Posts From Old Journals

  • August 23, 2021 – Meditations on the Buck that Visited Us Each Night

    Written as a part of an email home while working on a tugboat in the Arctic Circle of Northern Alaska. We had an adolescent buck that would visit our backyard each night, and we’d taken… Read more

  • Pyromaniacs, Bored and Young (Second Story)

    By Ben Leib Someone gave Randy a homemade blowtorch for his birthday.  It was well constructed, looked almost commercial-grade: a steel frame mounted with shoulder straps supported an oxygen tank and an acetylene tank side… Read more

  • “Memento Mori”

    “Memento Mori” is four blocks printed on Blick Printmaster Paper, and on bulk washi paper. They’re printed by hand, without any sort of mechanical press. If interested, contact me via instagram DM @joshbarlas or email… Read more

  • Floral Pattern Greeting Card

    The floral image is based on a vintage wallpaper design. The cards have been printed on appropriately sized scraps and cardstock. A greeting card of some variety is included with each print that I send.… Read more

  • The Tower

    “The Tower” was printed on navigational training charts. Cal Maritime students used these charts to learn navigational skills and prepare for licensing exams. The paper is heavy and absorbent. This image was pressed by hand… Read more

  • Best Of The Terrible Lies

    By Ben Leib During flood season, Dr. Sherman asked the students if anyone’s home had sustained water damage. Petaluma was having a tempestuous winter, and some of the at-risk neighborhoods had flooded, leaving several blocks… Read more

  • Pyromaniacs, Bored and Young

    By Ben Leib I waited to put my shoes on until after I jumped out of the window, by which time my socks were soaked.  My bedroom window frame was concave where I rested my… Read more

  • Long Rides And The Things We Ran From

    By Ben Leib  In my experience, folks on cross country bus rides are, as often as not, running from something.  My qualifications for such an opinion – while I have spent many, many hours aboard… Read more

  • Wake Up Calls

    By Ben Leib “Wake up.  Wake up.”  My stepmother was standing at my bed, yanking my foot back and forth.  “What drugs did you guys do last night?”  She seemed more afraid than angry. “Nothing,… Read more

  • After The Fall

    By Ben Leib J.B. had worked his way into a nook at the corner of the porch, avoiding the shoulders and the elbows of strangers, and he watched Miriam where she stood beside Shera on… Read more

  • Unreturned Calls

    By Ben Leib She hasn’t called back again this month, which, I tell myself, doesn’t worry me because it’s not unusual.  Nevertheless, the last time I saw her she was strung out, or at least… Read more