One More Time

Have a fantastic weekend, everyone.

xo.

A Certain Romance

Jamie Rich has just revealed on his blog a kind of time capsule of some old things we'd sketched together, my drawings, his words... way back from 2001:

While digging through an old back-up disc today, I found a long-forgotten project that never quite happened. The basic gist of it is, back in 2001, Christine Norrie was posting sketches to her website. If I recall, it was on a daily basis. Somewhere along the way, one of us had the notion that I would answer these sketches with sketches of my own. The process was simple: I would look at her drawings and write whatever came to mind. Short, to the point, just whatever they inspired.

He's posted as much of the art as he could find, which is a pretty great thing since I don't have an record of that work is, including his original poetry from the exercise. It's amusing and somewhat embarrassing to see one's humble beginnings. Often, you're either struck by the amateur ignorance (I could do so much better now!), but at least admire the courage it takes to put your full heart on paper (I could never do better as then!).

Jamie's also added as a funny supplement, some of the original doodles I'd mail him when I turned in (often very late) my artwork for the Hopeless Savages series. A running joke of Jamie depicted as a dog. I do recall that I'd tease him about being a hound because if I recall, he often seems to be mixed up with the ladies! Ah, my friend, some things just don't change.

Hop over to Confessions 1 2 3 to reminisce what could have been!

comicky portraits

Remember way back in April when I was one of five speakers on the panel discussion Publishing Graphic Narratives for The Women’s National Book Association and Friends of Lulu? And, you totally went to it and was in awe of Jessica Abel, Judy Hansen, Charlie Kochman, and Dan Nadel... but, somewhat confused by my own silly antics?

Well, the amazing T. Motley not only was there, but he did some sketches of us! Brilliant! I think we should have more of our press done via ink illustrations as opposed to camera... I love it love it love it.


[click HERE to view larger]

Do the Hustle!

Dance is part of rehabilitation at Philippine prison
--International Herald Tribune

In 2004, as a security consultant to the provincial government (his older sister, Gwendolyn Garcia, is governor), he was brought in to address problems at the prison after a series of riots. He recommended that the almost 2,000 prisoners be moved from an ancient stockade, which had been built with a 200-prisoner capacity in mind by the Spanish, whose colonial rule ended in 1898. The prisoners were transferred to a new, larger facility.

Garcia also fired dozens of jail guards for corruption, installed an enhanced security system, broke up gangs, banned guns and the use of cash (opening bank accounts for inmates) and enforced an exercise regime that in the past year evolved into dance classes.

Garcia said that what had been weekly outbreaks of violence have subsided, inmates' health has improved and recidivism rates are down dramatically.

Dance "gives the inmates something to do, something they can be proud they're part of," Diokno said. "It lets them know that they can be productive, that they aren't useless scum of society. This is rehabilitation already."

Send in the clowns...

What is divine intervention? What is coincidence and what is karma? What is it when you are confronted with what seems remarkably more than just a random occurrence in your life? I'm not religious and do not enjoy speculating over matters beyond my control, so I don't know the answers to this. But, what I do know is that when strange things happen, I embrace them to the fullest degree!

Over the past couple days, I've been deeply troubled by some personal matters. It's one of those situations where you are pretty sure there's not going to be a happy outcome, so you must find some way to be delicate about painful and sorrowful issues. I'm fine, it's just one of those things.

Yesterday, I'd finally grown weary of chewing over my dilemma and decided to pick up my young daughter from summer camp and we'd go to The Central Park Zoo as a cheer-up. About five minutes into our ride uptown, the train makes it's scheduled stop at 28th Street and about twenty clowns board our car. Clowns with bright wigs, full make-up, big floppy shoes, billowy pants, and giant red noses.

My first reaction was of panic, having been traumatized by the violence of The Dark Knight. But then my daughter smiled. The clowns were silly. They honked their noses. They gave us stickers and a balloon fashioned into a dog. They made us laugh. Wonderfully moved by this sudden circus in our midst, I asked where they'd come from. One of the girl clowns tilted her head and looked up wistfully and said in a sweet voice, "We just got back from Wall Street. Those guys are so sad and we decided to cheer them up."

I've never been much entertained by clowns, but this was pretty amazing. And, if this is performance art, it's the best thing I've ever witnessed. Wherever this troupe went, people were amused and a part of their day became extraordinary. I know ours was.

Young Folks

You guys know SuperForest, right? Well, it's only about my favorite blog! The members, based all over the world, post daily items as a catalogue of sustainable achievements, not just in the jaw-dropping arena of science and forward-thinking philosophies, but in the everyday human feats of goofiness and joy.

A couple weeks ago, founding SuperForester Jackson had posted a bunch of youtube clips of his favorite whistling tunes. Feeling inspired by it, and the amazing and thought-provoking dinner I had with him on Tuesday, I've ganked his post to share here for Dance Party Friday-- SUPERFOREST: Whistling Songs!

As well as two additional variations on the song Young Folks. A collaboration and a remix. Because, that's what I feel when I am within SuperForest, an incredible creative hive of collab/remix of diverse ideas based in honesty, peace, and sustainable behavior. That is cool! And sexy! And fun! How lucky are we to have SuperForest? So very.



Peter Bjorn & John


Peter Bjorn & John & Kanye


Peter Bjorn & John & Mike D & MCA & King Ad-Rock

Some Kind of Love

Norma Jeane, 9x12 grey marker and sumi brushpen sketch

Here's a warm-up sketch I did last night before settling into a few hours of work. I think I'd mentioned before that Marilyn Monroe is very difficult for me to draw, so I like to take up the task as a challenge every now and again.

Perhaps I've also had this type of bombshell visual on my mind because I just spent the last two weeks watching the first season of the spectacular series Mad Men. I've never been so delighted and saddened in all my life! If you haven't seen it, and you like the things you see on this blog, I strongly recommend it. And, if you happen to have AMC, can I please move in with you for Season Two?

Though, further back in the month, Marilyn may also have been on my mind after reading The Misfit's Bobby Steele write recently in The Villager on why 'Die Yuppie Scum' is hate speech.

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Now playing: The Misfits - Some Kind Of Love
via FoxyTunes

Picnic in the Summertime

We're trippin' on the 90s here at Casa Spookoo... could be my cold/flu in the summertime or the fact that Cat and I went to the Angelika last week and caught The Wackness. A coming-of-age film set against the backdrop of 1994 New York (though the film-makers really only make that awkwardly apparent in the first thirty minutes) about a boy, the hot girl he digs, the hot girl's stepfather who buys weed from the dope-dealing boy, and his mixtapes.

The soundtrack kicked in a kind of rewind of the mind and I was recalling 1994 St. Louis, my apartment behind The Hi-Pointe and Theatre, and my black Honda Civic Hatchback (SI engine) constantly playing Deee-Lite's Dewdrops in the Garden. Having hit my twenties, I no longer belonged to any single scene or clique, I floated along with them all. An afternoon with the punkabillies at Hullabaloo, then up to Chicago with the ravers, or at home chilling with my mutton-chopped hip-hop-centric boyfriend.

I'm still a social floater and I love it. Getting to meet and know all kinds of different folk, getting the opportunity to do diverse things! Me and you! Do something new! Let the silly nostalgic clips inspire and have a great weekend!


Can I kick it? (Yes, you can!)