violinTide/blog
You Know How I Blog

Ponyo! Ponyo! Ponyo!

Cloud Gate at Millennium Park, Chicago, IL

It was the awesome-est of Sunday afternoons.

Three pop culture icons passed away in the span of three days: Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson.  Of the three, I find myself most stunned/moved/affected by Michael Jackson’s death.

I’m not exactly the biggest Michael Jackson fan, but you must acknowledge the impact and influence he had and will continue to have on pop music.  From Thriller to Bad, from the white glove to the moonwalk, Michael Jackson defined pop culture.  Who doesn’t get on the dance floor as soon as they hear Billie Jean?

Yes, there will always be questions about his personal life, and that is mostly his own doing.  But you cannot ever take away the songs and the music from Michael Jackson.

“Hello.”

Happy Father’s Day to my Dad, and to all dads everywhere!

Thanks for everything, Dad!

Krystle and I spent this past weekend in our neighbor to the north, Canada!  We were visiting one of her very good friends from college, and we had the proverbial blast.  We road tripped, we walked, we ate, we took pictures, and we road tripped back.

This was my third time visiting Toronto, and two things always strike me when I’m there:

1. I am always amazed by the global diversity of the city of Toronto.  Walking the streets it seems like you hear almost every language spoken on this earth.
2. Canada feels so familiar, yet at the same time feels so foreign to me.

Enjoy some more shots from our trip!

The Bata Shoe Museum

They’ve got shoes.

Lots and lots of shoes.

And philosophy, too!

The inside of St. Lawrence Market, a great example of Toronto’s diversity.

What better way to end this post then with a picture of crepes?

…the awesomeness of this right here:

So awesome.  Mucho respect for Mark-Paul Gosselaar for not forgetting his roots.  The first time I watched this I damn near burst.  References to the junior high years, classic time-in/time-out bit, and a performance by the Zack Attack.  What more could a Saved By The Bell fan ask for?!  You will watch this again and again.

Hello all.

I’m here at good old Starbiz, just drawing (as you can see above) and thinking.  Also, I treated myself to an Iced Venti Shaken Black Tea Lemonade, Unsweetened.  I don’t know about you, but I always try to say my Starbucks drink in the right order (like it matters).

I’m feeling pretty good about myself as this past week I recommitted myself to cleaner eating and harder work outs.  It was definitely about that time.  As summer approaches, I’ve got ideas for new projects and want to pump out the drawings.  I’m looking forward to sharing them with you, so stay tuned!

Came across this on the IGN Wii forums, found it quite hilarious, and just had to share.

That is all.

So the vacation is over, and I’m back home in Chicago, back in my current reality.  It’s always nice to get away, and I feel very lucky/blessed to come back with a renewed sense of inspiration.  I guess I really needed a vacation.  

Being away, I’ve once again come to the realization that perhaps I’m not working as hard as I could be on all the things I want to do, personally and professionally.  We ourselves are, after all, most responsible for our own happiness.  I can work harder, though, and so can you.  Good things are on the horizon.

Have a great week!