Working While looking for Work

Working as a ranger only two days a week has me looking for part-time employment.

This coming Monday I have my interview with Washington County Public Schools as a substitute teacher. As I only subbed a half day last school year my certificate lapsed with the system so I had to do the whole application process again to get back on the roster.

I'm sure everything will go A-OK and that I'll be subbing again within a week or so. In the meantime I've been staying very busy around the house.

I took this week to finish my basement studio, hoping that more writing and cartooning/illustrating can round-out the bigger employment picture.

The person I bought our house from left alot of junk in the outbuildings. Fortunately among the junk was some treasure, including some nice pieces of mahogany. Two days with my table saw netted this drafting table.

ready to start slinging ink!

I also finished off the display cases that I started in July



(that same space this morning)Once again my destroyers and sculpture have a dust-free home.

I model these guys out of a polymer clay product called Sculpey. I've done a series of sailors and marines from the 1940s, 50's, and 60's...

back when smoking and drinking were still part of the culture. This sweaty swabbie is really enjoying that cold, frosty San Miguel (didn't we all?).

I've also done a few Civil War figures. In these examples, two soldiers are posing for a photographer.





I call these things "three dimensional cartoons".

You can see a few more at my woefully neglected cartooning blog; "Mannie Gentile: Art Imitates Life" at
http://manniesartimitateslife.blogspot.com/

You can also see a short Youtube of me making figures from Sculpey for an art festival poster by going to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G28dyw_-VX8

or simply by clicking on the title of this post.

Now I must go bake some bread while my wife is out bringing home the bacon.

Boonsboro's favorite house husband,

Ranger Mannie

p.s. The bread came out pretty good too.