Ode to spring: sweet child of mine

Welcome to my ode to spring!

In the past month, it's rained maybe 28 days, up until this past weekend. So, any poking out of sun brought people out like crazy. Or, brought the crazies out. Your call. I've captured a few of them, along with a few others who simply caught my eye.

First up, ...um, ...not sure what to say here.

But he was working his trench-coat, top hat, out of control long hair and beard look crazily well. He kind of struck me as Slash from Guns N Roses gone wrong. I dunno.

Keep checking back this week for daily posts!

Drawings inspired by other people's drawings: the next unicorn

When I was in Montréal, I was enamored with Serge's 4-year old daughter's drawings. Children's drawings are great. There is no way adults can draw in the same style, with the same imagination. Even when an adult tries to draw in the style of children, it doesn't quite look the same. Maybe because adults are too mired in "reality" I don't know.

This creature in particular held my attention. I couldn't tell what it was! Serge said, "I think it's a unicorn."

So there you have it. Sort of a Barbapapa-unicorn with a crazy fairy jockey riding it. Here, I've drawn my take on Sofia's work: the fairy flitting about the B-unicorn, who is excited for the ensuing cantor.

Drawings inspired by other people's drawings: A Stranger's Tale

At our charming haunt in Angoulême, Café Chaud, the party before us had left some random drawings on the table (like many place during the International B.D. Festival, the café encourages doodling on placemats, etc.).

Most were poorly drawn and without imagination, but this one page was pretty amazing. I believe it was a jam sketch. The drawing was bad to Ok, but the variety and composition really struck me.

So I gave it the ol' Tim Fish treatment. Indie witch carrying a basket of Easter eggs, a vampire-like diety, and little flying aliens. Nice.

Oh, Angoulême, how you torment me so. I was all set to NOT go this year, but Xavier and Jeff laughed that idea off. Now, of course I want to go again in 2012!

I'm always torn...love to see my friends there, love being at the festival, always inspired by the comics there. But there are so many other places I want to see, as well! And with no new book, it's a pricey annual jaunt. If only money and vacation time weren't an issue. Le sigh.

On the note of travel, Xavier asked about my travel sketch book idea...I'd still love to do it, but am not sure how wise it is to publish. And, I'd still like to get to Brazil and Argentina before I'd go to print...thoughts?

Old lady

Xavier deploys his umbrella at the slightest drop of rain, or mildest of zephyrs.

But, the weather totally sucked on Saturday. We walked around in the rain, going to a few comic and furniture galleries.

Later, out to eat and then bowling. In New England, we still have Candlepin bowling, but I was fascinated by the lane we visited. I have since learned it's Duckpin bowling. Its squat lightweight pins were knocked over as if they were made of marshmallow. And then, somehow were lifted up (perhaps magnetically?) to the pin clearing mechanism.

The next day I headed home, in terrible rain. Not a fun drive, especially solo. Plus, I was all hopped up on sadness and anger. On the way home, my '97 VW GTI (VR6) turned 100,000 miles. Fun!

Oh...I was also bummed out that I couldn't find any postcards on my journey! I bought the Canadian stamps, but no touristy cards to mail.

A world away

Everytime I go, Montréal amazes me. It's not so much Canadian...it doesn't feel European...distinctly Québécois.

It's a bit of a hike...more like 6 hours drive, including time at the border check. But the drive is so pretty...NH mountains, Vermont rolling hills, Québéc flat farm country.

After spending a week in Boston, I drove Xavier and Jeff up north—it was just too long since I'd left the country.

We got off to a late start, doing some laundry, packing a lunch, dropping Aggie off at Elena's, and then on to Sherman Cafe. Xavier had bonded with the staff and food at Sherman's...I think he was as sad to leave it as he was to leave Aggie!

Crawling our way through NH, we stopped in my home town for a snack and wine (none for me, driving) at my parents' house. And then a quick stop at the outlet mall for a bargain or two. Our next pitstop was St. Johnsbury VT. A charming little town, but kinda tough to get a decent cup of coffee. Listen up, Sherman.

At the border, we met THE FRIENDLIEST border guard. She joked around with us in French and English. She stamped Xavier and Jeff's passports, but not mine (not required). I knew I could clown with her, so I asked for a stamp, which she cheerfully provided.

That night, after some food and a nap, we went to a jazz bar (which I had coincidentally been to before, on my last trip to Montréal with Andy). Afterward, we walked through Le Village and stopped at a lesbian club for a drink. On the terrace was a straight couple, she providing a BJ to him, as if they weren't surrounded by 25 other patrons. Gross.

Playing pool, Xavier won...as he won every other game we played during his trip.

One or two?

Xavier and I were taking the T downtown to meet up with Jeff after his Sunday matinee of the ballet. Waiting in the station, we observed a loud-spoken older lady, with crutches, wearing a lot of black.

We were neither far nor close, and for the longest time we thought she had but one leg. Xavier was nonplussed by the uni-leg, as if he sees this thing all the time. He noted the crutches as if it was a natural conclusion to therefore have only one leg.

Sufficiently convinced, we went about our conversation until she shifted position, and revealed a second leg! Color us surprised.

I guess it was an optical illusion of all that black clothing, plus her position, plus our distance from her.

When Xavier said "oooo, she has two legs!" he seemed more surprised at the idea than her only having one.

I'm glad she has two, for her sake.

Ladies' Night

PREMISE: I notice, draw, and post, hot men "more than anything else" (ugly men, pretty or ugly women).

REALITY: Aside from fictional characters I draw; aside from drawing the people I know
(most of those drawings are of Adam, Matt, or women I work with); aside from my travel
sketches (which I draw men, women, scenery, and moments, all pretty equally), careful
analysis shows:

Ratio of men:women = 1.57:1

So, TRUE, I pay more attention to men than women, but not even double!
And, TRUE, the men I draw tend to be fit and handsome.

While my analysis proves to myself that overall it's not so one-sided, I
will make a better attempt at equality. To start this, I happily post some
sketches of ladies I've seen and drawn in the past months.

On the subway en route to South Station, I noticed these two ladies. One haggard
and hooker-ish, the other nicely put together but wasn't dealing with her receding
hairline very well...rather, accentuating it.