Dusty Signs from Hunter Johnson on Vimeo.

I was chipping away at my bloated, festering Inbox late last night, trying like hell to get down to the mythical, mystical, unattainable "ZERO INBOX" status. I usually hover around 150 messages, and as of 12:59 in the AM late last night, I was down into the 50s! The 50s! Proud. I do my goddamn best to answer EVERY email. It might take me a couple months on the fun/fan/good vibes stuff, but I get around to it.

So last night I was going through all the emails I blew it on in November and December. Shit was just too busy. And one of them was from a Dan Madsen in Minneapolis, Minn. He's a sign painter who had a great grandpa pioneering this ancient art generations ago. That's some serious DNA.

My great grandfather ran a bar in Detroit, so the story goes. Anyhoo.

Now some time back someone sent me a cool video of Dan applying his craft. I think I might've tweeted it, but hell, I can't remember. That's what you are seeing up above. So awesome.

Be sure to check Dan's site: Dusty Signs.

And his impressive Flickr stash: Dusty Signs' Photostream

This, precisely, is the stuff that gives me hope. In an overly incestuous world of graphic design trending and style wars, here's a guy with a brush and some paint. The basics, and fuck if it isn't some of the most refreshing shit going. His great grandad made a living at it. I hope Dan can too.

Someday, "Signpainting" will be added to my list of services. Count on this. I've been chasing carrots on sticks for a decade, doing my damnedest to make a hearty living, take care of those around me, and love every bit of it. I feel thankful to have been able to pull it off for a decade. Defies the odds.

Thank you, Dan Madsen.. Keep up the good work! Holy shit man, please come to the Walker in March! I've got a front row seat for ya at my halfwit speaking fiasco I'll be jawing to the Minneapolis design community. Details, soon.

- - - -

ONE WEEK FROM TODAY, PHOENIX!: DDC vs. PHOENIX! We're coming for you! Our first speaking fiasco of the new year, and it's gonna be a real motherfucker. Southwest style! Tarantula fangs, scorpion tails and rattler bites! Let's do this, desert people! Here's the official link. If you live in Phoenix, or hell, Arizona at large, you need to come to this. Seriously.

- - - -

THE GREATEST OF LAKES: Tim Kapustka knows Michigan. Check out his "A General Chart of Lake Michigan" poster. Great stuff. Tim wrote me forever ago, and I'm finally getting his links up on my site. Keep up the good work, fellow Michigander!

- - - -

ON THE PLAYER:

01. Bill Fox - One Thought Revealed
02. Mastodon - The Hunter
03. Lambchop - Live at Merge XX

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD: My dad's laid up right now. He had a weird infection in his foot, tender to the touch, hard to walk on, all within a day. This was a month ago or so. He's been on a rigorous antibiotics transfusion cycle for the last couple weeks at a rehab facility in Traverse City, Michigan. "This is what I hafta do, kid," said the old man from his room via phone yesterday, "I've only got eight more days of this stuff." A team of nurses have been flushing out his plumbing, cycling good clean antibiotics in and out of that club foot of his. He's on the mend, and today, the old man turns 69.

So happy birthday to my dad, all the way back home in Northern Michigan. You are almost out of the woods, buddy. Love ya.

If there was ever a day to leave a comment on the this site, today's the day. Mom will be sharing all well-wishing with dad later tonight. Tell the old guy something good!

FROM THE MAN WE CALL "LLOYD": Lloyd Winter—illustrator, cyclist, all-around ripper, devoted husband, doting dad and Idahoan—has the eye. And he came upon a colorful cache of old patches, and shared a couple with the DDC. And he we are sharing them with you. More calculations in the never-ending Cycle of Junk™. Thanks, Lloyd. I like how this shit works. We love ya. Keep the fire burning hot, brother.

- - - -

LITTLE OVER A WEEK FROM NOW: DDC VS. Phoenix!!! A monster Arizonan poster is being printed as these words go to press. You need one of these, Phoenix! We're coming for you! Another installment of our halfwit "Tall Tales From A Large Man" speaking fiasco. With Southwestern flavor. Cactus breath. One night only!!!

- - - -

ON THE PLAYER:

01. High On Fire - Snakes For The Divine
02. Guided By Voices - Let's Go Eat The Factory
03. Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um
04. Fear - The Record (Such a pile of shit. Ha.)
05. Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
06. Son Volt - Switchback EP
07. Paul Westerbeg - 49:00

ONE OF MY PRIZED POSSESSIONS: A couple years back at the Portland Antique Expo I snagged an old National Parks poster. Big 'ol Sequoias. Went there once in my senior year. I love these posters. from the '70s. Got the thing framed up real nice and everything in the living room. Every time I look at it, I think: Man, gotta get my ass down to Yosemite. Good job, old poster.

ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITES: About Schmidt. One of those movies that no matter where I jump into it, I'll watch it all the way through. There's just something about it. The austere Midwesternism, Omaha cityscapes, the incessant uncomfortability, Randall, Randall's hair, Randall's creepy brother...all of it. One of the underrated greats.

I made Leigh watch it last night. Netflix saved the day.

BASEMENT SITUATION: The basement has been a bit of a wreck the past couple years. Ewan will stow away down there to watch movies, hang out or play with some Legos. I've got a monsters collection, saved form my childhood, and added on to with each trip to Target.

Spent some time cleaning up the joint tonight. Might even get a new piece of carpet down there. Don't know why I'm telling you this.

ADDED TO THE COLLECTION: Got a copy of Tad's mighty "Inhaler" from 1993. Sealed. Love that album.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Item No."DDC-049," the DDC Brand Emery Board! Good for fingernail, prison break or for filing down that gnarly-ass bunion you've been complaining about.

Pretty much, one of the least-sophisticated of items to date in our DDC roster. They pack a punch though. Stow it away in that dopp kit for that time you need one on the road. Then you won't be laughing. This is the shit we think about. Now Shipping!

THE DDC IS STILL CLOSED: Flying back from Denver today. Been high on the altitude the whole time.

THE DDC FACTORY FLOOR IS CLOSED: We're headed over to Denver for a couple days of snowsports tradeshow action. You know, hanging out with the clients who have give me life for a decade now. My brothers. Brad from Coal and George from Union, and all the folks from C3 Worldwide.

Plus, I'll see all the yahoos I've worked with over the years from the shred world. Evan, Bridges, Baker, Larry, Basher, Chief, Styk, Fank and 142 other alpine mouthbreathers.

One quick day to put final touches on the booths, shoot the shit with everyone and fly home tomorrow night. Quick mission. Looking forward to seeing all the bros.

JUST LIKE THE TITLE SAYS: On the way into an estate sale yesterday, the orange up above stopped me dead in my tracks. Which, upon second thought, was weird. For a couple reasons. First, it let Jess, Cory and Ewan get a jump on me in the place. Bad form. There's no honor among thieves. First one in the door gets has the advantage. Second, something this good, scored that easy just sitting out in the open on the porch, well, came a little too easy. I like a fight. I like having to dig, or navigate a bunch of sweating fidgets trying to make their bucks. Estate sales. Weird as shit. Weird smells.

SAW THIS ONE ON AN OLD ALBUM: In a stack of albums that no one cared about anymore. Tons of Andy Williams and obscure show tune guys and whatever. Old junk. 1776. Nice set of numbers.

LEATHERFACE: An old logo on an old pair of boots. Will never get tired of seeing shit like this.

SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST: Still hammering on my super Arizona poster. At about 95%, and handing that sumbitch off to Seizure Palace early next week. This thing looks awesome! So much weird Arizona stuff I scrounged up.

COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS UNTIL WE GO SOUTH: Three weeks to go, Arizona! We're coming for you! Our first speaking fiasco of the year! Another one of our "Tall Tales From A Large Man" traveling roadshow. Good, clean fun. Proof of existence. Tall tales. Offering a spirited poster to all who attend, and all Arizonans. Brought to you by the good people of AIGA Arizona. Thank you for rollin' the dice on us. Gonna be a fun one. Tell a friend. Click here for all the nasty details. Someone tell the Meat Puppets. Thanks.