the olympics

so. let me give you a little context for this:

i am doing another one of Julia Cameron's books after having finished the Artist's Way a few months ago. it was so transformative and encouraging, that i wanted to keep up the momentum. so i went out and bought another of her books: vein of gold.

so remember how there were lots of assignments and homework and list-making in the artist's way? no? well, there were.

but THIS book puts it to shame. i have to write an effing AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

let me be clear though, it's an important assignment... it's already been a great journey and i've moved through some really painful memories, as well as uncovering some funny ones too.

so anyhow, since it's taking up a significant portion of my time these days, i thought i'd share:

I always had visions of grandeur growing up. Like I dreamed that one day I’d go to the olympics by being discovered for my fast running.

I used to run in the races during recess in elementary school and only one boy was faster than me. Later on, in junior high, when I had started puberty and was a little chubby, I imagined that I might still be secretly fast.

I used to run as fast as I could through the parking lot from the salon up to the convenience store. I would go at an all out sprint to get anything anyone wanted from the 7-11. Lotto ticket? Sprinted. Soda? Sprinted. Ice cream from the Baskin Robbins next door to the 7-11? Sprinted and didn't even spill it.

In a parking lot.
In a small town outside of Houston, Texas.

I honestly thought a "scout" would see me and I'd be out of there, faster than a speeding bullet.


Love,
Sam

daily illustration

a poem about blowing your nose.

salud!
sam

p.s. you can view it larger on flickr by clicking the image.

i made a book.

you can go see it on flickr. i recommend clicking the "i made a book" box at the right of my page to read it in order... they got all crazy when i uploaded them.

p.s. what would you be/do if you joined the circus?

tiny pocket

seriously, what am i supposed to do with that? or is it aesthetic? supposed to make me look like a GIANT? is it functional?

i'm only complaining because the shirt is comfy and soft... but the pocket bugs the hell out of me.

any insight is appreciated.

illustration

she always had this one recurring nightmare...

daily illustration

although the odds were stacked against her,

what with her shyness preventing her from participating in class discussions
and her teachers' doubts about anything getting through her "thick skull,"

she was, in actuality, a very good student.

daily illustration

she is really shy.

she gets a lot of stares. and questions.

you wonder to yourself, how might that be, having a pumpkin for a head?

she'd tell you: it's fun at halloween, but for the rest of the year it pretty much just sucks.

in a round

sailor joe, sailor joe
what about the ribbons?
what about the toes?
miles and miles of sea you've seen,
'til the battered ship, she fell
out of sight behind the swell
as you clung to that little ring
for your very life. we sing,

daily illustration

so i figure if i want to be an illustrator, i need to practice right? so i'm starting another daily series... of illustrations. whatever pops in my head.
here we go!

sam

unicycle

i really like this little lady....

p.s.

on the highly diverting subject of talking in one's sleep, i apparently had a recent episode when friends were staying on the floor of our studio apartment. details are sketchy and it is possible that tiffany and i were whispering to each other in our sleep, but the only concrete information i have is this: that when russ asked what i was saying, i said,

"she wants to know what song i want to sing."

what song do you want to sing?

"rainbows. i want to sing rainbows."

Pick a wild animal to keep as a pet.

Baby penguin... remember that movie with all the penguins? like that. I'd keep him in my freezer and give him swim time in my tub filled with ice cubes and water. Plus, I could take him with me to fancy parties, because he's already dressed up!