Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Stair Crossed


 I usually forced myself up the steps to the sixth floor, but I'd given blood the night before.  The instruction sheet said "no exercise for the next 24 hours"   Maybe you should take the elevator...?
Nah, I thought.  They mean real exercise like running laps.  Don't be a wimp.  Take the steps.
Soon I had second thoughts. This was hard!  I was dizzy and out of breath.
If the stairs could talk, they'd have said:


The elevator was starting to sound like a great idea.
Oh no you don't! I thought.  You always wuss out when things get tough.  Keep going!
I slowly pulled myself up the steps.  If this were a fight, the steps were winning, and rubbing it in. 

For someone who didn't want to be a wimp, I was sure looking like one.

  



 Sometimes the truth is to lame to tell.

12 comments:

Linda Davick said...

The 2nd illustration!! I love it most of all.

GhostBuild said...

I think I'd have a pretty physical moment myself if the stairs woke up like that.

;-) Great illu's!

Namowal (Jennifer Bourne) said...

Thanks, Linda.
That was the first one I drew, and probably my favorite of the batch as well.

Nice to hear from you again, Ghostbuild! :)
I had fun with imagining what a flight of steps would look like if they were alive.

Pile Girl said...

You usually WALK up to the SIXTH floor? I'm impressed. Here in Sacramento we don't have many buildings that tall. (Okay, we do, but I haven't had any reason to go into those buildings)
I usually take the stairs because elevators make me dizzy. Riding up six floors would probably give me the bends.
Kudos to you for giving blood! I usually try to eat something high in iron the night before, like steak or fried chicken livers. It keeps me from feeling wiped out afterwards.

stray said...

Yes, the second illustration is fabulous -- anthropomorphic stairs!

Namowal (Jennifer Bourne) said...

Hi Pile Girl,
I've been climbing the steps since I moved to my new office about six months ago. Actually I was hoping I'd be in better shape by now.
I'll try the steak thing next time I give blood. (Guess who had a veggie burger after the last time?)

Thanks, Stray!

Sally C said...

I'm lucky. I can never give blood. I was in England during the mad cow era and it disqualifies me. QMOO!

Namowal (Jennifer Bourne) said...

Sally C,
Lucky!
p.s. Did you like living in England?

Mike Healy said...

Great post and illustrations! I like how the stairs come to life!

Namowal (Jennifer Bourne) said...

Thanks, Mike.
Stairs are a hassle for me to draw (and while these were drawn digitally, they were done in a 2d with old-fashioned vanishing points, pretty much like it's done on paper.) It was fun to break loose from the strict line placement by distorting it into a living creature.

BillGoat said...

That second panel is maybe my favorite drawing of yours! Just fantastic!

Namowal (Jennifer Bourne) said...

Thanks,Billsey!