Whitechapel - Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T13:37:33-07:00

Saturday Night Open Mic: say hello, tell us about your week, plug your creative endeavours, show us your bits, I don't care...

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T13:43:00-07:00

Hello!
In just 3 days from now i'm going to do something foolhardy.
I'll be working a dayjob and by night rid myself of my alter ego and turn into the dashing illustrator.

Starting November In under just a month me and a select few, who voluntarily participate in dooming themselves, will each have drawn a 48 page black and white graphicnovel with cover before the stroke of midnight November 30th.

If creating from scratch, little sleep and a deep sense of satisfaction of finally having told a whole story that wasn't in the world before you created it, sound like your cup of tea; join us via @nanographicmo or look up more info on the challenge's tumblr: www.nanographicmo.org. :)

Thanks for having me over, Warren.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T13:48:18-07:00

Hello!

This week...eh. It was kind of a mix, but pretty rough in regards to self-esteem both in my work and towards my appearance. Work-wise I felt that my stuff was getting stagnant and after getting some pretty harsh criticism of my recent stuff from a friend, I was just feeling a bit down about it all. appearance-wise, basically, some self portraits went wrong and I spent the early part of the week wearing baggy shirts and not getting out much.

Latter half of the week went well though, when I received some encouragement from our good friend Veronika von Volkova via audio transmission and got drawn as a freakin' PSI-JUDGE by Tim Twelves. The week was capped off yesterday when I went to see an absolutely hilarious Grindhouse flick.

Now I'm feeling better about myself and looking forward to coming up with new ideas for my photography and taking it to places I haven't gone yet. And this weekend I'll be working on my first ever submission to a gallery. It's part of a collective exhibition of emerging photographers in Canada. Hopefully I'll make the cut.

And I'm really looking forward to scaring children with Diamanda Galas' Les litanies du satan playing as loud as possible outside.

And my stuff can be found either on my web site www.TheRobinLeBlanc.com or you can always go to my Flickr

And picture! I just took this this morning and it was taken for Veronika von Volkova's birthday.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T13:55:11-07:00

Hello,

Dayjob-week crap (as usual) ...in other news, working on a script for a mini-comic, a self-publish poetrybook project, and cover art for a new Steve Ayett novella (secret-hushhush-can'tsaynomore)...and might as well plug my blog:
moali.co.uk

oh, and Warren, can't follow you on twitter as you blocked me during a bot-purge (by accident?) but anyway, if you want to unblock: mo_ali - unless I've pissed you off somehow, in which case apologies..

cheers.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T14:07:31-07:00

typical week. some stuff went really right. some stuff didnt...and all that seemed to happen in a row.

we got a new puppy last week. shes adorable, but its extra work. LUCKILY its a lot less work than we planned for so it seems smooth. she is over here if so inclined, i cant get the picture to show up at a decent size and dont wanna clog the thread up. her name is Sandwich. we are adults, yes.

i went to drop off a box of comics for the kids to take at the local neighborhood block party thing. they use the church, so i went into a church for the first time in at least 12 or 13 years. it was eerie, plus they were testing some spooky music for the haunted house later on today, so as i walked down the dark halls, horro music played. then i asked some of the teen volunteers where i could leave stuff for the kids and they all turned with blank faces and no one spoke. i left the comics and got THE FUCK out. it was very creepy.

i realized i dont care about halloween anymore. as an adult it only seemed fun to go to parties and get fucked up. now that i have no desire to do that, its just becoming a nuisance. ugh. girl wants to go to the state fair tomorrow but we are kinda bickering right now so im not exactly stoked to go out with her. i would just like one day to relax. i havent had a day with NOTHING planned for weeks. that sounds a lot better right now than to go to hillbilly festival and eat greasy food til im sick with someone who i quite honestly could use some time for us to be seperate.

now, im outta here to eat pork chops and hang out with my brother and sister who i havent seen in a while so thats nice.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T14:18:39-07:00

@oldhat great pic, really great

okay me... my other half lost her job which has been putting me under a lot of extra stress, then my cousin died (alcoholic anorexic, it was never going to last) and now i'm getting to one of those moments where you dont want to sound selfish but what about MY problems?
today was the last day of an absolute waste of a holiday. we were going to get tattoos and go see friends but due to afore mentioned work issues those got cancelled. i've spent all day like a menapausal (sp?) woman just bursting into tears and hating myself. i really wish the world would take the fucking hint and go away...

i hate this but i really don't have any confidence left and just feel like i'm being withered away.

/emo

eta: joe i feel the same way about halloween but my band are opening at some retarded event... urgh

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T14:29:14-07:00

First time I've gotten in early on one of these.

Just heard that my elderly, Alzheimers-struck uncle passed away. Expected, and a good thing, all things considered. He'd been in a nursing home for just a couple months when pneumonia struck. "The old man's friend" they call it, and it was in this case. I have a bunch of cards to write.

Not a bad week.

Busy at work, in a good way. Showed my technical chops dealing with a customer problem.

Didn't get much writing . . . no, make that no writing done. But ideas are bubbling in my head again, and I have a file started.

Found out the dog has fleas. She's getting dipped and scrubbed. First time I ever had to deal with buggies since the family cat died 20 years ago.

I indulged myself with a gadget, a no-name-brand Android WiFi tablet. Email, browsing, that kind of thing. I rarely go for purchases like this, but despite working in a deep-fried technical position I'm feeling left out by the whole portable gadget revolution.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T14:43:15-07:00

A better week than last. I lost my job in Sydney last week and thought I would need to move the whole family back to the US. Maybe not. Some good conversations with studios in Sydney. I may not have to move my family after all. Also something in Singapore raised it head. That would be interesting.

The internet has changed the way I look for work. In the old days I made many many phone calls then shlepped my portfolio around town. I had 2 or 3 copies because the animation houses all wanted to keep it for at least a week. I bought blank 5 minute vhs tapes in bulk and spent house duping and labeling and mailing. Now I jump in the internets and hit a half dozen sites and I know about almost every job out there. Weeks of work condensed into a few days of emailing a resume and a few links to online demo reels. My reach is far and wide. The competition is stiffer but there is so much work out there. There are boards where you can throw up a demo reel and bid on freelance projects. That's looking more attractive all the time.

Next week, drawing while I wait to hear back from all of these places out there in cyberspace. That''l be new. It's been a while since I had the time to just draw without a specific goal in mind. A little scared to find out what's in the attic. Or if I can even get it out on the page.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T15:11:47-07:00

logged in to try and catch elfays stream only to realise I was 6 hours too late.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T15:15:15-07:00

Watson (my cat) keeps me company. I've been surprisingly awake today. I am a huge fan of Halloween for dressing up in a costume. I rarely can find a party and I'm staying away from candy because I am dieting. I don't think I've lost any weight yet though. Booo. Had first therapy appointment Monday. This is good. Time to finally get better.

It's funny, I was thinking of what I would do if I never had to worry about money, and I realized that my answer to last week's question was inaccurate. What I really want to do is take care of my mom's land and tax problems so she doesn't have to worry about it anymore, and move to Florence for a while.

Edit: forgot self portrait. From a skinnier time, masked because it's almost Halloween.

Also, a cool thing is that I found out that this is a bird pelvis. It's also upside-down. Anatomy is so neat!

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T15:17:06-07:00

I am lurking in my shed, drinking whisky, being introverted and avoiding Partner and Mother in Common-Law who are watching shit on telly. My sister came today, which was nice, I haven't seen her for months and she's not that well. Am fairly stabby and murderous at work, lots of frustration and irritation there at the moment, but on the other hand I've managed to start making music again, which is really good.

I am, however, hungry.

There is no food here, except squirrels. I do not wish to eat squirrels, so I may have to return to the house to forage.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T15:25:29-07:00

I'm with stefan I usually come late to these things.

Not been too busy at work but it has been full of successful endeavours, though my boss has me under strict instructions not to talk to one of our clients, their machines won't be getting fixed until they stop being dicks, I like working for him. I just need a little more time with my coding, I have next week off and have about 60% of my flat to clean then much keyboard-monkeyness.

Other side reading quite a lot of non-fiction, pretty depressing stuff but educational and life enhancing, Tech related my wireless network is playing up, and my new computer is in Shetland.

Ha so, things are as they are.

And we are putting on Fullsceildh Spelmannslag a week tonight!

Doc

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T15:29:56-07:00

Oh, boy, I kinda missed these. Especially now. I actually have stuff to get off my chest that I can't really do anywhere else, for fear of getting confronted about it (I'm fairly certain the people I don't wanna read this avoid the board)...
I went on a self-imposed exile from most of the internet last month. Here, Twitter (which I really regretted), and Facebook (which I totally didn't regret and am never going back to that cesspool) were all quit. It all stemmed from an argument the fella and I had over my priorities... he got the impression that I cared more about talking to some of you folk on IRC than I cared about him. Me, being the misguided over-reactor I am, quit everything BUT IRC.
Mainly because one of our own on #whitechapel, VKlaus, was coming here for a visit and I wanted to stay in touch. So he was here last weekend. And it was great. Really and truly great. He and I have a tendency to monopolize the chat sometimes, 'cause I'm one of the few that just rolls w/ his jokes and has fun being silly for extended periods of chat time. And he turned out to be someone I got along w/ just as well outside chat. He's funny and we have stuff in common and Monday came around and I dropped him off at the airport and, like that, fell into a depression.
(Venting about what was once here really did help me get over it, and therefore, doesn't need to be saved for posterity. But, for the record, Klaus is, like, the coolest guy ever.)

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T15:33:11-07:00

In terrific pain. It would be my period hits hardest on a major party day. Midafternoon and I've barely eaten, let alone assembled a costume. No money for buying a single thing so I've been hoping I could put something together out of my closet. But I didn't bother to try to actually pull something together any earlier than today because why prepare when I could procrastinate until it's time to panic and when I'll probably be doubled over with cramps.

I love dressing up. I'm not big on sewing, I'm not clever at shopping. But I love piecing things together that are out of the ordinary and fun. I love it more than I dislike socializing with strangers. I love more than I find small talk annoying. In other words, I would be thinking and rethinking going to a party tonight where I only sort of know the hosts and no one else, but because it's Halloween and I'm going dress up somehow and everyone else should be in costume I'm totally looking forward to it. you know, once my gut stops aching.

This is week three of my theatre company's run of the play On Emotion. a lot of balls got dropped when it came to selling it so it has had really poor attendance. I'm planning on going tonight before the party but that's hardly anything. It feels like most people in the company, including me, didn't put a lot of energy into spreading the word on the play. I don't know why. We've had our attention elsewhere, is all I can come up with, which sucks. I can't begin to try to convince friends to drop their Halloween plans to see a play about cognitive behavior, autism and self-delusion. Even if it's a really good play - and I'll stake whatever I'm worth on it being a good play. Last August I did the dramaturgy for it, meaning I researched a lot of the relevant topics going over and over Cognitive Behavior therapy, its precepts and implications. There's a lot to the subject, more than a theatre major like me could possibly learn in a few weeks. It'll be good to see what the director and actors did with that work.

I'm going to do the NaNoWriMo, but I'm not fixing to start a whole novel. Hopefully, though, I will finish one. Definitely aim to finish two short stories that have just been languishing even though I know what needs to happen. Creative endeavor? I endeavor to creatively get myself to quit wasting my days. Something has to happen every day. I have to produce something, every day. Or I'm just not worth the oxygen I suck down.

BTW - I finally got to see RED last night. I loved it. Ridiculous amounts of fun and I think I did start to drool a bit at the Helen-Mirren-with-a-machine-gun. MotherFUCK that was hot. But you know I just squealed and clapped at the spot where she ran out of the gala and exchanged her stilleto heels for combat boots!! Finally!!! A movie not afraid to exchange fashion for good, hot, sensibility. I loved the whole cast. Each of 'em. And I just about given up on Bruce Willis, but he's back in my good graces.

Theatre note: at one point my sister asked me if I smelled skunk. I said yeah, because I had, barely even stopped to think it was unusual. Then she said "oh...skuuunk. I meant the animal." I shook my head. Nope. Skunk. Honestly, who needs Prop 19? When you live in California you frequently forget that pot isn't exactly legal.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T15:34:11-07:00

Been a decent week actually: got lots of packing done for the big move which is fast approaching, finished off a few wee commission gigs, spent Wednesday drawing at my LCS where I was able to pick up a few more private commissions. I love drawing there- great light, I'm surrounded by inspirational stuff, and there is quite a cast of weirdos who frequent the place and make the experience more interesting.
I have reconnected with an old client of mine who works with charities, and thru him I've been able to scrounge up a few proper illustration gigs. It's been slow and clunky, but the wheel is definitely starting to turn in that respect, 6 months after a layoff that nearly destroyed my life.
Oh, and quite to my surprise, I discovered that an adult graphic novel I illustrated last year (while working for that children's book publisher), a project that was literally two pages from being finished before I was laid off, has been optioned.
I dunno what that actually means for me or my career, since I was merely a hired gun to illustrate the story, but it's nice to hear that all of my work has not entirely been in vain, and I'm interested to see where it goes. The writer, Michael F Stewart is an excellent dude, and he was very happy and excited with how I interpreted his words and characters, so we'll see :)
Currently I am in Chelsea QC, where it is snowing wet and heavily, as my wife and in-laws and I await a grand feast of fish and chips to celebrate my FIL's birthday.

Have a great night folks, and thanks Warren.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T15:37:19-07:00

hello. been a funny old week.

been busy. for various reasons spent monday night talking to my brother on the phone rather than going to see the swans. but i did go to see godflesh on wednesday night, and leatherstrip on thursday night.

went over to edinburgh friday afternoon - friday traffic is a formidable thing. arrived to find out that the reason the venue's website had vanished, and why my friend couldn't get anyone on the phone was because the parent company had gone bust. but they moved event to next door. so still saw texture and the rest of the chemical poets perform, though he is a popular man, and i'm far too reserved to have actually managed to talk to him, which was a pity. they were supporting steve aylett, who talked about writing, and read bits from various books, including from an imminently released collection of shorts, which i guess is different from the novella moali mentions.

creative wise?
i have 3 stories on texture's weaponizer site.
and have just been updating my micro-fiction-twitter stream, where i post random little bits.

other than that, i have bacon, and i know how to cook it!

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T15:46:25-07:00

Well tonight I went to my best friend's birthday drinks, said friend having started going out with my ex, said ex I haven't seen since she broke up with me... yeah, complicated situation. I'm a bit socially incompetent at the best of times, and was dreading the appearance of THE AWKWARD. But it kinda went OK. I love both of them too much to be pissed off, but I do feel a bit uncomfortable about it. I'm really hoping this feeling goes away quick so that the friendship I have with both these people can get back to the way it was. That would be awesome.

Otherwise, everything else is just dandy.

ETA: also saw RED today. Very fun. I pretty much worship Mary Louise-Parker, and in this she's brilliant.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T15:50:37-07:00

Hi there lovely peeps,
Am sat with a very good mate watching Boston Legal season 2 again, he's playing puzzle quest. I just polished off a glass of shiraz with a packet of oreos. How, my dear whitechapelians is this not the most awesome thing know to mankind?

There is no need for Helloween shinanigans and I'm all tired out from making people submit to my wonderful suppleness. To put that in a little more context I've recently started doing an MMA set of training classes where we do half an hour of intensive cardio [ouch] followed by some Brazilian Ju Jitsu training, we then end with some Brazilian Ju Jitsu sparing. It so happens that my lanky frame is very good at Brazilian Ju Jitsu and guys maybe twice or three times my size [in weight] have trouble against me. Also, the exercise is apparently good for me.

I also started Project Managing a ... project... at a big bank recently which has been interesting thus far. I've never really been into this crazy Project Management shindig but after getting past the weird design and planning stage I quite like managing people whilst also doing my main job.

Also saw RED last week, enjoyed it very much, hat off to you Madam Ellis

I think that's mostly what I've been doing, been using twitter more and this page has been rather interesting over the past 10-20 minutes.
25 most unusual deaths of 21st century

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T16:03:54-07:00

Hello Whitechapel.
Survival Research Labs (from my hometown of Petaluma, CA, USA) staged a robot battle/event called An Explosion of Ungovernable Rage in front of the Sonoma County Museum, which is a block from my apartment. They unveiled this bat wielding robot today:

"Spine" robot arm in action:

Robot tech people survey the aftermath and mechano-carnage:

Other than that...gig tonight with bar band and gig next week with my new band supporting David J (and special guest Jill Tracy) at Cafe Du Nord.
I will once again extend my standing offer to buy a beer for any Whitechapel-ers in the area who attend a show. =)

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T16:40:14-07:00

I just turned 36.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T16:47:42-07:00

I went to school with the guy who posted the picture at the top there, known him since second grade. He knows me well enough to know... certain things I bite at.. like fish and bait. He knew I would say something... because Iv'e always been mouthy and mean in person about what I perceive to be injustice. I fell for it, naturally... but I think I did OK. Maybe I have aspergers or something, who knows. Some days I seem sane, other days I am a cartoon character in a world of consequences, frustrated and suppressed, hiding a two ton anvil just behind my back.

I'd leave the country if I weren't certain of a most important fact. Idiots are everywhere. Universal.
Hell, saw one in my bathroom this morning on the other side of the sink... just playin' a banjo.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T17:01:26-07:00

Happy birthday, Ali.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T17:26:13-07:00

Have been comparitively busy this week. Unfortunately personal computer is down so I am relegated the family's machine. Not entirely a bad thing since people actually get to see me now and I'm reading books.

The Limbo I have been in since leaving University in may continues. My own lack of inexperience (Since this is essentially looking for my first job) exasserbated by my own reluctance to start and living in the middle of nowhere don't help.

On the up side my drive/ animus etc. has been on the up eversince I got a fortune cookie saying "Your hard work will pay off" I think it's having a psychosomatic effect.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T17:34:02-07:00

First of all, congratulations on the Eagle Award, Warren, Paul, Ariana and Avatar.

Second of all, happy birthday, Oddcult.

Third of all, happy birthday, Veronika.

Fourth of all, good evening, everyone.

Fifth of all:

After many attempts I have unstickied myself from the bed and shaken off rigor mortis, only to go into another working frenzy and collapse again. One day ago my pulse returned and I find myself strong enough to blink without effort.

About two weeks ago I worked as a receptionist at a Gynecology and Obstetrics Convention. Not the first time I've done so, but this time the administration made a point of fucking with us. First, they forgot to number the rooms on our schedules. We had the name of each room, but fuck you if we were going to remember the separate names of ten lecture rooms, each comprised of three to five very long words, and associate these names with the rooms' locations. We received the schedules half an hour before the convention began, and even then doctors were already coming up to us asking for directions.

I ran around the convention writing down the rooms' numbers on my schedule, and then I drew a blueprint of the floor to help locate them. When I went back to the lecture room I had been assigned to, I met the door.

You pull it from the outside and push it from the inside. It clicks loudly when you pull it, louder when you push it. It has to be opened and closed constantly for doctors who arrive late or must answer their cellphones. And it's installed on a lecture room.

To make things worse, no-one could understand the locking mechanism. I left the door closed before heading out to do something, and when I came back my superior was in front of the door, panting.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I had to run up here. Your co-worker just called my cellphone. She's stuck inside the lecture room."

"Stuck?"

I opened the door, revealing my stunned co-worker staring at me in awe as if I'd just pulled a rabbit out of my ass.

It quickly became clear that closing the door was a bad idea. So I stopped doing it, I just left it as closed as possible without clicking the lock during lectures. But the air from inside would force it open again, and that's how I discovered the fucking door creaks loudly too.

Almost every door on the nine other lecture rooms, of course, had miraculous, time-tested rotating doorknobs.

This is me on the final hours of the last day. Earlier, everyone decided to fuck up simultaneously. I was with my co-worker in the room when we received a certificate. We give those to the lecturers after their lectures. The one we received was for a doctor who wasn't on the schedule.

"He's replacing another lecturer who won't be coming," we were informed, and discarded the absent lecturer's certificate.

A while later, the lecturer who wasn't supposed to show up showed up. I ran downstairs to make him a new certificate while my co-worker discarded the new one we had received. When I came back up, the doctor who was supposed to replace the doctor who wasn't supposed to show up also showed up. Down I go to make another new certificate, while the doctors politely decided who would give which lecture. This happened twice that day.

Then there's the annoying bastards, such as the doctor who insisted on an uncommon way to let the lecturers know their time is up: going up to them, interrupting them and saying "your time is up". We tried to show him that the huge countdown timer in this gigantic screen...

... would certainly do the trick. But he said, "Oh, in Minas Gerais [his home city], when the lecturer's time is up, the sound of a horse neighing interrupts him and forces him to stop. It's quite effective."

Still, I like working at medical conventions. It's fairly unpredictable and you meet nice and/or crazy people. It is, however, exhausting. I was half-unconscious for the entire week after the gig.

And more recently I updated my webcomic to a far more time-consuming art style. I also had to make new icons, which led to three days of nearly non-stop drawing.

Things have started settling down, though. Tonight I can relax a little. Fucking insane month, October was.

Sixth of all: here's wishing you recover soon from the flu, Warren.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T17:35:41-07:00

It is snowing heavily, which makes me sad.

Spent the afternoon at my aunt & uncle's 25th wedding anniversary shindig, which was somewhere between "fine" and "boring". Plenty of family and friends-of-family that had no idea who I was, since I have changed somewhat since being the ringbearer at age 5.

Turned 30 a month ago, which I wasn't sure how to react to. The weirdest part has been not my age, but realising that everyone I know is married and has or is expecting children. Being a mostly-content bachelor, it's a bit strange.

Spent the past week doing web design for a soon-to-be-launched project of mine. It's been going painfully slowly, but I've been blasting some happy hardcore which has kept me going.

And now I want to go to a rave. Haven't been to one in 8 years or so, and am wondering if 30 is too old to attend. I always recall there being one creepy old guy standing at the back of the dancefloor, and I never want to be him.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T17:42:13-07:00

Tremendous bodyshame this week. Monday I go to the YMCA to begin grinding in earnest.

Picture:

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T17:44:05-07:00

So we were evacuated at work today.

Apparently some chemical was used somewhere at the company during painting/laying down new floor/whatever (got conflicting reports from co-workers, will know more on Tuesday) which apparently is highly toxic and some woman fainted. We were all led out of the main hall into the "social room" and outside and after half hour we have returned back in... only to have MORE people faint. So we got evacuated again and this time everyone had to go outside (luckily the weather was nice) plus we took a different route.

Five minutes after that we're seeing the "faintees" (is that a word?) being led out one by one. The last woman had to be carried out, she was still unconcious.

NO ambulance was called. The directors let us in after the FIRST person fainted even though they KNEW this stuff could be still dangerous. And apparently LAST YEAR they had TWO similar incidents with a TOTAL of about 20 people hospitalized. Ugh.

This was my second time being evacuated from there since I started work late May. First time it was a small fire in the server room (a short circuit caused the electrolyte to heat up and catch fire which spread across the room but not beyond that).

Today had some pc issues (but since the story is not that important I'll sum it up this way: don't be a retard and don't touch the graphic card with your bare fingers while the pc is working; now I'm on the onboard integrated VIA chipset which took me HOURS to find drivers for, ugh).

Is it Plug Time? I'm selling my collection of short comics titled Coilstar Illustrated #1. It's nine comics, ranging from 1 to 14 pages. All in color, all quite different from each other too.
Intirgued (I hope so)? Here, have a preview condensed into a single image:

The book's sold through Indyplanet and I have sold three copies so far. Need to sell further twelve to call it a small success, so if there are any takers...

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T17:59:25-07:00

Alastair - Sorry for the shitty last few days you've been going through, man. I hope it gets better soon.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T18:18:28-07:00

From left to right: myself, Foley, Max/Magatsu, Tim K, Jeff Moore!

We're partying it up for Halloween. And London, I will be in you shortly.

PS: my full costume:

Officially, it's "slutty plague victim". I have a hideous chest cold but I'm going out anyways. I drew boils on my chest to accentuate the point.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T18:26:09-07:00

Family's too damn ill & tired for Halloween - which we usually do Large.
Y'see, it's our triad wedding anniversary. Thirteen years, this time.

(For balance - and free fireworks - wife-the-shaman & I got registry-office-hitched on 5th November a year later. And a great excuse for 5-day party, which again, too rough to manage this year.)

So a quiet day with wives-the-artist/shaman & movies - Addams, Nightmare Before.., Prince of Darkness for starters. Then more recovering.

But I'm slowly getting healthier in some ways, taking action against the heavier issues and finally got my brain clear enough to get writing again. This helps.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T18:42:39-07:00

Happy birthday Oddcult.

Not a bad week, work was really surreal, though. I push on.

I'm lettering three comics right now, and sketching out a couple of my own, and hope to be working on one with kpatrickglover sometime soon.
Somethings wrong with my right eye today, feels like I jammed something in it, but I don't remember doing so.
I'm doing T-shirts and coffee mugs, here. Not a lot there yet, but, more will be added so come back often.
Here's an example:

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T18:47:19-07:00

@J0nCarp3nter - Squirrel is surprisingly tasty!

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T18:50:29-07:00

I saw Evil Dead II on the big screen and bumped into someone on the way out. My life is complete.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T18:52:10-07:00

I interviewed for a managemnt job in DC and a Director of Ops gig in Burbank this week. So my place-of-residence for 2011 is unknown. My woman is now on a discarding rampage, but that might also have to do with the 6 hours of Hoarders she watches a day.
Also, she has a column in the Guardian explaining while she's sitting out the midterm elections, and we're curled up on the couch reading all the hateful, hateful comments
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/oct/29/us-midterm-elections-2010-us-politics1

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T18:57:02-07:00

I don't remember much from real life this week, haha. Just kinda coasted through it.
Did however complete a new Space Shark this week, woot!

It guest starred my home girl Miss Destructo. A little bonus commentary on that episode: I had most of the art completed over two months ago, but then all of a sudden I stressed out because I didn't want it to be shitty and didn't wanna disappoint Miss D. So I completed a different episode in the meantime, which ended up being a good ep to kick off Space Shark Year 2 with. anyway, she thought it was badass so I am happy and relieved about that. Now onto the next strip!

I also kinda wanted to go to the LB comic-con but I can't afford to pay $25 just to walk through the door to meet creators i admire or pay whatever the fuck parking costs in that area. Avatar is there so I would've liked to say hi or whatever. I can wait until the next SDCC though. I still can't believe how much fun that day was *siiiiiiigh*

Not looking forward to children knocking on my door tomorrow evening. Am looking forward to Walking Dead though! Also: Sleep!
anyway, hope the rest of WHitechapel is doing alright. Don't be shredding your soda cans and hitting your face with em when you're bored, btw :P

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T19:22:12-07:00

Another quick hello from outside of Internetland. It's very interesting out here, all of the leaves are turning various shades of red and fiery orange. I've just come back from a halloween party with my oldest friends, which I declare a glorious success.

Hope you're all doing well... and away I go once again.

PS: anyone who says the Human Centipede is even remotely disturbing needs a golf club wrapped around their face.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T19:39:03-07:00

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T19:55:35-07:00

Wife and I took our daughter to Disneyland Tuesday night for Halloween time after school ... for the third year and she danced her little feet off.
I built this for her but

she declared the old one easier to play with -

- we shopped today. Pretty much domestic bliss ...

When we bought a case of beer - we were given special anti-flat beer glasses.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T20:33:24-07:00

Hola... Happy Goth Christmas Eve... And stuff...

Currently wrapping my 2 week stint at Temporary Location Number One. Due to a combination of logistics, and needing to get certain bits of productivity done, I've opted out of this evening's social festivities. In turn, that will allow me to get the $5 Icon and $15 No-Frills Commission Art Projects off the ground by Monday, as well as get my crap ready to go. I can go to a late-afternoon/evening gathering tomorrow night, then hit the road early Monday to Temporary Location Number Two.

Hopefully, come mid-afternoon on Monday, I'll have the desktop fully set up, and be able to jump right back into work.

I really need to get back to posting art. Gah.

Thank you for your hospitality, Warren (and Ariana).

Carpe Noctem.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T20:35:08-07:00

Just helped my friend the wedding photographer shoot a wedding in which the bridal party changed into costumes. I assist mostly by lurking in shadows, staying out of shots, and holding up lights. At the appointed hour, we opened up our regular workclothes to reveal...he was wearing a Spider-Man costume t-shirt and I was wearing a Venom one.

We are the wedding photographers I want.

On the Metro-North train home, everyone -- literally EVERYONE on board was in costume. Most of it sexy. I'm not sure how to feel about Sexy Cat in the Hat, though. Compromised.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T20:42:55-07:00

Ate too much at a student dinner. It was brilliant.
Went to a Steampunk Dracula with food sort of thing last evening with my favorite co-worker that I don't work with anymore. There was Dracula. And Renfield. Who was hot. Like dripping with fake blood hanging from the rafters bare foot and mostly naked hot. Renfield isn't supposed to be that hot, is he? I mean, I don't remember thinking that "plagued with voices and eats invertebrates mostly unless there's a puppy around and who thinks that Dracula can save him from his insanity" was written to be luscious 23 year old with the muscles and the hair and the attractively crazy. Oh well.

Still don't have the money to do the trip that has become something like inevitable. Kind of don't care.

This was me this morning.

There was something else, but I forgot.
Blessed days of birth to all.
Congrats on the Eagles.
Wonderful Holiday Celebrations around!

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T20:48:01-07:00

Hello!

I'll pass on shwoing anybody here my bits, as I don't want people to swear off sex for a year or two.

So hmm, what can I say? It's been an insanely busy week. What little free time I had has been in film-obsessive mode, which is not great when you have five different movies to check out under deadline and you've only barely finished one at the week's start. Still, it looks like things are starting to look reasonable again. BTW, documentary about tattoo artist Ed Hardy with lots of shots of gorgeous body art = instant win.

Political work has been squeezed in when I can. Today I've been on my feet in boots for close to nine hours. Part of that was much-needed precinct walking/GOTV canvassing.

Highlight of the week, though, was catching the SF satellite rally for the Stewart/Colbert Sanity/Fear event. It may have showered repeatedly during the morning, but there was a 10' x 13' jumbotron and a crowd which stretched from roughly in front of City Hall to 2/3 of the Civic Center Plaza length back. Also, the demographic was nicely all over the map: young, old, white, Asian, cap & trade folks, 2nd Amendment believer. Stewart's closing speech ("We live in hard times, not end times") brought a much-needed smile to my face after what was a hard week.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T22:59:38-07:00

I'm closing in on putting this project together. I have a device on the way to test the bits I want to test on mobile, (i know the fucking bits on the internet will work, I may not be Ariana but I can put a few tags together and make something work on the web) and then start dropping graphics and design into a document and using words to fill in the cracks.

If I am lucky, I'll have something people will like enough to give a little money for.

I am at the downhill slope of my AA Degree and looking at my student loans with no clue how I am going to budget them. I need to do something interesting and at least make an attempt at getting out of IT before I ossify.

Election Day is Tuesday. I have bad and worse running for office in my neck of the woods. Both are too far off the center for me to vote for. I wound up voting republican for Governor last time because at least the guy had a platform other than "I'm not my opponent!" Too many problems are developing here in Northern Virginia to go with people who have no idea what direction they want to take us.

Shit. I should have been in bed two hours ago.

No photo because I'm about fucking dead.

And so we move to another week.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T23:16:21-07:00

I've had a lovely week of a quiet house in upstate NJ, looking after dogs, watching the trees change colors.

PeeWee Herman performed in NYC on Friday. So did Die Antwoord. I attended neither. I'm rather decimated over that.

I'd plans to travel down to DC early Saturday morning, but the fellow with the car cancelled.

It's Saturday night, and the people I was dog sitting for are home. It's so wonderfully silent outside, but in here .... there's two or three televisions on at all times. Always playing the most awful thing possible. Golf. Iman on HomeShoppingNetwork. Pitbulls & Parolees. Fashion Police. It all stays on for hours after they fall asleep. I can't think. I can't understand how people can live like that. Just passively absorbing crap for 8 hours a day. I noticed, while they were away, that this house has no stereo. No means for listening to music.

Tonight, there are no horror films. Just crap TV.

This is me earlier this week.

sigh.....

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-30T23:24:32-07:00

Just returned from playing geeky roleplaying GURPS things. My Gadgeteer performed like shite, totally shot like an Imperial Storpmtrooper, hit two out of nine shots taken. Completed my Bad Santa costume for the punkrock show/party tomorrow night. The Phenomenauts are playing in my basement and it's probably going to be an epic clusterfuck crowd control effort that will hopefully succeed. Wish me luck.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-31T00:27:54-07:00

Yesterday I was on TV as Spider-Man.

Can we really show our bits?

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-31T01:15:01-07:00

@Rachæl Tyrell If there is a DVD player, you can play CDs on it, if you have any around.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-31T02:19:41-07:00

This isn't me but this guy at the gig tonight said his costume was called "U.S. Foreign Policy" (Kraddy to his right):

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-31T02:28:17-07:00

we had a tornado this week. a very polite one, actually--it lasted maybe 15 seconds in my 'hood, and neatly laid the tree we were planning to cut down across the lawn of our neighbor's yard. had the tree tilted any other direction, even slightly, it would have taken out either a car, a set of power lines, or some rooftops.

i was actually outside when it happened, but i didn't see or hear it over the sound of the wind and rain. and i was looking for my cat, and having visions of her swept off to oz (or worse). yes, i know that was a retarded move. yes, i know tornadoes are dangerous. shut up. it's my cat.

she's fine, btw.

and of course, for the plug.

have set a goal for each page: one panel i can be completely proud of. have come to accept that i will eventually retroactively (and occasionally immediately) hate everything i've ever done, but i'm learning to be satisfied if i can get one thing really good.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-31T03:02:24-07:00

cheers andre

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-31T03:13:52-07:00

In one night Ive managed to fuck up relations with most of my friends. so yeah.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-31T03:22:34-07:00

@sgrsickness: how the hell did you manage that?

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-31T04:25:59-07:00

The move is done. I have landed on Europa.

Cangratulations to the birthday people (36 seems like a nice number so far, Oddcult), sympathies to all who are going through rough a time. You're all lovely folks.

Back to unpacking boxes. Lots and lots of boxes.

Hope this finds you well.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-31T04:43:15-07:00

@remotepush - hope you enjoyed the gig, thanks for coming! Sorry not to have met you properly, we could have done a Whitechapel SPIT crossover! Next time. For the record, I'd have loved to buy you a drink mate.

@Brittanica - VERY nice to see you again! Your story about VKlaus warmed the cockles of my heart.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-31T07:20:39-07:00

Good afternoon people!!

firstly Happy birthday (yesterday) Oddcult!

Also welcome back Brittanica. Good to have you in the fold again.

I've just woken up after going out last on Halloween party duty. Took Sigga to see the "The evil dead" at my local cinema. We even got free tickets form a woman who said that her friends weren't coming and would we like them instead! Result! Alas Sigga found the film boring! and this is a woman who happily watched Sex and the City 2 and thought it was great.I really need to consider my future divorce options....

Also went out to see my friend Aðalsteinn play in his noise outfit AMFJ followed by some cheap beer, Grindcore bands and some good old fashioned violence.

Also found out that i was parodied last night on Iceland's biggest comedy show, Spaugstofan because of that bloody TV ad i did. It's the equivalent of being parodied on Saturday night Live. Woke up this morning to several txts and facebook messages about this. I'm not really sure what to think about this....

Currently writing a few music reviews. Life is pretty good. Cat is currently chewing on my ankles. Bless.

Again Congrats to Warren, Paul and the entire Freakangels team on winning their Eagles of death awards.

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-31T09:02:56-07:00

Yesterday was my birthday.
I had a really wonderful day, and I'm still slowly posting things people sent me on my tumblr:
Impetuous Headlong Rush

You should go check it out! I got some really awesome stuff!

Thanks so much for the birthday wishes over here as well!
<3 !!!

Saturday Night Open Mic (30oct10)

2010-10-31T10:00:06-07:00

Went to my sister-in-law's Halloween party last night and am still monumentally hammered; excuse any poor typing, spelling or grammar.

Am enjoying Toronto now that we're settled into a proper apartment instead of camping on various inlaws' couches. The architecture here is shitty (huge ugly housing project blocks) and amazing (gorgeous brick-and-slate mansions from at least a dozen different periods) in equal parts, have spent much of the last week out on Sherbourne street sketching the heritage houses, and I made a nice preliminary underpainting of that college building on Isabella street just down from the hotel on the corner of Sherbourne. No idea where my camera has gotten to, so it's no pictures this week.