Oysters on Bourbon Street, New Orleans

Browse the menu and make a selection. Tonight it’s a steaming bowl of chowder and an ice cold beer as I wander off of Bourbon Street.

Acme Oyster Bar photo by Jon Sullivan

Going to Charleston

I am going to Charleston to visit my dad for a few days. My posts may be a little bit sparse for a few days.  Andy

Airplane photo by Magnus Rosendahl

The Half-Finished Finisher

I stare down the longest yard.  The muscles for some reason do not want to pick up the slack to finish the job.  The project, be it a kids Halloween costume or a term paper, sits dormant.  I start projects with gusto, but for some reason, the ability to tighten that last screw, to put on the seal of approval does not come.
If half-finished projects brought half pay on the open market, I would make a decent living.  However, the world has no interest in seeing drawings that are not inked, hearing songs without second verses.  If I had a nickel for every thought I drew on a post-it that was crumpled and never dreamed to ambition, I would be at the Coinstar all day.
So many projects that I work on as an artist never reach fruition.  My mind judges what I am working on as wrong.  When jotting down new ideas, however, I find that my mind has a preconceived notion as to the way “The light bulb will work.”
Many of my favorite drawings, however, are completed by accidents.  A dab of red here and a dab of blue there, and a blah painting comes to life.  Something that almost went into the garbage can is now over the mantel.
Same goes with innovation- don’t be afraid to finish your projects, crazy as they may be.  Many of the world’s inventions were “stumbled” upon.  The X-Ray, the phonograph, and the telephone were all found on accident.
Give your projects a second thought.  Dust them off.  Time puts a new perspective and angle on jobs that once seemed to be going nowhere.  Did your curtains not work because they did not match Corian counters that you now want to replace?  You never know, maybe some idea you have in a drawer is a winner in today’s light.

http://cactus.eas.asu.edu/PARTHA/Columns/04-16-AccidentInvention.htm

Rank Your Lunch

Was Lunch-

Heaven on a Plate

Fantastic

Great

Worth Eating

I could do better Tommorow

Garbage on a Plate?

Pork Steaks Photo by Jon Sullivan

My 10-Key Proficiency

Came from adding up my bills and other people’s money.

Pennies photo by Jon Sullivan

First I Taste the Zest

First I taste the zest of the Navel rind
As I nibble my finger nail
And the fresh peeled orange
Once sweet, now sweeter

Orange photo by Paolo Neo

The Psychic’s New Sign

The local psychic put a shiny new sign above her door. Did she predict an end to this recession?  We can all hope.

A Box of Hot Chocolate

Chocolate candy does not make the best mail order gift in summertime.

Renting Bowling Shoes

Why do you rent bowling shoes but use bowling balls for free?

Cinnamon Salt Water Taffy

I chew my taffy
Up and down
To the rhythm I step
Upon the boardwalk
Stuck to my fingers
Stuck to my tongue
Forty flavors
Mixed in my bag
Out pops cinnamon
Creek-creek I step
And gobble it up

Cinnamon Taffy watercolor by Andy Fletcher