Friday, November 23, 2007

black friday


simplify
Originally uploaded by daveterry.
So here's the thing: I wanted to get a real good deal on a 42" LCD HDTV. All the stores open at crazy times, 5:00 a.m. for example. So I decided I'd rather pay extra and sleep in.

And yet, I could save a great deal of cash, $600 if I could just get up early. My body woke me at 4:00. So I got up, got dressed, and drove to the store. It's about 30 minutes away. Highway 75 was empty. I could actually count the headlights behind me and the taillights in front of me. There were only six cars behind me and eight cars in front of me. It was as if I was the only guy on the road. Highway 75 is a five line Interstate.

If I could get there by the time the doors opened, I could slip in, grab what I wanted, pay, and slip out again. When I drove into the parking lot it looked like a baseball game. A thick line wrapped around the building, down it's side, and back into the darkness. The store's foyer was packed with people. It was 35 degrees outside. Cars were bumper to bumper in the parking lot. I'm not sure why. Maybe some were hoping to drive into the store?

There must have been 200 people waiting to get in. It was 4:55 a.m. Are these people crazy?

I had shaved, dressed, and drove for 30 minutes for this? There is no way. I drove through the crazy drivers in the parking lot idling for the charge and drove back out again.

I drove home alone. No one existed on the highways, roads, or streets. The lights were all green.

I drove up my driveway, put it in park, and walked into my house. I pealed off my clothes, climbed into bed, and dreamt about being richer.

...dave
Why grab possessions like thieves, or divide them like socialists when you can ignore them like wise men? - Author: Natalie Clifford Barney

Friday, November 16, 2007

sweat pants


sketch journal
Originally uploaded by daveterry.
Ink and wash. After the sketch and after the journaling I decided to wash with watercolor pencils. I've never used these before but decided to give it a try.

I bought only grey watercolor pencils. I only wanted to color the contours of the pant material to give it depth. I then washed over it with pure water. I'm pleased with the result. The pants even have that soft, comfortable look that only sweat pants have. It came out looking fairly real.

And so that's all I know about color pencils.

...dave
When I fly I always fly first class. Not the whole way but just 'til they kick me out. -Pauly Shore

Thursday, November 15, 2007

breakfast


sketch journal
Originally uploaded by daveterry.
Sometimes I get up at 5:00 a.m. I don't know why my body does this to me. I just take advantage and have breakfast at home.

This morning I had bite-sized shredded wheat. There were a few squares left over after so I decided to draw my bowl, spoon and the cereal.

It's strange this drawing phase I'm going through. When I draw I lose track of time. In just a few minutes it was time to rush off to work. I leave at 6:18. No earlier. No later.

I like sketching facing pages like this. It gives me a chance to do an initial sketch and then enhance it the next day. Or if I don't get a chance to to sketch a day, the next day I can catch up.

I really like the combination of sketching and journaling. Words and images appeal to me somehow. I'm not sure why.

I've done a few washes over the ink but always come back to pure black and white. I'm sort of a binary kind of guy I guess. Maybe it's somehow connected to my tech background?

I'll post a wash tomorrow to give an idea of what appeals to me if I I'm not feeling strictly binary.

Until tomorrow.

...dave
If you're supposed to live each day as if it was your last, when are you supposed to do laundry?

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Remotes


shadow people
Originally uploaded by daveterry.
Why does my remote have 40 buttons on it? 40! What are they all for? I use only four buttons.

The problem I have is that while watching TV in the dark I can't find MUTE, or FAST-FORWARD so I keep hitting the wrong button. They are very close together. They are very small. I need to select them with a pencil point. I use my fingernail. It would be helpful if the buttons lit up at night.

My TV remove has glow-in-the-dark buttons. If I put it under the light before turning it off, it's easy to see the buttons. I wish my satellite remote was like that.

And the buttons have inconsistent shapes. They are not all raised. Some are indented, some are rocker style, others are flat. Why?
If they were all the same size and shape my fingers could count the bumps as they glide across them. But now they scrape along, hit a dip, and press the change channel. Rats, how do I go back? Where's the previous-station button? I can't find it in the dark. I turn on the light and press another button. It doesn't work. Instead it pauses the show. So now I'm paused at a show I don't want to watch.

If they can send a man to the moon, build a space station 220 miles from earth, and take pictures of the Titanic 12,500 feet underwater, why can't they design a simple remote?

Mine would have four buttons.

I think I'll go outside and do something that doesn't require a remote.

...dave
Space isn't remote at all. It's only an hour's drive away if your car could go straight upwards. - Fred Hoyle