CLASSIC AMERICANO

The Shaw Family spent Saturday afternoon at the Las Olas National Fine Arts Festival at the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale or LONFAF at the MOFL (not to be confused with the Las Olas Art and Craft Fair on Las Olas Drive or LOAcF on LODr that was two weeks ago to which we were not in attendance. More like Arts and Crap Fair right? right? This guy knows what I am talking about...)

As we were driving home on this day that reminds you why anyone that can moves to Florida for the winter Erin asked me what my favorite piece or artist was. I would have to say it was the piece above. I didn't catch the artists name or piece's title but I call it Classic AmericanO!

It speaks to me of the contrast between the Americana imagery green grass, baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and lemonade of my childhood with the new urban-American pastime (soccer) and its fans (communists).

Note how real the children look and the attention to detail in the lemons hanging in a basket.

Brilliant and Telling....

THE RACE FOR SPACE!

I own a large table saw. It was a life long ambition to own a table saw. I have nowhere to keep a large table saw.

Right now, it is in a friends garage 25 miles away from where I need it, right now.

My Wife and Times

Erin and I have recently developed a problem…when we turn out our reading lights and after staking our claim to our share of the covers we play one more game of Tetris on her Blackberry Pearl. She plays a game and then falls asleep while I play my game. I know what your are thinking “why does she need a Blackberry and “who still plays Tetris?”
You’re both right! But Blackberry's are cool (and free on Amazon) and Tetris is classic and if it is sad that I abandon reading some great novel that leaves me thinking in brilliant prose and reprogram my head so that I see Tetris in everything well I am working on it! If anyone knows a good program for breaking addictive video game habits please pass them along. But anyway…
Last night as I plugged in the phone, rolled over to dream of sweet consecutive ++++’s and breaking the 100 line barrier, ( I am not very good) my quiet half-sleep is interrupted by Erin in a childlike voice saying “ Are you Teenwolf?” and moments later “Don’t worry your secret is safe with me.” And then silence until morning.
That is the kind of girl I married.

What do you do? remix.

May 2005 WHAT DO YOU DO? What do you do with too many ideas? What do you do when you have consuming thoughts of places you want to visit and things you want to do? I am the ideaphoric cerebral nomad, never settling my thoughts in a place long enough to put down roots and grow. 50 ideas all fighting for my attention. 50 directions all begging me to follow. 50 inspired plans to change the world and no first step ever made. This is where I am. jimshaw

I wrote those words three years ago and find myself in a very similar place today. And now I resolve to do something about it if only to write. So for the 33rd time in my life I am going to start writing. I have some interesting things to start with and some interesting ideas of where to go so check back and give me grace if I use some old subjects as springboards for some new much more mature thoughts. I am thirty now after all.

Don't Stop The Carnival

I have always wanted to run a little marina or small hotel in St. Somewhere. Upon telling a friend this he suggested that I read Don't Stop the Carnival by Herman Woulk. I have heard people say that this book talks people out of a life on the edge but it does the opposite for me. I want it more. I look at the Norman Paperman's who get to the edge of something good, to the point of realizing that there is great pain in love and life and deciding that it is not worth the sacrifice and I wonder where would they be if they pushed through. Where would they be if they pushed the circle a little further to see what revelation might be there?The EDGE is where I want to be, seeing the world and all that is in it from places and perspectives that they have not been seen before.

The Maiden Voyage of the Future Former Moul'Frit

For Five years I have had the website, “If I had a Boat” and now I have a boat and the IF is no more. It was a great and terrible day delivering the 29 foot C & C MK II from her former home at the Dinner Key Marina in Coconut Grove to her current home in the back of the Hoskin’s House. Forty Five miles, 14 hours and two gallons of gas later she is tied awkwardly in her home. I was tired and sore and sunburned but no worse for wear and the boat was waterlogged and in need of some knowledgeable tender loving care. Her parents are proud of her accomplishments but know they have their work cut out for them.

I hope you will come see her before we send her on to her next home.

Speaking of the now lost “if”...check back soon.