This was a fun lunch from my last contract. A group of us shared a cab to see the cliff divers–it’s the thing you do if you’re only in Acapulco for a day–and the driver took us to this cafe beforehand. Luckily, Eva [L] is from Argentina, cause the rest of us didn’t have enough Spanish to specify that we’d prefer an actual local restaurant over the bland expensive places where they automatically take the cruise ship guests. The result was delicious!

I know, “Heroes: Season One” was sooo…several years ago. Most of my TV experience comes after the fact, on DVD. (Buffy, Six Feet Under, all my faves.)

I first watched “Heroes” on my 3rd ship. They showed one episode a day, on a loop, on one of the crew channels. (Ship life often involves watching the same TV episodes and movies until you can recite them.) It’s definitely still good fun.

I spent last week’s train trip to New York watching season one of “Heroes” with my mom. This was the first doodle to come out of that; more to come.

My first attempt at drawing buildings with a Pentel brush pen.

This is a street in East Liberty that I’d only seen from a car window. When I accompanied my friend Scheiny to the Femme Show, I had a minute to chill on South Highland Ave. and check out some of the old buildings. (This street includes a great place for cupcakes!)

Question: In 3 years, I’ve lived on six ships and two cities. When I sit in public and draw, it’s fairly common for a guy to start chatting with me. It’s not unheard of that the guy asks me out. Once (in Italy) a guy asked about my sketches for about two minutes, and then said, “Oral sexo? We could find a hotel…” But I can’t think of a single time that a woman (sketchy or otherwise) has come up to me in the street and started a conversation while I’m drawing.

Are women so strongly conditioned not to interrupt? or more sensitive to possible rejection? or in more of a hurry? or am I magically only cute to the opposite sex?! Discuss.

I’ve been staring at this screen for awhile (3 false starts, exactly), wondering how to articulate how I felt at The Femme Show.

It was like being a bit character in Dykes to Watch Out For.

It was like fresh air when you’ve been in an office all day.

It was like venting, with a stage full of talent doing the venting for you, and a bar full of people cheering.

It was like frolicking on a nakey beach and realizing just how restricting your clothes are the rest of the time.

…

Yeah, I got nothin.

This was one of many sketches I did during The Femme Show, which…I’m not sure I can describe. Technically it was “an evening of performances, readings, burlesque, and other goodness at The Shadow Lounge,” but that doesn’t do it justice.

Off the subject, how many times can a person apologize for allowing lengthy time lapses in between posts? Well, since last time, I’ve traveled to New York and Boston, checked out three colleges with my baby sister Abby, and bussed back to Pittsburgh. I’m currently driving an intimidatingly large rental van through Cincinnati en route to Indiana, where my other sister Emily is moving. I’ve finalized plans to take art classes in New York this fall, table at APE in October, and get on another ship in February. I can’t wait to unpack my suitcase for awhile!!!