Monday, August 18, 2008

Censor Thyself

A blog like this can be a tricky thing. I'm working now, and my job presents challenges to my pursuit of writing, but I like my job so I need to watch what I say here for hear of reprisal. It's frustrating as well because I want to be able to vent.

So it's a little fortunate that my brother's driving my nuts. I can vent about him till Hollywood calls and no one will care!

My brother doesn't have a lot of initiative. Sorry, but there it is. He's been sitting around "playing by ear" and "improvising", his code for watching Star Trek DVD's while I've been at work. He does his share of the chores while the 'rents are off in England but nothing else, unless it's make a cake he eats half of before I know about it. He spent the weekend with a friend this passed weekend, leaving me to do his share of the chores on top of my own AND my own errands and plans AND working Sunday at the Comic Carnival, so I ask him to do the grocery shopping one last time and clean the kitchen and bathroom.

I get home today and he's there,watching TV and eating. I ask how his weekend was and he says fine. I ask if he got my note and he says yes. I noticed that some of the dishes weren't put away and ask if he got everything on the list and he says yes. My brother's a liar.

Kitchen: not clean.
Bathroom: not clean.
Groceries: oh yes let's.

My list is glanced at. He notices I list (with a question mark asking him if he'd like it) spaghetti sauce makings. He notices a section of the note that says we need to talk to Mom and Dad about the pets, who're down on food and we won't be able to afford all of us, stocking up. And for the first time in a long time, my brother takes initiative. He buys pet food. He buys people food too, let's not get too crazy, but it's people food he knows I don't like. And we're just about out of money. And he made zero effort to communicate with me on this, he made choices that were slightly more convenient for him with no regard for the others he's living with.

I'm still working on the webcomic. I stayed late at work to ink the latest pencils, and I scanned/ finished it tonight. After 3 beers. I'm fine working like this, but it almost seems like my brother's claiming the other parts of the house as territory by default.

I am obviously very tired and cranky and need to go to bed.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Networking

It can sound like a cliche, an excuse, and sometime an ugly truth. Nine words:

"It's not what you do, it's who you know."

The ugliness comes from the idea that you can produce the highest quality of work, but if no one knows about it you'll never succeed. The definition of success is the key here. If all you want to do is make the best stuff you can, without anyone's knowledge or approval, then the saying's useless. Homo sapiens being a communal animal, though, this scenario rarely applies. Most of the time we're all running around trying not to yell "LOVE MEEEEEEEE" without sounding desperate. And the fact of the matter is if you want to live off of what you love, you're going to have to convince other people - eventually - that what you love can support life.

A trip to the fair proved a recent good example. The last few times I've gone have been with the Endres, a fine friendly group of people when they've all had their naps. I've known them since college, they're some of my best friends around, the kids are cute and bite softly, and Marsha Endre's my new boss at the mail room. I've got a few reasons to make them smile.

This short drink of water's Lily. For a two-year-old, she was mostly very content with watching everyone at the fair. She fed the animals, played a bit in the water, and basically was a lovely child. It's possible that this was to lead the general populace into a false sense of security.

The pater familius, David. A lot of the pictures this trip were taken by the boy, Xander. I swear I'm WAY taller than him. Stronger too, and and and I know more words. For reals. Ohh, to the right is the rarely pictured mater familius, Marsha.

I was able to take care of some extra networking with this trip. You see, one of my bestest buddies from my masters course has (or had, he might've hit his head at some point) an obsession with a classic fair food. Why don't we look at the next few pics and try to figure out what it is, shall we?




It seems that the obsession has a contagious element to it. Here's Xander presented with HIS lunch.

Note the expression on Mommy's face.

So that was my Saturday. Networking can be fun, even if I still have a thing or two to learn about it. The rest isn't important unless you're Duncan, in which case you should probably highlight the last of the this post.


HA HA! I had a corn dog and you didn't! It was hot and golden and deliciously fat-filled! Xander at ALL of his, too, that's the power of a real corn dog and YOU don't get any!! HA HA HAAA HAA!!!!

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

First Impressions

So far, I gotta say it's a lot better than I could have feared.

My previous experience at the job has turn my learning curve into a dull incline. I need to touch up on names and the machine - while very user-friendly - is completely different, but I'm picking things up fast. Everyone's been very excited about me being back and I feel very welcome. And it doesn't hurt that my old benefits have apparently been waiting for me.

Of course, my routine is disrupted. Focusing on one aspect, I'm trying to fix it so that I wake up, go to the gym, straight from there to work. I tried the gym then home for breakfast then to work today, and that didn't work so well. All I need to do is get myself some cereal and a coffee maker there and I'm golden.

My research endeavors have been slow but steady. I finished a key book in character research for the webcomic, and the ideas just keep on coming. I am running out of ways to stall on producing the thing, and I'm sure the universe is worried. The fact that the Large Hadron Collider is about to come online cannot be a coincidence.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Inaugural Address

Tomorrow begins a new phase in my attempts to be a professional writer: trying to write while working a full-time job. Many have overcome the rigors to persevere, and by keeping a diary of my experiences maybe I can at least contribute to the community of wannabes, if not document the path.

I find myself having to admit I'm helluva lucky. The job it one I've done before, I know I can have time to myself when conditions permit, and my immediate boss is one of my closest friends from college. So long as I don't do anything too stupid, I'm going to be okay. On top of that, I'll have little things like medical and dental insurance, so those are classified as "uppers." This is a job, and as such I'll need to focus on what they would have me focus on, but I know I have plenty of things to focus on when the other things are lying in wait.

Shocktype Productions has a lot of things going on at the mo. My graphic novel is still looking for an artist, but the list of potentials trying out grows. I'm doing research for my webcomic project, and a lot of what I'm reading either inspires ideas or reinforces the ones I already had, all of which is glowing. I have the tingling of a new idea thanks to a New York Times article, and as soon as I come up with a hook I expect the world won't stop me. My two finished short stories are still making the rounds, but I am pleased that I'm developing the skin necessary to handle rejection. I suppose high school DID teach me something.

I look forward to posting on this at least weekly, as I don't want to promise more and dissappoint. See you later, everyone!