Here are some new add-it-ons to the collection:
The first from Sabrina Ward Harrison's website:

And here are some selections from my new Mail Order Catalog:

Some local architectural landmarks:

Hope you enjoy, ta ta!

The Scribbler

2005-09-13T00:34:00.000-07:00

No images today, I didn't get to scan anything but I did find the most entertaining website lastnight, (I spent about two hours fooling around with it.) It's called THE SCRIBBLER. Check it out...

More Pictures...

2005-09-12T00:51:00.000-07:00

In the actual order these are backwards.
Here's a cool lamp post downtown:

And here's the little fan that cools my studio:

And here is one of my jars of brushes:

Hope you enjoy and I hope you'll check back frequently.
Ciao!

first page...

2005-09-10T16:39:00.000-07:00

So here's the first page of my new sketch book that I made from scratch. I was sitting down at Late for the Train having an iced coffee and I drew this bike.

Dang it!

2005-09-09T13:23:00.000-07:00

I have had nothing but technical difficulties since day one. I'm doing this really round about way of posting pic's of the journal and I am having no luck! Oh, how great is my frustration! I will be back...

INKFINGER

2005-09-08T03:48:00.000-07:00

Definitely MUST check out InkFinger

finally...

2005-09-08T03:43:00.000-07:00

Aaight! I finally have computer #2 set up at the studio. I'm gonna start scanning tomorrow and posting everyday hopefully. yipee!

new issues

2005-09-01T04:02:00.000-07:00

So, I have a few things on the brain.

#1- Excellent top 4 list of must have blogs and websites:

InkFinger
Danny Gregory
Learning Daily
The Drawing Club

#2- Thoughts on blind contour drawing:

I totally dig blind contour drawings. I have a hard time not repositioning. In fact, I have never finished a blind contour in the true spirit of blindness. I always reposition. I'm gonna try to do one all the way without looking this week. Anyway, BCD is really neat because you can kind of see the disembodied spirit of the thing drawn. Cool.

++++ immediate thought broadcast++++

MTV shoud not be called MTV anymore because they don't play music videos anymore... It should be called Pimp My Crappy Pop Culture TV.

Uhm, I can't think of the other stuff that was bouncing around in my head so that's it for now.

MUSIC right now: THE SURF KINGS "up from the deep"

Pic.'s coming soon!

2005-08-30T01:20:00.000-07:00

I should have my scanner up in the next day or two so my sketch book will be able to be viewed by the whole world real soon! Yeah baby!!!

Samwitches

2005-08-15T04:58:00.000-07:00

I went home and slept 7 hours and then I got up and ate processed chicken patty samwitches and then tucked the older boy in and went to work at FAC and slept in my car 30 minutes and came to jail.
SOUNDS RIGHT NOW: Offspring - "self esteem"
FOOD RIGHT NOW: Generic Sugar Smacks, Glazed Entenmann's Doughnuts
CO-WORKERS RIGHT NOW: Lynn, Fowles, Roberto, Mrs. Hover-Mr. Hovers's wife.
SUICIDE WATCHERS RIGHT NOW: x3
SOUND SINCE OFFSPRING WENT OFF: System of a Down - "BYOB" la la la la la la la la la dancing in the desert blowin up the sunshine, you feed us lies from the table cloth oh oh ooh everybodies going to the party have a real good time. BLAST OFF! IT'S PARTY TIME AND WE ALL LIVE IN A FACIST NATION! Why don't presidnets fight the wars - why do they always send the poor?!?!?! Why don't presidnets fight the wars - why do they always send the poor?!?!?! Why don't presidnets fight the wars - why do they always send the poor?!?!?!

micron vs. _______?

2005-08-11T06:42:00.000-07:00

I've been looking at a lot of illustration/drawing type websites. I have come to notice that a lot of the drawing/illustrations that I like are done with the good ol' PIGMA MICRON pen, so I done did me a few drawings with my MICRON pen. I'm hoping to post them in the next day or two. I have really enjoyed my SAKURA JELLY ROLL pen but I have found that there is a certain something about the ol' MICRON. We'll see what the near future produces and again, I will try to post in the next day or two (even though I don't think anyone is reading this...)

Dancing in the rain....

2005-08-09T01:10:00.000-07:00

Huge thunderstorm the other day. My backyard was under 4 inches of water so I told Aidan to git his swim shorts on so we could splash around in the rain. Well, I ended up dancing naked in the rain while my mortified son looked on. It was jolly fun!
I hopefully will be posting sketches soon. We got a new computer so I have to fix the old one and it's gonna be my primary art/music computer.

me and my artist...

2005-07-03T19:23:00.000-07:00

So, I've got enough books to start my own art store, teach my own class, facilitate my own whatever. I've gotten motivaitonal emails and perused the web sites. I see artist friends around me being successful at what they love. Sketching, drawing, painting, making handmade blank journals. The whole nine yards. And I still haven't produced any art in weeks, potentially months. There is some kind of block going on in the brain/motivation area.
Right before work, I spent a whole 7 minutes walking through the local art fair over at Wheeler park. I couldn't believe the work that was being sold. I mean, not bad art. But not good art either. Mediocre at best. Yes, there were one or two good artists but not much caught my eye. The thing of it is, I KNOW that I can produce good art. The problem is, I again have this motivation issue that is not very there. Up and down, up and down, up and down. Well, Louis lent (proper english?) me a book about flower power. Diluted essences of flowers ingested under the tongue to transform one's outlook. Hmmmm. I wonder what the outcome will be 'cause I'm going to try it.
I'm starin' down the barrel of a gun, son of a gun, son of a...oh wait, that's something else. I have to get rid of the beloved studio. I've had it for two years. The deal was that I would have students that would pay me money that I could then forward to the owner of the studio that I rent so as to facilitate not having to fork over money out of my own pocket. Well, I've had only one student over the last year and had to pay $140 per month which we don't have. So now the studio has to go unless I can drum up some business. AND SO I CALL ON ALL THE POWERS IN THE UNIVERSE TO HELP ME!!!!!!
I've got to go.

2005-05-18T20:49:00.000-07:00

Our little politico.....

2005-05-18T20:44:00.000-07:00

Pre parade Aidan....

2005-05-18T20:42:00.000-07:00

Little Liam at the Cinco De Mayo parade

2005-05-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

Finally, the 'fiery warrior' Obviously I don't use this thing enough to know what the heck I'm dong but it works none the less...;)

2005-05-18T20:35:00.000-07:00

the brothers Kozak!

2005-05-18T20:34:00.000-07:00

the other boys...

2005-05-18T20:32:00.000-07:00

da boys...

Almost summer.....

2005-05-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

Well it's almost summer and we're putting 4755 E. Lowell on the market June 1. Aghhh! Holy fazoli!!! I'm a bit apprehensive about this new endeavor because I've never sold a house and moved so dang far away..!!!! I trust that God is in control though and I rest in that. Here's the boys if I can figure it out after so long.....

The POPE...

2005-04-02T15:11:00.000-08:00

Well, MSN announces that Pope John Paul II has died. I and others have reason to believe that the ol' Pope has been dead since early December. If you notice, he was always looking propped up and when he waved or nodded his head, he was always very stiff looking. Kind of like someone was waving his hand for him???? Weekend at Bernie's?
My dear mother called and asked if I knew that the Pope had died. I told her no and so she asks me, "do you think he's in heaven or hell?" I don't know, the more I read about him, the more I think he's probably in heaven. I mean, he is the pope! I was thinking about him and Terri Schiavo hanging at St. Peters talking about the end of life. Hmmh! Food for thought.
On a lighter note, I've started making my own journals. Fun stuff. Well, I am at work so I should go work now. Bye...

02.27.2005.2

2005-02-27T21:26:00.000-08:00

Yay, I'm starting to figure HTML so that the links are seamlessly inserted into the text of my blog!!!

02.27.2005

2005-02-27T17:09:00.000-08:00

I broke through the barrier on #3. I showed Doug the 3 pieces and he seemed to dig them. I talked to him about the co-op in Flag. and he was interested in the possibility. Mike Z. finished the fourth in his series of designs. Now I have to come up with something else for him to do. He did a really good job today, very purposeful and slow, unlike last week when he almost ruined #3 in his series.
Yesterday I stumbled across Lori Gordon of S.F. Her blog takes me back to the city. Boo. I miss it too much!
I also talked to Louis today, and he's doing workshops for Youth Celebrate Art and Culture Feb. 25 - Mar. 26. He's gittin' fourty bones an hour plus the cost of supplies. I'm gonna look into doing a journaling workshop next year. I've got lots of 'how to journal your life' type books. I'm gonna start making hand bound journals and I think the two would go together good.
Man, D. Prices book "the moonlight chronicles" makes we want to travel and be what I am. Art and life and travel and creating things and sharing with people and so much more......
OK, so I'm at work as usual and I have to go go go.

a snowy night in february.

2005-02-26T22:35:00.000-08:00

I've been journaling consistantly for a few weeks. I want to post some pic.'s of recent journal entries. I've stalled on number three in my series of six pen and ink portraits and I need to get with it. I will be working on #3 tomorrow at the studio with Mike Z. Work is really slow (knock on wood).
D. Price www.moonlight-chronicles.com and Danny Gregory www.dannygregory.com have been very inspiring these last few days.
This shift (swings) sucks! 4pm to 12am. It's actually a good shift but I don't end up going to bed until around 2am. I then have to get up and take the older boy to school at 8am. I then go back to bed and wake up at noon. The day is shot! I feel crazy and tired and boo!
Well, I have to go fingerprint a thoroughly intoxicated man, yay!

POTHOLES!!!!

2005-02-12T20:16:00.000-08:00

Holy crap! The potholes in this town are gonna destroy the suspension on my poor little Honda. I suppose I understand the concept that porholes are inevitable due to the snow and rain and the big snow-platters as Aidan calls them. The roads get scraped, the snow melts, turns into water, which gets into the yet-to-be potholes and freezes. As anyone who knows by putting a full glass of water, or a sealed bottle or whatever into the freezer, liquid explands as it freezes. The freezing water then pushes the broken pieces of street up and out of its nice place on the road and they magically disappear. Well, then you have a nice hole in the road and BAM! the next thing you know, you're wondering if that was a body that you just hit or a dreaded pothole. HHMMHH! I was somewhat under the impession that my tax dollars went to road maintenance??? Who knows. There's my rant for the day. Hopefully I won't get sucked into a big hole in the road and I will return to continue posting. Tah-tah...

sickness

2005-02-11T19:15:00.000-08:00

I have been so dang sick. I had strep throat. I was down for like three days with no desire to live. Penicillin, zithromax, vicodin and percoset. SUCKING! I got d. price's MOONLIGHT CHRONICLES and it's just really wonderful. I miss life. have to go...

spark

2005-01-15T17:34:00.000-08:00

It's funny and quite amazing how one simple action that slips under the radar can have such ramifications. Rewind, roughly a month ago. I was in Barnes and Ignobles, hanging out. As usual, I was getting my fill of the newest art books and magazines and other cultural publications for free, hunkered down in the coffee shop area. I picked up the Artists Sketchbook and made the purchase. Later that week, I happened across an article about a guy named Danny Gregory. www.dannygregory.com Upon reading the article, my curiosity was tickled so I checked his web site. An even deeper inspection revealed his blog. I read on and that small curious spark was fanned into a small curious fire. I immediately started sketching again. I found blogger.com and started this here blog. I purchased Everyday Matters along w/ another book called This Book Will Change Your Life. I met another artist in town to add to my small artist collection of people to know. I've been spending more time in my studio, still looking for my "voice".
And now another spark is floating around inside. Something is brewing. It's time to start stepping up and stepping out. I am soliciting for more students at my studio, (by the way, I will be posting some of Michael Zapotocky's work w/ explanations of his story soon.) I am wandering around looking for a more public space to show and work. I need to draw and paint and so I'm going to move in that direction. Studio time everyday. Planning everyday. Moving forward everyday, because everyday matters!

2005-01-07T21:15:00.000-08:00

Journal entry 010705. It's actually the last page in my current journal but it was what I worked on today. I was writing down websites for a group of students who I will be sharing my drawings with as a guest of one of my mentors, Shelley Shaffer. She invited me to show my drawings, pen and ink and graphite as well as Prismacolor. What an opportunity!!

2005-01-07T20:15:00.000-08:00

Yeah, so it snowed a little the other day. We're expecting 12 inches tonight and an additional two to three feet by Lunes. (that's the keeper of the garder there on the left. Gloria. The keeper of the garden.

So many things....

2005-01-07T20:09:00.000-08:00

There are so many things that I want to write about. Depressed Mode lyrics, the way that the fine, dry snowflakes blow across the frozen road and the Great frozen snow tunnels of the Northern Wasabi peninsula.
There was the Chevrolet dealership on Jones Blvd. The one across from the Weinerschnizel that became some kind of a Weinerschnitzel knock off and did serve the best chili fries and… something else that I can’t remember. The little cups of ranch dressing do not escape my memory though. I remember being so frustrated because those little cups of ranch were too small and they never gave you enough of them, even when you paid the extra fifty cents. If you dipped your fries two or three times, the glorious ranch dressing was gone. Those French-fries were very salty, and they needed that ranch dressing. They needed the dressing the way that a baby needs breast milk, the way that a blue whale needs the open sea, the way that a man needs his bride in all her naked glory! Hah, ranch dressing is divine!
Anyway, there was this creepy guy that lived behind the Chevrolet dealership named Jerry. He was your run of the mill rocker guy. Greasy hair, big thick coke bottle glasses and heavy metal. Not you regular heavy metal type person but someone darker. You know, the Headbangers Ball guy. Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden. Black light posters, and ceramic bongs. Blacked out windows and pacts with Diablo! How the hell did I hook up with this guy? My memory does hide those details. Although I do recall the night that Jerry took me to the first bar that I ever set foot for the express purpose of drinking whiskey in. What was I, fourteen or fifteen? Whiskey does not set well with such a young frame. But, Jerry was in the in and I was hanging out with him and some other older rockers so everything was OK.
I’m surprised that he didn’t try to molest me. In addition to the metal edge, there was the perfunctory obsession with porn. Samantha Fox was pretty big right then and I remember lusting after her along with every other red blooded guy I knew. “Touch me, touch me now. I want to feel your body. Your heartbeat next to mine. Touch me, touch me now!” Holy cow! I wanted to do some touching. The funny thing is, is that I didn’t care one bit about heartbeats, only the chest that encased the heart, in particular the breast region! Anyway, we thought that her music was horrid compared to RATT or TWISTED SISTER, IRON MAIDEN or SABBATH but she was fine. It’s funny that all these years later I have come to find out that ol’ Samantha was down with the female gender and not any of us red blooded guys! DOH!
I didn’t hang with Jerry for very long. I think that I had a deep down, unknown knowledge that devil worshippers did not make good friends. So I left one night via his bedroom window and walked home past that Chevrolet dealership on Jones. Those cars on that lot were so far from home and Weinerschnitzel was so inviting but I was so broke. Damn! There were too many steps between the Chevy sell-a-thon and my mothers house but all those steps were mine to take. I had to go past the Vons and record store where I bought my first O.M.D. tape. Past the Marine recruiting center. Over the freeway and on towards the municipal golf course. “MUNI” as Bob Green used to call it. The MUNI course behind where Corinna Harney lived. Across from Sigfried and Roy’s house, where, on more that one summer night we hung out in front of Mark and Scotts house, drinking 40’s, listening for Sigfrieds white tigers to roar! Whoa, not your average neighborhood!
I had to pass that pricks house that was in the CRXtacy club. I puked all over his dining room one night during a rather losing-ish game of quarters. Jason , Kenny, Dana and Jeff saw me hurl under the kitchen table. They made fun of me, but we never told anyone, and we sure as hell didn’t worry about cleaning up my mess. BARRFFF!
Two more blocks and I was home. I wasn’t really interested in letting my mom know that I had shown up after who knows how many days. I ran away occasionally and I tried to slip back in unnoticed as many times as such.
In through my back bedroom window I crept. As silent as a teenaged boy creeping through his bedroom window could be. The shades made more noise than I wanted to make and I froze, terrified that I had awoken the sleeping mama bear! Did she hear me? Did she care? Nothing. Her bedroom door remained closed at the end of the hall and I sank into my bed, securing my own bedroom door. I ever so silently switched on my cassette deck, fading to the sounds of the Smiths, cranking away, louder than bombs. The next morning when she awoke and discovered my sleep deprived body nestled in my bed would suck! But, that is another story and another memory…….

Perhaps....

2005-01-07T11:58:00.000-08:00

...that's the point of one's life. To discover what one loves, to pursue it to the utmost of one's ability, and then to gauge the success of one's life by how purely one has done that, rather than by the criteria others set. -Danny Gregory

www.dannygregory.com

Comments and Emails.....

2005-01-04T08:30:00.000-08:00

If there's anyone out in the etherworld that happens to read me, post a comment or email me with input, opinions, etc. Mucho gracias. Buh-bye.

STORM WATCH 2005!

2005-01-04T08:11:00.000-08:00

dang it. I have that anti pop up thing on this computer and it somehow erased this last entry! Anyway, on to the main story of the day. It is snowing. Like, a foot and a half lastnight. The weather service predicts that we should be getting 15-30 more inches before the day is over. Needless to say, I'll be taking SOMEBODY sledding after work. We're gonna hook up with Tom and Seamus and Rachel. Should be pretty good as long as nobody breaks a bone or two.
I wonder as I wander what the future holds. I should be painting full time. I really enjoy painting. I need to paint. Joe Sorren loves to paint and that's what he does. Full time. Word on the street is that he's backed up atleast a few years on commissions. Check out his website: www.joesorren.com And if you happen to have 2,500 to 15,000 dollars and you want one of his prints, you can git one and he'll give the money to the Red Cross for the survivors of the Indian Ocean Tsunamis.
Be open to your dreams, people. Embrace that distant shore. Because our mortal journey is over all too soon. -DAVID ASSAEL

New Year

2005-01-03T14:14:00.000-08:00

It's the new year and I am way too busy to put anything more than the fact that it's the new year. Busy day.

Letter to dad...

2004-12-30T07:18:00.000-08:00

Dear Dad,
How do I write this letter? What do I say to you? In the most sincere way, F*$# ^&%!!! You know, I’m 32 years old. I’ve had to deal with no dad for three decades. I know that “f*$#^&%” is a little harsh. I will give you that, but I look at my sons and wonder what you could have possibly been thinking, (or not thinking.) I can’t really understand why you could not suck it up and lose yourself and be my dad. You’ve got balls bigger that anybody I know. Giving me this crap about being mad because I haven’t been responding to you. Have you earned anything less? You wrote that maybe you’ve missed a birthday or two. How about twentyfive or thirty? I know that you did heroine when I was a little boy and had no concern for anything else but riding that horse, but it’s hard for me to forgive you. I have two sons and I love them. I want the best for them.
I really believe that when I lived with you, you had the best of intentions but your delivery was so freakin’ jacked up that nothing was accomplished. I hated living with you. Most 11 year old boys fantasize about older girls or new bikes or whatever. My fantasy was that my mother would some day be sitting on the corner in her Celica, waiting for me to get out of class, and she would take me away from you.
But you know the funny thing? I loved going camping with you. In retrospect, I loved caddying for you. I loved when we had to go somewhere and I got to ride with MY dad and we drove in his red Land Cruiser. I also remember living in El Paso. I remember your groovy El Camino and your Irish Setter, and how we would drive out on dirt roads with that dog following as we sped along. I was terrified by the speed and the fact that surely, that damn dog would get run over! I can remember one hot day in El Paso when you took me to Dairy Queen and introduced me to that ice cream cone covered in a crunchy butter scotch shell. Or how about the day I was walking your Irish Setter. As we approached the house some eight or ten houses away, you called your dog. And that dog dragged me down the street, a full three quartes of a block on my belly, wanting nothing more than the praises of his owner.
Oh yes, I also remember the smell of your room and your clothes. God in heaven! How I loved that smell in your room with all your clothes tossed everywhere, and the window covered with red blankets or whatever you had on them, creating that mysterious ‘dads room glow’. When I was five years old, living with you and grandma and grandpa, you brought home a Darth Vader model and we built it together. Actually, you built it and I got to put the glow-in-the-dark light saber in Vaders right hand. And that same year, you taught me how to gamble. The only thing is, you knew that you could win but you made me put all my money in the pot anyway. Through a few hands of poker or blackjack, you took all of my cash and I cried. You just laughed and took my cigar box with the few dollars that I had, until Grandma found out what was going on. She was pretty peaved at you and made you give my money back!
I remember your parents back yard, and their garden, and the sweet smell of the lawn clippings piled in the back left corner of the yard behind the shed. The stone walls, grandpas garage with all his wood working tools and projects, the vines growing all over the front porch that had the sweetest smell that I can remember. I recall going up on the roof via the big tree in the front yard and having grandma yell at me and Andy, the kid down the street to be careful, “and you get down from there!” Why, I was on top of the world. I could see two blocks over and I could see the girl on the corner’s house, the one I had a crush on. I could see her roof and back yard and everything.
When the carnival came to town, you took me. Right there in El Paso, Texas, United States of America. At first I didn’t think you were up for it because it had just rained and I had to beg you. But, you seemingly gave in. The sweet smell of the desert air after a summer rain made my head giddy! We were going to the carnival!! Joy of all joys for a five year old! When we began to get close after walking who knows how many blocks I almost couldn’t contain myself. We approached from the direction in which we had been walking and had to cut through all the trailers and trucks that had hauled all those contraptions out to the parking lot where the carnie was set up. About half way through the maze of trailers you told me that you had to check on something. “Stay right here. Don’t talk to anyone and don’t you dare go anywhere without me.” So I sat down in the dirt. And I waited. And my little soul was so excited because I would be getting to ride the rides and see the lights in no time! Gosh, it’s been such a long time. Where could my dad have gone? I’m kind of worried about him. Is he OK? Where is he? When are we gonna’ get to go see the lights and hear all the sounds and ride that big ass ferry wheel thing? Oh, there he is. Stumbling out from behind that trailer. “Come on Michael, we’re going home.” Going home? But we haven’t ridden anything. We’re so close. Just forty or fifty more feet and we’ll be there. We’re way too close. SO FUCKING CLOSE THAT IT HURT!!! And you know, it still hurts, thirty years later. I cried all the way home. Not just some whiny meandering weeping, but deep down, gut wrenching crying and sobbing. I hated you on that day. It amazes me as I sit here and think back about the smallest things and I think about the greatest things. And I think about those times and occasions that make you or break you.
There was that day you found me behind 7-11. You know the store, right next to Whataburger. I was in the back in an empty store room that everyone used for a toilet. Some other kids and I had just stolen a bunch of those little balsa wood airplanes. We were so excited! Suddenly there you were. Finally showing up for something. But you didn’t do anything. You chided me about not stealing, but ultimately you didn’t do shit. I needed a wall to ram against, a boundary that should not have been crossed and you gave me hot air and empty emotion.
One summer when I was eleven you took me camping high up in the mountains of Colorado. We went with two or three of you buddies and their women. The beauty of those mountains still puts me in a state of awe, even now as I remember them. The powerful mountain river where we fished for trout was incredible. The sun shined clearer that day than any other by which my memories serve me. And the river pounded the boulders that we perched on, a cool breeze took the edge off the summer heat and my skin grew a shade darker that day. There were fish living in the midst of that rumbling power and we pulled them out with our fishing poles and wrapped them in aluminum foil and cooked them in the fire that we had built. The same fire that turned those fishes eye balls into mushy white goop. It was that fire that I managed to pour a Styrofoam cup full of kerosene onto. I got yelled at by some mustachioed friend of yours but no physical harm came to me. I was not burned. And here, years later, my son of five years was trying to pour lighter fluid on our fire last summer at Dogtown lake and he was not burned although he got a wee bit more of a talking to than I ever did.
Well, the next morning those many years ago, my ungoopy eyes were bigger than my belly. I took a serving or two more than I should have of that big frying pan full of scrambled eggs and I did not finish my plate . At the end of my outdoor dining experience, I threw away those precious eggs. And you in all you wisdom just about beat me for that one. We drove home to Grand Junction with me in the back of your Land Cruiser, pressed against the rear door as far away from the drivers seat as possible. You really taught me how to fear another human that day. I truly was terrified, and all for eight or nine mouthfuls of scrambled eggs. I still don’t understand.
All my friends know how to ride motorcycles. Not me. I wasn’t strong enough to pick up the downed cycle, so, I could not be taught how I should or could possibly do it. No help. No hope. No harm. But thanks for that one.
Anyway, I sure can stack a cord of wood properly though. Piece by piece, all alone. And how about numbers. I’ve never really been as good at math as you. Rather than help me to understand what the hell I was doing, you laid down the law. “You will not get off this stool until you finish all these problems. And you will do them all correctly. FIGURE IT OUT!” Thanks for helping me understand things that to this day remain somewhat aloof to me. Maybe you’re the reason why I think math sucks so much???
I’m tired. I don’t want to keep heaping all this shit on you. You have been a very large stone in the middle of every road that I have tried to travel. I continually stumble over you as I try to get further ahead. I want to forgive you and I know I need to, but I stumble and I stumble. I don’t want to push you away. I don’t want to hate you. And I will not make excuses for you like your mother does.
Eventually a man needs to come to a place where he knows who he is. I have so struggled to find that place. The only help you have given me is to see that I will not be you to my sons. I know what it is like to be abandoned with no one. I can’t say you turned your back on me because you never really faced me. At least not like a man. You never guided me. You never taught me to have honor, or integrity, or strength.
How is it that I know how to keep my word to my son? Surely not from your hand. How do I know what it is to die to myself and answer my sons endless questions when there are so many other things to attend to? Not from your example.
I will not be you and yet I desperately want you. I want to have that red Land Cruiser, to take my sons fishing and camping and playing like men need to. I want to build that Darth Vader model and let MY son put the glow-in-the-dark light saber in his right hand.
Father, I am sorry for whatever I did or did not do for you. I’m sorry you did not love my mother. I’m sorry that you never knew what you were doing with me and I forgive you for all this bullshit. I forgive you for the carnival and the eggs and everything else, spoken or unspoken.
I don’t want excuses. I deal with excuses everyday. I just want you to be proud of me. I want you to be proud of the fact that I am an artist, and I am a musician, and I am a father, and I am a husband, and I am a man. I have grown up and I have my own family. I don’t know how much influence you can or will have on me, but I am a man now. I will seek to forgive you and I will seek to love you, although I don’t know how to do this. Alas, you are my father and when I was five, you held me down in my bed and you lifted my shirt up over my face and rubbed your scratchy, unshaven chin on my skinny little belly and I screamed and laughed and tried to wiggle out from under you and that is one of my favorite memories of you and nothing will ever be able to take that away from me. I love you Dad.

Your son,
Michael John

The Fight

2004-12-28T13:17:00.000-08:00

It was slow at work yesterday when Halper had to open his mouth. "You know, it's pretty quiet and slow down here today." Just call down curses from the mythic realm of lightning bolts and fiery devils!!!! Within an hour or so, two guys in 200 were going to town on each others faces. I yelled at them to break it up, but to no avail. So, I had to employ my canister of "punch II" OC pepper spray. That has to be one of the nastiest things that we humans have come up with. Imagine ten thousand needles impaling your eye balls. A fiery sensation engulfing your ears, nose, forehead and neck! Pain that causes you to want to puke all over the place. Just picture in your mind how it would feel to peel the skin off you face, turn it inside out and pin it to your skull with one hundred million of the sharpest needles that money can buy! Yeah baby!!! Effective if nothing else. When you factor in that one of them shaved his head with a crappy dull razor and the other guy was cut up from the scuffle, you have an uncomfortable situation. Needless to say, they are both locked down until further notice.
On a lighter note, I've been looking at Danny Gregory's web site. Good stuff. Inspirational, blah,blah,blah. It makes me sick that Mr. Gregory probably is making a living doing what he loves and is good at while I do what I do which I do not love. I feel stuck. Not to take anything away from Danny. He really is a great artist. He has a really groovy style. He's got multiple books on the market. He gets to paint death row creepies. I'm sure that he has his problems and demons to battle but the guy gets to travel all over and do what he loves. Someday. Someday...
Check out his website: www.dannygregory.com
As always has to happen when this is over, I got's to go.................

2004-12-27T19:02:00.000-08:00

selfa portaraita

thumb wrestling

2004-12-27T18:59:00.000-08:00

So I am convinced that my son is the foremost up and coming thumb wrestler in all of north america. Beyond time and space comes the most agile thumbwrestler. Sir Fuzz! Despite my personal agility and having a hand 3x as big as Sir Fuzz, he continues to win. Night after night in the confines of our competitive dining room, Fuzz takes me. Never has there been such a thumb challenger. 1-2-3 and it's over!!! The great north eastern chinese finals will never be the same. In from the cold, having marched 3,000 miles, barefooted, through 16 inches of snow, uphill through the greatest of tempests will arise a challenger. No, not just any challenger, but the GREAT FUZZ. Wonder of a thousand universes!!!! He beat me 3-2 this evening, and now he is crying because it's bed time. He just "wants to be with you guys..." To bed I say great thumb chanllenger! To bed and then you shall shower early tomorrow before Auntie Kristines'.
Oooh, moms about to start whoopen some thumb masters butt if he wakes up Little Determined Guardian! Look out..........

City of God

2004-12-27T07:11:00.000-08:00

Whoa! I watched the City of God on Christmas night. What a movie! For the squeamish this movie is not. Anybody who can't hang with the F-word in every other sentence, brutal depictions of sadistic murder, drug use and various other vices that hold the human heart in bondage probably won't be too into this one. It's a true story so that was what snagged me. From what I could tell, the main character in the movie is the acted by the actual guy in real life. In a way, it is a story of rising above the fray. The main character grows up in Rio amidst the worst that humanity has to offer. His brother is killed, his friends are killed, the girl that he falls for is taken by some other guy and he stays clear of all the crap. Photography is his "savior". He finds that he can hide behind his camera and go places where he would not normally think of going. Kind of like Dan Eldon. That guy had a sad story. He was an incredibly gifted young man who was killed in Somalia because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Anyway, back to our story. This guy finds his way out and ends up living, unlike almost everyone around him.
Well, Christmas is over. It will be time for a new year. New shift coming up, new eating habits. No new years resolutions. Just habit changes.
Liam is the most smiling kid in the world. He really does smile on command. Everytime. I've gotta go, I'm at work and I've gotta go.

Christmas 2004

2004-12-25T13:09:00.000-08:00

Well, it's Christmas day 2004 and I just got done cleaning up after the amazing Christmas breakfast that I cooked. Pancakes, bacon, eggs, french roast coffee. Yum. I'm full and naturally an hour later, Aidan is trying to get more food along with some candy. It's lonely this year. Nobody has invited us over for Christmas dinner and nothings open and all our family is far away. :( This year feels empty.....
Lastnight was Christmas eve service at church. What a rough night. I just wanted to curl up in a ball and never sing again. The music was so rough and it's funny because when we practiced the night before, it was wonderful! Stephanie sounded beautiful though. After the service we went over to Carlos's house and had tamales, yum. David was home from the marines. He's getting ready to ship out to Japan in a few weeks I guess. Via con Dios....
Well, I guess we're gonna take Aidan to the park and then rent some movies and hunker down for the night. I really feel disconnected from the birth of Jesu.

2004-12-25T12:02:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Somebody was having a grumpy Christmas.

Bad drivers

2004-12-24T09:39:00.000-08:00

OK, bad drivers. What the heck is up w/ people who can't drive. Where did they get their DL's? Here is Flagstaff there are basicly two types of people. Half the population is dumb and the other half isn't smart! For instance, you've got your Route 66ers. Now I know that route 66 is the "Great Mother Road" but that doesn't mean that you have to drive 30 mph in a 40 mph speed zone. I mean, it's not like there's a whole lot to see. Just some funky old motels and auto repair places. And even if it was a sight seeing thing, why is it that 75% of the people drive like Aunt Betty?
And then you've got the snow issue... sure, when it snows it can be dangerous. But 12 mph in a 40 mph zone when it's only been snowing for 30 minutes and there's no build up is ludicrous! (I don't think I spelled that correctly) I've got places to go and all these lolly gaggers are laggin!
Oh, how about the "thinkers?" Here in Flagpole there are a lot of two-lane one way streets. So, you get these people who are in the right lane and they decide to turn left at the last second. Not smart. Not safe.
Well, the inmates are calling so I'm up.

Quote of the Week

2004-12-24T07:27:00.000-08:00

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness -

on them light has shined...

For the yoke of their burden,

and the bar across their shoulders,

the rod of their oppressor,

you have broken...

For all the boots of the tramping warriors

and all the garments rolled in blood

shall be burned as fuel for the fire.

For a child has been born for us,

a son given to us;

authority rests upon his shoulders;

and he is named

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.

His authority shall grow continually,

and there shall be endless peace...

He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness

from this time onward and forevermore.
- Isaiah 9:2-7

Scott...

2004-12-23T11:00:00.000-08:00

...just got "Big Rock Candy Mountain" stuck in my head when I went down to medical to stand by for a dressing change on a guy who almost lost his arms because of heroin. I asked him if it felt that good. You know, good enough that your arms are gonna have to be amputated? He told me he was strung out on that shit and couldn't help himself and so I asked him what he was gonna do when he gets out an he told me that he was gettin a job. I asked him about his heroin, what he was gonna do about stopping. He only said that he was, "done with that shit". "Yeah, but what's it gonna take to quit?" This guy was unabl to give me an answer. Sad.

holidays

2004-12-23T08:50:00.000-08:00

Well, it'll be CHRISTmas in about three days. I'm at work and i don't really have time to put too much in here but i do need to get this thing going.