Farewell...

Google informed me that I reached my limit on uploaded photos for my blog.  I tried switching to another provider (Wordpress) but it's just too quirky for me.  So I think I'll take this moment to say farewell to blogging (at least for now).  I've had a heck of a lot of fun for the last 2 years sharing stories and photos.

I'm working on putting out another crappy comic.  If you want to get on my delivery list, email your mailing address to me.

Happy trails!

Beatnik #25...

Laurel Dailey had her 25th Beatnik at the Long Beach house last Saturday.  Sweet little hipster princesses Emily and Dani were visiting so the timing was perfect.

Several times a year, Laurel hosts an event at the girls' house in Long Beach where friends gather to share poetry, share art, perform music, or--in Michael's case--act silly.

 

  

A lot of gab and giggles.

Charlie unknowingly became the subject of my attempt to draw profiles during the performances. 

Michael with his Dutch Brother (Eric Gruendyke).

And Jody gives her first recital on steel guitar with Tom:

It's nice not always being the biggest boy at a party!

Carey (Posey) Rotromel had a baby!

Michael's older sister Carey just had a baby boy on Monday--William Mark Rotramel.

William had some breathing problems when born two days ago.  The hospital moved him to another hospital with a more specialized ICU unit.  But he seems to be improving and Carey left her hospital and has been able to join him.

For those who don't know Carey, she is the oldest sister of Michael (my Monkeyboy).  She finished her M.A. at John Brown University in Arkansas several years ago and works as a therapist in that state.

Her husband, Mark, doesn't let being legally blind slow him down a bit.  He's a minister at a church,  quite an eloquent writer and talented musician.

Here are a few dandy photos from the past I pulled up.

Carey sports 80's hair with Michael and Joy--probably taken in 1990.

Carey and I on our trip to Paris in 2007:

Carey celebrated her 30th birthday out in California with her brother (Dappy the Dinosaur):

Babysitting Hipsters

I'm so excited to babysit and visit with my hipster babies this weekend.  Dani and Emily are down for a visit from the Bay Area.

The girls posed in my orange laundry room:  (from left to right) Dani, Laurel, Ashley and scarf-adorning Emily:

Laurel came up with the idea of drawing names out of a cup to to see who should draw each other.  (She's always the boss, but a creative one so I can't complain.)

My version of Ashley struggling with thoughts of love.

Dani drew me quite happy and delighted.

I love Laurel's version of Dani displaying her tattoo on her back.

Ashley's portrayal of Emily.

Emily made Laurel into "The Jungle Woman."

Calming Down a Hornet's Nest...

I rarely write more than a few sentences for a post, but today marks an exception following yesterday’s entry.

Last night, I posted some pictures of graffiti of President Obama I saw in the L.A. Arts District.  I had no desire or intention of being insulting or political when I created this post.  In the past, I posted photos of political posters in this same area.  Yesterday, I was simply shocked that the arts community--a very bastion of anti-conservative politics--suddenly vilified the president on an enormous and highly visible mural.

But a maelstrom of angry comments ensued and I opened a door that I didn’t intend.

When I meet a new person, I often feel like a 10-year old boy who goes to the new neighbor’s house and asks, “Can the new kid come to play?”  I am very excited to meet new people regardless of our differences.

I don’t care, however, to be around arrogant people.  I am as equally annoyed by condescending attitudes exhibited by certain commentators on NPR and Fox News.  I would rather have a root canal than share a meal with either Rush Limbaugh or Michael Moore.  (I would, however, pay good money to share a meal with both men present at the same table.)

One public figure I came to respect (albeit mostly after his death) was William F. Buckley, Jr.  He was a man of strong opinions, yet surrounded himself with some friends who vehemently opposed his views. 

In a similar fashion, I am thankful to possess close friendships with people that include Asians, Africans, Europeans, Buddhists, Christians, atheists, straight men, gay men, men who still sport mullets and even a smattering of communists and anarchists.  I think a few of my close friends are saints.  Many (like myself) are not.  One is even a convicted murderer, yet he’s a dear soul to me for three decades.

I feel influenced by many and all of these folks.  I hope I can influence their lives as well.  I not only want to have my own human experience but share with those who possess very different lives.

I felt hurt when one comment on my blog yesterday referred to me as “judgmental.”  I think the reason this stung is because it’s probably true.  I work constantly to love instead of judge, and it makes me sad that I may have hurt a friend's feelings.  

While I dislike being overweight, I am thankful in one way that my 330 pounds acts as an outward reminder to others than I am far from thinking I'm perfect.

Besides stirring up a hornet's nest, I read yesterday the president shared a 2-hour lunch with Gov. Romney at the White House.  Perhaps that would have been a better subject for a blog post than political posters in downtown L.A.

 (Photo courtesy of NBC)

Is President Obama an Undercover Conservative?

I drove to downtown Los Angeles today to meet a new client.

When I'm downtown, I typically stop in the Arts District on 3rd and Alameda and check out the new graffiti murals and wheat paste posters posted on one particular wall where a high rise building owner welcomes them.

One can get a sense of which conservative political figure the arts community hates the most.

Five years ago, the wall would be covered in derogatory posters depicting George W. Bush as a henchman or murderer.

When Fed Chairman Ben Bernake's name became commonplace in the press starting with the stock market crash of 2007, his likeness began appearing in a very uncomplimentary fashion on this wall.

Today's large installations on the wall shocked me:  They depicted President Obama as the devious joker in Batman.  And more surprising, one enormous poster shows Obama joining conservative icon Ronald Reagan (who's face got covered with Big Bird) shooting a Mickey-Mouse-ear-wearing-American girl.

I guess winning a second term makes President Obama part of the evil conservative elite?  Aaron commented that hipsters may have liked Obama more had he lost the election; he could have been a martyr. 

Thanksgiving in Tucson, Turkeys, Teasing and Indian Ruins

For Thanksgiving, I got to see Brent--one of my old college roommates from the late 1980's and a continuing great friend.

Brent remains as eccentric as ever.  Here, he displays his tofu turkey before we joined his family and family friends for Thanksgiving dinner:

Brent's mother asked me to take the family Christmas photo.  Brent actually practiced this expression before we met up with his family:

And for the scandalous photos...

The host collected stuffed animals that sang.  I encouraged her to bring out a Thanksgiving themed one for Brent since, after all, he is a musician. 

And another rare moment:  Brent watching a football game with the guys!  I've never seen this in the 26 years I've known him.

Brent has a new nephew who has a fantastic personality.  Poor Joshua doesn't like pickles.  But if you give him one, he'll keep trying to eat it, over and over, even though it's noticeably distasteful to him:

On the way back, I had a chance to see some ruins from a prehistoric Pueblo Indian people known as the Hohokam.  The structure is probably seven or 8 centuries old and has been abandoned in 1450--at the time that Europe was building many of its castles.  Some of the windows on it allow light at certain times--such as every 18.5 years--so these people must have been able to maintain some type of calendar.

Even the graffiti inside fascinated me.  Here, a J.W. Ward--a sergeant in the 1st Calvary--left his mark in 1871: