The Weekend from Awesome (part 2)

Ken's take at Steam.


Earlier that day, I went with my family to a nice restaurant called Zia's. Above is my roast beef, sweet potatoes, and dirty rice. It was really good. It was nice dining experience. Our waiter provided us with hot napkins to wipe our hands with. He really worked for his tip.


My little sister, Laura, about to tackle her plate of ribs. She may look small, but she can really put food away with frightening efficiency. Right after I clicked the shudder that section of ribs was gone.


While at the restaurant, I called Ken to schedule a time to meet. I wasn't sure what time my family would be done, so I originally set the meet at 3 pm. But, we ended up meeting at around 1:30. We were going to meet at this coffee shop near campus (Satori Sound), but it was closed. I suggested another shop nearby (Dr. Java). . also closed. So, we ended up going to Krystal to take advantage of their free WiFi.


Ken was helping me set up my blog using wordpress, but it didn't work out.

He showed me his sketchbook, and I got to view cool sketches done for him by some peeps from Satellite Soda, during his visit to San Diego Comic Con earlier this summer (read more about that here). I decided to add a personalized sketch of my own, and Ken drew something in my sketchbook, as well.


Tada! Ken graced me with this awesome self portrait. And you're probably wondering what the deal is with the feather. Or maybe you don't care, but I'll tell you anyway. Well, Saturday evening, when I took out the sketch to scan it, I found this feather intwined in the binding of my sketchbook. It must have gotten in there some kind of way while we were in Fairhope. I thought it made a cool memento, so it's taped to the page for posterity.

Check out Ken's blog to see the sketch I did for him.


Eventually, Ken broke out his Intuos3 6x8 to show me how it worked. I hava a measly Graphire 4x5, so it was a big difference, and his explanation of how the buttons worked was confusing. Plus, I was snapping pictures half the time.

Ken: Sharon, are you paying attention?
Sharon: Of course. *shutterclick*shutterclick*


After Krystal, we Ken suggests we head over to Smoothie King to partake of their delicious, uhm, smoothies.

On the way there, I saw these boots slung over the sign in the parking lot, and just had to snap a picture. It was just funny because of the area we were in, not quite the ghetto.


We drove downtown where I showed Ken this secluded little place called the English Park at St. John, downtown. It's really small and quaint, in the historic district. We chilled there for a bit. After While leaving, I got the urge to swing around this pole. Ken didn't have his camera ready the first time, so he asked me to do it again. (Great, Ken.). So I obliged, risking lead poisioning as a result of the paint chipping off the pole jabbing into my finger. It didn't, and the shot turned out great, so all is well.

Next, we drove over to Cooper Riverside Park, next to the Convention Center. After parking Ken informed me that he had to "go" really bad, so we went over to the Riverview Hotel across the street to make use of their facilities.

I went in the Ladies' Room, and there was this hatch open in the ceiling, which was really weird. I'm like, Ok, is there some type of Ocean's 11 heist going on or something here. . . ?



Kendall and I take in the view. They were doing construction down below putting a new front on the hotel.



We finally make it to Riverside Park (the wahduh). Ken gets a call from his best friend Dorrell, and proceeds to talk. . .

. . .and talk. . .

. . .and talk.


And then I get a call from my mom. . .

Mom: Hi, Sharon, how are things.<
Me: Yes, mother, I'm fine. Yes, I am in fact alive and breathing, not bound and gagged in the trunk of a black Mazda 6 on a one-way trip to a ditch on the side of some country road.
Mom: Ok, I just wanted to know when to expect you home.
Me: Uh-huh.



The personage depicted in this statue is Monsieur D'Iberville, one of the founders of Mobile. People have interesting ways of showing the love.



The only time I see good graffiti is on passing trains.


Ken continues his crusade to bring SexyBack.


We take a trip to Wal-Mart where Ken encouters this bastardized version of Iron-Man. It's blasphemous, I tell you. Blasphemous.

In an interesting turn of events, Ken ends up taking me home and meeting my folks. That was pretty surreal. He and my dad talked comics and Spider-Man. Then came the delicate subject of how me and Ken actually met.


Dad: So, Ken, you graduated from South?
Me: Uhm, no.
Dad: Well, did you go to school together?
Me:: Uhm. . .no.
Dad: Well, how did you meet??
Me and Kendall exchange nervous glances.
Ken: Yeah, Sharon. Tell him how we met. [innocent stare]
Me: Well, I met him on the internet, but it sounds really bad when you say it like that.

I wait for the crap to hit the fan. It doesn't and everything is cool. My dad was actually thought I was introducing to him someone I wanted to date. That was pretty funny. Anyway, it all went well.


It was getting late, and Ken had an hour and a half drive ahead of him back to Hattiesburg, MS. So, we took one last pic together.


Then he was gone.
.

So, that was my how I spent my Labor Day weekend. I congratulate you for making it to the end of this entry. I had lots of fun, the best time I've had in a while. It's good just to get away sometimes. I know I spend way too much time indoors in front of the computer. Not good fodder for the photographer in me.

I'll be seeing Ken again at in October, I know, cuz I'm entereing his Soul Powered show. I'm in a rush right now, so there'll be another entry later today.

Check out Ken's take at Steam.