This is a Sharpie sketch I did of Meg this morning. Friday we start the 30-day countdown until our big event. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of sketching her…
Last night we went to Joseph-Beth to see Harvey Pekar sign copies of the BEST AMERICAN COMICS. Not much action — Harvey gave a five-minute talk, answered some questions, signed everybody’s books. He said he was working on a graphic novel on the history of the Beat Generation. I’m sure that thing will sell, no problem.
Coolest thing I saw in the bookstore was the new Popeye book, which is now at the top of my x-mas wishlist. Zak Sally just wrote a great article about the strip, posing the question, “We all know Popeye, but why?”
Last night we caught most of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Every time I watch that thing I get choked up. Christmas is usually the most depressing time of year for me, but was especially so when I was a kid. There’s something about the dark and the candlelight and the carols. A big feeling of loneliness. It’s gotten a lot better since I met Meg, because she loves Christmas, and it’s never been anything but a happy time for her, so that’s rubbed off on me a bit.
There’s a great NPR story on the history of Vince Guaraldi’s score. Over Thanksgiving, I pulled out my sheet music, and worked on “Linus and Lucy” and “Christmastime Is Here.” One day I’d like to be able to play the whole thing on Christmas Eve. A Charlie Brown Christmas recital!