DOES THAT GORILLA HAVE A SHANK?

Oh, this will not end well!

keeper-injured-as-calgary-zoo-gorillas-invade-kitchen

I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio

LONG WEEKEND IN CANADA

It's been an odd weekend for us because it is the first Thanksgiving weekend we've had sans children. Friday night, in order to stave off being depressed about it, we went out to a local pub and had dinner and drinks.

Saturday we went to Revelstoke, which is about an hour's drive away.

See, here's a picture to prove I'm not lying:

Revelstoke is an interesting little town with lots of funky shops and cafe's. At one cafe I saw a group of teens playing World of Warcraft at a big table. They also had Pumpkin Pie lattes which were phenomenal.

Sunday we were resigned to having Kraft Dinner for Thanksgiving dinner, but then we decided we wanted something more festive so we determined to go to the grocery store at 4:00 pm to get whatever they had left. However, it was such a nice day we went for a walk instead, then went to Starbucks and had a Pumpkin Spice Latte which was good, though not as good as the one from Revelstoke. It was too late to cook so we had dinner at a local restaurant. We had a glass of wine and inwardly toasted how miserable we still felt because the kids weren't around. Still, hot turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce made it okay.

Monday we cleaned out the garage.

Who cares about this? I don't know, but the point is it has been a weekend of distractions from our now empty nest. What we have discovered along the way, though, is that even without the kids around my wife and I still like each other.

The garage is clean and all the stuff is packed away. Now of course it's too late to cook anything, but there's a pub not too far away that has real good food.

So, not bad for a holiday weekend.

Hope y'all had a good weekend.


I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio

PATRICK STEWART AND ARYA STARK SCALP OLYMPIC TICKETS IN LONDON

The Olympic Ticket Scalper with Sir Patrick Stewart, Ryan Lochte, Simon Pegg & Maisie Williams from Patrick Stewart

It is what it is. And it`s damned funny.

I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio

CONVERSATION WITH YOUR 12 YEAR OLD SELF

This is just brilliant. It's a video by Jeremiah McDonald and it's got me thinking about what I would say to my 12 year old self. How would that conversation go?

12 year old me: Hello, Michael from the future! How are you?

46 year old me: I'm fine, Michael. How are you?

12 year old me: I'm fine. So, how are things in the future? Do you have a flying car?

46 year old me: No. I'm driving a '95 Pontiac Sunfire.

12 year old me: And it doesn't fly?

46 year old me: No. It doesn't fly.

12 year old me: Have you been into space?

46 year old me: Nnnoooo. No.

12 year old me: No? Is there spaceships?

46 year old me: Yes. There's a space shuttle... well, there was a space shuttle. They've stopped using it now.

12 year old me: Did it get replaced with something else, like a starship or something?

46 year old me: Uh... no. They just kind of... stopped.

12 year old me: Is there a space station?

46 year old me: Yes! There is an International space station.

12 year old me: Cool! Have you been there?

46 year old me: No.

12 year old me: Do you still watch Star Wars?

46 year old me: I've seen all the Star Wars movies. Yes.

12 year old me: How many are there?

46 year old me: Six movies and a cartoon.

12 year old me: A cartoon?

46 year old me: Well it's CGI.

12 year old me: What's CGI?

46 year old me: Never mind. Yes, I still watch Star Wars.

12 year old me: What about Star Trek?

46 year old me: Yes. I still watch Star Trek. All the different series and the movies.

12 year old me: There's movies?

46 year old me: Yes. Several Star Trek movies and... uh... five...? different series.

12 year old me: Cool! So cool!

46 year old me: Yes. Yes it is, I see you're excited. You're doing a little dance. Be careful... don't...

12 year old me: Sorry... sorry... I'm just so excited! Did you become a movie director?

46 year old me: Uh... no. I'm a writer and an artist, though.

12 year old me: Do you work on the Star Trek movies? Do you write the episodes?

46 year old me: Hah! I wish! No. I do book covers and other commissions... portraits. I've written short stories. I post stuff to my blog.

12 year old me: Blo... what...?

46 year old me: Never mind. You'll find out.

12 year old me: Do you have a girlfriend?

46 year old me: I have a wife. And a daughter. She's just graduated,

12 year old me: Wow. Do you have a dog?

46 year old me: No. I have cats. Three cats.

12 year old me: Cats?

46 year old me: Yes. Cats. I'm a cat person now. Get over it.

12 year old me: Are you still fat?

46 year old me: Uh... well, kind of...

12 year old me: Did you ever get skinny?

46 year old me: Uh. No, not really. I've lost a lot of weight, but I can't really be called skinny...

12 year old me: Crap!

46 year old me: What can I say. It's genetics. Get over it.

12 year old me: Are you famous?

46 year old me: Uh... no.

12 year old me: Okay... you're not famous, you haven't been into space, you don't write for Star Trek, you don't have a flying car and you have cats.

46 year old me: Yup. That's basically it.

12 year old me: Okay. I'm gonna go outside and play now.

46 year old me: That's great. I gotta get back to work.

12 year old me: Where do you work?

46 year old me: I think you've had enough disappointment for one day.

I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio

CAPTAIN JACK, SPIDERMAN and WONDER WOMAN

Yes. It actually happened.

I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio

I'LL MISS YOU LIKE I'D MISS A SEVERED LIMB

I'll miss you like I'd miss a severed limb

amputated from my body by chance,

a misfortune brought on by fate's cruel whim

or careless words, perhaps a jealous glance.

Should you go I'd suffer pain and grief

no matter that the surgeon's skill be great

or recovery from the ordeal brief

still would I drown in pity and self hate

Though tended by nurses and wrapped in sterile sheets

with bandages clean and changed twice each day

your phantom memory stirs as my heart beats

it cannot hear, too late, these words I say

So let not separation take its toll

your loving presence keeps me hale and whole*

* So my daughter came to me about six months ago. "Dad," she said. "I have to study for a calculus exam, I have a quiz coming up in Japanese and I have an essay on the Potsdam Conference to write for Socials. I don't have time to write a sonnet for English. Can you write one for me?" At the time she intended to go into medical school (she has since switched to Archeology) so I thought a medical themed sonnet would be appropriate. Now that she has graduated I think I am safe in taking credit for this.

And I'm happy to report that this poem earned her an "A"

I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio

CANADA DAY DINNER

POUTINE!
(from Wendy's, no less!)


God, I love this country!


I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio

IT'S CANADA DAY, EH?

Today is Canada Day. What's so great about Canada?

Our police wear the red serge (on parade, anyway) and they don't carry guns. They can, however, kill someone with a well placed taser shot.


Our national animal is the beaver (nudge nudge, wink wink).


The environment? We've got it. All of it. Don't worry. It's safe.

Canada's entry into the Miss World Pageant was transgendered. How subversive is that?

We fought against the U.S. in 1812 when the Americans tried to invade. They were eight million strong and we had a mere five hundred thousand defended by 5700 officers and men and militia led by Sir Isaac Brock. We kicked the Yankees back to America. During the skirmish a group of lads from York (modern day Toronto) marched to Washington and set the White House on fire. True story.

Our national dish is french fries, melted cheese curds and gravy on a plate. Yum.

When Canadians protest, they protest naked.

Joe Shuster -- who, along with Joel Siegel, created Superman -- was Canadian.




William Shatner. Need i say more?






James Cameron. Love him or hate him, he is Canadian.


Justin Bieb... no... never mind. Forget I said anything there...


Universal Health Care. It's not perfect by any means, but having it is better than not having it.

And finally that Maple Leaf logo is just so stylin'!




I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio

QUEEN VICTORIA WAS A BABE

The Young Queen Victoria by  Franz Xavier Winterhalter

Queen Victoria was the hottest thing going when she became the monarch of Great Britain at the age of 18 in 1837. Well, maybe not by today's internet standards, but by the standards of the day she was the most desirable woman in England. She had beautiful doe eyes and a pointed nose, compact cherry lips and a gentle chin. She suffered a gloomy childhood, she was melancholy and pale as milk and a tiny little thing but she was in charge of the mightiest empire the world had ever seen.

``Why Mister Jackson, that is a rather naughty proposal! Let me dismiss the servants and we will explore it further!``

In three years she must have had many suitors. I'm certain I would have taken a run at her if I'd been in the sceptere'd Isle at that time (I was sailing with pirates in the West Indies at the time and we had a very busy schedule). In 1840 she married her first cousin from Germany, Albert.

Well, Babe, you had your chance. If only you`d been willing to wait for your Pirate King to come ashore you wouldn`t have had to settle for your German first cousin.

They had a passel of kids and ruled the empire together until Albert died and the now grey-haired and plump monarch who was "not amused" that most people know her as, went into mourning and never came out of it, despite occasional dalliances with her Scottish manservant, John Brown.


She died in 1901 but it is her birthdate that is celebrated in May here in Canada with a long weekend.


So here I am in the middle of this long weekend. I spent yesterday cleaning out the garage, an odious enough task that had to be done. The result of which is that I was sore and very stiff the next day.

Why do I mention that? Because the next day I had to do a rather large pen-and-ink on paper portrait that I had been commissioned to do. So there I was pacing back and forth in front of this large sheet of paper, putting down careful lines and strokes, all the while my muscles were screaming in agony. And it is a portrait, so I have to be very careful because it has sort of has to resemble the subject (who I have met casually, but don't really know) from two little photographs.


It is one of two portraits that I am working on at the moment. The other has a deadline that I am not going to make, which is adding to my stress.


So this weekend my attention to things has been kind of fractured. I have avoided being online (except for a few emails that were very important) and I could not seem to finish a single thought.


I also took a break to try to see the annular eclipse on Sunday afternoon. Alas the only thing eclipsing the sun in my part of the world was rain clouds. I hope other parts of the world had a better view than I did.

``Oh, yeah, baby. Give me that backwards glance again. You know it drives me wild!

Now, it is because the beautiful Victoria had the foresight to be born on this day, that I am now going to enjoy a whole and complete third day of the weekend. What will I do this day? I do not know. Sleeping is certainly desirable. Perhaps the review of the movie The Raven, which I saw on Thursday, that I have been wanting to get to.


Or maybe I'll just sit around. I do not know. Either way, thank you Victoria, for being born on this day and giving me an extra day to recover from my exertions.

Big kiss, Vicky. Love ya!






I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio

GROUCHO

I picked this up at a garage sale a couple of weekends back. It was originally a Christmas ornament but now it sits on my CPU reminding me every day (like I need reminding) not to take life too seriously.


I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio

PUDDING TIME

So this is how we roll at Notre Maison. Our cats love pudding and their favorite is tapioca. Here my wife, Frances, shares out the good stuff to our cats, Stu, Miagi and Cosmic.

I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio

FIRST THE OCCUPY PROTESTS, NOW STORM TROOPERS?

...when is New York ever gonna catch a frickin' break?


I've been here and there. I've drawn a lot of pictures. I've written a bit, too. I'm not good at this self-promotion thing. Look, you want to know about me? just visit these websites. Okay?
www.mdjacksonart.weebly.com
http://mdjackson.deviantart.com
http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/mdjacksons%5Fportfolio