Category Archives: Comics

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Drive-By Blog Update

Been awfully busy lately, and that means the blog is the first thing to not get updated. I then tell myself, “I’ll have to update my website with all of the interesting things I’ve been doing.” Except, of course, it’s not terribly interesting, really. But a few things of note as of late…

Worst Open House Ever?

Probably not. But Charlie and I did look at some open houses over the weekend (not that we’re buying in the near future, but to get an idea of right now what is available in our suspected price range) and there was one house that stood out in particular for being unwelcoming. First, when we got there, the front door was locked. As we were standing right next to the front window (with the realtor slumped on a couch), he saw us trying to open the door and hopped up and opened the door. “I don’t know how that happened,” he said. Because of course the door locked its own deadbolt.

But then, we stepped in and were greeted with an overwhelming smell of cigarette smoke. As we gasped for air, then realtor dealt the final blow. “When I got here for the open house I found out that one of the contractors working on the house is not feeling well and he’s lying down in the master bedroom, so I’m going to have to ask that you not go in there.”

“We’ll just come back,” Charlie said, as he and I scrambled towards the door. Which of course, meant, never. Talk about three strikes and you’re out…

Small Press Expo 2010 A Success

This year’s Small Press Expo (a show I first attended in 1995, first volunteered for in 1997, and have helped run in some capacity since 1998) was a huge success, hurrah! It was also my last year as the grand poobah of the Ignatz Awards, so having that off my shoulders (more or less) was also a big relief. I finished up my wine sketchbook, which I started back in 2001. I am determined to buckle down and scan the rest and start posting those sketches here… soon… honest.

Autumn = Soup Weather

I love making soup in colder weather, both on the stove and in my crock pot. I also finally decided to give Soupergirl a try, a local chef who sells her homemade soups that you order in advance. I’m going to keep making my own soup, of course, but I’m dying to see how hers taste too. Especially since hers is a zucchini pear soup, something that sounds strange at first and then intriguing, and more importantly I’d never have thought to try it on my own.

Upcoming Documentary I Can’t Wait To See

Waiting for “Superman” is opening this weekend in the DC area, David Guggenheim’s new documentary on the public school system in the United States and its decline over recent years. Part of the focus is on the DC school system and DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, and I’m looking forward to seeing it for myself. For the record, while I don’t think she was perfect (and made some mistakes along the way), I do think that Rhee was one of the best things to happen to DC public schools in the past few years.

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Ah, Peanuts

There are only a handful of comic strips that I adore; Calvin & Hobbes and Mutts, for example, are two that just make me smile at the thought of them. And another one of my all-time favorites is the old, classic Peanuts from the ’50s through the ’70s, thanks to reading the collections from my local library back in the day. So when Tom Spurgeon linked to this advertising flyer from the 1950s with ads for the strip? Love it. Here’s one of said strips for your amusement, too:

 

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No Super Powers (yet)

While training for the Columbia Triathlon, earlier in May I was feeling some soreness on the right side of my knee when I was cycling. While running or swimming it didn’t bother me, but cycling did something not quite right to that muscle. I chalked it up to not being used to biking for that distance (it was after all much farther than I’d ever pedaled before), iced it and took some anti-inflammatories, and didn’t worry.

Post-triathlon, though, it was still bugging me, so I took some time off from even my spinning class to let it get back to normal. After yesterday’s rowing machine session started bothering it (clearly it depends on just how much it bends, since rowing and cycling bend the knee much more), though, I mentioned it to my doctor today. Next thing I knew, after work today I was getting an x-ray at Virginia Hospital Center. (Weekdays at 6pm? No waiting for an x-ray.)

Tragically? So far as I can tell, I have not yet developed super powers as a direct result of the x-ray. I’m always a tiny bit disappointed on that front. I think comic books lied to me over the years. Hmph. (I’ll let you know if it turns out to be anything serious. I’ve also got some PT scheduled for starting next week to strengthen the muscle since it’s probably just a bad strain. But we shall see.)

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Books and Movies: 2009

For the past few years, I tracked which movies that I saw in the theatre. It was fun to look back and see how many (and what) I’d seen, and this year I decided to take it a step further and add books and graphic novels into the mix, with the help of Goodreads. (I also decided to allow movies I saw on DVD, even though that tally turned out to be just one.)

I ended up tying 2007’s movie tally with 20 films, and amusingly enough that was also the number of novels I read. As for graphic novels… well, let’s just say the final tally was a wee bit higher.

Movies:

  1. The Women (the 1939 version)
  2. Frost/Nixon
  3. Watchmen
  4. Every Little Step
  5. Star Trek
  6. Little Ashes
  7. Away We Go
  8. Up
  9. Public Enemies
  10. The Hurt Locker
  11. (500) Days of Summer
  12. Paris
  13. Inglorious Basterds
  14. An Education
  15. Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ By Sapphire
  16. A Room With a View
  17. A Serious Man
  18. Fantastic Mr. Fox
  19. Up in the Air
  20. A Single Man

Books:

  1. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
  2. Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
  3. Wicked Gentlemen by Ginn Hale
  4. All Seated On The Ground by Connie Willis
  5. Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks
  6. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
  7. Sea, Swallow Me and Other Stories by Craig Laurance Gidney
  8. The Cabinet of Light by Daniel O’Mahony
  9. The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks
  10. Shell Shock by Simon A. Forward
  11. Farthing by Jo Walton
  12. The Baum Plan for Financial Independence and Other Stories by John Kessel
  13. Listening Is an Act of Love edited by Dave Isay
  14. A Companion to Wolves by Sarah Monette and Elizabeth Bear
  15. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen
  16. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
  17. Psycho by Robert Bloch
  18. After the Quake by Haruki Murakami
  19. The Host by Stephenie Meyer
  20. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

Continue reading Books and Movies: 2009→

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Home Again, Home Again

Is it possible to feel like you’ve been travelling without ever leaving the area? I feel like I haven’t been home for the past week, even though I was. There’s a trail of debris all over the place to prove it, in fact. But with 953 different things on my plate at once, I don’t think I ever stopped moving for more than a few minutes to appreciate being home.

But, that’s all over for now. The craziness of September seems to be firmly behind me, having culminated in the Small Press Expo (SPX), which I’ve helped run since 1998. It’s a labor of love, certainly; it eats up chunks of time (although not as much as before since I’ve reduced my role to primarily just the Ignatz Awards) but at the end of the day I get to see so many lovely and wonderful friends that it’s worth it. Of course, I don’t ever get to spend enough time with any of them, which sucks a little bit. But even a few minutes chat is better than nothing at all.

I’ve also vowed to start scanning in my wine sketches once more. I know, I’ve said this before. But I mean it this time. Really. It was invigorating being around so many talented artists all weekend long. I also took some photos at the show that—especially the ones on Sunday using a prime lens—I’m pretty happy with.

Tired and UnfocusedAside from two meetings for work later this week, it is nice to look ahead and see on my schedule… nothing. (Well, almost nothing. I’ve got two runs in the morning for the weekend, and some stuff starts showing up next weekend. But it’s not like last week for instance where every day had a to-do list the length of my arm.) I’m hoping to spend Thursday night in front of the television because I don’t have other things that must be accomplished first.

I think this is what I’d really like to accomplish in the next two weeks:

  • Read some books
  • Write some reviews
  • Clean the living room
  • Cook some new recipes
  • Watch some television
  • Take some naps
  • Go for a swim or two

Will I accomplish them all? I hope so. I also challenge everyone else to follow this list for the next two weeks. I think it’s going to be fun.

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Slightly Burnt Out

I’m not sure how I can be burnt out from doing too much while not really accomplishing anything, but I’ve come to the grim conclusion that it seems to be my life these days. It has been nice to check some items off of the list, though, and move closer to getting other things completed. (Although even things that take up time can still be sad to see go away.)

I did have the last of my “lap swimming class” through Arlington last night, which I’d signed up for primarily because the rec center near my office was overrun with kids camp all summer long. It was strange (to me), though, in that we started with nine people and by the end would have anywhere from two to four people show up. Last night was just me and one other guy. I admit it, I missed two classes (one due to work, one due to sickness) but it was more than just that in terms of absences. The instructor had even said early on that adult swim classes had a steep attrition rate but this was a little out of control. On the bright side, we each had an entire lane to ourselves, how nice is that? The final two weeks we were told to “just go and swim as much as you can without stopping” and I was pleased with the end results: 34 laps in 35 minutes last week, and 39 laps in 40 minutes this week. Nice steady pace with no burning desire to stop. It’ll be nice to have Monday nights back, but I will miss having my own lap lane ready and waiting for me.

Over for SPX, the Ignatz Ballot is out in the wild, and the jury this year did a fantastic job. I’ve been very slowly lining up presenters, so hopefully I can get that done in the next week or two with lots of time to spare. It’s hard to believe the show is just a month away (yikes) but I’m whittling away at my remaining parts, which feels good.

On the downside, though, my home has lately been looking like a disaster area in various stages of disrepair. I’d hoped to really roll up my sleeves and get rid of stuff a couple of weekends ago but it just didn’t happen. I think I’m going to have to just draw up a schedule for myself even if it’s as simple as, “Tackle these two shelves this weekend” so it doesn’t look quite so daunting. (Once I get rid of some things, I will then have room for the other things scattered around my home.) Doubly so for if/when Charlie and I get a place together, this is a process that needs to be taken care of.

Alternately, gods of the lottery system, the Virginia Lottery is at something hugely ridiculous right now like $252 million. I know that supposedly more money brings more problems, but I am willing to give that a shot and see what happens. Then I can spend my days doing research on important things. Like if squirrels can really talk out of their butts or not.

I thought Mark Trail was all about animal facts?

While I’m at it, I need to figure out something else to do with the never-ending supply of peaches from my CSA. I love peaches but I am starting to burn out on them. I cannot eat them fast enough. (Well, I suppose I could but it would be fairly disastrous.) Maybe I should make some sort of smallish peach cobbler? I suppose there are worse fates in life.

Oh, and if the heat could drop about 10 degrees I’d be appreciative. I’d like the option to run after work instead of having to get up super-early to avoid melting.

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My Kind of Book

I was just reading a press-release about Viz launching their upcoming SIGIKKI website, which is going to serialize all sorts of comics from Japan. The pre-launch series running right now, Children of the Sea, is fairly fantastic, with strange things going on with the ocean and teenagers. The official launch for SIGIKKI rolls out over the next two weeks.

Of all the new series that will show up at the site, it’s this one that starts showing up on July 23rd that I’m really excited about.

Saturn Apartments By Hisae Iwaoka

A touching, character-rich vision of an intriguing new world.

Far in the future, humankind has evacuated the Earth in order to preserve it. Humans now reside in a gigantic structure that forms a ring around the Earth, thirty-five kilometers up in the sky. The society of the ring is highly stratified: the higher the floor, the greater the status. Mitsu, the lowly son of a window washer, has just graduated junior high. When his father disappears and is assumed dead, Mitsu must take on his father’s occupation. As he struggles with the transition to working life, Mitsu’s job treats him to an outsider’s view into the various living-room dioramas of the Saturn Apartments.

To me it’s got everything—an interesting setting, and what sounds like a combination of a mystery (the vanishing father), drama (having to inherit something unwanted), and sociological examination (the observing of other people’s lives). It sounds like there’s an almost infinite number of potential stories to be told here. Hopefully it’s as good as it sounds!

(Any books in particular that you’re dying to read based on the description alone?)