Sunday, October 31, 2010
Magnum Opus
So, in response to DK's pumpkin carving challenge, I spent all afternoon working to put pay to my very ambitious jack-o-lantern designs. Because I spent all day yesterday working up these designs, I'd like to walk you through them.
First, I began with the idea of carving Skinn's face into a pumpkin, only with a Fu Manchu mustache, arched eyebrows, and and a sharp collar, a la Ming the Merciless:
The inspiration, however, proved too difficult to put into action and I quickly lost interest.
After about an hour of rest and 4 mini Almond Joys, I got ambitious again, and thought I'd carve the Notorious M. N. T. (Monty) humping a teddy bear. Again, it meant taking a picture, turning it into black and white, saturating it for high contrast and scaling it to fit my big-ass pumpkin.
I thought it would be simple: just draw Monty's silhouette as I would a hissing black cat. The problem was in trying to draw the outline of a identifiable plush toy. By this point it was 11 pm and I decided my plans were, again, overly ambitious.
After a bit of web surfing, I happened upon these awesome jack-o-lantern templates:
and
Which got me to thinking: Which 1980s icon would I want carved into a pumpkin? The answer, at least for me was obvious:
I realize this is no less ambitious than the previous ideas, but I knew this was the idea I had been waiting for. So this afternoon, I got to it. Two hours, a sliced finger, several framing needles, some tooth floss, and much frustration later, I managed to produce this:
I'm not thrilled, but it isn't horrible. What do you think?
I'll post pictures of it with a candle after dark.
Update:
First, I began with the idea of carving Skinn's face into a pumpkin, only with a Fu Manchu mustache, arched eyebrows, and and a sharp collar, a la Ming the Merciless:
The inspiration, however, proved too difficult to put into action and I quickly lost interest.
After about an hour of rest and 4 mini Almond Joys, I got ambitious again, and thought I'd carve the Notorious M. N. T. (Monty) humping a teddy bear. Again, it meant taking a picture, turning it into black and white, saturating it for high contrast and scaling it to fit my big-ass pumpkin.
I thought it would be simple: just draw Monty's silhouette as I would a hissing black cat. The problem was in trying to draw the outline of a identifiable plush toy. By this point it was 11 pm and I decided my plans were, again, overly ambitious.
After a bit of web surfing, I happened upon these awesome jack-o-lantern templates:
Which got me to thinking: Which 1980s icon would I want carved into a pumpkin? The answer, at least for me was obvious:
I realize this is no less ambitious than the previous ideas, but I knew this was the idea I had been waiting for. So this afternoon, I got to it. Two hours, a sliced finger, several framing needles, some tooth floss, and much frustration later, I managed to produce this:
I'm not thrilled, but it isn't horrible. What do you think?
I'll post pictures of it with a candle after dark.
Update:
Friday, October 29, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Yeah, That Pretty Much Sums It Up
Money quote, "Oh my God. I am tempted to throw you out of my office...that I share with four other professors."
Saturday, October 23, 2010
And They Call it Puppy Love
My good friend DK, who manages the blog D's Unfinished Business, never ceases to amuse her readers with stories of her dog, Montoya, and his lust for life. While I know blogs are best when you know the author, I strongly encourage all fans of the WCFC to drop in on her every now and then to find out what it is like to live in Canada's sexiest city ("The 'Twa"), around the corner from a shop called Serious Cheese, with a dog that does this:
He's a lover, what else do expect him to do when introduced to a pillow pet?
He's a lover, what else do expect him to do when introduced to a pillow pet?
And She Shall Be Named Elspeth
Welcome to this incarnation, little girl! I'm really looking forward to seeing you grow.
Congratulations Skinn and Melissa!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Let's See...
- I'd like to publicly acknowledge the University of Mississippi student, Jon Mosby, for his cogent and well-reasoned article, "Let's get real about Colonel Rebel" which can be found in the Thursday edition of The Daily Mississippian. It is not often that a smart, logically developed, spell-checked editorial makes the paper, but when it does it deserves our attention. Well done, Jon!
- I'm a fan of the Rebel Black Bear on Facebook. His updates are cute, but this one made me grin,
On the way to Fayetteville. Stopped at what I think qualifies as a gas station. Had some hog fan ask me if I knew it was bear season. I said "No, but did you know it was redneck season?" He drove off.
Classic bear humor.
- Juan Williams has the right to say what he pleases. Equally, NPR has a right to dismiss an employee it does not think represents its better interests. Also, Juan Williams sucks.
- Apropos of the last bullet point: It is high time Tea Party leaders--I'm looking at you Sarah Palin and Christine O'Donnell--READ THE BILL OF RIGHTS! In the unlikely event that they happen to click on this website, I've decided to make it easy for them by linking to it (Psst, Sarah, I encourage you to start at the beginning rather than skip ahead to the one you like the best).
- Temperatures around 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit are much better than those in the 90-110s. More so if you aren't cooking.
- David Brooks sucks. Even more than Juan Williams. And, frankly, I think he is more full of malarkey.
- Best line from last night's 30 Rock: Tracy, filming a commercial for the Boys and Girls Club; "CUT! I have an erection. I think it was the skateboard."
- Second best line from last night's 30 Rock: Liz on her 9 year old self's new haircut: "Everyone thought it was the Dorothy Hamel, but it was actually the Pete Rose."
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
WCFC Weekly Affirmations
The campaign to keep it posi is going strong, and I definitely feel like the funk has lifted. I'm only a contract away from a very awesome opportunity that I will announce soon. (Although many of you know what I'm referring to, I'm gonna remain coy until all things are absolute). The weather is getting cooler and I'm loving it. Also, I had a danish for breakfast and it was TASTE-Y!
So, in keeping with Jessica's Affirmations, I offer you a brief list of the things I love (today):
This song by Tom Waits:
The book I'm reading right now:
My Matilda (a.k.a. Gorilla):
My Pepper:
My Paul:
(that's not actually him, it's a stock photo called "Sad Boy", but I just spent several minutes laughing and couldn't resist using it in lieu of an actually picture of my fella).
So, in keeping with Jessica's Affirmations, I offer you a brief list of the things I love (today):
This song by Tom Waits:
The book I'm reading right now:
My Matilda (a.k.a. Gorilla):
My Pepper:
My Paul:
The Late, Great Master of Illustration, Edward Gorey:
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Thanks, Sweet Pickles
for reminding me how much I love this song:
(the video is a little off)
Check out Sweet Pickles' blog for the chance to re-acquaint yourself with Keith Sweat's School of Horny Jamz (a.k.a., "New Jack Swing!"). I can't say I'm a fan of the genre, but I'm delighted by how excited Sweet Pickles gets when he hears "Rub You the Wrong Way."
(the video is a little off)
Check out Sweet Pickles' blog for the chance to re-acquaint yourself with Keith Sweat's School of Horny Jamz (a.k.a., "New Jack Swing!"). I can't say I'm a fan of the genre, but I'm delighted by how excited Sweet Pickles gets when he hears "Rub You the Wrong Way."
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Records I Wish I Still Had
Whitney Houston's Whitney Houston
Remember this young, beautiful vivacious woman? This was before she evolved into one of the more tragic divas of the 20th century. I expect she's still alive sitting in an abandoned mansion somewhere near Hollywood "waiting for her close up, Mr. Deville." Poor, poor Whitney. Lucky for her someone could see she was a beauty for the ages and despite the big bow in her hair and blue eye shadow, in this video she is timeless.
Sade's Promise
Another amazing beauty with a voice to match, only Sade is very different from Whitney. Have you seen pictures of her recently? She looks exactly as she did in 1985 when her band released this album. Most people know "Smooth Operator"--which I love--but the track I miss is "Is It A Crime?"
(By the way, the crime, Sade, is not that you still have feelings for a jerk; this happens to the best of us. The crime is that bolo tie he's wearing.)
Howard Jones' Human's Lib
My younger sister had a huge crush on Howard Jones, so she had all of his albums through the 80s (that's 4, for those who doubt his talent). He's a synthesizer master, and his songs are perfect for doing dull things to, like your chores.
A-ha's Scoundrel Days
Morton asks, "how can I sleep with your voice in my head/ with an ocean between us and room in my bed?" and I swoon. Does it to me every time. It makes me incredibly sad that a-ha are retiring for good this year and I will never see them live.
Sting's Dream of the Blue Turtles
This song made me really doubt that Reagan loved his children. I'm a huge fan of The Police, and I know it is the standard line to dislike Sting's solo work, but I really like this whole album.
Bryan Adams' Cuts Like a Knife
Now you KNOW I get bent out of shape when an artist or its label disables the embed option on a classic video, and normally I make a point of saying, "Funk that" in defiance. But this song is so great and this video so clearly shows why a fifth grade girl might once have thought Bryan Adams awesome that I have to give in. So here is the link. Enjoy.
Remember this young, beautiful vivacious woman? This was before she evolved into one of the more tragic divas of the 20th century. I expect she's still alive sitting in an abandoned mansion somewhere near Hollywood "waiting for her close up, Mr. Deville." Poor, poor Whitney. Lucky for her someone could see she was a beauty for the ages and despite the big bow in her hair and blue eye shadow, in this video she is timeless.
Sade's Promise
Another amazing beauty with a voice to match, only Sade is very different from Whitney. Have you seen pictures of her recently? She looks exactly as she did in 1985 when her band released this album. Most people know "Smooth Operator"--which I love--but the track I miss is "Is It A Crime?"
(By the way, the crime, Sade, is not that you still have feelings for a jerk; this happens to the best of us. The crime is that bolo tie he's wearing.)
Howard Jones' Human's Lib
My younger sister had a huge crush on Howard Jones, so she had all of his albums through the 80s (that's 4, for those who doubt his talent). He's a synthesizer master, and his songs are perfect for doing dull things to, like your chores.
A-ha's Scoundrel Days
Morton asks, "how can I sleep with your voice in my head/ with an ocean between us and room in my bed?" and I swoon. Does it to me every time. It makes me incredibly sad that a-ha are retiring for good this year and I will never see them live.
Sting's Dream of the Blue Turtles
This song made me really doubt that Reagan loved his children. I'm a huge fan of The Police, and I know it is the standard line to dislike Sting's solo work, but I really like this whole album.
Bryan Adams' Cuts Like a Knife
Now you KNOW I get bent out of shape when an artist or its label disables the embed option on a classic video, and normally I make a point of saying, "Funk that" in defiance. But this song is so great and this video so clearly shows why a fifth grade girl might once have thought Bryan Adams awesome that I have to give in. So here is the link. Enjoy.
Friday, October 1, 2010
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