Graduation Back to Real Life

According to the world, I now have a master's degree. What this will do for me, I still don't have a finalized answer, but I think it's pretty cool to be a "master" of something.

Everyone keeps asking me if I feel any different, but of course, I don't. After working on something for two years and growing on a daily basis, it's nothing more than changing from 15 to 16, or 20 to 21--the feeling doesn't change, simply the opportunities. Plus, my former (though I will forever clam her as mine) mentor demanded that I send my novel back to the agent by the end of the month. So, perhaps sometime in December there will be some more news on the novel front. Until then though, you can kill some of your time over at Bring the Ink, reading all the gloriousness it has to offer.

Of course, my day job and regular obligations won't wait for me to--you know--ease back into real life. Work is already at full force and will continue to be so until Thursday. Bleh.

As this is the case, I don't have much time today, but I'll try and have a few mini movie reviews on Wednesday, and there will be Gibberish tomorrow.

But before I go, I just want to take another moment to thank all of the Gibberish Guest appearances. Gregg Paulson, Aaron Stueve, Byron Rempel, Scott Aleric, Matt Stout, and Erik Jagger, you are all super-cool folk, and I enjoyed working with you and seeing your take on my oddball comic. Hopefully we can work together in the future.

Random Things

For some reason, this blog has taken the back burner of my mind. All too often, I think everyday is a comic day and I don't need to write anything. Then I realize it's Wednesday, and that my life has been more than a little uneventful in these last few days. So here are some quick tidbits that may or may not have been twitter-worthy (if I ever get such a thing as twitter):

Ate chicken fingers at Raising Canes, which were awesome, as usual. Ate them with lots of pellet ice Dr. Pepper. Confused a hockey helmet for a clock.

FINALLY beat Alien Hominid.

Under the moonlight and steaming breath, my wife and I stuffed our trash can full of broken branches.

Worked on thesis, almost done compiling everything.

Also wrote some more on a new short story. Story involves space, zombies, a dying dog, and a boy named Angus.

Cooked, ate, cleaned kitchen, cleaned bathroom, then read Frenchtown Summer by Robert Cormier.

Woke up angry, not wanting to be at work.

Why the balls isn't it time for my lunch?

Will have guest artist for tomorrow's Gibberish. Michael Elder. Come back for that. Please.

Needing to Start Ignoring the Distracting Things of Life

Lately, my writing has suffered.

Forty to sixty percent of this has been my fault. I keep getting wrapped up in the glorious entertainment the world has to offer. And by this, I mean the latest Prince of Persia for Xbox 360, and the Settlers of Catan expansion: Knights and Cities. These games--along with my art habits--are keeping me from doing what I should be doing: writing. What's weird is that I enjoy my writing as much as playing either of those games, yet I keep ignoring it. I blame this on the other 40 to 60 percent of why my writing has suffered.

This stems from the novel itself. It keeps causing problems for me. So far, the problems have been solvable, but they've been speed bumps, if not outright stop signs, in my progress. Little issues pop up, wave me do, and ask me "Excuse me, sir, do you know what the hell you're doing?" Often I can say, "I think so." But lately, it's been, "Let me get back to you on that..."

I'm getting back to them, and should soon have my thesis done. Away I go. Gibberish tomorrow.

Whew...

Today marks the end of my third semester for the MFA program. Only one left and I become a holder of a master's degree. Kinda frightening if you ask me. Luckily I finished most of my work yesterday for my turn in today, otherwise I'd be in trouble, as today will be rather busy. Ah well.

Found out last night that one of my cats has only one working kidney--and that one is weak. It's weird to think about how animals have so many of the same problems as we do, but we mostly don't take the time to find out what's wrong. I guess it just strikes me as odd, and I can't really say why.

All in all, I'm in a weird mood today. Need some more sleep. I think I shouldn't be allowed to make chili anymore (as it is WAY to hot for my own taste.) And I feel like there is too much to do in my remaining weeks before so much will explode.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend, and I'll see you back on Monday.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Today is my packet turn in day, or I'm making it be as such. It's not technically due until tomorrow, but there is too much going on tomorrow for me to do anything worthwhile. Between church and cleaning and preparation for my family's visit and turkey day and making sure Gibberish updates while I'm MIA, I won't have any time for writing. (As a quick aside, you can expect a nice four comic week for Thanksgiving, as I will only be blogging on Monday.)

Really there is not much to report, and this weekend will be rather boring in terms of adventures. Instead of rambling on and on, I'll keep this short and just bid you a fair weekend.

See you Monday.

Now I Know What It's Like to Be Old

Out of everything someone can do to hurt their back--saving a puppy from a fire, rescuing infants from cult members, parachuting off the Empire State building--I put mine out by cleaning the cat box. Yes, cleaning the cat box. Go ahead. Laugh.

The good news is, I'm spending the day walking around or laying down--as sitting or standing in one place is the worst thing I can do. Because of this, I watched The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. I can't recommend this film enough. So pretty, and mighty fine performances to boot. Just know that it isn't all action-tastic, it's merely a portrait of an American superstar.

As for last week, my book hunting was amazing. I didn't find either of the books I've been looking for, but I came home with a crapton of books anyway. I completed my Series of Unfortunate Events collection, got an awesome copy of Winnie the Pooh, and a ton of other great deals. (I love you Half-Price Books, Omaha.)

There is Gibberish tomorrow, and there will also be a FULL COLOR BONUS COMIC on Friday. Amazing huh? Anyway... See you tomorrow.

No Time, Must Write

Hi Everyone:

I hope your weekends were fantastic. Mine was filled with writing and talking and more writing and more talking. Feel like my voice is about to die out, but whatever, I don't need a voice to write. My paper is going pretty good, though I've got a bit more to do by the end of today, which is what I'll be doing the minute this is posted.

In other, better news, I not only got interweb working at home, but I've got a guest artist scheduled for Thursday's Gibberish. I'll talk more about that on Wednesday, though I will say that the comic is very much in the Gibberish vein.

Gibberish, by me, tomorrow. I'll see you then.

I'm Home

Just for the sake of appreciating what you have, it's good to spend some time away from home. You forget how comfortable your own bed is, how loving your cats can be, and just the familiarity of your pictures on the wall, the arangement of furniture, the collection of DVDs.

I hope you all enjoyed the bits of entertainment, I threw your way. They amused me greatly, and I would recommend checking out the additional material from Jon LaJoie and Brad Neely. Those two guys are geniouses.

As for my residnecy, all went well. I'm going to be working with Patricia Henely, author of Hummingbird House, for this next semster. I have my critical paper due this semester, which will be about magical realism and balancing reality and fantastical happenings. As I work on that, I'll also be working on my third draft of my novel. Looking at my notes, and combined with my newest ideas, I think I'm in pretty good shape. It shouldn't be near as intensive as my last draft, so hopefully I can get that done this semester.

Other than that, things is good. The Dark Knight is about the greatest thing to ever grace a film screen, and Control isn't a half bad film--even if you're like me and don't really know or listen to the band Joy Division.

See you all tomorrow.

Hiatus

I know I said that I'd ramble on about my residency biz while I was away, but I've decided that this is a bad idea. Not only will it be boring for you, but I don't have the time. Instead of shennanigans, I'm going to drop an entertaining.

I'm Going to Go Ahead and Be a Douche

Unlike yesterday, I do not mean this in a literal way. I'm merely speaking of being an A-hole, a jerkwad, a butthead.

I say this because, as I'm getting ready for my residency, I can't help but compare my work to the others in the same group as me. (I know, it sucks to be them.) And when I do, I think, Man, these people kind of suck. It's pretty much the truth. Douche that I may be for saying as much. I honestly wish that we could come to workshop and just say things like, "This sucks. What were you thinking? How about you find another dream?" Brutal as it may be, the ones being workshopped will just end up hating the bearer of bad news, not the news itself. Or, best case scenario--after someone decks me for saying that their work resembles the dribble emanating from the Teletubbies' mouths--they get so pissed, they think, "I'll show that douche. I can write better than... [insert favorite author here]" Then their dream will be renewed, and they will write the next Pulitzer Prize winning novel.

It's amazing what negative feedback can do for a person. I know. It happened to me. I wouldn't be doing what I am right now, if it weren't for the department head of creative writing that told me my story was "sentimental and juvenile." I got pissed. And what did I do, I thought, I'll show you, Douche. I'm going to keep on writing just to prove you wrong. While I have yet to win the Pulitzer, I have a publishing cred, have only one short year left for my Master in Creative Writing, and my novel is--ever so slowly--nearing it's finish. All of which might not have happened if that guy hadn't been such an A-hole.

So, I guess what I'm saying is Embrace the Douche Within Each and Every One of You. Be a constructive A-hole, and someone my end up loving you.

(Just as a heads up, tomorrow's post will come late--if at all--and next week should be a good surprise for any of you willing to check back. And my review for Hancock is live.)