Our Annual Christmas Letter: O

Posted on December 9, 2025 by portfoliolongo.com

This year’s annual retreat was held at Burr Oak Lodge & Conference Center in Glouster, OH. Over the course of three extremely productive days, thanks to the consulting team from McKinsey & Company, the Board of Trustees, senior management, and the entire staff at portfoliolongo.com revisited our organizational values and refreshed our vision and mission statements using 356 yards of butcher-block paper, 17 dozen scented markers, and 1,257 colored stickies. All together, the 36 participants invested a combined total of 6,854 lbs. of competence!
In addition to our Annual Report, a copy of which is being mailed to you, we hereby issue our Annual Christmas Letter for 2025 in keeping with our 15-year tradition. In accordance with our commitments to parsimony and stewardship, it’s O. You’re welcome to visit our North American headquarters over the holidays in Canaan Township, Athens County, where you will see our letter posted. (Click here to view previous annual Christmas letters.)

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Appalachian Fracking

Posted on October 27, 2025 by portfoliolongo.com

The hydraulic fracturing market, not just in the Appalachian Basin, but globally is projected to continue growing, with market analysis expecting it to nearly double between now and 2034. It’s argued that, to meet the energy demands needed to power AI data centers, more fracking is justified.

I asked AI if fracking is considered clean, and here’s AI’s response:

“No, fracking is not considered clean because of its environmental impacts, which include water contamination, air pollution from methane, and the creation of large volumes of toxic wastewater. While the burning of natural gas produces fewer emissions than coal or oil, the fracking process itself has significant negative consequences for air and water quality, as well as public health.”

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Technical: Sketch Club app on an iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil, some additional work in Procreate and iColorama. Here’s some Sketch Club stats, click on arrow to see a tiny progress video.

So much to say to you..

Posted on October 19, 2025 by portfoliolongo.com

Here how I pictured Van Morrison as he was:

Traveling down an open road with youMaking plans for all we hope to doSo much to say to you, so I’ll drive slowWe can drive to France, or down to Monte Carlo
Once in a Lifetime Feelings – Click here for the soundtrack on YouTube.
Van Morrison

So much to say to you…

Countervailing Views

Posted on September 24, 2025 by portfoliolongo.com

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I’ve only experimented with time travel twice, and in both cases I ran into problems. Fortunately, in both cases, I carried an undo button with me.

See my original Marination Challenge post here. I tried attributing the image to that stupid ice-bucket challenge back in 2014 so that nobody would find out that I had failed at time traveling.

Thursday Night Celtic Old Time Jam

Posted on September 11, 2025 by portfoliolongo.com

Annyth and I called the audible at around 3:30 pm today, Thursday, September 11, 2025. Go to the West End Ciderhouse for a Guinness and some live Celtic music here in Athens, Ohio. Yes, we were up to our ears in 911 sorrow, not to mention the more contemporary, constant, and ubiquitous GOP-related horseshit not worthy of elaboration; but, the thought of draft beer and Celtic music helped us come to our senses.

the scene at the West End Ciderhouse

I had my iPad for some live digital painting in the Sketch Club app and was able to focus on one of the local Athens musicians, guitar and fiddle player, Rusty Smith. I finished him before I finished my first Guinness.

Rusty Smith

Jacob Collier: 30 minutes

Posted on September 6, 2025 by portfoliolongo.com

“I have never in my life seen a talent like this.” Quincy Jones

Sketch Club Stats

O’Betty’s in Athens, OH

Posted on January 6, 2025 by portfoliolongo.com

According to O’Betty’s website, the eatery is located in the Cameron building, the smallest building in Uptown Athens. Originally built as a barber shop, the venue has been the home of other restaurants, such as Seven Sauces, The Strawberry Patch, The Korean Restaurant, DV8, The Redbud Cafe, and finally and lastly, O’Betty’s. I fondly remember Redbud Cafe; but, whenever I bite into one of O’Betty’s delicious hot dogs, I’m overcome with amnesia, euphoria, and dejavú.

O’Betty’s in Uptown Athens, OH

Technical: I used my own reference photo to make this quirky iPad painting in Sketch Club with an Apple Pencil. The composition took me about 3 hours over the span of several days and consists of 6,486 brush strokes on 3 layers. I then tweaked the image in iColorama.

Steve Zarate, lyricist, vocalist, and instrumentalist (Athens, OH)

Posted on November 21, 2024 by portfoliolongo.com

Back on September 7, 2024 I took a photo of Steve Zarate performing live at the Athens Farmers Market. Over the last few days I’ve been rendering a freehand, digital image of that reference photo on my iPad Pro using an Apple Pencil and the Sketch Club app with a tweak or two in iColorama. Steve’s music complements the fresh and funky feel of the Market.

Graham Nash in Athens, OH

Posted on October 21, 2024 by portfoliolongo.com

“We’re going to take a 20 minute break so I can take a pee. You try doing this at 82.”
An Intimate Evening of Songs and Stories with Graham Nash at the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium on the campus of Ohio University.

What an absolutely wonderful and energetic performance! See tour dates right here. Band members include: Todd Caldwell: Plays keyboards and sings; Shane Fontayne: Plays guitar and sings; Zak Djanikian: Plays guitar, sax, mandolin, and drums; and Adam Minkoff: Plays bass, guitar, and sometimes drums.