Comic Life

I recently discovered Comic Life, a program that allows you to do this: a tribute to S-Down.

Staff Conf

Fo shizzle bro...you're missed here in Indy. You can see behind me the luxurious rooms of the Holidome Inn. Looks a bit like Italy, eh?! I was with E in the "D" last week and we were kickin' it ole' school style; looking at old pictures and watching the 8 Mile video..you know thug!

Your illegal guns wouldn't be able to walk through the doros of this place though...so you'd be stuck out in the cold anyway. So yea dawg...just keepin it real and wishing your my homie was hittin' the hot tub with me.

Some of Martha Langrill's favorite things.

Every so often there comes a person, who just shocks you in their individuality and creativity. Shocks you to the point that you don't even understand what's going on, but you just assume there's a genius at work. You assume that there must be a meaning to all this madness. I want to talk to you about Martha Langrill, whose penchant for odd customs and unique traditions are unparalleled. 

Usually, after a long hard day of work, you want to relax. Maybe read a book, maybe watch a movie, maybe just go to sleep. Not Martha, she would prefer to stare at a blank wall. She finds the blankness soothing, her body normalizes itself and she becomes one with the world. It may seem strange to you and me, but remember, there's a genius at work.

(*note: This is not Martha)

It's also important to remember that this is the same Martha whose favorite family tradition is the Langrill family parade. They all go outside on the front lawn, sing songs, and I assume, walk together in a straight line. I know what you're thinking... It begs the questions, "Do they make floats?" "Do they dress up like Disney characters and wave to each other?" "Have the neighbors called the cops?" "Have the neighbors moved away because of fear?" I'm sure you are thinking of countless others. I'm sorry to say that I don't have all the answers, but if you're outside around the holidays and can hear the beautiful sounds of a family singing together and see people walking together in a line on their front lawn, you can ask them yourselves, because you can be confident that you've found the Langrill family parade. I don't know of any others. But remember, if their answers confound you, worry not, there's a meaning to all this madness. 

(*Note: This is not Martha's family)

4407 Commonwealth Ave.

This is the place, where for one year the SDs resided. The left apartment contained the Curtis family. The right downstairs apartment held Eric Nielsen, Darin Travis, and Jimmy Bunch. Upstairs were Matt Taylor and the SDs. After DT moved out, Chris Cooke, a.k.a. Cookie Cars, moved in. I'm not sure, but I believe Eric then lined the interior with lace. Curtains, doilies, tableclothes, everything. Very nice. Here's a sample.

  

Here's where I want to add that the lace only took over the downstairs apartment. It did not rise into ours. We did not adorn our apartment in this way. However, the taller SD did at times wear lace garments like scarves. We also had our own "lace" hand gesture sure to incite a riot even in the most sober of circumstances. 

This SD spent a year in this house being woken up before the sun by the other SD praising the Lord and ready to bulk up in the weight room. I begrudgingly woke up and told him to can it. 10 minutes later were the apologies and then we were off to get huge.  Ahh. Good times.

baxta

The infamous Baxter, nutured by the finest dog sitter, Johny-G, and making trippin' home owners on Commonwealth 'front!' It was a ttocs beautiful morning and as usual for a SDown...that means a walk with the dog. Normal things, I look and worship God with all my heart and soul ( :o) ) and Baxta does his thing. (what's up with this picture...I'm walking this dog and picking up his poop, then holding it in the bag?) This sunny morning he pees on the wrong tree and the homeowner bursts out saying, " Hey, is he peeing on my tree?" yada yada yada.

Lesson for all of you: difuse the situation and here's how you do it...I say, " Wait a minute, let's start over here, we don't even know each other! It's such a beautiful day and this isn't the way to start it out, sorry about this!"

Second story: short one...Johny-G was watchin' Baxter and literally wiped his butt b/c sometimes there's just a bit of poop left! Thx Johny

Final story: B Travis & her girl were walking Baxter when they came up on a suspicious brotha walking on the other side of the street. Baxter takes off (all 100lbs) of him and drags BTrav in the street her girl and she can't hold on, so Baxter takes off...she hangs on the leash in order for Bax not to take this innocent man down and leaves her girl in the middle of street! Yea...dont' look shady when you see my D.O.G.

Super Heroes

Yes, I just had to show this to you! My lil' Chief as I call him, loving his outfit of his favorite Super Hero! (although he doesn't get Spiderman is good, he wants to go around yelling and fighting!!) It's hilarious bro. You'd crack up and crap in your pants.

He really thinks he's the stuff. lol! He currently is literally having "no fear" and running full force into me or jumping into me no matter what is going on. "Protect the business lil' Chief!"

Speaking of SuperHeros, I remember when you got really excited about your Batman underwear your mom got you for Christmas a few years back !! When you get back to your "motherland" maybe you can Coop can fight crime and break the back of Satan together...hummm, Jesus already did that, so we'll think of something else.

The first SD connection.

I remember the very first SD connection. It was in front of a building at Purdue University called the Lilly Hall of Science. 

UUggghhh. That name is dumb. Kind of a lame place for the SDs to have their first connection don't you think? But, that's what happened and I can't deny it. The SDs were introduced to each other by a mutual friend named Nate Gore. (Where have you gone Nate Gore?) I remember being slightly intimidated by S-Down first time I saw him. He was an imposing presence. He's only like 6'3" but he appeared to be over 7 feet tall on that first encounter. He was wearing shades (as all cool people do) and had just come from a year spent in the greatest place on Earth, California. (Newport Beach, to be exact) So he was all bronzed and buffed and clearly I was out of my element. I thought he was a cool guy, but I figured I'd never talk to him again. He was just way to cool for me. *note* It wasn't anything that he did or said, but only my disbelief in my own coolness that made me think this way.

But, as unexpectedly as it may have seemed at the time, we became friends. I think hanging out with our mutual friends Craig and Cory Nickols pushed the friendship along. And finally, we decided to go with Darin to bring the Message of Jesus to the students of Detroit, but that is a different story. S-Down still is an imposing presence, by the way. 

Oh, one more thing, you gotta check out this picture of the SDs with the very Nate Gore who introduced us. This was taken in Panama City Beach, FL during Big Break 2001.