2/28/06 Rode the 7 miles home in the pouring rain last night. Never imagined feeling that heavy after getting off a bike. Today I'm going to buy rain gear. Passed the "motorcycle skills" or "basic motorbike circus tricks test" at the DMV this morning. Watched another sport bike rider blow it. 15 days 'til El Diablo. 2/27/06 Feel Good Inc. Jason McElwain. Happy birthday, Mueller! 2/27/06 I'm at a light waiting to turn right as the approaching traffic has the left rightaway just in front of me. A guy on a dual-purpose KTM is in the front and gases it off the line and around the turn, the knobbied backend comes around and keeps going around as he plants his left ass cheek on the asphalt and pivots a full 360 in the median after the turn. I park my bike and run over to see if he's OK. His friend, who happened to be driving behind him in a white sedan, stops as well. "Dude, I have no idea what happened!" he says, dazed, checking the hole in his jeans. I grab him by the lapels and shake him, "You're on knobbies you dumb fuck! And on top of that, the rear tire is low, and you were trying to look cool in front of your bro here! Wake the fuck up!" Kidding. I thought of that after I left. David Elsewhere. Just watch the 3rd dancer. Taking one for the team. The Spiritual Warrior. 2/25/06 Happy birthday, Janice! 2/24/06 The Art Dump designed Howard 4.5s for Lakai are in the bag. Check out the Lakai site for some nice photos and additional info. There are tees that go along with them as well. 2/24/06 I had a nice visit from Geoff McFet and Yong-Ki yesterday. They have a really cool thing going called the Solitary Arts. Not much on the website yet, but wait until you check the retro skateboards they have out.... great attention to detail, from the grip tape down to the conical wheels. The ride is smooth and fun... back to the basics. Oh, and there's a little surprise in the back baseplate. Check the Equal Dist website for some other good stuff. Rookie move at the Chevron this morning. The whole time I've had my bike, stopping about every 8 days or so for a fill up (about $8 a pop, people — as opposed to $90 for the truck I just sold), I've never had a problem. Today the pump decided it didn't want to shut off and I had a nice, aromatic, hazy plum going for a bit. Fuck. Then the lady comes running out with kitty litter and starts sprinkling it around my bike. A nice, crowning touch to an already embarrassing situation. But I did a nice burnout, spraying the litter all over her sneakers. Kidding. I thought of that after I left. This is pretty frightening, really. I guess we're supposed to just let this kind of thing happen? Now, on the other end of the spectrum... large scale hoaxes can be brilliant. Read the whole thing, it's pretty amazing. Staf Magazine out of Madrid. 2/22/06 With MOMA showing Masters of American Comics, it's only fitting someone went looking for Bill Watterson... Jawbone Radio. 2/17/06 Aaron Burr vs. Dick Cheney. 2/16/06 Hunting Crashers. From Newstoday. 2/15/06 Name these three individuals : And what the hell is going on in this shot? (Photos: Trevor Graves. Click image for enlargement) 2/15/06 Congratulations go out to our friends, Andy and Jennifer for bringing a new person into the world — Owen Tennessee Mueller. He will, no doubt, aspire to great things with two amazing parents and a name like that. Good job, you two. This is damn cool (quicktime) even if you don't know the story of MX legend, David Bailey. Thanks Gibey. Who else caught Dave Chappelle on Inside the Actor's Studio? A sharp, funny man with his head in the right place. Gotta love him. I've wanted to yell "AFRICA!" a few times myself. He actually did it. Swarr and Eaton have revamped the "Joe Kid on a Stingray" website. The documentary is great and now on DVD. Don't blink, or you'll miss my 6 second contribution to the history of BMX. Good work you two, you've done BMX a great service. I've been a little fixated with Animation since I watched "The Triplets of Belville." In fact, I found this gem which director, Sylvain Chomet, did for an insurance company in Europe. Amazing. And I also stumbled on this nice mini-doc on how Jamie Caliri's (the man behind the animated "Series of Unfortunate Events" titles) United commercial, "Dragon," was made. And here's a good link for step-by-step still comic production. Kazu Kibuishi can draw... check out the rest of his site, Bolt City, as well. One of three magazines I subscribe to, Stop Smiling. Who else went to see "Brokeback Mountain" on Valentine's evening with their wife? Or husband? Or significant other? 2/6/06 Anaheim 3 is done... not nearly as exciting a race as the last couple rounds have been. Stewart imploded (crashed three times in four laps) and RC easily took the win. Reed 2nd and Tedesco with his first SX (formerly the 250 class) podium in 3rd. Check out the full race report at Racer X. Ricky on the podium, on the jumbotron. Ryan ran top ten for much of the main before a couple bobbles dropped him back to 13th. If you saw the TV coverage on Sunday, that was Clark rear-ending the crashing Michael Byrne in the first turn of heat 2. Nice use of the new "shoot-behind-the-rider" helmet cam, I might add. Hey, it was good TV time, eh, Ryan? Byrner went on to a fifth in the main. A big thanks to Ryan and his boys at Solitaire for setting us up with passes to the Anaheim events. 2/3/06 Look close enough and you'll see a V-twin hidden in all that aluminum... I'm not too sure you'll see Aprilia RXV on US shores any time soon, but it's kinda cool — not too sure about the light and wheelie bar, though. Anaheim 3 is tomorrow. Round 5. A guaranteed barn burner, folks. See you there? OK, so the buyer who was backing out of buying my CR, came through after much self-deliberation and web searching for DMV forms and the title... BUT, there's still a possibility that his stop payment on the check is going through. Here's the short explanation; He comes to pick up the bike on Sunday. First time dirt bike buyer. Kinda freaked about there not being any papers on the bike. I don't push him. He decides to do it, but pulls out a personal check book. "Ah, I really need a cashiers check." I tell him. "Well, since you don't have any papers can you take this check as a concession?" I go for it. Hind sight is 20/20. About 30 minutes after he drives off, another guy shows up to check the bike. He's seriously disappointed it's gone. I drive to the bank and deposit the check into the ATM. 6:30am, Monday morning. The buyer leaves a message. He's had a change of heart and wants to return the bike and gear. He's put a stop payment on the check. I call him back and tell him to just hold on to it for a day while I rustle up the title from Tuf and the correct DMV forms. By Wednesday he's here and I'm signing the papers, Tuff is searching for the title and we've both signed a bill of sale that states the bike was sold "as is." He tells me the cancelled the stop payment on the check. Now it's Friday and I'm still waiting for my bank to call and tell me the check isn't going through... In my head I'm imagining what a genius of a grifter this guy could be, but for some reason I trust him. By Monday I should know if I'm a chump. 1/31/06 "Where did the time go?" Dumb question. So, I sold my CR250 (killer deal), the guy took it away, I deposited the check, and now he's bringing it back because he's paranoid about not having the pink slip — which is lost somewhere at Tuf Racing (it was one of Rusty Holland's AX machines in 2001) in Illinois. Damn it. It's an MX bike. 1/30/06 Cool shot of Max Schaaf from a blog I stumbled on by the Flyin' Dutchman — he's got a nice photo site as well. I just noticed there's a cool shot on the blog today of Max's 4Q knuckler from Bigtwin Magazine. Anyone catch the mudder SX in San Fran on CBS Sunday morning? I thought the Anaheim opener last year was a mess... this race was in slow motion goop. Big congrats to Ryan Clark for finishing 9th. He's also sitting in 9th for the World SX GP title — only a few points behind Jeff Gibson and Jason Thomas. 1/26/06 I found the shots below in the LA Public Library Photographic Collection online. I stumbled upon the LAPL site almost by accident, discovering an amazing resourse. San Pedro has quite a history on the harbor. I also found out Parnelli Jones was a San Pedro High School (Watt, Boone and Hurley's almamater) drop out. LA Harbor, 1870. LA Harbor, 1948. LA Harbor, 1966. Here's a page of cool cafe racer shots. Some kooky custom jobbers in there too. There's something very aesthetically appealing in the sleek design of some of these bikes. Caferacer.net. ...on the complete other end of the motorcycle design spectrum, comes this thing. Thanks for the link, Lewman. 1/24/06 photo: O The other day Shea Johnson started waxing nostalgic about the past and how we knew each other and what we did and how we did it and why... I wasn't actually part of the conversation, but later, one of the participants asked about my "industrial" days, so I pulled out this scan, one of the only images I have of a band I played in, Factory, in the mid '80s. Pure tribal-rhythmic (at times), noise-riddled chaos. The shot is from a show we played during the day at the Del Mar Skate Ranch in 1985. Tod Swank's band Crankshaft played that day as well. Who is that skinny fuck? Damn. That's Dave Williams beating out the pulse in the background. What happened to him? The last I heard, he had left LA, on foot, toward the Arizona mountains. This was the day after the LA Riots in '94. And, Wrex, our foggy frontman, had gone on to Christianity and a home in the Antelope Valley with a woman who operated a club we played a few times. I wonder what ever happened to that Joy Division tee? 1/23/06 Best supercross race I've ever witnessed. The GOAT put some heavy pressure on Stewart for 18 laps, when James encountered Mike Brown (one lap down — Brown also tangled with Stewart in the first Phoenix first turn last weekend), picking his bike up in a tightly bowled-out right hander just in front of where we were sitting. James washed and went down and RC squeezed on by for the win. Reed also passed by for 2nd. This season is going to be one for the record books... 13 more races to go and you can bet Stewart isn't going to lay down. When is Windham getting back? The Team Solitaire pits looked great. Very tight, clean presence. Ryan and Justin finished the main event in 13th and 16th respectively. Ryan also got himself some nice CBS coverage with his excellent start in the first heat race. Looking good, boys. 1/20/06 An amazing true-life story. 1/20/06 I flunked my "Motorcyle Driving Skills" test this morning. I forgot to practice my circus tricks — riding in tight circles without putting my foot down. I dabbed on the last "lap." But I did meet a guy who went to school with Mike and Greg Carroll up in SF. He knew Chico Brenes and Daniel Castillo as well. He flunked too. Tracey Walter may be my favorite actor. You know him, believe me. Have you heard Busdriver's "New Aquarium"? Lattice of coincidence. The Wildboyz are in anti-gravity tonight. Tremaine, you are a fucking mad man. 1/19/06 Super windy here today. Rode the bike to work and felt a little bit like a flag. Long time silk-screen poster artist, Jay Ryan, is in LA on a tour for his new book, "100 Posters, 134 Squirrels." Newest Art Dumper, Michael Coleman, is hosting the event tomorrow night through his Foundation Projects. Jay will be signing the book Friday night and the show will stay up until Sunday evening. And if you can make it tonight, he's doing a little printing at GR2 in West LA. Another fellow Dumper, Tony Larson, has a good interview over on the Slap site. Be sure to bug him about getting Agents back up to speed for '06. Ryan Clark set Emmet and me up with supercross tickets for this Saturday at Anaheim stadium (round 3 of the series). I get to see all the new Solitaire graphics (scroll down to check the team transport) in person for the first time, AND watch the battle royale between RC, Stewart and Reed. Carmichael and Stewart are tied in the points race with Reedy only 1 point behind them. Looking forward to great night of racing. Here are Blogs by a few old friends of mine; Bernie McGinn Kevin Wilkins Eric Matthies Greg Barbera 1/18/06 I mingled a little. I'm done now. Old Friend, Harold McGruther is selling his first custom-made chopper. No, he's not giving up bikes, he already got another one in the works and so far it's a beautiful beast... Me? I'm still pondering wether I can sack-up to El Diablo Run with those guys... and I'm not even on a hardtail. 1/17/06 I managed to avoid the whole selfish contribution issue at Goodwill yesterday. There was no one there to give me a receipt, so I just dropped the stuff and snuck off. Big open house here at Girl tomorrow. I like the open houses, really. They are just akward, because my office door sits open right to the bulk of the crowd... and I work during the thing. Or try to. Maybe I'll make more of an effort to mingle. Ha ha, that's funny... me mingle. Behind on the Bonfire job. Good ideas going, but prepping them is taking time. Larson's computer literally fried last week, taking his files with it. Kelley Hart Spring 06 catalog is done. Looks good, too bad we can't afford a good printer. Yet. Posting activity has started up again over at the Art Dump site. Watch for a section on the group's commercial work to pop up sometime soon. If you haven't seen the Art Dump Rick Howard shoe designs for Lakai, watch for the print ads, they are hitting now. 1/16/06 Well, today she happened to read it; "Very interesting writing today. I wouldn't say it was a jab exactly, more of some admitted realizations. Whatever. It would be nice if you would actually talk to me, or talk to someone. It might help." Love, Kelley Maybe that's what this thing is. Talking. 1/16/06 I've been told I'm a bad listener, selfish, slow to respond and a procrastinator. OK. - - - - - Chain of seriously dramatic and epic dreams Saturday night. All forgotten. I guess they really weren't that epic. You know how the brain looks like a tightly packed encasement of large worms? Well, I imagine my dreams forcing themselves in between two of the "worms" and hiding from me. When my search comes around looking for them, they simply squirm around behind another "worm" and evade me. I'd make a good scientist, huh? - - - - - To Goodwill at lunch. Purging. How do you know what your Goodwill drop-offs should be valued? Should you even care? Does the idea that you can write-off donations, make an act of charity any less charitable? Maybe. Yeah, of course it does... I forgot, I'm selfish — I probably wouldn't do it otherwise. Ouch, was that a semi-subconscious (I guess it's completely conscious now that I've identified it, eh?) jab at my critic? Probably. She'd say it was passive aggressive. Oops, did I say "she." I did, didn't I... It's fine, she never reads this dribble. 1/14/06 Saturday Morning Sleep in. Get up. Shower. Dress. Eat. Pour coffee. Bathroom break. Read Studs Terkel interview. Take Emmet to basketball game. Eat chorizo sandwiches at moms. Back to the house. Clean toilet. Get bleach headache. Go to work to pick up laptop which you specifically left there in order to have a reason to ride the new bike. Drive the truck instead because it's raining. Check emails. Make update. Try not to think of why I make updates. 1/13/06 I dreamed last night that I was so depressed I couldn't figure out how to work a shower. I was limp with the sadness. Other things that cropped up in the dream included; home/business zoning, Jeff Tremaine, modern hippies, hot dogs with all kinds of spices on them, a room with bad paneling and multiple doors, walking outside at night, trying to draw a letter "S" in a notebook, hearing that Vlad Guerrero was retiring from baseball... Been taking the long way home on the Triumph. Lots of good high speed "S" turns in Pedro along the coast. Such a rush. Current work; Bonfire, possibly Salomon, The Skate Mag and perhaps designing a TV bible for freelance job Lewman took on called, "Help," though I may have overbid that one. Fuel TV is working on a short piece with the Art Dump — something about the conception to birth of a skateboard graphic. They went to our printer and filmed the new Wallride coming off the press last week. We are off to buy jumpsuits with our names on them. Starting work for a show ("Write and Wrong") with Megan Baltimore to happen this June at the Lab101. We're hoping to get Spike involved in this multi-media idea, though he just signed the big deal for his movie adaptation of "Where the Wild Things Are." My house is a disaster. Xmas decorations still up. 1/12/06 The illness is about to stretch into its third week. I was awakened by a coughing fit this morning at about 2am. Took some Nyquil and went back to bed. It's almost 11 now and I'm still feeling the effects of the drug. Falling asleep at the computer. Must open eyes wider. 1/11/06 Came across this quote in a recent copy of Smithsonian magazine; "High and fine literature is wine, and mine is only water. But everyone likes water." —Mark Twain Going to check out the latest exhibit at MOCA; Masters of American Comics. McCay, Herriman, Crumb, Kirby, Panter... and Chris Ware is in there as well. I have an interesting story that involves Ware, I'll tell it to you some time. Here's a pic of the Solitaire team hauler I designed for Ryan Clark and Justin Buckelew. The shot was taken under the Big A outside Angel Stadium at the opening round of the '06 Supercross series. Strange to see something designed on a 16" laptop go so big. Ryan's got an impressive operation going this year. And thanks for the props in RacerX RC! 1/9/06 Ever been sick, I mean walking-dead-sick, at anyone elses house? I don't recommend it. I'm glad to be back home in Pedro. Congrats to Miki Vuckovich and his lovely lady, Lori, for their brand new daughter, Salem. That's the way to start off a new year. 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