Seven months ago, I mentioned that I always start a new “Running Log” in early June. Well, I’m mixing it up. From now on, the running logs will be starting on January 1.
This past Sunday (December 28th, 2025) was Neon Park’s birthday. To celebrate, I made a Running Log cover illustration based on the artwork from Little Feat’s “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now” album. Neon Park is probably most well known for doing the cover artwork for every Little Feat album, with the exception of their debut. Many of his designs drip with a wonderfully surrealistic absurdism that only Neon could imagine.
The artwork for Feat’s Don't Fail Me Now portrays George Washington sitting next to Marilyn Monroe (?!), driving along a steep purple mountain range in a personified car that is looking worriedly up at a threatening bolt of lightning. A strikingly beautiful piece.
The only difference I made to my illustration is substituting George and Marilyn for a runner, since it is a “running log”.
After designing eleven running logs, you’d hope that I should know how to spell the word “running”. Apparently not. I think my subconscious brain realized it wouldn’t have enough room to squeeze in that third “N” at the top of the notebook, so it just decided to omit it all together. Or maybe it’s the fact that I’m unconditioned to doing this at the end of December as opposed to late May/early June like I’ve always done before.
It wasn’t until I’d already drawn the whole title in bubble letters with a permanent marker that I saw my mistake. Rather than starting over or crying, I decided to add Mr. N at the bottom of the page, hanging on to the side of the culvert for dear life. My theory is that he got struck by a bolt of lightning.
Neon Park was born on December 28, 1940. If he were alive today, he would have just turned 85. Unfortunately ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) took his life in 1993. When his doctor diagnosed him with the disease, Neon’s response was, “But doctor, I never even played baseball!”
Happy birthday Neon Park! And Happy New Year. 2026! Ahhhhh!!!!!!!!!!
