Hi there!
Yesterday I sold the painting that appeared in my previous post. This is the first time I've sold one, I'm on cloud nine. I came home today and started work on another one... hehe, i'm really enjoying painting, and I *think* I'm getting the hang of it. It's too dark to be sculpting tiki heads in my backyard (another hobby of mine), so at least until the end of winter, I'd better enjoy it.

Here's what I've done of my next work, a special sneak preview. Keep in mind that this is only after an hour or so's work, and there's plenty left to go.

first the initial sketch (trying to figure out what the hell i'm doing...)



...Then with a coat of paint... trying to get some colours that look ok together.


At the moment I'm trying to find shapes that are familiar but at the same time unfamiliar, and arrange them in a way that's pleasant to the eye. That's my whole artistic philosophy at the moment. One whole sentence worth.

I haven't had a cigarette in 2 days. It hurts, but in a good way.

We had a great bbq last Saturday night. Did i mentions that before? I don't think so.
Well we did.


Here's Alex cooking up a storm. I'm glad I have a camera phone or I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have any memories of this night at all...

I also got 3 new threadless t-shirts in the recent sale. Here are the designs:






...Any ways, must dasherooni, I much too important and busy to talk to the likes of you.

...Later.

Aaargh! Monday morning, drinking my coffee, waiting for the shower. A horrible time of the week. Our kettle died last night... a major disaster in a house that drinks as much tea and coffee as we do. Had to boil my water in a saucepan. Mildly surprised I didn't drip it onto my bare feet. That usually happens. Results in more of a wake up call than the coffee, but not quite as pleasant.

How was your weekend? Good? Good!
Yesterday I finished painting the above, my latest creation (moohaha!). Please don't ask "So, what is it?"

I really don't know either...

...Happy Monday!

Hung out with Mickey most of yesterday. We had roast duck laksa up at Carlingford court, then went a-hunting cheap goodish dvd's. Mick found Ghostbusters 1 & 2 collectors edition (hehe, glow in the dark cover) for $20. We ate gourmet pizza, drank red wine and watched Ghostbusters 1 last night. Maan, I haven't seen that movie in about 10 years. It really hasn't lost that much either. Not like Tron. Whoah, Tron has aged.

Finally bought some new fish for my tank yesterday too. I'm not picky, I basically went into the pet store and asked for lots of something cheap and unkillable. I came away with 12 tiger and spotted barbs. The guy in the store said, and I quote "these things will live in sewage". Good. That's my sort of fish. Don't get me wrong, my tank isn't all green and lumpy or anything, it's just that I normally don't change the water very often, and I have a fairly high fatality rate. I have a filter and plants and stuff. I just don't want something that isn't willing to negotiate as far as what 'livable environment' means.

Oh yeh, still loving the Venture Bros.

Last ninja: 'Be able to kill your students'

"The teachings of Grand Master Masaaki Hatsumi echo through my head as he entreats me to attack a blackbelted disciple with a practice sword. "Always be able to kill your students," he says.

Chilling words from a shockingly fit 76-year-old man who bills himself as the world's last ninja and stocks his training chamber with weapons such as throwing stars and nunchucks. Especially to a neophyte whose closest brush with martial arts was watching Bruce Lee matinees as a kid.

As I cautiously raise the sword with a taut two-handed samurai grip, my sparring partner gingerly points to Hatsumi. I avert my eyes for a split second - and WHAM! The next thing I know, I'm staring at the rafters.

Keeping your focus is just one of the lessons thumped out on the mats of the Bujinkan Dojo, a cramped school outside Tokyo that is a pilgrimage site for 100,000 worldwide followers. They revere Hatsumi as the last living master of ninjutsu - the mysterious Japanese art of war practiced by black-masked assassins of yesteryear."

read more at Mercury News

I spent the day getting over a cold. I watched the Bourne Identity, the Bourne Supremacy and did some painting.

Today is Anzac day, a day set aside to commemorate the battle of Gallipoli, and for many, war in general. It's a particularly bittersweet day for Australians as the battle of Gallipoli both forged an initial Australian identity in the eyes of the world at large, but on the flipside resulted in 8000 Australian deaths in a horrible, poorly implemented battle plan.

..So we get the day off work. There are marches through the streets in most Australian towns.

New music: The Guillemots : TripleJ have been pushing the song: Trains to Brazil. Check it out.
I've found an acoustic version on YouTube.com, see below. This is a bit too mellow for me, I prefer the electric version.