I watched the putrid carcass of what remains of the Miss America pageant tonight on TLC. I greatly regret it. What a sad, sad display of humanity.

I'd forgotten how weird my fictionalized diary in screenplay format I did last year was. This was my favorite page. I should start it back up on February 9th...

Cabin fever is setting in.

Yesterday was my grandma's 79th birthday. We did our normal, last minute Chinese food and lots of cakes. My sister is in town so we worked up a little act with her singing and me on the guitar. After the opening act of my cousin breaking a kitchen light fixture with a stool, we performed a mostly well received set of Patsy Cline, random Peter, Paul, and Mary songs, and my sisters "hit", Over The Rainbow. We also did an epic version of Lyin' Eyes at grandma's request. The end fizzled because we didn't have a slam bang ending. Well, we had Suspicious Minds, but for some reason we were hesitant to do it. Oh well.

I think the fact that we were sitting by the door in the kitchen and a bunch of little kids kept going in and out from the cold only added to the occasion. At one point, our youngest cousin tried to go out into the freezing cold without shoes or a coat and got royally hollered at, but we kept on "rocking". Good times.

It's kind of strange to realize that, although I don't make nearly enough art, I do have a bunch of stuff stacked up in the attic. My plan was always to make stuff, stash it away, and let my children figure out what to do with it, but I think trying to sell it works too. Of course, the paradox has always been that I'm not keen on having any kids until I make some money...

A gallery crawl is comin' up on the 25th. Ladyboy has a solo show at the 707 Penn Gallery. Guaranteed to be awesome.
Here's the official write-up:

"Totally Maybe" is an exhibit of silk-screen paintings, wall murals, and fluorescent paint. Cats, people, and abstract shapes/patterns are the principal elements. Photoshop, rubylithe, exacto knife, silk-screens, paint, and brushes are some of the tools that will realize Ladyboy's first solo show in Pittsburgh, Pa.

I'm still working out some of the kinks, but meep!

We're back from DC. Much fun was had by all. I never thought I'd be a VIP at a military ceremony. I got to sit in a big chair in the front row. The general mentioned me by name.

Although there wasn't any karaoke, and I stayed sober, the after party was a good time. DC parties are always fun because the famous Cousin Steve lives there. We socialized and made art with chocolate and paper plates.

My sister gets into town tonight, so our third and final Christmas looms. I return to my banishment in the now livable attic. My New Year's resolve to do stuff has carried to the 6th. That's probably a record. I probably just jinxed it. Shit.

Tomorrow we drive to our nations capital to take part in my brother's pinning on ceremony. No karaoke this time but it should be fun. I've got a really spiffy new outfit. I spent part of tonight figuring out the right tie to wear. You didn't know I was such a dandy, did you? I'm accepting invitations to all formal events in '08.

"We can't rewind. We've gone too far."

Happy New Year. I spent New Year's Eve cleaning the attic, making it livable again. I did break for about an half hour to watch the ball rise in downtown Pittsburgh. Then it was right back to work. Usually, I'm all about the end of year best of lists and resolutions, but this year my resolution is to not waste anything, so no looking back and no wishing for the future. Take everything as it comes, and if something needs to be done just do it and get it over with. But even stating that breaks the spirit of it. I can't win.

I went through a couple piles of stuff in the attic that hadn't been touched in a few years. A lot of old life drawings and school notes are going to be recycled. I dug up a bunch of old art supplies. I really want to start painting again. I've found some interesting artifacts, a print I forgot I made, and tons of drawings that still amuse me and will probably find their way onto t-shirts.

Anyway, life continues.