The current Illustration Friday challenge word is “paisley”. Gerome Ragni performed in several small theatre productions until he collaborated with fellow actor James Rado on the first Broadway musical to celebrate hippie culture Hair. Hair was unlike anything that was previously presented on the Great White Way. Audiences were assaulted and enraptured by free-form dancing, …
My dad was a simple man and he loved simple things. He loved the Philadelphia Phillies. He loved breakfast at the Heritage Diner. And he loved pornography. I’m not talking about the occasional Playboy magazine that, as a nine-year old, I stumbled across hidden under some shirts in a bottom drawer or the lurid novel stashed …
I began to observe kashrut (keeping kosher) shortly after I got married in 1984. I figured it was easier than trying to explain to our (potential) children “why Mommy eats this but Daddy eats whatever he wants.” So, without as much sacrifice as I had anticipated, I eliminated shellfish, bacon, pork chops and the mixing …
“When you’re a kid, you can be friends with anybody. Remember when you were a little kid what were the qualifications? If someone’s in front of my house NOW, That’s my friend, they’re my friend. That’s it. Are you a grown up.? No. Great! Come on in. Jump up and down on my bed. And …
This week’s Illustration Friday challenge word is “linked”. “There have been people who have tried to take advantage of me. They want to be linked to me just because I’m Ethel Merman.” Ethel Merman That quote from Ethel Merman, about herself, is baffling. One would think a more charismatic celebrity with a more compelling …
It was 1978. I sat behind the wheel of my mom’s ’69 Ford Galaxie trying out my newly acquired driver’s license. Sam sat on the passenger side of the huge vinyl bench seat. We talked as I maneuvered the Galaxie down Bustleton Avenue in northeast Philadelphia, when suddenly Sam screamed “What the fuck are you …
Continue reading ‘from my sketchbook: an extra piece for Sam’ »
The current challenge on the Monday Artday illustration website is “castaway”. Earlier this week, Corey Haim, another former child actor with a hard-luck story, passed away at a young age. Corey was just another in a long line of former child actors following an unfortunate path Dana Plato at 35, Brad Renfro at 25, …
This week’s Monday Artday challenge word is “train”. I have been riding the train to work for almost three years. It is a pleasure to let someone else take the responsibility of being in charge of my morning and evening commute. I don’t worry about traffic or weather or other drivers. I also get to …
This week Illustration Friday challenge word is “muddy”. Twenty-eight and a half inches of snow fell on Philadelphia today and it got me thinking about warmer times. On the first Saturday of June 2008, my family and I attended The Appel Farm Arts and Music Festival, an annual outdoor all-day concert. This particular show was …
This week’s challenge word on the Illustration Friday website is “hatch”. “Hurry up, Ma! Hurry before they hatch!” A little background… I was at a total loss for this challenge when it was announced early on Friday morning. My mind was blank. I had no ideas at all. That afternoon, I went to lunch with my …
