createLast Gasp Xmas Party Photos

Posted on December 18, 2006 by Russell.
Categories: Creations.

Every year, Last Gasp, a fine distributor of comix, graphic novels, and a bit of everything else, throws a benefit party for another amazing Mission District institution, Martin de Porres. For one night only, long-time cultural facilitator Ron Turner (the man behind Last Gasp) opens up his whole warehouse for those in-the-know to drop some funds for the food kitchen, eat some free burritos, drink some free beer, and walk around all the crazy items that Last Gasp has collected over the years.

Though Jello Biafra, SF Guardian’s Bruce Brugmann, Warren Hinkle, Chuck Sperry, V. Vale, $teve Ra$pa, and others that I do not know by face walked the floors, I chose to shoot the items on the walls and shelves for fun.

Thanks to Al at Al’s Comics for having the “invitation only” invite and getting me in.

LastGasp06_01.jpg

Hmm. The nicotine smokers were outside at the back entrance. Wonder where all that purple smoke came from???
LastGasp06_06.jpg

An amazing poster dating to the early 20th century. Who knew that the magician could conjure cute demons.

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createPics On the Road

Posted on December 12, 2006 by Russell.
Categories: Creations.

Thought you’d enjoy a few of the pics I shot on the road these past weeks. Am still trying to move in and catch up here in SF. Being gone seven months sure makes returning a bit more dramatic!

Sad Clown in Iron Lung

Um, this was hanging on the wall at my co-worker Liz’ place in Des Moines. Too funny to not document!
OhioBarn

Right next to the Holiday Inn where I slept my first night after Chicago, this sad barn sat by the parking lot. Felt like it was waiting to be developed into a KFC/Taco Bell/BP station. :(

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Painting the Walls with Butter

Posted on December 7, 2006 by Russell.
Categories: Thoughts.

My, what a long period of nothingness from these yon HappyFt pages. No pics, no words, no strange deeds of Middle American yonders. What a fast and furious month I’ve stumbled through. Driving across the heartland one last time, lunching in Cleveland right before the November elections, and reading a great political cartoon about how to hack your voting machine.

Before Cleveland, I hot-tubbed on the 25th floor of my friend’s rental building inside Chicago’s Loop. Kimilee was in town working on the Broadway preview of the Pirate Queen as a swing for four of the fem parts. Saw the show, it needs work, but wished her well as I continued the drive east.

Nights in hotels blurred by clear across the Rust Belt, TV visions of election madness, pundit punditry, and the usual gang of idiots. I’d hop online and try to stay in touch with my peeps in NYC and SF. The trip to RI fell through, as did my grand dream of traveling over most of Canada. Iowa got too cold, and an SF friend called me mad for thinking of visiting our neighbors to the north in Nov.
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