i gots to be cool for a weekend

working my vast network of one artistic connection and oozing alterna-coolness, i went to APE, the Alternative Press Expo, last weekend. i mooched a ride from our friends, JZ, an artist in the show, and her husband. (i realize that this nickname of JZ is not Shamu-ly creative, but sort of funny if you know her as a tall, pale, skinny, model-type who could not look less like the rap-star mogul of similar name.) despite the title of the expo, there were only a few stands of witty pro-communist, all-organic, Che-power t-shirts. other than the fake biker magazine "Chicks with Corpses," UglyDoll knock-off animals, and disturbingly cute anime-type illustrations (Insanely Twisted Rabbits, the children's book), most displays featured xeroxed little comic books.

JZ had a selection of her gorgeous prints and button sets for sale, which i willingly hawked for her- she's the artist, so the last thing she wants to do is whore out her work. i have no qualms about it and besides, i have so few adventures outside the world of medicine & science. i did feel somewhat out of place, wearing clothing with colors, having zero body piercings to display, not angrily smoking a cigarette (or smoking anything, angrily or otherwise). but boy was it fun, having people come up to the table and gush, "i love your work!" and then i'd say,"really?? you read medical educational journals? me, too!"

one fan declared that he read her paper model blog "religiously." that was somewhat less impressive. i read my own blog religiously.

anyways, i'm home again with more neato prints, a t-shirt, and the inspiration to write my own graphic novel (don't worry, i won't.). next time i will get some pics of myself at one of these shows so i can prove to our kids that mom wasn't a dork every single day, just most of them.

p.s. To see what JZ looks like, you can check out the extended version of the Forty-Year-Old Virgin, in which Steve Carrell bumps into her next to a magazine stand while trying not to think about sex. He had them re-shoot this scene 40+ times to get it just right. Then they cut it out of the studio release.