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...

Do we really follow God?

Do we show meekness(like a horse) in God's leading us in His will? God's will will have dominion over ours, the question is... Do we fight Him or submit to Him? There will always be greater blessing in meekness toward Him. It is a strange thing the world will look at the will of god through the eyes of chance, karma, or horoscopes. You can't blame them, that is the way it looks to them and that is the way their nature wants to see it. God gives the gift of faith, and now the blind see, what was karma is now sovereignty, what was chance is now providence and what was cold, cruel and unfair has become hopeful, purposeful and everything has meaning even the number of hairs on my head.

10,000 drawings...

This week we are focusing on the nose mouth region. Check it out. http://tenthousanddrawings.blogspot.com/



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Ears!

Ever wonder what 100 drawn ears might look like... Wonder no more.


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Ten Thousand Drawings...

I just started this new blog with a couple of other artist to challenge each other to draw. If you want to see our work check it out at: Ten Thousand Drawings. If you want to join us check out the rules and send me an email. Enjoy.

100 hands Day 1

I have challenged a friend to draw 100 hands in 5 days

Daily Portrait

Head construction is the key to drawing any sort of likeness. I like the paint can method over the sphere method.


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Daily drawing...

So, one of the greatest test for any artist is to draw the figure from memory. Each day I seem to break new ground. Anyhow this is a page from my sketchbook. I was trying to see how dramatic of a pose I could make without using a model. The small drawing with an arrow is from a book. Enjoy


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Daily Portrait

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