11/15/05 Ever tried to sell a gas-guzzling big truck during a flat economy? Ugh. The Triumph Thruxston is looking farther away. Must be a sign. 11/10/05 Brad Steward, a good man from up Oregon way, has a hidden blog on the Bonfire site. Click on the stack of books. It's a good read. The George Plimpton Project. Honestly, I don't think this idea is very far off at all. Human Upgrades. My thanks go out to Brian Gibb of Art Prostitute for bidding on, and winning, the breast mold I painted for Keep-a-Breast. The funny part is that he started the bidding to get it going (I think he felt bad for me) and, as it turned out, noone else bid, so he unexpectedly won with the minimum bid! But, he assures me he was stoked with the win... Thanks, Brian. Lots of new paintings in the works. One of them, "Item 0022" is done and on the front page today. Pretty happy with the results on this set so far. 11/10/05 Inspiration has come in the form of Chinese artist, Li Wei, thanks to a url recommendation from Porous Walker. 11/8/05 Went to vote. After hitting up our two usual polling places and finding them both closed, we realized it wasn't going to be easy. Polling place #3 turned out to be out of our district — by a block. But we received the information only after extensively questioning the pollsters who were sleep walking. Ghost faces. On to polling place #4, which happened to be a little church two houses down from our old house. Meeting place for the local AA and NA. We parked, went in and noticed these people were also asleep and there was a substancial line. Joe, our man at the provisional ballot table was in what looked to be an alzhiemers daze. So Sally kept slipping over to help him without aknowledging his manner whatsoever. It was comical. After thirty minutes of standing, listening, asking and signing, we each spent less than 30 seconds in the booth punching the card then got our "I Voted" stickers and left, giggling like kids in the parking lot. Then Kelley reminded me that 10 years ago we would've been pissed. True. Try caffinated coffee, Joe, and put the cigarette down, it'll help, I promise. 11/8/05 Porous will not stop. "After drawing the 'Cannonball' I became inspired to come up with and draw 11 more MX jumps... here's one of them. This jump can be pulled off in the parking lot, you on bike, Larson shot from cannon, Mueller taking photos, and Bob K brought in as a special MC." Keep them comin', Mr. Walker. 11/7/05 Whoa. Delonge's breast cast ended up going for over EIGHT GRAND. I think it's safe to say that's a lot more than any "skartist" is going to draw. Crazy world — good for the foundation, though. 11/7/05 Fuck it. I'll keep going. Perhaps in a attempt at grasping the seemingly ever-illusive inspiration, I watched two interesting documentaries this weekend; one on Joe Coleman (Rest in Pieces) and the other on Henry Darger (In the Realms of the Unreal). Both men seem to deal with similar neurosis, but their artistic lives and work couldn't be much different. Both worth watching for the insight alone, as is Downtown 81, a piece of fiction starring Jean Michel Basquiat. It chronicles the hipster downtown Manhattan of the very early 80s — the scene Basquiat thrived in. It's fascinating to watch him move and write Samo© graffiti — probably because he's dead now and you wonder... just what would he be creating if he were still alive? Would he be as celebrated? It's sad but somehow glorious at the same time. Young forever, and again, quite the opposite of Henry Darger who lived a very long life of creating in complete anonymity. The juxtaposition of these three films will keep you reeling for a while. Film festival this weekend. Go. Porous had a freestyle motocross (FMX) epiphany and thought he would share it with me and so, I share it with you. It's called "The Cannonball," of course. There are still breast molds left to bid on at Keep-a-Breast. It's good to see a lot of the molds have sold. I wasn't too surprised that one mold with super-high bidding action happened to be created by a pop star — over $5000 with a couple hours left. Wow. 11/4/05 I'm beginning to realize I write this scroll because I don't talk to many adults during the course of my day. There's the normal work day which involves some chit-chat with co-workers, but rarely do I find myself in any sort of meaningful conversation. Probably because I don't leave my office except to get lunch, pee or go to meetings. This thing must be some sort of feeble attempt at communication. I think email has severed my social life. Here's a set of back and forth emails with a friend from yesterday... I never hit "send" on the last one. Me: "How do you get inspired?" Friend: "Spend time with people. I'm serious. I can't believe how possible it makes it all seem." Me: "Damn. Is that what I have to do? Who do I hang out with? I feel so distance from most everyone. I feel more like riding a motorcycle straight east to just experience it. Take nothing with me but a jacket. I really miss ***** and ******. I get to see you most days, but I feel like a miss you too. Damn, I'm so fucking retarded. I think I'm smart, but I'm such a child. So naive. I get myself mired in self and then wonder how to get out of it. I KNOW HOW. But I just can't. I haven't always felt like this. I think some of it stems from how different my life is from most everyone here. There's barely anyone else with a family here. Children. I don't have that freedom to just drop all and go. Get loaded and laugh. Cry. Play fucked up, noisy music. Break shit. (well, I could probably play fucked up, noisy music) And it's not that I really want to do those things... I want to do things with my friends and their kids. But none of my friends have kids. Except ******* and he's a million miles away. Lately I feel like I've been too self-centered... maybe it's the depression that causes that. Or painting/writing. I want to spend as much time with Emmet as I can — without smothering him, of course. His life is my focus. But, when I'm not around him, I feel sort of lost. And since he's 9 and not 41, I don't have that adult interaction I need. Strange predicament. Kelley and I spend most of our free time talking business — family as business. The money, the strategy, the child rearing. There are two things as I see it. If I'm a train car, I'm riding off the rails — need to get back on. But once I'm on the rails, where in hell are they leading? Maybe that's just a bad metaphor. Yeah, bad metaphor. More than I need to put in an email or that you need to hear. I baited you into this didn't I? I'm not as fucked up as I sound. Really. This is simply the plight (too strong a word... how about "trials"?) of a middle-aged, middle-class, American male. I gotta go eat. It's the routine, you know." I should probably erase that and start this post over. Nah, fuck it. Please, no sympathy... we're all in the shit together (see; "No Matter," 11/3/05). 11/3/05 I think this is the best thing I've ever written and maybe a good enough reason to stop writing altogether. NO MATTER We try so hard to stay clean, organized, one step ahead of the animal kingdom. No matter. There are still stains on the mattress and spiders in the corner. 11/3/05 Restless Legs Syndrome. RLS. I had no idea such a thing existed until I witnessed a television commercial for a drug that helps alleviate the condition. The syndrome has been tagged, researched and a drug has been found, or created, to help. Amazing. I have this thing, where, when I close my eyelids, deep scarlet shadows dance before my eyes, punctuated by bright solar spots which eventually streak and fade. The sound track is always a consistent humming or drone in dual tones, one high and one low. What is this condition called? Can a brother get a drug? Identify ailment. Label said ailment. Research it with study groups and anecdotal evidence. Create a drug (or rename an existing one). Market the feel good qualities and quality of living aspect of the product. Make a lot of money off dull, puffy, protected sorts. Use cash to buy home(s) as far away from these people as possible. Email Subject Line of the Day; "Fabulous hand blown Pyrex glass dildos" Drugs and dildos. Sigh. They take peoples minds off this; World-o-Meters. 11/2/05 I think I remember when the words stopped coming. This afternoon, I walked to the drive-thru dairy and I had a flashback to a piece I'd written about a trip to the very same dairy — about two years ago. It had something to do with a car smashing into me and a mushy apple. And maybe my dead uncle Jim. It was right after that piece, I think, that the words stopped. 11/2/05 I think I have a crush on Sarah Vowell. Ah, and Amy Sedaris... but maybe I already mentioned that? Check "The Others," on occasion. I've been adding links. 10/31/05 I forgot to mention a couple of pieces I have given away as donations for good causes; A breast mold on eBay for Keep-a-Breast, and a painting (Mandala #3) over at Killer of Giants for a hurricane Katrina relief fund. Thanks to Shaney Jo and Angela for including me in these. 10/31/05 I did a small 8"x10" piece for the "Fun With Dead Bodies" (exquisite corpse) show that started last week at Rotofugi in Chicago, and was lucky enough to be next to an artist whose work I really like, Jordin Isip... it's uncanny how well our two pieces (above) went together — in both color and shape (keep in mind, neither of us knew what the other was doing but for a couple if line indications). Thanks to eThos for inviting me into the show. The 8"x10" format intrigued me enough that I've started a few more paintings in that size. I'll post them as I finish. I'll also be posting the 24"x24" paintings I got back from "Pieces of Sheet" last week. Porous sent me another idea for breaking the monotony; "Andy, it occurred to me that you probably have a TV a DVD player where you work? You should rent Annie and play it in your office with the door locked and volume turned up real loud, over and over, all the while you could just wear headphones and work without even hearing the sounds of Little Orphan Annie..." 10/28/05 Props to Larson for speaking what a lot of us are probably thinking. Check out his blog on Agents. Time to get back to something real, people. My favorite author is Charles Bukowski. He wrote a great book called Factotum which has, apparently, been made into a film. Please let it hold up, please do the passed giant justice. Thinkmule. Good name, good stuff. 10/27/05 Made a headless skateboarder costume for Emmet. Maybe I'll post a photo after the big night. The Ministry of Reshelving is a great idea. Coulda done without the cute photo, though. Brings the whole concept down somehow. Aesthetically speaking, I believe McSweeneys would have done the idea more justice. Does everyone have a cousin or other family member that forwards them every "cute" or "funny LOL" email you can imagine? I do. And not just one at a time, either. Congratulations to Johannes and Petita for the arrival of their new baby girl, Olive. She's a tough one according to Hannes, "little Olive did amazing: the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck so tight that it snapped on the way out." That's what I like to hear. I wish you guys all the best in familydom and living in general. Oddity; women who walk in heels and are self-conscious about the clacking sound their shoes make on hard surfaces. 10/26/05 Monday I asked folks for ideas on how to break a somewhat stifling routine. Well, Porous Walker sent me a great one. Thanks, Porous. "You could bring a bunch of different clothes to work in a duffle bag, and every half an hour change your outfit and make it a point to walk through the offices after the change, do not respond if someone steps up to ask, if or what you are changing clothes for... then, at the end of the day, after you have tied all of the articles of clothing that you have worn that day into a "prison escape bedsheet style rope," repel off the roof of the building, get into your for sale truck and drive away. "Or maybe you could bring everyone you work with a small gift all wrapped up nice and attached to the gift you could have 1 item from your upcoming Christmas list." By the way, I just let all my pet peeves go. If you run across any of them, just crush them under your shoe. 10/24/05 Still working on a couple things from that list last week. Damn. Couple people to apologize to here... Never got Edith a piece for her show, Can't Get No Satisfaction. I just didn't have it in me. I hit a wall. I imploded. Sorry Edith. I screwed up the dates on "Playing With Dead Bodies" show. Got my piece to them the day after the opening. Forgot to even take a picture of it. Apologies Ethos. I did manage to pick up my pieces from the Lab — about 15 minutes before they were to put them on the street (apologies for the stress, Freddie). Sold two of them. If I get my thumb out of my ass, I'll put the others up for sale on Bend within the week. I do, however, have Mandala #2 for sale right now (it's sister painting, #1, sold at the Upper Playground show in SF earlier this year). Routine is slowly killing me. Need to divert. Send me some ideas. 10/20/05 I've marked 3.5 things off the list. Not good enough. Never good enough. Someday I'll beat this problem... but not today, I guess. Heading home after lunch to watch Emmet. He's sick. I'll be in the studio painting while the boy cuddles under blankets. Looking to ride some moto this weekend. Anyone? The feeling I'm most looking forward to is twisting the throttle out of a nice, loamy and sweeping left-hand turn. Go Astros! 10/19/05 Extra things to do before this weekend; > Put a poly coat on the breast mold and take it to the Lab101. > Pick up Pieces of Sheet show at the Lab101. > Grind Edith Abeyta's wooden gun into sawdust. Take to gallery. > Finish Chirp illustration for the Skate Mag. Due yesterday. > Finish & FedEx painting for Playing With Dead Bodies show. > Get Ryan more comps of Team Solitaire graphics. > Green Dot needs mo better ideas. ASAP. > Put For Sale sign in truck. > Pay bills. > Nap. My friends Bill and McGoo over at Universal / Revolution / SNAFU have a great idea. El Diablo Run, 2006. 10/18/05 Big 20% off sale — I mean, a "fan appreciation sale" — over at the Angels merch site. "I still feel like a bone is sticking out of my arm. I'm still in shock — that is the best way to look at it." —Darin Erstad 10/17/05 Here's an interesting way to disseminate your conspiracy theories... this came from our local carpet cleaners in the mail. I guess if I am "drug-euphoric" I should probably use these guys to clean my rugs. 10/17/05 Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim), 2005 season, RIP. 10/14/05 Had to take the day off from all activities yesterday after that completely jacked call by the umps. Middle of the ninth, 2 outs, 3rd strike?! In the dirt, my ass. Maybe I shouldn't have even mentioned A.J. Pierzynski the other day... good actor, that guy. Sure fooled the dumb guy in back. I do, however, agree with Bud Selig's view on instant replays. Tonight we're in the Big A, people. Game 3. Don't hold back. While we're on baseball (sorry), you've got to give one of my favorite artists a look... Lee Walton is truly amazing — too bad he's a NL fan (had to get that jab in there, Lee). 10/12/05 After a game in the rain, a sick starting pitcher, a parked Cy Young possible, and two red-eye flights across country, the Halos take Chicago in game one. Way to go, Byrd and boys. Note; A.J. Pierzynski seems like a real friendly dude, eh? 10/11/05 Probably a pretty quiet plane ride back to New York this morning. I gotta give Robinson Cano props, though. That kid's the real deal. I won't even mention the other rookie, Santana — my pick for AL Rookie of the Year. I guess The Angels start taking care of Chicago tonight. And call me nuts, but I'm giving Houston the nod in the NL. BTW, I haven't abandoned MX. The season is just over and here's the deal — Ricky Carmichael is unbeatable. 2005 tells the story; 250 World SX Champ, AMA 250 US SX champ, AMA 250 US MX champ (undefeated season), winner and team captain for the winning Team USA at the Motocross of Nations in Ernee, France, and, to top the year off, he won the big money ($100,000) US Open in Vegas last weekend (and he was sick). He is sick. Inspiring human being. 10/10/05 Did I mention that The Art Dump dotcom was up? I think I did. We've been updating it and the Blog is in full effect. People should have mute buttons. So the Halos blew it against the Yanks last night. Just one bum throw to home (we love you anyway, Figgy) and Shields giving away a couple hits, did us in. Vladdy's gotta wake up his big bat. As usual, we pray for hits to back up the killer pitching staff. Big Bart Colon should be nice and rested up for tonight... gotta do it, the White Sox await us. Any of you LA based wanna-be baseballers should head to San Pedro on Sunday afternoons. The SP Skatepark folks have been putting together impromptu games up at Bogdonavich (Friendship) Park. I'll be at the next one for sure — I'm trying to convince Crailtap to put together a team... Pieces of Sheet is up for one more week at the Lab101. 10/7/05 Mike Daily moved to Portland a few years back and found himself somewhere in the rain and snow and books... rapid literary and pop reference delivery. One esoteric motherfucker. It's (mp3) got some energy for sure. 10/6/05 Angels knocked the Yankees into the dirt last night. We head to New York to go against Randy Johnson tomorrow night. Any baseball fans out there? I guess so. Just got this link from Red Sox fan, Matt LeVeque. 10/5/05 I dreamed that I had to kill a huge giant (is that redundant? I mean, there are smaller giants, right — like 8'ers? The one I am referring to here was massive, like, 40 feet tall). He was sitting sleepily by a riverside, pretty much ignoring all the commotion around him. Not too sure why I was assigned the task of taking him down, or even why he had to be taken down. He did look sort of menacing, but tired. He may have been injured. Just sharing. Still one wooden doll left. 10/4/05 Two of the wooden dolls have sold — the one on the left is the last one. I selling my Ford F250 SuperHog truck. Any one interested? I'm replacing it with one of these.... Then I may head up to Vancouver for a ride with McCrank and Lori D. 10/3/05 The newest Chirp illustration for The Skate Mag. This is some dirty ass, stripped down, reggae/ska/funky juice. Aggrolites. Spent much of the weekend in a slumped haze after watching "Bully" by Larry Clark (I know, I'm way behind on this one). Ugh. But, I must admit, after a while, I had an opposite reaction and wanted to do good things for the rest of my life and treat people nicely. And never live in Florida. 10/2/05 Back at it, I guess. If you're interested in buying one of my last 3 Wooden OG Dolls, go here. Or, I believe Freddie at the Lab101 still has a couple for sale as well. We got the Art Dump site up. Thanks much to Mueller and Chris Waycott for getting it ready to go. Look for tweaks and fixes along the way. Also, I'll be blogging on it pretty regularly. Thanks to everyone for supporting Bend and letting me know you care about updates. I'll keep them coming... VISIT "OLD NEW NOWS" #1 / #2 / #3 / Write All words/images ©2005 Bend Press and Andy Jenkins All Rights Reserved