Further Sketchbook and Michael Jackson auction thoughts

Let's go on another journey through the world of Sketchbooks. Which, as you may recall, are Personal Things. (See also "On Moleskines" and "New Sketchbook".)

Any time I'm in the kind of store that sells Sketchbooks, I have a hard time walking out without one.  I like to stock up on them.  Recently, I was in the Massachusetts College of Art's bookstore and, while they did not have as many Sketchbooks as I'd expect, they had an interesting variety.

In particular, they had loads and loads of Lowfat Moleskine Substitutes. The one on the right was the largest of these available (the rest were tiny) and I was apprehensive about not getting a watercolor version - Sketchbooks designed for pen tend to have absurdly smooth paper. So I wasn't up to seeing what this brand was like. They're resting atop a Sketchbook about as long as my forearm with handles, which I can't help but think is a better idea in theory.
MassArt also had quite a few hilariously impractical Sketchbooks.

I'd seen the Strathmore Circlevision 360 Sketchbook before. It's still hilarious. I can't see anyone honestly bringing that anywhere and drawing in it.
The tiny, tiny linen books are equally impractical. And expensive to boot.

And then there's this $100.00 beauty. The sucker is heavy. I guess if you never wanted to bring your Sketchbook anywhere, maybe it'd be the ideal Sketchbook for you. I'm failing to see the point myself.
So what Sketchbook filled my needs most recently? Well, I bought a larger version of the awesome Nature Sketch at MassArt. My current Sketchbook, however, the one that earns the italics, is one I had picked up at Dick Blick last year on sale.

An Aquabee Tree-Free Hempdraw. For under ten dollars I couldn't leave her. She was all set to go, I just needed to personalize her a bit.

So here's my baby. Inside, she's got my name and address label just in case (I have only mislaid a Sketchbook once ever. It was over a friends house thankfully, but it was traumatic enough.) Not every Sketchbook is so gaudy but, well, it's almost spring! And after all, she's a Hemp Draw.
(By the way, chill out. It isn't that kind of hemp..... right?)

Meanwhile, the complete catalogs for the Neverland Yard Sale are up now. My thoughts:

* Who is David Nordahl and how did he get that job? The job being, apparently, drawing and painting whatever Michael Jackson demanded. All those treacly/scary paintings of Jackson leading The Children of the World across some field? Nordahl's fault.
* Had I the finances to spare, I would absolutely put one minimal bid on those official Neverland doormats. I mean, why not?
* The "Earth Song" statue is pretty badass/hilarious in itself. It's too expensive, but it is based upon the climactic scene in the one song and video that most succinctly defines the latest, say, quarter of Michael's career (starting with the whole spectacular "HIStory" album debacle). It goes a little something like this. Brace yourself for the Narm/Bathos.