The Time is Nigh

This only makes sense if you've played Portal 2. And Portal 1.

2011-12-12T18:35:00.001-08:00

I don't think this is a spoiler... I mean, I had this much spoiled for me before playing the game, and it didn't limit my enjoyment of it any.

Anyhow. Am I the only person in the world who thinks these are cute?

And then this happened!

Ah, the Unthrilling Origins of the Octopus!

2010-11-06T21:59:00.001-07:00

The one that is not also a Doctor.

An all-too long unanswered question...

2010-09-26T22:05:00.000-07:00

We may hold our tongues for a time, but eventually even unasked questions must be answered. And unfinished comics, finished. *cough*

There is a logical explanation for everything.

2010-07-19T00:03:00.000-07:00

Now don't get me wrong, I loooove a good skeleton. But I had been all psyched up for ghosts. I was so disappointed!

Also, I kept calling the host 'Vince' by accident. So embarrassing.

The Foundation of a Dream

2010-03-17T00:08:00.000-07:00

So, if you could decipher the sketchy text of my hourly comics, you have some idea of the kind of hurdles my class pitched at me. And what have I learned from this valuable experience? Well...

Hourly Comics for the Day of Feb 01, 2010

2010-02-07T19:36:00.000-08:00

Exactly what it says on the tin - I scrawled out a comic for every hour I was awake on Monday, Feb 1st. Warning - the comics ahead are very rough.

Also, I apologize for my handwriting.

Firewire cables are a pain to replace.

Down Time

2010-01-13T00:18:00.000-08:00

So what have I been up to? What ingenious inventions have I constructed? Well, I did make some progress on a virulent strain of virus!

...Yes that is code for 'I got sick and slept for a few days'.

But mostly I've been playing my Nintendo DS. Mild spoilers from Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks ahead, but nothing you can't gather from the trailer or the back of the box.

To be fair, Zelda isn't quite as annoying as I make her out to be. Her actions make sense for her character and she only improves as the game continues. But... seriously, Nintendo. Rats? Seriously?

But Phantom-Back jousting HEALS ALL WOUNDS.

The Project(s)

2009-12-17T22:48:00.000-08:00

Alas! Every time I think I am clear to concentrate on my work, I am set upon by distractions - both the painfully mundane and the marvelously inspired.

Don't think that my silence here is evidence of lackadaisical activity on my part! Take a look at some of the bold undertakings I've attempted since the last post.

That's right. I. Made. Gingerbread houses!

There are really only two of them. I drew the door-and-windows designs on first, figuring I could just make another one on the other side if I messed up.

That's why there are two houses, but four fronts.

They're nothing fancy, just kit-made. Which is means that while they're technically edible, they're totally inedible.

I had real difficulty finding kits, too. In fact I wound up getting these at a craft store.

I'm very proud of the results.

But, what's the point of gingerbread if you can't eat it? Sooooooo....

...COOKIES! I'm not much of a baker, or of a decorator, but these were delicious. Thank you, box mix!

The blurry makes them extra tasty.

I was considering the possibility of using Gingerbread Men as messengers, given that they are considered impossible to outrun. But in the end... just too delicious.

But lest you think I've been frittering all of my time away on ginger-related year end festivities, I think it's well enough time to let you in on a little other project I've been working on. Something involving... cameras. And not photographic cameras, but... video cameras!

I'm talking, of course, about-

The number of the Robot Beast is... Thirteen.

2009-11-29T20:27:00.000-08:00

Phew! It's been a while. I hate to report that my NaNoWriMo attempt hasn't received much more love and attention than this blog, but it is so. I've been greatly distracted by other endeavors. I'll give you a hint- it involves cameras.

But, enough of that for now!

Time flies when you're gritting your teeth in frustration.

2009-11-08T21:14:00.000-08:00

I apologize for the absence, there was some moving of lairs and taking on of additional projects that has slowed me down considerably.

But that doesn't mean nothing has been happening. See?

We are at the cusp of a new age! An an age of... MULTIPLE minions!

2009-10-12T00:11:00.000-07:00

Ha ha! That Mr. 13. He's such a lamb!

'The Time', previously referenced, has come! Of a sort.

2009-10-04T23:16:00.000-07:00

And THAT catches you up.

Original thread is here, if you care. I enjoy looking back at it because of the texture added by the reactions of others. And perhaps that will, or won't, explain a few in-jokes.

But enough of this! Soon we will be striking out into bold, NEW territory!

2009-09-23T21:07:00.000-07:00

...His name is 'Strewth' by the way. Feel free to imagine him with an Aussie accent, if you are so inclined.

My Fiendish Calculations

2009-09-17T18:33:00.000-07:00

...Basically I find most calculations fiendish. This is why they invented cherubic calculators.

...I will only come back STRONGER

2009-09-09T21:56:00.000-07:00

Wow, I had a great time at PAX! There were videogames and hilarious videos and musical guests and shiny things - and I didn't even catch the Swine Flu!

That was an incredible weekend, and a great use of vacation days.

But now, it's time to get back to the important things.

The mission.

The work.

*lifts a giant sandwich to the sky and prepares to eat!*

...wait, wasn't there something else I was going to...?

...

...Oh that's it!

What can I say, I'm an IDEAS lady.

So the moral of the story is, there's a reason there's an old saying about 'Dealing with Demons'. They are terribly impolite.

But for every setback, there is a step forward.

What's this, you ask?

Nothing less than a good sign!

Disaster!

2009-09-02T23:03:00.000-07:00

Had to change the format, 'cause the old one decided to cut off my comic journal images. I suppose I could make them thumbnails, or links, but that would really break the flow of the experience, don't you think?

Anyway, this layout is pretty bland, but it's only temporary. I'll be tweaking things to be more to my liking as I learn the skill necessary.

Until next time!

Let's get you up to speed.

2009-09-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'll be honest here. This isn't an entirely new venture, here. I did a lot of cautious preparation, a lot of testing the waters, a lot of other cliches. The point is that I feel this has a reasonable chance of going the distance.

Let me fill you in on some of what's happened so far.

Unnamed contributors should remain unnamed, but if you've got a spare moment why not send good thoughts to my buddy Turnsky? He's having some problems with his drawin' hand, which is a special kind of hell for someone so talented and so devoted to Foxfire.

On a similar note, you may want to check out stuff from my other friend MixedMyth. Her work is beautiful, her old comic's archive is story-complete, and her new comic will be updated terribly infrequently because she has tendonitis in both wrists. Aargh. Her only contribution to this project thus far was to gnaw on my skull for a while, though.

...What? They get in my hair! My hair contains no fish you stupid jellies!

Aaaaanyhow. I may be new at this, but I've got some friends who dabble in science, mad or otherwise.

You might know Doc Lego from Legostar Galactica. He's a real Doctor, you know!

Joel Fagin does... well, I'm sure he does something, but mostly he tells terrible puns and keeps me up to date on Doctor Who. And tries to convince me to visit him in Australia, despite my objections to the ubiquitous poisonous fauna.

Ryan Kolter is the mastermind of a now-ended strip called Reasoned Cognition - it's your go-to place for Science made simple, in comic form! Or at least it's mine. Ryan is also my go-to place for explosives, uranium, and BBQ.

Whew, this is turning into quite the link-fest. I'd better move on...

Being flexible and exploring new plans is the key to success!

...Unless it involves Congo Jack.

Sure, they all laughed. Sometimes... sometimes I did too.

2009-08-31T20:47:00.000-07:00

So, I like to think of myself as a creative person, but I have a terrible tendency to start projects, get bored, burnt out or blocked, and never finish them. I think I touched on this a bit in my previous post, when I was talking about blogs.

It's a serious hurdle for me. It seems like the closer to the end I get to a project the harder it is to make any progress whatsoever. Pressure mounts and I bow out, regardless of how serious or ridiculous the project was in the first place. I suppose at this point, I should mention Those Destined, my comic of six years (a classic example of the 'I really hope to finish this one day but WhoTheFuckAmIKiddingDon'tGetYourHopesUp') and possibly also my project for the 'Bitter Tears and Smiles' challenge comic, which was written with the sole intention to be a completed short story.

I'm still working on finding ways to combat this block. Thus far I have only two strategies: One, undertake small projects, like the 'Tears' comic, to force myself to complete things, and taste what it's like to write an ending. This is hard, because the Block exists for short works as well as long, but it's the only way to improve.

Two, have something light on the backburner at all times. That way, no matter how bad the block, you will never STOP CREATING. It's not about momentum or work ethic. It is simply that not creating is ... loss. If you are a creative person and are not creating something - no matter how small - you feel the loss.

Now that I've whined your ear off about artistic heartbreak, I want to let you in on the good news. I may not have had the stamina to work on a major project lately, but I have done several smaller ones - even completed them! I even finished a Halloween costume idea last year - on that required sewing! I NEVER do that! Quite frankly, I am regaining my confidence piece by piece.

These victories, along with the support of numerous friends, have given me the boost I've needed to start work on a project I've had in mind for quite some time now. I've talked about it a lot... half-heartedly, kind of jokingly, but now? I'm going to do it. Even if I don't finish it, I'm excited to see how far I can make it!

No, screw that. I can make it! I'll finish this one!

I'm going to make my very own Monster Army.

And so my dark work begins...

2009-08-31T00:19:00.000-07:00

So I've tried a couple of times before to keep a blog. I'm not especially good at it, I often get distracted and lose interest, or I get into the habit of using it solely for venting - which winds up meaning 50,000 word posts crafted entirely out of anger, every six months or so.

But that's not what I want this to be. I want this to be a blog of short, occasional posts, so I can keep friends up to date with the various projects and events going on in my life!

Hopefully I'll get this blog started up properly in a couple of days.

'Till then!