American Bandito

We have a list of ideas but it's easy to feel like all of them are dumb. We just want to figure out what to do next.

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Previously on American Bandito, I spoke with artist Rachal Duggan and I discovered we had a mutual person that inspired us both. After I posted that interview, I got a silly idea in my head. I figured it would never work but it was worth a try. I sent Ivan Brunetti a link to that episode and just told him I would love to talk with him on the show. I figured what could it hurt? If he didn’t respond or said no at least I tried right?

To my surprise, he said yes! He is currently at Columbia College in Chicago, just a few hours away. So my wife Merijoy and I took a trip to go meet him.

So today on this special episode of American Bandito I meet Ivan Brunetti.

Such an odd coincidence.

I record the episodes a month or so ahead of time but I still always wait until the last minute to edit them.

I don't know if it was because it was cold, cloudy and grey outside, but it was almost a bit eerie at first.

I don't know what it is about walking into exhibits that are there own little world that I like so much.

There was a lot to put into just four panels today. These were the big highlights. You can check out the article about the band on Forbes and follow the person I met on Instagram @ejoymehr

It's been quite the adventure so far.

We're going on vacation tomorrow so I think I just want to get them wrapped up before we leave.

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Back in the first season of the show, I talked to a young artist named Salma Carreon. During the interview, she told me about how she briefly apprenticed at a tattoo shop. And it occurred to me I didn’t really know much about tattoo artists. How they start out, what it takes to become one, anything really. And since then I thought I should talk to one and find out. And it turns out one found me. He had messaged me on the American Bandito Facebook page. He runs a shop called Ultimate Arts Tattoo out on Commercial Ave. So he invited me over there to sit down and talk with him about what he does.

Website - https://ultimatearts.squarespace.com

Stripe's Bucky, Ink’d Wisconsinly
https://buckyonparade.com/find-bucky/inkd-wisconsinly/

The funniest part was it was 90 degrees out so I also didn't have a shirt on that made it even more awkward.

I honestly didn't think about it when I grabbed one. It didn't occur to me that it would seem inconsiderate.

I felt like I should help it find the exit somehow. But I'm not going to get in an enclosed area with a bird flying around.

It's funny to think I can actually have a group of online friends, people I will probably never meet. But I don't think of them that way.

It feels like it's Thursday, not Tuesday.

A year ago when I first read his book I never would have imagined this would happen! And I'm glad I do this comic because I always forget to take pictures for this kind of stuff.

Cleaning it up the car for a drive down to Chicago tomorrow.

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The person that I meet today I read about in the Isthmus. He was creating a stop-motion film with the students he teaches in his art class at Crestwood Elementary school. And the film they made was screened at this year’s Wisconsin Film Festival. After reading that article I kind of had to talk to him. How could I not? And he’s a musician too.

We decided to meet at the Monona Terrace during the Mini Makers Fair.

But the pop-up interview I’m going to play for you this week took place just a few weeks ago when Merijoy and I had visited Browsers Bookstore on state street. After meeting the woman that worked there we just had to come back and talk to her again, because she was kind of awesome.

See the animated short "A Valkyrie's Tale" on YouTube - https://youtu.be/LR6MB_4TeRM

I would just enjoy the moment.

It kinda made me a little sad when he told me.

When they take it down I bet I'll still look for it.

The most excitement I had all day.

It sounded like a bunch of tin cans rolling around outside the elevator.

The cramp in my stomach was just making me seem unresponsive to the conversation.

If I did this, people wouldn't start joining in thinking, that's so nice he doesn't want them to break their ankle. I should say that too. Although that would be funny, a whole crowd yelling "Be careful!"

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The first thing I saw by Heather Boggs of Stitch Boom Bang, was a portrait of Hall & Oates she embroidered on a doily. After seeing that, I kinda needed to meet this person. And it turned out she was also a fan of zines. So we met each other at a zine event that was happening in the downtown Madison library.

And in another one of my pop-up interviews, I meet Elliot and his friend who walked up to my booth at Hibernation Liberation and asked what it was that I do? So I turned on my recorder and showed them.

Check out Stitch Boom Bang https://stitchboombang.bigcartel.com

Instagram @stitchboombang

But we got over it.

People tell me I seem like I'm not having fun but it's always how I've done it. Sometimes I like it better than the actual recordings.

It makes us feel all out of step if we don't get our evening goals done.

I'm sure it's just telemarketing but why is she being contacted in another language?

The guy said his story was about an existential crisis and said that's what he got from the lyrics.

You can hear the song he emailed me about on YouTube - Lorenzo's Music - "Go on for miles".

Figured it was our good deed for the day.

Come to think of it, a couple of my friends growing up were over six feet tall.

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The person I asked to meet with me today I contacted out of pure curiosity. I’ve driven past the lakeside press on Willy street like a million times and have never known a thing about it. And I always turn and look at it when I drive by. So I decided to contact them see if I could just come by and ask about the place. The story took so many turns as I listened. It was fascinating.

Learn more about Lakeside Press - www.lakesidepress.org

And in the pop-up interview segment, I meet Heather Rabata, a local Madison artist.

I could see that becoming an emergency situation.