Slings and roundabouts.

So, this week has been one crazy roller coaster ride. It started off with drinking and The IT Crowd with friends, breakfast with Carl Storm the next day, and then hiking at the Brea Dam. I was having a great week.

Then, yesterday, my mom apparently had a stroke or something.

She went into the hospital yesterday in the early morning. She was having Migraine symptoms the night before, and I thought that was just what it was. I didn't find out until 2:00 pm or so, when my younger brother called. She had lost sensitivity on her right side, and had jumbled speech. It is hard to have a conversation with her right now, just because of the frustration you see on her face when she can't find the right words. You can tell she knows exactly what to say, but the words get lost on the way out. It's like when you leave something somewhere deliberately and someone moves it when you aren't looking. She had an MRI today, but we still don't know exactly what happened. She seems to be getting better though. I'm worried. I guess we'll find out more tomorrow when her primary doctor comes in.

I lost my dad in 1999. We were never that close, up until he helped me move to Washington state. We talked the whole drive up there, and I learned some really cool and interesting things I never knew about him. He had been in poor health for years, with kidney and liver problems, so it wasn't a surprise when he passed away. I wasn't even sad, because he had lived a great long life, and it was his time. He was born in 1921.

I'm not ready to lose my mom though.

-Carl

2009 and beyond...

I have decided that, even though I've never done this before, I have a resolution for 2009. I have resolved to get off my ass, stop being a hermit, and DO THINGS.

1. I don't draw nearly enough. I have many convenient excuses as to why I don't draw, but I've decided to see right through them for the first time in years. I have resolved to draw at least 5 days a week, for at least 3 hours a day. That may not seem like much to most of my artistic friends, but it is a lot for me. Running my comic shop takes up much of my time, but I can't use that excuse anymore. I NEED this. I have so many unfinished projects and ideas lying around, generally being neglected and ignored, and it has to stop if I want to pursue my dream. I've wanted to draw comic books since I was a little kid. Now is the time to decide how badly I want to do it. If it means sacrificing sleep, watching less TV, or having weekly drink and draw nights with friends, then that's what I'll do. I don't EVER go out, so what's my excuse. If I am going to spend so much time at home I'm going to use that time wisely. I want everyone who knows me to keep on my ass about this. If I start to slack, please hit me. Seriously.

2. I need to be around people more often. I have been a hermit long enough. I realized the other day that even though most of my friends and family live within 10 minutes of my house, I never see any of them. That's just sad. I hung out with my mom last week, and realized it's the first time in a long time I've done that. I miss seeing people. I miss my family. It's time to re-embrace the outside world again. It's hard because I get really uneasy after being around people for too long. That's why I don't do parties or clubs anymore. I need to get over that, I suppose.

3. I need to put my private life above my work life. I work anywhere between 30 and 90 hours a week, between running the shop and working on my comics. I need to realize that the shop will run fine without me. That's why I have employees. I need to start trusting them more.

So, 2009 will be a much different year for me. And I'm looking forward to it.

- Carl

Atheists Send a Message, on 800 British Buses!

The ads were placed by the Atheists in response to ads placed by a Christian website on buses around London. Inspired by the London campaign, there is now a similar campaign in Washington, D.C. Way to go London!

Read more here.

- Carl

Paul McGann as The Doctor.

So, here we have a really crappy scan of the pencils for my Paul McGann piece. It's a shame that his movie was so shitty, because he was a really good Doctor. I'm glad they finally acknowledged him in the new series in "The Next Doctor". As usual, click the image for a bigger version. I will post the inks and colors soon.



- Carl