Surprise!

Rather annoyed that I didn't see Indiana today, but it's all good. Whooped my family at Scrabble in two games. I hope for a third.

Anyway, don't want to bore you all with the trivialities of family vacations, so I'll just tell you that starting Monday is my BIG SURPRISE.

I've put together a small illustrated story for you that will update beginning Monday and run THROUGH THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY. Yes, you will get not one but two extra blog updates from yours truly. Anyway, the story is called "Shattered Suns and Broken Hearts." I realize this sounds like the titular track of some crappy emo band, but I assure you that the story is rather good. It was fun to write and illustrate. Plus, it gave me a reason to use the tablet a bit more. Anywho, enjoy, and I'll be alive and kicking once the story runs its course.

The Joy of Family

It's amazing how things just sort of pick up where you leave off, even if you haven't seen your family for months or years. The way you can just talk about whatever: dying grandparents, going crazy, leche de hombre, space docking, and any other embarassing thing you can think of, so your mother shakes her head and wonders what kinds of crazy beasties she brought into the world. It makes me rather frightened to think what it will be like when I have little miniature versions of myself and my wife. If it's true that you get paid back in kind for the terror you were as a child... man... I'm screwed.

Otherwise, I'd forgotten how nice it is to be away from the city, far from all the traffic noise and street lights and sirens. Just the cool howl of the wind, the star-filled sky, and the distant burble of a river. It's a good feeling, good peace, calm.

Don't think I'm going to be able to hit up Indiana Jones today. It saddens me, but I might be able to fire a gun and fly a plane. I'll probably get knocked out on my ass. And my brothers probably won't let me live it out, but when I'm half their size... whatever.

I Like Vacation

Got up, had some breakfast (craptastic, undercooked French toast), went for some swimming. Good times. Work is stupid. Though I will say that I tend to get more accomplished at work, since I'm stuck there and have to do something to make the time go by.



Like the rest of the nation, I've got plans to see Indiana Jones (I'm tired of linking this, just go to one of my other blogs) tomorrow. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much, but it's hard not to. Its rare that you get the same team on a sequel 19 years after the last film. Hopefully it all works out, though I suppose even if it sucks, Cate Blanchett should still be hot.



And for those of you that need something to do while you kill time before the flick, I've got a new comic up. Another week in a row. I'm rather proud of myself, especially since I'm on vacation and all. We'll see if I can keep this up.



I'll try and rant more about the travelings and the family tomorrow. Plus, on Friday, I'll reveal my big surprise.

Ready to Get the Balls Out of Lincoln

And I'm not talking about a vasectomy or any such thing. It's just a crude way of saying that I'm going on vacation, and you'll come to realize that I'm a fan of the vulgar phrases. While I try not too use to much profanity in my normal vernacular, it does leak into my fiction and comics. I do this when it feels necessary, because every now and again, you just need a good "fuck."

Okay, so if you're still with me, I tip my hat and thank you for pressing on. I thought about linking the above phrase, but I fear what I might find if I type such a thing into Google.

Anyway, to get back to my original rant, I'm about to head off to Phoenix, Arizona, where I will be spending the next few days with my two brothers, step-sister, neice, and mother. The only thing I have planned for the trip is seeing yon Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Sure, I've heard that it is only so-so, but seriously, who DOESN'T want to see this? Other than that, I plan on some chilling--as much as Arizona allows--and a bunch of reading and writing. There is only a little over a month until my residency, and I've got a wee bit o' work to do to get a good draft of my current novel. Perhaps I'll throw up some excerpts when my life is boring and I have nothing witty to say.

I've tried to plan it out so that my trip will not change my update schedule, and honestly, I'll probably be updating even more, since I'll have things to say, and I've got a surprise up my sleeve.

See you in Phoenix.

Weekend Recap

What a weekend. Seriously, the weather was gorgeous; I spent some time in the outdoor world, blanketing it up on the grass and hanging out with some sleeping friends (and writing a first draft of a soon-to-be revealed project (more about this as the time gets closer)); and I polished it off with a heaping dose of Indiana Jones.

I can only imagine how many more of you spent your Saturday or Sunday doing the very thing I did: marathoning the first three Indiana Jones. This time through--especially with the back-to-back viewing--I realized what it is that bugs me about Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. It just doesn't feel like the other two films. The tone is all out of whack. There is no humor in the violence. Sure the opening sequence seems to set us up with our familiar Indy, but soon enough, the whole thing shifts, and we've got voodooed Indy slapping around Data from The Goonies. It's a rough ride no matter how you look at it, but it's made all the worse when it's sandwiched between the other two films. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Temple is bad not because of the addition of the "Sidekick", or the overwhelming annoyance of Wilhelmina, it sucks because the tone has gone to the dark side--thus losing the Indy charm. I can only hope and pray that Lucas has not ruined the fourth installment by this, or some other means, since his credibility has been dropping wanning.

In other news, I saw Prince Caspian on Friday and was once again disappointed, but this time for different reasons. You can read my review--when it goes live--here.

Mostly movies in my weekend, though I did get a few art projects together, including a new webcomic for Wednesday. Once I get a few things sorted out, I'll try and provide some links to my other art. Until then, take it easy.