For this month’s DPG theme “something seasonal”, I painted this child with the setting sun illuminating from behind while the light of the day still sparkles in his eyes. He’s thinking about the change from spring to summer, as we here in the San Francisco / Bay Area have been having unseasonably warm weather (I’m sitting here in my tank top in 80 degree weather now). So even though this doesn’t look like “something seasonal”, there is a story behind it.

I don’t have an iPhone, so I can’t give this a try, but I find it remarkable and inspirational that you can create paintings with your finger on the touchscreen. Apparently it took the artist about an hour to render this image, which then graced the cover of The New Yorker. Pretty impressive.

Meanwhile, DPG (Deadline Painting Group) looms in the near distance, as the deadline for this month’s theme (anything seasonal) is Friday, August 29th. I have painted, but I don’t know if it looks seasonal. Too bad I don’t have an iPhone – I’d do a little finger doodle of our garden birds lolling in the fountain on a hot day. Quintessential seasonal scene – to me at least.

Yeah, I confess, I’m a Zune user.  It certainly isn’t fashionable to say you’ve got a Zune… in fact, it usually draws a few snickers (you laughed at me too, didn’t you?).  But check out this beauty – looks pretty slick, doesn’t it?  Built-in high-definition, wifi access, widescreen touchscreen, and more.  

So maybe Apple is nervous and maybe not.  But at least it’s good to have a contender to the king of digital media players.  The next match I’m watching for is the Palm Pre vs. new iPhone vs. new Android because I’m sorely in need of a new smartphone.  Meanwhile, my old Zune is still ticking along just fine.

“….let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us as sacred charges upon the Nation’s gratitude,–the soldier’s and sailor’s widow and orphan.” –General John Logan, General Order No. 11, 5 May 1868

In honor of Memorial Day.

This guy is a wunderkind. And so is his co-founder Monique Farantzos.

That reminds me, I need to Twitter about my upcoming trip to Napa starting later today… woof.

Now I feel better… Mike Elgan’s blog cites research from the University of Melbourne that those who can’t help checking in on their Twitter account during the work day are more productive than those who keep their nose to the grindstone all day. Don’t you feel better now too

Check out BBC Tech Editor, Darren Water’s analysis of doubleTwist as he speaks to the founders “DVD Jon” Lech Johansen and Monique Farantzos.  If you own a BlackBerry, iPod, PSP, iPhone or other gadget, you’re digital life with be much easier thanks to the work from this dynamic duo and their team.

Follow the link (or click on the photo above) to see more photobombs. I especially liked the one where it looks like a dog is about to re-enact a scene from Jaws and munch the unsuspecting lady – yikes!

Although, I do confess it made me wonder if my own “self-portrait” technique is somehow akin to photobombing… Can you bomb your own photos? Hmmm.