Happy Birthday, Bett!

My body's old

My brain is leaky

Back is stiff

And joints are creaky

And though I find it

Sad to say

I'm more like Munley

Every day

But there's one thing

That helps me through

I know you're getting

Older, too!

Day 16 - Uninvited

"Giant silhouettes against the setting sun made her blood run cold."

Day 12 - Q*Bert & Ernie

Sadly, Q*Bert's first attempt at fame ended abruptly when he was unable to control his language.

Day 11 - Goblin Shark

Beware! Here comes the fearsome and deadly amigurumi subspecies of goblin shark! Grr!

Day 9 - Happy Valley

This prompt was "He watched, helpless, as the door closed behind her." This was not a fun one to draw. Fridays in Drawtober have the general theme of Friday Feels. So far we've had citywide destruction on Day 2 and Hopelessness and Loss on Day 9. I hope future Fridays call for some more upbeat emotions, like anticipation or adventurous danger or even good old fashioned confusion.

Day 10 - Roots Run Deep

First, don't worry - I'm still planning on going back and completing the other days that I've skipped. With this one, though, I wanted to show how something that appears simple on the surface could have much deeper and more complex interconnections underneath. Plus it's fun making lots of wiggly green lines!

Day 6 - Dishes

Maybe I spend too much time doing the dishes (my wife might disagree with me on that!), but this is the first image that came to mind when I read "Aluminum - Penguin - Plaid - Comet".

Day 5 - Walkers Sighted

I've fallen behind on Drawtober because I was working on Pax! Expect to see some quicker, rougher pictures for the next few days (maybe even multiple pics in a single day) as I try to catch up. Here's Day 5, illustrating a scene from a favorite movie in my style. My style apparently is 3D stereo pairs, and if you cross your eyes and merge the images into one, you'll get the effect.

Click to Imperial Size the image!

Pax

Finally finished this pen and ink piece for the First Pres Theater fundraiser late last night. Now I've got 3 days of Drawtober pictures to catch up on!

Day 4 - Opposites Attract

The first three colors on this palette immediately suggested an underwater theme, but what to do with the red and yellow...?

Day 3 - Paisley Pangolin

So, with yesterday's prompt I had a bit of difficulty coming up with an original idea because it seemed so concrete (how do you put a unique spin on someone looking out a window at a city being destroyed?) Todays prompt, on the other hand, was difficult for exactly the opposite reason. The prompt is "Add stripes, spots, or other common markings to an unusual animal".  An unusual animal? There are so many! And if it's so unusual, how would a few stripes or spots make it even more interesting? The concept I ended up going with came from a suggestion from my wife. The unusual animal is my go-to favorite, the good old elusive pangolin, and the common markings are paisleys. After she suggested it, I knew instantly what it would look like. It took a little more time to actually do it, but here, finally, is my paisley pangolin!

Day 2 - The Swarm

Today's challenge: "They watched the destruction from the twentieth floor, as the city lights went out one by one."

I began this one by wondering why the lights were going out. At first, I assumed the darkness was a result of the destruction, like from a fire or volcano. Then I realized it might be more interesting if maybe the lights were attracting unwanted visitors and the only way to avoid destruction was to turn them off. I hope those people up on the twentieth floor balcony figure that out pretty soon!

Day 1 - Jestbot 1300

Today's challenge - a medieval robot and its operator! Behold, the Jestbot 1300 - everything you would ever want for your twelfth-century entertainment needs!

Bears, Bulbs and Me

Like a bear, who in the spring

Arises from his slumbering

Or like a bulb, who dormant lay

Sends up green shoots once it is May

I, too, must find the energy

To rouse myself from lethargy

Because tomorrow, once again,

Drawtober makes me lift my pen

And every day draw something new

A bit of art to share with you

So buckle up cause here we go

Tomorrow we’ll begin the show!

Father-Daughter Maps

It's been a while, and when posting this I realized the previous post was the big 800!

Anyway, tonight my youngest and I went to a class at the library about making fantasy maps with Photoshop. It went very well. Here's her map of the land inhabited by her stuffed animal friends:

Not bad! (I helped a little with Strawberry and the Minion, but most of it's all her.)

I did one, too, but ended up going a little overboard with some of the filters and things. I guess I just can't stay away from the space stuff...

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers, grandmothers, wanna-be mothers, or bad mother... Shut yo mouth!... Just talkin' 'bout mothers!... And we can dig it!

Anyway, here's the drawing from the front of this year's card. Love you, mom!

Ode to Old Gold

Today I had to say goodbye
My little car just got too old
And so, despite the times we've had
I took it in, and now it's sold

Ah yes, those times, they were so good
Like driving in to work each day
And then back home, where it would stop
In the garage, where it would stay

For eight long years it took me forth
And back and forth and back again
And in that time it gained some quirks
That popped up every now and then

Quirks like a wobbly back end
Providing me a chance to feel
A sense of wonder as I though
If I was gonna lose a wheel

The dashboard lights would sometimes pulse
The headlights pointed different ways
And though I might not see at night
They seemed alright during the days

Beneath the hood, something would leak
And leave a puddle on the floor
I thought the leak was just one thing
Surprise! In fact there's several more!

The engine, rough and grumbly,
Was also an exciting part
Cause every time I turned the key
I wondered whether it would start

So last week, in to get repairs
The service people took the keys
They looked it over, then they said
"Two thousand dollars, if you please"

To fix a '97 car?
That figure seemed ridiculous
And though it pained my wife and me
Our only choice was obvious

We traded it for something newer
(That will be another rhyme)
So here's to you, my old, gold car
You served me, well, most of the time

Campfire Stories - The Aftermath

That owl contest is finally done
And they've announced the ones that won

I wasn't first with that big bird
But... Yay, hooray! I came in third!

And as a prize for that old picture
I now am fifteen dollars richer!

(After re-reading this, it's probably good it wasn't a poetry contest! Anyway, click on this link if you'd like to see the official announcement of the winners.)

Campfire Stories - Final

Hey, look! I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth! I've (finally) completed this campfire scene for the Owlentine's Day contest. I'll let you know how it all turns out.

"Whooooo wants to hear a ghost story?"

First

I know that I've been gone a lot
I'll blame it on this thing I got

A new computer! Hip hooray!
I use it every night and day

And then some more, both day and night
The screen is such a pretty sight

With memory and speed to spare
It cost a bit, but I don't care

And best of all, at least to me
It doesn't turn off randomly!

That's what this little poem is from
The first of many more to come

Cheese Doodle Day

Here's a thought that I'd like to convey
On this National Cheese Doodle Day
Mr. Morrie Yohai
You're my kind of a guy
Though your doodles increase what I weigh!

(Today we celebrate Morrie Yohai inventing cheese doodles back in the 1940's and me eating Cheetos right now!)

Ice and Snow

Ice and snow
Snow and ice
Normally not very nice

Snow and ice
Ice and snow
Unless we do not have to go

Rain and sleet
Sleet and rain
Off to our old jobs again

Sleet and rain
Rain and sleet
So back to bed, pull up the sheet!


(A little poem inspired by the fact that all the schools were closed and I got a work-from-home day!)

Campfire Stories - Part 3

Now it's starting to come together a little more. Backgrounds aren't always the thing that catches your attention, but they're pretty necessary to set the tone.

The Final Countdown

A week from Monday - that's the day
Apple should reveal new stuff
Then I'll be able to decide
Cause choosing what to buy is tough

But if there's nothing new to see
I'll head to Best Buy north of town
And take the best one I can get
Cause this dumb thing keeps shutting down!

Polar Bear Day

It's Polar Bear Day
So remember our friends
With their little black eyes
And white furry rear ends

They're perfectly fine
When the icy winds blow
And they'll frolic and play
In the cold northern snow

So think of the moral
These bears teach you, son,
When conditions seem worst
You can still have some fun

But one thing's for sure
And make no mistake
I won't take off my clothes
And jump in a lake!

Campfire Stories - Part 2

Still a work in progress - now I've got some base coloring in for the owls and the logs. Still more to come!

Nothing New

There's nothing tonight, despite all your howls
I've just been working on coloring owls

Remorseless Killing Machine

No time to sing, no time to dance,
Tonight I must go deal with ants!

The little monsters roam around
Inside my house! That's where they're found

But not for long, today I got
The stuff to kill them on the spot

And wipe out their whole colony
Their creepy, crawly family

And would I mourn? Of course not, I'd
Be happy in my ant-icide

So wish me luck, cause off I go
To vanquish my insectile foe!

Campfire Stories - Part 1

So over at deviant art, there's a forum (that I'm a member of) dedicated to pictures of owls. They're currently running a contest with the theme "Friendship (may as well be magic)" showing a moment of heartfelt companionship between two or more owls. I didn't want to do anything too mushy or sentimental, so I thought I'd go for a group of owl scouts hearing a scary story together around a campfire. Tonight's post is just the outline sketch - I'll be adding colors and shading (and, of course, the fire) later.

World Pangolin Day 2015

Happy World Pangolin Day!

Click here to learn more about these elusive, solitary and nocturnal animals, including the sad fact that they're extremely endangered because they're the most heavily poached and trafficked mammal in the world.

No New Computer

No new computer
The same one I've had
Sometimes it acts okay
Sometimes it's bad

And soon I'll do taxes
Is the rebate enough
To pay off our card
And then buy other stuff?

Until then, I'll wait
Cause I really believe
That Apple could have
Something new up their sleeve

But when I eventually
Get something new
Informing you all
Is the first thing I'll do!

Cowplane!

Today is another critical milestone in the history of aviation. On February 18, 1930, Elm Farm Ollie became the first cow to ever fly in an airplane. During her flight, she was also milked and the milk was sealed in paper containers and parachuted to the ground.

Please Stand By...

Near future posts, I'm sad to say
Might not be coming every day
They might be few and far between
As I fight my old machine
So bear with me, I beg of you
Until I purchase something new

Save Our Software

And so, today, my laptop did
Another funny thing
A thing that signals changes
That the future soon may bring

As I sat here and surfed the net
It shut down on its own
But that's occurred before
And by itself won't make me moan

But then, while it was black and dead
A mournful tune it sounded
It played nine beeps - an SOS!
It left me quite astounded!

And so, while this one's served me well
And done it's job with honor
I think I need a new one soon
Cause this one is a goner!


(It actually started working again, but has been randomly turning itself off all evening. I'll wrap this up now before it shuts down again in mid-post! Happy Valentine's Day everyone!)

Date Night

It's late - I've been out all night long
Enjoying food and fun and song
And now there's one thing left to do
Wish happy Valentine's to you!

Okay, that's about as short and cheesy as it gets, but I really was out all evening enjoying a lovely time with my darling wife. This morning, she got an email about Guylenn, a fairly well-known French jazz singer, performing tonight at a local bed and breakfast. We just got back, and she was fantastic. It's a very small space, just enough room for the singer, a small piano and about a dozen tables for two. I highly recommend it to anyone - here's a link to the Facebook page.

Evolving Skills?

It's February 12, and you know what that means? That's right! Once again it's Darwin Day! For the last two years, I've drawn the same picture of Charles Darwin, hoping to see how (or if) my style or technique has improved or changed. Here's a link to the 2013 picture, and here's the one from last year. I don't think today's version is much better, but at least it took me far less time to draw!

A Charming Frog

Non-Stop

Tonight I come to you to say
That with a fifteen-hour day
I've got no energy to play
And so I'll simply go away

Stay Tuned

Tonight I work on something else
So you must entertain yourself

And then tomorrow I'll return for
more, that's what my readers yearn for

Aaahhhh!

A friend that my daughter holds dear
Spent last night and today over here
Then we took her back home
Now I'm finally alone
And the silence sounds great to my ear

A Quiet Day

There's nothing much for me to say
It's been a nice, relaxing day

And so, there's just one thing to add
That's "Happy Birthday" to my Dad

Rain Panda

Hey, little fella! Why don't you go inside where it's warm and dry? No? Okay, suit yourself.

Knock-Kneed Ostrich

Nothing too fancy tonight. Just a quick little knock-kneed ostrich.

A Whole Lot of Nothing

Today's "Create a Vacuum Day"
So put your stressful thoughts away

And any worries you might bring
In fact, get rid of everything

And life will be immensely fresher
When you don't have any pressure!

Bumblebee

Tonight, for no apparent reason, I felt like drawing a bumblebee. (Maybe because someone's been buzzing around talking about me to strange people she meets in bars in Woodburn!)

A Fast Break

Today my darling wife and I
Are starting something new
A simple way for both of us
To shed a pound or two

It goes like this - you try to fast
For one entire day
And then the next day you can eat
Whatever comes your way

So far it's gone alright, although
There's one thing I find wrong
If this is known as "fasting"
Why does it take so long?

The Blue Octopus, Revisited

So here's the little blue octopus. Why so sad? I don't know. Maybe he's a Seahawks fan?

Freedom!

(I was going to post a picture of a blue octopus tonight, to go along with yesterday's poem, but I just did something else that needs to be commemorated.)

Tonight I went online
I just got off the site
I just completed something
That makes my soul feel light

It makes me feel so happy
We're rejoicing here at home
I made my final payment
On my final student loan!

And now I feel such freedom
My smile's to my ears
I'm free! (Until my girls go off
In just a few short years!)

The Blue Octopus

There once was an octopus who
Had no idea what he should do
So this sadness, you see,
Led to crushing ennui
And he literally became blue

Work From Home Day

A little rain, a little ice
And soon the driving isn't nice

So what's the school to do today?
They give the students a delay

But my class cancelled! Ain't that swell!
My wife's school also closed as well

I had just one quick downtown meeting
Then Taco Bell for lunchtime eating

And then, with nowhere left to roam
I turned around and went back home

Ladybug

Yesterday's post was rather serious. Today I felt like going a little lighter. Here's a happy ladybug.

Poppies, revisited

(This sonnet was inspired by the picture I drew last year at this time.)

A routine test, and then a tiny spark

A fire in the cockpit quickly grew

We ask why we must go explore the dark?

While poppies represent the fallen crew

A frigid morning, but the launch went on

Till one small o-ring brought us to our knees

We wonder why more heroes now are gone?

And seven poppies shudder in the breeze

The flight seemed fine, except nobody knew

About the deadly scar from falling foam

And we debate, why venture like we do?

While seven more mark those not coming home

Yet even poppies know the reason why

To grow, life must ascend from Earth to sky

In memoriam:

Apollo 1 - January 27, 1967 - Grissom, White, Chaffee

STS-51L - Challenger - January 28, 1986 - Scobee, Smith, Onizuka, Resnik, McNair, Jarvis, McAuliffe

STS-107 - Columbia - February 1, 2003 - Husband, McCool, Brown, Chawla, Anderson, Clark, Ramon

Another Day, Another Duty

Another day, another duty
This one smelling fresh and fruity

Someone went and clogged the throne
And I deal with it, all alone

Of all the jobs and tasks I've had
Sometimes it's no fun being Dad

Nothing New To Report

Lost track of time - still working on that other thing I mentioned last week. Nothing new to report - yet...

Computing The Odds

I shouldn't pick it up
I dare not set it down
Computer problems causing me
To grumble, rant and frown

Cause sometimes all is well
With its many little parts
Then suddenly out of the blue
It chimes and then restarts

And I'd like a new one now
But I think that I'll make do
I know the brand new models come
In just a month or two

Until that time I'll try
To nurse this thing along
You'll get updates if I am right
And nothing if I'm wrong

Volcanic Alien Landscape 1

Started doodling around tonight on this alien landscape. Obviously it's not done yet, but it's almost midnight so this will have to be a work in progress. Stay tuned to see how it turns out.

Understanding The News

It's a sad day for all
When some flabby old ball
From a game that does not really matter
Is the headlining news
And the people all choose
To debate it and argue and chatter

Anybody can see
That they really should be
More concerned with the critical stuff
Like that girl with the face
And those things from that place
And that guy with no shirt who's so buff

But perhaps I'm obtuse
There could be an excuse
We don't know what the future will bring
And these worries of mine
Might just be a good sign
That we're caring about anything!

Squirrel Appreciation Day

Can you believe it's Squirrel Appreciation Day again already? Where has the time gone? It seems it was just a year ago when I was drawing this. This year, I'm not that inspired (or maybe I'm just lazy after a long day of sitting around doing nothing - the girls' school closed, so I took the day off as well!). Anyway, all you get this time is another limerick!

Come along all you good boys and girls
It's the day to appreciate squirrels
With their bright eyes and noses
And comical poses
And the way their big bushy tail curls

A New Avatar

Tonight I thought I'd update my avatar - the little icon that represents me on sites like deviantart. So here's the new, updated writing pangolin.

This Looks Familiar

I found this picture online tonight. Although I have no idea who this kid is, I know a kindred spirit when I see one!

Hey little kid
I know just how you feel
I've been there myself
And I've seen it for real

I, too, have a suit
(A bit tight at the seams)
But I still put it on
When I'm dreaming big dreams

About rockets and planets
And stars that just fell
The Canada Arm
And the OMS pods as well

And though I'm now old
Heed these words that I say
If we follow our dreams
Then we'll get there someday

Busy Busy

Whoops, it's almost midnight! I've been busy writing something else (can't tell you what it is yet, but if anything comes from it, you'll be the first to know) so there's nothing new here. I'll try to get something better up tomorrow. Any suggestions?

Watch Out World

Today out at the mailbox
What was there to see?
A whole world of adventure
Waiting there for me!

I've got the right to travel
To far off distant lands
Cause now my brand new passport
Is in my grubby hands!

So watch out world, I'm coming
To voyage far and wide
Eventually, but first I need
To get off my backside

(I might be here a while!)

Understanding My Muse

(Another submission to the "Understanding" poetry contest. Don't worry about the first few lines - it's all "artistic license" [ = lies] to set the dark tone that so many poems seem to have these days.)

I’m giving up on poetry

Nobody likes my stuff

My friends all moved away or died

My toilet paper’s rough

And just last week my darling wife

Demanded a divorce

I’m living in a cardboard box

My armpits smell like horse

Alas! I can’t keep writing this

I know myself much better

Who wants to wear a hair shirt when

You’ve got a comfy sweater

And why would I go wallowing

In tarpits of despair

When I could write a goofy poem

And find some joy in there

To understand my poetry

You therefore need to see

It’s not too deep, it’s not too wise

It’s simply fun for me

Pierre is There!

So here's Pierre
In case you care
He's very suave and debonaire

He might be here
Or maybe there
To find him you must be aware

Bonsoir!

Where's Pierre?

I've got a commission! Of course, I'm not getting paid for it, and it's for my wife, but a request is a request. She's asked me to come up with a character named Pierre for her school next week. She's hosting a French Week, and she's going to hide him around the school - a different place each day. Anyone who finds Pierre and stops by to tell her where he was will get a little treat. Here are some preliminary sketches. The final version will be posted when I finish him.

Peas Forgive Me

After a 14-hour, nonstop day, I can barely think straight, let alone get up off the couch and go to bed. Here's something quick and ridiculous (quickdiculous?) off the top of my head.


Peas, peas, they're sure to please
It's just too bad they make me sneeze

I ate one once, then sneezed so hard
It sailed into the neighbor's yard

And just last night a spoonful flew
Across the room into my shoe

And let's not even talk about
That time the soup erupted out

So if you tell me, "Clean your plate"
Don't hold me liable for your fate!

Reflections on the Recent Weather

I understand the varied reasons

For the changing of the seasons

Orbit eccentricity

And latitudes aren’t new to me

I know our axis tilts away

Thus shortening the sunlit day

Then from the west the fierce winds blow

And lake effects bring ice and snow

Despite all this, one thing remains

One question rattles through my brains

And it’s been asked since days of old:

Why’s it gotta be so cold?!

(Another entry into the poetry contest. I felt it was timely!)

A Day of Rest

It's been a busy weekend and I'm working on some things, but there's nothing ready to post yet. Plus I just want to read a little and settle my mind before starting another busy week tomorrow.

Working on Saturday

Had to go to work all day
And though it may not be polite
I'm tired, so I have to say
This is all you get tonight

Understanding Grandma's Gift

(My second submission to the "Understanding" poetry contest. I don't know how well I'll do - I seem to have a problem writing deep and meaningful and thoughtful poetry and come up with junk like this instead!)

I love my grandma dearly

And I’m sure that she means well

But the gifts she gives confuse me

Is she joking? I can’t tell!

My attempts at understanding

Why she chooses what she does

Make me wonder, is she planning

Or just picking stuff because?

Please consider my example

I’m a man of forty-three

And I’m six foot four and hairy

With a wife and family

And she gave me something recently

Atrocious, I’ll admit,

But she wanted me to try them on

To see how well they fit

And it’s just because I love her

That I kept my big mouth shut

And spent Christmas day in purple sweats

With “Juicy” on the butt!

Not Going Out In This!

So the wind chill is 20 below
And the air's filled with flurries and snow
But at least I'm inside
With my girls and my bride
Warm and snug in my humble chateau

It's Too Cold

When even the snowmen are grumpy and shivering, you know it's too cold!

Understanding, Take 1

Okay, here's the first poem I'm considering submitting for the "Understanding" poetry contest. Any feedback would be appreciated.

We cast our gazes upward to the sky

To galaxies and nebula aglow

Our maps of Earth-like planets strewn on high

Will help us understand how far we’ll go

We cast our gazes downward to the ground

Each isotope and fossil gets a name

The history of life in strata bound

Will help us understand from whence we came

We cast our gazes in to humankind

From DNA to Fox and NPR

Our art and music, body, soul and mind

Will help us understand just who we are

Through understanding self and earth and air

We are the universe made self-aware

Almost There

I've continued working on my first contest entry most of the evening. Although it seems most modern poetry is just free verse with no rhyme or meter, I decided to go old school with the very structured form of the Shakespearean sonnet. The first 12 lines are in pretty good shape, but I'm still trying to perfect the twist ending/final pair of lines. I'll post it here for feedback as soon as it's done before submitting it to the contest.

A Little Understanding

While working on yesterday's poem, I found out that a website I use to help find rhyming words is hosting a poetry contest. They're giving away 10 $500 prizes for poems on the theme of "Understanding". Today I've been working on ideas and my first poem but nothing's finalized yet. I'll probably have something tomorrow that I'd like constructive criticism on and if you have any other ideas under the theme of "understanding", I'd love to hear them. $500 could go a long way in the new computer fund!

Preparations Continue

Still thinking and planning
What needs to be done
Not very productive
But, boy is it fun

I don't want to write
Any gobbledegook
So I went to the library
Picked out a book

Full of tips and advice
How a guy such as me
Can become all the things
He aspires to be

So I dream and I plan
As I'm sitting right here
And eventually one thing
Becomes crystal clear

For my dreams to take flight
And soar high like the birds
I need to start writing
A whole lot of words!

Waterfalls

Still thinking and planning and getting ideas on what and how to write - so, in the meantime, here's a quick speed painting (~45 minutes) of some waterfalls.

Happy 2015!

It's a new year, and someone's ready to party!

Also with a new year comes a slight change to the direction of this blog. I started this two years ago as a way to force myself to do something creative every day. Now with over 700 drawings and poems I feel it's definitely been successful in that regard. However, at this point, I find myself wanting to do more. Specifically, this year I want to write a novel (and hopefully get it or something published). I also want to improve my drawings, so that means I'll still be doing my best to create something every day, but it might not get posted here. Small, quick, fun sketches will still be posted, but if I'm working on a bigger, more detailed picture, I might post work-in-progress pics, or I might wait until it's all done. If I'm feeling poetical, they'll probably be posted but if I'm really getting into the writing, there might not be anything here for a while. (Of course, if you're really interested, I'm sure I'll need  proofreaders or constructive criticizers or whatever you call them.)

So if this change upsets any (or both!) of my loyal readers, I apologize. But keep checking back - there plenty more random weirdness to come!