Category: neat things!

These things are neat!

My paintings: Erin Gray

A long time ago, back in the early days just after the Earth cooled, about half-past the dinosaurs, I used to paint pictures.  This being the dim and ancient past, these were done with acrylic pigment on actual canvas, and they took a long time each to paint.  Mainly because there wasn’t an “undo” function.  I wasn’t half-bad at painting these, I don’t think, but I haven’t digitized them in a long time, so I’m going to display them here on my blog, as I get to them.

This one is a painting I did of the actress Erin Gray, who at the time (the 80’s, you may have heard about it from your parents or grandparents) was starring in a TV show called “Silver Spoons”.  She was interviewed in an edition of “TV Guide” magazine, and the article was accompanied by a very beautiful photo of Ms. Gray.  I usually based my paintings on photographs of beautiful women as I came across them, so I don’t actually “create” the art, I pretty much copy it in a larger format, in a different medium, with whatever skill I can muster.  Not every one works well, and I probably won’t display the ones I’m not so happy with, but then again I might inflict them upon the unwary Internet!  (cue evil chuckle).

At any rate, this is a photo I took of the painting, with some correction for the distortion of the camera lens.  If you like it or hate it, please comment.

Enjoy!

Erin Gray

Photos from the new book I’m working on…

What, you didn’t know I had an old book? ^__^

My first book

Here are some photos from that book

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When I went with my brother Darrell to Japan in May of 2010, we visited a place near where he was stationed back in the 1950s, the town of Matsushima. I had been there in 2007, took a lot of pictures, and made a little picture book from them, with comments in English and Japanese (mostly for practice). In 2010, with Darrell’s help I took more pictures, this time with a nice DSLR camera. I took some pictures of places I had been, mainly because I wanted better quality versions, but I also took some from places I hadn’t been the first time. We had a great time, did a lot of walking, and saw some interesting historic things, and some beautiful nature things.

We had no idea that less than one year later, that area would be hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake, in March of 2011. Almost all of the places that are in these pictures were either hit by the force of the tsunami, or were under 20-30 feet of water. The town survived the brunt of the tsunami, because Matsushima’s bay is filled with over 100 islands of various sizes, and they broke the force of the wave. Unfortunately they couldn’t stop the water from flooding the town, and nothing stopped the force of the earthquake that generated the tsunami.

I intend to go back to Matsushima when I make my trip this fall (donations accepted, please hit the tip jar, even $5 helps!) (update, useless tip jar removed!) and see for myself how well or badly the town survived. The book I’m working on now will have pictures from my 2007 and 2010 trips, with commentary. I’m calling it “Omoide no Matsushima” (想い出の松島), which loosely translates to “Matsushima of My Memories”, and it will be bilingual as well. One of the big problems that Japan is facing is the loss of tourism, mainly people not going to the areas that were devastated by the earthquake and tsunami. They’re working to rebuild now, but it’s hard, and I want to go there and see for myself how well they’re rebuilding. I’m going to take pictures again, and try to document the changes in a new book, to show not just the loss but also the renewal that the area has gone through. I want to help promote Japan as a fantastic tourist spot, for many reasons that I’ll touch on in that book.

For now, though, I’m working on the book of my memories. Here are some of the photos I’ll be putting in “Omoide no Matsushima.”

JR Senseki manga train

We took this neat train from Sendai station to Matsushima Kaigan station. It was painted with manga characters created by a local artist back in the 60’s and 70’s. Sadly, I read where the train cars were destroyed when the tsunami hit the town where the manga museum was.

[one_third]Manga Train[/one_third][one_third]Manga Train[/one_third][one_third_last]Manga train[/one_third_last]

 

Matsushima town

The first thing you see of the town, from the train platform above the station

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Matsushimakaigan train station

Matsushimakaigan Station, with tourist bureau
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Zuiganji temple grounds

The historic old Zuiganji temple and grounds, going back to the 800’s AD. The monks would carve statues ito the rock walls, and dig out alcoves for medittion ad other purposes. Some of these walls collapsed from the earthquake. The courtyard is filled with trees, about 300 of which were killed by salt water brought in y the tsunami, and they’re replacing them now, according to the news.
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Plaza, Godaido and Fukuurajima

Some pictures from the plaza near the train station, the old Godaido shrine, and the nature preserve of Fukuurajima, over the bright red lacquered bridge.

[one_third]Godaido shrine islands[/one_third][one_third]Matsushima Bay islands[/one_third][one_third_last]Matsushima Bay islands[/one_third_last]

[one_third]Fukuurajima[/one_third][one_third]Fukuurajima[/one_third][one_third_last]Fukuurajima[/one_third_last]

That’s all for now, I’ll be posting more sometime. In the meantime, if you want to see the real book, please donate!
(update: since no donations came in, no need for a donation link, since removed!)

You’ll never hear dubstep the same way, ever again…

Believe me, I had no idea before watching this that a dubstep mashup like this was even possible. (Note: if you don’t know what dubstep is, or who Skrillex is, here’s a nice video of otters playing with cups: awwww)

Continue reading “You’ll never hear dubstep the same way, ever again…”

Slinky on a treadmill…

  No, it’s not a metaphor for the ultimate uselessness of effort, it’s just this: a slinky toy “walking” down a treadmill, endlessly, endlessly…
Continue reading “Slinky on a treadmill…”

Zen Pencils: “Shaolin Monk Experience”

Shaolin Monk
Zen Pencils Mascot

“Zen Pencils” is a webcomic by a young man in Australia named Gavin Aung Than, who works as a freelance illustrator. He mixes philosophy and art in a very charming style, drawing illustrations based on quotes from famous people. Continue reading “Zen Pencils: “Shaolin Monk Experience””

Cosplay kids: Kaylee and Mal from “Firefly”

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Well, now this is pretty darn adorable, Peter Verrant took pictures of these two cute kids, dressed as Kaylee Frye and Malcom Reynolds, from the series “Firefly” and the Firefly movie “Serenity“.  According to his Flickr account, he took the pictures at CONvergence 2011.  Whoever did their costumes even got the teddy bear on Kaylee’s coveralls right!   Awwww!

Otakon 2012 Day 3 Pictures

Day 3 of Otakon 2012, and you can tell that the con is winding down. You can almost feel the exhaustion of the con-goers, by Sunday afternoon more people were sitting than standing! There were occasional bursts of energy, though. At any rate, here are the photos from Day 3 of Otakon 2012. Enjoy!
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Otakon 2012 Day 2 Pictures update!

Well, I could have written a few things about what I did at Otakon on Day 2 (my birthday!), but nah, I think most people just want to see the pictures, so here they are, a whole mess of them from Day 2!
UPDATE: I found about 20 more pictures I took Saturday, that I thought I had lost! I added them to the gallery below, they were taken in the plaza and fountain at the Inner Harbor!
Continue reading “Otakon 2012 Day 2 Pictures update!”