Jerry Juhl died.

Really low turn out tonight. I wasn't Prisoner #3 because I'm really only a 'fill in' and somebody had car problems or something and I go where they tell me. Tonight I got to be the guy behind the 'drop panel'. Being behind the drop panel was not so good.

On the positive side, my makeup artist spent almost an hour giving me a damn slick makeup job because we were told that the drop panel was a choice spot, and she should go 'all out'. She did a hell of a job.

It was a shame that hardly anyone got to see it.

Erik Larsen has some words you should take to heart even if you aren't a comic book pro.

So, yeah, I'm working four days a week at Tom Savini's TerrorMania at Century III Mall. There's a nice write up about it in today's Post-Gazette (I had the production designer of the one in North Versailles, Ruth Comley, as a teacher when I was at the Art Institute. How about that?).

Anyway, I'm one of the 'actors'. I really can't write that without the quotation marks. So far I've played Prisoner #3 every night. I wear orange pants and a matching short-sleeve shirt (think Hannibal Lector) and scream at people from my cage. I'm not sure how well people can actually see my usually pretty slick, ghoulish makeup because it's so dark in my section.

There's usually two other people who work with me and we have our routine down pretty well. When we're on, it keeps building and we do our first couple things and the people think that that's all we've got but then we hit them with the third thing and the fourth thing and the fifth. Other times the people just run through and we just do whatever we can get in and watch them bolt.

My advice for anyone who goes is: 1. Try and get a group of 5 or 6 people. 2. Don't go during the first half hour to hour of operation. 3. Don't try to be tough. Get into it.

Remember, we don't make fun of you if you react to us.

We love you for it.

I remember back when I didn't do anything. A couple weeks ago. Now I've got my job four nights a week and I went into AIR this morning and Monday to help get ready for the benefit. I am so tired. Today was a blur of blasting screens, painting walls, and yelling at people. This is so much better than not doing anything. And to top it off I know what I'm going to work on artwise after the benefit when I have a little more time. Hooray for activity!

Tuesday morning quarterback:
1. The game has been filed under 'character builder'.
2. Ha ha ha!

Here we go Steelers.
Here we go.

2-1.

Randel El is the fucking goat.
Hopefully he'll be riding the bench when we return from the bye.

Three things I was shouting last night:
1. I have seen the devil!
2. She needs blood to feed her babies!
3. I want biscuits!

What does the devil smell like?

Isn't it great to live in an age when if you miss a television show you can download it while you sleep and watch it the next morning?

I seem to have gotten a job as an "actor" at Tom Savini's TerrorMania.

"$13.50 per person. All sales final. No weapons."

Wait...what?

Here we go Steelers.
Here we go.

2-0.

Today's game ball goes to Troy Polamalu and his three sacks. When do we get to play a good team?

Oh yeah, next week.

You can't escape number 8, the Red Salamander.

3 Trees Make a Forest

Must...get...to...Los...Angeles...

Golf is a slippery game.

Nine holes yesterday. Two Three pars, two eights, and the rest unremarkable. Actually, looking at the scorecard, I also had two bogeys which is kind of remarkable for me. Five holes of no worse than bogey is really good for me. It was just those two eights and a six on the final par three that did me in. I hit some really nice shots though. I hit some just about perfect shots that ran through some really firm greens. One of my pars was on a par three. I never shoot par on those. If I would just keep my head down on my long irons and improve my bump and run chips I'd be pretty-decently-not-awful.

My hero, the Rude Pundit, gives us a blog post about John Roberts' confirmation hearing. Now that's what I call satire.

So, remember the artistic fire from yesterday? Yeah. I'd intended to do some hardcore oil painting, but I allowed circumstances to defeat me. But I had the desk and stool all set up so I decided to go with it. I ended up doing some ink drawings and then some tiny watercolors.



current music: Mass Romantic - New Pornographers

Today, filled with artistic fire I set off to paint. All of my painting supplies are around. Scattered and buried but around. All I have to do is set up my work area. Okay, there's a stool. Somewhere to sit: check. Moving on.

Problem one: I don't seem to have an easel. Surely there must be something that can be used instead. I just need something to prop a canvas against. One of these old desks will do. It'll be awkward, but if I arrange everything just right, it'll work.

I'm going to start with a self portrait so I'll need a mirror. I've got a "full length" mirror so we're good there.

Problem number two: my work area is so small that when I'm on the stool and sitting up straight (we must endeavor to have good posture) I can't see my head. Maybe I can do a full body portrait and paint my face from memory. Nah, that's no good. Maybe if I sit on the floor. Hurm.

Damnit.

Looks like I'd better start with a still life.

Yesterday was the 23rd anniversary of my chickening out and refusing to walk down the aisle as the ring bearer at my aunts wedding. The wedding was at Heinz Chapel in Oakland. I think my cousin ended up filling in for me.

Any future fiancees I might have should take this as a warning. If you arrive at the church and someone comes out and says there might be a small problem you should know that I have, as they say, a history.

I love cold egg rolls.

Here we go Steelers.
Here we go.
1-0

Today's game ball goes to "Fast" Willie "Tony" Parker.
It's been obvious since two training camps ago that he could be this good but he'd still be behind Duce and the bus if they weren't injured. Lets hope they leave Fast Willie in there for awhile.

Also, re: the passing game -- whew.

I already gave my sister a birthday present at her party last Sunday. Should I give her something else tomorrow on her actual birthday?

Saturday October 1st from noon to midnight, that's right, it's the big one: the Artists Image Resource benefit.

Ten bucks gets you in the door and out the door and back in the door as many times as you want. Come and go as you please! Food. Music. Art. Papermaking!

Come and make some paper. Make some screen prints. Make some monoprints. Buy a t-shirt. Eat some food. Listen to some bands. Give the friendly staff a hard time! I'm sure I'm forgetting all kinds of other incredibly fun and hip stuff. Just go already!

My sister's birthday party was superfun.

We went to Nakama on the South Side.

I had the Eel Roll.

Saturday-Wednesday: You know that sound Snoopy makes when he's upset?

Thursday: 18 holes of golf. See above.

Friday: Good day at AIR. Hung drywall and printed something. In the evening there was a 9th birthday party for my cousin. Best party ever. There was good basketball action in the near dark. There were water balloons. There were sparklers. There was a visit from the police. There was singing of the Wizard of Oz and Jesus Christ Superstar into the small hours of the night with young cousins and my sister.

Today is my dad's birthday and the Pitt game. Tomorrow is a christening for my cousin's daughter and another big party. After that my brothers and some of my sister's friends are going out to celebrate her 30th (!) birthday. I got her a kick ass, humorous present.

This should be a good weekend.

I'm going to need Labor Day to rest.