After Egon Schiele

Bulusan Volcano, Philippines

"Daddy, " Sean, my 8 yo son asked me, "Why are sea songs so happy when there are all those sunken ships at the bottom of the ocean?"

I've been thinking about that recently.

We went on a road trip this last weekend up to the northern coast of the island. We camped out on the beach and in the morning, across the sea, Bulusan volcano loomed large, shrouded in clouds.

I drank my coffee at sunrise by the water. A crane came by and hung out with me for a while.

Akae Beka - Manger

.

Tunji

ballpoint pen and alcohol

Calbayog City 2024

I tinkered with this drawing a lot. To the point where the paper is falling apart.

Audioslave - I am the Highway

.

.

T.I.B.W.F.

The BUDOS BAND

colored pencil, calbayog city, 2025

I was doing this one all in reds and yellows, and it was on fire!

So, I decided to give the fire a bit of definition with dark blue lines, and, I might have gotten a bit carried away with the blue, but then, and I'm not sure why I didn't expect this but, I got these lovely browns.

We call that serendipity.

As a side note, Sean, my nine year old son says this is the worst drawing I've ever made..

He's a harsh critic.

before the blue

.

I found you - Mizo version

Ruth Tochhawng vocals

Black & Red Sharpie

Los Angeles 2020

Dear Tumblr,

Please Po, fix our Tumblr connection here in the Philippines.

Update:

Our Tumblr connection has been repaired. All is good here in the Philippines.

Thank you Po ❤️

.

.

Johnny

pencil drawing, glendale, 1977

I used to drink entirely too much. Not something I'm particularly proud of but it's just the truth.

I used to go out carousing with my friends on weekend nights terrorizing the Los Angeles metropolis in drunken drugged out all night insanities.

It was fun, actually. Later in life, it stopped being fun. But when we were young, going out at night and being crazy was great fun.

I made the above drawing after one such night with my comrade Johnny. We had left a string of terror down Sunset Blvd. that night, and after we got back to my place, in the wee small hours of the morning, Johnny passed out on my couch. There he sat like an angel, but trust me, behind that gentle face slept a maniac.

And me? I was never too drunk to draw.

A few minutes after I drew the above drawing I felt a bit looser so I drew another one that better captured the spirit.

pencil drawing, glendale, 1977

Oh, for the record, I stopped drinking in 1995.

I had an appointment one morning with a judge who gave me a chilling ultimatum that scared the shit out of me and that I wisely heeded.

Cold turkey.

Thirty years now.

Sometimes I can't believe I survived my youth.

Thank you Judge Sawyer.

.

Apocalypse

Cigarettes after sex - Apocalypse,

pencil drawing, calbayog city, 2025

Once upon a time we were alive,

and for just that moment,

we looked around, in awe.

Calbayog City, 2025

.

Non-thinking

Alan Watts - Non-thinking

black pen, monrovia, 1996

Alan Watts

.

black sharpie

Hollywood CA 2019

A couple more older drawings just because they're cool.

This morning my eight year old son Sean told me matter of factly, "Frogs can jump higher than the Eiffel Tower."

"No they can't." I said.

"But dad," he said starting to laugh, "the Eiffel Tower can't jump."

Moments like these I just sit back and take it.

Presently he controlled his laugh and asked me,

"Daddy, do you know why dinosaurs don't eat fish?

He looked at me innocently.

"No." I said and braced myself.

"Cuz they're dead!"

He's holding his sides laughing.

We were in my office. I was working on a drawing. He sat down on the floor and began playing with his legos.

Presently he looked up at me and asked, "Daddy, are the suction cups on octopus tentacles like plungers?"

I paused for a moment to take in that image.

"Yah," I said, "pretty much so."

"They don't let in the air." he said knowingly like he'd already figured this one out. Then he stopped and thought for a moment like wait a second..

"Daddy," he asked me, "is there air in water?"

"Well, yah," I said, "There is air disolved in water."

"Then why can't we breath under water?" He asked.

Hmmm.. That's actually a good question. How can I explain..

My mind raced for a moment considering semi-permeable membranes, concentration gradients, oxygen partial pressure, selective transport, hemoglobin binding capacity.. and..

I breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed.

That shit's over.

"Little dude, we're in the Philippines now." I laughed. "Go ask an octopus."

"Hey dad." He said after a moment. "Do you know why the skeleton didn't climb he mountain."

I braced mysef.

"Cuz he didn't have the guts." He said. Running away laughing.

Calbayog City 2024

black sharpie

Hollywood CA 2019

Blaze Foley - If I could only fly

black sharpie on paper

Monrovia 1996

Almost felt you touching me just now Wish I knew which way to turn and go Feel so good, then I feel so bad Wonder what I ought to do

If I could only fly, if I could only fly I'd bid this place goodbye and come and be with you But I can hardly stand, I got no where to run Another sinking sun, one more lonely night

- Blaze Foley

Black sharpie and colored pencil

Westwood 1985

.