The Devil Boot

Some people get their kicks kicking other people.

Hey, I have this guy inside me myself. I have a touch of the sadism. I watch UFC. I like watching people beat each other. Even the most demure and sophisticated citizens feel a bit of bloodlust when they watch lions take down an antelope on PBS's "Nature".

I'm reading a book, "The Death and Life of Great American Cities" by Jane Jacobs. In one passage she cites a 1958 talk by a Dr. Karl Meninger, director of the Meninger Psychiatric Clinic of Topeka, who explains that there are three activities which seem to combat destructive behavior.

1. plentiful contacts with plenty of other people.
2. work, including even drudgery
3. violent play.

Apparently city life doesn't provide enough opportunities for violent play, which is needed to blow off steam that otherwise gets bottled up and manifests itself destructively. The lesson here... kick your friends lovingly so you don't kill your boss hate-ingly.

Sublimate don't repress. Repressed feelings will catch up with ya.

Drowning

Sperm Whale

Queequeg Ahab Perhaps

Queequeg Ahab Maybe

Boop Hatchin'

Krill Swallowing

Scummy AT&T

Oh, jeepers... seems like the web interface used to drop overpriced data and text messaging plans from my account isn't working. Oh it's probably just a little snafu. I'm sure qualified technicians are looking into the problem. You know how these computers are. Such touchy little devils.

Looks like I'll have to call the old fashioned automated phone system and talk to robots with my mouth instead of my fingers to sort this out. Guess I'll do that.

** dials number and plays the touchtone navigation game **

Turns out the robots can't help me... this operation is far too complex to leave to machines... I need a qualified customer support technician to talk to the machine for me... this is a delicate operation after all, and hey it's nice to talk to a human every once in a while.

** robot voice informs me the offices are closed and I should call back tomorrow during normal business hours for my region **

Hmm... that's funny. I know it's election day here in the U.S. and a lot of businesses are closed, but AT&T must have some overseas. It is a huge multinational corporation after all. Can't I talk to a guy from Bombay with a Boston accent instead? Oh well. I guess I'll have to call during normal business hours. Hopefully my boss will let me make this call during my lunch break, otherwise I'll have to take a sick day! I hate to do it though. I only get three of those each year!

Squid & Seahorse ... Painted Again

You may find this image familiar... I posted it a few days ago... well here it is again painted with different colors. These are muted, subtler, and earthier colors. I'm trying to use color with more discipline... James Brown can scream and emote a thousand different ways and it works because he had the tightest band in the business, the JB's, backing him up. I need to tighten up parts of my game so I can loosen up others... see what I'm gettin' at here?

Internet Surfin'

Hey if I'm going to be mindlessly poking around the Internet I should at least keep my sketchbook handy so I can doodle reactions to all the photos logos and other junk I'll be bombarded with... that's what I did here. I'm trying to make my bad habits at least somewhat productive.