I am starting a comic strip for lifeteen.com. It’s time to add some spice to our content and comics have a lot of flavor. I’ve always thought comic books were dorky and I couldn’t get into them. I don’t like the super heroes or sci-fi stuff, but I dig fun illustrations of real life. I know comics are supposed to be for young people, but I bet that senior citizens would live vicariously through a witty character with grey hair.

I think my strip will be a lovely mix of graffiti, mod art, and graphic design. Character forms and personalities take a while to master, so I’m going to have to lean on more mod art. Oh I don’t know… I mean I started this journal because I was tired of drawing.

Beginning a new craft is intimidating. Kids were drawing comics while I was doing geometry homework. Judd from the Real World San Francisco has been doing comics for years. Why don’t I just do what I already do and keep getting better? I was reading Metropolitan Home and a designer told his wife, “keep in mind, no matter what color we paint these walls, no one is going to die.” Who cares? Let’s start painting.

If I had the time and a reason, I’d do it all. I’d design furniture, web sites, and comic strips. I’d be an architect and interior designer. I would paint, draw, sculpt, weld, and glue. I’d write more memoirs and letters to my lover. I’d own a hotrod shop. But with one lifetime, I just have to go with the flow. Right now I am a web designer, writer, and an evangelist. I collect mid-century furniture and I don’t write letters.

Today I left the studio early to check out a new retro-modern furniture store. The antique district in south Scottsdale is kind of splotchy, but there are always good finds. I stumbled across a convincing copy of an Eames lounge chair from the 60s. This chair is an icon: it’s in the Museum of Modern Art. It was a little dirty and has been used for several decades, but it was still in good shape. The storeowner knew it was a bootleg version even though he argued that it wasn’t. Otherwise, he would sell it for two thousand dollars more. I wanted to get it, but I don’t have another room for another chair.; As rewarding as shopping can sometimes be, not shopping is rewarding too.

Before I left, I was mesmerized by a wall of coo-coo clocks. I think that’s the first time I’ve ever written, “coo-coo clocks.” There is something hypnotic about those goofy gadgets. Standing strong in the corner was a stately grandfather clock. That clock is a stud. You know, I’ve tried to use an odd design concept for a year now. I’ve sketched it into bookshelf and a table for a fish tank. But those pieces of furniture are a part of a family of furniture. I’m not ready to design the whole family. But a grandfather clock is independent, perfect for my weirdo design. Tomorrow morning I’ll have to check out eBay for the guts of a grandfather clock.

Matt M. is recording a song right now, “Gospel Train.” Hopefully when I get a place, we can set up a recording studio. His songs are so good, and we never have too much good music. One song can echo around the planet. I’ve traveled enough to know that his music touches a lot of people. He has the talent, and he needs to use it.

Today was cool, windy, cloudy, sunny, and rainy. This is not typical Sonoran Desert weather. I think the weather made me weird today.