More Dreams A-Comin' True...

I'm not very good at tooting my own horn (although I still keep meaning to learn to play the harmonica, but I suppose that's totally different, and I do like playing my own piano, even though it badly needs to be tuned... oh, sorry, digressing, as usual), not because I don't like people to pay attention to me, but because it's usually a little weird and awkward and embarrassing to be, like, "HEY, people, look at ME!"

Because that's usually immediately preceding the moment that I trip over my own feet and fall flat on my face, or fly through the air and land flat on my back in the middle of hundreds of fellow college students because I failed to notice that the sidewalk ended and the drop into a drainage ditch had begun....

.... sorry, there's that bad digression habit again...

BUT I've been lucky and honored enough to be selected as Etsy's Featured Seller for the next few days, and I just wanted to share and say a BIG BIG Thank YOU! to all of YOU, my friends, family, clients and customers who've been so supportive over the last year. I totally couldn't have made it this far without you.

And just because my drafting table looks very boring in that particular photo that I submitted to them, here's some more photos of my studio in its latest incarnation, because there are few things I like more than artistic voyeurism, so why not return the favor?

Does That Run on Biodiesel?

I think I've found my next vehicle. I mean, really, who wouldn't want to own their very own submarine? The old version of the submarine ride at Disneyland was one of my favorite rides (with Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and the Haunted Mansion, later joined by Space Mountain. But I digress).



And, really, at only $699,000, it's not that expensive. Certainly less than a tall ship. Although, the main fuel for a tall sailing ship is a lot cheaper, at least until the powers that be find a way to start charging for wind (here in Chesapeake, we get a bill for the rain that falls each month).

Maybe I'll just have to get both.

The Crazy Chicken

This is an official report of an El Pollo Loco sighting in Virginia Beach. It's not open yet, but Al told me he could smell the chicken cooking, and there was a sign that said "Employee training" on the door.

Dreams do come true.



(If you're not familiar with El Pollo Loco, it's a California fast food chain, and one of my favorite restaurants ever. I'm really not the biggest fan of chain restaurants, but California fast food ROCKS, and I'd rather eat at El Pollo Loco than a lot of the fancy schmancy restaurants I've encountered in my life. The food is so, so good. Right up there with In-N-Out Burger.)

Goings-On, in Tens

1. We walked out of our house this afternoon to find the air thick with haze and smoke from the wildfires in North Carolina.

2. The smell of smoke reminds me of the West Coast.

3. It's been outrageously hot here this week, almost 100 (which is 10x10) degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius), and huuuuuuuuuumid, which is really what makes me feel like melting. Yep, it might be hot on the West Coast, but it's a drrrrryyyy heat, and yep, that makes a difference (it really does, Walter).

4. My artwork has been going very well, so well, in fact, that in four weeks I'll become a full-time artist once again.

5. So you should see a lot more of me very soon.

6. And I actually have more than 10 tiny paintings to list in the next few days, so there will be lots to look at in the Interimaginational Institute.

7. My aunt and uncle were here last month and took me to see the map exhibit at the Walters Art Museum again. We hit traffic in D.C., though, so we only got to Baltimore an hour before the museum closed. Still, it was a terrific hour. The exhibit's last day was June 8, and I got to see it twice. And it all started thanks to that anonymous Dean.

8. Then we spent many more hours and many more dollars at Daedalus Books, one of the most fabulous places on earth -- imagine a lovely bookstore packed with magical books that are all at least half off -- and a place I wouldn't even know existed if it weren't for Anne. Thank you, forever, Anne.

9. Al and I saw "Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" this weekend. I loved it. Very well done. Truly like stepping into another world for two hours. Movie reviewing isn't my spec-ial-ity, because I'm not the most critical of movie watchers, but I thought the sets and photography were quite good, and I, always willing to suspend disbelief, a necessary skill in my line of work, also thought the not-so-human Narnians were charming and occasionally quite real-ish, as well. Especially cute... uh, I mean handsome... Reepicheep.

10. Both cats have finally learned to sit on command. I know. Sorry. I'm a bit tired and can't really think of anything more interesting than that. Although I do think it's pretty interesting that we taught our cats to sit, albeit only under the influence of bribery. But life should get a lot more interesting when I actually have time to pay attention. And isn't that the joy of blogging? Paying attention?