benscomix

A few changes...

2012-02-05T18:20:00.001-08:00

Get it? Me neither. I guess for some reason when I think "Superbowl," I think the sky, apparently... subconsciously.

You know, the game is happening right now, and I don't even care. I'm not watching it, and probably won't even care if someone tells me the score. With the exception of the commercials, it's just kind of the same thing every year. I think the NFL needs to change some things up to make it more interesting. And since you're asking, let me tell my good ideas...

1) Funny hats. Who doesn't like Funny hats? Better yet, who doesn't want to sit in front of a large television set, eating junk food for hours, viewing football players smacking into each other with Funny hats on? It brings a smile to my face just thinking about it. Funny hats. They already wear funny pants, so why not, right?

2) Good half time shows. I think this is pretty self-explanatory.

3) Space. Just add Space to anything, and it instantly becomes awesome. TV shows, band names, awkward relationships, you name it, it gets better with Space. If I could see a little more Outer Space in the Superbowl, I'd be eating junk food in front of it.

Just listen to me, NFL controlling people, and your lives will get better, much better, especially if you listen to the part about the Funny hats. I think that's what's going to do it for people.

I mean I'll watch it.

Friends and February

2012-02-04T17:07:00.000-08:00

Happy February everybody! And to start off the month of Football, Groundhogs, and Love, I decided to do something that would really tie all three of those things together. There you have it!

These were actually done for The Weekly Sketchbook which as I said last time is another blog where members can post their interpretations of a topic that is given each week.

I love art blogs, because not only do you get to see people's art, you also get to see it progress and in progress (like unfinished stuff). I have some really cool friends who do some really cool art, so while you are checking out The Weekly Sketchbook, you can check out some of my other friends' blogs as well.

First off, my good friend Daniel. I have mentioned his blog a few times before, and it is still definitely worth checking out. Dan's Lair of AWESOMATION.

The Next is my amazing cousin, Jessica, who skillfully combines graphic design with paper crafts. If you appreciate good design, this is the place to go. JLiBdisigns.

Next up is my cool friend, Anna. Fact I was just at her house yesterday for an awesome dance party! Fog machine so thick, you couldn't see the person next to you. Then again it could have been the lasers... If you enjoy Anime, check it OuT! AnnaMei's Anime.

And lastly, my other cool friend, Clayton. If you like crazy cartoons, or you are one, check it out. Clayton's Crazy Cartoons.

Happy February Everybody! This month is of traditionalicious artwork!

Moosen

2012-01-16T19:46:00.001-08:00

Hey guys! I have been doing a lot of drawing lately; designing for my friend Foster, storyboarding with my friend Eric, and I started a new art blog called The Weekly Sketchbook with my friends! Crazy fun. Check it out here. All of these drawings here are for that blog. And actually the last two drawings, if you haven't figured it out already, are essentially the same one. Using the animation desk that I showed you last time, that has a lightbox, I drew that first red one up, then turned the light on, drew the blue one, and turned the light off, finishing with the graphite one. Traditional animation stuff. Sounds complicated, but it isn't really, except that the red one is done a different sheet of paper than the blue and graphite one.

The first one is Bullwinkle. When I think 'Moose' I immediately thought of him. There is no more famous Moose character in television to date! I remember when my parents first showed me Rocky & Bullwinkle as a kid. Now, when I watch it, I am surprised at how little cartoon there actually is. But, an amazing show nonetheless. You can pretty much watch all of the episodes on Netflix streaming now... and what could make Bullwinkle more memorable than a funky coloring job? Exactly. That's why I did it.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day everybody!

Look at what I got...

2012-01-14T17:55:00.000-08:00

Pretty sweet, huh? I have been waiting for this for a while. Now, there went my savings... and yet, totally worth it.

Some quick sketches

2012-01-10T15:24:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! Happy New Year! Man, it is such a blessing to be on winter break, otherwise I wouldn't have drawn these little fellers here.

For Christmas I got two amazing books, The Art of Tangled, and a Disney Archives book on Animation. Both have been extremely helpful to look at and learn from, mostly because I am terrible at drawing females and animals. So, that's what I drew! Actually the first sketch I have up there I drew today as I was working on animal character designs for my awesome friend and brother in Christ, Foster. He's the guy who got me Photoshop! He works at Adobe, and on the side makes iphone/ipad apps. I have had the privilege of working on some characters for graphics that are going to go into one of his games! Don't know if this lion will be in it, but it was fun to draw so I thought I might as well put it up here.

One of my family's other gifts this year was The Lion King on blu-ray (I know, heavy on the Disney gifts this year, right?). The film is just as awesome as it has always been, blu-ray or not. Last night my youngest brother and I spent something like an hour and a half looking at the gallery while I sketched which really helped me figure out this drawing.

I am also working on storyboarding a short film with my friend who the Assistant Director of another friend's short film which I helped storyboard way back when. Maybe I will actually get some storyboards from this film up here.

Happy Syllabus Day to all you who are starting school! And to the rest of us, Happy Rubbing in How Long Our Christmas Break Is Day! God bless!

I was going to say something about this...

2011-12-31T14:59:00.000-08:00

...but now I can't think of anything.

Happy New Year!

I've always wondered...

2011-12-22T12:12:00.001-08:00

When in doubt, ask Google. More Christmas stuff on the way!

Do you recall?

2011-12-15T17:28:00.001-08:00

Context? "You know Dasher and Dancer, and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, and Donner and Blitzen, But do you recall, the most famous reindeer of all?" Wow. Wow. How stupid do you think we are Bing? Do you think we remembered the names of the all the obscure reindeer forgetting the name of the most famous one? This is a duh moment, and thus needed to be preserved in comic strip style.

Christmas songs have a lot of der-moments: Do you hear what I hear? No, I'm not you. Shall I play [my drum] for him? (Par-um-pum-pum-pum) First of all, you're already playing it (duh-duh-duh-duh-duh). And secondly, heck no! The child is shivering in the cold and probably trying to sleep! Do something useful. There'll be scary ghost stories and tales...that's enough. What family were you raised in? Ya, let's scare the kids on Christmas. Instead of opening gifts (which it doesn't mention in the entire song) let's freak out the children. What a good idea.

Not to be repetitive but I talked a little bit on this last year.

More epic der-moments to come as my month long Christmas posting continues.

Got some 'splain'in' to do!

2011-12-12T19:38:00.000-08:00

Christmas time is here again, so settle down for story time with Ben! If the big sign I'm holding isn't self explanatory, let me clue you in on how much I love Christmas, and am not a Scrooge. Can't you see my big, otherworldly, and cheesy smile I have pasted on? Not to mention my loving and totally wanted one-armed side hug? Since I know you do see 'em, let me explain the sign a little bit...

Four score and back in July ago, my brother had the crazy idea to start listening to Christmas music *eh-hem* six months in advance. This I would be totally fine with me except for the fact that it's six months in advance. After having to put up with this in years past, I voiced my opinion, as in years past, and got some lame excuse about how Christmas break was the next break he had to look forward t-anway...it was lame. Thus our "family feud" continued into October but wasn't accompanied by Al from Home Improvement or that loud buzzing sound, and I decided to take my argument of playing Christmas music during Christmas time to the next level. The Internet. I informed the public of my brother's ill problem, but to my surprise and dismay, everyone supported him. Thus began a continuous, down word spiral of my beautiful name being soiled by the same crotchety one as Scrooge. That's crazy! Me in line with Scrooge? That's like putting Justin Bieber in line a good musician. It just is not right... I am only here to inform you folks how much I am not a Scrooge and how much a just looove hearing the songs of Christmas, all twelve of them, throughout the year. Can't you tell by my smile?

And just to show you how much I am a Ben (and not a Scrooge), I will be posting Christmas stuff all December long! Remember, I love Christmas!

Wondering what I been working on?

2011-12-08T11:38:00.000-08:00

Dis what I been working on! I know I have been gone for a long time but I was just so fond of the skull I just didn't want to post anything else.

So, I missed November. Sue me! But I do feel sort of bad that I was working on these storyboards for my music class all month and didn't post anything. I was busy working on this for my music class, paintings in my art class, and studying for history. However, I can now say that all of those are officially finished as of this morning! And to celebrate I am going to post a ton of Christmas stuff to bring a little cheer back to this blog. Yay! Go me! And Go Santa!

My Pixar Story

2011-11-01T16:08:00.000-07:00

Halloween was yesterday, and I really have nothing more to show for it, but my trip to Pixar on the other hand...

Right outside of the front doors. Always a good way to start an epic, first time to Pixar, with one of Pixar's first short films: Luxo Jr. The area around this looked a surprising amount like the set of Gerry's Game, even though they made that short before they moved into this building, but I noticed it instantly.

Inside the front doors (which you have get insider access to get it).

Lego versions of my bros. After this we went around in the upstairs of Pixar and looked around at a bunch of art from Cars 2.

...But my favorite part of the trip was lunch! The food was cheap and the drinks were free! Oh, and meeting my ultimate storyboard hero of all time was pretty cool I guess...it was because of this tall guy, Bob Peterson, that I want to do storyboarding! And I met him! AT LUNCH! There's my friend Kevin and I with him.

This is the inside-man, or so I called him. He's the connection Kevin had to Pixar to get us in! He is pretty awesome...I mean he would have to be to have his picture on the wall that I could take a picture.

And last, but certainly not least, my friend Kevin; the guy who got me in (with Mr. Tanaka's help). Thanks so much Kevin for asking him to let me come along! I had an amazing time! One more childhood dream I never thought I would be able accomplish you made possible. Thanks a ton!

And last last, but most not least, my mom. I know I haven't given her much credit in this post, or when talking to any people about my trip, but my mom did all the work, I just came along for the fun part. My mom was the one who asked Kevin if he could ask Mr. Tanaka if I could come along, and thanks again Kevin for doing so. Not to mention that, she drove the long way from Tustin to Emeryville at two in the morning to getting to Pixar at 10, and then drove all the way back to our house, getting home at 10:30. Not to mention sitting around and waiting for me to be done at Pixar while I was touring around. Thank you SO MUCH Mom! Love you so much!

And that is my Pixar Story. If you have anymore questions I have plenty more thoughts and a few more pics from the place, and I would happy to put 'em up here. Until then, Happy Day After Halloween People!

I went to Pixar!

2011-10-22T12:37:00.000-07:00

I went to Pixar animation studios this week! It was completely amazing! I am hoping to post some pics and some thoughts on the day trip I had with my mom on wednesday. I just wanted to say that one of my childhood dreams was just fulfilled...it was awesome! Thanks to my friend Kevin for making it happen!

Rest in Peace, Steve Jobs

2011-10-09T14:50:00.000-07:00

Someone at church asked me today if I was going to color it, my mouth said yes, but my heart said no.

So to be safe I say, "More Halloween stuff on the way, maybe."

It's a Skeletohhhn! (Oct. Banner)

2011-10-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

I ended up drawing a bunch of sketches for the banner for this month (believe it or not); some of which took me a good chunk of an hour or two. And then there's this one. Me likey. I kept in the original sketch below, because he has this whimsical look which I feel I lost in the colored version. But whatevers. And you may also have noticed that the composition I have in my blog header and the one in this post are different (props to you). I like the one in this post more as a picture, however, it looked weird compressed into the header (namely my John Hancock), so I have a different one up. More Halloween posts still to come! and I changed some pics on my blog around for the haunt-ivities!

There you go, the original sketch! I drew this in history class, because you know I had nothing better to do, after all...it is history class.

Art 140

2011-10-06T12:16:00.000-07:00

duuhh-duhh-duhh-dUuhh-dUUHH-dUUUUuuhh-DDUUUUUHHHH! Behold, a few of the steps to painting a PAINTING! Hahaa...well there go. I sort of like how you can see the still life in the background of the second one.

As you can see the first two were taken at class, and the final one was taken yesterday, on my bed, right before I went to class. I find it sort of ironic that the one thing on earth that could possibly ruin and destroy my beautiful painting just happened to be the vile thing falling from the sky yesterday! I don't think I ever walked across the school parking lot from my car faster than I did yesterday. Here's hoping I get a good grade!

As I mentioned last time (and as if you could guess), these pics are from my Beginning Painting class. It is lotsa' fun, but kind of slow. However, I didn't tell you about the other thing I have been doing with my friend after my Beginning Painting class on Wednesdays: Animation Club! My friend's dad knows the instructor, so I have gone with them the last two weeks, and let me tell you--it is AWESOME! Last week I did I walk cycle (similar to the September banner except more frames), and yesterday I did a four-legged walk cycle which was suUUUper fun! I'm learning a lot already, and I have only been there twice.

Well, this took waaaay longer than I was hoping it would, but I thought I would catch all two of you up on my life right now...and right now...its time for history. :'(

September Banner

2011-09-27T17:01:00.001-07:00

Who knew my quick Pengy walk cycle I drew up a few months ago would turn into the banner for this month! I guess that's what happens when you want to put in little time as well as little effort. However, this was a lot more fun to draw than to make a blog banner-that's for sure.

So, there you go. I am hoping to put up some pics I have taken of some art I have been doing in my Beginning Painting class. Until then, hasta'pasta.

Hehe History with Ben!

2011-09-22T16:59:00.001-07:00

Gather round kids as I tell you the story of Benjamin Franklin! Be-Franks was a smart guy, some might even go so far as to say a wise guy. That being said, he decided to test fate a little and did what every mother tells their child not to do: he played with lightening. After waiting for a storm to start brewing, Franks tied his car key to a kite string and let her fly. Attempting to figure out if lightning was actually electricity (or so he claimed), Franks let the kite loose in the name of all that is good and right in the world, as well as the name of science. Benny watched as lightning began to gather, and before he knew it-WHAMMO-he was electrocuted! When he came to, it was already morning of the next day. He had laid out their all night in the rain, probably caught himself a cold too. But the worst part was his transportation! His car key was so mutilated by the lightning strike that he had to walk all the way back to town. The End.

Well, I hope you enjoyed History With Ben! Tune in next time when we discuss George Washington and the Mole People!

10 Years

2011-09-13T14:49:00.001-07:00

I'd like to say I had something to post...

2011-09-07T17:56:00.001-07:00

...but I don't.

Deathacus (Beginning/End of Aug. Banners)

2011-08-18T16:44:00.001-07:00

I know I have been a little late on this months' as well as past month's blog headers, but let me tell you this! You can tear this tower apart brick by brick, but without my help you will never find your precious satchel. ...Oh wait, that's not what I was gonna' say. Guess I have seen Tangled a few too many times. (Yes that is actually from the movie.) What I was gonna' say is instead of working on April, and July banners, I spent that amount of time making two for August instead! YAAAAYY!!!

Now, I know what you're all thinking, "Why does that tree look like the legs and feathers of a bald eagle? And why did he just quote the most random line from Tangled in the last paragraph?" Well, I can answer both of those. Answer to #1)Because you're stupid. #2) My grandma was just here for the week and between the times of epic board game playing we did what we always do--watch movies. I probably saw more movies this week than I had all Summer (which believe me was plenty). But one of them was Tangled; the fantastic, 50th full length feature film from Walt Disney Animation Studios. I have probably seen this movie four or five times, (which most of the time for me is like bobbing for apples in a toilet bowl) but Tangled is different. That could just maybe be that I have a slight crush slightly on the film's leading lady, but that's probably not too much of the main reason that I like it-slightly.

Well, I have rambled and confused you long enough. I suppose all of you readers will be glad when school (aka deathacus) starts on Monday, because then my sentences that slightly talk about slight-main characters might start to make sense. You know, because I will learn to write well in school ...you got that right? ...I quit.

Happy Deathacus, everyone! And to all a good death!

Mums the Word

2011-08-08T13:55:00.000-07:00

I had some spare time over the weekend, and went up to LA. Mum's the word that I did this guys, because if my mums finds out this happened, bad things are gonna' happen... to me! And we wouldn't want that, especially not me. So, we'll just keep this to ourselves. However, I was too lazy to spray paint the texture of the bricks so maybe nothing will happen...maybe she'll just think I made this with oh, I don't know, Photoshop?

Storyboards to The Billboard

2011-08-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

Here are the storyboards I was talking to you all about last time. Hope you enjoy 'em! Oh, and sorry about how quiet the first part is...and then that it gets real loud. But I gotta' keep you on your toes or else you wouldn't be interested.

Probably the hardest part was making all my own sound effects. But totally worth it.

Old Characters=New Post

2011-07-11T14:30:00.000-07:00

Hey ya'll! Fun times have been of late, so my coloring skills aren't so great... But there you go! Something new! Which is actually something old for me. I came up with the character in the first pic, Pengy, five or six years ago, and the polar bear below was almost that long ago.

Why do I post these guys now you ask? Well, it just so happens that I am working on the storyboards for a short film that I came up with probably two years ago and have been perfecting ever since. Why did I post the pic of the polar bear, you ask, since he's not in the short film? ...I don't really know why I did that either...

Pixar Rocks

2011-06-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

Just saw Cars 2, and let me just say, "It was the bomb."

Blessed

2011-06-18T13:06:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, I just got back from 5 days of camping at Pismo Beach. You can read about my travel right here.

I also got back from an amazing conference which I don't think I have talked about over here yet which was the NEXT 2011 conference. It was awesome! I think my two big take aways would be 1) Amazed at God for how he has blessed me with the fellowship of believers; not only getting to hang with Anthony, Alex, Paul, Kevin, and my Uncle Malcolm all weekend, but also getting to meet and hang with people that God has saved from all over the United States, some of whom I had never met, and some I hadn't seen in a long time.

2) Amazed that God has blessed me with the privilege of hearing speakers who are a. super devoted to God, and b. some of the best speakers to speak on the topics they spoke about. (Catch all that?)

Both trips were real blessings and encouragements for me. You can listen to the messages I heard at the NEXT conference here.

June Time

2011-06-03T15:32:00.001-07:00

Don't know how well this goes with color scheme of my blog, but there you have it! Its June time baby, and you know what that means...BEACH TIME!

I got this one up so much faster than my last one, which reminds me of a comic book which I am eventually going to finish and put up on here. Eventually means whenever I catch up on posting monthly banners. Don't worry February, your banner is on its way! ...Only four months late!

May Banner! Finally!

2011-05-25T16:13:00.001-07:00

I started feeling bad after my little cousin said I didn't post anything anymore, so at that moment, I started drawing this. This is the banner I have for May. What does it mean, you ask? Well, bear with me as I tell you a tale of a poor child who waited for Summer to come...

Once upon a time there was a poor child who waited for Summer to come.

Well, there you have it. The big reveal at the ending of the story is this: that little boy was me at the beginning of this month. School is hard when Summer is so close to anyone's grasp, but I made it through alright. Now that my classes at the community college are done, its time for fun.

So, see ya' later summer haters!

Black and White and Rambly

2011-05-05T16:25:00.001-07:00

Hey fellers. I haven't had time to do many more sketches, or photoshop work for that matter, so this is all you get. Both of these were concepts I have been working on for some time (especially the second one). The guy in the picture above is Tiki Man who is from a somewhat abandoned tv series I created called Tiki Man and Hammy Sam. The idea for the show was alright, but lacked the flair and wide range of characters I wanted for the concept. It's ok, however, I have hundreds of other ideas.

Guy number two is from a long developed story I have been working on probably since a little after I moved to Orange County. The story plays off the famed character, Buck Rogers, and the drawing here is of the main character of my version who is Buck Roger's son.

I did this drawing in the car on my family's epic road trip-tacular. All I can remember is it was done awkwardly on my lap, and Joey was bugging me about his pencil that I was using or something like that. Actually, I made up Tiki Man right before that same trip. Wow, good times. Not to be self-promoting, but you can read all about my epic-venture here.

Sorry about the long, rambly-ness, and the lack of color in this post. Summer has almost arrived, and I should be putting more photoshop work up once it comes. Until then, peace out.

Ever run out of ideas?

2011-04-29T16:28:00.000-07:00

...well I have apparently. Actually, I had to do this for Art 40 in our monochromatic study. Pretty much the same thing as last time, except greener.

Looking back at these two posts, I am starting to wander if I am already anticipating Christmas. Seems absurd, and yet I keep making songs out of the tunes of The Little Drummer Boy and Do You Hear What I Hear? Why can't you wait, O my singing soul? Don't you worry soul, Christmas isn't for another seven months. "Sigh," -SS (singing soul).

"Hey"

2011-04-17T18:41:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, here is a painting I did for Art 40. The assignment was to go around the campus and take pictures of objects or buildings from interesting angles. Here is a fire hydrant (if you couldn't already tell).

Well, I have been noticing that pretty much all of my blog posts begin with "Hey guys," or at least just "Hey." Then the second paragraph usually begins with "Well" followed by a comma. Just to shake things up I bit, I decided to start the first and second paragraphs of this post with, ...oh wait.

Been lazy

2011-04-10T19:52:00.001-07:00

Hey guys. I was hoping to get an April Fools drawing up here. And I did!!! ...April foooooools!

I have been pretty lazy in drawing lately (at least when it comes to this blog). I have been really busy with real school. Fact, I drew these back on the same page as the Super Bowl. But I have been working on a comic book. So whenever I come up with some free time I put that up, along with my rendition of the Mona Lisa. April Foooooooooools!

The first is a remake of an old concept I've done once on this blog, and a million times with other animals. The weird growth coming out of the fro of the girl was part of another football drawing.

Hopefully I will get an April banner up before May comes around. See ya tomorrow when I post more drawings! April Fooooorget it.

More Birthday Times!

2011-03-22T17:56:00.000-07:00

Well, like I said in my last post I just had a birthday. I also mentioned that I was a little busy (and if I didn't it was because I was so busy that I never had the chance to say it). But I was able to create this month's banner by using ...(pause for dramatic drum-roll)... a Bamboo Tablet!-which was one of the gifts I received from my good buddies the Torres Boyz! And Paul too. What's a bamboo tablet you ask? -Well here you go, admire to your heart's content.

Another thing I said in my last post, or didn't, is that there are a lot of good hangout times been going on lately; prayer/game night-hangout on Friday, Celebrate the Baird family party Saturday, Church and all day hang out with the Torres Boyz Sunday! Wooohoooo!! God has been so gracious, and has given me such good friends! -Thanks again guys for the Bamboo tablet! It is awesome!

Birthday and Other Things

2011-03-16T17:59:00.000-07:00

Hey ya'll, I had a birthday! It was great! God has blessed me with so much, and so many good friends! My ear is probably still ringing from all the cheering. Haha. No, my friends are so awesome.

This week we had Prayer Seminar with our church and other churches, and this week is my spring break. So, great things ahoy!

(I hope this cheesy, microsoft-paint picture covers for all the pictures I haven't drawn and put on my blog. Haha.)

Feb Banner

2011-02-21T17:36:00.001-08:00

Hey folks, nothing new to report. I figured I might as well post this as I said I would since this is the banner for February. I made this with my last one (obviously), but I don't have anything new to post so there you have it.

Art class has been keeping me kind of busy. Thankfully this was a three day weekend so I could do some catch-up.

Happy Presidents' Day people. Now go enjoy some burritos.

Happy Valentines Day!

2011-02-14T14:35:00.000-08:00

Get your woman the gift you know she'll love this Valentines Day.

Hahaha, well there you have it, Don't Hide the Love Take 2. I have pretty much been working on this one since the rain one, but it is totally worth it. Who could resist these morbid lovers? And what girl could resist such a thoughtful gift as a freshly slaughtered Zebra carcass? If I were a female in the animal kingdom, this would pretty much make my day. Unless of course I was a Zebra.

Happy Morbid Valentines Day everybloody! And YAY for Valentines Day drawing traditions!

The Super Bowl

2011-02-11T16:58:00.000-08:00

This has got to be the best superhero ever! Not only can he catch helplessly falling victims, but he can also serve chips and salsa! Yay!

So, I'm a little late? Wadd'aya gonna' do aboud'et? If you have been coming here for at least a year, or if you have come in the last five minutes, you may (or may not) know that I have a tradition of doing a drawing every year for the Super Bowl. Unfortunately I had to change it a little and instead of drawing it the day of at my friends' house, I drew it a few days after. But there you have it.

I didn't quite get around to the coloring job, but I have been working on another one of my blog's traditions, and that has taken most of my time. Wadd'aya gonna' do aboud'et? Well, you can stay tune for Valentines Day and see what I have been up to (or not).

Poor Little Groundhog

2011-02-02T12:44:00.000-08:00

Well, it's Groundhog Day again. Poor little guy, scared of his shadow. Who was the one that figured out that groundhogs have the mystical power to either keep the season winter or change it to spring? Sounds like little Pusxutawny has got a lot on his hands... Not to mention all these news people up in his face about his decision; the poor fellow just woke up too. Decisions, decisions; sounds like a lot to handle for a guy who is scared of his shadow. Poor little Phil. Use your power wisely young rodent, and may the force be with you, 'cause you're on your own.

dat sum art!!!

2011-01-21T17:55:00.000-08:00

It has only taken me about a year and a half, but I am finally in another college art class! More work! YA! Well, there you have it.

Art 40 is 2-D design and color. At the top is our first design project, and I am currently working on the the second one. The second picture in this post is some quick sketches I did in my sketchbook while my little brother Joey and I were drawing...cuz all our family ditched us to go to some place. But lucky for you they did ditch us, cuzzz then I wouldn't have put thezze on here.

I would like to draw your attention to the little cartoon heads on the second page. Yeah, the panda with a rain cloud over his head, and the suave, bodiless, yet has a hand-guy. Why do I draw your attention to those you ask? Well, let's just say I didn't "draw" them very well. Haha; no. Those are actually the only two drawings I like on there.

Well, I've blabbed long enough. But while Joey and I were drawing those he said, "I would draw a panda, but I just can't get their noses right." ... ...Wow... I don't think I have ever heard anything quite like that.

"I just make it up," I said, "'cause I have no idea what they're supposed to look like."

Maybe if I did know what panda noses are supposed to look like my other panda drawings might have looked better. But obviously not knowing what a panda nose looks like hasn't stopped me before.

Ok, I have blabbed way too much. I probably won't post too many other art 40 pics on here, but you can check them out when/if I do on my facebook.

Our Fridge Died...

2011-01-08T13:59:00.001-08:00

...a teenage boy's worst nightmare.

Transition

2010-12-31T17:13:00.000-08:00

Well, 2010 is almost over, and I have nothing witty to say about it. The only thing I could say is what you could say every year, and that is that the transition time is confusing. For the first half of the new year you write the previous year by mistake (usually in pen). After that you get really confused and don't know what to write. At that point I try to think of something witty, which is usually along the lines of Cruella De Vil's lines: "You wretched, wretched pen!!!"

Anyway, I already put this banner up with my last post but it is sort of a transition. I hope to work on different banners for each month. However, they probably all won't be done until 2011, I mean 2012. Darn year change. Man, this is going to be a long year transition. Happy New Year Everyugly! I mean, Everybody. Haha *gulp* Wretched Pen!

Stocking vs. Stalking

2010-12-24T14:10:00.000-08:00

I think I made it clear last year, you know, the horrors of Santa Claus? Does "he sees you when your sleeping, he knows when you're awake" ring a bell? No? Well just turn around, he's there.

As if it wasn't creepy enough that he stalks you, then he has to go and break into your home; and through the chimney of all places! Couldn't he at least occupy the decency not to be creepy while he stalks us? But maybe I should give Santa the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps he comes through the chimney to put out that fire you forgot to so that your house doesn't catch on fire. Or perhaps he doesn't want to walk around with muddy boots in your house. But if he came through the fireplace, wouldn't that make his boots all the dirtier? Everything about this just doesn't make sense. Saint my eye glasses! Get away from me you creeper!

Well, one thing I forgot to talk about last year are the horrors of Christmas Music. Take the 12 Days of Christmas for example: all those birds and leaping men! True love my eye glasses! Couldn't you have just stopped with the five golden rings? That's all I really want out of those things.

Do you see what I see? Um, this is a song, I can't see what you're talking about. Do you hear what I hear? Well, I might if you'd shut up and stop asking me these rhetorical questions. RE-pum-pum-pum-petitive. It would be a Silent Night if all these animals would stop talking, drummer boys would stop playing, and Bing Crosby would stop singing. And these are some of the best of the bizarre songs. Who came up with those reindeer and snowmen? Probably some prankster uncle teaching his nieces and nephews annoying songs that they ccould bug their mom and dad. Either him or K-Mart. Both are ridiculous to start traditions. However, that's probably how most traditions start.

But most Christmas songs are really good. Especially those who talk about one of the most incredible events ever to take place on the face of the earth. Thankfully, people still sing those songs too... right up next to Rudy and Bing. It is too bad they just sing it and don't know the truth. Just another Christmas song my eye glasses!

Not where I was planning on going with this post, but it happens. Haha. Merry Christmas!

Three Years

2010-12-19T21:56:00.001-08:00

This may just be the nerdiest thing I've ever done, but here it is. This is the third birthday of my blog. Nerdy yes. But if you're still reading my blog, you already know nerdy.

You don't need to think of me like this; you know, nerdy. Think of me like a three year old...as in the not nerdy but little, chubby, and 90s bowl cut part. ? Ok, maybe not that part. But at least if you think of me like a toddler, you won't complain when I put up drawings like this one. ...yeah I'm lazy, and three... But not nerdy!

Recap

2010-12-08T18:51:00.001-08:00

If you were wondering why my blog hasn't had any drawings on it for awhile; this is the reason. But it is finally done!!! I checked the properties after finishing it this afternoon so I would know just how long it has taken me to color this thing. The small dates on the bottom are the coloring dates beginning to end. The "much else" I said I wasn't doing...well, this is it. I put this one with the other one on its original post so that way you could see all the changes I've made. I hope to to color all my drawings, so you should really check back to my blog in the year 2057 to see how it went...well go? ...I don't know.

I started coloring this when the weather got really strange. First it would rain for two days, then be really hot, then be overcast, rain, overcast, a week of really hot, and rain some more. It was overcast, hot, then rained all in one last week. We were on the overcast rotation with small showers this past week. This weather is so strange, that perhaps with the holidays coming up, snow will even clock in for a shift.

The other day (or month) I reached for the floss and poked it between my pearly whites as usual. What was unusual was that about half way through I noticed something different. "What's different," I thought as I licked the string, "...flavor! It has flavor! Mint flavor; of sorts." Apparently after my last experience, Target fired that wise guy that forgot to put flavor on all the floss I ever purchased from any of their stores. I knew something was wrong with that last batch. The only problem now is that when you have flavor, you sacrifice the ability to hold on the floss. I guess they literally do wax up the floss with mint flavor, but now I can't hold it. Target was smart however, because now that I can't hold it once it touches any sort of saliva, I have to get a new piece. (Not to mention they made it really weak so it come apart into little individual strings if it even sees a tooth.) The more pieces I have to go through, the faster I go through that whole little box, and the faster I have to buy more. Hey, he really was a wise guy.

Significance

2010-12-07T18:00:00.000-08:00

Today is December 7, 2010. On December 7, 1941, the U.S. was attacked by Japanese on a seemingly normal military harbor in Hawaii. Today this harbor, Pearl Harbor, is famous because of the attack. This was the final push that moved the United States to join World War II. But this seemingly insignificant harbor is probably one of the most known harbors in the United States. Pearl Harbor stands as a monument for the lives that were lost in World War II, as well as its eventual victory.

Recently my home-school group and I had the privilege to go to a little, insignificant section of John Wayne airport where there are kept planes and other vehicles from WWII. All the old cars, motorcycles, and airplanes are still kept up, and still make drives and flights. However, the most interesting part of this small museum are the docents that work there. Most, if not all of them, are pilots that flew (and occasionally still fly) these planes in WWII and the Korean war. Most of these guys are in their 90s, who were in the war in their teens. If I was to pass these men on the street, I wouldn't even think twice. Each of these men (aside from looking in great health for their ages) would seem insignificant; just like passing anyone on the street, but the stories these men can tell is extraordinary. Two of the docents were shot down in air by enemy planes. One of these men was the only one in his plane to survive, and that was after it exploded. This man was taken in by the enemy, and had to wait out in captivity until the Germans surrendered. He said is forearm became as thin as his wrist because of the lack of food. He was shot down on only his seventh mission. My group's docent was at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked.

These few, seemingly normal men, all had their war stories some similar, and some very different than his.

This field trip may have been more interesting to me in stage of my life than earlier; not just because I am older, but because I was just reading about the wars of the United States before going. Before this year, this may have just seemed like another insignificant field trip. Perhaps I just need to be looking for significance, and I will find it in everything I see. Perhaps all those insignificant people I pass on the street have their extraordinary stories as well. Perhaps life itself is very significant, and I have just taken it for granted. Perhaps now that I can look to that seemingly insignificant harbor and see significant lives that were lost. Today is a reminder to look to the significant Pearl Harbor.

All this reminds me of the cross. A seemingly insignificant man, lead away to an insignificant hill, about to die a death insignificant to that time in Roman history. Yet, what this seemingly insignificant man accomplished on the cross is very significant. I have the privilege everyday to look to the cross and see significant life, and significant life bringing. Fact, it was the only thing in the history of the earth that brought life. And life is very significant.

Thankfulness is a battle

2010-11-25T12:46:00.000-08:00

Return, O my soul, to your rest;

for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

Psalm 116:7

Recently I have really been struggling with self pity which, as all sin, is the worship of self instead of worshiping God. I am not perfect, and the victory seems far away; yet God in his kindness planned it into the heart of the writers of his word, and the people who made the reading plan I am going through to have me read through Psalm 116, and John 16:16-33, along with others. These two sections were particularly helpful in the struggle. Psalm 116:7 really stood out to me as a defense against listening to such lies. Thankfulness is the anti-self pity. Haven't I received everything to be thankful for?

Well, I couldn't end a Thanksgiving post without talking mentioning my annual football ritual. So, it happened again this year. There I mentioned it. Happy Thanksgiving everynutty!

Happy Birthday Mom!

2010-11-21T15:41:00.000-08:00

Hey, today is my mom's actual birthday! I only say that for those of you who looked at my mom's facebook and saw that she put her birthday down on a different day than her actual birthday. So, just to clarify, Happy Actual Birthday Mom.

What's not to love about Halloween?

2010-10-29T18:06:00.001-07:00

Halloween has got to be the best holiday this country has ever chosen to celebrate that doesn't involve getting school off for. Think about it, there are hardly any downsides! If you don't believe me, I'll list off a few of the reasons why I believe this. If you do believe me, then the rest of this post won't show up on your computer screen. Enjoy the Holiday!

Ok, here are just a few of the reasons why Halloween is so great:

You get to come up with really bad, or interesting costume ideas throughout the year. So, it saves from boredom.
You get to try to find the ingredients to the interesting costume pie you've created, which (if you're like me) is usually way too complicated, and over priced to make anyway.
So, you get to come up with a new, realistic idea whenever you figure out that your old idea is too hard to make. Again, more creativity.

If you are like me, you have probably followed all these steps in years past, so:

You get to make your terrible costume five minutes before you leave your house to the Harvest Party or Trick-Or-Treat fest. This teaches working under pressure, and not to be perfectionists (cuz either way the costume is gonna suck, sorry kids).

Halloween also teaches kids in other ways, like...

which houses not to go to... so long as they have a good memory.

Once you get to your Harvest/Trick fest you get to:

Laugh at all the other kids' terrible costumes.

And not to mention all the other obvious ones like free candy from absolute strangers, staying up late eating candy (dressed in your terrible pie costume), and did I mention laughing at your friend's costumes? The only real downsides to Halloween are getting terrible candy, and being laughed at for your terrible costume.

But the goods of Halloween out way the minor bads to Halloween. And besides, bad candy should be expected, you got it from a stranger. *Is this thing on?* You willingly took candy from a stranger, people! Another great thing about Halloween is

That it is the one day that little line about candy and strangers in those cheesy safety VHS tapes totally gets blown out the window by you and your parents!

Speaking of parents, this is a great holiday for them too! Not only can they send the kinds away for a few hours to walk around with a bunch of creepy people in creepy costumes so that the parents get some peace and quiet, but if the kids say a word before Thanksgiving, the adults can shove the candy in their little mouths to make 'em shut-up. Are you starting to see the benefits of Halloween yet?

Also on the practical side of Halloween is the opportunity to try out a new hair style and not get ridiculed for it (unless it's as bad as the pie costume you made).1 No really, say you want to try a new dew, so you get your hair cut before the Treat-Fest. If it is bad people will say, "Nice Costume," if the dew is a gew, I mean go, they'll say "Nice Haircut." Bingo. You're in. But you have got to know who to show yourself off to in advance, and who's opinion you can actually trust. In other words, don't go up to your grandma and point your new styled head in her direction. Grandmas typically love everything their grandchildren do, and often have less than 20/20 vision. "Hey grandma! It's me; like my haircut?" "Me who? ...Oh, what a nice horse mackerel you've got sitting on your head dear." Again, just don't go to your grandma.

Halloween is great; new treats, new tricks, new cruddy costumes, and horrible hair styles! So can you see now why this ween night is the most "Hallo" out of the holidays? Hey, if nothing else, it got me to work on another drawing on Photoshop.2 Which I know brings delight to all your faces.

Well, I'm gonna' say "bye-bye" to all of you non-believers, and say "Hallo" to the best holiday celebrated in this country that you do not get to have school off for! That's right, Presidents' Day! No; Halloween! Oh yeah, and did I mention that you can laugh at all your friends' costumes?

1 Note: You may actually be ridiculed whether your hair looks good or not.

2 The pumpkin was originally in the shape of a heart. It still kind of looks like one if you look at the outline and minus the green, stemmy party.

Haven't been doing much else...

2010-10-12T17:31:00.000-07:00

Yeah, sad to say this is all I got to post. Hope you enjoy it though, 'cuz I did makin' it...bro.

Hark!

2010-10-02T11:48:00.000-07:00

Hey! My bro and I are back to making videos. Since photoshop takes me a long time, this is all I have to post for awhile.

COLOR!!!

2010-09-24T17:35:00.001-07:00

This is a momentous occasion. If you have been around reading my blog since I started it, or are some crazy person who went back and read all of my heroically bad grammared posts, then this is the first time that you have seen one of my drawings done in Photoshop color. Hallelujah. I have actually had Photoshop for awhile, but I hadn't the slightest idea of how to use it until recently. There you have it fellow losers, I mean, bloggers: color. Now, I probably should have followed some sort of color scheme so that the colors kind of fit together, but I need to leave room for improvement, right? The drawing looks a little better than it did last time at least.

I would probably have more to say about this drawing if I was able to post it back when the Vancouver Olympics was actually happening. I can barely remember what happened that year. But one thing is for certain, it is obvious that Shawn White with snowboarding was the only interesting thing about it anyway.

Oh yeah, and if you are some crazy person who actually wanted to look at the journal I took while on the road trip-tacular, you can check out my other blog, which I have devoted solely to travel time-type stuff.

Well, I hope to get all the drawings I have posted in color at some point. Until then, that's all I got.

Back in the st'eh'ts.

2010-09-22T17:39:00.000-07:00

Entry 12 of my travel journal. No need for you all to read every single one of these, but I figure when the zombie uprising occurs, the sane people will have something to laugh about while their flesh is devoured.

August 11, 2010, Day 12:

Watch out, the Davis family is on the road again, and we are armed and dangerous with Burger King and Costco under our belts. Don’t ask me how we fit the two buildings in our pants; I’m still not quite sure myself.

As it was for most our nights up north, we got rained on. Last night was no exception. It looked a little strange to have our tent set up in the back of the Burger King parking lot to dry while we ate lunch, but even stranger were the looks we got because of our drying method. One man got out of his camper and asked us if that was the only place we found to camp. We came up with a witty remark much later, as most witty remarks come, and said, “Looks pretty good to us, we’re from LA.”

We left our campsite in Jasper around eight this morning and finally got out of Canada at about four. It would have taken half as long had we gone the fast way, and there hadn’t been a line the exact length of Rhode Island to get across the border.

While still in Canada we saw mountain goats running up and a steep hill, fields of purple flowers, and yet more stinkin’ waterfalls.

We entered into Idaho and made our way to Washington State. I have never been in Washington before and Joey made the comment that northern Idaho and eastern Washington look exactly the same as south western Alberta; he was right of course.

On the drive, the temperature has changed as often as the time. Apparently we are driving on the thin line between Mountain Time and Pacific Time. Right as I wish I had the last hour of my life back -poof- it’s there! If I want time to pass by a little quicker –poof- it happens! -Even though we aren’t an hour more down the road.

I am now getting a little tired, it has been about 12 hours in the car so far and there are many more to come, (especially if we cross back into Mountain Time). I think the best way for me to knock out and sleep right now is to get a whiff from my wide selection of footwear; Righty and Lefty. I just can’t hold my shoes to nose level or everyone else will droop off too, including the driver.

With power at my toe-tips, Ben.

Entry 11

2010-09-20T17:15:00.000-07:00

August 10, Day 11:

I have taken so many pictures of so many things that I don’t even remember what the things are anymore. With all the pictures I have taken I may as well have had my view finder stapled to my face, documenting everything on the trip. A glue stick might have worked, but I didn’t have one lying around. We saw more waterfalls, similar to the ones we saw yesterday, one of which I call the Water Slide of Death. Not sure what it’s really called, but mine is more accurate and easier to pronounce I’m sure. One waterfall that I took a billion and twelve pictures of had a rainbow in its mist. Ah… many a memory of viral videos on the web.

We didn’t end up going on the glacier tour, but we went on the most awesome hike to a glacier and a lake with large ice chunks floating about inside. On the way to get there we saw many more vast glaciers, and a black bear. There might have been more, but that’s as much as I could tell with a camera stapled to my eye.

To get to the hike, we had to drive up a very windy road, and the irony was that the two people who don’t get motion sick were to two in the front seats; namely, my dad and I.

The hike was gorgeous with an amazing view 300 and 60 degrees around us. The scale of everything seemed to grow the closer we got. Waterfalls that seemed ten feet were actually more like 200 feet. Perhaps I could be more exact if I used meters like Canada and the rest of the world, but I am a rebellious American. Boo Yanks!

We switched seats on the way back and just now got all choked up about dinner; mostly because we ate in a smoky room with an old oven. The smoke turned the ceiling brown while the rest of the place was white washed wood. We will be leaving Canada early tomorrow, and let me tell ya’, I’m gonna’ miss the place. With its beautiful Rockies, funny accents, and no paper toilet seat covers in their “washrooms” (which around here at least don’t have running water), who’d want to leave? Well, I’ll see ya’ll back in the U-S-eh, that is if I get these staples out of my face.

When are these going to be over?

2010-09-17T13:16:00.000-07:00

Below are entries 8 and 9 to my travel journal, enjoy.

"August 8, 2010, Day 8, I mean 9:

We continued our stay in the beautiful place of Banff, Canada, driving around the park because of the off and on rain showers. We saw many gorgeous lakes, marvelous mountains, cataracts, a big horn sheep right by our car, and glaciers! It’s funny that in our whole stay in Glacier National Park we really only saw one glacier. Now we are seeing many wondrous glaciers on glorious mountain sides. YAY Canada!

Today while we were on a small hike to look at a place where there was an active coal mine, I was thinking about the people’s lives that lived and worked there. It got me thinking about eternity, and the saints we will meet who lived at that time. God cares about each one individually throughout all times.

The one time I forgot to bring my camera was on another hike which just happens to be one of the best, most beautiful, amazing hikes of the trip. Both upper and lower falls were fantastic, but at lower falls there was a lady who was laying on a rock at the top of the falls. It would have ruined all my pictures had I brought my camera. Perhaps it was more of God’s providence.

I am trying to hold myself back from taking pictures of everything, because the camera is starting to get full, and this is only the 8^th I mean 9^th day of travel; two more weeks of the trip to go.

I think I’ve covered all that has happened, except maybe my dad’s photo taking obsession. Oh yeah, Zac found two four leaf clovers so far on this trip. I don’t think I have ever found one; talk about overkill. Zac says that he has found too many to count in his life, but if he had to put a number on it he would have to say around 50. I’d say closer to 49, but I digress. I think he’ll find more before the remainder of the trip is over…maybe.

August 9, 2010, (8/9/10), Day 10:

As if the trip couldn’t get any worse, Zac found 16 four leaf clovers just today, and 5 five leaf clovers! Five leaf clovers? I didn’t even know they existed. Perhaps the leprechaun wouldn’t have found so many had he helped more with the tent take-down this morning. No, I’m just kidding, he probably helped more than I did, because I was looking for the lucky clovers, with no luck. If Zac just looked down he’d see three more, so I taped the back of his head to his shoulder blades and glued his eyelids shut. I said, because of his luck, that I’d undo it all when we came to the next Canadian Lotto place, which I figured we’d find sooner than I would ever find a four leaf clover.

Well, we went on the wrong freeway for a while, but right before we noticed we saw a ton of people stopped by the road. Pulling over we saw a huge grizzly out in the distance. Three steps better than any old speck, we stayed for a few minutes watching the bear walk on the train tracks. I still don’t quite know the end of the story, but the bear was still trudging along after we turned around and went back the other direction in Yoho, British Columbia. Once we got going the right way we saw a black bear right by the gutter, and later a mom and two or three cubs trailing behind.

Still in Banff, we experienced some of the most picturesque sight of the entire trip with huge glaciers all over the place! Look right, then left, beauty all around.

We are now in Jasper, enjoying the many glaciers and are planning on walking around one on a three hour tour. I am a little wary however because we all know what happened on another three hour tour. Especially with the possibility of the glacier suddenly breaking, separating, or the possibility of falling down and getting lost in a deep dark crevasse with little hope of survival and rescue…It is now getting late, sweet dreams! "

To read day one of this crazy long thing, click here.

Eh?

2010-09-14T16:32:00.000-07:00

Below is entry 8 for my road trip journal. Click here for day one... 'case you wanted to catch up.

August 7, Day 8:

Yesterday’s sarcastic one didn’t go over so well with the fam, so I’ll stick purely to the facts. Haha, eh hem.

The day picked up quickly, with a citation just after breakfast. We committed the felony in the campsite right around the corner from ours where the former tenants left, nice, fresh wood sitting in their fire pit. My dad looked both ways, and didn’t look back. They probably left the logs for the people who would be staying in that campsite next, but we didn’t care, and quickly exited the crime scene. After we entered Canada we realized that we weren’t supposed to bring wood across the border. It might have taken us longer to figure it out except for the fact that there was a huge sign that said, “No firewood in case of Dutch Elms Disease.” But the border patrolman didn’t ask, so we didn’t care. We got out just desserts however because we are now staying at a campsite where you cannot have fires. I’m now wondering how we are going to burn off all the Dutch Elms disease we brought over.

As if stealing firewood wasn’t enough, almost immediately after the huge sign, there was a pullout with a restroom. The men’s and the women’s sides were separate, but since each had a pit toilet, where the stuff went down into for both sides was connected. My dad thought that my mom was still in the women’s and when he heard a long trickle of wee coming from the other, he yelled through, “I hear someone a’ pee’n in there!” But, that was not my mom weeing. Hello Canada, here come the Davis Family!

After this we went to the Bison Paddock, which unless I spelled it wrong sounded promising to us. At least all 7 buffalo that were way in the back corner looked majestic.

To change the subject, right as we crossed into Canada we noticed all their road signs are a lot more pictorial. It makes the signs much more enjoyable, so much in fact that drivers might actually look at them. Not that I could understand the signs if they did have words, because half of it would be written in Quebec-ian French. I actually think that is why they use pictures because it is more universal; that way they don’t have to write it in English as well as French.

Since we missed the US so much, we went to a KFC/Taco Bell combo for lunch. How much more American can you get?

Now we are at a campground in Banff (which is surprisingly difficult to say), and with each stop we get faster at setting up the tent, with the exception of making a lean-to out of the tarp in case of rain. We told Joey to hold it down so that when the wind starts blowing he’ll have a nice Para shoot ride into the trees. Eh hem…well, it is nice to be clean, I hadn’t had a shower since the RVish Park. This shower had a button, so you can’t control the temperature, and the water kept shutting itself off every 10 seconds. I’m not complaining or anything (or being sarcastic), I’m just stating the facts. Oh yeah, I am calling the mosquitoes, “Mass-quitoes” because of their great numbers up here. My dad says that since it gets so cold, they only have a few months to attack. That’s why they are so vicious. Who knows…just hand me the hair, I mean bug spray, lady.

Having a wonderful time.

2010-09-13T16:44:00.000-07:00

August 6, Day 7ish:

Today, after a long, hot, crowded bus ride, we went for a long, hot, hilly, humid, sweaty, bug infested hike with dead trees and no rest areas. We had a great time, seeing great views like the one we saw while stopped by construction the other day. To sum up everything we saw on the extended trail today would be waterfalls and deer. Though the two made the trip exciting for the first turn or so, it got well frankly, boring. If someone was up ahead and said, “Look,” I’d say, “Let me guess, a small waterfall, or a deer perhaps?”

“Yes,” they’d say, “how’d you know?”

“The last bend.” I’d say.

I am now starting to think about mosquitoes here, and those back home. The difference, I suppose, aside from the Alamo type fighting numbers up here, is the smog down in So Cal keeps the creeps small, slow, and stupid. The ones down in my backyard hardly would make a mark when they would bite you, but the mosquitoes here are nasty, with bites that double the size of your arm. My legs are a small scale model of the mountains here in Glacier, complete with snow and wild mountain goats bouncing about. Each bite steals a little of my pigment. The ones that I am getting now turn white and look surprisingly like a skin disease, or an allergic reaction. Though I am not quite sure they are mosquito bites, I assume they are, since there is nothing else around here except poison oak.

The more people I see, often in long, crowded bus rides, I see the contrast to the people here and those in the California region. Unlike the bugs down south, the people in OC stick to themselves and aren’t super friendly (with the exception of the people in my church). Now the great sights and the fact that these people are on vacation could be factors in their kindness, but partially I think it is because where I live is on-your-toes-busy; fast paced. Taking things slow is a nice way to go, especially when there are waterfalls and deer on every around every turn.

Days 5 and 6

2010-09-11T14:04:00.000-07:00

Here are days five and six of the journal I took on the summer trip. To read day one, click here.

Aug. 4, 2010, Day 5:

We are now camping at Glacier National Park in Montana. We’ve been in four National Parks in the five days we’ve been gone. Also today we go to see Jeremiah in his natural habitat, working by the road on an animal crossing over pass. The slow day of driving was a nice break seeing the Saoon Saloon, Taco John’s and various specks that we thought were animals. Chillin’ back at Glacier, we went down to Lake Macdonald, and on this lake we went on a raft. I always did like spinning in circles. We also attended a ranger-talk slideshow time, which looked as though no one in the campground was going to go to. Obligated by guilt, we went, and had a pleasant time looking at animals dangling over cliffs about to fall to their deaths. And actually a lot of people we; my conscience feels alright now.

Well it is getting dark. The family has a fire going, just waiting for it to finally get dark. Zac is still hoping to see the aurora, and I will show off my excellent constellation finding skills pointing out the Seven Sisters tonight. Oh yeah, I’m good. I can’t wait to see the glaciers, and soap in the bathrooms. C’mon, how hard is it to put some soap in all 50 of the restrooms, and restock them when they’re empty? I mean really? I’m an American, I want ease and comfort! What do they think I’m doing, camping?

Aug. 5, Day 6:

Glacier National Park is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Wide open places with snowy mountains, and deep gorges. The landscape, apparently, was carved out a lot by moving glaciers from many years past that have later melted away. The view is like a thanksgiving banquet for your eyes; the turkey being Heaven’s Peak, with snowy mashed potatoes and gravy, smothered up and down giving your pupils the heart burn plate of beauty.

Well, as we found out today, Glacier’s signs are easily misinterpreted. We decided to ride the bus, so we thought we would stand around waiting for a couple of minutes until it arrived. But when we read the sign that said that busses come every couple of minutes, it really meant a couple of hours. At least the view was interesting…for a couple of minutes. I was looking forward to the bus ride back when it finally did come, so I could complain to the second bus driver about the first one’s absence. But we had the same bus driver both ways, which hit me like a 5 year old Twinkie, interrupting the thanksgiving feast in my bowels.

Along with the inside of crammed buses, I saw mountain goats, big horn sheep, an aggressive granny, deer, and a sign in the bathroom stall which said, “Please flush twice.” The people who made the bus signs could learn from that sign; short, blunt, and short. Though I’m not quite sure why they have a sign that says that. Is it for the courtesy of others, or the janitor? Either case, the sign can’t really be misinterpreted. And just incase it was too direct, it even says, “please.”

We are now on the other side of Glacier, at a nice little campground. And trust me, after a full day of thanksgiving feasting, the bathroom is the first place I want to stop at. One…two…this is for you, janitor.

Three s'things

2010-09-08T16:29:00.000-07:00

Continuation of the journal I took on my Epic Annual Family Summer Road Trip-Tacular.

Aug. 3, 2010, Day 4:

The day has now been completed, consisting of three words that all begin with the letter “s”; Staring, Sustenance, and Jeremiah.

Most, if not every activity, applied the use of Staring today. I am surprised that so quickly in the trip I have nearly perfected the art of Staring. Staring, as defined by me, is the act of using one’s eyes to see everything but the back of one’s eyelids. Similar to the Look, Gaze, Glance, and Observation, the Stare usually first appears when one first wakes up, and terminates when they go to sleep.

Today I occupied the Stare while on the drive. My mom got her Bachelors in Observation and quickly graduated with a Doctorate in the Stare on the section where I was at the wheel. Not only did my parents give me the hardest part to drive, with construction on hilly roads, big semis, and passing lanes were present, but also some of the most beautiful drives to torture me as I attempted to attend the community college of Stare looking at the pavement.

To continue the trend of fast food on road trips, I filled up with this Sustenance. And how full I am! While my dad and I worked our Stare at Pizza Hut (which was a $6 buffet), we realized that living in California had made us accustom to different sorts of peoples and ethnic groups. We felt like the minority when only caucasion people present. Not to mention we were the only two sitting at the longest table in the entire restaurant, and we were the skinniest people in there; probably by 200 pounds. That’s including the children. We also ate at 5 Guys. In combination of both places I have eaten, I have been stinkin’ up everywhere I go. Thank the red meats!

And last but not least, Jeremiah. A friend I haven’t seen in a whole week! Now that he has a job here in Montana, we decided to come and visit him. After showing us around Missoula, he, the fam. and I went to go see an aurora, which supposedly was/is happening tonight. Well, at most that was a waste of time. And at least I got to work on my Stare, looking at absolutely nothing.

Well, bed is looking tasty. Oh yeah, we decided that we would overstay our welcome at Jeremiah’s and spend the night. It is now twelve’ two. Happy Wednesday! Alright, Tuesday is over - shut up.

Oh give me a home...

2010-09-03T12:01:00.000-07:00

Here is Day 3 of the journal I took on the trip. And you can find the first two by just scrolling down or clicking here and here.

Aug. 2, 2010, Day 3:

What did the buffalo say to his kid going off to college? “Bi-son.” Well, that’s the word of the day, bison,…or tired. Unlike my previous visit to Yellowstone where we saw buffalo at a distance, and that only on the last day, this time we have been within 15 feet of bison, and have seen them in several places. I love buffalo, so majestic, so wooly, so fat headed. Nothing beats a buffalo, literally, they are massive, and yet so gentle looking. Amazing.

Along with bison we saw plenty of Elk, deer, antelope, geysers, waterfalls, and people stopped to look at a speck which they claimed was a bear. I guess they must have seen out license plate and rallied their cousins and uncles to pull a fast one on us. Silly hicks, tricks are for kids!

Although I didn’t think it possible, we had more stops today than we had yesterday. Seeing geysers and mud pots, and geysers and waterfalls, and geysers and geysers, in and out, and in and out of the car made me tired. Not to mention standing around waiting for Old Faithful to blow. Speaking of tricks, that guy-zer faked us out more than any uncle, looking like it was going to blow a dozen times. It made the camera run out of batteries, but thankfully it’s my mom’s camera, not mine. Again, ‘Ol Faithy must’ve seen the license plate.

We are now right outside of Yellowstone, at a KOAish R.V. Park, which Zac observed isn’t park like “grass and field,” but like “park your car.” RV, duh.

Well, I gotta’ go shower now, even though I have been bathing in bug spray, sunscreen, and sulfur mist all day. Not to mention sweat.

I am now convinced that the invention of bug spray was some guy who was going mad from the heat lathered himself with his wife’s hairspray, and noticed that the bugs didn’t bite him as much as his prankster uncle. Now they use the left over hairspray at the factories and replace the original label with one that says, “Bug Spray.”

I am also convinced that the spray does absolutely nothing, with the exception of annoying us all. Maybe it is another trick. The only thing mosquitoes are warded off by is the smell of the stuff, consequently so is the rest of the world. Funny how the one place we don’t put the old hairspray nowadays is our hair. Perhaps going mad from the heat is how most entrepreneurs start. Perhaps like the inventor of sunscreen.

Still Trippin'

2010-09-02T17:37:00.000-07:00

Below is the next part of the journal that I made on my family's long summer road trip. You can read the first day's entry here.

Now on with the show!

August 1, 2010, Day 2:

Today is the first day of camping. Driving today, we passed through three states, two national parks, and what seems like 300 visitor centers from various places. The worst one was in Utah about the Oregon Trail. Half of it was paintings made for the museum, the other half was quilts. Quilts. Quilts? Who cares about quilts?! They may have been interesting had they actually been made by people traveling to Oregon, but they were made just to fill the other half of the visitor center.

The third half didn’t even have its lights on, even though that looked like the most interesting part. I guess they decided no to pay the electric bill on Sunday mornings because everyone in Utah a Mormon. So there are plenty of crew cuts, bicycles, and carefully planned brick communities around their tabernacles (which everyone would be at on Sunday mornings).

The rest of the drive was way more exciting consisting of beautiful forests, open plains, and The Tetons. And what Grand Tetons they were; spectacular mountains we spent most of the day looking at.

Following twisty, barfy roads, we found our way to Yellowstone. After our recovery, we ate dinner. Thankfully it was my mom’s cooking so we only got a little sick from eating the meal. We went to the lake to see some bugs, and we ended up seeing some geysers as well. We went to a spot we went to the last time we were here, and the mosquito bites hurt then too.

Coming back to the campsite we saw some Elk. It doesn’t take one long here to realize that you can’t see stuff from the road, all you have to do is to look for people stopped by the side of the road acting like they are pointing and taking pictures. Joey finally saw something.

Now I am writing by the light of the flashlight, I hope we have enough batteries. A few moments ago I saw a bat, or a big bird, or a small bird depending on how big you think a bat is.

Alright, I need to go to sleep, but here is my Yellowstone song, sung to the tune of the Hawaii Chair commercial, “Yellowstone, it’s a great place, don’t ya’ know! Saw some geysers like ‘Ol Faithful. You really outta’ go!”

Oh yeah! I had my first heart attack of the trip today when Matt nearly stepped on a snack and I was standing right behind him. Until tomorrow, if the mosquitoes allow. Good Night.

Day 1

2010-09-01T13:37:00.000-07:00

This is the first journal entry of the trip. I am hoping to put all of them up here eventually while I work on learning Photoshop. I usually wrote each entry any time from late afternoon to midnight, and that usually by the light of a flashlight or while we were eating dinner, so I didn't spend a whole lot of time on any of the entries; just free writing. In typing it up I tried to fix most of the mistakes, but left a few in their for its vintage quality.

And just so you guys would have no idea what we did on the trip, I was sure to fill each time I wrote in the journal with inside jokes that were made on the trip, and sarcastic extremities. If you didn't know me, you might say I didn't like the trip, but that's why I am putting this on the internet, where anyone can see, people who have no idea who I am, who could totally misinterpret what I say... Um well, here you go:

July 31, 2010,

Epic Annual Family Summer Road Trip-tacular Day 1:

Today we started out epic trip north similar to birds in summer. My family and I, a couple of bird-brains, are questing on another summer travel. But if you are reading this you probably know all that already.

We didn’t leave too early this morning which was kind of a bummer because then none of us got any sleep in the car. The drive today was smooth with just a few 30 foot potholes, 30 billion pit stops, small fights, cliffs, rocks, and the occasional thunder storm. Yeah, it’s going pretty smooth. Today is the longest day of driving, or so my parents make me believe, but thankfully video games saved the day. And I actually won a few times on Mario Kart. We saw many exciting sights today such as Kolob Canyons (a part of Zion National Park), which was beautiful, sunsets, double rainbows, and Joey didn’t see any cows. We stopped and ate lunch today in a Carl’s Jr., in a gas station, in Las Vegas…yeah triple sketch.

Seems like a long time since we waved goodbye to Mark, Tawnie, and The Cimino, since we have gone through four states today. And yet after all that traveling I still can’t sleep because my body is on Pacific Time, while reality is in Mountain Time.

Well, I will try to keep these things short since not only am I penning down this even with journal and comic, but Matt is documenting via video, Zac through facebook, and Joey is doing absolutely nothing. (Sorry for all the disses Joey.) So the trip should be well remembered.

Shutter Shades in the Shadows, Ben.

Well, I'm Back

2010-08-19T20:56:00.000-07:00

A long, fun, filling, and tiring three week Epic Annual Family Summer Road Trip-tacular has finally come to the end. I kept a journal of just about everyday of the trip, so hopefully soon I will get those up here. And keep hoping, I'm hittn' the showers!

Dandy, Pandy, Wandy, that's all he ever talks about

2010-07-29T17:45:00.002-07:00

Yay! Panda! I wanted to draw another Panda, so this is all you get. I don't really have anything to say about it except that your guess is as good as mine as to what is in his hands.

Well, I'm going to be gone to my family's annual Super Vacation Trip-tacular for this summer. And as an added downside, this year it will be more time in the car and less out! But you know how road trips go, it's not about where you're going, but the fast food and soft drinks on the way. YAY America! -I decided I would talk about this now, since it directly relates to Panda Bears.

Summer Time Pests

2010-07-26T17:22:00.000-07:00

Another great thing I forgot to mention about Summer in Sunny Southern CA, are the bugs that well, bug me. And flies are the worst. I set out to solve this fly problem by making a flip book on the subject. I found that the only thing you need to solve your bug problem is a gun!

Unlike my last animation video, this whole thing took me about 2 hours all together. And scanning all the little flip book pages into the computer took the longest of all the steps.

If you couldn't tell I have done more posts this month than I have for a long time. The desire to post more has not only come from having more time, but also because I am going to be on a long vacation next month and won't be on here for awhile.

So, hope you enjoyed the video. I usually like to put these kind of things on here before I put them on facebook, but this time I got it up there first. The downside to putting them up other places first is less comments over here. 'Cuz who seriously checks their facebook, right? Facebook is a summer time pest!! Where's my Assault rifle?!!

"Hey, it's your buddy John!" -John, Wall-E

2010-07-21T17:47:00.000-07:00

My good buddy John Fisher is quite the artist, and he gives me some masterpieces from his vast collection of sermon-time drawings. Picking out some of the ones that looked like they had some great interpretations I decided to do my own.

Look at the first one. Now, I don't know if you see exactly like what you see, but here's what I got: A dinosaur (that's obvious), in a boxish-looking thing, with a caveman with a hammer on top of the box. Oh yeah, and a flying, hairy fart ball...don't forget about that.

So looking at all these things I asked myself, What could all these things mean? Figuring John had some deep meaning behind the art, that he didn't tell me, I knew I needed to find out what it was. The final conclusion I came to was The Best Dinosaur Trap Ever! It's so obvious! Once I came to this marvelous understanding, it was easy to create my own depiction of the scene.

There you have it! Dead dinosaur, caveman, trap, but WHAT'S THIS?? I guess I forgot about the flying hairy fart ball!! Oh well, I replaced it for a spear instead I suppose.

If you couldn't tell John loves dinosaurs, so following a similar pattern to the last one, I came up with my own version of what I call Krogasaur! Notice the head that contrasts with its disconnected, slug like body. The eyebrow, the twiggy arms...I am just beginning to realize this kid's genius!

I hope you enjoyed this month's John and Ben combo art! Tune in next month for another installment! Maybe!

Gotta' love those Severed Heads

2010-07-13T16:14:00.000-07:00

If I had tags on my blog, the subject that would probably appear most often would be Severed heads. Of course I couldn't resist keeping the tradition.

Despite the common trend, I almost named this post Me Four, for a reason you may not have expected. This may be a shock to all of you, especially since my drawings don't exactly support the theory, but giraffes have extremely long necks. Typically their necks are about 6 feet tall. Similarly, my neck and the necks of the people in my family are averagely 5-6 feet long. Well, sorta... Ok, not exactly true, but we do have long necks compared to most humans. It is the one thing that you could tell that we aren't actually who we say we are, and come from a distant planet. I mean, we're normal people-sort of like you, except we're normal. Well, most of us anyway.

Starting in 2008, my alie-I mean regular family had passes to the San Diego Zoo. During that time we would get a magazine that is published by the zoo that has some amazing pictures of the animals. Thankfully my mom gave one to me awhile back and I kept it. So all of these are altered versions of the pictures in the magazine. Including the Ben looking one. The zoo claimed that they had captured an alien, but I told them that was foolish, it would have a long neck. -Not to mention just having a neck.

Netherlands vs. Spain

2010-07-10T15:22:00.001-07:00

On the way to the pool yesterday, my mom told me about a story she read on the internet that morning. Here is the story, as I understand it, in short: Octopus Paul, an octopus (duh) who for every two flags of the teams playing in the World Cup, note: not every game was placed in front of him, picked in advance the team that would pull ahead by climbing into the container with a flag on it. For the final game tomorrow, he has chosen the one with Spain on it.

Mani is a parakeet who has done similarly, picking the flag of the winning team before they've even played, but he has chosen the Netherlands to take the trophy.

Only one animal can be correct... Which will it be?

Now I have to say, who picked such random animals to put countries flags in front of to see how good they would do? And who would have guessed an octopus and a parakeet would have guessed so well? Obviously people have way too much time on their hands. And even more, the guy who did a drawing of the random animals and their predictions.

Follow the link here for the whole story about Octopus Paul and Mani the parakeet.

I have a whole bunch more drawings I want to put on here! Even some I did before my other World Cup post. But most the art I have been doing recently has been painting my room, which I just got pretty much done today. Looking at my painting skills, it kind of made me want to re-think my trying to become an artist as a profession. Hahaha, we'll see. Man, taking wallpaper off is nooo fun, but the deed is done. And I just rhymed...See ya' next time'd.

"But what comes from the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles a person." -Matt. 15:18

2010-07-06T21:27:00.000-07:00

One more thought from the Together 2010 conference, and I hope there are more posts to come about it.

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ -by grace you have been saved- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus," -Eph. 2:4-6

"Whatever we value, we will grow to be like." This was one of the first statements spoken by Dr. Bruce Ware at the conference, but though it stuck with me, it didn't hold the same weight at the beginning of Together 2010 as it does a whole day after the conference's termination.

Joyfully anticipating the conference, I had missed the areas of indwelling sin that were alive and active in my heart.

The following day, after hearing that Dr. Ware speak that statement, during the corporate worship time a short video was played, which was done to a powerful song written by some of our Church family in the Pasadena. I had seen the video several times, and as it began was unmoved by the depictions of the areas of sin I had chosen to follow - until there was a picture of the prodigal child embracing her sin in the form of a demonic being. "Have I been doing this?" I thought. And after reviewing my notes from the first sermon I looked on, "Whatever we value, we will grow to be like."

In the first session, Dr. Ware went over a powerful passage in Isaiah 6, where in Isaiah is before and beholding the power and glory of God. Bruce Ware talked about how we must understand and know God as transcendent- That he is exclusively God. As Mr. Ware intricately and effectively showed the awe of this seen in Isaiah, I felt as though I was in Isaiah's shoes. I was standing before his throne, beholding His glory. And I believe similarly as Isaiah did not recognize his own sin until he was beholding the glory of God, so too did God work in me. As God spoke through Mr. Ware, He spoke into my heart, and I could see that I was embracing my sin, myself, and making myself God.

And like Isaiah, I thought "Woe is me, for I am lost."

"The only thing God owes us," said Dr. Ware, "is eternal condemnation."

"But," he continued, "we must know God as imminent." ...And "the story doesn't end there." God initiated Isaiah's forgiveness. And Mr. Ware reminded us of the words from Ephesians 2, "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ."

Through this conference, Together 2010, I believe God has challenged me to grow in my understanding and knowledge of Him, and my value of him. Because, "whatever we value, we will grow to be like." -I thank God that he is at work in me, and that through His Spirit I could behold a glimpse of Him this weekend.

T10

2010-07-05T18:33:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a conference held by the western churches of Sovereign Grace Ministries, which is called Together 2010. It was a great time of gathering as just a fraction of the body to worship God together, and sit under his word, which was graciously given by Dr. Bruce Ware. And I thank God for his Spirit which was at work in Dr. Ware as he was preparing, as he gave the message, and His work in me through what he spoke through Mr. Ware. I also thank him for continually for his Spirit in each of my family members and friends, and his work in them. It was encouraging also to fellowship with friends spread from various places of California and Arizona.

Gathering with his people is always up building, and being together specifically to worship corporately really is a heavenly like experience. I cannot wait till this preview is over and the ultimate gathering of the undeserving before the Holy God is forever. So we pray, your kingdom come!

I have so much more to say about this conference that I probably won't get around to all of it, but I hope to have another post soon covering a fraction of what God did in me.

Goodbabymanship

2010-07-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

Soccer is the only professional sport I know of where the players are encouraged to be wimps. Not that Soccer players are wimpy, but when it is an advantage for them to pretend they're hurt, they'll take it.

Makes sense I guess, point fingers and get a penalty kick right in front of the goal... Just doesn't seem very sportsman like. So, I've decided to call this whining, Goodbabymanship. The definition being "a form of bad sportsmanship in which one pretends to be a baby to the referee in order to gain a better standing in a game." In other terms, you are Good at being a baby man.

But no matter what I have said, I've enjoyed watching the World Cup this year, and I suppose it does add another element to the game. It also helps round out the players. Their coaches must have had them take up acting lessons or something, and why not let them use their new found skills in the game, right?

Gotta' be hard for the refs. though. How can you tell when the babies are faking or not? You'd think the refs. would get it when they see the player get up, kick the penalty kick, and play the rest of the game.

Not to practice goodbabymanship myself, I'm not really feeling the pressure the referees are. And that's another thing about Soccer, why do they have all those high speed cameras pointing at so many angles when the refs just blow them all away and decide the call they thought they saw. That's ridiculous! One of two things needs to happen. One, the refs. actually look and see if they judged play correctly (and catch these babymen). Or Two, they need to have less cameras so the fans just blissfully believe the refs calls. If they did one (or both) of these I think there would be a whole lot less riots...in my house.

I don't want to throw any stones; Just pass the babe-chow, baby-man, I'm gonna point my chubby, infant finger at someone else for my problems!

Well, I was thinking I was going to have to be more of a baby in this post considering I was voting for Spain to win at the beginning of the World Cup this year, because I thought they were really good. Well, they weren't. At least at the beginning. Finally they are coming back! But the other teams they would be going up against are teams like Brazil and Argentina. My family was doing sort of a Fantasy Soccer rally this year, so I'll be a good sportsman until then.

I was really disappointed when the US finally lost to Ghana, but my brother had some humorous words about it. "Think about it this way," he said, "If Ghana wins it will make 6 million people are happy, if the US wins, only about three people will be happy." No one watches Soccer here.

Last Sunday my church had a park day, and in honor of the FIFA we played Soccer. (The spectators were as numerous as the people who watch Soccer in the United States.) Man, I wish I was in better shape, or had taken those acting lessons...I was sore. But I'm not sure how acting lessons would have cured the pain.

Oh well, I have said my 5 bits on Soccer. Let's hope I don't have to do it again. Or else I might practice Goodbabymanship.

Sorry about all the negative space in the drawing. And yes, that probably is the worst Soccer ball I have ever drawn.

Toy Story 3

2010-06-20T20:10:00.000-07:00

Hey Ya'll! Earlier today I watched my long awaited Toy Story 3 for Father's Day. I have been counting down the days until it came out, and two days ago Toy Story 3 came to theaters and I...couldn't watch it. But, I saw it today! And in 3-D!

As I said in my last post I had family from Texas here this past week (that's why I started my post with "Ya'll"), and we had a great time. We got to go to Disneyland all day long on Monday, and my little cousins were such troopers and stuck it out the whole time. I was amazed by their stamina, and good senses of humor. One of my youngest cousins, Jacob, got the irony of the signs on all the trash bins which says, "Waste Please." A great time was had by all, or me anyway.

A couple of days before that, my brother and I watched the World of Color show in California Adventure. It was an amazing show! Unfortunately we didn't get these vague ticket'er things so we could see it from the front. But even from the back it was definitely the best show I have seen at Disneyland in the two years that I have had a pass there. Sadly, two days after that all day'er at Disney with the family, my brother and my's passes expired. So, I guess I will have to wait until I get another pass to see exactly what the show is like.

But I forgot what I was talking about...Watch Toy Story 3! It and the short before it were great!

Another guy in a math book

2010-06-15T13:21:00.001-07:00

Yeah, I don't have anything new yet. I did this in my math book on one of the last days of school. Drawing in my math book is not an uncommon practice, as you know if you have been on my blog for awhile. If you have been on my blog for even longer then you know that I have drawn in my grammar books...my oldest posts (and newest ones) have epically terrible spelling and punctuation.

Well, my fam is here from Texas; Gotta' run ya'll!

And this guy kinda' looks like the Mayor from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, which if you haven't seen it...lol...that's all I got.

So close, and yet so far.

2010-06-07T15:11:00.000-07:00

I'm sure if your budget is anything like mine that you have purchased the "Off Brand" of some product at the store. If your budget isn't like mine, then an "Off Brand" is the product that tries to be the "Name Brand" product, usually made by the store you are shopping at. Target, Wal-Mart, and your local Asian market have perfect examples of what I am talking about.

Recently I got some Off Brand floss from Target. It looked like all the other flosses, (must not be too tough to match since all floss is is pieces of string). The package looked like all the other ones, with "Mint Flavor" written on it. The only difference was that it was cheaper. Score right? Wrong. Some wise guy at the Off Brand factory dipped the floss in latex balloon flavor instead mint. ...And of course you don't know that until it is your mouth. Couldn't he at least have made it taste like the string attached to the balloon?

Having the budget I have, I didn't want to get a new one until this one ran out. Thankfully once that one ran out, my mom had some extras... Unfortunately her's was packaged by the same wise guy.

Not my first, but probably my worst experience with Off Brands was back when I wouldn't eat anything else but cereal (which was pretty much up until last week), during my rebellious 6-11 year old days. Since cereal is so expensive, especially the ones with the great cartoons and sugar on them, aka the only ones I would eat, my mom decided to pull a fast one. I don't really remember why I didn't go with her to the store, maybe this whole thing wouldn't have happened if I would have, but the next day I was pulling out the cereal for breakfast and my mom said we had Lucky Charms. Very enticing gimmick. So I reached up for the cereal and grabbed the most colorful one. As a kid of 6-11 years old, I could tell right away that this wasn't Lucky Charms, there was no Irish guy. Everything else was pretty close, the bits and marshmallows looked about the same on the box, but it was under water themed with a scuba guy. And scuba guy was crazy looking. Besides, the box said something along the lines of "Buried Treasure."

"This isn't Lucky Charms," I said to my mom.

"Well, it's pretty close."

No it wasn't. After pouring a huge bowl of it, the stuff didn't look or smell like the Irishman's. Let me tell you, it was the worst cereal my 6-11 year old taste buds had ever tasted. That was one treasure that should have stayed buried! And the dirt that covered probably would have tasted better. It was disgusting.

My mom made me eat the whole thing because of how much I would have "wasted" for pouring so much in. What a trick! I should've known she was planning for it to be terrible.

Now I know it may sound like I am exaggerating how bad it was, but a couple years later my mom tried the same ploy on my youngest brother, he couldn't eat anymore after awhile. I asked mom, and decided I would finish it for him. I remembered just how bad it was after about two or three bites. Yeah, I couldn't finish it either, and chucked it. I think that second time was when I was 13.

Product labels always have hilarious mistakes or just terrible writing on them, the Asian market is good example of both. One time our family received food from a Chinese friend and the name of the product translated was something like, "Black Ear Tree Fungus." Mmm, delicious. A couple weeks later I was going threw the cupboard looking for something to eat, "Hmm, no one has eaten of these yet?" Gee, I should've asked why we didn't thank them and then chuck it the second the left.

As people are trying to become healthy, haha ok that's funny, they check the labels before they buy the food to see exactly what is in the food their buying. Once again Off Brand companies were ahead of the game and decided to skip a step; instead of having a clever name like "Lucky Charms" for example, the name would be "Sweet Sugar High Fructose Corn-syrup Artificial Flavor (for additional ingredients see side of the box) Crunch Cereal." Another example of this might be a chocolate bar with the name of "Coco butter-Butter-Walnut-Peanut butter-Milk-Milk Chocolate Syrup-Added Fructose-...Did I mention butter?" and the name goes on. Pretty soon we're going to have to have bigger chocolate bars just so that the name can fit on the plastic wrapping. But hey I don't mind bigger chocolate bars.

Speaking of which, then there are just weird things written on the packaging like "Fun Size" candy bars. That's ironic...the bar is smaller! Keep trying to be healthy, haha healthy isn't fun. Haha. I saw a bottle of Windex that said, "Economy Size." Wait, does that mean the bottle is bigger or smaller than before?

But to go back to what I was saying a little earlier, my family once got some chocolate chips cookies from Stater Bros. On the top it said Made with Real Chocolate Chips. Gee, I hope so. Can you have chocolate chip cookies without real chocolate chips? It's pretty sad that they had to advertise their cookies by informing people that they had real chocolate chips. I can't imagine what the products without real chocolate chips' names must have looked like if they were like the other Off Brands. How did they cover up not having real chocolate chips in chocolate chip cookies?

Well, aren't you glad that I posted a drawing? I even had a book long post to go with it!!! I am on fire!! Hold on let me get the fire extinguisher, wait I can't tell if that thing on the wall is it...the name is too long.

Real Life

2010-05-29T11:55:00.000-07:00

Continued It's Life video'ers. Don't think that this is actually how I think about life, yard work, or my dog's poop, I'm just saying stuff to be funny (or trying to be).

If I was actually being serious then my brother and I wouldn't have given the name of these videos "It's Life" with a negative meaning, because Life is the greatest gift from God. I, deserving to die eternally in Hell, never to know love, or hope, or peace, or family, or friends should have nothing to complain about. Now God has made me alive in him, through him, and counted as him! And the worst part of Hell is eternal separation from God. I shouldn't have known him, and let alone be justified by his blameless life and perfect obedience to the Father to be able to come before his thrown and cry, "ABBA! Father!" I the one who should have died forever now have life forever. "The rebel now your child." -The Prodigal.

Well, another thing to praise God for is summer vacation! I have so much planned out, as I have said in the videos.

One of which is yard work which I haven't done for awhile, and though it doesn't sound like it in the video, it is good to be back. But to be honest there were a ton of spiders out there, I was fine until I saw a really huge creepy one... well, yard work is off my list for summer now.

Anyway, here is the drawing I did in between the video in the kitchen and the one sitting down. I love quick sketches because just like when someone is coming over to your house un-invited, you don't have to make it look nice! At least that's the excuse. Happy summer everyone!

I tried to warn you Woody, but you wouldn't listen

2010-05-25T17:23:00.001-07:00

Dude, I am so stoked for Toy Story 3! I have nearly been counting down the days until it's arrival. Just like Pixar's other movies, even sequels, have all been amazing, so too will this movies shine in the box office. The only thing I have to question Pixar about (aside from making yet another Toy Story movie) is their re-releasing of Toy Story and Toy Story 2 back in theaters with 3-D as the only draw. But no matter what I have said, the first Toy Story is my favorite movie of all time.

My summer has started pretty much epic-ly with cool stuff happening. I will list them in an orderly fashion to make up for my making up the epic-ly, and started the first paragraph with "Dude".

Epic-ly things in no particular order or oder: 1) Schools out.

2) The pool near my house opened up, and I have been there more hours than I haven't.

3) Is a magic number.

4 When you push shift is money) ...Had friends over, and been with friends at places.

5) ABC's LOST is finally over...kind of a bummer actually. I loved the zombiefied versions of my family and their great philosophical ideas about the show all to be thrown down the pooper. ha.

6) Choir is out.

7 is a lucky number) Super Mario Galaxy 2 came out. Man, more sequels... After I bought the game, I haven't really had time to play it since my brothers have been. They tell me to finish the first game first-I tell them to shut up.

8 is a lucky number in China) I told my brothers to shut up. ha

9) Still no oder!

10) Beach.

11) Guitar/other music.

12) Drawing.

Sir, I hope to be putting up some more drawings and figuring out how to use photoshop soon. The pic above is gonna be more blue/silhouette type looking.

Friend, I gotta be going...typing big huge long post isn't on my oder free list. (And I didn't start the last two paragraphs with dude.)

Worldwide apology

2010-05-09T19:20:00.000-07:00

Hey all, this has nothing to do with Mothers' Day, sorry. Recently I've been feeling as though the Lord has been convicting me about be a critic about everything. As you three readers probably know, I make fun of stuff, especially in the media, all the time. It has been eye opening and somewhat sobering to know that people recognize me as someone who tears people down and critiques everything. People have even brought stuff to me that they are in the process of writing so I can tell them where they screwed up. Well, I am just now starting to feel bad about this, and I am afraid that I have hurt people. So, I am sorry. Sorry if you like Owl City! Ha! No, I'm just kidding, sorry. Really...Their, I mean his music is actually pretty cool. Sorry for being a hater.

Yeah I'm a real man not even personalizing my apology, but this is all I got.

I will get back to my regularly scheduled program whenever I get around to drawing something.

It's Life

2010-04-30T17:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, I don't have any new drawings or anything cool, but I do have something to post...

If you came to my blog looking for my usual cartoons, then you can just go away, no don't do that. If you came to see any of the other things that I say that I have on my blog such as life and writings, then you'll only be half disappointed. This is about life; not my life exactly, but life. It's life.

If you have been wanting to see some drawings, I have been doing this with my brother Matt instead, sorry, but don't leave. These are funny, at least to me.

Check out It's Life posted by mrmrlamplamp on youtube.com. Not to be confused with lamp, Mr. Lamp, Mr. LampLamp, Mr.Mr. Lamp or Mrs. Lamp. And no, the character's name is not mrmrlamplamp in the videos, it is all they had left on youtube.

Here is the first episode.It's Life - First Episode First episode-huh, usually a good place to start.

Tortuga

2010-04-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

Comfort

2010-04-17T18:04:00.000-07:00

When I thought, "My foot slips," your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

-Psalm 94:18-19

Psalm 94 is full of comforting verses; line after line of encouragement. These two verses specifically have been a blessing and have helped me.

Last Month

2010-04-08T18:54:00.000-07:00

As I said I would post some drawings from last month and one from before that, here is what I got. Next month I will get around to posting pictures from this month...

I've kinda been waiting for color on this guy-Shaun White as the Vancouver Olympics guy. That was February.

This one above is the drawing for my spring break, which consisted of fun times with the bros and friends and many crazy games of ball tag.

And this guy...your guess is as good as mine...I drew him in my math book. Picking that heavy book up was kind of a pain.

Those drawings pretty much some up last month, fun times followed by a ton of catch up school work.

As I said a little earlier, and this is a little of a disappointment for those of who check my blog somewhat regularly, all two of you, I have kind of been waiting to draw/post until I have figured out how to use Photoshop and can color my drawings. I kinda' need someone to teach me how to use it. I believe it is time to get out of the old days of black and white and move into the new age, the color age, similar to the 1860s. It is too bad it has taken me this long to get the idea...color is the way of the future.

You know, this whole Photoshop usage stuff reminds me of a story:

Once upon a time in the middle ages (somewhat like the days before the 1860s), there was a young boy named Bart. Bart lived in a small village with his family, and like most homesteads in the middle ages, his house was made of sticks and straw just like all the other houses in the village (note: his house was not made from pig one and two). Bart loved weapons, remember that now.

One day his grandfather came for a visit, bringing along many wagons that had tarps draping over their contents. After Bart and his father helped his grandfather get the wagons in, his grandfather gave his grandson a present. It was the latest catalog from the Med-Evil Times that was trying to sell the latest in good attributes and big time weaponry. "You may choose one to be your own, but," his grandfather told Bart, "you must make the choice wisely."

"Wow," Bart answered, "One of my own!" After one quick glance at the first page, he made up his mind, "That one," he said.

"That one?" his grandfather said lifting his brow, "you don't take your time deciding, do you?"

The "one" was a randomly combusting bow and arrow combo. "You don't even know how to use it," his grandfather continued as he flipped to a page on good attributes.

"No," he replied, not look at the catalog any longer.

His grandfather looked into his eyes, "Perhaps before you purchase that one, you first learn how to use it. There is nothing more important than knowledge and wisdom."

"Yeah sure gramps," Bart said, "get the arrow man."

"You sure you don't want knowledge to learn how to use it?"

"Grandfather, you said whichever one I chose..."

With that his grandfather reached under the tarp and pulled out the arrow that would light itself on fire. Bart's grandfather handed him the weapon. The boy could hardly believe this was happening, it was the first real weapon he was going to be allowed to hold. Bart snatched the bow and the arrow, slit the arrow on the bow, and launched it into the air. As the arrow traveled it caught itself on fire and landed right on top of his own home. The sticks and straw didn't hold up too well against the flame from the arrow. As Bart watched his home be destroyed, the bow randomly combusted and burned his hands. By the time Bart looked up from his own troubles, he saw half the town was burning down. The boy turned to his grandpa who he thought was standing right next to him, but he was uncovering the wagons, revealing that all the many wagons were filled with jugs of water. Bart's family and friends were saved by the grandfather's Y2K scare size amount of water which he brought in the wagons.

"If I had asked for something else this never would have happened!" He exclaimed and his grandfather looked pleased, "I knew I should have asked for the spike ball and chain from the catalog!"

"Perhaps instead if you would have asked for knowledge," his grandfather answered, "none of this would have happened."

"Oh yeah," Bart answered, "I wish I had some now."

His grandfather took him by the hand to the last wagon, "You're gaining wisdom my grandson, now gain some knowledge." He reached down into the wagon and pulled out the Med-Evil Bow and Arrow Manuel. "You can still like weapons," he continued, "you just have to know how to use them."

Ya, so that is exactly like what Photoshop is like. Since I don't want to run into something I don't know how to do and burn up the town, I am waiting to post until I have knowledge about Photoshop. So that is why I haven't been posting as often.

Exceptions

2010-04-01T21:11:00.000-07:00

Here fellows is the most masterful piece of art you have ever seen...and it can take the place of last month's complete lack of art. April Fools! Well, at least to the first half. If you opened your eyes today, or didn't and just saw the back of your eyelids, you saw the greatest art of all-God's art. No April fools joke in that.

Well another not April fools joke was yesterday in Spanish class. Apparently each of us were supposed to bring photos of ourselves as kids to class. In my exceptional Spanish to English translation skills I heard that it was due on a Wednesday, apparently I must have paraphrased and got my weeks mixed up. Yeah my skills are "exceptional." Anyway, I did realize once I sat down that something was awry...or at least once I saw everyone in class had pictures of themselves as kids. "That was today?" I asked myself, wondering how I had messed that up. Just then I remembered that my teacher said that if we didn't bring a photo, the only exception was we would have to draw a picture of ourselves. Still confused about my language skills, I debated how I was going to draw myself. Thankfully the guy who sits behind me also had exceptional translating abilities and gave me a great idea. "Yeah, I'm just going to draw a stick figure or something," he said. Later when the teacher came by and asked in Spanish if I had a picture, I translated this one a little better and said, "Un dibujo." I grabbed a piece of paper while the people I was supposed to talk with about the photos looked on and with my exceptional three second drawing skills. "Add some hair," said one of the people, "and some teeth." We were supposed to have other people in some of the photos were were supposed to bring. So, I drew my brother, or my cousin...or my uncle? Stick figures don't have exceptionally outstanding features.

And that is the true story of the "exceptional" art above. April Fools! Ok, most of it was true. Obviously my skills are a joke, but I don't get to say April Fools very often. It is such a great holiday when you think about it. A whole day devoted to pulling pranks on each other. Man! I wish April came around more often. April Fools! I wish summer came around more often, and that isn't a joke.

Hopefully I will be posting some old drawings that were forgotten about from the end of February and all of March. There were not very many exciting things that happened last month. April Fools! ...Guess you will have to wait and see...or hear...or read...

Many random things, enjoy

2010-02-22T17:36:00.000-08:00

I have noticed that recently I haven't had any good long rants recently about stuff I barely know anything about. So, I thought I would draw your attention to my renaissance post which I just so happened to remember over the weekend. I call that one the renaissance drawing because that is when I totally tried to just copy Shane Lewis and abuse his talents, I mean use his talents to make them my own style. Or at least watch what he does and learn from his knowledge.

It is interesting how much copying someone helps improve one's style. I remember I would hide my drawings from my younger siblings so they wouldn't steal all my brilliant ideas. Now I just tell them to look at Shane's blog. I show them my stuff now, but only because they don't want to copy me anymore...now that they can look at his blog. If there wasn't some real pride issues going on in my heart before, I'm sure that they are there now. Lol (which really means: looks of laughter).

I have been thinking about putting labels on my blog. That way you can see just how many times Superman and my characters from Farm City have shown up. Tagging my pre-renaissance ignorance, and my post-enlightenment era (after saw Daniel Torres' and Shane Lewis' blogs) art.

Hey, it turns out I did get a nice long post after all! Oh yeah, there is an "at" missing in the third box-second word bubble in the comic strip.

Don't "hide" the love.

2010-02-13T11:07:00.000-08:00

-That joke is spot on if I don't say so my self. Wow, there are a lot of terrible Valentines Day puns that could follow this drawing, especially since I drew cheetahs. Haha, oh man, it is sad that I didn't think of that until after I started drawing it...

I was working on drawings for the Love Lion, but Shane beat me to it. So I had to think of other jungle cat love puns to draw.

Yes, that little zebra is a baby one. I guess the adult zebras got away. Its mama will probably be crying for months, but she will get over it, maybe. Happy Valentines day.

The Cast

2010-02-08T20:32:00.001-08:00

I realized that I haven't really had any drawings that have all the main characters in them and their personalities. With the exception of Moody (the cow) this is pretty much what they are like. From left to right, Jake, Ralph, Fleas, Moody, Giblets, and Jazz.

I drew this while watching the Super Bowl, so that is why they are so vague about who they are voting for. Haha, what? They know how to do it... haha. Which is absolutely nothing like how was I was yesterday...while watching the game... I was voting for the Saints the whole time.

Since I have been working on this comic, I have seen a little bit of myself in each character-"For better or for worse," I guess, (which is a different comic strip altogether). Which is maybe why I drew them a little vague about the teams, I mean enthusiastic about the Saints' win! Yay! Haha...

Wow, two posts in one week! I'm on fire!

100

2010-02-06T10:45:00.001-08:00

Little kids are great. I love them. Though it may surprise a few of you, but I even

used to be one! I didn't really have any art skill back then, well, not that I have any now, but I do now know some little kids who astound me with their talents. I have been a beneficiary of these kids' works, and I love what I have received.

This one above was given me by Natalie Turbedsky...she assured me this was a horse. I know you wanted color Daniel, what do you think of that? ((There is a glitch with my blog so I can't get these words to become un-underlined.))

"Or a football playing king in space."-Spongebob. Well, close...I guess it is a football playing pirate in space. He's in space, I presume, with the blue sky and red ground. It also looks like his sword has cut through the ground, but his other hand most certainly has a football in it. Good thing I got this one on here before the Super bowl.

This one was drawn by my good buddy, John Fisher. John is faithful in that on a weekly basis he reminds me that he is the dread pirate, Davey Jones. I remember when I used to pretend to be characters from movies, aka doppelganger week.

Thanks Natalie and Davey Jones for your amazing art work!!

Well, pretty soon one of you will have to come over and show me how to operate Adobe Photoshop, because it is on the way. Once I learn how to use it, it won't just be other people's drawings that are in color on this blog... It has only taken me two years and three months!

Post #: 100.

One year and Groundhog's day

2010-02-02T21:27:00.000-08:00

One year and one day ago I started my new year. December 2008 held some epic trips to Idaho and back. While there I heard some amazing sermons about reading the bible through in a year, and some of my fam. set out on the task. I was already in the middle of two books at the time the new year started, so I found a plan that could start any first of any month. I started the read on February 1, 2009. I finished on Jan. 31, 2010. It also happens that this year my church is making the effort to read through the bible this year. Not wanting to have to get on the pattern of starting in February, I was reading both plans through the month of January.

I don't want to say this to talk about how great I am, but to share with you something I am thanking God for. Please, thank him with me.

So much happened last year that it is hard to believe that it was only a year ago that I started the read.

God is great, and greatly to be praised!

-And Happy Birthday Alex and Nathan! Ha! I remembered without you facebook!

Did you mean rain?

2010-01-26T21:23:00.000-08:00

This past week I walked outside and was surprised to feel cold wet spots on my arm. I didn't think I was sweating, but I've been wrong before. I then looked up and saw something strange. I went inside and googled, "What is falling water from the sky?" It answered, "Did you mean rain?" After I wiki-ed "cloud," I then learned about a strange word called weather. Turns out I hadn't heard much about weather... living in California.

Righteousness

2010-01-17T12:11:00.000-08:00

"And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: 'Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we rot away because of them. How then can we live?' Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn form his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?

And you, son of man, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, as as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall fall by it when he turns his wickedness, and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness when he sins. Though I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, yet if he trusts in his righteousness and does injustice, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered, but in his injustice that he has done he shall die. Again, though I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die," yet if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he shall surely live.

Yet your people say, 'The way of the Lord is not just,' when it is their own way that is not just. When the righteous turns from his righteousness and does injustice, he shall die for it. And when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is just and right, he shall live by them. Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways."

-Ezekiel 33:10-20

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"

-Romans 3:23

"Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: 'The LORD is our righteousness.'"

-Jeremiah 23:5-6

"When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time form the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus out Lord."

-Romans 6:20-23

I should have posted this about two posts ago, back when I was reading these things. But it was interesting to me that these were scriptures that God had jump out to me... and though I didn't realize it at the time, they all had to do with Christ's righteousness and finished work. Providence of God.

It's a draw (No pun intended)

2009-12-30T17:11:00.000-08:00

I love the way that Shane puts vacations: "But because vacation days are so limited, I refuse to waste them on boring activities like "resting" or "breathing." In fact, I can't think of the last time I had a day off that wasn't considerably more exhausting than going to work would have been."

I'm not sure there have ever been vacations that I have actually rested well. Think about it... Camping, hoteling, moteling... you name it. I have even been at my house (at least the sleeping part) but the hours aren't great.

This break was the break for theme parks. In this Christmas break I went twice to Disneyland, then Knotts all day the day after the all day second Disneyland trip (which was earlier in the month), then two days ago I went to Six Flags Magic Mountain. The day after that wasn't that exciting. I went to the doctors office for flu shots. ...Didn't think I needed to draw that one.

This drawing symbolizes the tiring, but fun days I had at the amusement parks. Each park playing rock paper scissors. They are at a draw. I was thinking about drawing some of the handsome people I went with to these places, but I couldn't do them justice. So, I will leave you with the cartoon characters that bring the kids to the character's respective park. The reason Mickey is so surprised because he is the only one that I have a pass to go to. Can't believe that he tied.

Sure, I do have a favorite park, but it's not just the ride that make the park so great... it's who you go with. (So it was easy to decide which park was my favorite since I went with just about the same people every time.)

I would say that there is hope for the rest of my vacation, but alas the new year is all that is left. I'm going to die. Just maybe not this vacation.

So long my handsome readers. Have a restful new year!

Sorry Daniel

2009-12-24T13:38:00.000-08:00

Now this is a labor force. Or what I like to call forced labor. Jolly old Saint Nicholas my chimney! Santa is a nice guy, or so people thought. I haven't heard of a creepier person. *Truly look it *up. I'm sorry that I have to be the bearer of bad news, but this has to be seen. I'm sorry this isn't perfectly accurate...I forgot to draw the chains.

You don't really hear about the elves in Christmas music. Why do you think that is? Santa lets the media see what he wants them to see. The only one that may be some what close is "The Night Santa Went Crazy" by Weird Al. But that didn't even talk about the chains. Enslaved Elves Inc.

Well one thing is for sure-that little elf on the left should be played by *Cheech Marin.

* Thanks to Shane Lewis, Emily Macadam and Wikipedia.

...'n Jake

2009-12-05T11:42:00.001-08:00

Hey, sorry I had to post two in one day again. I would have posted them both in the same post, but then you couldn't click on them to look at 'em.

To explain the one below. I didn't draw it very well, but those are saws on the ground with the cut out of the barn with them. You can figure out the rest, bloke.

I decided that I would make some political jokes in this comic strip. It is just so easy to make fun of people in politics. Hey, maybe this will count for my U.S. Government class.

I'm having to hold myself back from posting Santa and from posting in Spanish. I'm really working on self-control here. Thanks for all your comments!

Jazz...

2009-12-05T11:27:00.000-08:00

If you don't get the joke than you can go and choke. NO, ooh nooo, I mean, I will call you a bloke ...?

You can't die, I love you guys. And (maybe more importantly) no one would be here to read my blog.

Ink version

2009-11-28T11:36:00.000-08:00

For some reason it wouldn't let me post this on the other one. So here it is. More on the way!!

Ben's Comix

2009-11-28T10:36:00.000-08:00

People have been asking me since I started this blog, "Why benscomix?" "What does that mean?" So, I have been telling people (here is the story for those of you who have been wanting to ask): I first started reading the Captain Underpants books by Dav Pilkey when I was, I think seven. I had no original ideas of my own. In the books the two main characters, George and Harold, have a comic book "company" called Tree House Comix Inc. Having no original ideas, my comic book company was called Ben's Comix. Then in either 04 or 05 I used the name to create an account on yahoo, where the name was shortened to benscomix. I have used this name on websites and blogs ever since.

Now you also have been asking, "If you're benscomix, then where are the comics man?!" Well, because of my lack of knowledge of the human anatomy and muscle mass, I have stopped making comic books for a time. But I have been working on comic strip ideas for a while and now have the one that I will post on here. The strip is called Farm City, and is totally copyrighted. The basic run down of the comic is that there is a farm in the middle of the city between two businesses.

There is a large cast of characters spanning from all sorts of animals you would probably ever see on a farm. I have been drawing on a plethora of school work papers to get these guys finished up. The characters are: Jack and Jill Brown (the farmers), their son Jake, Jazz the rooster (who is the main character), Ralph the disgusting dog, Fleas the germophobic cat, Moody the cow (she got her name from her moooooooo-d swing personality), Giblets the pig, Bacon the chicken and other chickens, Oliver the owl, Junior Jr. the fat rabbit, and many other side characters such as sheep, turkeys and groundhogs.

This one isn't very funny, but this is just sort of the starter. There are more on the way!

I drew this one also in ink, but for some reason it won't work on this post. So, two posts in one day.

Leftovers

2009-11-22T17:37:00.001-08:00

One of the best parts about Thanksgiving is that it just keeps on giving! Normally I have leftovers after the actual day, but since I will have better things to post then, I will wait.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

El Pavo Loco

2009-11-19T18:31:00.000-08:00

I was reading some article by a real-type editor guy once who said that turkeys are attacking those who are trying take them for people's Thanksgiving meals. I guess all it takes is one rebel.

Yep, there will be a few more turkey quick sketches this month.

Me three.

2009-11-11T17:19:00.000-08:00

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I'm a little weighed down at the moment. There is quite a bit to do. Juggling all these responsibilities has proven to be a challenge. Whenever I catch one thing, I drop another. As I try to pick up that activity off the ground, two others seem to fall. Most of my essentials are still up in the air, but some have plummeted to the earth. (Wow. You will never see me use the word "plummeted" probably ever again.) I'm not even doing as well as this octopus.

Now, you're probably wandering, "Wait a second bub, if you are really as busy as you say you are, then how could you have enough time to A: draw this, B: post this and C: use "plummeted" in a sentence?" Well, I had to drop some things in order to pick these up from their fallen estate.

Actually, I was feeling a lot worse and more weighed down a couple of weeks ago, but now I am actually doing great. Just pray that I will remember this from Colossians 3:15,

"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful."

Now, about the drawing. One thing I did get right about this "me" is the fat head. All those pencils and pens have a background too. Not only have I not used them very much for drawing and school, but I also have on several occasions forgotten to bring any writing utensils to my classes. I think the guy sitting next to me is tired of lending me his.

Happy Friday the 13 a day early everyone! -How often am I going to miss out on posting on all these scary-type holidays?

Me... two?

2009-11-02T17:07:00.000-08:00

Yet another quick sketch. Ahh, my poor blog... I have failed you!

Apparently I didn't think I did a very good job of drawing of a koala when I drew it, since I had to write what the thing is to the side of it. For shame.

As I said in my last post, the times are tough. Though I had a little bit more time last week, it was all spent on guitar. Which I have also failed in. I drew this one a while before I drew some of the last ones I have posted, but since I haven't any others to scan, this is what you get.

Well, I call this a sequel to a post a did a while ago because this too is another form of animal me. Yes, everything from his strange look, to his big ears and extremely crooked nose. All of these I have. The only thing this guy is missing is a long neck and bags under his eyes. Koalas sleep something like 19 hours a day. I wonder what would happen if I slept that long? Maybe my ears would grow larger, my smelling proboscis straighter and I would grow gray hair on every part of my body! *Sigh* I better not dream too big.

Happy 2nd of November and not Halloween everyone! ...Dang'git I missed it again.

It's school really...

2009-10-20T17:23:00.000-07:00

Hey hey hey! I haven't had a whole lot of time for drawing of late, so here are two of my billion quick sketches I do of various homework papers.

The first one is on one of my Spanish papers. A little bit above the oddly proportioned panda is where I learned dibujar-to draw.

Frogman was drawn on an Algebra 2 paper. Frogman is the favored super hero of one of my other characters. In my stories, Frogman is strictly a nerd super hero, meaning only nerds like him.

I figure that drawing pictures on my homework papers actually helps me learn. In fact, when my mom quizzes me on any Spanish vocab. page, I can't tell her what the word means, but I can tell her exactly what drawings are on that page and exactly where the drawings are on the page.

After drawing Frogman, I kept staring at it thinking about my "TV show's episodes" that involve him. For some reason my mom kept on covering the drawing with a book so I couldn't see it.

Overall I think drawing while listening to anything helps; lectures, music, sermons, etc....

So, it's school really.

Check-Out lane (Pre-Halloween post)

2009-10-13T17:32:00.001-07:00

In all my experiences in grocery stores and places like those, I haven't really seen that many good looking people working at the places. The worst looking people usually end up working ... the check out lane. Who came up with that name anyway?

The check out lane is the last place where I would want to be "checked-out." People who run these grocery ..(horror).. stores have demented senses of humor in calling it what they do, and then making the ugly people work there. That is why this Halloween I will be wearing a hoody, a face mask, my Groucho Marx glasses and fake nose, because I am not going to be checked out at the check out lane!

Crazy Cartoon!

2009-10-05T17:55:00.000-07:00

Remember when you were a kid and you had that sugary, sweet, kid cereal? Remember this morning when you had sugary, sweet kid cereal? I do. I also remember why I wanted to talk my mom into getting those cereals. It is for those crazy cartoon characters they have on the box! My cousin brought the subject of insane cereal dudes while we were on vacation together in July. This got us thinking... why don't gross, cardboard, adult cereals have crazy spokespersons? Maybe if they did, kids would be begging their parents for the "un-sugar-coated cardboard flakes, (now with fiber)".

Be looking out for this little guy on the Fiber-Os commercial, where the slogan for the cereal is, "When slow and steady, doesn't win the race!"

Well, looks like I've been upstaged by my good friend Daniel Torres again. I was planning on posting this turtle since I drew it way back then. Dan just happened to be posting a turtle right before I get to mine. No seriously, check out his blog, his art is amazing!