Holy $&@%

The park around the corner at 3:00 a.m.



And then at 3:00p.m.

I'm hearing that this is the 2nd worst blizzard in NYC history.All I know is there is a whole lotta snow out there.
That and since I'm not going to work tonight I'm gonna eat Garden Burgers and stare at this screen for a while.

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY

My big question , "where can I get one of these "super" bowls?
I can never get enough raisin bran in mine.

Bye Bye 159

Well, 95% of my stuff is moved to my new digs over on 172nd st.My room is bigger and the neighbor hood is quieter .Hopefully I'll be able to snag a connection on someone's wireless network from there.If not, oh well , I guess I'll have less to distract me from work.I'm exhausted and will probably feel the effects of5 flights of stairs in every muscle tomorrow but I had no choice.
Life in the big city,eh?
One last night in my first place here.
I'll hit the library soon if necessary and post some pics of the new pad.
bb
Russell Vaughan

Top 10 Albums of 2005

or CD's or whatever

10.Get Behind me Satan- White Stripes
9.Romance Bloody Romance-Death from Above 1979
8.2046-Original Soundtrack
7.Virgina Creeper-Grant Lee Phillips
6.As Is Now-Paul Weller
5.Picaresquethe-Decemberists
4.Cafe Lounge(rose hip tea)-various
3.Lullabies to Paralyze-Queens of the Stone Age
2.Some Cities-Doves

and the one that rocked (me) the most

1.Frances the Mute-The Mars Volta

Special mention

J.A.C.-Tosca
Blinking Lights And Other Revelations-Eels
Extraordinary Machine-Fiona Apple

Not much

O.K. ,so some have commented on my lack of posting but to tell the truth there hasn't been much to report.
Creative Capital isn't accepting applications for grants this year and in the meantime I'm working my day job whenever I get the chance (not a lot) and studying up on Flash techniques trying to put some animated stuff together for a collaboration with my friend Beth.

this is Beth.
I've also been slowly making my way through some of the 5000 photographs I took over the holidays. I'll post soon though for a special day.

Holly Daze

Well, the parties have all died down and I get on a plane in 7 hrs. to head back Home.After spending two weeks in Memphis forr the holidays I'm exausted both mentally and physically. I'm dreading the flight but I extended my stay a few days and could only get a flight back with a layover in Detroit , so its the price to be paid ( that and $70).
I also had a major pain in the ass with my bank which, if i had not stayed, would have been all but impossible to deal with from New york. So, as always , every thing worked out .Stay tuned for pix and stuff.
Blessed Be
Russell Vaughan

The Night Shift

The Big problem with working nights isn't so much the total reversal of my sleep schedule while I'm working. What really bugs me is when I get a few days off and try to live in the day time like normal ,non-vampiric types, and I can't seem to sleep more than several hours at a time .
It is 7:44 a.m. and I'm wide awake ( let's see this when I have to work a day shift eh?) and yet at some point before the sun sets I'm guaranteed to be fighting consciousness.
Anyhoo, the pre-holiday busyness from my job is dying down and I'm full bore here at Santa's workshop ,making toys for all the good little girls and boys.
Blessed Be
Russell Vaughan

Guess What?

Sad

Chris Whitley 1960-2005 ,one of my favorite artists.
i feel like i've lost a friend.

work and Work

So I'm adjusting to the night shift and trying to make use of the time I have to create and study.
While I've been using this forum to post WIP , I figured I'd post a finished version of the last sketch , mostly 'cause I don't think I'll get the website done before X-mas.
Meanwhile, back at the Batcave, I've gotta put together some lunch and stuff so I can go and paint a Gap store in midtown.

Thanks

Happy whatever.A good day here in the city if a bit cold. I went and bought a pair of long johns yesterday. Had some turkey,gouda, hummus ,olives and such for my little mini-feast and then went to see some friends(Bill's). All in all Ihave quite a bit to be thankful for .And now I think I'll show my grattitud by doing some work.

My day (dry, minimalist version)

10:33 ish. Rolled over and talked myself outta the human/blanket burrito I was inhabiting.
Read the news and want ads, drank coffee and had many Camels.Talked to Mom and made calls looking for work, sent e-mails doing same. Stared sketch for future painting, ate turkey sandwich.
Refined drawing, ate a bowl of raisin bran. Went to a (good) meeting, then to fed-ex to pick up package from aforementioned mother.Came back home, further developed drawing, ate large plate of spaghetti . Sitting in front of laptop smoking (yet) another Camel, think I'll go get a glass of soda and...

Oh and by the way..........

Did you know that you can click on the pictures to see a larger version?
You did?
Well damn, wish some one woulda told me.

Mass-A-Chew-Sets

So, getting laid off from my job (timing is everything) and having nothing better to do I packed my bag and headed off to Salem, MA to see my buddy John O.

Ever wonder where the expression "Colder than a witches bosom" came from?

It was good to spend some time w/ John as I haven't seen him in 4 years more or less.
Salem was pleasant to visit but I couldnt live there.Although they do have a great liquor store


and plenty of opportunities for gainful employment

Mass. transportation....

And so Tuesday we went to Boston (Bah-Stin), to the Old North Church were the lanterns were hung to signal Paul Revere on his historical ride.




I also saw Revere's gravesite at the Granary Burial Ground.


And lastly, some shots from the Holocaust Memorial

A vacation from Vacation

So, the party's over and Chris left this A.M. Thankgod!
No, but really we both had a grand time and the last 3 days the weather was perfect .I ended up with one more day off today and spent it keeping my mattress firmly in place.
Yesterday was halloween and Chris' er, uh 29th birthday......and if you find that beleivable I've got a special deal for you......
.
Real cheap.
But before we hiked the Brooklyn Bridge (nice segue huh?) we took a stroll through Central Park

and after the bridge we rode the Staten Island Ferry

O.K. so i just HAD to work that joke at least once

and then we were off to Greenwich Village for the annual Halloween parade
SPOOKY, eh kids?

as for the pictures from that , well, it was over three hours and i snapped at least 200 so you'll just have to wait

Stuff we been doin'

So, Friday we went to the Empire State Building

and the Met, below ,
adding a little gusto to Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze's "Washington Crossing the Delaware"
and generally walked around yesterday in SOHO
and there abouts. Ate huge Kosher corned beef sandwiches ate 2nd Ave.Deli and went to Madison Square Garden to see Audioslave.

Pictures from previous post

D.L.

So, we went to a taping of David Letterman but no cameras allowed in the studio.Pooh pooh!
Really a bummer since his guest was Bruce Willis and the musical guest was CARLOS SANTANA!
Big props to Chris for scoring the V.I.P. tix ,we had exellent seats.
General touristing in Chelsea, an excellent Italian meal and coffee in the Village capped off a fun day .
Can't seem to post pics at this time so I'll do that later...........
Meantime , off to the Empire State Building..............

Re-Touristing

So my good friend Chris P. flew in last night from Houston, Texas. So with 5 days off and no $ I'm gonna be a gawker in the Big City. This afternoon we're going to the Ed Sullivan Theater to see a taping of The Late Show with David Letterman.
Also ,I started a new position with the painting co. I work for. I do several things including driving all over Manhattan which ,given my previous experience I took to very quickly. It's not as bad as one might think ,just incredibly slow and stupifying at times.
Mo' later........

This just in

Houston leads Chicago 4-2 in the bottom of the 6th.
GO 'STROS!!!!

Tuesday Afternoon

So back to work today,Crosstown to the east side {yes that east side, Park Ave.) Hey, some one's gotta have that kinda of money cause I never will, and if I did I'd choose to live in Soho. A beautiful day for a cup of coffee on a bench in Central Park, which is exactly how I spent some post job time.
Tomorrow I need to take my girlfriend to work w/me ,that being my Canon eos 350 D.
And now , some chill grooves some paint, and maybe a Boca Burger.

Sun Shine

So Annie was right , the sun did come out . After 7 straight days of rain. Needless to say every one in the city was out on the streets including yours truly. Did a bit of meandering and window shopping and then I finally hooked up with Bill's Friends. I even went to a dance. I feel much better after some fellowship and fresh (as it can get in Manhattan) air.
Tomorrow eve, I plan to go to a club in the east village to dig on some lounge and chill grooves w/ a new friend.
For now , a shower and some paint.