Trashball 011208: El Dragon Infernal

Found this Mexican Kung-Fu movie poster/lobby card for a mere $3.00 at the local junk shop.

Often Asked, Seldom Answered

I decree today that life
Is simply taking and not giving

England is mine and it owes me a living

Ask me why, and i'll spit in your eye

Oh, ask me why, and i'll spit in your eye

But we cannot cling to the old dreams anymore

No, we cannot cling to those dreams

Does the body rule the mind

Or does the mind rule the body?

I dunno...

Under the iron bridge we kissed

And although i ended up with sore lips

It just wasn't like the old days anymore

No, it wasn't like those days

Am i still ill?

Oh ...Am i still ill?

Does the body rule the mind

Or does the mind rule the body?

I dunno...

Ask me why, and i'll die

Oh, ask me why, and i'll die

And if you must go to work tomorrow

Well, if i were you i really wouldn't bother

For there are brighter sides to life

And i should know, because i've seen them

But not often ...

Under the iron bridge we kissed

And although i ended up with sore lips

It just wasn't like the old days anymore

No, it wasn't like those days

Am i still ill?

Oh ...Oh, am i still ill?

Lyrics/music by Morrissey & Marr

The Smiths

Patent Pending

I found this superb poem by Hugo Williams in the Feb. 2008 issue of Harper's.

Old Motel Postcards

Well, I decided I must liquidate my 1500+ collection of fabulous old motel postcards, including the Skyliner Motel of Concordia, Kansas, and the Baker Hill Motor Court of Bowling Green, Kentucky. If you dig this kind of stuff, check them out here as I s-l-o-w-l-y list them.

Personal Trashball

I've been rummaging through boxes for crap to sell on eBay lately and it's been nothing if not a Proustian exercise. Among some of my effects, I found these three items. First is a sticker I designed for a campaign we at PETA were working on during the summer of 1988 (I think) to ban the carriage-horse trade. That was a long, hot summer, and we spent every day on the National Mall videotaping and taking notes of the horses' condition.

Next is a picture from circa 1992 of my brother Mike, looking suitably impressed by what must be either the worst or best wallpaper ever designed, manufactured, and installed. This was in a remote Canadian village somewhere, on our way to a fishing trip. (Yes, by this time, I was no longer affiliated with PETA.)

And here is a shot of the shadows cast during a partial solar eclipse sometime while I was in college, probably around 1993. The ten minutes or so it lasted were sublime. The light and air were honeyed and the best place to look was at the ground, where the leaves in the trees cast these amazing elliptical shadows.

Trashball 010608: What Is This Man Doing?

Can anybody out there tell me what this man is doing? What is that machine, and why is he wearing headphones? Is it simply an early switchboard? A prototype Bose stereo? Is it an old picture of Steve Jobs? I'm keen to know the answer, so please use the comments section if you can suss it out.

Trashball 010608: Lui Fa una Bella Figura

I don't know who this guy is, but I like the cut of his jib.

Oh wait, I just looked at the back of the photo. It reads: "Souvenir of your student Federico on the river-boat along the Seine, Paris August 1960."

Trashball 010608: Highland Pot Roast

Email me if you want the recipe, just make sure you've got plenty of rump beef and catsup. That's right, I spelled it catsup.

Trashball 010608: A Most Dubious "Recipe"

Presented for your gustatory pleasure, a "recipe" for Hamburgers with Cheez Whiz from a circa 1960 Kraft Foods mailer. Uh, does this really qualify as a recipe? Seems pretty darn straightforward to me. Further on in the mailer, there's a recipe for boiling water. Okay, not really, but still.

Trashball 010608: Drink Ticket Talisman

So, among my Trashball stock, I came across this 1982 drink coupon from the 9:30 Club, which was very important to the development of the famous DC punk scene. After extensive research (okay, about 15 minutes) online, I was unable to find out who played on the night of September 2, 1982. But around this time you could regularly see acts like Bad Brains, Minor Threat, and I discovered that young REM played a gig there in November '82.

Book of the Day: Heavy Water

Heavy Water, by Martin Amis. Amis is my favorite writer, which makes it all the funnier that the inscription by my friend Nicola, who bought the 1st edition for me in the UK (and which was later signed by Amis himself), reads, "Much as it galls me to buy a book by Shorty, I hope you like it." Like it? I love it! Thanks again, Mistress.

Virgie

"Virgie", Goodwin painting for sale. 24 x 18", acrylic and flame on canvas. $203. Click on price to buy.

Jesusmouth!

Pat Boone
Mother Teresa

Jim Bakker

I'm working on a (growing) suite of rusty cans featuring the mouths of evangelicals and other so-called Christians. My source material is a stack of circa 1980 religion magazines and rusty steel cans dating as far back as the 1950s. Here are three so far.

Friday Cat Blog: A Tribute to Milo

Poor dear old Milo has had a challenging life. For 9 years, friends and strangers alike have heaped scorn upon him, for his Harvey-Keitel-in-Bad-Lieutenant barrel belly; for his unfortunate inability to stop drooling; for his little ratty tail; for his frequent hairballing; for his gas-passing; for his runny right eyeball; for his coarse, dandruffy hair; and—most especially—for the dead little toe on his left rear paw that looks like a dried-up black bean. But the other day I found him in an utter zen state. The photo catches a split second of what turned out to be 30 minutes of immobile dignity. He seemed, at last, to be at peace. (I eventually checked to see that he was still breathing. He was.)

Trashball 010408: Question for a Napkin

Cathy and Doron, I have a question for you. First off, after more than 14 years, are you still together? Odds are 50-50, I suppose. And if you're not, what's left besides napkins and recrimination and regret? Do you still love each other? I devoutly hope so. If you are still together, how did you do it?

The Letterman Beard

Man oh man. Since 1982 I've been watching—with varying degrees of loyalty—David Letterman. But I just cannot wrap my mind around the idea of his beard. He puts the weird in beard.

Trashball 010308: She's Got Helen Eyes

I have many photos of this woman. In each, she casts a skeptical eye to the camera, just as she does in this one. Where is she? Morocco? (She's the one at far right)

Trashball 010308: Now THERE Is an Understanding Woman

Click on it and read.

Trashball 010308: Poor Mr. Peerman

Just found this inside a paperback of To Kill a Mockingbird I bought at a thrift store.

Soroctil, Again

"Soroctil, Again". Goodwin painting for sale. 10" x 10", acrylic on board. $243. Click on price to purchase.

Trashball 010308: My Little Tin Globe Bank No Longer Jingles

Yes, that's right, it's the first-ever Trashball pledge drive! There are many loyal readers and—at the risk of sounding like I work for NPR—you can show your appreciation by making a contribution. NOTE: The are no mugs or tote bags. If so inclined, you can send something, anything, via PayPal to chris[at]goodwinart.com. Try not to assume others will do it.

P.S.—Dang, my hand is starting to look old.

You Must Remember This....

Sale on now.

Album of the Day: The High Llamas

Hawaii is the CD I love to listen to most when I paint. It is just absolutely gorgeous and—with 2 discs—a very long player.

Flying over New York City

I found this video via BoingBoing, wherein a man throws a well made paper airplane from an upper floor and captures its flight on video. So simple and lovely, plus it's got a nice soundtrack.

Trashball 010108: Those Darn Healthcare Costs

Here's a portion of a 1938 hospital bill. Room cost per day: $4.50. Yesterday, I received a bill for nearly $1,700 (uninsured, so too bad for me) for approx. 5 hours I spent—largely being ignored—at the local hospital last week. I include a very small portion of the new bill for illustrative purposes. That $39.75 must have been for the over-the-counter Tylenol I requested and, 2 hours later, received.

Album of the Day: Marc Cary

Marc Cary: Rhodes Ahead, Vol. 1

Trashball 010108: More Fun Postcard Messages

A simple 4-word message on the back of this postcard: "Fellatio! Fellatio! Fellatio! Fellatio!" I can't quarrel with that...

In 1971, Irv wrote to Sandra: "See, I had thought that my classes were in this building but really they were in a very similar building across the quad. You might say I was a little embarrased!"

A Balanced Load

Bill Griffith's Zippy the Pinhead has long been my favorite strip, and this one from 1997 is one of my faves. Zippy often has very profound things to say about laundry.

Happy New Year, &c

Trashball 123007: A 20% Raise Is a 20% Raise!

Nice going, Miss Marion, of the year 1920, at Bonbright & Co.!

Trashball 123007: Woosey—Doopey—Tired

It's March 27, 1981, and Stan sends a postcard to his pal Ted from the Bethesda Memorial Hospital in Boynton Beach, Florida:

Had slight heart attack have been here for a week. After release from intensive care today, one week under observation & one week under Florida sun will be home on 4/10. Am woosey—doopey—tired but am now 187 lbs. B.P. 120/73. Have to go on strict diet. No sausage, ham, franks, salt, fats. Will go on period of exercise on release. ~Stan

Well, his blood pressure beats mine. Hope you're still around and ordering soup, Stan!

Album of the Day: The Music Lovers

The Music Lovers: The Words We Say Before We Sleep

Trashball 122907: Favorite Microcosm of the Year

Ahh, religion. Like shooting fish in a barrel. From yesterday's Albuquerque Journal. Click on picture to read.

The Catastrophic Advice Column—My New Venture

Provide me with the inaugural advice-seeking question at my new site, Catastrophic Advice.

The Good Life

Think it's time I cleaned my room.

Royal Manor Motel Carlsbad Then and Now

As a long-time collector of vintage postcards of motels, I was very happy to get several circa 1960 cards from the once-glorious Royal Manor Motel in Carlsbad, NM, when I checked in last night. When I awoke this morning, I tried to line up the same shot of the motel as that on the postcard in order to demonstrate the sad decline of this place. So here are, respectively, the original 1960 postcard (with pool inset), and how it all looks as of 12-28-07. P.S., the bathroom light cover fell to the floor twice last night as I slept, waking me in a panic. You'll note that the greatest loss in the intervening decades is that of the original signage.

The Deep Thoughts of Jenna Bush

Over at McSweeney's, Steve Arnold has done a marvelous piece of writing. We are treated to Jenna's book-tour diary.

Trashball 121907: The Long Evangelistic Team

So, I was at the Goodwill and was thinking about buying some cheap old LPs to make them into bowls when I came across this one by the Long Evangelistic Team, titled "We've Gotta Keep On Movin'". It was the cover, of course, that appealed to me. I googled them and looked them up on eBay, and all I can find is an identical copy being sold for $500.00 on eBay. Which I think might be ridiculous. That said, if anybody wants this record, I'll sell it for less than $500.00.

Soma Tallboy Rusty Can Art

Stick a flower in it. Buy it for $25.00 postpaid by clicking here.

Head with Tie Can Art

Click here to buy for $25.00 postpaid. Looks real nice on a shelf.

Trashball + Art Holiday Fun Package Special!

Spice up your and your loved ones' holiday mercantile orgy with a genuine Trashball + Art Holiday Fun Package Special! For $20 postpaid (in the U.S.; intl buyers, we'll work it out), you'll get a unique package that includes 15 genuine Trashballs plus an original small work of art by yours truly. The art might be a painting, drawing, collage, signed print, etc., and will be my choice. Click here to buy via Paypal or contact me at chris[at]goodwinart.com if you'd prefer mailing payment. I'll do my best to get everything delivered by Xmas, but can't guarantee. Besides, it's fun getting presents just when you think it's all over.

The Ol' Marfa, Texas Loop

I recently returned from a delightful drive that included a Van Horn-Marfa-Van Horn loop. I saw many things, including the Prada Marfa store, Davis Mountains State Park, a very dead deer skull complete with flesh-eating insects, javelinas, a gorgeous sunset, and an unwitting visit to a set from Tommy Lee Jones' superlative film "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada". A selection of my photos from the trip are here at Flickr.