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Monday, June 28, 2010

Artist of the WEEK 6-28

Diana Krall, is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer. She is known for her contralto vocals.



In 1993, Krall released her first album, Stepping Out, which she recorded with John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton. It caught the attention of producer Tommy LiPuma, who produced her second album, Only Trust Your Heart (1995).


Her third album, All for You: A Dedication to the Nat King Cole Trio (1996), was nominated for a Grammy and continued for 70 weeks in the Billboard jazz charts. Love Scenes (1997) quickly became a hit record with the trio of Krall, Russell Malone (guitar) and Christian McBride (bass).


In August 2000, Krall was paired on a 20-city tour with Tony Bennett. They were paired again for a song on the TV series Spectacle: Elvis Costello.


In September 2001, Krall began a world tour.


In 1999, she was awarded as Best Jazz Musician of the Year.


After marrying Elvis Costello, she worked with him as a lyricist and started to compose her own songs, resulting in the album The Girl in the Other Room. The album, released in April 2004, quickly rose to the top five in the United Kingdom and made the Australian top 40 album charts.


Krall and Elvis Costello were married on December 6, 2003. Their twin sons Dexter Henry Lorcan and Frank Harlan James, were born December 6, 2006 in New York City.


Studio albums
Stepping Out
Released 1990

Only Trust Your Heart
Released 1995

All for You: A Dedication to the Nat King Cole Trio
Released: October 3, 1995

Love Scenes
Released: August 26, 1997

When I Look in Your Eyes
Released: June 8, 1999


The Look of Love
Released: September 18, 2001


The Girl in the Other Room
Released: April 27, 2004


From This Moment On
Released: September 19, 2006

Quiet Nights
Released: March 31, 2009























Thursday, June 24, 2010

New Logo Design

I recently did this for Pixelocity Software.

Things We'd Like to See in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

The latest Quick Listoon.

I didn't realize the issue this was going in would have a huge Twilight story in it and have all three of the Twilight "hotties" on the cover. I just imagine all the little Twilight fans snatching this up and then reading the comic in the back of it. Hey, don't blame me, I just draw it (even though it is funny). Find Stacy Austin Sheffield and complain to her.

Childrens TV Shows

Does anyone else find that some of the cartoons on TV are just a little bit disturbing? Or  am I the only freakin one?

Although my kids are mostly too old to watch “kid type” shows anymore. I am pretty sure that when they were watching shows like Sponge Bob the adult type humor was going way over their heads.
Which was probably a damn good thing.


FYI- Just cause it’s a cartoon or animated doesn’t make it something that is kid appropriate.


My beef in general is more with the fact that some of the kids shows seem to me to be just a little bit on the violent side. I know this is nothing new. Its been going on for freakin years.


Which makes me think that maybe kids shouldn’t watch tv at all. I can tell you that my kids would not agree with that assessment.


Now that I think about it, when you look back at the childrens shows in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. I most definitely find some of them distrubing.
WTF?
Why it is that in most of the shows the people look more like child molesters? And why would they think that would be so appealing to a small child?


Some of the shows I watched when I was little were Mr. Green Jeans, Tom and Jerry, Bugs Bunny, Road Runner, and Captain Kangeroo.

Then there are those shows from the 80’s/90’s, like Sponge Bob, Ren and Stimpy, the Simpsons, and Beavis and Butthead.
Definately NOT a kids type of show.
I guess I must not have paid too much attention back in the day when my kids were little, cause I let them watch cartoons all the time.


Really aren’t cartoons put on this planet for the soul purpose of shutting up your kids and to give the parents a little bit of freakin F R E E time.


What do you allow your kids to watch? How much do you let them watch? Do you know what they are watching?
and
Do you find any of them just a little bit disturbing?


Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Commando- Is it just for men?

Here is a question I have often wondered about. Is going “commando” only allowed for men? Or should I say is it only acceptable for men to do ? I’m not saying I go every day without panties, but what the heck there are days I just don’t feel it's necessary. Hell, if it's ok for the Victoria Secret gals, its good enough for me.



Why is there such a double standard for men and women. I am pretty sure that I can do about 90% of the things a guy can do. Some of them even better than a guy.


I know a lot of women who go “commando”. I am no fan of the “Thong”. To be perfectly honest I would rather wear N O T H I N G at all then have a tiny piece of material riding up my ass literally all day long, and all for what no pantie lines??

What the hell. If you can see my pantie lines then your looking way too close at my ass. Besides I don’t necessarily find the “thong” to be all that flattering.


The problem I have is with people who think there is something wrong with going without panties. It honestly is NOT a sexual thing. It is more of a comfort thing, a freedom thing, a I can do what the hell I want kinda thing.


Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that a good ole pair of cotton panties are a bad thing.
To each his own.
What my beef is, don’t you find it strange, that people wear underwear? Why is it the norm? Why isn't going commando the norm? Does anyone really need to wear underwear at all, if you have pants on? Who made the decision that people should wear underwear anyways?
The person who invented them?
I’m not saying that everyone should start going commando, I’m just saying don’t you ever wonder about it?


I mean hey come on, Adam and Eve were naked running all around the land, and nothing was said about that. It’s all natural.


Just a thought.

BAND of the W E E K

Rainbow
Right after the split-up of Elf, four members of Elf and ex-Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore formed band called Rainbow.

The name supposedly came from the Rainbow bar located in Los Angeles, where Elf and Ritchie Blackmore used to spend their free time.



Blackmore and Dio found they had such a creative rapport that a full album's worth of music was soon composed, and they recorded it with Elf as a session band

Rainbow is an English rock band. The band moved from the East Coast to California.

Ritchie Blackmore fired the rest of the Elf  who remained except Ronnie James Dio in September 1975. After several changes in the band during a relatively short time, the band started touring in November 1975.


Rainbow's music was different from Deep Purple's. The music was more directly inspired by classical music, and Dio wrote lyrics about medieval themes. Dio possessed a versatile vocal range capable of singing both hard rock and lighter ballads. Although Dio never played a musical instrument on any Rainbow album, he is credited with writing and arranging the music with Blackmore, in addition to writing all the lyrics himself

The most common story is that Ritchie wanted to change Rainbow's musical direction to more commercial, than what it used to be and as the other band members, especially Dio, did not want to do that, he split up the band. Other stories tell about monetary problems, some ex Rainbow members claim that Blackmore didn't give them their money, or gave too small proportion of the money.

Rainbow's debut album, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, was released in 1975 and featured the minor hit "Man on the Silver Mountain".  The single, "Stone Cold", was a ballad that had some chart success (#1 on Billboard Magazine's Rock Tracks chart) and the video of which received heavy airplay on MTV. "Live Between the Eyes" also received repeated showings on MTV.


Band members-Final lineup
Doogie White – lead vocals (1994–1997) Former- Ronnie James Dio – lead vocals (1975–1978)
Ritchie Blackmore – guitar (1975–1984, 1994–1997)
Greg Smith – bass, backing vocals (1994–1997)
John Micelli – drums (1997)
Paul Morris – keyboards (1994–1997)

Rainbow discography

Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (1975)
Rising (1976)
On Stage (1977)
Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (1978)
Down to Earth (1979)
Difficult to Cure (1981)
Straight Between the Eyes (1982)
Bent Out Of Shape (1983)
Finyl Vinyl (1986)
Stranger in Us All (1995

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Flash Flood and little tiny dogs

We have had a lot of rain here in the freakin Midwest for the month of June and this last weekend wasn’t any different. Which to me is just freakin crazy it is June for crying out loud.



Why so much rain???? Enough already, bring on the damn sun and heat.


So as usual, every weekend I take the dogs for a run after I get home from the gym. They just know when I put on my running shoes they are going to get to go outside with me.


So when the sportsman and I returned from the gym, the sky was kinda getting gray and dark in an area. No biggie right. It will just blow over.


That’s when the sportsman reminded me if I went for a run with the dogs that I should stay close to home.


Do you think I listened to him? Hell No!

It wasn’t even freakin raining out. So off we went. The Wiener “Rufus”, the chihuahua “Moog” and I.


Now as a norm we run down to the park and back. It is 2 miles to the park. So the run is a total of 4 miles. No biggie for a real runner. However, for me and the little tiny dogs it’s a challenge to run the whole way. Besides you have to take in account for all the “pole/fire hydrant peeing” we have to stop for.


So we/I don’t listen to the sportsman. We get all the way down to the park and we are on the return trip back and we start to hear the loud crackle and booms. No biggie again, its not raining yet. It freaked out the dogs a little but we were determined to get our run in.


Less than a minute later it started to dump. Not a sprinkle but freakin DUMPING! The wind picked up, it was a damn flash flood. So I start to really run. I am draggin the little doggie asses behind me. I try to run from tree to tree to hang out under neath thinking that maybe the sportsman will come looking for us.
No such luck.
So we kept running. It was coming down so hard and the wind was blowing that I couldn’t even see to run. I even ran a bit with my eyes closed. Everytime we crossed a street the water that was running down the gutter was so deep and flowing so fast it almost swept the little dogs away.


It seemed like it took us forever to get home. The last little bit of the run there is NO trees to hide under so we full on ran. I thought I was going to have a heart attack.


Did I mention that neither dogs like to be in the rain at all. On days it rains and the dogs go out back they hide under the eves of the house as to NOT get wet.


So we finally get home and I get in the front door and I’m screaming we need towels!!!!! I am soaked to the bone. The dogs were also soaked and not happy.


However, I get No answer.


So I yell again. Still no answer. WTF! Are you freakin kidding me.


I then realize that they have left to go looking for us. So I strip down and tie the dogs lease to the front door handle and go get towels to dry us all off.


Finally the sportsman and soccerboy show up. That was when the sportsman said, “I told you not to go far from home”.


I'll give the sportsman this one. It's one of the few times that I should of listened to him.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Texas Comicon Wrap-up

Thanks to everyone who stopped by my table in San Antonio this past weekend and a big thanks to Kris Kidd for the inviting me as a guest, I really appreciate it. It was my first convention there and I had a great time. Sunday was pretty slow for me, but Saturday was fantastic, I drew most of the day. I also got to meet and hang out with a bunch of other creators. Brent Peeples (who I already knew), Christian Beranek, Tony DiGerolamo, Michael Champion, Chris Summers, Scott Zirkel, Kennon James, and Chris Fulton, just to name a few. And on Sunday, Brent, Michael, Kennon, Chris and I participated in an event where each of us were paired up with con-goer, who sketched out a drawing in pencil, then we inked it and jazzed it up and at the end they got to take home a original piece that they collaborated on with us. Pretty cool. Here are some of the drawings I did on Saturday.
As of late I have been in the “Passion z o n e.



Good, Bad , or Indifferent.

 It kinda feels damn good!


I can only assume that I am like alot of women out there who are very passionate about things in their life.

I’m not just talking about sex, even though I talk a helluva lot about it.


Sometimes it comes across that I am some what of a perv (well hell, I guess I kinda am).


Anyways, what I am talking about is in general I am very passionate person about a lot of things. If I do say so myself I think that’s a kickass characteristic to have.


If I believe in something, I am 100% committed. How many people can honestly say that?


I have passed this quality onto my children. I have told them to find what they are passionate about and then dive right in. It's an awesome feeling.


Currently, I am very passionate about something. The problem, well not really a problem, is that I don’t completely/totally understand why. Just yet. I just need some time to think.


I know that I probably should just roll with it. That is what my gut instinct is telling me. It’s just I am one of “those” freakin people that doesn't trust very easily.

So I want/need to know why I feel this way. So I can go forward and give the 100%.


I know with my current situation with the sportsman, that all of this is very poor timing. So I have been doing a lot of thinking. I’m not saying I am doing anything drastic.  So freakin chill ppl.

I am somewhat analyzing at the present time. There is nothing wrong with that. Wouldn't you agree? I'm really all about the carefree way of things. I hate complications.


I also know I have said it a million fucking times before, but it's true. LIFE is too short. My biggest daily fear is that I will die not ever having really lived.

I'm currently in search of those things that make me happy and rolling with them because I am fully freakin aware that you make your own damn happiness. So I am working on what makes me happy.


Same as my other post’s this will be a reoccurring fucking theme.

To Be Continued……………………………….



Friday, June 18, 2010

Your Fathers day request is what............

So everyone knows, lately I have been putting an active effort into getting along/pleasing the sportsman.



I have tried to spend less time out with friends and more time with him.

I have even made the effort to make plans that would include him.
See, I can be an awesome wife. I'm trying to think about his freakin feelings for once.


So since this weekend is Fathers day, I thought that maybe I would try and do something extra special nice for him. Since after all, we will have that whole day alone together. Wink Wink


I am a very creative person you know. I can think of a million wonderful things to do. So I had all of these kickass ideas of what I wanted to do for the sportsman on Fathers day.


First we would most definitely be sleeping in. Then I was thinking about some naked breakfast. Don’t worry I'm not fixing anything that could possibly burn me. Then I was going to offer up a nice naked seaweed massage .

Which almost always leads to a little hanky panky. (and of course some other stuff I probably shouldn’t share here ).

Then after a couple of hours of rolling around in bed, I thought we would head out for a nice lunch somewhere on the plaza.


Now, doesn’t that all sound just awesome wonderful dreamy kickass amazing? Well since it is HIS day after all, I thought I should run these things by the sportsman first to see if there is anything I missed that he really wants to do on HIS day of relaxing.


Wouldn’t you know that the reply that I got from the sportsman was not a huge surprise, it appears that the sportsman was looking forward to catching up on some fucking golf.

Really? WTF? That is all he was thinking about doing on HIS alone day with me!!!!!!!!


Hello, I get it that he is all about sports, but when is it too much? Am I the only one that sees something wrong with this?


Now can you see where my frustration lies with the sportsman. What the hell?

I am working my ass off to make things better and this is what I get.


MY reply to the lovely sportsman was, that maybe, just freakin maybe he would get his wish and I would leave him all alone for the day and he can enjoy his freakin golf.


This was going to be a happy day that has now turned sad before it even begun.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Cool Skull Butterfly Tattoo with Tattoo Girls


Star and Moon with Tattoo Girls


Heart Lotus with Tattoo Girls


Goth Girl Tattoo Girls


Tribal Wings Angel with Tattoo Girls


Rose Butterfly and Gun with Tattoo Girls


Lotus Flower with Tattoo Girls


Twin Birds on Heart with Tattoo Girls


When is a Good time to listen to head banging music?

When is the wrong/Right time to listen to head banging music? (Like Five Finger Death Punch)



Let me just tell you.







1. I would Not suggest it, when driving in rush hour construction traffic and you have that one freakin jackass who just doesn’t get the fucking signs, that say this lane ends, get the h e l l over -MERGE.

This kind of music tends to get your blood pumping and makes you less likely to be nice to assholes like that;


2. I don't recommend it, while driving with a new teen driver. You should restrict the music to something of a mellow nature. AS to avoid the distraction from the road because the teen is sooo into the music;


3. I most definately think you should avoid it, when your driving in a flash flood rainstorm. Now while sometimes I find this somewhat soothing to rock out while sheets of rain are crashing against my little tiny car, the negative point is that you can’t freakin focus on what’s going on outside;


4. Last but not least,when your spouse/mate/ significant other is trying to have a serious conversation with you. This will only end badly;






The best times to listen to head banging music is……..


1. When you’re at a kickass concert. There is nothing better than hearing the music in person.;


2. Your drive into work on a Payday Friday. Everyone is happier then;


3. When your home alone , dancing around naked;


4. While you are laying out in the hot ass sun and drinking an ice cold beer. Those just go hand in hand;


5. I would say when your smoking weed, but I wouldn’t know, cause I don’t do that;

Now everyone go out and enjoy some kickass head banging music,
 at appropriate times
of course.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Memories from my Brain

As of recently I have been spending alot of time with old friends from H.S.



Now there are good and bad things about seeing old friends from your H.S. days.



Sometimes it is g r e a t to hear someone else talk about the crazy shit that went on, in his or her own words/version.


The big problem I have is that alot of things they talk about I don’t fucking remember.

I am unsure if this is due to one of many things. It could be that I smoked too much weed in H.S. It could be that it’s selective memeory, that maybe I didn’t really have the kickass time I thought I did in my younger years. It could just be part of my disease.


Whatever the freakin reason is, I just can’t remember everything. I remember bits and pieces of things but not very much. Is that normal?


SO you can see why some of the things I have heard recently that I supposedly did in my younger years upsets  disturbs  make me uncomfortable  freaks me out.


Most of my memories I remember, were of great times with my friends. However, some of the memories that people have brought up makes me question, “was I really “that” girl’?


I have even asked them “Are you sure that was really me doing that”? and not someone else.

Seriously, if there was drinking involved, should I really consider their memory to be a reliable source?


I have always stated that I had the best 4 years of my life in H.S. and I don’t regret any of it.

WTF, how can I have any regrets if I don’t flippin remember most of it. Hmmmmmmmmmm?


So anyways some of the things that people have mentioned aren’t all that bad. It’s not like I was off the wall crazy. It just appears, I just had some fun like everyone else.


I have really enjoyed the last few months of reconnecting with people from H.S. and even making some new friends. BUT, somewhere deep in the back of my mind I wonder, how will I ever really know what is the truth and what is someone else’s account or memory of what took place?

And do I really want to know the
TRUTH?

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

The Denist says I have a SMALL Mouth

It’s true I do have a small mouth.

That is no lie.



However, the sportsman disagrees. Just because I am opinionated(which now-a-days who the hell isn’t) and assertive doesn’t make me a freakin loud mouth.


There are just certain times that call for being a, take charge kind of person. Don’t you agree?

If everyone was freakin passive then nothing would ever get done or taken care of.


I have to admit there are times when I could have probably toned things down a tiny bit.

I know there have also been times when my son thinks I am deliberately trying to embarrassing him.

Which is sooooo not true. I just stand up for what I believe in.


I don’t do "it" on purpose in front of my son, just to embarrass him. I just want him to see that you have to stand your ground sometimes. You don’t want to be a push over.


In general the sportsman is a very passive person. I think sometimes it takes opposite personalities to make a relationship work.


The sportsmans passiveness for the most part helps in a big way to mellow me out. Then again at other times it totally pisses me off.


There are those times when I think he should step up and take care of shit. Except he never does cause he is a very laid back kinda guy.


I know there is a difference in being a total obnoxious loud mouth and just being assertive.


I am just the soccermom who is assertive,
with a tiny mouth.

Monday, June 14, 2010

New Commission Piece

I did this for a friend of mine. She commissioned it for her "Super Geek" husband's birthday. It was a lot of work, but a lot of fun.

Mid Life

When I think of the word “Mid Life” I normally think of a 50 something man, who all of sudden goes out and buys a sports car, starts working out, goes tanning, and starts dressing trendy.



I suppose the womens version is called a cougar. (but aren’t those just a single older woman who just hits on younger guys?)

 I am most definitely not one of those.

Recently the sportsman has accused ME of going thru a “Mid Life Crisis”.


WTF? Are you fucking serious? I’m pretty sure I am not having a Mid Life Crisis right now.


Hello? Yes, I am 41. Yes, I am a freak about going to the gym. Yes, I have been out to the freakin bars a little bit more lately. Yes, I am on my phone a lot more.


As of yet, I have not gone out and bought a new sporty car, and I have not changed the way I dress. I also don’t find myself to be overly attractive so it’s not like I am out strutting my stuff.


In my defense, I have always gone to the gym; it is an obsession of mine and has been for years. Being 41 doesn’t automatically mean your going thru a freakin Mid Life Crisis.

Hitting the bars really isn’t anything either. I have always been social, this is nothing new to the sportsman.


Mostly I have been at the bar lately because I have been meeting up with alot old friends from H.S. As for my phone, I recently bought a new iphone, so I am on all kinds of things. Can anyone say "APP's"! I can be on the phone checking those out all day long and I hardly text people unless it's family.


None of those to me are signs that I am going thru any type of freakin crisis.


If there is any damn crisis to worry about, it is the sportsman not holding up his part of the deal/marriage.


I’m not sure why he is currently freakin out. Is he just looking for something to place blame on? To explain the recent rift in our marriage?


Maybe just freakin maybe the sportsman should look at himself. What the hell. He should be looking at all those damn things I have asked him to work on to help out our marriage.


It took me cutting him off from sex to get his ass to the doctor for crying out loud.


I mean I at least asked him to work on these things versus some relationships where there is no talking at all and it just ends in divorce.


It’s true I have been struggling thru some shit lately. However, the truth behind that is I am concerned about my health. I worry that I will miss out on doing something exciting because of dying too soon. There is so much still I want to do and see. Can you blame me?


So it’s a possibility that I am just trying to enjoy life. Without any freakin rules/structure/routine.

I just want some freedom to do some things that I might miss if I were to die sooner than later is all.


Is that wrong of me? Is it selfish? M a y b e. Should I expect the sportsman to understand?

I don’t fucking know.


I realize there are still plenty of things out there that the sportsman and I can do together and I have been trying to get him involved.


However, there are some things that I just want/need to do alone.

Shouldn’t I be granted that? You know like your last wish or something.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

This week in MUSIC


CAKE
CAKE was formed in 1991 by vocalist/songwriter John McCrea, guitarist Greg Brown, trumpeter Vince DiFiore, bassist Shon Meckfessel and drummer Frank French. Shon Meckfessel soon left and was replaced by Gabe Nelson.

In 1993, the band released its debut single, "Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle." Although self-released, the single managed to hit number 31 on the US Modern Rock Tracks.

After the moderate radio success of their first single, CAKE released their debut album entitled Motorcade of Generosity.

Eventually, CAKE signed a deal with Capricorn Records, who in turn released the album nationally on February 7, 1994. Some time after this deal Gabe Nelson and Frank French left the band.



On September 17, 1996, CAKE released their second album, Fashion Nugget. The album produced the radio gem "The Distance," which dominated alternative radio that fall.

The next single released from Fashion Nugget was a cover of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive".



CAKE released their third studio album, Prolonging the Magic, on October 6, 1998. This album contained the hit single "Never There" which reached number 1 on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks.



On July 24, 2001, CAKE released their fourth full-length album entitled Comfort Eagle. This was CAKE's first release under Columbia records. The lead single "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" was a major hit on alternative radio stations, climbing to number 7 on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks, and is now the theme song to the TV series Chuck



CAKE's fifth album, Pressure Chief, was released on October 5, 2004. It contained the moderately successful singles "No Phone" and a cover of the Bread song "The Guitar Man."



In 2006 CAKE announced Live at the Crystal Palace, the band's first live album. The album was delayed to 2007 and then 2008 before the band announced that they currently don't have plans to release it.



Band lineup:
John McCrea – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, organ, vibraslap (1991-present)
Vince DiFiore - trumpet, keyboard, harmony vocals, percussion (1991-present)
Xan McCurdy – lead guitar (1998-present)
Gabe Nelson – bass guitar (1991-1993, 1997-present)
Paulo Baldi – drums, percussion (2003-present)


Former Members:
• Greg Brown – rhythm guitar (1991–1998)
• Victor Damiani – bass guitar (1993–1997)
• Shon Meckfessel – bass guitar (1991)
• Frank French – drums, percussion (1991–1994)
• Todd Roper - drums, percussion (1994–2002)
• Pete McNeal - drums, percussion (2002-2003)
• Andrew Griffin – drums (substituted for Paulo Baldi due to schedule conflicts on 2007 for European tour)



Studio albums
• Motorcade of Generosity (1994)
• Fashion Nugget (1996)
• Prolonging the Magic (1998)
• Comfort Eagle (2001)
• Pressure Chief (2004)
• TBA (2010)



Compilation albums
B-Sides and Rarities (2007)
Live albums
Live at the Crystal Palace (TBA)