Lessons in Cryptozoology

Guess who showed up in town!


That's Bob Gimlin, one of the two guys who shot the infamous Bigfoot film in 1967:


The museum in Olympia brought him, along with some very other interesting speakers, to tell the public what they know about this elusive creature. Northwest culture!

This is a 'body print' that the BFRO (that's Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization to you) made after studying a possible Sasquatch habitat near Mt. St. Helens. It's a little hard to see without the experts explaining it, but it shows a very large, ape-like creature laying on it's side. There were scientists involved in this.


Outside there were amazing Bigfoot tracking mobiles:


And other assorted weirdos, although the pilot of this car apparently didn't even know there was a giant Sasquatch consortium going on nearby! She was just trying to get her glasses fixed at the downtown optician.


We also went to an 'Ethnic Fair' where we talked to Swedes and Peace Corps veterans, ate croissants at the French Bakery, picked up the new Robert Wyatt record, letterpressed, and Dj'd until the wee hours. Another day in Olympia!

On the Beach

Yesterday was beautiful.


We went down to the beach, where Justin gave us an informal geology lesson. As you can see, Otis loves geology.


And then he rolled on a raccoon corpse!

Mutant Future

Change.Change. change. The more each of the potential Next Prez candidates repeat it, the more bland of an idea it sounds. I'm here to offer a better word:

MUTATION.

There. Isn't that more radical?


I've been listening to the debates on the radio, as out here in the country we don't have those modern conveniences known as 'television' or 'cable modem'. I like to imagine everyone wearing funny outfits while they so seriously deflect and convince. Like John Edwards is sporting a fez, and Barack Obama is in lederhosen, and Hilary Clinton is just dressed as a giant banana.

Really though, I'm just proud that everyone can actually speak ELOQUENTLY. I can not deal with another mumbling buffoon.

Pump Buds

Yesterday I tried something new.


I walked over to the YMCA and attended a class called Body Pump.


Body Pump, for those unfamiliar, involves:

Two ladies on cordless microphones.
A barbell. Much fussing about with changing weights.
Horrendous, horrendous techno remixes of Eye of the Tiger and Gwen Stefani.
A big, booming gym filled with various Y patrons. Teenage boys.
Something called the Clean and Jerk. (Possible name for future comedy team?)
Diana Arens next to me, the only piece of normalcy I could glean from the situation.
Oddly: not much sweating.
And, of course, Pumping. Lots and lots of Pumping.


So then I went home and made lentil stew for dinner, watched a movie, fell asleep on the couch, moved to the bed, and had some pretty wacko dreams (as per usual). The best one involved wading in a lagoon with friends, two of whom decided to rollerblade underwater. And then all of a sudden they were lifted up and were rollerblading on the water's surface, which we then realized was actually the back of something HUGE, dark and slippery in it's own right. And then it revealed itself completely, and it was the biggest sea lion/whale/hippopotamus hybrid I've ever seen. It seemed menacing, so I fled into a nearby house where my Swiss yoga instructor was hanging out. I kept setting fire to most things around me. We walked into a little boy's bedroom where the windows were boarded up, and everything was in shades of mustard, brown, and orange. I said 'This is exactly what my 70's looked like!'. And he said 'HA HA HA HA!'

Interpretations anyone?

New Year's Baby

Looks like someone did just a wee bit of over-partying on New Year's Eve:


It's been an eventful year! What with the big move, Justin's school career, and my continual paint party (not to mention the recent strangeness of something called Mold Remediation).. I'm a little tired. But it's so excellent to recap all of the Greatest Hits of 2007:

Seeing Tinariwen play live in Seattle.
My new studio; The Dumpster Values/Community Print/Phantom City complex.
Painting 5 days a week.
Justin Trosper, my incredible friend/partner. The inspiration I get from him.
The continued incredibleness of Buyolympia.com. Ask Aaron to see the graph.
Learning to letterpress print. Becoming addicted to printmaking.
Moving the family to Kamilche. 20 hours, 1 Toyota, 2 angry cats, 1 dog, caffeine.
Walking in the woods everyday.
Rosebud wasn't hospitalized this year; nothing short of a miracle.
Becoming a crazy soul/reggae/funk/psych/punk Dj team with Justin.
Aaron and Jenne’s anniversary party.
Visit from Tamala.
Visit from Amanda.
Visit from Dave Wilcox.
Visit from Dave Stone.
Visits from Anna and Jane.
Visits from Margaret and Luke; taking in the Mason County fair with them.
Poketo making wallets out of my paintings! So rad.
Art show at Room 30/hanging with Stefan, October.
Making new friends online: the power of blogs!
Getting my tooth fixed. Becoming a fan of dentistry.
Justin karaokeing the Doobie Bros in Michael McDonald's falsetto last week.
My sudden irrevocable addiction to Hot Yoga and the Hot Yoga Olympia studio.
Massively strong quadriceps (see above).
Ringing in the New Year’s at Kamilche, with friends new and old.


And with 2008 officially underway, I smell copious amounts of creative and dextrous activity. Justin will be going to Evergreen starting in the Spring Quarter-- congrats! I'm heading to LA in February to participate in a big crazy Poketo group art show (To my LA peeps:let me know what we will do/see/eat/hear!), and showing work in Scotland, and having an art show in Olympia in April, and and and and and.. so much to make. It's exciting!!