Author Archives: michael

Oct 03 2023
art, fun

Still watercoloring

Between an iOS update and a WordPress update, image upload’s been broken for me so I’m catching up on some backlog.

Last week’s class was spent “playing” in those ovoid shapes with some different techniques. I wasn’t especially happy with any of them. I’m still too green for going that far out with stuff, IMO.

I had some time at the end of class and made that landscape-ish corner. I used some of the lesson in there, which helped.

3 hours of class after a workday is a lot. I’m usually pretty beat by the time we’re done.

Oct 03 2023
photos, podcast

Slight course change for last night

Enjoyed a simple (yet delicious) Cirrus vodka and Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic for last night’s recording session.

It’s a staple of summer and party season.

Sep 13 2023
art, fun, photos

Watercolor week 1

I started a watercolor studio class last night. I have very little general art experience and zero painting experience, so this is all new to me.

As I’m sure I’ve mentioned, I’m a life-long buyer of art supplies and now I’ve finally screwed up the courage to put media to paper. I’m sure it will be humbling.

Sep 06 2023
photos, podcast

That’s a pretty one.

I enjoyed this rather photogenic gin and tonic for podcast recording last night.

It was as tasty as it looked.

Aug 27 2023
art, photos

Some re-inks

I’ve got a little small-bottle set of those iroshizuku inks. I love the tsuki-yo, which is a nice blue-black, so I reloaded the Vanishing Point with it. I use that pen a lot at the office.

The Metropolitan doesn’t get as much use, so I swapped in the kon-peki, which is a nice medium blue. I’ll find a way to get more use out of it. I love the way it looks.

Of the three pens, the Lamy Safari was the one I didn’t write out of ink. The cartridge just dried out. It’s a drag, but I have more pens than I have writing time. I still have a few of these sweet purple Lamy cartridges, so I just swapped one in.

The fountain pen fire I had at the turn of the year has cooled a good bit. I like the pens I’ve got and I use them often. I’m definitely not hot to grab more of them right now.

Aug 21 2023
fun, photos, podcast

Geez (and Teez) Up!

Gin and tonic is simple and delicious.

Aug 21 2023
photos

Plenty leafy

Seems my worrying was for naught. This looks like a happy and healthy azalea.

I still don’t have a vision for the shape of the bonsai to come, but there is plenty of time for that. This is the growing phase. The development phase will be in a year or two.

Aug 10 2023
computers, fun

I really do, though.

I have a group chat with some friends where we share phone game scores and results. They’re technically Youngs, and they give me juuuuust the right amount of ribbing for my advanced age.

Aug 07 2023
fun, photos

Rose and Ground?

Long-time readers may remember when I was an enthusiastic strength sport athlete. I’ve taken a turn to playing more tennis over the last 18 months and my time at the gym has been sporadic, at best.

Over the last month or so, I’ve started dabbling back with the Iron Arts, in an early a.m. window. I don’t love getting up early, but I really love lifting weights.

Aug 04 2023
photos

Trimmed stickers

Waaaay back in 2007, or so, I grew my first big beard. It was a fun exercise and I took advantage of a sticker sale to have these printed up.

They come as 3” squares, but I try to trim them up before I give them to people. And I’ve given a lot of them away.

Man, it really used to be a dark beard.

← Older posts