The Nerdiest thing I saw today.

Thanks to friend MtheP for drawing my attention to the entry on The Nerdist titled I Miss MS Paint by Matthew Burnside.

Burnside says:
From time to time, I long for the comfort of a picture slapped together on MS Paint. Those lo-fi looks warm my hart(sic). The jagged lines and construction paper colors pull me backwards into nostalgia.

Indeed. This charm is partially why I chose the medium in the first place- that and the fact that I had no access to fancy schmancy digital art tools.

Just my speed.

I have neglected my time with Paint and this blog and you lovelies; Burnside's piece makes me want to change my priorities back.

Keep an eye out and if you have some art in MS Paint you would like to share, please let me know.

The yellow belt-iest thing I saw today!

On the way to dinner with fine friends after a sunny and cold afternoon enjoying the Art Shanty Projects, we drove past this clever placement:
Are the ninjas disbanded, or disguised?

I hope you did not need any martial arts experts in a hurry along HWY. 55!

The glutenous thing I made today!

Happy New Year!!

This morning I am off to a crafternoon brunch hosted by TrinKnitty. I am really looking forward to it.

For the event I decided to make some bread from this bread baking book I really enjoy to read and use when I can. I made the Light Whole Wheat Loaf.

Let's look at the results together:

Oh look!
There is the baking book on the right and friend Dave's new book on the left.
Both books are by local authors and published by St. Martin's Press.

These would never get on the shelves at Rustica.
(Which has moved to Calhoun Village, by the way!)

I think they will taste better than they look and baking them was as fun(ny) as they look!

The Starstruckiest thing I saw today!

If you live in Minneapolis Ward Nine like myself, you might have gotten the awesome mailer below over the weekend. As much as I have a problem with the waste involved with everyday junk mail and this kind of campaign mailer, I got great joy from this one:

"OMGAWD! GARY SHIFF!!!!! I am not going to wash my hands for a month!
You are my FAVORITE city council member! Just don't tell Cam Gordon!" *

Now there is no doubt in my mind that Congressman Keith Ellison supports City Council Member Gary Schiff! What a relief!

And I am so glad that they are so glad to know each other. It is nice to see that a Congressman can have such respect and excitement about a city level legislator.

City Council Member Schiff looks so calm and cool with the attention and admiration too. I like that! I mean, having a dreamy Mayor who is always performing for the voters is enough.

His power is in his eyes, this shot weaken him.

Right?

OMG! I have the same shirt!

The All Power Rybak

Right.

Remember to vote tomorrow!

*Note that the Honorable Congressman Ellison has neither confirmed or denied this statement.

The Lichtenstein-iest thing I put together to catch you up today.

Roy Lichstenstein is one of my favorite artists; I find his pieces simple and yet profoundly emotional. Plus, they are fun!

I am going to use his works to express my feelings of recent events in my life.

Thanks, Roy!

Just 3 weeks ago today, my 37 year old partner, Todd, had a sudden and destructive major systolic failure, aka a heart attack.


It threw our life into chaos, confusion, fear, and frustration.


After a week in the hospital, we had to face life with major changes and unknowns for what the future holds for Todd's health, his heart, and our life.


We both want to do all that we can to prevent another wallop to his heart.

We are so grateful for wonderful health professionals, advances in cardiology, and fantastic health insurance to help us with this goal.

Of course we are grateful for one another as well, we both have done our best to help one another cope and move forward. Todd has been very brave and willing to sacrifice little things to have a big life.


Dietary change was already on our radar, but now even more foods are dangerous and need to be limited or eliminated. I am now disgusted and angry at many foods.


Even though we have been out of the hospital two weeks, we are still catching up on everyday tasks at work and home. It is discouraging, but I try to cut us some slack. We have put extra emphasis on taking care of ourselves by relaxing, walking, and taking time for ourselves to focus on the more important parts of life- the things that make life grand.

Despite all my best efforts, I still feel out of control. I am drowning in a sea of new information, new concerns, and delayed day-to-day tasks.


I have been exhausted and out of sorts, so aggravated with things I cannot influence. I worry about Todd. I mourn the loss of our prior life and plans. Sometimes I feel very alone and scared.


Through it all, we have been so lucky to have the care and support of family, friends and colleagues. We are so grateful!


We are so lucky to have loved ones who have sent cards, called, brought flowers, made and shared meals, sent resources for sustainability, scrubbed our kitchen, put together care packages, shown patience, shared hugs, taken over managing repairs on our home, helped carry things, assisted in work, sent cook books, shared inspiring stories, LISTENED, and overall just have shown that they value Todd and I.


Everyone has brightened our lives! We are reminded that we can get through this and we do not have to do it alone.


Support from everyone has made me feel loved and hopeful, helped me to feel stronger. I believe Todd would agree.

(This one lives right by my office, and it is gigantic, I should pay it a visit!)

Thank you, everyone! You are not alone either, I value you and am here for you too! So is Roy.

The gaardiest thing I saw today: Monster Challenge!

I received a new monster to post today! Fantastic!

Today's entry comes from my friend Dave, he drew a lovely monster for the challenge and he also creates them in his writing, as evident by his 2009 Bram Stoker Award Nominated (nice job Dave!) debut novel and friend to us all, Tellon:

Tellon, with Richard "A-Bomb" Klatte and Troy LaFaye, in The Hardworking Man From Nebraska.

Now, let us meet Krangaard:
Dave reports: He was born on a Monday morning after a three-day weekend, was made to go to work in the Pain Mines of Blech, and has been enraged ever since.

I hope I never have to work in the Pain Mines of Blech, but if I do, I will say a cautious 'hello' to
Krangaard.

Thank you for this great monster, Dave!

Any one else have a monster? Will I ever get my own drawing act back together? Questions we all have to live with on a gray and drizzly spring morn, I guess.

The Frankencheesist Thing I saw today: Monster Challenge!

Oh this week has flown by! I have another monster submission waiting in the wings. You people are awesome!

This installment is by Jeremy Couturier
I actually bought a drawing of his on etsy.com, it is a timeless piece portraying an epic battle. Take a peek. I think Chuck Norris will win! Todd questions my where my loyalty lies. What do you think will win?

Jeremy says: This familiar trio has decided to ham it up for an opportunity to be in the monster challenge!


Boy howdy! They certainly have. And they look great doing it, still scary.

I bow to your talent, Jeremy. Thanks for sharing some monsters with us!

The CHALLENGE-iest thing I saw today!

In the past I have posted some drawings from Monster Attack, the drawings of the son of the artist behind American Elf, my favorite daily webcomic.

Today this drawing and the story behind it made something burst in me, like a pin to a balloon:



This drawing is genius, simple, full of fun and imagination.

Also, this drawing also lacks boundaries of reality and the limitations of studied talent and time. This drawing is not grown up.

This piece made me realize that I have been too grown up. Not only have I been slacking on my drawing blog, but have been wrapping myself up in responsibility and worry. I have turned down my imagination and free spirit.



I am sadly willing to bet that some of you have too.

So, I am posing a challenge to myself and you, and your partners and your friends and you colleagues and your children, or whomever you feel like it sharing the challenge.

I hereby challenge you to create your own monster and send it in to me to post here, or just show someone you would like to see smile.

You can draw a picture and some background information like Eli has above, you could play in photoshop, make a collage, doodle on a post-it or what have you.

Do you dare to think outside the grown up box with me? To toss away worries of judgment or financial gain?

We know you can!

I wanted to make it a contest, but I did not want people to stress about bigger, better, best......but I still have a grand prize in mind if enough people want there to be a public vote......

What do you think?

Take a deep breath, let yourself go!


****Functional details, if you do not already know my email, or know me on facebook, you could post a link from tinypic.com in the comments, or we can figure something out!

The sharp dressed man struck again!

You may or may not recall this post from the past, but it was very popular one because people I know tell me they see this guy all the time. I have seen him a few times since the blog even.

The other day I was on a crabby backslide and my friend M to the P took me out for some pomegranate juice and venting.

There I was crabbing away and M to the P says "LOOK! There's that suit guy!"

And there he was:He helped to cheer me right up! Where does he get those suits? Where does he go dressed like that? What is in that suitcase? Why is he always in a hurry?

There are too many questions like this in life to be crabby!

Crikey! The awkwardest toy I saw today.

We saw this at the Reptile Gardens (a nice spot if you like animals by the way, not a cheeseball as you might think):

There was no stingray in the Ocean Dive playset.

RIP Steve Irwin. I feel bad that this toy is still on the market, but perhaps you would want it that way?

The Public Serviest thing I saw today!

I was down at the Mayo Clinic yesterday to see a relative. There we were, just a-waiting in the waiting room and in came one of my favorite Minnesota heroes:

Walter Mondale was being seen in the same office!

You know, the former Vice President to Jimmy Carter? The one portrayed as a janitor and the namesake of a laundry ship on The Simpsons?

Poor Fritz, he can't go to the doctors office without being gawked at and poorly drawn by his fans!

My relative is still down there and today the Dalai Lama was there for his check up. My family knows how to draw in the world leaders!

The Scariest Blog I saw Today.

Today I have to lure you to another drawing blog that I have grown to love so much.

Monster Attack!

The blog is an ever growing collection of drawings by Eli, the 4 year old son of comic artist James Kochalka. James is a favorite of mine too.

Eli has quite the clever little mind and his drawings always bring my heart back to days of innocence and unbridled imagination.




I had thought about promoting him before, but todays' picture sealed the deal:

I dare you to find a better drawing of R2D2.

I DARE you!

Ok, wait, don't show me one, it will crush my spirit!

Instead:

All images swiped (saved and reloaded) from http://www.americanelf.com/comics/monsterattack.php

The Prince-iest Thing I Saw Today

So the other day I was taking the bus to First Avenue to see Mike Doughty with my friend. My friend is cool. First Avenue is also cool and it was also where parts of Purple Rain were filmed.

Just imagine me standing on that floor with lots of eye makeup, ripped tank top and spiky bangs.

Anyways...this First Avenue fact is relevant because on the bus I saw:

(Sing it with me to the tune of The Replacements "Kiss Me on the Bus")

Prince Guy on the Bus!

PS: The "Kiss Me on the Bus" video is pretty entertaining if you have any remaining tolerance for 1980's nostalgia and enjoy community produced television in Dearborn, Michigan.

The Oppegaardiest Thing I Saw Today

Yes, another guest artist today!

My pal David Oppegaard drew this accurate picture of his home office a little while ago. I didn't have the sense to post it then, but now I have seeeeeeeen the light!

Plus, I wanted to direct your attention to a writing contest Dave is advancing in on Amazon.com. Ch-check out the segment of his novel if you need a laugh, and write a review if you have a chance!

Actually, the MAIN reason is that he has one of those great Scandinavian names with the double vowel thing. Hot.

In this scene, the artist, a writer by trade, depicts himself hard at work in his creative space. We see tinges of the common stereotypes of devoted authors and a really nice drawing of the cat, Opie.

This drawing was created soon after Oppegaard sealed his first publishing deal. His first novel, The Suicide Collectors, will be released by St. Martin's Press (this is the same publisher as Puzzle Master Will Shortz! Holy Moly!).

I have another of my drawings ready for tomorrow..that is if you still come back after I have shilled for my friend. I am really excited for him! Woot!

The May-December-est Thing I saw Today

My darling and I attended a chic private gathering, the sort where people either pay to attend or else they are "with the artist". (We were "with the artist".)

I observed a couple conversations like this one:
So Woody Allen. So reminded me of my own denial about the way the world works.

The Alderaaniest Thing I saw today.

So I was taking the bus home the other day, sitting on the aisle seat just minding my own business; reading my book and zoning out the animated conversations around me.

The bus neared my stop so I perked up a little and the woman sitting next to me tapped me and said:

And I said "You look JUST like Carrie Fischer in 1977! Oh, and this is my stop too."

She said, "I know."

Then I tried not to stare at her the remainder of our trip.

Guys must ask her to wear that slave costume all the time.

The second coming-est thing I saw at the State Fair.

Roaming around the fair I saw a man dressed comfortably, enjoying standard state fair activities: eating and collecting free stuff from non-profits & companies in bags.

He looked a bit Iike an older Jesus.....

and he was wearing sheep skin house slippers.

I wonder if he stopped by the Carpenter's Union booth to see his buds!

The Bathing Beautiest thing I saw at the Minnesota State Fair!

***Special Minnesota State Fair Edition***

The state fair has THE best people watching around. Everyone flocks to Saint Paul to be themselves and eat deep fried food on a stick.

I could just sit on a bench all day and watch the humanity go by! Some people go every day to take it all in!.

I have gone to the fair two evenings this year and I took notes on things to draw for you people. Here is the first installment:

At the fair, I saw dairy princess Princess Kay of the Milky Way and her head carved in butter.

I also saw Ms. Brooklyn Park 2006 walking about with a Pronto Pup in her best evening wear making Brooklyn Park proud! (Jesse Ventura was once the Mayor of Brooklyn Park, so goodness knows they need the good press!)



She was without any escort or entourage, so I was tempted to ask for an autograph. I chose to let her be; being a local celebrity can be very taxing, I'm sure.

I hope that Ms. Brooklyn Park is an age 55+ competition, otherwise the stress of the role is really showing on this beauty queen!