Last day of February, last game for Hayley and her basketball team. They lost a tough one tonight in the first round of the district playoffs—to a team they’d beat decisively in their most recent matchup. She’s probably sad, but she can be proud of a winning season, plus an overall performance as a freshman that was outstanding.
Belle is our star
February 28th, 2006Th-th-that’s old, folks
February 27th, 2006It’s not difficult at all to accept that the airplane, the ice cream cone, and the Rotary club have been around for a century, but, for whatever reason, it’s hard for me to imagine that the animated cartoon will be 100 years old in April. Somehow that hits too close to home.
Please tell me how he does it
February 26th, 2006After watching Lamb’s interview, with Glenn Reynolds, I want to read his new book, “An Army of Davids.” It also makes me want to understand more about the blogosphere I’ve blasted myself into. I suppose I now qualify as a blogger, after a solid year of doing this, and yet I still know almost as little about the emerging trend as I did when I started. One thing I suspected from the beginning is certainly true—this practice is all about time management. There’s got to be something important to learn from a cool guy who manages to be a law professor, plus a husband and father, and stay highly informed on just about everything, including nanotechnology, publish articles, write books, present the most consulted blog in America, while still finding the time to do a podcast with Tim Minear and brew his own beer.
Your turn
February 25th, 2006Everyone is playing the California Game!
_ _ _
Where is Atlantis? Continent of mud.
Where is the mud? It’s buried in crud.
What is the crud? A dream in decay.
Whose dream was that? They squandered their day.
When was the day? An age of great life.
Why was it great? They abolished all strife.
Who gave it up? The creative few.
What did they make? Themselves, anew.
Where is the self? Enshrined deep within.
Why are they gone? The price of the sin.
_ _ _
Mother of a Clan
February 24th, 2006• Accepting family as her top priority, she put her competitive spirit on standby, but never lost her love of fair play, teaching us that wholesome fun is an essential part of life.
• I could’ve become a quitter, but she helped me overcome discouragement born of self-doubt to meet a commitment and to fulfill a goal.
• When almost everything in the world of my youth said,
“Be cynical, or pessimistic, or both,” she was my reliable source of optimism, like a spring that never dries up.
• “Anything worth doing is worth doing well” was not a stale platitude for her, and she nurtured a regard for craftsmanship. If I distorted that gift into perfectionism, it’s not her fault.
• Quick with praise and slow to criticism, observant eyes without guile and easy laughter is her trademark.
• Pious, yet mischevious; dignified, yet unpretentious; she is naturally self-sacrificing, but nobody’s fool.
• When something bothers her, the discomfort is usually directed inward. If she’s called upon to render judgments, they’ll be reluctant, fair, morally sound, and never demeaning.
• Her belief in me has always been iron-clad, devoid of showy affection, but as steadfast as anything in my life.
• If you’re up to no good, and you see her spinning that broom—trust me—just dive overboard…
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my “Mombo.” I love you, forever…
The indispensability of the One
February 23rd, 2006On my way to the pool today I saw Danny loading the John Deere that he’s hauling to Kansas for his son William. You have to know Danny to understand how a conversation about a diesel tractor can shift to theology within a couple minutes. He mentioned the concept that, at certain times, the fate of the whole world can hinge on a single prayer. Merton might have said that, and I don’t doubt it’s true. To believe otherwise would rationalize away the value of all prayer, wouldn’t it? A discussion of accountability followed and then salvation and then the loneliness of Christ’s path. I said, “But his mother was with him at the beginning, and right up to the end, and her role was crucial,” and Danny replied, “So, there you come full circle—with the potential of a single individual to contribute great good or great evil.” As I continued my walk to campus, I couldn’t help but wonder if the Father had tried to send His Son at earlier times, and an angel’s warning had been misunderstood or ignored, so the infant had been slain, along with the guardians. And then I was in total awe of the significance of parenthood in general… with the awesome responsibility of it all. I was filled with gratitude for having such a wonderful mother and happiness that she was still with us. I prayed that it would be so for a long time.
Revoltin’ Developments
February 22nd, 2006• Our hometown newspaper abruptly drops the “Dilbert” daily comic strip.
• During live curling coverage, a student at the gym says, “That’s a sport you could still do when you’re 50.”
• As if it isn’t already difficult enough to deter people from corrupting good identity programs, Google actually encourages others to produce versions of their logo that are really bad.
• A shocked cousin Shirley announces that she’s lost her job with Relizon, following its acquisition.
• Officials release more details about Governor Fletcher‘s complications of pancreatitis.
• Student leaders at the University of Washington reject a memorial to “Pappy” Boyington.
• A village in Germany is swamped by liquid pig manure.
• Local Arts Commissioners name Jennifer Brummett their Citizen of the Year.
I thank her for Big Banker
February 21st, 2006She’s done it! Mombo has a second entry at her site. Right now it looks as if she makes one each year, but I’m sure that won’t last for long. She’s really started out on an enjoyable note for me—comics and games—and it doesn’t get much better than that (unless she starts reminiscing about toys)!
Still drawn to the best of our breed
February 20th, 2006It took longer than I expected, but my drawing for the Housing Authority was a pleasure to execute. The illustration technique I used was directly inspired by my favorite masters of pen and wash—Jack Unruh, Ken Dallison, Joe Ciardiello, and Alan E. Cober. Dallison is known for his automobiles and Ciardiello for his portraits, but all of them have worked with great breadth of subject matter. I’ve marveled at their skill for decades, but they have a similarity of approach that is close enough to my own capability that I can relate to how they visualize and have learned from their prolific examples. Unruh is exceptional—equally adept at rendering people, places, and the natural world—and I could die happy if I gain a fraction of his ability. Cober, who, of the four, actually did die (happy I hope, although much too young), holds a special place in my personal history. At the height of our indecision concerning what to do about the crumbling situation at Wright State, Dana and I had the opportunity to question him at a workshop. He counseled us to trust and follow our instincts, so the two of us got out together. He was a great adviser to hundreds of talents over the years, and I’m grateful to have been one of them.
Tarnished Silver vs Baby Shark
February 19th, 2006James and I were laughing about the excessive hype that has surrounded Bode Miller, the faltering American skier, and got into a good conversation about behind-the-scenes commercialization of various Olympic personality types. When humble, dogged, amateur-style athletes prevail over the high-exposure, corporate-style athletes, marketers don’t think they have as much to work with, so often stick with an Olympic failure if their image investment still solves the demographic equation.
Dale Earnhardt’s attitude that a second-place finisher is just the “first loser” may resonate strongly with most gold-medal contenders, but the world of celebrity endorsement is different, and always will be driven more by overall persona than actual competitive results. That’s why you can expect advertising executives to be much more attracted to a cute snowboarder‘s impulsive screw-up than a veteran skier‘s credo of Olympic longevity—
“Spend a lot time on the hill, spend time training, and then, if you work hard over a long period of time, with a lot of focus, good things will happen to you in the end, and… use your head while you’re having fun.”
Sight Bites / First Batch
February 18th, 2006Man with his car in the ditch, waving sadly as he waits for a tow truck.
400 yards of footprints in the fresh snow, to find two brothers at Still-house Spring.
One of Dadbo’s last ‘coon boxes, rotting in a treetop along Sledding Hill Road.
Four tofu burgers frying in a skillet, beside a pot of Mombo’s vegetable soup.
Frank the long-shot candidate, grinning broadly from his campaign card.
The veteran Norwegian biathlete, collapsing to his knees at the finish line.
Chalkboard calculations and a Honchovian decision to define the day’s effort.
An ancient wheelbarrow and a gutted Gravely, rusting in the cluttered barn.
Tiny newborn bunnies, nestled for warmth in a bunting of mother’s fur.
Dana’s cranberry coffee cake, golden brown and fresh from the oven.
Tales of the Graybeard Prospector VIII
February 17th, 2006• I flipped away the afternoon again at the Rotary Club’s annual Pancake Day, where I foolishly tried to expand my exalted reputation by attempting to make a cake with the shape of a Salvation Army Shield. I blistered the edge of my hand on the hot griddle and experienced the same agony of defeat as poor Lindsey Jacobellis. After that, Dana and I went into the city for the Gallery Hop, so I could participate in the reception at the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning. The “Art of the Alphabet” exhibition was a hit with all ages, and the original print of my letter H was the second one to sell. Steve Houston of Texas bought it for his daughter because all of the images present in the montage held significant meaning for him and his family. Quite remarkable.
It isn’t just a hat
February 16th, 2006A wise man once said, “There is nothing trivial about hat loss.”
My nerves were on edge today, until I retrieved from Centre’s lost-and-found collection the blue hat that once belonged to a man named Joe Wood.
No, you’re Schmoopie
February 14th, 2006• We started another day together, when it was her turn to bring me a cup of coffee, and before long we were listening to Charles Matkin say, “Change comes over time, with hard work, focus, and repetition.”
• I told her to shun me until I broke the spine of my illustration assignment from the Danville Housing Authority. The only reason these things are ever difficult is because they come so few and far between.
• During my pool workout, as I finished a 200-yard sprint, she was already done with her walk and stopped by to watch me.
• I was over the hump on my ink drawing when she invited me to share her delectable dinner of butternut and Greek lamb chops. We toasted our enduring affection—spare, yet fully formed, like a bonsai.
• We started another year together, when it was time to stuff 2005 into the archives and breathe again. If we can get through something like that, side by side, perhaps we can still tackle our dreams.
• Long ago, they stuck us in a basement office together, so we made the most of it—for a lifetime.
HAPPY VALENTINE’s DAY to my “partner in all things.” I love you, forever…
My first pal
February 13th, 2006• She might’ve been my first teacher; I might’ve been her first student.
• We took the stage together, faced the crowd together, and danced in the hot lights together. We didn’t get paid, but it was “show-biz” all the same. We were an “act”, and we quit at the top of our game.
• Speaking of games, our first ones didn’t come in boxes, across a wire, nor on a disc. We invented them, and we’ve been “players” ever since.
• Together, we observed the strange world around us, and the language available was insufficient, so we made up our own vocabulary to augment it. We shared it with those who would listen, and it met with their approval. They made their own contributions and helped pass it on to a new generation.
• She blazed a trail of achievement, so I followed it into the peaks of the high country. “I can do this, too,” I thought, so I blazed a trail of experimentation, but my trail descended into the bogs of the low country. During my journey back, she never lost faith in me, nor placed conditions on her love. She always remains the teacher, through her joys and her heartaches, and now I’m only one of those who follow her trail. It’s never been an easy trail, but it’s always been a good one. Blaze on, my lifelong companion. Blaze on.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my “big sis.” I love you, forever…
ZOT
February 11th, 2006Just minding my own business when the 2006 Winter Games had me without warning… like getting caught by a gooey frog’s tongue.
I should’ve seen it coming.
It’s about <span style=”font-style: italic”>habit</span>… d-d-dag-nabbit
February 11th, 2006It seems like I’m not the only one trying to get on top of their personal productivity. And—guess what—it’s not about trying.
One of the Brits at PigPog boiled it down to the basics:
• The best way to get things done is to do them.
• The best way to do them is to start doing them.
• A system is of no help at all with making you want to do things.
The last one is key. The methodology is secondary to the motivation, which has to drive the whole thing, otherwise, one has to take a deeper look at the underlying list of life objectives.
Tales of the Graybeard Prospector VII
February 10th, 2006• Opening a statement from the Social Security Administration did not get my day off on the right track, and it began to go downhill from there. Fortunately, I was able to recover a bit by putting some good sales moves on the Republican candidate for Boyle County Judge Executive, who will definitely need a high-credibility graphic image as part of any success campaign to unseat the entrenched incumbent. After that, I attended the opening of “4 Seasons — 4 Directions,” Kathleen’s inspiring collage exhibition at Danville’s Community Arts Center. By evening, Dana and I were in Berea with Lee and David, eating delicious Thai food and learning English Country Dance—so the day ended fully back on its proper rails.
Chip-chip of the organizer’s new chisel
February 9th, 2006I did it! For the first time in many moons, I attacked the massive tower of storage boxes that was metastasizing in the corner of our meeting space. To be honest, it had steadily grown like a Schwitters Merzbau until my continuing to call the area our “conference room” had become an irritating exercise in self-delusion.
Silly Li’l Pitchurs
February 8th, 2006Last April I wrote, “If I make a mistake and publish a typo, everybody feels bad, but nobody has a funeral. I’m not an architect. My designs can’t fall down and kill anybody.”
Well, let’s take another look at that. Even though I haven’t made much money at it in recent years, I still consider myself a cartoonist, and, if you haven’t noticed, people are now actually getting killed over a few cartoons.
I remember writing a report in high school about this “ungentlemanly art,” after I’d sent a batch of correspondence to famous editorial cartoonists. Paul Conrad, at the beginning of his long career at the Los Angeles Times, sent me a friendly letter with helpful details that became my favorite among the replies. (As a result, I always felt a personal connection to him, and was elated several years later when Los Angles mayor Sam Yorty failed to successfully sue Conrad, who drew Yorty dressed in a Napoleon suit.)
After that project opened my eyes to political opinion, I’ve never underestimated the power of a cartoon, but this current situation borders on the absurd. In the words of Doug Marlette, “…the world has, in fact, become a cartoon.”
Just the Facts, Ma’am
February 7th, 2006During his dialysis treatment on Saturday, it was discovered that Bruce had a fever, so the doctor decided to admit him back into the hospital for observation and a new course of antibiotics.
His wife did not let his mother know for two days.
Ok, I’ve typed and published it, but I’ll admit to first having reflected on the Four-Way Test of Rotary International—
• Is it the TRUTH?
Yes.
• Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Accuracy does not equal fairness, but there is no intent to be unfair.
• Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Don’t count on it.
• Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?”
Truthful exposure is not always appropriate, but eventually most facts are made plain, and benefits accrue in the long run to those who accept accountability.
Whether or not I flunked the famous test is subject to individual interpretation. Please read the collection of entries about Bruce for a record of my sincere thoughts and feelings during his lengthy illness.
Until further notice, it might be best for everyone involved if
“Uncle John” suspended continued commentary on this particular subject.
We now return this log to its regularly scheduled wisdom.