Back from Mexico

So I'm engaged! She said yes, and she was so surprised. I had such a hard time keeping that secret. I had the ring for over a month before I asked her. There were some moments where we'd be having a conversation and I'd be just about to say something like, "Well, don't worry about that because ... I have...a monkey...that knows just what to do with bowls like that one over there!!! NO of course I don't have an engagement ring hiding in the closet, what do you take me for????"

But I didn't. Instead I sang her a song at night on the beach, and asked her to marry me. And it was a really great moment that I'll remember forever.

And of course, while we were there we took a bunch of snaps. But someone decided to sneak his way into one of them. He's kinda fuzzy in the background, but you can see what I mean. That cloud is such a photo hog.

One Week...

I'll be leaving in a week for Mexico, and I'll take some pens and pencils with me, because I'll be on the beach most of the time and probably needing something other than just a book to do. We decided to do a resort vacation because we DID the "must see everything" vacation this summer in Rome. We're thinking we could use a decompression kind of vacation where you just get out of Chicago for a week and enjoy not freezing and not doing anything you don't feel like doing. Which to mean means lots of swimming, and reading, and walking, and maybe some sketching while I'm there.

I'm trying to decide whether or not to leave the laptop at home though. I'd love to do that, and not answer email for seven days, but I have this feeling that shit will happen that needs my immediate attention if I don't bring it. Totally paranoid, not to mention narcissistic, I know. Plus, it's not like they won't have TV in the hotel, right? Maybe completely disregarding email for a week would be a great thing.

Just float like a cloud for a while.

Movin' on up!

To the west side...er...yeah.

So I'm now moved! I'm living with my lady in Ukrainian Village now, and the place is starting to look mostly unpacked kinda sorta. I'm really looking forward to having my office done, and having a place to work. I'm sure my girlfriend is looking forward to not having my art stuff all over the living room when I'm gearing up for a craft show. Thinking I'm gonna go grab a drafting table this weekend. My hope is to find something that can double as a flat worktable for pouring Milos and sculpting new toy prototypes as well.

Things have been so crazy with the move, and getting stuff settled in (in addition to spending a week and a half flat on my back due to that eeeevil flu bug that's going around, Captain Trips anyone?)

So, I'm looking forward to getting back into Milo-world very soon, and sharing that with you all. And since I don't have any pictures of me on this blog yet, I figured I'd share this favorite from our recent trip to Venezia. We saw these huddled guys on the side of a church and decided to huddle with them in fear of whatever stone menace was gunning for them. I love this snap.