Summer in Texas

It is currently 105 degrees outside.  In the past I have complained about Texas weather, and while it does present certain challenges I have realized that I need to embrace what will likely be my "home" climate for the foreseeable future.  So although I am inside now, I will be going swimming in a little bit.  And while the Texas sun, which beats mercilessly upon us, is unbearably hot, it IS good for some things.  

Namely, bleaching bones.  The boys and I found a groundhog skull while we were in Ohio.  I have just now gotten around the cleaning it up, and so while the house "airs out" (I boiled the skull on the stove in the kitchen.  Not a great idea smell-wise.  And since it is super hot outside, I can't really open the windows...I just have to wait for the noxious smell to dissipate.) the skull is being bleached on the roof.  

 On the art front, I just completed a painting I started last summer.  Also while we were in Ohio, Aydan remembered that I was working on this painting and, when the opportunity presented itself while riding the Mansfield Carousel, he posed for his version of my version of David's painting.

It isn't a perfect painting--far from good enough to be a forgery--but I'm glad that at least it is done.  

Finally, I feel like I must address something I have observed while watching the Olympics.  I must give this disclaimer: I have a wedding ring tattoo and I am no longer married.  That alone should be enough of a statement on the folly of tattoos, but I feel like I need to comment on what I view to be a particularly ludicrous decision on the part of Olympic athletes.  

Why, dear athletes, WHY do you insist on having the Olympic rings emblazoned upon your bodies?  Please do not take this as a critique of the athletes themselves.  Their feats of athletic prowess are beyond remarkable, and by and large they do a great job of representing our nation.  Nor am I demeaning the Olympics themselves.  In fact, I love the logo itself for it's depiction of the unity of the continents and mankind during the time of the Olympics.  I won't even comment on the aesthetics of the majority of the tattoos.  No, my beef is with the notion itself: "I am an Olympic athlete, therefore I will tattoo the Olympic rings on my body."  This is, in short, stupid. 

It's not just Olympians who do this.  Basketball players do it as well.  In their case it is often MUCH more hideous to look at, and therefore is doubly wrong.

I get that these athletes are proud of what they do and proud of their accomplishment.  They are elite.  They are an extremely small minority of excellence.  Good.  Be proud of that.  But don't print it on your body.  THAT is dumb.

For further support, I call upon the scene from "City Slickers."  As the guests are just arriving at the dude ranch, Mitch (Billy Crystal) teases Ed (Bruno Kirby) about his jacket.
"Are you really wearing this?"
"Why?"
"It's hideous.  It has your name AND your face on it."
"Hey, I'm proud of what I do."
(Phil, played by Daniel Stern, inserts) "So's the president, but he doesn't put his face on a suit."

And that's really it, right there.  As I teacher, I'm very proud of what I do.  I also value being able to call myself an "artist."  However, you don't see me getting all tatted up about it, do you?  You know what...nevermind...