the tulgey maze: Arcadian Gates: Serial 2

I am excited because my husband has the first and second segments of his novel, Arcadian Gates.

It is free today and then only 99 cents per section.

the tulgey maze: Arcadian Gates: Serial 2

I should draw a picture of Todd writing!

The what the ykk-iest thing I saw today.

Cross-posted at my little tumblr blog. I am experimenting with tumblr. There, I said it.

The Huntiest Things I saw today

I went on a walk in the park this weekend and saw some intense treasure hunters.


They were wearing earphones and knee pads while using metal detectors.

One of them stopped, knelt down and started digging with a spade.

I wonder what he found...

The comfortiest thing I saw today

There is some road construction taking place outside my office window.

I saw this touching moment the other day:The construction working appeared to be comforting the big digger, it was sweet. Like Danny and the dinosaur.

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 Pearl Jammiest thing I saw in September 2007!

Hello! I miss you! I think about you a lot and I hope to get my drawing game back together.

Today is a very blah, foggy, Seattle 1990-something kind of day, so I thought I would share this drawing I meant to post over 2 years ago:

On a very similar kind of morning, this guy was belting out the Pearl Jam at the bus stop!

And no, he is not homeless or wearing shoulder pads, that is just artistic flair. He WAS wearing flannel though.

My Review

Originally submitted at Timbuk2

Love it! Love it! Love it!

By ThatGirlMissy from Minneapolis, MN on 2/15/2010

 

5out of 5

Pros: Pockets, Long straps, Design, Waterproof, Style, Work and play, Roomy

Cons: Need good bus pass pocket

Best Uses: play, Diaper Bag, Work, Crafts

I use this bag for work and play, it holds a notebook, lunch, knitting and a small purse plus my random little things a person "needs" to get by, oh, and my coffee! I love the long strap and handles. It has already been in a couple snowstorms and the waterproof works like a charm. Dry goods when I got home looking like a snowman. I was able to fit my laptop on on top of the above things, but it was pretty tight!

Interior of my working bag.

Tags: Picture of Product, Using Product, Interior

(legalese)

The Draggiest thing I saw today!

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 fixiest thing I saw today!

On a windy, snowy, nicely below freezing night recently I saw this dedicated Minnesotan and fixed gear enthusiast fixing a chain suck:

When you are riding at night in snow and ice, against the wind, who needs brakes?!?!

That green thing on the bike is a hockey stick. Awesome.

I will note that he DID have both front and rear lights turned on. Nice. Safety first....erm...visibility first!

Some call Minneapolis the #2 biking city in the nation. I have no clue who can decide these things, but there are plenty of bike commuters even in the bitter cold and snow. I am not sure how many of them also play hockey.

The toothiest thing I saw today.

You may have received this in the mail from a major health insurance provider:

The Beav!

Cute. Beaver. Teeth. Ok.

Then you open it up and:

Better? More like MURDER!

The horror!!

That beaver is sure to fall to the grips of evolution now. Pretty sure he cannot swing an ax.

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 Stickiest Thing I Saw Today (File Under: Ceating with Photos)

So I have not been able to keep up with drawing all of the beauty of humanity that surrounds and astounds me each day, I apologize to you and humanity.

I do have drawings, they are just waiting to be tweaked. I seem to have become behind at most everything and I am getting better and better at procrastination. Ask my chess friend, I just made my first(possibly suicidal) move in our game since like June.

Yesterday I made a snap decision. I grabbed my camera and I decided to just take pictures of some of things I have wanted to draw for you!

I hope that helps while I catch up on my art.

To begin, I have the house with the best fence ever. This fence is homespun and it is constantly growing, becoming more confining to the 4 X 7 foot plot of yard it protects.


I got lucky, because there are usually some nice, smiley elders sitting out in the yard, guarding the fence.

As you can see, one side of the fence is standard chain link, The other three sides are pure wire, rope, and various sticks. Some sticks are from nature, some from household goods, some from sports equipment, and some are unidentifiable from the sidewalk.

There are always new sticks being added in between existing sticks, and they have even started laying some flat across the top of the fence.

What makes me smile the most is that so much work is being put into protecting a couple trees and a lot of crabgrass. Those trees and that crabgrass are very important to someone. What's not to love about dedication?

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 Blushiest thing I saw today!

(Hey- Long time no see! Thanks for returning with me!!! I have missed drawing for you!)

As I awaited my Metro Transit chariot home yesterday, I was quite amused to witness four individuals of the male persuasion who were all randomly dressed alike and all rushing to catch the same bus.

(Click to enlarge)

I found it darling that they were all wearing pale pink polo shirts!

(The color shown here is more of a "hot pink", their shirts were "Baby Girl" pink. Paint has drastic limitations on color selection.)

From anecdotal research, I have found that this color is not always easy to get the male of the species, or the some females for that matter, to wear. I could see no reason why they were all dressed so similarly, it is a busy bus stop and a busy bus.

I had a fleeting sense of joy as they all rushed by me. If they were flamingos, I would have thought they had all scored a nice shrimp bounty!

I took a count on my own bus, and found that periwinkle blue was the polo shirt of the day, with five total on the bus.

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 Maggotiest Thing I Saw Today: Monster Challenge!

My friend James, who sadly moved to Boston but is still rad, came up with a doozy of a monster for our pleasure.

The Maggot Farmer:James writes: The story is that he was a bad man who stole a pig and was sent to prison. The authorities killed the pig and threw it in his jail cell, where they left him alone to rot. After 3 moons past he managed to escape, but only after eating the pig, skin, guts and all.... and whatever came out of it. Now he has a taste for awful, and his body is starting to change.

This is amazing and totally creepy, James! Great work!

James asked if I could make out the facial features, I think I can and I think I am uncomfortable with the way he is looking at me.

Anyone else up for a challenge? It is a hazy shade of winter in Minneapolis today, I encourage you to take 5 min and create some magic- but do not eat any maggots!

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 Frostiest thing I saw today: Monster Challenge!

This is the first of 2 new contributions to the Monster Challenge! Hooray!

Sarah describes how here monster came to here:

Attached is a sketch of a monster that I saw the shape of in some frost on the inside of a car window. He's kind of messy since I had to draw quickly before the window defrosters melted him! Really, I saw this shape and I thought, that kind of looks like a face, a kind of creepy but cute monster face. He doesn't have much of a story beyond that, but maybe he will become a character in some future drawings or something.


And people wonder how we can live with the winter! There is so much beauty and inspiration in all of the seasons.

Great work Sarah! I encourage you to visit her blog to see how she is so creative in so many ways.

I have another entry to post tomorrow! Please come back to check that out. Also, if you have a Monster waiting for you to create and to contribute, I encourage you to do so!