One More Candle and a Trip Around the Sun

Today, August 19th, 2007, I am 28 years old. You know you're getting old when your birthday cake does double duty as a fire hazard.

A birthday's always a good time to look back and see where I've done well, where I was blessed, and where I could've done better.

What I've done well:
-More than 2 years since graduating art school, I'm still growing as an artist
-I started this blog
-My digital painting has taken off (thanks Bobby!!!)
-I've learned I'm an illustrator, not an animator
-I moved home and worked at two animation studios.

How I've been blessed:
-The Good Lord's love has brought me where I am today
-My family has supported me and put up with my constant bs
-I've got great friends (who I probably call WAY to often; thanks guys)
-I've got the love of a good woman.

What I could've done better:
-I've been a bit less than practical with some of my decisions (partly because I'm an artist)
-I kept going after animation, even though I knew deep in my heart it wasn't for me-I just thought it would get me a full time job (this AFTER an art teacher from LA sternly told me 'don't chase money')
-I'm still lazier than I should be.

Well, here's to another year.

Now a bit of trivia.

August 19th is the 231st day in the Gregorian calender, with 134 days left.

On August 19 in

• 14 AD, Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus dies, his final words being 'Did you like the performance?', referring to his reign as Caesar,

• 1782, The Battle of Blue Licks, the final major battle of the Revolutionary War, is fought,

• 1812, the USS Constitution defeats British frigate HMS Guerriere, earning the American frigate the nickname 'Old Ironsides',

• 1848, the New York Herald publishes news of gold in California, prompting the California Gold Rush 4 months later,

• 1895, John Wesley Hardin, legendary Wild West outlaw and gunfighter, is gunned down by El Paso lawman John Selman,

• 1909, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosts its first race,

• 1919, Afghanistan gains independence from Great Britain,

• 1927, production of Ford's Model T ends,

• 1944, Paris is liberated from Nazi rule,

• 1960, Pilot Francis Gary Powers is sentenced by the Soviet Union to 10 years in prison for espionage after his Lockheed U-2 was downed by Soviet missiles on May 1, 1960 (however, he was returned to the US on February 10, 1962 in a prisoner exchange),

• 1991, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic collapses,

• 1999, Serbians demand the resignation of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia President Slobodan Milosevic

• 2004, Google goes public.

Born on this day are:

• Orville Wright, aviator (1871)
• Gabrielle Bonheur 'Coco' Chanel, founder of the Chanel fashion empire (1883)
• Ogden Nash, American poet (1902)
• Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek (1921)
• William Jefferson 'Bill' Clinton, 42th president of the United States (1946-age 61)
• Mary Elizabeth Aitcheson 'Tipper' Gore, Second Lady of the United States (1948-age 59)
• Jonathan Frakes, actor (1952-age 55)
• Lee Ann Womack, country singer (1966-age 41)
• Me! (1979-age 28)