Lots has been happening - Matt, my best friend, flew to Austin after Burning Man and has been living with Patrick and I for a little over a month... He is sleeping on our couch, living out of his suitcase (reminds me of our roadtrip years ago)
Austin City Limits was this past weekend - Spent the entire weekend, dancing, laughing, saturated in fantastic music.... The Local Natives were amazing live and Mayer Hawthorne put on a great set as well. ACL festival was very healing for the soul.... but it was not very healing for the body - Our entire house has been recooperating from cold/flu/strep throat for the past week..... On the upside, I won the PopChips challenge on Facebook this week! Thanks to all who voted, I know it is a pain-in-the-butt voting for people - But you helped me win a Platinum badge to SXSW Festival ($995 value) - I will be able to attend conferences for: publishing events, blogging events, social media events - Most importantly, I will be allowed to cut any line at SXSW..... And that, my friends, is well worth all that clicking you had to do on Facebook... : )
As I type this, Matthew and I are gearing up for a whirlwind modeling tour to Chicago - My mustang is still broken down in our parking lot, so I am going to be driving Pat's Outback - The trip should take 10 days to get to Chicago and 10 days to get back to Austin - I feel so rusty.... I haven't booked a real modeling trip in almost four months now.... If I had started booking four weeks ago, I would have made $4000, now I will be lucky if I make $2000, everyone has already booked their models for the month....
This week, I was inspired to paint a mural on my wall... Pulled up one of my favorite artists, Amy Sol (painting to the left is the original print) and decided to get kinda funky and colorful with the Windy Panda Bear painting.... Lots of bright oranges, deep reds, and browns.... Years ago, I used to paint murals as a part-time job - And I have to say, that after five years of not picking up a paint brush, I was amazed that I can still create something this beautiful... I love how it inspires me and clears my head - I have not felt this great about creating something in years....
As my new buddy, Doug in Joplin MO, would say, "It isn't a London Andrew's trip unless it is last minute and unorganized...." - Alas, that statement is very true.... The Midwest did not pan out for me as well as I hoped.... I found very little work between Dallas and Milwaukee - Not sure if this is because I booked it last minute (within two weeks notice), if the economy is bad, if it is the Midwest, or if it is just me.... I don't know.... either way, the drive has been incredibly beautiful .... and... As usual, I am incredibly broke...
