Politics

So I took a political spectrum test and this was my result;

Here's where the major world leaders currently land on the same chart;

It does explain why I'm never very happy with my choices, but I guess there could be worse company to keep than the Dali Lama.  Anyways... time to start reviewing all of the ballot issues this year.

Daily Affirmations from Tilden Park

Point Lobos 2012

I just opened a show in Carmel... I'm still busy... but before I left I went walking at Point Lobos Nature Preserve... It is one of my favorite places on the planet. The first time I went here it was because on my day off I couldn't afford the $35 ticket to go to the Monterey Aquarium... but this is so much better! Yes Better than walking under sharks and through glowing jellyfish.

Everywhere you look there is just more beauty...

I mean just look at this and BAM there's a freakin' sea lion right in the middle of it!

Hello!

Got to keep this short due to the need to wake up sooner than I care to admit, but there you go some pretty pictures, hopefully they will tide you over for a bit. Ta!

The wrong bin.

Bear looked to his dog and asked, "Do you think we're the only prizes for this game?" Dog licked his friend's large pink head and pondered the strange new bin. "I'm not sure why, but I suspect we missed the fair this year."

"Oh dear." Bear sighed.

Mid-Yawn.

No good reason... just a funny pic of the dog.  Deal.

One and Only

There may be 31 flavors at Baskin Robbins and yet to me there are only two; Orange sherbert (cake cone) and Mint Chocolate Chip (Sugar cone) I have tasted the others and sure I guess they are also ice cream... but they are just not the glory that is Mint Chocolate Chip or Orange sherbert... maybe if they ever had Pineapple sherbert I could be swayed... maybe.

I have another food establishment that has become a one choice menu.  Erik's Deli. They're a chain mostly in the central coast and south bay area of Northern California and they have a huge menu of soups, salads and mostly sandwiches, but really all they serve is this; Light and Tasty salad with Raspberry vinaigrette and a cup of tomato bisque soup.  Every time I come down here I become giddy that I can have a bloody Soup and Salad!  It has got to be filled with salt or crack or something that makes this such an exciting meal. 

Perhaps it speaks to my character that I am so devoted to the Light and Tasty in the way that I am devoted to Mint Choc Chip.  There are plenty of places where I try new things all the time but somehow this is different...I'd like to think its a matter of knowing what I like and finding a joy in familiarity, but perhaps it's best to not read too much into food choices like this. 
Do you have a staple order at a restaurant you cannot be swayed from?

Belt bit

Victory! (part 3 of 3)

Plastic pour #2... neater... actually started to solidify when it was supposed to...

Primer.

Black detail. (a little gaudy at this phase but hold on, it's just a step in the process)

Oooh... more gold... (I'm not going to even get into how much of a fight it was to mount this thing onto a belt)

Bumps in the road to Gold glory (part 2 of 3)

 The foam mold portion of this process went well.  Perfect on the first try... but then the liquid plastic portion of this adventure kicked me down a peg from my feelings of success.
The plastic filled and overfilled the mold until I was left battling an ever expanding amount of sticky plastic goo that thankfully had a plastic container collecting the excess rather than the kitchen table.

 Eventually I discovered that positioning pencils under the mold would keep the flow inside.

 The plastic was supposed to dry in about 15 minutes but the next day I was still left with soft and sticky shapes that began to bubble and expand like cancer had taken a turn for the worse.

This is when you try again.

We are the Champions... (part 1 of 3)

Working with Roma Plastilina for the first time in over a decade. The good news is that now they make a non-sulfur version (because the stuff I used in high school smelled to all high hell)

Today I made this large buckle, tomorrow I make the small side buckles, a mold for it and then from that a positive out of plastic.

...and then I paint it and mount it onto a belt... yes, this stuff is not exactly easy but it is enjoyable. Pray that the foam mold and plastic steps go well since I haven't done that before... but we follow directions and with a little luck it will all work out. More updates to come.

Shiny.

Guess what I'm sewing this week...

Digging through stock again... found an old friend.