Daily Sketchbook

Daily Drawing

A new chapter begins....

Last friday brought an end to my restaurant career and the beginning to Jackie's nursing career. Who would of ever thought I would quit Famous Dave's the same day that Jackie would get hired. The Lord is always working in ways that are not my ways....more to come.

New Website is Up!!!

Just posted my new website. I am looking for a job as a User Interface Designer. Check it out.

www.kurtaspland.com

On another note...so much has taken place since the last time I posted hopefully I will be able to update soon.

Why Pray?

Most of you know that I am a christian. A lot of you also know that one of my favorite historical people is a man named George Müller. George Muller was a man of prayer. This area of prayer has been the most challenging for me, especially over the last 8 years. Why the last eight years? A lot of the things I have prayed for have not come to pass, especially the things related to my professional goals. I am an artist, not a lawyer, athlete, doctor, etc. This is what I have been made to do. The down side is that we live in a culture where being an artist is more of a hobby, thus to make a living as one is an upward battle right from the beginning. But, I was of the opinion that truly God would bless my efforts. If I work hard at my craft, walk in an upright manner, pray, give, and have faith–things would go well. Well to date things have not gone well. In fact it seems to me that my professional pursuits have been on a slow downward slide over the last 8 years. Which brings me back to prayer.

This slide has brought me to a deeper understanding of prayer.... 1. It is to glorify God. 2. It is to express praise unto God. 3. It is to express thankfulness onto God (things that are and have been). 4. It is to ask for forgiveness for ones lack of faith, selfishness, pride, lust, basically sin. 5. It is to call for help in time of need, dependance. 6. It is to ask to be taken care of on a daily basis.

To my shame... I am afraid that over the last 8 years the focus of my personal prayer has been mostly about the want of monetary success in the area of art. You could even add in here the want of healing, the want of a family, the want of happiness, the want to help the poor. All of these noble, but they may not be the will of God for your life. The prayer that Jesus taught his disciples when they asked Him to teach them how to pray; started with praise, adoration and emphasized His will be done. Not mans will or even the will of Kurt Aspland "the artist" (as noble as that might be). It seems best to me to put the emphasis on praise, thankfulness and forgiveness in my prayers for the future. Happy Thanksgiving Week Everyone!

A family feast of prayer...

The upside to difficultly is a better pray life. It seems the more often than not I am praying a lot more through the day. Often times my quick prayers are overheard by others and they confuse it for talking to myself. It is sort of humorous in a sort of way. This has only become a way of life since all the job trials in the last 5 years. Anyhow, it just is becoming more automatic, and I forget often where I am and who might be listening.... I had three ladies come in the other night...a grandmother, mother and daughter come in the other night for dinner. So far nothing stood out from any other guest that I have waited on. I recommended that they get a Feast for Two. It is a meal served up on a trash can lid and the whole table eats it family style. These are easy to ring in as a waiter and the kitchen is able to get these out fast. Anyhow I got their drinks, there food is delivered and now it is on to the table of 14 (6 adults and 8 children). Busy is an understatement. After 15 min. of taking the orders and drinks request of the large table, I check in with my table of three ladies. That is when the grandmother reaches out grabs my arm and starts to get teary. She then tells me how this is the first meal they have had since her son passed away two days ago and that they are traveling to NY for the funeral the next day. It the midst of the chaos time stopped for a brief second. Not thinking of where I was, or what I was doing, I asked her if I could pray for her, very little time to think, just a knee jerk reaction. So there we are, my hand on her shoulder, praying for her and family for peace, mercy and comfort in the midst of the dinner rush at Famous Daves in Bel Air. Press On All!! Press On!!

The Weight of the World

I was working late last night at Famous Daves (My new job as a server) and a couple of servers asked me about why I was working there. I shared with them my story, about how my business had taken a dramatic slide since 9/11 and never recovered, how I have been with out work for almost a year and that this was the only job that came my way in nine months. In turn I asked them about themselves and they also shared how they are high school drop outs, mothers at the age of 19 and left on their own by their own families. In fact one waitress showed me a text where a man of whom she knew, offered her $500 for sex. Ug! the pressures of a sinful world. Whom of us would not be in worse off situations had not the Lord stepped in to help. Of course I awoke this morning with the weight of these girls predicaments on my heart and mind. How can the Lord use me? What can I do? I desire to step in and assist them in some way, but how? I will look unto the Hills to see where my hope comes from... it comes from the Lord the maker of heaven and earth. May Jesus help me with this yoke and make it light.

A Fresh Start....exercise included

I started a new job 4 weeks ago. I have entered into the world of serving tables at Famous Daves BBQ. The job is great, a lot of things to blog about. The hours are great... evenings. This allows me to continue my freelance design/illustration work during the day and then Super Server by Night! One added thing.... I am on my feet walking almost 6 hours a day instead of sitting in a chair watching TV and eating a bunch of junk. So if you want to lose weight, get paid while doing it, go get a job as a server at your local restaurant.

New York $1300 a month

So I am trying to keep all of my NYC expenses to be under $1300 a month. So here is the breakdown...$800 for rent, $120 total bus fare (Megabus-$1-$22 one way from MD to NY), $80 unlimited ride for the Subway, and $300 for food and drinks. So how does a 43 year old male make it on $300 for food and drinks in NYC. I eat a monster bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, a can of beans or cup of brown rice for late afternoon lunch, drink mostly water and look for networking groups that offer free hors d'oeuvres and wine for dinner! Throw in a piece of fruit and you get a $1,300 a month. Priceless!

Wings, Galoto and Scams

Networking, networking, networking...everyday I have tried to make an attempt to get involved with a group to socialize and network. So just the other day I was working in my appartment all day on sending out resumes and putting together some portfolio pieces. I was iching to get out...what to choose... a group that is going to give 1 minute elevator speaches or a group of 250, gathering at this swakie night club for free drinks, food and Ipod giveaways. I chose the later. The event started at 6pm and I was running just a bit earily...5:30. After a day of eating only oatmeal for breakfast and a can black beans for mid afternoon lunch I was ready to scarf down on free drinks and finger food. I arrived at the venue at 5:55, I figured there would be a long line waiting to get in, we're talking here free eats not to mention Ipad give aways.

The club was located in the meat packing area of lower manhatten...it is a bit on on the seeding side of town. There was not a soul in sight, just one bouncer standing at the door. He said that the event did not start until 6:30pm. How in the world do you get 250 people sign up for an event and I am the only one who is early... scam alert.

I decided not to wait around, instead I jumped on a train (that is New York talk for subway) and make a bee line for the twenty cent wind night at croxly’s sponcered by the group called..The New York Shyness and Social Anxiety Meetup Group. Lets just say with a group like this I will be a god! Of course only after I find a cup of Galoto to cool these hot wings.

Movie Stars and TV places...

I was out taking a run the other morning and happened to look up and saw Tom’s Resturant. The resturant they used in Siefield. Out of no where these things just pop up. Then, just the other day I was waiting to take the bus home and saw the actor who plays Superman on Smallville. And yes ladies , he is tall and very good looking. (I am very comfortable with my manhood to say another guy is good looking)

Cats Don't Fly

So my new roommate Frank (awesome guy) has this cat named Behemoth. I arrive at this apartment Wednesday night, meet Frank, go over a couple of things and then meet Behemoth. The next day Frank leaves early for work and I awake with Behemoth sitting on my back drooling. Welcome to NYC. I proceed by getting settled, unpacking, hooking up my computer, and getting my room organized. In the process I open up the window in my room to let some nice fresh NYC air into the room. When all of a sudden a pigeon lands on my window sill...forgot to mention I am 5 stories up. Out of the corner of my eye I see this cat fly across my bed in attempt to rid the city of one of its many pests with wings. The screen was not set in the window, but all I saw was the cat bounce of some invisible barrier, the pigeon escape and my heart race to my head. I could just imagine the conversation with my new roommate..."Cat? what Cat? I did not see a Cat?... What was that, make sure I don't open any windows...You got it you can count on me."

Good Morning Big Apple. part 3

One thing that I noticed about the people of New York is few people make eye contact. In fact, so many hide behind sun glasses. I think came from just walking in the mist of crowds, a sea of people. It would be very difficult to make eye contact with anyone when they pass by if you have 100 people passing each second. So when I go on my daily walk/run in central park, I love to say Good Morning to passebys. It is great to see their reaction, mostly surprise, and I must come across as a goof ball, tourist, or crazy idiot.

Good Morning Big Apple. part 2

From Kanas to OZ in 3 1/2 hours. Megabus is my tornado... it is the only way to travel. Most fares run $17-$22 one way, but sometimes you might even get a fare that is only $1 or $3. Yes that is right, one dollar to NYC. I have gotten this price twice since I have been riding. So Sunday evening rolls around and it is a bus ride up to NYC for the week, then click my heels three times and it is back home to Maryland for the weekend. My spirits are up, filled with optimism and hope. Now it is time to find the Wizard.

Good Morning Big Apple. part 1

Well, if you have not heard now, I have officially moved to NYC. I have been there now for about two and a half weeks. I have seen cats jump from 5 stories up, too many rats in a subway station to count and a sunset from Brooklyn Hights.

Business never picked up, after our move to Maryland, on top of that working out of the basement was never that great for my mental health. So when you combine slow flow of work, the pressures of a one income family and a windowless basement for an office it only means one thing. Depression on levels never imagined...