Weekend Recap

I'm too tired to give a full recap on my Ohio/Kentucky visit, but not much exciting to report anyway. So here are a few short tidbits:

+ This guy is a genius.

Jason is an old friend of mine and I'm lucky to say we've kind of reconnected over the last year or two. Write down his name on a piece of paper and put it away somewhere. Then, in a few years, when he's huge, you'll say you heard about him before he got there. His Web site is cool, but it does no justice to his paintings, which, when you see them in person, will make you question everything. I visited his home studio on Thursday night and was amazed at his talent.

+ Our boy Barry also was in town over the weekend. He displayed great courage by saying, "Screw this," and packed everything up to move to San Francisco nearly three years ago. He too has some big things ahead, but I can't divulge them here.

+ Jason took Barry and I to his neighborhood joint Hoggies for some hangover food on Friday. Yes, it's called Hoggies. That's enough on that.

+ My art show went well Friday night. Thanks to the many of you who wished me well or showed up or asked how it went. Thanks to gallery owner Nancy Stephens for hosting me. And thanks also to those who made purchases. I enjoy receiving money, especially if it means you're putting something up on your wall that I created.

+ Later, walking up to meet friends at a bar, a gal was standing outside of it so as to inhale a cigarette, so we began to chat. I typically don't like being around cigarettes, but just like any other man of strong will and principle, I talked to this one because she was hot. Her immature male friend, standing inside the doorway, thought he'd play the role of stand-up comedian for their friends and gyrate in front of the windowed-front door and make fun of my shirt that I was wearing a little more open than most men wear theirs. It's funny; I've gone with the open shirt for about five years now, and the only place where people aren't comfortable with it is in Cincinnati. I used to be quite critical of Cincinnati, but after a couple of positive visits the last 12 months, I've relaxed that view some. After all, I did spend 14 years there, so there certainly are many good friendships that I cherish. But it's also the only city where a few friends are former friends. That city loves its judgmentalism, as well as its grudges. And its light-colored blue jeans, brown shoes and plaid buttondowns from The Gap, and if you're a male wearing something else in Cincinnati, there is something seriously wrong with you. It's weakly comical.

So after funny guy was done showing Brittany that he viewed me as a threat to blow up his spot, she and I walked in and had a drink together. Jason and I talked to her and her hot friend Caitlyn for the entire time we were there. Except for the five minutes I spent recovering from when Jason hit me in the balls. For the most part, though, just some good, old-fashioned conversation.

+ I'm glad I paid for a nice hotel room that I returned to at 9 a.m. so I could sleep until 11 a.m. That was the deal Saturday, before I rolled over to Tom and Margie's to shoot their 10-week-old baby Ella. Then over to Guy and Amanda's to shoot their 3-week-old baby Reese. I haven't yet closely examined my shots, but something tells me I'm far from a portrait guy.

+ Drove my rented Impala down to Louisville, where the social turnout was surprisingly disappointing at Brendan's on Saturday night. Perhaps Cincinnatians aren't the only ones with a grudge!

+ But it was certainly excellent to see this guy. John Boel has become one of my best friends in recent years, partly because he's the kind of guy who will go to Dutch's in Louisville to watch his beloved Green Bay Packers by himself on a Sunday and order a pitcher of beer and just one plastic cup.

+ Sunday was boring except for the gathering at Ben's crib, where I drank a few beers, ate lots of food and watched the Tribe lose Game Three to the Yankees.

I guess that was a full recap. You may wake up now.