Arts

Ann Christian never assumed that her hobby of making cloth napkins for her family would turn into a business. But, as she sits around the worktable with her two sisters, Dede Bruington and Kay Porczak, in their store Picking Daisies, it is clear that her hobby has grown into more than just a pastime.

Much of the 1980s were filled with comics that were, well, crap. Hell, the 1970s weren’t that great either. A lot of them were just rehashes of old stories from the 50s and 60s that weren’t that great to begin with, and really added nothing more to the table, save a few bad one-liners.

I was with a group of guy friends the other night and, while they were enjoying cigars and whiskey, I felt the need to contribute some sort of masculine sentiment. So I began to tell a story a friend of mine had told me at the gym earlier that day.

I’ll call my friend Tom for the sake of his privacy and future love life.

Think you’re the next brilliant playwright? Campus constituents with creative writing skills can submit their scripts, on any subject, to the Student’s Stage playwriting competition held this month. Three winners will receive $50,and their work will be featured in the spring show.

I was once told that the way to my heart is a straight, paved road with no obstacles. This, I must confess, is pretty much true, but not entirely. At the start of the road, there is an 8-year-old in a rocking chair with an eye patch and a sawed off shotgun shooting at cans and talking nonsense about the Vietnam war.

A while back, my good buddy who got me into comics let me borrow his copy of “The Goon: Nothing but Misery.” I thanked him but it sat on my floor for a while gathering dust as I wasn’t particularly inclined to pick it up.

At the time I was reading a lot of “Hellboy” and felt very serious about my comic reading, so I didn’t really feel like reading anything else.

Tired of the same dinner and a movie date? Do you need to mix it up this Valentine’s Day? Whether you and your sweetie have been together for a long time, are in the beginning stages of dating or you simply have friends whom you love, San Luis Obispo and the surrounding areas are providing fun and unique alternatives.

The Central Coast is known for its wine, beaches and rocky coastline, but also its produce. For proof, just walk down Higuera Street on Thursday and take in the sites and smells of Farmers’ Market. And just as the health-conscious culture of San Luis Obispo takes advantage of these local farms, many restaurants in the city cater to the vegetarian lifestyle.

Get into the spirit of love by supporting Cal Poly’s literary journal Byzantium at Lovers Speak, the annual Valentine’s Day-themed poetry reading. The event on Wednesday evening will display poetic talent featuring professors David Kann and Carl Wooton, as well as love-themed student work.

Hung on parking garages, adorning buildings and decorating creek walkways around San Luis Obispo are hidden treasures. These art pieces were put in place by the Art in Public Places program, a committee under the San Luis Obispo County Arts Council, “ARTS Obispo,” which helps the city decide where to place public art pieces and pick which artists get commissioned.

I have a love-hate relationship with Valentine’s Day. I love the overpriced flowers that everyone complains about. I love the chocolates because it’s a sign that all of those New Year’s resolutions have been forgotten, and the excuse to wear pastels in the winter, but mostly, I love to love.