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Friday, January 31, 2025

Are we having fun, yet?

 


In reality, more often than not, I do have fun at work. But as Jean-Paul Sartre said in No Exit, "Hell is other people."  But as my good friend ChatGPT reminded me, Sartre wasn't really saying that other people make life miserable. He was saying that self-awareness and judgment come from how others perceive us.

I agree with that. Though I also think other people make life miserable, too. 

Speaking of ChatGPT, it doesn't seem to care that I've been hanging out with Deep Seek. This morning I asked Deep Seek what Dizgraceland was and it told me it was a "blog or website created by Tim Hunter, who is a writer and artist." I corrected it and said it was a blog by Time Waits and it thanked me and said some very flattering things. Though I think it derived most of them from how I describe my blog online.

I asked ChatGPT who Tim Hunter was and it game me the name of a director, a hockey player and and fictional character in a Neil Gaiman book.  Then I asked ChatGPT what Dizgraceland was and it told me it was the name of my blog and asked me if I wanted to discus a specific post, them or idea related to it.

It didn't tell me how good it was. 

Hell is other AI's, too.

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Palms Red...Red Drum...Drum skull

 


The future seems a bit sketchy right now. The Orange Menace is still reeking havoc with the country. I would believe he is the Anti-Christ, but I always envisioned the Anti-Christ was at least mildly intelligent. I can't say that about the Narcissistic Moron. 


He is definitely marching the country to a different beat.
 

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Deep thoughts for Deep Seek

 


This is an abstract image of Deep Seek, the Chinese AI app that I asked Gemini, Google's AI app to create.  Although Gemini is pretty lame, at least it can create images. Deep Seek told me it couldn't but described how I could create an image in Photoshop. I don't need AI to do that.

I had just read good things about Deep Seek and was hoping it would do all those things Gemini and ChatGPT couldn't. So far I am not impressed. I tried loading images and it says it can only extract text from them. Then I asked it why it couldn't generate images and it said it could if I switched models. I did and it still didn't work.

Gemini is beginning to look pretty good.

It's no ChatGPT, though.

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Because I can

 


The chaos that is rippling through the country created by the Orange Menace is both terrifying and laughable. The surprise that people are expressing at why he is doing this is the most laughable. He is a demented narcissist without shame with a bent on vengeance for being booted out of the White House in 2020. He doesn't need any other reason than because he can. He has created the perfect storm that no one seems to be able to stop.

The first time he was in office people just tried to laugh it off. He is a buffoon and everyone knows it except for the other buffoons who idolize him. But now he is a dangerous buffoon in power. The backlash of the conservatives attached to the buffoons butt like lampreys on a shark is even more frightening. It is not a good time to be woke. The conservatives prefer a lazy slumber of bigotry that no one will try to shake them out of.

All we seem to be able to do is shake our heads and hope this eventually passes. 

Monday, January 27, 2025

I'm forever popping bubbles

 


It's National Bubble Wrap Day.  This is significant to me because on January 26, 2010 I wrote a post marveling that I was older than bubble wrap that had just turned 50.  So 15 years later, bubble wrap just turned 65 and I'm still older than it is.  And if the Orange Menace has his way, neither I nor bubble wrap will get social security.  Because what does a narcissistic asshole like him who has never had to truly work a day in his life care about social security.

And meanwhile his Elon Musk Ox continues to glorify the Nazi's.


 I posted this image on Blue Sky and didn't get a single like. Then it dawned on me that very few people who are not older than bubble wrap don't know about the movie "Dr. Strangelove." 

That just burst my bubble.

Sunday, January 26, 2025

Where there's a Goodwill, there's a way

 


Since returning to the office three days a week, I don't get much time to go to Goodwill on my lunch break. And one thing I've discovered about thrifting is that you need to go regularly to find the good stuff. They actually add new stuff several times a day as donations come in and are priced. 

So the weekend becomes my time to make up for lost thrifting. But it is also the busiest time of the week. Still I had a good time hunting and finding. Pretty amazing stuff.

This sculpture represents a Yaksha as a Buddhist Temple Guard, also known as a Dvarapala. It is about 13 inches tall.  

I also found this.


It is a vintage Japanese Gosho Doll  depicting a man with baby. Gosho dolls (御所人形, Gosho Ningyō) are traditional Japanese dolls characterized by their chubby, childlike appearance, white skin, and cheerful expressions. These dolls originated during the Edo period (1603–1868) and were typically given as gifts from the Imperial Court (御所, Gosho) to loyal retainers or distinguished guests. This association with the court gives them their name. If mine had been one of the traditional ones from the Edo period it would have been worth $100. But mine was more likely from the mid-20th century made when Japan was making these things for export. Still, I hope to get $80 from it.

I found random things, too.


These were apparently souvenirs from a Chinese Ancestry Temple that was dedicated to a Chinese sea goddess call Mazu. They are so obscure I had a hard time figuring out where to sell them on eBay. That can be good or bad. We'll see...or we'll sea.

Regardless, it was a good weekend for finding things, just not selling. Apparently people aren't back into buying yet after the Christmas rush. Let's hope Mazu brings me good fortune.

Saturday, January 25, 2025

Irish Coffee

 

According to the National Irish Coffee Day people: 

"On a cold, wet day in 1942 weary travelers to the small Shannon Airport in southwest Ireland found their way to a restaurant and chef Joe Sheridan. To warm his guests, he served them hot coffee, spiked with whiskey and topped with whipped cream. The passengers asked if the beverage was Brazilian coffee. Sheridan responded that it was Irish coffee."

Sounds like a load of Blarney crap to me. 

Which gave me an idea for a kid's program with a green dinosaur named, "Blarney."


Of course is drunk all the time because he drinks Irish Coffee every morning.

Don't you just love stereotypes.

Friday, January 24, 2025

A backhanded compliment

 

It's National Compliment Day! And these nuts compliment it perfectly. It's an old joke, I know. But I am still nuts about it. 

It's also Beer Can Appreciation Day. So the best I could do for it was:


At least I didn't open up a can of worms.




Thursday, January 23, 2025

Not my president

 


Not that it matters what I say or think, but I will never acknowledge that buffoon as my president or leader or anything that comes close to respect. I didn't vote for him. I don't have any respect for anyone who did. So electoral college or not, I don't acknowledge him.  

I remember when he somehow made it into office the first time. My moron brother had this sign in his home office (which was difficult to see because my brother is a major hoarder). The sign read, "I Stand With Our President!" I knew my brother was stupid and more or less right wing, but it was the first time I realized he had voted for the Orange Menace. 

But the "I Stand With Our President!" sign inspired this:


Not that I will do anything with it. Right now everyone seems hunkered down waiting for what is going to happen. And Trump the Rump is giddy, his ego fueled and stoke by his toadies and return to the once again soiled Oval Office. So he is on a rampage, fulfilling all of his egomaniacal fantasizes.

No one really wants to be a target, so selling a t-shirt that says, "Not my president" really has too much "kick me" vibe about it to be a best seller. 

Unlike all of my other designs.

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Book 'em Dano


 It isn't actually Dewey Decimal System Day. It's Library Shelfie Day. And I really don't have the energy to create a whole design around shelfing books or taking photos of books or whatever Library Shelfie Day. My first job was shelfing books at a public library. So I know all about shelfing books. I used to have nightmares about shelfing books. It was a mind-numbingly boring job that soured me on books in general. This is sad because I used to love to read. Now I am pretty much content to just look at my phone.

I feel so spineless.

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Squirrels and hugs

 


Today is Squirrel Appreciation Day (which has me feeling pretty squirrelly).  So I dug out several of my squirrelly designs. It is also National Hugging Day, so I'll start by saying you should not try to hug a squirrel.


Keep in mind that squirrels are very playful but are not very good at bluffing and they aren't very good losers when they play poker.  So use caution if you play cards with them.



And be patient if you are flying First or Business class with squirrels and watch your nuts carefully. Because they are real nut jobs.



And finally, if you are thinking of hugging anyone or anything for National Hugging Day, ask permission first.


Not everyone likes to be hugged. Me for example, and there will be consequences.

Monday, January 20, 2025

Buy, buy America!

 


The Trump has been inaugurated. It is truly a sad day for our country. I hate that his narcissistic ego has been gorging on the attention. The best thing we could do is ignore the asshole. But he is like a spoiled child doing outrageous things to keep the attention on him.

In addition to the Orange Menace being inaugurated, it is National Cheese Lover's Day.

Cheesy joke, I know. I hope it doesn't grate on your nerves.

Sunday, January 19, 2025

Imagine Trump is just a bad dream

 


Today is National Imagination Day. Thus the invisible pink unicorn and my dream that Trump being inaugurated tomorrow is just a bad dream.

But he saved Tik Tok! Lying sack of crap. He was the one who urged that Tik Tok be banned in the first place. It's just propaganda that the asshole really had anything to do with Tik Tok turning on the spigot again for the millions who don't have anything better to do that make or watch Tik Tok videos. 

I only watch it on my commute or when I'm working out. And I discovered YouTube shorts which are just about the same thing anyway. So I could have been fine if Tik Tok went away.

Still I can't believe the Orange Menace is being signed in as president tomorrow on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  Once again it is all proof that there is no god.

Saturday, January 18, 2025

Funny business

 

I am still working my way through the 1500 designs that had been loaded onto Teepublic before they cancelled my account and forced me to reload the designs on Zazzle.  I have worked my way alphabetically through the "O's."  That's where "Our Business is Funny Business" came from. It actually dates back more than 30 years when I worked on Third Avenue in downtown Seattle. A few blocks away was this weird little shop that sold practical jokes and tricks. It was their motto, "Our Business is Funny Business." I went in there a couple of times before they went out of business because the block was being torn down to build a high rise.  I always remember the marquee with the "Our Business is Funny Business" outside the abandoned building before the wrecking ball took it down. 

It was the inspiration for this t-shirt design that no one will buy because no one knows what it means but me.

It's my own private joke.

Friday, January 17, 2025

I yam what I yam

 

Okay, it's Popeye the Sailor Man Day and I'm posting this image for obvious reasons. I can't sell you a t-shirt with the design because this technically is a violation of the Popeye copyright or trademark even though it isn't a sailor. In fact it is a starchy tuber with one eye and a lecherous grin. I imagine he has his starchy tuber eye on Olive Oyl.  Apparently he is unaware that she and Popeye are in a semi-committed relationship though Bluto is after her too.

When you think of it, Popeye isn't a very politically correct name because it makes fun of his physical appearance (which could be a physical deformity, too). And don't get me started about Wimpy, the mooch that is always trying to scam hamburgers out of people. 

Personally I think my starchy tuber version is a healthier role model than the archaic characters from the original Popeye.  He could really give Mr. Potato Head a run for his money.


Thursday, January 16, 2025

Keep your eye on the doughnut

 


"Keep your eye on the doughnut and not the hole."

--David Lynch

I was sad to see that David Lynch died today. I always admired his quirkiness and loved his films (even if I didn't always understand them). I remember going to see "Blue Velvet" at the theater and being the only one in the audience laughing.  And I really loved the 1984 version of "Dune" that he directed. I had read all of the books and was blown away by the spectacle of it all. 

For some reason I never got into "Twin Peaks" when it was originally released. I do remember being at parties where some people had to go off into another room and watch it because they didn't want to miss an episode. 




I did like "The Elephant Man." 


I have to confess that half the time I didn't know they were David Lynch films. But I got so I could recognize the style and "weirder than shit" aspect of his stuff. It's like I can recognize a Tim Burton or Quentin Tarantino film. But I think Lynch was a genius compared to them both. Especially Tarantino. I like his films, but he just seems like an asshole.

Not that any of them care what an over the hill blogger and t-shirt designer thinks.  And I suppose Lynch is beyond caring at this point.

Here's to you Mr. Lynch!

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Hats off...

 


It's National Hat Day. So I tip my hat to it with a couple of hat designs.


The inspiration for these are the people who used to walk up and down the beaches in Mexico selling stuff ad nauseum while you lay their on your beach towels with tequila and cerveza hangovers. The hat vendors were always my favorite because they would wear multiple hats on their heads like this. 

My hat goes off to them.


Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Dunce more unto the breach

 


After five years working remotely, I have returned to the office three times a week. Good soldiers do what they are told.


I used to think the phrase was "Once more into the breech." But then again, I also confused it with the Charge of the Light Brigade when it is actually from Shakespeare's Henry V.  "Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; Or close the wall up with our English dead!"

Cheery thought. 

But back to my return to the workplace. It's okay I suppose. I keep reminding myself that I worked almost 50 years going into the workplace before the pandemic and we were forced to be at home. I was 16 when I got my first job. It was before personal computers and there was no other option than going into work.  Oh there was a brief period during the 1980s that I tried telecommuting a few days a week. But it was complicated and required having a Fax modem and proving to your boss that you weren't just staying home. I didn't really like it. I was still young and enjoyed the social life.

At my age there isn't much of a social life anyway. And as we know, I began turning invisible when I turned 40 and I am now practically non-existent. 



Monday, January 13, 2025

Duct, duct, goose


It's National Rubber Ducky Day.  So I took the high road and ignored it with this duct, duct, goose design. 

And this.

I don't suppose either means much to you.






 

Sunday, January 12, 2025

Just clucking around

 

I branched out from t-shirts and offered this design as a pair of tube socks. It was a bold move on my part. Let's hope these socks don't suck. 

I also produced a pair with this design.

Whale. Oil. Beef. Hooked.


Saturday, January 11, 2025

I'll milk this for all it's worth

 


It is National Milk Day. I acknowledge it because I can't bring myself to acknowledge National Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day without throwing up a little in my mouth. Cows I can deal with.


Though not the smartest animals in the world, they are fairly innocuous. Though I did have one step on my bare foot when I was a kid and helping my friend (who lived on a farm) get the cows into pens to be milked. We were supposed to be going swimming in the creek next to his home and we couldn't until we got the cows milked. Thus I was barefoot and had a cow step on my foot. Fortunately there was a substantial amount of cow shit on the ground so my foot sank down into it when the cow stepped on it.

I do not hold a grudge. Though I will eat a hamburger now and then. 


Friday, January 10, 2025

Cry like an eagle

 


Today is Save the Eagles Day.  And I am assuming they are not talking about the "Hotel California" Eagles. I have a peaceful, easy feeling that they are talking about raptors (and not rappers). 


There I go slipping prayer into a post again.  My god.


Thursday, January 09, 2025

City of Angels in flames

 

I am not a religious person. So by "pray for" the City of Angels I mean send everyone there positive thoughts. I do believe that we can influence our environments to a certain extent by the stuff we put out there. I did find it a weird juxtaposition with Los Angeles (the City of Angels) being on fire. It seems like a battle of heaven and hell.

I have always liked the L.A. area. It started when I was 16 and went there for the first time with my high school band to play at an L.A. Rams and S.F 49ers football game. It was the first time I'd been on an airplane. My first trip to Disneyland and the first time staying at a hotel without my family. It was memorable. 

Since there I have been to Disneyland more times than I care to say and I've gone to L.A. several times to produce television ads for my work. I've also been there for several conferences.  And I can tell you I always dug the vibe of the the area.  I even sort of like downtown L.A.  So I am sad that they are suffering from wildfires. 

I did create this t-shirt design, but I didn't promote it on Blue Sky. It seemed like it would be too much like I'm trying exploit the sorrows. Not everyone would realize that this is how I express myself and I would make maybe a dollar if I sold one of the designs. 

I did post this design for National Static Electricity Day.

And what does a Faraday Cage have to do with National Static Electricity Day, you ask? A Faraday Cage works by redistributing electric charge on its conductive surface. When a static electric field is applied to the cage, the charges in the cage material rearrange themselves to cancel the field's effects inside the enclosure. This is why sensitive electronic equipment can be protected from static electricity by being placed inside a Faraday Cage.

So there.  Not that anyone bought the damned shirt anyway. I seriously doubt that a majority of the people Blue Sky even know what a Faraday Cage is, let alone want a t-shirt about it.

But trust me, the right nerd audience would be snapping them up.

And I believe I was remiss yesterday by not acknowledging Elvis' 90th birthday.


I do believe that if he was alive today, he would be shooting holes in big screen televisions instead of these old tube things. 

He also wouldn't look like this anymore.  So I am grateful that Elvis didn't live to see 90 (or for us to see him at 90).

Thank you very much.