The art website is now up and running: www.lionofnight.com  Please visit when you get a chance. You can send me an email if you have any comments or suggestions - we all know I could use the help .

I tried out a new type of painting on eBay, but I'm not sure it's being well received. I've been told I'd do better with this at a sci-fi convention. But I had fun painting it, so I suppose that's what is important.

"Immortal I"

Hope all is well for everyone in Xangaland!

Did I mention I'm cutting caffeine out of my diet? No? Hmm. Must have been too busy ranting over the salad...

Yep. I've successfully quit smoking (4 1/2 years ago), eating meat (I forget how long ago), drinking alcohol (1 1/2 months ago, with the exception of one bad evening), and now I'm on to caffeine.

Why?

This is the next step in a process of elimination to try and figure out why I feel like shit a vast majority of the time. And, perhaps more importantly, to gradually let go of attachments that keep me from spiritual growth. I'm coming to understand that any chemical alteration to one's body clouds spiritual awareness, because it focus part of one's attention on the addiction based need. For example, as a smoker, I planned my day around cigarettes. Ok, I need to stop at the store before work to get cigs... I know it takes longer for me to get my work done, but I have to have my smoke breaks in order to get it done at all... Do I have enough cigarettes to get through the evening? What if I run out before morning? And so it goes...

So I'm on day 2. My head hurts, and I'm pretty cranky. So I guess that means something's working. I don't feel nearly as sluggish as I did yesterday, though, so that's a good sign.

I looked for information on the medical effects of caffeine, but I'm finding widely disparate and conflicting information. I don't think there's a whole lot of conclusive information, aside from the fact that that daily consumption of over 1000 mg (about 10 cups of coffee) of caffeine causes moderate to severe agitation and irritability. Anyway, it feels right that I cut it out, at least for a while, so that's really all I need.

Any thoughts from someone who has successfully done this?

Oh, and here's today's bad joke, since I seem to be in a Zen frame of mind:

Why can't the Buddha vaccuum under the sofa?

Because he has no attachments.

McDonalds - I'm Sluggin' It.

I had a great many errands to run today during lunch (funny how "lunch," when expressed as a period of time away from the office, almost never involves eating), and, having forgotten to bring anything for my after-lunch eating-at-my-desk-while-working time, I began thinking fast food.

In this immediate area, there exist only the usual slingers of processed fare - Taco Bell, Wendy's, Arby's, and McDonalds. There's also a Mark Pi's, which is of questionable quality, and Subway, which is a pain in the ass to get to. So I've grown quite tired of Taco Bell, the only reasonable solution for a vegetarian. Bean chalupas. Bean burritos. 7 layer burritos. Repeat. Ugh.

So I remembered the billboard on the way to work, advertising McDonald's new Fruit and Walnut Salad. I debated. I hedged. Still, a light lunch sounded good, and I figured that if McD's was finally giving a non to the anti-fatass constituency, they might at least try to do a decent job with it (besides, I imagined the salad campaign would be scrapped by this time next week, so if I wanted to say I'd tried the damned thing, I'd better do it now).

So I pulled into McD's drive-thru, feeling like an ambassador from Planet Whythefuckdon'tyoueatmeatyouhippie, and proudly ordered a Fruit and Walnut Salad.

There was some murmuring in the background, and a giggle or two, and then I got my total. On to the cashier window, and the Throw Stuff Into Your Car window, and back to work I went.

I knew better. I really did. And I did it anyway. I reached into the bag and pulled out a plastic salad platter that contained six somewhat brown apple slices, five grapes, and a cup of fruit dip. That's it. No walnuts. No variety.

McDonalds, I am insulted. You think that we of the health conscious camp will laud you for your $3.99 offering of goodwill. You think you can squeeze an extra buck out of a small minority while providing us with a healthy alternative to your CHF inducing swill. Damn you, Ray Kroc, and your legion of bullshit touters, trying like all hell to expand your target market. You could at least have fresh apple slices. And where are the fucking walnuts I was promised?! We still need protein, you know.

So I learned a $3.99 lesson. Never trust the giants. Especially the ones with their hands in your pockets.

Ugh. I'm going to Taco Bell.

We're hiring 3 new people in our department - interviews going on most of the week. I feel a little cut out of the loop because i'm not part of the interview process. So I get stuck with whoever the PTB choose. Still, it means I get 3 people under me, which gives me new managerial experience to add to my credentials. So whatever.

I finally had a revelation, and just put a link to my online art store over left there. See it? Now, scroll down. Now up. See it now? Good. So now you guys don't have to deal with outdated listings. Meh.

Mood = generally cranky today. Zen, elusive thing, is on vacation. I, on the other hand, am here, drowning in a sea of poo.

Have a good day.

Woo-hoo! After a rather languid couple of weeks, I sold over $900 in paintings in the last 7 days. So the normal painting schedule has been replaced with prepping, packaging, shipping, and trying to organize my accounting system.

Which leads to my art wish list, which just came up this morning as I was schlepping cartons to the post office:

• A shipping manager. Somebody to install hanging hardware on the paintings, package, and ship the paintings.
• An auction manager. Somebody to take the finished artworks and photograph them, design the auction listings, launch the auctions, invoice the winning bidders, beat down the non-paying deadbeats, and manage feedback.
• A purchase manager. Somebody to keep me stocked with canvas, paint, hardware, shipping supplies, and coffee.
• An accountant. Somebody to deal with all the goddamned receipts I keep losing for supplies, meals, travel etc. And to keep me from having to pay taxes.

 God, I'm such a prima donna. But I just want to create art! No, really, I just realize how much more art I could get out there for art lovers to own if I didn't have to deal with all this administrative bullshit. I mean, for every hour I spend painting, I probably spend 3-4 hours on the other stuff. And that's a bit taxing on my already-full life.

Speaking of that, I have to go to Lowes. Grr. Arrgh.

Be well, all.