JoPapa

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I've been avoiding writing this post, not because it's not important to me but because it's very personal and I think that personal stuff sometimes needs a chance to dry before it is hung out for others to see. I have honestly experienced very little loss in my life (knock on wood) and consider this a blessing because I have an extremely tender constitution and emotions like a wet doily. The loss of my Grandpa Kelsch at the end of last week, however, I think deserves more than a pool of tears and heartaches (although I assure you that those are present as well).

You see, my grandpa was unlike anyone else I've ever met. If you'd ever met him you wouldn't forget. I've tried many times in the past to describe him to people and paint a picture of him so that others could feel his love for life but I've never quite been able to capture him in a way that does justice to the man that he was. He was a passionate, brilliant artist and recently painted this portrait of himself better than I would ever be able to with words.

I've come to realize as I get older that there are few people who ever do exactly what they want to with their life. Few people focus on their passion. My grandpa was one of the few. He loved art and he loved his family and they were his life. Every time I reflect on what I'm doing with my life I can't help but ask myself if I will ever love it as much as my grandpa loved touching his brush to a canvas. He was a gloriously jolly dude because he did what he loved.... and he took the time to learn to do it well. He also loved people which gave a soul to his work and those he shared life with.

Ever since I was a little squirt, I wanted to be just like my Grandpa Kelsch. I didn't get to see him often because of distance but I loved sitting with him while he painted a La Jolla landscape or sketched a portrait. I remember one time in particular that he sat with me and taught me a lesson on how to use a charcoal pencil. The vision of his hands running along the paper was hypnotizing to me and the scratch on the paper was a song I will never forget.

Everything he ever gave to me I've cherished. The other night I sat looking at a few of his paintings that I've been lucky enough to be gifted over the years and can't help but hear the echoes of his joy. He wasn't really called 'grandpa' to us or 'dad' by his kids. He was Jopapa to all of us. And we were dude, dudettes, and things were always 'swell' or 'spiffy'. Words were like candy to Jopapa and they are some of my sweetest memories. I've spent a lot of my life reading beautiful words from brilliant authors but none will ever have the effect that his did when he told me that I was "one snazzy dude."

Part of me wants to sit here and wallow in the misery of the loss of one of my best buddies but I can guarantee that that isn't the flavor of of fizzy wizzy that he'd want me to drink. While you'll be missed intensely, Jopapa, I want you to know that it's because of you that I continue to search for the passion that can consume me and bring life to my soul. It's because of you that I give my kids nicknames and try to be silly with them even when I'm tired. I'll miss you but I know that I'll see you and Jomama again after you guys have had a chance to paint a beautiful canvas for our family in the next life.

Shakespeare + Star Wars = The Ultimate #Nerdgasm

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How do you create the perfect marriage of all things awesome?

You combine Shakespeare and Star Wars. Yes, this new book, William Shakespeare's Star Wars by Ian Doescher is just about the best piece of literature ever created - and I'm making that judgement without ever having read it.

Now naturally you'll be blessed with a more in-depth review once I actually receive my copy in the mail but I can't fathom how this jewel could be anything less than amazing. Aside from the absolutely genius story combination, the author has also made sure that the book is jam packed with Victorian style illustrations in a beautiful hard cover edition. To me this sounds divine. If you want a copy of your own, you can snag it at most online book sellers. Here's a link to it on Amazon.

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a double helping of epic geekiness

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Artist Matthew Olin is the genius responsible for these typographical masterpieces.

Anatomical paper art

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I came across this stellar art series when I was surfing streetanatomy.com and couldn't help but re-post it. There is about anatomical art that gets my geek flag waving! The human body is incredibly beautiful and I love it when someone captures it well in a work of art. Some people think it's creepy but I've been called worse... by my own kids.



The artist is Lisa Nilsson and you can see some of her work at the Boston University Art Gallery show "Teaching the Body". Believe it or not, these pieces are made from a bunch of tiny rolled up bits of paper.

enjoy your dessert the 'natural' way

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Ever want to eat your dessert on plate that looks like a testicle? Well, you're in luck! Medical illustrator Emily Evans designed these plates to look like histological samples of different body tissues. Enjoy your flan on testicle, liver, thyroid and esophagus.

Don't mind if I do! Get em here.

Geek Art: Lady Edition

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I would really love to get my hands on a copy of these superhero lady prints by Baz Pringle. They remind me of my more innocent days on those saucy nights when I was a little nipper staying up late reading comics and would catch a frame of Catwoman or Wonder Woman and my tiddly-bits would get all tingly. Of course those were the olden days...

The knitted brain

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Today is the first day I've ever considered taking up knitting and it's all thanks to this picture. 

I can imagine myself sitting with a bunch of old bats talking about our hemorrhoids and adult diapers while we knit intricate models of the female reproductive system or lower limb vascular trees. It would be a hoot.

crazy weird photography by Julien Palast

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http://www.behance.net/palast

Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em: Zombie Art

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Art by JP Valderrama for the Zombie Art show at Bottleneck Gallery in NYC.

Robot Inside Me

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Despite the wild assumptions I can see some of you making based on the title of this post, no, I was not recently violated by a cyborg. That is, in fact, what Deviantart user Arisusandasu called this glorious body paint job. 

Everything is incredible

Pin It Definitely makes me want to build a helicopter....



Everything is Incredible from Tyler Bastian on Vimeo.

Mother Nature is kind of awesome

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Ascendance from Henry Jun Wah Lee / Evosia on Vimeo.

Super sad

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Photos of super sad people by Nicolas Silberfaden

X-Men / Star Wars cross-over

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Behold the imagination of Rey Arzeno

Poster: Hasta La Vista, BROTHER by Jon Smith [#manly]

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I think hanging this print on my wall would make a little bit more manly...

Rock posters by Rhys Cooper [#NerdCave]

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Perhaps I'm just on a poster kick right now but I can't get enough of Rhys Cooper (he's the one who designed my new Beastie Boys poster). These can be filed under 'Nerd Cave Needs'.