Friday - 20080215-2130 - Rain - Rain from Tribe Comics; Morning; Ichiban - Color Selection and Locking Keys in Car; Lowe's - Paint Purchasing; Home - Chores and Applying Another Coat of Primer to the Living Room Wall; Home - Spraying the Brick Wall in the Front with Textured Paint; Home - An Interesting Conversation with One of the People Next Door; Home - Sanding and the Second Coat

Rain - Rain from Tribe Comics Larger Image

A very different kind of rain image from Tribe Comics - Images 1. Tribe Comics is the product of the fertile mind of Mauro Balloni, who I believe lives in Rome, Italy. I'm not certain if the image is from a comic story or an isolated image. Yet, it provides a visceral impact, as though it was an image from a William Gibson book.

As I noticed Balloni's comics, I thought about the fact that comics are in a sense the evolution of block printing. Although the style is different, the format is similar. One of the great likenesses is in the depiction of rain. Which by the nature of techniques calls for an exaggerated style. Heavily emphasized diagonal lines and delineated pools.

I remember being up early, and going back to bed soon thereafter. But the in between is a tad fuzzy.

Valspar - New Haven Clay Larger Image

My sleeping was restless when I went back to bed, so it was after 1100 before I awoke. I didn't even attempt to do any of the standard chores. Usually, Ichiban becomes extremely busy and very noisy after about 1130. But I lucked out with a table in the back that was out of the way. When I went to the restroom, I came out feeling my pockets and realized I didn't have my keys. Subconsciously, I knew something was askew when I got out of the car. Since I'd locked the keys in several months ago, , I'd bought a magnetic box and inserted an extra key, then attached the box to the under carriage.

Again, as for the last few days, I collected my various paint sample booklets and trotted off to lunch. I slowly went book by book. This color is too vivid this, too dark; this, not to my liking; etc. But today, I decided I was going to have to make a decision. And indeed I did. It's a neutral tanish-clay color called "New Haven Clay" by Valspar. It's a good medium between being too dark or too light. I'm sure it will appear darker on the wall.

The large image shows it in a kitchen with a wall behind it in a lighter color - "Sahara Sands." I also noticed that it shows the woodwork painted in something other than white: in this case "Western Brown."

I could not quite remember where the box was, but I found it after a couple of minutes. What a life saver.

I glanced around at the book cases and floor samples while I was there. The book cases are inexpensive, but they look almost flimsy. And the floor samples vary so much that as usual, I came away very frustrated.

In the paint section, I indicated what color I wanted and asked for it in eggshell, which should give it a slight shine.

Once I got home I quickly did all the chores I normally would have done earlier. Then I applied another coat of primer to the living room wall, but it still did not cover the flaws caused by the removal of the granite paint. I decided my only alternative was to wait for this coat to dry, then go over the wall with the sander - again. Then apply another coat.

As you'll recall, I bought six cans of grey textured paint the other day at WalMart. When I first started this infernal project, I worked on the stoop and front steps, then I opted to try it one the grey brick wall under the front steps. But I'd run out of paint. So I tried to finish up with one of the WalMart cans; but as luck would have it, the color it almost solid gray. I really wanted the motley gray and black color of the cans from Lowe's. So this means another trip to buy more cans from Lowe's. Will this accursed project never end!

I saw one of the people next door washing his car, and I told it was probably going to rain within 30 minutes. He mentioned did I know about the tornado that touched down a few blocks away earlier in the week. And I did not. I'd noticed something on-line but did not read the details, so I had no idea it was so near.

I turns out he's a student at one of the local "business colleges" studying computer management. Which immediately let to a fascinating half-hour conversation on technology. He gets his Internet access via his cell phone. Something that I've read about, but not examined. The speeds he mentioned are much better than the land line connection I have.

He also indicated that earlier in the week, he had downloaded some software to a computer without virus protection that turned the register to guacamole.

I mentioned I might know of a site that might have some free virus software. And we talked about some other quirky nerdy stuff, so I now owe him links to a number of quirky, nerdy sites.

I waited another hour or so, the routed out the sander and felt the wall for imperfections, then sanded accordingly. It was not as tiresome as I was afraid it was going to be/.

Next up, I thought I'd be clever and use a can of primer that I used on the exterior. MISTAKE! It was entirely too thin and ran down the wall like splashed milk. I immediately switched back to the heavier white primer I'd used before. And I do believer, this might have done the trick. I'll need to examine it in the daylight to be sure.

(In Friday - 2008-0215-2130 / Out - 2008-0216-0030) This entry was written in a single setting.

Pax! Erin go braugh! Je accuse...