Today was a banner day

 

I made my first sale on Red Bubble (though it was a coffee cup and not a t-shirt)!  And that's not all! I ate at a Chinese restaurant and got two fortunes in one fortune cookie.

So despite the Orange Menace in D.C. the stars have aligned for some things.

Cheese...

 

It's National Cheesesteak Day! And before you think that concept is all wet, here's a real Sub Sandwich that is served in (and on) all the best dives.

Near miss...

 

It's National Near Miss Day. Go ahead and take a shot. What do you have to lose?

Spring has sprung

 

Ahhh...spring is in the air!

Awkward Moments...

 

It is National Awkward Moments Day.  And this is a design I didn't load on Red Bubble for fear that it would trigger the copyright and intellectual property people.  But it did remind me of the corned beef and cabbage I ate last night for St. Patrick's Day.

And it is my birthday today.

How awkward is that.

The biting Irish

 

Since it is St. Patrick's Day, I'm posting my unsold Irish designs.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Don't panic

 It's National Panda Day!  It's also National Artichoke Hearts Day.

I live such a full life.

I just came here for the Pi

 

And if course, It is National Pi Day.  I posted umpteen posts on Blue Sky and still just hear crickets.

That's a whole lot of Pi anyway you slice it.

Sword of Damocles

 

The "Sword of Damocles" is a metaphor originating from an ancient moral parable. The story involves Damocles, a courtier in the court of Dionysius I of Syracuse, a ruler in ancient Greece. Damocles admired the king's wealth and power, believing it brought him happiness. To teach him a lesson, Dionysius offered to switch places for a day.

Damocles enjoyed the luxuries of the throne until he noticed a sharp sword hanging above his head, suspended by a single strand of horsehair. This symbolized the constant danger and anxiety that accompanies great power. Overwhelmed by fear, Damocles begged to return to his ordinary life.

The tale, popularized by the Roman philosopher Cicero, serves as a reminder that with privilege and power often come hidden burdens and risks. Today, the phrase "Sword of Damocles" is used to describe a looming threat or precarious situation. 

With every drop of rain...

 

It's National Plant a Flower Day!  It seems like a bloom stupid thing to have a National Day for.

Microsoft is my copilot

 

I've been playing around with Microsoft's AI app, Copilot (Don't tell Gemini or ChatGPT.)  I asked it for a design for the statement, "It is Ennui, not me." and it gave me this image of a pretty boy looking wistfully off into space. So I asked it for something less generic and white bread and it gave me this.

Nice image and definitely not generic or white bread, but not what I was hoping for. So I asked Copilot for something more abstract.

Definitely more abstract but it doesn't make me think ennui.

So I asked for it's definition of ennui:

Ennui is a French word that has been adopted into English, and it refers to a feeling of deep weariness, boredom, or dissatisfaction. It's not just ordinary boredom—it's often tied to a sense of listlessness or lack of purpose, as though nothing feels engaging or worthwhile. Ennui can creep in during moments of stagnation or when life feels repetitive and uninspired.

Now that is what I am looking for in a design. So I said give me a design that matches that definition.

Again with a young person who hasn't been writing an unread blog for more than 20 years.  I said to make it an old white man with white hair and long beard.

So a hip looking Santa Claus isn't what I was going for so I tried again and asked for a design with the old man in the same type of design as the young man in the chair.

Directing AI art just isn't all it is cracked up to be.

This is what I was looking for.

Sometimes it pays to be a tool

 

March 11 is National Worship of Tools Day.  So I thought of Hunter S. Thompson and his hammer quote. The design made a great t-shirt. But I can't post it on Red Bubble because I don't want to risk losing my account again. 

But then again, I have close to two hundred designs posted and haven't sold a single thing. 

Maybe it's hammer time.