Today's Snowman

Snowman Legal

2008-05-14T12:41:00.003-04:00

Nothing can prepare you for a fascinating, ingenious product called Method and apparatus for facilitating the construction of a snow man/woman. I warn all readers of Today's Snowman that it is literally impossible to get through the excruciatingly dull and endless explanation but I provide you with a couple of excerpts (the above drawing is NOT related to the patent to protect the originator) for the first ever patent for making a snowman.

If your like me, you enjoy building snow men . . . big. The bigger the better...It is said that the most ingenious ideas are the most simple in design. The Wheel. The Toaster oven. And, yes, now the ultimate Snow Man. Of course, in hindsight the wheel is not so inventive, but at the time it was an earth-shattering innovation. I do not pretend that the ultimate Snow Man will be as revolutionary to the advancement of mankind, but I do contend that as far as I know no one has ever conceived and reduced to practice such an apparatus. I do contend, however, that my innovation is a heck more fun, err than a plain old wheel, and will inspire tons of enjoyment and play for hopefully a long time...The fundamental building "block", or component, of the invention is the creation, for the first time, of a snow sphere that is much lighter in weight than a snow ball or boulder of the same size made out of snow. The snow sphere is made of a material that is rigid enough to support a layer of snow, yet made of a material or construction that causes the snow sphere to be much lighter in weight than a snow boulder of similar size... If you actually want to read more, US Patent 7264531.

(For all you freelancers out there, there is a current bill which will change the rights artists have on their work. For more details and how you can help please visit Freelancer's Lament.)

Snowden Snowman Winner

2008-05-11T10:31:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to the winning snowman, Tirehead in this month's snowman contest, the last of 2008 made by Alicia, Jeremy, Jesse, & Matty and photo by Jaci! They have won a signed copy of The History of the Snowman book and a year supply of snow. Alicia's acceptance speech; "Thanks to all our snowman fans!"

Today's Snowman's monthly snowman contest will resume in January 2009. Prizes next year will include official snowman calendar and mugs.

Things Are Heating Up For the Snowman

2008-05-03T00:26:00.003-04:00

Unfortunately, this is a family blog so we'll have to leave these snowman girlie playing cards to the imagination. But trust me, things heat up and it's not only the snowman that is naked.

Speaking of voyeurism and heating up, here's an intimate glimpse of my financial woes. When one is a freelancer he or she will undoubtedly experience more than their share of career crossroads. I'm at one myself as the realities of making ends meet as a cartoonist are forcing me to explore some options, although I better do it quick. The past few weeks I've been busy 1) drafting a possible children's version of the snowman book. 2) working on a snowman calendar 3) starting up again a project I began 7 years, a graphic novel comedy on 19th arctic exploration and 4) working on a script for a film studio interested in pitching a snowman special to cable. It goes without saying, all of these ventures are on spec. Meantime, I'm illustrating (my work can be seen in this month's Consumer Reports, Money Adviser and this Monday's sports section in the NY Times) and trying, unsuccessfully, to sell cartoons to the New Yorker (I'm in this month's Prospect – the second cartoon on the site).

Special thanks to fellow freelancer and talented writer Mary "PaperGirl" Fons for writing up the snowman for a few publications and mentioning my book.

My brush with fame moment of the week? A couple of days ago I met renown chef Gordon Ramsay at his book signing in Manhattan. I'm a huge fan (of his BBC shows, not the cheesy American reality shows) and I gave him my book. The hothead TV star was extremely nice, taking the time to chat with me.

Meet the Snowman; Jeff Monson

2008-04-28T09:55:00.005-04:00

Jeff Monson is one of the world's top submission grapplers and is coming into his own at the highest level of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). The main event of Global Fighting's GODZ OF WAR on June 21st pits Jeff "The Snowman" Monson vs. Kevin "The Monster" Randleman. (Oh, you gotta click on that site, believe me.) Tickets for the Snowman's fight are going for upward of $500.

Monson got the nickname, The Snowman, in 1999 at the Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Grappling Tournament. The Brazilian Fighters said he was like a snowball: white, compact, and rolling downhill, getting bigger and stronger as the tournament went on. Snowball was translated into Snowman and Snowman stuck. "Snowball or Snowman, in a fight he is an avalanche headed straight for you."

Jeff is from Olympia, Washington, a Brown Belt in BJJ and studied psychology, Pankration, Jiu Jitsu and wrestling (I won't be saying anything smart-alecky for fear of Jeff breaking both my legs). Go to the official website of Jeff "The Snowman" Monson to see Jeff's schedule of speaking engagements and personal blog which gets inside Jeff's mind.

White Stuff People Like

2008-04-24T11:25:00.006-04:00

Photo by friend Ben Wolf (his new movie) © 2008

Not to be confused with Stuff White People Like, a popular blog which I think is much to do about nothing (ugh, book deals, Kurt Andersen stamp of approval, blah, blah, blah) and borderline racist. Conversely, I present White Stuff People Like.

1. Snowmen. (In a South Florida mall, Gary Hume from The History of the Snowman is one of the featured artists displaying his Back of a Snowman, a 10-foot tall enamel on bronze, installed outdoors amid tropical palm trees.
2. Cool-Whip. If my family is any indication (they put it on everything three meals a day), this dessert topping is the bomb.
3. White powder. Most every American is addicted to some form of unhealthy white powder whether it be, white flour, sugar, cocaine or some other drug.
4. Snowmen, yes, again. Free range, free standing, Up-standing, Upright, but not up tight, snowmen!
5. Ice Cream. One of the world's most popular foods, the most popular flavor is, you guessed it, vanilla.
6. Milk. In all it's variations, cow, goat, almond, soy, rice, coconut, mother's...white beverage is one of the most popular things in the world, not to mention cheese, which I think is made from milk.
7. White balls. Golf balls, baseballs, soccer balls, snowballs...all make the world go round.
8. Paper. The world changed when paper was invented and white paper has been by far the most popular color. Pink is the least.
9. Moon. Who doesn't like the moon? I think without it we wouldn't have gravity or something. Don't hold me to that.
10. Polar bears. Our generation's endangered Duck-billed Platypus.

Bear in Mind...

2008-04-21T10:27:00.006-04:00

Thanks to friend of a friend, I received this amazing image of a Frank Verbeck illustration of bears making a snowman courtesy of Fred Taraba of Taraba Illustration Art, LLC. I am grateful to Fred for sending this piece (sold years ago by The Illustration House). Fred's collection of fine illustrations include all the artists who persuaded me when I was a kid into the field of illustration...Bob Peak, Bernie Fuchs, etc...and Taraba Illustration sells their originals to the public. Frank Verbeck (1858-1933) was known for themes with bears. Below is my two cents (a cartoon I pitched to The New Yorker) and maybe the start of my own bear period.

Last of the 2008 Snowmen

2008-04-15T11:08:00.005-04:00

Suicide snowmen in Atlanta after the forecast of a warm week. After a three hour stand-off, police successfully talked the jumpers down.

ALASKA – This is the saddest part of the year as the snowman officially becomes an endangered species. Today's Snowman has received reports across the country of horrific measures of snowmen taking matters into their own hands. These include a fluffy snowman in Montreal using a tanning bed and in Vancover comes the story of a snowman eating soup.

Janet Gattenby sent in this snowman from what looks like the last big snow fall in her hometown of Kenai, Alaska. Stay strong everyone.

Tough Time For Snowmen Worldwide

2008-04-11T21:13:00.003-04:00

EAST SUSSEX, ENGLAND – Celebrity Dakota Blue Richards has angered a community by flattening a neighborhood snowman. The 13-year-old actress, who appeared with Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman in last year's The Golden Compass kicked down a beloved snow sculpture, proving again that Hollywood stars think they're all that. Abe Restato, a newsagent who helped build the snowman, was baffled as to why anyone would deliberately destroy his hard work. "We put our heart and soul into that snowman. Now I don't even want her autograph. She went from cool to very uncool in a very short space of time." Neighbor John Conrad added, "It seems kids today can't help being inconsiderate yobs even if they are film stars."

Richards' publicist released an official statement insisting the teenager did not mean to offend anyone, "It was a game that obviously somewhere along the way went awry" and insinuated the snowman probably would not last forever. Later CNN reported that the rude gesture "was not nice." Meanwhile, bloggers are calling snowman-maker Abe Restato "a drama queen."

Here's the Last of the April's Snowmen

2008-04-08T18:11:00.008-04:00

First up is Tirehead! Alicia Snowden (left) submitted this snowman made one evening in the middle of a snow storm by her husband Jeremy and younger brother Jesse (they were actually going to jump on the trampoleine in the background but decided to build a snowman instead). The photo is by sister Jaci. That's a plastic play-phone for the mouth and a real tire used for a hat! (Apologies to the whole family for the delay getting their snowman into competition. This snowman has been ready to go for awhile now – I'm sending out some snowman posters for the inconvenience!)

Abominable Snowman is entered by one of the finest directors today, Ed Nachtrieb, who produced the hilarious short Pitch Season. A vote for this snowman is a vote for quality cinema.

Finally, is Queen of Queens from Queens by Marcy Dermansky, well-known movie critic and fiction writer (the critically acclaimed Twins). (I've actually read the book myself – highly recommended!)

Good luck contestants. May the best snowman win.

April's Snowman Contest

2008-04-06T09:54:00.005-04:00

MEDICINE HAT, CANADA – Here is the first group of entries for April's Snowman Contest. First up is Dutch Snowman is from Christiaan, a NYC graphic designer (whose credits include the book for The William J. Clinton Center).

The haunting photograph, Springtime for Snowman, enters the contest uncredited. Even the way this piece was submitted, an unlabeled envelope passed under my bathroom door, is shrouded in mystery.

This rather straight-forward snowman is actually from the other side of the world (if you're on my side of the world. Otherwise the other two snowmen would be from the other side of the world.). Jordan Snowman is photographed by Today's Snowman regular Wa Sapnin.

Congratulations American Snowman! Winner of March 2008 Today's Snowman Snowman Contest

2008-04-04T13:08:00.004-04:00

Beating the competition by a suspiciously large margin was American Snowman by Eric Krause and his son who both reside in Clifton Park, N.Y. They will receive a signed copy of The History of the Snowman and a year's supply of free snow.

Tomorrow Today's Snowman will parade out the entries for the April contest, the last contest before summer. It's not too late to enter. Submissions can be emailed here and will be posted in the competition. Snowmen may include those you made yourself or simply one you see somewhere. Pictures can be either shot with a digital or conventional camera or cell phone. Yes, hand-made drawings are welcome. Rules include no steroids, no gambling and no ice balls. Persons related to Burl Ives are not eligible. Please do not send any images larger than 1 MB.

Hurry! Last Day to Vote

2008-04-02T19:04:00.002-04:00

Marc Snyder © copyright 2008 (created with ice cubes made with colored water)

Quick reminder – last chance to vote on March's Today's Snowman Snowman Contest.

Here's an excerpt of the Snowman Index from The History of the Snowman;

SNOWMAN’S INDEX
Usage rank of snowman out of words spoken or written : 44,427
Length, in minutes, of the 1896 silent movie Snow Men : 3
Years it appeared after the invention of the first silent movie : 1
Number of silent movies made about snowmen : 4
Number of them that survives today : 0
Number of those snowmen that survives today : 0
# of snowmen in Shiramine Village, Japan during snowman week, 1993 : 2,000
Number of those snowmen that survives today : 0
Number of people who were living in Shiramine Village : 1,200
Number of Americans, per 100 million, with the surname Snowman : 130
Number of those who live in Alaska : 0
Those who live in Florida : 21
Number of pieces of art on record at The Hague’s Royal Library : 8,000,000
Number of those defined as “winterscapes” : 15,000
Number of snowmen found within that collection : 2
Estimated number of searches made per day on internet for snowman : 1,400

BREAKING NEWS; Obama Chooses YouTube Snowman As Running Mate!

2008-04-01T09:16:00.000-04:00

SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA – The snowman's time has evidently come! Democrat Party presidential candidate Barack Obama has shocked millions by just announcing the You Tube Snowman as his running mate. The immediate reaction among the media and political experts is as expected. Only an outragious move like this could have derailed Obama's clear path to the White House. But just a couple of hours old, the news has already become fodder for late night comedy.

Political satirist Jon Stewart quipped during his taping, "In what has to be the smuggest move in election history, Obama picks, what is essentially, an animate object as his running mate. Am I reading this right?!? This is trash talking on the highest order."

The New York Daily is running with the headline tomorrow morning Black Guy Picks White Man.

Reached for comment a stunned Oprah Winfrey released this statement; "I'd be lying if I didn't say I thought Barack would be asking me. There's your dream team."

Now the question is how will the nation take this news... and who actually is the You Tube Snowman.

Snowman Prank

2008-03-30T10:57:00.004-04:00

Photo by Zak Holtan

FERGUS, MINNESOTA – When Phil and Denise Nelson returned from vacation they found their driveway blockaded with 15 snowmen courtesy of pranksters slash co-workers of Phil's at the city works department. As reported by The Daily Journal, it's an ongoing joke when a co-worker goes on vacation. Frosty has been found glued to an outhouse seat, roped to our-wheelers and nailed to roofs. This time a plastic Frosty was found about 40 feet high in a tree.

Reporter Susan Larson writes, "Showing no shame, the culprits recruited the assistance of Phil and Denise’s daughters, Kelsey, and Alisha, and Denise’s brother, Dan, all more than willing participants."

Snowman Wins Marketing Award

2008-03-27T20:09:00.000-04:00

Pierre the Fanatic Hockey Snowman, the team mascot of the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes has been honored as the Best Member Club Marketing Campaign award for the 2008 season. The team's marketing efforts this season have revolved around the mullet-sporting, dentally challenged snowman looks like a crazed Muppet that got caught in a fight. He speaks with a French accent, and the hockey team has been running quirky 30-second television spots featuring its newest promotional figure. Runner-up was a Ranger fan who hadn't bathed in ten days.

High-Brow Snowman; The Series Part V

2008-03-24T15:34:00.001-04:00

Mystery solved. Billy Russomano is the artist responsible for Snowmen in Diner. The self-taught Russomano's signature work is a white coffee cup against a brightly colored background. The Sunset Park-based can be found on Prince Street between Mercer and Broadway, or on West Broadway between Prince and Houston, selling his original artwork.

We conclude our art series by revisiting again (for the sake of those new here at Today's Snowman) the arty film short What's So Funny About Peace, Love & Exploding Snowmen. You need to hit the pause button and give it a minute to load before playing–wait for the red bar to go across.

At Funny or Die.com the following review was left;
"I hate snowpeople, and I’m glad someone else does (too). They shouldn’t be built in the first place—but if they are, destruction is the only answer."

Spring is Here...in some places

2008-03-22T12:30:00.006-04:00

(For those of you who would like to see more cartoons and read humor, I recommend my popular blog Freelancer's Lament. Here you can found out how the whole snowman thing started and learn personal things about me and my life as a cartoonist slash illustrator slash writer slash rodeo clown.)

38th Annual Snowman Burning

2008-03-20T20:25:00.001-04:00

SAULT STE. MARIE, MICHIGAN – Lake Superior State University ushered in Spring early today at noon with its 38th annual snowman burning, lighting a fire to their paper snowman's feet.

This year's event featured hot dogs grilled by the LSSU Student Government and poetry by 4th-graders at Washington Elementary School. Poetry has been a part of the ceremony since the beginning (although fewer poets have been willing to read their work at the microphone in recent years). Fourth-grader Eric VanVallis writes:

No more slush.
No more mush.
No more coldness.
No more jackets.
No more boots,
and Especially, no more high heating bills.

If you happen to be in the area you can watch it on TV 9/10 and Fox 33 Cadillac during the Michigan This Morning program starting at 6:30 a.m. on Friday, March 21.

High-Brow Snowman; The Series Part IV

2008-03-18T22:13:00.000-04:00

Today's Snowman had egged on artist/snowman expert, Sandy Kinnee last month when we asked about his cardboard snowman: "What's next? The Highly Combustible Oily Rags Snowman?" Sandy responded with the above highly-flammable creation. Bravo!

An accomplished artist and writer, one can enjoy all at his beautiful new website.

High-Brow Snowman; The Series Part III

2008-03-16T21:52:00.002-04:00

From Marc Snyder's Time Waits For Snow Man copyright 2008 ©

Book artist Marc Snyder not only created my personal favorite snowman in this month's contest (Outsider Snowman) but my favorite snowman artist book Time Waits For Snow Man, published by his Fiji Island Mermaid Press. This was the book version, with special bonus art historical comparisons to The Brief,
Tedious, and Unfulfilling Life of Mr. Snowman.

Marc talking about his snowman in this month's contest; "Wouldn't you know it, my one chance at snowman fame, and I'm up against a world record-holder. It's like being in the "American Idol" tryouts, and going after, I dunno, Bono or someone...

"I'm glad you came out early against snowman kits. As you might have guessed from the books, snowman kits and related phenomenon like jack-o-lantern stencils and sandcastle forms are something I find pretty awful. Seriously, if my two-year old thought there was a right way to make a snowman or carve a pumpkin, I'd feel like a pretty poor parent."

From Marc Snyder's Time Waits For Snow Man copyright 2008 ©

High-Brow Snowman; The Series Part II

2008-03-14T21:34:00.000-04:00

Today's feature is prolific poet Darryl Price from Columbus. I became friends with Darryl through the book (he sent me the above low-brow poster from a local band – no reflection of Darryl's work, mind you) and learned how talented he is. When I asked if Today's Snowman could promote anything of his, he replied, "I've got nothing to plug but my poems. I'm just a poet in the world trying to do my work...I hope it makes you smile and think."

Snowman

Think I've always been here.
Sometimes I became green
rain.I'm. still. here. Doesn't
matter whose hands fashioned

me this time. I'm part of
those hands, too. I do not
feel alone in the night.
I've known a river of

stars spinning all around
me. My heart is beating
inside each snow. I have
been peed on by dogs and

birds, but I am happy
to have my place among
your trees, the houses, your
footprints. I always

say hello. You give me
reason to smile. Melting's
just our way of coming
and going. You're welcome.

Darryl Price 11/09/07

High-Brow Snowman; The Series Part I

2008-03-13T13:13:00.009-04:00

Photo by Chris Moskoff 2008©

Today's Snowman will begin today a 5-part series showcasing talented artists and writers in the snowman realm who happen to be friends and supporters of the only online snowman magazine.

David Giacalone is the creator of f/k/a, of "breathless punditry & one-breath poetry," an award-winning forum for "commentary on lawyers and legal ethics, politics, culture...and "real" haiku by...honored guest poets. David has not only mused over the subject of evolution in connection with the snowman, but even provides an interesting analysis of the results of February's snowman contest in conjunction with the presidential election (above is a picture of the runner-up, The University of Colorado snowman now hanging on to dear life); "It didn’t matter that the winner had in fact disappeared before election day. The Today’s Snowman worldwide Snowman Contest for February 2008 demonstrated once again the fundamental importance of having a big, wide base and then getting that base to the polls to vote." More on that here.

From Mr. Giacalone's (a.k.a. dagosan, Prof. Yabut, haikuEsq, Jack Cliente, and ethicalEsq.) blog is inspiring haiku like;

in the howling wind
under the full moon
the snowman, headless
– George Swede from Almost Unseen

naughty child–
instead of his chores
a snow Buddha
– Kobayashi Issa, translated by David G. Lanoue

As readers of my book know, I continue to explore whether or not snowmen were made in 7th century Northern China as snow Buddhas based on evidence that both The Fengdao kejie and the I Ching (the oldest of the Chinese texts), provide their followers with guidelines for how holy images may be reproduced including “…shaped in piled-up snow…” (ca. AD 610 – 640). This topic is addressed more throughly in the snowman book.

Vote For Your Favorite Snowman – Here Are Your 8 Choices;

2008-03-10T13:48:00.023-04:00

First up, American Snowman by Eric Krause and son from Clifton Park, N.Y. (it's the son in the picture). "...just shy of 9 feet. I used a 2x6 as a ramp to roll the body up and estimate the head to weigh between 150 and 200 pounds...I am not sure how to get the snowman in the contest, so if you could enter it that would be great." You're in!

From the other side of the world in so many ways comes number two, al Fresco Snowman by Wa Sapnin (as in 'What is happening?') photographed in Amman, the capital of Jordan.

Also from Wa Sapnin is snowman number three, The Very Rude Snowman. Wa is originally from London and could have entered many strong competitors from his snowman stockpile. Well done.

Number four is Casual Friday Snowman. This is Hal Stern, Vice President of systems engineering and more importantly, the publisher of The Morning Snowman and Snowman on Fire, in on a conference call with a coordinator in Philadelphia dressed as a gorilla and someone from accounting dressed in a chicken suit.

Number five is Soda Cap Nose by Evan and Quinn Nachtrieb from Hollywood. The eyes are made with tortilla chips (Tostitos Bite-size Gold, I believe, to be exact). The mouth is made from whatever you what it to be. Very cool photo.

Number six, comes to us from English artist Ray Lang, someone who is no stranger to this online magazine. He submits Vintage Snowman, a postcard from Belgium.

Snowmen in Diner is number seven from writer Kevin Dwyer (True Stories of Law & Order and Kiss & Tell) from a diner in Midtown NYC (West-side in the thirties. I am currently tracking down the artist but if anyone knows the artist please pass along the information.).

Number seven is Outsider Snowman made and photographed by fellow Pennsylvanian and multi-talented Marc Snyder, publisher of Fiji Island Mermaid Press (a really beautiful website). A marvelous demonstration of snowmen making. Marc and his snowman book project will be featured later. (Thanks for your plug at FIMP!)

Finally, the previously mentioned world record holder, Olympia Snow Woman submitted officially by Robin Tupper, created by the town of Bethel, Maine.

Welcome to a very strong showing and what will prove to be a hard fought contest. Good luck to all the contestants.

Remember, guns don't kill snowmen, global warming does.
– Today's Snowman

World's Largest Snowman Record Broken

2008-03-09T11:21:00.004-04:00

BETHEL, MAINE – The good people of Bethel have officially broken the world record for the largest snowman, previously held by them, by 9 feet. Angus, King of the Mountain was replaced in the record books by a woman named Olympia SnowWoman who weighs in at 13,000,000 lbs. of snow. 5 foot wreaths were used for eyes, 16 skis for eyelashes, 130 ft. scarf, 30 ft. spruce trees for arms and 2,000 ft. of rope for hair.

It was a whole community effort with even the local kids pitching in. Elementary school children made the "carrot" nose made of muslin, chicken wire & wood frame. The Mt. Valley Middle School in Mexico (Mexico, Maine, that is) students painted a 48 ft. circumference fleece hat. And the Mahoosuc Kids Association painted 5 red auto tires that are used for lips.

Congratulations to the town of Bethel, the new world record holder and the first entry in the March Snowman Contest, submitted by Robin Tupper. Special thanks to Robin Zinchuk at the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce for the beautiful photos and their blessing in this month's competition.

Tomorrow more entries! Yes, Today's Snowman is alittle behind schedule as a I hit the road last week randomly creating snowmen in upstate New York (if you spot any with tree snowballs sporting a funny hat, that's mine). Next week you'll meet high-brow artists; poet Darryl Price, book-artist Marc Snyder, snowman philosopher David Giacalone and more art from fellow snowman expert Sandy Kinnee (thanks to this group for patiently waiting in the green room).

A Glimpse of the March Entrants to Whet Your Appetite

2008-03-06T20:42:00.005-05:00

Details and back-stories for each snowman to follow soon!