i’ve seen this in other peoples’ lives, now it’s happening in mine

“It has been said that a Scotchman has not seen the world until he has seen Edinburgh; and I think that I may say that an American has not seen the United States until he has seen Mardi-Gras in New Orleans..” — Mark Twain

Wow, Twain big words from a dude that died before he knew what Mardi Gras looks like now, or heard my father’s infamous, “I Hate Mardi Gras” chant/song/spoken word poem. (Dad, I guess I should save this post for Carnival Season, but screw it). I’ll include an image of my father singing this song just for y’all (my loyal and lovely readers).

"I hate Mardi Gras/ I hate it every year/ I hate Mardi Gras"© -Papa (My Last Name), "I Hate Mardi Gras"

Now I feel like I’m going to get sued by my own father because he REALLY DID sing that song for most of my life. But like I said I don’t need to really delve too deeply into this subject. It’s not relevant or timely. Maybe I’ll dive back into this line of thought during Carnival Season for now let’s just say I’ve wetted your palettes (disgusting, right?).

On a TOTALLY different subject sort of. I need to show y’all this picture I found in pursuit of finding a photo of my father that was closest to his likening. I debated on whether or not (lots of me debating myself in this post, ya’ll) to show you guys this, or save it for a rainy day, but fuck it. I absolutely ADORE this image. It’s everything I’ve ever needed in my life (judge me, I dare you!)

 

There are no words. Because this is just too AWESOME.

I have sooooooo many questions from just looking at this picture. Let’s crack right into them:

1. Why is the dog wearing sock booties? the floor looks slippery enough, and I feel like these socks make it worse unless we’re just not able to see the special gripping like forces on the bottom of them.
2. How did they get this monkey to dress so nicely? I’ve seen humans less put together (haven’t we all!)
3. Where did they find a hat that’d fit him? Impeccable fit!
4. How did they raise the stakes enough for that dog? I mean that dog reallllly looks like he wants to win the Rodeo Race? that leads me to…
5. What event is this? The monkey is dressed for Salsa Night at the YMCA. Whereas the dog is dressed for a Landsend catalog shoot.
6. Why is that Monkey such a jerk? Look at the expression of his face… can you say ASS CANAL, or not?

Oh, right by the way. I’m trying to make ASS CANAL happen. It’s absurd enough on its own. Really no need to define it. ASS CANAL is what it is. You know.

SELF PROMOTION TIZZY

 

"House of the Rising Shotgun PRINT 10x14"

I’ve been slowly but surely putting more prints up of my original paintings and colored pencil drawings at my ETSY SHOP. This one is a 10″x14″ print of my original painting, “House of the Rising Shotgun” that still currently for sale (WINK WINK).

DIE-HARD FAN PORTION: Where Y’all get to ask me questions!

You can e-mail me or leave questions for me to answer in the comment section. I love to answer questions- a favorite pass time for me.

1. great posts lately. really hitting the tough subjects. anyway i always have a hard time telling the difference between “closet” and “closest” when i’m typing on the computer. how about you? – Martin (from Savannah, GA).

I have a hard time with that one, too. It’s embarrassing really because. Every time, I go to write “closet” or “closest” I find myself  thinking long and hard about which one is correct.  I’m glad I’m not the only idiot on the internet.

2. I know you have a social media presence on twitter and other such sites, but do you also have a facebook group I could join? Thanks. – Dewey (from Landers, MI)

Thanks, Dewey for one of the most practical questions ever asked to me on this blog (whoa, nelly, the syntax on that, ewww). Anyway, I don’t have a Facebook Group, but I do have a Facebook Fanpage, which I strongly encourage you and my other lovely blog readers to join (or in Facebook terms, LIKE). Thank you again.
That’s it for today, folks! Enjoy the rest of your week. Happy Hump Day to all and to all a goodnight?

Extraordinary histories, ordinary histories, ordinary histories

“Way down yonder in New Orleans/In the land of dreamy scenes/There’s a garden of Eden/You know what I mean.” — Louis Armstrong

So, yesterday my NEW ORLEANS SAINTS took a real unexpected beating from the cleveland browns (1-4, now 2-4). The browns were thirteen point underdogs. It was a very tough game to watch. We played with little to no urgency, and just real sloppy. I can’t blame defense who actually played very well. But the offense again was just really not on point (I guess “Super Bowl Hangover” is a real thing).

OKAY OKAY OKAY. What the hell. GUYS, I have an amazing video to show you. It’s sooooo weird (and blessedly short). It features my beloved CHIMP + DOG loves in one place with moving picture and sound. This very strange, and so with no further ado I give you:

I  know… weird, right? Epically strange yet you smiled, right? A real genuine, I GET IT SMILE. Right? Then you immediately regretted smiling because that chimp is an ass hole.  I’m not going to tell you all the weird reasons why I had that video in my knowledge bank (aka brain). That’s highly classified information, but it was there, and it was AWESOME.

What else do I have to share with y’all? I’m tired. Can’t  you tell by how lazily this post has been written? If I’m going to try to write in her at least twice a week then you have to give me a break. WHAT? MY POSTS WEREN’T THAT GREAT TO BEGIN WITH? Wow, okay! I try, guys. I can’t poop gems every time I sit in front of my computer (that’s okay, I don’t think ANYONE wants that for you or those sitting around you and your computer). Also to be fair to everyone involved with this. I don’t think you want me writing long ass posts every time either. Who has the time to read them much less write these, babies? That’s what I thought.

SELF PROMOTION TIZZY

"I HEART St. Louis Cathedral (One of a Kind Painting)"

This painting is an homage to one of the most famous landmarks in NEW ORLEANS, LA. St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter. My parents were married in this here landmark back in January 1985. It’s pretty, right? The actual cathedral, not my painting. Y’all, I’m not that vain.

DIE-HARD FAN PORTION: Where Y’all get to ask me questions!

You can e-mail me or leave questions for me to answer in the comment section. I love to answer questions- a favorite pass time for me.

1. You never talk about the acting thing on here anymore? remember that long boring auditioning post you made almost a year ago? cause i do. that thing was whack! – willy (from Zeppelin, SD).

You know what’s whack? South Dakota, BOOOYYYYAAAAHHHHH. You walked right into that one, Willy. Sorry. I’m still doing the acting thing, but mostly through my various improv endeavors. I’m still currently studying the Harold (a long-form version of improv that is sucking all my brain juices).  I am also performing in a show with some people in North Hollywood on November 2nd. Doing the audition thing and what not. I’ll keep y’all posted when I become famous of course the irony being is that I’ll be too famous for this blog. I’ll be WAY TOO BIG. Oh, the little people, I’ll always forget you (hahahahhahahahahhaha).

2. I’m a big dog lover! And I love that you are, too. Tell me what is your favorite breed? Mine are Poodles. – Lavender (from Frankford, CT)

YAY I love that some of my readers love dogs just as much as I do. That is a difficult question. Maybe one of the most difficult questions a normal-every day-regular person can be asked. But I’ll get it a whirl. Just because to make this easy for everyone (and really just myself). I’ll say golden retrievers are my favorite breed. But I love most dogs and I love muts a lot, too. But since I was a kid I always wanted a golden retriever. Then in my junior year of high school my parents got me on for my Christmas present (every five year old’s favorite xmas gift). Her name is Kara, and she still lives with my family in New Orleans with three other canine pals including her boyfriend, Buckley.

Here Kara is with her boyfriend, Buckley (the large white doggy) and her bestfriend and sister, Heidi (the little schnoodle in the background)

3. What are you doing for Halloween? – Nelly (from Jacksonville, FL)

I am watching the SAINTS hopefully pummel the pittsburgh steelers on my television set with my youngest sister (aka the manager) when she visits me in Los Angeles this coming weekend. I know you’re mad jealous of my Halloween plans. Guess what they can be yours, too (if you own a television or the desire).

That’s all for today, y’all. Keep it up! WHO DAT!

How I said to you, ‘honey, just open your heart.’ When I’ve got trouble even opening a honey jar.

HI FRIENDSHIP. HELLO BLOG.

I feel horrible about not writing in here. Not so horrible as to write in here, but bad enough. It’s been so long that I feel as if there is so much ground to cover that this post would be all over the place, and this sentence is running so long as it is, but I have no idea how to finish it without just deleting it, so I continue onwards with this terrible writing, and wonder how I ever received a bachelor of arts degree much less a high school diploma from a preparatory school, but Katie it was from the South, so how good could it be?

So, let’s just pretend I haven’t been away for a long time, Blog, shall we?

My friend Ashleigh taught me something pretty cool yesterday. We were stranded at Borders (the bookstore not the place on a wall) because it was 113 degrees yesterday in Los Angeles. Crazy!

I realized just now that i’ve never shown y’all a picture of my roommate.

Ashleigh (bestfriend & roommate) she gets ever sooooo cold that she has to wear a hoodie.. SHE LOVES HOODIES, Y'ALL she told me yesterday allll about it as we hung out in our sauna of a living room. it was delusional!

Anyway, so Ashleigh showed me this cool Application on my #Mac. It’s a dictionary and thesaurus in your computer. Ready at a moments notice. So, no worries, kind readers you can leave your heavy Websters and his buddy T-rex (one of the oldest thesaurus jokes known to man) at home, and just bring your old laptop with you.

EXAMPLE:

defintions of words we love and didn't know we loved. hhhooorrrraaayyy

It’s REAL!

You haven’t had me talk to y’all in so long. But really all I have done since March 2010 was look up words on my computer and giggle and point in pure mirth at my discoveries. It was pure & mirthful!

One more thing before I go to the Die-Hard Fan Section. A little Self-Promotion never hurt anyone. And after all my blog is called, “art.with.a.NOLA.beat” not “ramblings from an idiot” so without further ado.

SELF-PROMOTION

"Nina Sings to the Stars (one of a kind painting)"

I have a lot of new paintings and colored pencil pieces in Katnawlin’s Shop since we last talked. Go check it out, old friends. This painting in particular is inspired by one of my favorite musical artists Nina Simone.

DIE-HARD FAN PORTION: Where Y’all get to ask me questions!

You can e-mail me or leave questions for me to answer in the comment section. I love to answer questions- a favorite pass time for me.

1. Welcome back. I’ve missed coming here and reading from your blog every week. A little nugget of sunshine is what my wife called it – Zack (From Buffalo, NY)

Thanks, that’s very sweet of y’all. I only had like 10 posts over the course of like 6 months, but the sentiment is sweet.

2. Hi, i heard that you and the manager and sister decided which dog breeds you were over your visit to New Orleans earlier in September. do you mind sharing with your faithful readers? thanks. – Cody (From Silver Springs, UT)

Wow, Cody. How come you know us like that? Were you at the PetCo when we made that choice? For everyone else reading this who has absolutely no idea what we’re talking about. My sisters Elle and Olivia (aka my manager) had time to kill one afternoon at the local PetCo (could have been PetSmart… I don’t remember!) and so did our best to determine which dog breed each would be. This is what we came up with.

Olivia (aka my manager) would be a beagle

I'd be a Blonde Border Collie

this is Elle from the Chris Brown episode we encountered long ago back in October... I'm sorry Elle's real dog identity is still up in the air. there are so many potential scrappy brown haired dogs with peace bandanas to go through for the truest most pure version of her. WORK IN PROGRESS

So you can see readers that I’m really silly.

3. I’m glad you’re back, but sorry the #SAINTS lost to the dirty birds on Sunday. It was a brutal game in OT. I just wanted to cheer you up. Have you seen this video yet? WHO DAT!- Fergie (from Alexandria, LA)

I have seen it, and I love it! Here kind readers I have embeded it here for you!

“But a dirty bird can’t fly without a broken wing” ya, you right!