Jack Bauer Attacked by a BFG

The above picture was snapped of CTU agent Jack Bauer just before he was killed and eaten by a BFG (Big Friendly Giant).

Springsteen-Detroit Medley

Filmed live in 1978 at the Capital Theatre, Passaic, NJ. The performance compensates for the roughness of the footage. When you get to the 4 minute mark you can see what an amazing band the E Street Band is. They're tight! Legendary concert!

Life Cereal Commercial

Blog at Bree, brought to you by clever commercials...

D.A. Carson on Miracles

"It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived." Revelation 13:13-14 (ESV)

"This (Rev. 13:13,14) does not mean that there is no such thing as a miracle today. It doesn’t mean either that God can’t do miracles today. What it does mean is that miracles prove nothing today." --DA Carson comments on miracles

Do you think he is right?

Muse of Stache

ATTENTION*** The Muse of Stache has it's own blog now. Click here to go there.

Grandpa Genoa-Drawing

Roughed-in With Charcoal
Granpa Genoa has been transfered via video projector and charcoal onto the canvas. He looks a little rough, but that's okay, there is room for improvement. I am mainly concerned with getting the head and other features in the right place on the canvas. I'm not too concerned with details yet. I am eager to get some paint on the canvas!

Thanks Zach
Thanks to Zach for his help! I could not have done it without you.

Muse of Stache

Grapplin' Griff

Grandpa Genoa-Building the Canvas Step 13

The canvas, now on the easel screams, "paint me!" But first I must draw it. I plan to project an image of Granpa Genoa on the canvas using a video projector. I will then trace it. This sounds like cheating and maybe it is, but I enjoy painting much more than drawing. And when it comes to hobbies, a man's gotta do what he enjoys, right? I mean you gotta love it!

Grandpa Genoa- Building the Canvas Step 12

And here is a look at the backside. A little rough, but who cares? The front is what matters.

Grandpa Genoa-Building the Canvas Step 11

The canvas is stretched tighter than "dad's hand-band!" And it is a perfect fit in the frame too! And there was much rejoicing! Yay.

Granpa Genoa-Building the Canvas Step 10

Yes, I saw the diamond shape wrinkles on the front. Now I work my way around the perimeter, one staple at a time. This is very similar to the way you tighten the lug bolts on a tire. I put a staple in, flip it around and then put another one in the other side. This stretches is evenly as I work my way around.

Yes, that is my foot!

Grandpa Genoa- Building the Canvas Step 9

I pull the canvas tight with a special pair of pliers. They have a long flat head. This is the only special tool I own for this job. It is almost essential.

I put one staple in the center of each edge and I pull the canvas tight as I staple it. After I put the four staples in, (one on each side) I should have diamond shaped wrinkle on the front. We'll see!

Grandpa Genoa-Building the Canvas Step 8

Now that the canvas is cut, I will need to staple it onto the frame. However, I cannot just staple it any ol' way. I must use a logical progression, otherwise I will have wrinkles or creases in my canvas. I want it to be tight, like drum.

Grandpa Genoa-Building the Canvas Step 7

I laid the frame on the canvas, (it's already primed) and I will cut it out. Reminds me of cutting paper to wrap a Christmas gift.

Grandpa Genoa-Building the Canvas Step 6

It worked! I feel like Dr. Frankenstein after he created his monster...."It's alive!"

Next step will be to stretch some canvas on this bad boy!

Grandpa Genoa-Building the Canvas Step 5

I took out the staples with a screwdriver and a pair of pliers then I broke out the electric jig-saw. This is getting more complicated than I hoped for it to be. But that's life!

Granpa Genoa-Building the Canvas Step 4

Staple gun, here we come! I stapled the pieces together using a staple gun, but wouldn't you know it! The canvas frame is too big to fit into the picture frame! I can't even tap it into the frame with a hammer. Now I will have to take it apart and recut it. If it wasn't such a pretty day, I might cuss!

Grandpa Genoa- Building the Canvas Step 3

I measured my pieces with the green tape, but I was perplexed as how to measure a 45 degree angle. I even got on Wikipedia trying to find out a simple way to do it. In the process my eye caught sight of a Post-It note on the desk. What if Iwere to fold that in half from corner to corner? Then I could have a perfect triangle. And wouldn't you know...it worked! I measured, drew my 45 with the pencil and cut the wood with a hack-saw! Now, how will I hook these pieces together?

Grandpa Genoa-Building the Canvas Step 2

I found an old wooden piece of 1"x 2" in the utility room. I think it will work, but I need the right tools. What I could really use is a good ol' timey miter saw like we used to have in high school shop class. Then I could cut a really nice 45 degree angle. Oh well, I'll work with what I've got.

Grandpa Genoa-Building the Frame Step 1

I have a frame I would like to use to the paint the Grandpa Genoa painting, but I do not have a canvas at this point. Oh-no what should I do?

Granpa Genoa

This is a picture of my grandpa Genoa Griffith. He served as a paratrooper in WWII in the U.S. Army. I want to paint this as a Christmas present for my brother John. It will be my first portrait.

Freedom From Fear-Comparison

Freedom From Fear-Finished!

I finally finished the Freedom From Fear Painting. Every picture looks better when it's framed! I thank everyone for your encouragement and comments along the way.

Freedom From Fear-Stage 12

I am learning something about Mr. Rockwell. It's all about the details! Take note: Ring on father's finger. Clip on suspenders. Header on Newspaper--It's the Roanoke Times!!!

Freedom From Fear-Stage 11

Freedom From Fear-Stage 10

More definition on:

Face of children,

Floral design on wallpaper, (can these patterns be bought at Lowes???)

Hands, (both mom and dad's). Notice the fingers!

Straightened man's pant's leg (see Stage 9). I debated whether to fix this or not, but decided to go ahead and do it. It would not have been noticable to the casual observer, but my obsessive personality could not leave it alone.

Freedom From Fear-A Tale of Two Stairwells

I put the floral design on the wall paper in the stairwell. I may glaze it after it dries to soften the contrasts. By the way, mine is on the left, Rockwell's on the right.

Freedom From Fear-Stage 9

I worked on:

Man's Shirt (In my opinion, the hardest part of the entire painting)

Headboard

Eyeglasses

Woman's Dress(blue part)

Newspaper (Roanoke Times)

More Than One Way to Waterboard!

Beck-Timebomb

May I say? for the record, when I heard this song, it helped me get my grooooove on! It's infectious, not in a bad way like bed bugs, but in a good way, like Earth Wind and Fire!

More on Bed Bugs

Vegemite On Toast-Speed Painting

Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite!

In case you have not heard, there seems to be an epidemic of bed bugs in America. Actually, I know of someone who has them right now, (I will not mention any names) and they are having an extremely hard time getting rid of them....

My friend tells me you will not see bed bugs during the day, they only come out at night...to drink blood of course! The way you know you have them is if you find little drops of blood on your sheets. Some of them will actually crawl under your skin and lay eggs! The picture on the left is a model of how they operate.

So, don't let the bed bugs bite!

Old School Southern Gospel

I found this record cover over at the Purgatorio blog. My dad used to own this album.

I wonder if there is a YouTube video out there of the Dixie Echoes...? Hmmm...?

The Calling of St. Matthew- by Caravaggio

An extraordinary use of light by the master Caravaggio. Jesus (far right) is calling the tax collector Levi. Which one is he? Here's a clue; he is seated at table. Their hands are reminiscent of Michelangelo's painting of the Creation of Adam at the Sistine Chapel. Peter stands beside Jesus. The use of light on their faces it what makes this painting genuinely remarkable.

Saul Bass' History of Why Man Creates

Big Town in West Virginia

I visited the great state of West Virginia this past weekend.

Many think of West Virginia as quaint backwoods type place, but as this photo shows, there is much in the way of cultural maturity to be gleaned from our Western metropolitan neighbors, especially with regards to architectural saviness.

Star Wars Intro- Saul Bass Style

And just who is Saul Bass?... You may ask. Well, I'm glad you did.

Saul Bass (May 8, 1920 - April 25, 1996) was a graphic designer and Academy Award-winning filmmaker, but he is best known for his design on animated motion picture title sequences, which is thought of as the best such work ever seen.

During his 40-year career he worked for some of Hollywood's greatest filmmakers, including most notably Alfred Hitchcock, Otto Preminger, Stanley Kubrick and Martin Scorsese. Amongst his most famous title sequences are the animated paper cut-out of a heroin addict's arm for Preminger's The Man with the Golden Arm, and the text racing up and down what eventually becomes a high-angle shot of the United Nations building in Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest.

Saul Bass designed the 6th AT&T Bell System logo, that at one point achieved a 93 percent recognition rate in the United States. He also designed the AT&T "globe" logo for AT&T after the break up of the Bell System. (from Wikipedia)

Jack Bauer Gets Results

"That's the problem with people like you, George. You want results, but you never want to get your hands dirty." --(Jack Bauer speaking to former CTU directer George Mason (deceased).

Whatchutalkinboutchris...?

Do you ever find yourself in a tight spot on the subway when that itchy, sneezing, feeling comes on and you've left your "Scott Tissues" at home? Do you ever find yourself wanting to "achoo!" upon someone's neck in the line at the grocery store and there's not a "Puffs" to be found anywhere? Remember, there is always an alternative... you can do the "Sleeve Sneeze!" Not only will you keep germs from spreading but you may just save redwood or two!

We Are the World- Meets- Enter the Dragon

This one made me feel all icky on the outside as well as the inside. Thanks Kev!