When you don't care enough to send the very best (Jack Bog's Blog)

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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on December 2, 2009 9:30 AM. The previous post in this blog was Tolls due on Portland roads by 2012. The next post in this blog is Grouch gets results. Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.

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« Tolls due on Portland roads by 2012 | Main | Grouch gets results »

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

When you don't care enough to send the very best

Here's a holiday gift suggestion for that someone on your gift list whom you wouldn't miss if he or she weren't there.

Posted at 9:30 AM | Permalink

Comments (14)

I bet it took them years of training to learn to draw that badly.

Posted by tom | December 2, 2009 9:57 AM

Okay, this is kind of morbid, but I think it would be cool to have a portrait done on the seeded paper of a family member or friend who had died, and then "plant" the portrait in the ground to create a memorial flower garden. Once it's planted, who cares if the portrait was poorly drawn?

Posted by Linda Kruschke | December 2, 2009 10:51 AM

Slimy Sam should hire him as Portland artist in residence to do poorly drawn renderings of our poorly run city government. He could also act as official sketch artist for the Chasse trial. Wonder if he could capture that inner Humphreys.

Posted by Gannicott | December 2, 2009 11:08 AM

Or hire this person to do all the PDC renderings...
Poor projects deserve poor art!

Posted by portland native | December 2, 2009 12:00 PM

I just ordered a double-portrait for my one year anniversary that is coming up later this month. The paper anniversary. I cannot wait to see this!

Jack, I will send you the results.

Posted by Kevin | December 2, 2009 12:15 PM

Wasn't there a recent discussion hear about the inappropriate use of the expression retard? Just where must we draw the line?

Posted by Dean | December 2, 2009 12:31 PM

"I just ordered a double-portrait for my one year anniversary that is coming up later this month. The paper anniversary. I cannot wait to see this!"

I mean this with all sincerity Kevin that you've set a very high bar for yourself. Best of luck in maintaining it.

Posted by Tom | December 2, 2009 1:05 PM

I can see great potential in the marketing of mediocrity. Inspired by the poor portrait artist's minimal success, I am going to offer the writing of customized crappy love poetry for Valentine's Day.

Posted by Gil Johnson | December 2, 2009 2:10 PM

"I can see great potential in the marketing of mediocrity"

You haven't been to a first Thursday event in Portland lately have you?

Posted by tom | December 2, 2009 2:30 PM

"I can see great potential in the marketing of mediocrity"

You haven't been to a first Thursday event in Portland lately have you?

Or taken a recent look at some of Portland's public art.

Posted by none | December 2, 2009 2:58 PM

I think the artist started his/her career by drawing Ligers.

Posted by Travis | December 2, 2009 3:14 PM

The headline reminds me of that great country song "If the phone don't ring, you'll know it's me."

Posted by George Anonymuncule Seldes | December 2, 2009 4:50 PM

Am I missing something? I bet those drawings are better than what most people who post on this blog can render..I wish I could draw that well..... if you want to evaluate mediocrity, listen to rap music... PS - I agree with that commentor about what is presented as art at first Thursday events... it used to be that to become a noted artist, you first had to master the human form... then you could distort it into what is now thought of as modern or abstract...

Posted by Robert | December 2, 2009 7:21 PM

I guess I should have clarified my statement by writing "I can see great potential in the marketing of unpretentiousmediocrity,"
to avoid comparisons with the art at First Thirsty.

But marketing mediocrity is a classic business model in this country. As H.L. Mencken said, "No one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public."

Posted by Gil Johnson | December 2, 2009 10:19 PM

In Vino Veritas

Charamba, Douro 2008
Horse Heaven Hills, Cabernet 2010
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills Pinot Grigio 2011
Avignonesi, Montepulciano 2004
Lorelle, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Antinori, Toscana 2007
Mercedes Eguren, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Lorelle, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2011
Purple Moon, Merlot 2011
Purple Moon, Chardonnnay 2011
Abacela, Vintner's Blend No. 12
Opula Red Blend 2010
Liberte, Pinot Noir 2010
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells Red Blend 2010
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2011
King Estate, Pinot Noir 2011
Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2010
Columbia Crest, Les Chevaux Red 2010
14 Hands, Hot to Trot White Blend
Familia Bianchi, Malbec 2009
Terrapin Cellars, Pinot Gris 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2009
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Termpranillo 2010
Ravenswood, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2010
Waterbrook, Reserve Merlot 2009
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills, Pinot Grigio 2011
Tarantas, Rose
Chateau Lajarre, Bordeaux 2009
La Vielle Ferme, Rose 2011
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio 2011
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir 2009
Lello, Douro Tinto 2009
Quinson Fils, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011
Anindor, Pinot Gris 2010
Buenas Ondas, Syrah Rose 2010
Les Fiefs d'Anglars, Malbec 2009
14 Hands, Pinot Gris 2011
Conundrum 2012
Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Penelope Sanchez, Garnacha Syrah 2010
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2007
Atalaya do Mar, Godello 2010
Vega Montan, Mencia
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2009
Portuga, Rose 2011
Revelation, Chardonnay, Pays d'Oc 2010
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 2005
Monte Alto, Tinto Reserva 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2009
Espiral, Vinho Rose
Vin-Koru, Pinot Gris 2011
14 Hands, Hot to Trot Red 2009
Rodney Strong, Cabernet, Sonoma 2009
Abacela, Vintner's Blend #11
Portuga, White 2010
La Bourgeoisie, Red 2009
Januik, Red 2009
Three Rivers, River's Red 2008
Kirkland, Alexander Valley Merlot 2008
Muga, Rioja Rose 2010
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007

The Occasional Book

Neil Young - Waging Heavy Peace
Mark Bego - Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul (2012 ed.)
Jenny Lawson - Let's Pretend This Never Happened
J.D. Salinger - Franny and Zooey
Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol
Timothy Egan - The Big Burn
Deborah Eisenberg - Transactions in a Foreign Currency
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five
Kathryn Lance - Pandora's Genes
Cheryl Strayed - Wild
Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov
Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt

Road Work

Miles run year to date: 21
At this date last year: 52
Total run in 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269