Saturday, December 11, 2010

Exciting news!!!


   Just got the word that two of my plush creations will be featured in a book celebrating the pop culture themed shows of Gallery 1988! "Red Stapler" (Milton from "Office Space"), 2008 and "You've Got Red on You" (Shaun & Ed from "Shaun of the Dead"), 2010 made the cut. Both were for a series of shows celebrating cult films.
   The publisher will be releasing the book at the same time as the opening of Crazy 4 Cult's newest installment: July 8th, 2011. And they're getting some incredible people to write up their favorite parts of the exhibit (including some of the buyers of our pieces to give us a quote about how they've enjoyed in their house since the purchase). Kevin Smith will also be writing the book's foreword. LA, here I come!
   And in other gallery-related news, I will also have work featured in "Is This Thing On? A Tribute To Funny People" at Gallery1988:Melrose to kick off 2011. The show will open January 7th and will feature over 100 artists creating artwork portraying some of the best classic, vintage comedians—and emerging stars! The line-up for this show is incredible and the gallery is partnering with FunnyOrDie.com as their exclusive press outlet. Wow. Kinda pinching myself that they keep including me in the madness. I won't say yet who I'm portraying, just that I couldn't be more excited about it!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

MMMaui...

   Been too busy this week to get working on my photos & get them uploaded, but I'm excited!!! Every time I peek at them I get to relive a bit of the magic. Oh yes, Hawaii is magic...
   I did my first two "real" Scuba dives on the trip, and just like everyone said, all my nerves faded as soon as I saw the coral & fish! Some of the creatures I saw were: Moorish Idol—my favorite!, yellow tang, raccoon butterflyfish, threadfin butterflyfish, milletseed butterflyfish, orangebar surgeonfish, zebra blenny, pinktail triggerfish, spotted puffers (Hawaiian Whitespotted Puffers?), needlefish, cornetfish, wrasse, bluespine unicorn fish, parrotfish, yellowstripe goatfish, manybar goatfish, black triggerfish, Hawaiian Dascyllus, Hawaiian Sergeant, Hawaiian Garden Eel (rare at the depth of 70'; in other parts of the world you have to dive down 140' to see them!), devil scorpionfish, leaf scorpionfish, black & slate pencil urchins, all kinds of coral, Hawaii's mascot, the humuhumunukunukuapua'a (reef triggerfish) and more! (The Moorish Idol photo below is from Wiki):

X marks the spot

   Thanks to my friend Joan for schlepping me back & forth to the doc's this afternoon for another test on my hip. It was almost as much fun as the first one: all of the pain with none of the suspense. You know what you really don't want to see? A pen mark on your thigh telling the doc exactly where he should stab you with a giant needle.
I look like a pirate's treasure map: "dig here." ARRRRGH. He did a good job, though. The needle didn't even slam out the other side of my leg and turn me into a human shish kabob, which is nice. Not so nice:
I am fairly resistant to Lidocaine, which apparently is genetic. You win this round, genes.

   My favorite part was as I was leaving the waiting room to start the test, when the xray tech, Trevor, came to get me. Joan called out, "I don't want to hear any screaming back there!" And I said, "Hopefully it will be HIM and not ME!" One of the receptionists burst out laughing. Score.
   I also got Trevor pretty good, between the arthrogram and the MRI. The doc left and he said, "You did great! That wasn't so bad, was it?" And I emphatically said, "Thank GOD I've only got two hips!!"
   I've only drawn one cartoon so far and haven't scanned it yet (I mean, can you really beat that picture above?), so 'til then, please enjoy a recap of my first experience with an MRA.
   I've realized in these few months that I can manage the pain, at least for now, by changing my activities: less running, more swimming, and don't get all crazy with the yoga. Ankles do not necessarily belong behind your head anyway. Ironically, almost twenty miles of hiking in Maui didn't phase me, nor did all the walking, snorkeling and Scuba. What have we learned? Yes: I should live in Maui.
   Coincidentally, today Keion shared a quote by poet Lucille Clifton that seems appropriate: “Come celebrate with me that everyday something has tried to kill me and failed.” So I polished off the evening with a fun chat, a long, hot bath and a glass of wine.

Monday, December 6, 2010

That's a wrap!

   Update 12/9/10: just received word that because the Humane Society successfully filled 132 three-hour shifts with volunteers, The Plaza will be donating $7,500 to the shelter animals—and that amount will save the lives of 150 homeless animals!
    I got a text this afternoon that another volunteer was needed for gift wrapping tonight and headed to the Plaza after work. I worked with Barb, the sister in law of a coworker who also happens to be an HSGKC board member. We had a blast. She works at Starlight Theater and was super-fun to talk with as we folded tissue paper and wrapped a couple of gifts.
   I left at 8:30 because we had a couple of last-minute gifts come in for wrapping, so we each took one and stayed late. In my haste to get out of the cold and get home and eat, I totally forgot to run by Urban Outfitters to pick up the "Japanese Dog Calendar" (aka shiba inu calendar) that Alison tipped me off to. As you might expect, when my dogs learned this they were furious. Be nice, guys... Santa is watching!

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Sea life

   I'm still sorting photos & identifying all the fish I saw while Scuba diving & snorkeling. I found a couple of great sites to help me ID: marine life photography, and coral reef network. Also ran across a great site for information about Hawaii's waterfalls. More to come!

Vintage Hawaiiana

    Kelly found this great site chock-full of vintage Hawaiian souvenirs, menus & postcards. Delightful! Most are from the 50s-60s, and feature limited-color art such as the work of Stanley Stubenberg, above.
This is the Sheraton Hotel on Black Rock. I snorkeled there!
Kaanapali Beach Hotel, where I stayed:
Ad old ad that was spotted in a window of a shop in Whaler's Village: