Welp, it’s April and I been workin’

June show, books coming, coffee cups, walking around the world, voodoo on Putin, other good stuff. (And congrats, Kansas!)

Been working on the June show (First Friday opening at The Hilliard Gallery), doing new work this winter and spring. Here’s a little preview, to the right. (What the heck is that? You’ll see, starting June 3rd) There’s no theme to the show other than NEW! 50% STRONGER WELDS! Or, as it says in the gloves above, HELL YEAH. Which is maybe a comment on having a show just when everything is going to hell. Like the brave Russian warriors shelling kids, pets, the elderly, apartment buildings and art. Oops, some of these people are firing back. With anti-tank stuff.

 Oscars (no, not that).

I have something to say about the Oscars, and no, it’s not that tacky thing. It’s this; they turned down the President of Ukraine who had a message, because they wanted the ceremony to be...upbeat. I’ll never watch them again. Yawn, so I’m joining millions of other nonwatchers. The Grammys did air a message from Zelensky, but his script had to do with music. Kind of hard to shoehorn a music message into a bloody life and death battle for sovereignty. But, at least they aired it and millions saw it. A world in need of heroes saw this man take center stage.

 Pride walketh.

I don’t do humble-bragging, I just brag. Here’s one: Since F gave me a Fitbit Charge 2 for a birthday three years ago, I have walked no less than 10,000 steps a day and usually 12,000 plus. I am approaching 20 million steps, which is once around this tattered old globe, avoiding Russia and other crazy places, making it not so scenic but longer. My stats say 15,749,338 steps. 20 mil is about world circumference. I wore out that Fitbit and busted the crystal doing chores, so I upgraded to a Charge 4 and it does everything but make me coffee. I recommend it. My resting heartbeat since walking is 61 to 65; not bad for an octogenarian who pushes cinnamon rolls into his face.

  Two books.

Books: Holy & Intoxicated Press (great name!) is doing a GW art/poetry chapbook, as soon as I get them the art and poetry. So that’s coming in 2022. And a book of essays and memoiristic pieces titled “Chickens One Day, Feathers The Next” is coming from Vine Leaves Press. So, I’m grateful about that. But humbled? I don’t feel that so much; I worked really hard on it. (The original publisher took a dive due to Covid and west coast fires. If you think it's tough to find one publisher, try finding a second after the first one goes belly up.)

 

Ya big mug.

Coffee mugs with an art message and no cuss words will soon be available. More about that when they are. But they’re really red, big, porcelainized and arty. First reader to comment below gets one. They’ll be at the Hell Yeah sculpture show in June.

 Urgent matters.

Ever heard of St. Expedite? Me neither, until I ran across this voodoo site while doing research for a book. Expeditus is a martyred Roman centurion and the saint of urgent matters. The site is the point of departure for a rabbit warren for all things mojo, milagroid and occult. You can buy a spell to get Putin purged (worth a shot) or a charm for a good soybean crop. Looking for love? It’s for sale, and that’s a way to end this on a super note with Ella! Go, Ella!