In 2004 I decided to take a sabbatical from my classes at YSU. While this really wasn't a sabbatical in the sense that it was authorized, I like to call it that rather than just skipping classes. It also looks good on a resume as an explanation as to why I graduated with a 2.76 GPA. Anyways, I took a sabbatical from… Read more

In 2004 I decided to take a sabbatical from my classes at YSU. While this really wasn't a sabbatical in the sense that it was authorized, I like to call it that rather than just skipping classes. It also looks good on a resume as an explanation as to why I graduated with a 2.76 GPA. Anyways, I took a sabbatical from classes and I wound up spending a lot of time in Peaberry's cafe in Kilcawley center. I usually slept on the couches and debated with my cohorts who should have to clean up all the trash that we left on the tables from our 8+ hour long jam sessions sans instruments/talent. One day I came in and there was this new guy just hanging out with my friends. Just hanging out! Like he was a founder or something! Anyways, I introduced myself in my typical way, which at the time consisted of throwing myself into a wall or falling down a flight of stairs. This guy - hell, let's call him Marty - this guy had all this artwork out. Just kind of spread across the table. Those artsy guys were always carrying this weird stuff around with them. Huge portfolio binders and tackle boxes. Like they were going to give a presentation at a Fortune 500 company and then breeze off to Guam on a 5-day fishing tourney. I looked at the art and I was really impressed. Now you can take that with a grain of salt or not, depending on you iodine needs and blood pressure, but I really was impressed. This guy, Marty, had all sorts of neat drawings and such. Stuff like Hitler with an inferno in his mouth and wild-eyed squirrels prancing about. Marty and I became really good friends when he stole me a cookie from the nearby Lunchables showroom and when he invited me to his birthday party which was simultaneously at his house (pirate regalia required) and at a strip club. I came to both parties and met all sorts of hot, wet, and invariably naked women. Strangely enough, most of the naked girls were at Marty's house, and not at the strip club. Anyways, I was able to later get a free picture from Marty by inviting a certain seductive young woman (now mother) to the strip club for naked frolics and brass pole shenanigans. So anyways, over the last four or so years I've taken the time to look at Marty's pictures. They're really fantastic. While Marty uses Flickr and it's... Wait a second... Did you know that Flickr is recorded as a misspelled word? On the Flickr website? Weird... Ok, so Marty usually uses Flickr as sort of a lazyman's journal. Rather than having to take the time to write out all of the events of the evening in detailed yet entertaining form, Marty takes pictures and uploads them. Anyhow, that's how Marty uses most of his Flickrish resources. However, Marty also uses Flickr to make some really fantasitc pictures, too. Like this one: www.flickr.com/ph... I suppose that I could go to other Marty suppliers. I could go to Marty Jones of Saginaw Michigan. I could even go with one of the Asian knockoff competitors like Marty Huang of Usa, Japan. What keeps me coming back is the quality of workmanship I can expect in this Marty. While we may not see each other very often, I can sleep soundly knowing that the dividends of this particular emotional investment are paying off. It's also funny to imagine a haggard and sleepy Marty opening his Flickr-linked mailbox and quietly mumbling "what the fuc ---YOUR MESSAGE HAS EXCEEDED THE WORD LIMITS AND HAS BEEN TRUNCATED---