Funeral art.
R.I.P. Marty the Fish.

You need to see this: rabid shot-putter that looked like Valentino Rossi's offspring.

It is with heavy heart that I report the news Marty the Fish has passed.

The nieces were inconsolable, I'm told.

My cousin at his track meet, holding the tape to measure shotput launches. He's 15 years old, 6' 3" and still growing. Today he will be subjected to a public cermeony celerating his ascension to Eagle Scout status (we're bringing the coffee--Peet's!).

Well done, Dylan.

When buying this computer last year, the Apple Corp. felt so good about the transaction they offered me a free printer. I selected the Epson Stylus NX420 all-in-one. The appeal was the promise of wi-fi printing and scanning--how cool would that be, I thought.

Well it is cool!

Just set it up today (hey, it only took 9 months), and so far it works fine. Again, I genuflect before the miracle of technology.....

Went to my cousins' track meet yesterday. One is a senior and this was her last home meet before graduating. Did some drawing, but the wind (and chill) were fierce, and this dried up two Muji brushpens in very short order.

Dang, because there were a lot of fun faces to draw.

By the way, regarding that Blues Brothers 2000 movie, here's a definitive assessment by Duncan Shepherd, best movie reviewer in the nation for the past 20 years, (retired just a few months ago from the San Diego Reader).

I'm racking my brain trying to figure if anyone I know personally has seen the Blues Brothers 2000 movie.

Maybe it was great. Maybe they used Jim Belushi in a very meta way, as a way to meditate on brotherhood, friendship, death and simulacrum.

Maybe.

(I'm thinking Bryan Black might be the only one) 
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UPDATE: Jim Belushi wasn't even in the movie! It was John Goodman!

 CLICK HERE to see this image grafted into my mock E.C. Horror cover, TALES from the CORK!

This image came about as a "tribute" drawing for my friend Scott Benefield--he does a comic strip called "CORK" that I really enjoy. My inspiration comes from Jack Davis (sadly, no relation), who was the master of the Horror comic book cover. He did the best of the old E.C. Comics like "Tales from the Crypt"...and also many of the early Mad Magazines (and a great Mad knock-off called...Yak Yak?). When I do comic-type work, my style naturally veers this way (could it be the genes?), so a task like this was a good fit. And loads of fun. I really enjoyed doing it.

Now people want me to do a comic story to go along with it--with work as slow as it is, I just might!

Another glimpse at the near-completed Cork tribute: Grannie Goodson. I should have the final up today, but right now I've gotta get to LAX to pick up my real Grannie (corn-cob pipe not included).

Almost missed a day. Been volunteering at a car show in San Diego. Car shows are funny: most of the people are nice, and an appreciable percentage are terrific and very interesting...but overall I feel like a fish out of water. It's sort of like the craziness of college admissions: people know an unbelievable amount about their car, but the knowledge comes across like they're announcing a 1600 on their SAT's. Where's the love in that? Where's the passion? People seem passionate about...their own success.
Still, the sight and sound of a 1930 Isotta Fraschini roadster is pretty cool!

Nothing too funny about this one.

Got new stuff in the pipeline.

Ran this morning and for the first time ever, I got a bloody nipple.

Wasn't that an 80's soundscape band, My Bloody Nipple?

(Peet gave me My Bloody Valentine's "To Here Knows When" and it is the only song in my iPod that Blair refuses to listen to--but it's one of my faves!)

Crowd-sourced.

Strange neighbor girl (no older than 4) accosted Blair yesterday and demanded to know if she had "any babies."
"No, we don't." Blair answered.
"Why--are they dead?" Girl asked without missing a beat.
"Uh, no...."
Brother (age five?) rode up on his bike and said, "You can buy a kid," as sister asks, "You got a boyfriend?"
Can buy a kid??"Uh, no, I have a husband--"
"--Where is he--he leave you?" The little girl spoke in a hard-bitten baby-talk.
"He's working. I'm going to close the garage door now...."
Brother chimes in, "You can buy me."
"Bye kids!"
Garage door closes.

Orange County...sigh.

Also, I have to share this. My work-in-progress attempt at a Tales from the Crypt-style Jack Davis cover. Click HERE to see the whole B&W image. Working on adding color now, (which has me totally flummoxed...).