Today was a lazy day. I had a leisurely breakfast a bagel toasted using the oven's broiler (we have to toaster yet) and I then finished the book on Toulouse-Lautrec, only 100p +pictures. I now love that man, but am saddened by what he could have been were his life not cut so short (39 and 10 months). He had a great outlook on life, one that found the lighter side in life's misgivings, but his moral choices were lacking, not that I'm expecting much. But, still a very interesting man and the forward was written by Frederico Fellini, Doug should be glad to hear, who himself was a dandy with the pen.

------------------------------------------------------------(Sorry, for some reason the paragraphs are being picked up as such) Anywho, so after that I walked around a block to the east of my apartment, stopped and drew someone's house with a silver permenant marker. The neighbor's pulling out beside me slowed down a little probably wondering if I was casing the place. Well, I was. And doing so by making an elaborate rendering of the architecture, just as all good thiefs do before they jump over the grass hose and pry off the screen door with a stick.

------------------------------------------------------------While walking back past a Wells Fargo, I saw a man sitting on the grass in the shade, cross-legged with two scrach-off lottery tickets. He was in the process of scratching the first when I walked by. For some reason Lautrec was still on my mind and I swear his legs were abnormally short. When I returned to the apartment I tried to sketch him the best I could remeber or as I wanted to remember him rather. As Degas said, "Illusion of life, not reality itself, is what matters itself." A stoic representation of life is absent of personality and a point most of the time. But, I may change my mind later. I need to work on writing more concise.

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silvertip marker - 5"x4"

Later in the day, on the way to purchasing new pens and finding dinner, I saw this man through the glass, sitting in a cheap mexican buffet with the most incredible dreadlocks and beard. As I walked past I was so enchanted by his dreads that I completely missing the rest of his face. At the store, looking for the pens, I caught another glimpse of him and took a very quick note of his features.

------------------------------------------------------------I then proceeded to a cool interior with seats as it was so hot out and landed back at the mexican buffet. I ordered a 98 cent plate of chips and unlimited salsas. They were very hot. So much for a cool interior, my mouth was burning and the air wasn't working. I was sitting down at least. I then used my new pens and proceeded to try and work out a sketch of the man I saw. Well, it became a little embellished, although the hair length and stylized appearance is not far from the truth. And it certainly was a lot of fun.

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black and silvertip marker - 3"x2"

Being so bored later, I tried to attempt the man in oils, but the idea of an enclosed space and an open turpentine bottle discouraged me so I opted for pastels instead. The colors were really bothering me so I wiped the board and started over now on a toned surface and in nearly monotone. I couldn't resist the title.

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Bard Blues or Blue Bard - pastel - 10"x8"

Lastly, here is a view from across the bus stop I was waiting (another place to sit down in relative shade).

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Leaf Forms - graphite - 5"x4"

That is all for now.