Mighty Aphrodite (Miramax, please don't sue)

Well, this past weekend was pretty fun...I drove up to LA to see my parents and attended a couple of shindigs. First off, congrats to Trey Hodges for a fine gallery opening. Kick ass work, at an affordable price. It also helped that his mom wouldn't stop feeding me...How did she know that I can't say "no" to anything edible?

On Sunday I also participated in the 1st Annual LA Animation Festival with such special guests such as John K aaand, uhhhh, John K. Oh joy was it killer meeting the man behind Spumco. We laughed, we cried, we had only 4 awkward pauses within the entire conversation. I hope I didn't make too much of an ass of myself, what with the constant salivation and silent, soul piercing admiration. He did however check out my sketchbook after which he quietly took out a lighter and set it ablaze. He then cautiously stomped out the fire, spit on the ashes, and said "Uh, I have to go over here now." Best afternoon ever.

Over the past year, some of you may have wondered "who has Tal met and befriended." I know I have. Since I covered the a dream in the last post I figured I'd cover real life character initiation in this one. What I mean is finding people who are so unique from your current perspective that hanging out with them almost colapses the universe on itself. Welcome to "Character 453" (prereq's are required). Let's call her Aphrodite for symbolic sake.

I first saw mighty Aphrodite when I passed her apartment and her door had been open. Inside, she lay nude with another girl on top of her as a young man, perhaps 18-25, was getting dressed. She casually said "hi" within all this melee and we somehow started hanging out for the next few months. She did any drug except for Marijuana and Alcohol and would instigate an orgy (which I would attend but take no part in) at her place almost on a nightly basis. I should add that she was 17 and her parents (in LA) had no idea of her whereabouts.


I got the chance to draw her a few times in a couple of styles (although unfortunately not in the nude; what's better than a free model?) She moved out is why. While she was here though I thought it'd be cool to change her and get her to quit all of the shit she had gotten herself into. It's not just an arc for her, but a saintly "big brother" arc for myself ('cause as we all know I'm far from it). I learned that we can also force story to occur within our daily lives. To manipulate people to feel and choose to do, whatever we want from them. Playing God you say? Whoever said anything about "playing"?