What's Happening ?

Not much in my end of the world. Well, that's not quite true. I was sick to a certain extent all last week and went to the doctor. Without getting into a bunch of stuff it all comes down to more diet and exercise. Sounds easy, huh?

Well with the not-snacking thing in mind I have been playing around with the polymer clay with renewed abandon.

I bought a great book by Dinko Tilov (who has a great name at any rate) and you'll see my renditions of Dinko characters soon. Most of them have a little Eric twist to them but most are simply copies so that I can learn techniques. Yes, there are techniques to play-doh.

It's satisfying to get things wrong, wrong, wrong, then right. I can definitely tell the difference in brands and types of polymer clay now. I have made myself a tool or two and have found the store-bought ones that actually work. Although there's something fun about having a pasta machine near my computer desk, I'm doing more actual sculpting so I use the machine less and less (no need for flat clay or straight lines).

Thanks to J-Bro, I'm listening to Peeping Tom's single "Sucker" in between my favorite Tom Waits songs (they are nothing alike). Peeping Tom is the new project of the lead singer from Faith No More and this single features Norah Jones saying dirty words. Love it! Thanks J!

As far as Tom Waits… it's all good. I can't get enough of "Eyeball Kid" and "Chocolate Jesus" and "Jockey Full of Bourbon" and "Time" and "Clap Hands" and "Blind Love." Oh and "Big in Japan."

If you've never heard "Eyeball Kid," here are the lyrics. But you really need to hear it to get the whole feel. It's funny and creepy and yet will make you think.

Well Zenora Bariella
And Coriander Pyle
They had sixteen children
In the usual style
They had a curio museum
And they had no guile
All they ever wanted
Was a show biz child
So on the 7th of Dec. 1949
They got what
They'd been wishing for
All of the time
He grew up in a trailer
By the time he was 9
He rolled off to join
The circus... telling fortunes
On the side

Hail Hail, the Eyeball kid

Well the first time I saw him
Was a Saigon jail
Cost me 27 dollars
Just to go his bail
I said your name will
Be in lights...
And that's no doubt
But you got to have
A manager that's what
It's all about
People would point
People would stare
I'll always be here
To protect you and to
Cut down on the glare
I know you can't speak
I know you can't sign
So cry right here on
The dotted line

Hail Hail, the Eyeball kid

Well he was born with out a body
Not even a brow
I made the kid a promise
I made the kid a vow
He's not conventionally handsome
He'll never be tall
He said "all you got to do is
Book me into Carnegie Hall"

Hail Hail, the Eyeball kid

He's just a little bitty thing
He's just a little guy
But women go crazy
For the big blue eye
They say how does he
Dream? How does he think
When he can't ever speak
And he can't ever blink?

I said Hail Hail, the Eyeball kid
Hail Hail, the Eyeball kid

Give it up and throw me down
A couple of quid
Everybody wants to see
The Eyeball kid

How dies he dream
How does he think
When he can't even speak
And he can't even blink
We are all lost in the
Wilderness we're as
Blind as can be
He came down to teach us
How to really see

Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

So give it up and throw
Me down a couple of quid
Everybody wants to see
The Eyeball kid
Eyeball kid
Eyeball kid

What's happening with you?