insight.

On this krisp, kool, klear, kold winter knight
The grey asphalt reflects lo beam halogen lights.

That girl had ninja skills.

According to Gentlemen's Quartlerly magazine, corduroy suit jackets are all the rage this fall season. As a slave to fashion, who am I to argue with them? Over the past few weeks I have scoured the internet in search of one of these beauties, only to find that a rave review by GQ causes astronimcal economic increases upon clothing. (> 120 $)

I broke from my slumber this morning on a mission. Sundays are for biscuits & gravy and thrift store shopping. After a half hours worth of thrifting, I found my prize(s). 2 old suit jackets of the corduroy persuasion. These jackets are choice and came in at the lofty price of 6 dollars each.

I am giddy.

I take my purchases to the register with a smile plastered upon my mug. As the checkout girl does her thing she says, "Look at this, this one has an ink tag attached to it". The ink tag is one of those anti theft devices that explodes if tampered with. My heart sank. The perfect jacket in my hands, only to get a big face full of shit.

From behind me a voice says,
"Go ahead and buy it. I'll help you take it off".

I turned to see a young punk girl with a careless look upon her face. At this point, for 6 dollars, it is worth it just to find out the outcome of this tale. I buy the jackets and sheepishly stand awaiting her to finish her transaction.

We walk to her car, she climbs in and unlocks the passenger door. I slide in not sure of what is about to take place. From under the seat she produces a screw driver and a pocket knife. Thirty seconds later the ink cartidge is thrown into the parking lot.

"It takes a little practice.", she says, as I pick my chin up off the floor.

Now i have some downtime. This thing needs to dry so i can start adding some glazes and details. 

Doing the background first. Far left side wood wall is complete. Middle left dark wood is done. Wreath and hanging stuff is done. Across the street is started and street is roughed in. Tomorrow or the weeked i hope to finish the greenery and do the floor. I need a cable access show. 

She was pleasantly plump with a slightly lazy left eye.

Moshi moshi.

My lack of written words is disturbing as I am caught in a whirlwind of life. I have received a slight promotion at work, promotion being more work and the same amount of pay. I suppose that it is better than a DEmotion or no motion, or even motion lotion. Manager has been added to my non-official title, which at the newly ripe age of 27 feels slightly queer, even though i am not really a manager. Mayhaps I should attach a PDA to my punk rock belt. Then I will be a true yakuza (my japanese coworkers are teaching me glamour-us (i couldn't remember how to spell glamorous exactly, so i just threw a hypen in) words.

Enough of that now.

I have been working it, drawing it, painting it, gymning it and then sleeping it.
Thats about all. No turkey in my house on Thursday as the oven is kaputt, and we do not own a dustpan. Single twenty something aquaintances instead will have a glorious pot luck meal where I will gorge on Pumpkin pie and slightly frozen COOL WHIPPPPP.

I am looking for a poetry class in the Austin TX area.

During one of my self help book binges I (like many other QLC'ers) picked up what color is my parachute. It is a career finder book deal. My perfect career consists of:

1) Putting together interesting phrases
2) Sketching pictures or other artsy type activites
3) Wearing thrifty looking clothing
4) Being a music snob.
5) Not sitting in a cubicle and having well kept cuticles.

Other than working production at MTV, I have yet to figure a job which ties these together.

I can't complain though. I currently am enjoying my job moreso than I have in eine lange Zeit.

On the heavy rotation list of my ipod:
1) Pixies coachella festival
2) Year of the rabbit - i want to be adored
3) Pixies - I've been tired
4) Billy idol - vh1 unplugged (yes the cheese factor is high, but it makes me silly dance around the house, and twist my face into a slightly british snarl).
5) Johnny Cash - when the man comes around

Thats all.

This one will take forever. I can feel it.  

New painting. Started late last night. I just roughed in some of the color tones to get an idea where things should be. This one won't be easy. 

This is priceless.

I shit you not, this came from a newspaper near my hometown.

This is exactly how i want my obituary to be.

CourierPress: Obituaries: "Delbert W. Gray

Delbert W. Gray, 62, of Evansville, died Tuesday, November 16, 2004, at his residence.

He was an avid Milk drinker. Del- bert enjoyed playing golf and gardening. He also enjoyed spending time with his family and dog, Baby Girl.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Elbert and Juanita Gray; brother, Eldon Gray; and his sister, Sandy Mitchell.

Delbert is survived by his wife of 41 years, Geraldine Gray; daughter, Nena Maharney and husband, Mike; daughter, Tena Heck and husband, Mark; son, James Gray and wife, Carla; daughter, Angela Waddell and husband, Nathan; 17 grandchildren; sister, Janice Beal; and brother, Gary Gray.

Services 11 a.m. Friday, November 19, 2004, at Alexander North Chapel, officiated by Reverend Scotty Calvert, with burial in Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call today, November 18, 2004, from 2 to 8 p.m. at Alexander North Chapel.

Condolences may be made online at www.mem.com.Arrangements by Alexander North Chapel, 4200 Stringtown Road, Evansville, Ind. 47711, (812) 428-0102."

mo' color. Paint supplies are depleted, awaiting shipment from DICK BLICK. 

Mutoh-sann's Green jacket makes me green with envy

Ok.
NBA game last night. Very fun. The drive home? Not so fun.
I felt like Noah enduring God's wrath of unending rain. It was brutal. The roads in texas flood when it rains a lot.
I got home about 1:00 am and was exhausted, all I wanted was too sleep.
Fred, my dog, however has decided to become buleamic. He spent the night
walking around the house, licking carpet and eating paper and then
promptly regurgitating it (VERY LOUDLY). I am a super light sleeper,
slight snoring or dog's ralphing render me useless in the sleep dept. So I am in a grouchy mood.

Fast forward to this morning. I got to work a little late (as I slept in), knowing the whole time I will be greeted by broken software. Our software package is huge, hundreds upon hundreds of files. Building it is complicated, and yesterday, the build broke. Anyways, fast forward another 5 hours. Turns out some dumb-dumb copied 4 files to the wrong directory. The correct directory name is cs_lib, and the dumb-dumb copied the files to a directory named lib.

P.s. I think i am the guilty party. So now I am grouchy and feeling dumb.

Rewind 48 hours.

Life drawing class. Just go to one.
You walk in and immediately notice that it looks like a thrift store exploded. Lots of shabbily dressed crazies of varying age. Everyone tries to peek at your work, but if you peek at their's, well, lets just say that is a faux par.

Tonights plans involve a couch, LOST and my boo-tay.

the high school girls are filled with giggles

This is a crazy-razy week. Life drawing was last night until late. I also did the deep squats yesterday, so my cheeks are achey. Tonight I am going to see the spurs play, so again, another late night.

The cable company called and said we are 4oo dollars behind on our bill. The process is for me to pay my half, then pass the bill off to the brother who then pays his half. I am putting an embargo on his bill paying, as frankly, it sucks.


Never trust a person who does not sleep in their bed because there is too much stuff on it. I am out of time, but i have funny art class stories i must share at a later date.

Life drawing class -sketch 2. 

life drawing class- quick sketch 1 

This is a fun one to work on. I don't have to think, just fill in flat colors. It is like a giant coloring book. I woke up early and couldn't wait to get started, so I rushed home to proceed. It's rainy and grey today in the lone star state, a perfect day for dorking around the house and reading library books. 

A splash of color. This is going to be a minimalist paintng. I can't decide what they are going to say, but probably something obscene. 

Just need to get the goofy hand fixed. 

The secret of NIMH

As I have mentioned in previous messages, my household is in various stages of disrepair. Our entrance way is flanked by an abnormally large dining room. In leua (sp?) of a dining room table, this room is used for various projects such as painting, wood cutting, or machinery assembly.
In recent days past we have a suffered from the malfunction of numerous light bulbs throughout the house. Of course, we have no spares. Instead, dear friends, we have cleverly strung automotive spot lights in various rooms throughout the house. These 1 million candle power beasts not only light up the room like a super nova, but provide adequate heating as well.

The point of this you ask? These electric torches used to illuminate our garage. In their absence, the garage has became dark and dismal. Saturday has become my new laundry day, and like always, I started a load of wash, went to the gym, and then went to the HOBBY LOBBY for canvas.
Upon my return it was time to switch the wash from the washer to dryer. After removing the clothes (remember the room is dark now) i notice a fuzzy little string ball in the bottom of the washer. Since we commonly leave things in our pockets, this is no surprise. I reached in, grabbed it, and pulled out a very large but clean, quite dead, mouse.

I then had the following three reactions

1) Scream like a little bitch (and i am not exaggerating here)
2) Drop mickey back into the washer
3) Run into the house.

I nearly shat myself, but I am okay now.

p.s. Grill tongs do not work for extracting dead mice, you have to use a spatula.

Although i have about 5 paintings to put finishing touches on, i cannot resist starting a new one. This is the biggest one i have ever tried, about 4.5 feet tall.  

A note to me.

Austin life drawing classes

Life Drawing

It's wierd at my school.

Voice mail message received at 9 am.


"
Hey Ruel,

It's ex-girlfriend. I know you are wierd and don't celebrate birthdays or holidays, but just wanted to call and say happy birthday. Anyways, its snowing here.

Thats all.

Call me.

"

Lost and Found

Missing:

1 pair - plastic black frame glasses, slight stigmatism in left lense, right lense has no prescription

How do you lose glasses? It is perplexing. My OCD compels me to continuosly search the house but they are surely gone to the place which holds the other half of my socks.

We had a power outtage at work yesterday. It was sweeeeeeet. It was over 2 hours long, so we left and went to Mt. Brownel and sat in the sun.

A disruption like this brought back fond memories. It reminded me of when bad things would happen in elementary school. Growing up in Indiana, the only natural disasters we had to fear were tornadoes and fertilizing season. At least once a year a trailer park in Kentucy would be obliterated. Whenever we came under a tornado watch in school, all of the kids would be herded into the boys and girls bathrooms. Oddly, both genders would be mixed into each bathroom.

During one such session my cousin discovered he needed to pee badly. Luckily, we happened to be in the bathroom, so he stood up, went to the urinal and peed. Unluckily, the teachers took offense at him peeing next to a bunch of girls. He earned 1 day of saturday school.

Past weekend involved birthday festivities with friends part 1. It was a blast. There was even a cake with my name on it.
Tomorrow night another friend (who ironically shares the same birthday as myself) and others have a dinner night planned. I suspect it will be slightly lower key than the previously mentioned function.

Last item:

I have an idea for an invention. Let me explain. I drive a big evil suv. The nice thing about it is that the back window rolls down. This makes driving at night wonderful. Also, driving at night with all of the windows down makes me feel really smart. This is usually when moments of genius hit me.

Anyway, I am driving home late last night, roll into the driveway, and notice that I have to hit 5 different buttons to roll up all of the windows. Why isn't there just one button to roll up all windows? Thats my invention.

he is always hungry. 

Silly sketches at sundown on sunday are surreal. 

Haiku 4 u

They won't let me leave
Insisting on aimless tasks
my head is dizzy.

quick funny. 

half my face. 

Lovejunky

Thank you, Great Britian. I feel loved.


Lovejunky

Dear Wal - Mart,

Dear Wal - Mart,

Let this letter serve as notice that I will never ever ever step foot into one of your stores again. I recently visited one of your "super" centers. My shopping listed consisted of 1 item with a total retail cost of about four dollars and seventy eight cents. After entering the store, explicitly not making eye contact with the greeter, I immediately found my item and proceeded to the check out zone. Thus far, my Wal Mart experience has not been profoundly awful, but rest assured dear friends, this is where things take a turn for the worst.

I quickly scan the check out area looking for a combination of short lines, intelligent looking customers, and capable checker outers. Although you have approximately 96 check out aisles, only 7 were open. Of these 7 all were your new self - checkout lanes. Now let me first make this point. The average Wal-Mart shopper is never going to be known for their technological savvy and intellectual prowress. That being said, lets move on.

Each of the lanes were running about 12 deep in the customer total. "Geesh", I think to myself. With no favorable lines in site, I slowly move into the heard. As I investigate the cart of the woman in front me, I immediately realize I am screwed. She has no less than 97 items, mostly consisting of spools of thread, greeting cards, and fabric. There is no security in site to enforce the 10 item or less rule.

Thread lady begins to scan her items. At least she tries, she wiggles thread over the scan zone with no result. What does she do? Call a wal mart aide? No, she just throws the spool into the bag. "Okay", I think to myself, "at least she is adaptable". Move on to spool number two. Same result. Obviously there is something amiss with the thread, so she decides to attack the greeting cards.

Evidently someone tampered with them as well. 6 minutes of my life are gone, and I cannot get them back. (all for a 4 dollar and seventy eight cent item). The man behind me (also with one item) tweaked at this point. He radioed wal mart control for backup. The capable overseer came, scanned two items, and then promptly disappeared. Thread lady then resumed her quest for check out bliss. Again, she in capable of scanner her items.

At this point I gave up on check out lane #37. No intelligent life here. I quickly walked nearly a half mile to the next available lane. I think it was in the high teens, but at this point my fury overshadows my memory.

This line seemed to move quickly. "Ah, sweet relief!", I think to myself. I am nearing home plate and all that stands between me is a man, his wife, and an approximately 8 year old child. As they begin to check out, the man hands the item to the child. "Dear god, don't let the child scan!!". Guess what. They did. This child scanned every item, and NO he wasn't good at it.

After approx 24 minutes in lines to check out one 4 dollar and 78 cent item my wal mart experience is drawing to a close.

As I left the store i glanced back to aisle #37. Thread lady was still going strong.

The moral of this story? Listen up wal mart. Here are my demands.

1) I don't care about low prices. I know it is just a ploy to make the masses buy more cheap shit. I will gladly pay more to not be inconvenienced.

2) I don't want self check out lanes. Although you save the 7 bucks an hour you would normally pay a checker outer, you piss of your customer base. The masses are generally stupid, they should not have the option to check themselves out. If something goes wrong they just blankly stare at the screen. That is demeaning for anyone.

3) IF you do insist on self check out lanes, please install dumb-dumb detectors which will sound an alert and prompt Wal Mart security to remove the offender to a non self check lane.


Sincerely,
R. Loehr

And i heard, as it were, the noise of thunder

So halloween was REALLY fun. I enjoyed it immensely.
I was wrecked on Sunday as I have no liver and even the smallest amount of
alcohol punishes me with great fury.

I spent sunday doing domestic duties, drawing, and watching horrible horror movies on television. If heaven exists, that may be it.

But thats old news now.
Here is new news.

The pixies tour is available for download. They are selling each concert for 10 bucks or so.
This is pretty cool.
Check it out Pixies Tour

It comes as MP3''s, so i can IPOD it, or burn cd's in for my S U V.
What a great way to start the day.