smb

LA Cafe in M.H. Del Pilar Street, Ermita. Still one of the best places for picking up some of the best free-lance "totty" in town. Well, actually - you don't pick them up - they pick you up! And, just a friendly reminder... A condom IS A MUST! For your sake, your friends and families sake and of course - for the girl's sake... They are only making an honest living and the vast majority of them are NICE people!

Hassles I use a thing called "Clicksor Contextual Advertising" on "Anything Goes!" and the "Top Shelf" As the name suggests, the thing is supposed to pick up on certain keywords and phrases on a web-page and then flash up a very small text box link to an advertiser's site. Needless to say, the ads are supposed to be relevant to and in the same context as the page on which they appear. I say, "supposed" because it quite often comes up with some rather strange ones, like "Find smb on e-bay!" Duh? Not me - I have never had anything to do with them! Or, "Find abacus and many other related products at so and so...!" (Abacus is, of course a highly valued and very active member of both of the forums and also the "Anything Goes!" gallery, here at artfreaks.com) But I thought this one really takes the biscuit...!! Find and compare great deals on hassles at MonsterMarketplace.com!!

And the finished prduct: Jelyn Nakaupo sa Motor ni Ate - (More-or-less finished) I will probably have to work on the hen and chicks some more. Jelyn's shirt could also do with some more white and shading. But, if at all, I will do this immediately before framing...

This arrived in my e-mail: Subject: Philosophy of life When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee. A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes." The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. "Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things--God, your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions--and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else--the small stuff." "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. "Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first--the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand." One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Highly recommended: Chris Williams's portfolio at ArtWanted.com

Not so much of a struggle now! Here's my latest 'work in progress...' Jelyn Nakaupo sa Motor ni Ate! - (In progress) Who knows how this will turn out. All I can say is that I am enjoying myself here! Watch this space!

Here's my latest attempt at a pastel portrait: You can click on the image, above, if you want to see the various stages during the making of this painting - together with some comentary on what I was doing and what I was aiming for... Not quite perfect, yet - but I feel that I am getting there! I was reasonably happy with this one. Even though the face ended up a little unsymetrical, (it wasn't intentional!); at least I could see something of the girl in the finished painting... I'm trying to refine my pastels - but without losing that naive quality about them. Who know's? One day I might be deliberately painting big eyes and lop-sided faces?!!! Cheers! And a have a great New Year!