http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Local/newEAST08REL071009.htm

My Uncle Comforted and Aunt Judy were trapped in Honduras during the most recent attempt to overthrow of the government. (They were down there doing missionary work.) They are fine and back in the States now.


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Today's link - Ch-ch-changes

http://everysadstoryneedsnuns.blogspot.com/2009/07/ch-ch-changes.html


Permanent Link -

http://everysadstoryneedsnuns.blogspot.com/2009/07/ch-ch-changes.html

* Post ten of any pictures currently on your hard drive that you think are self-expressive.

* No captions. It must be like we're speaking with images and we have to interpret your visual language just like we have to interpret your words.

* They must ALREADY be on your hard drive - no googling or flickr! They have to have been saved to your folders sometime in the past. They must be something you've saved there because it resonated with you for some reason.

* You do NOT have to answer any questions about any of your pictures if you don't want to. You can make them as mysterious as you like. Or you can explain them away as much as you like.






( Read more... )

Welcome to Zombieland article:

http://thehomeworld.net/?p=1974#more-1974


Go. Read. Now.

I'm going to go pass out now. I've never felt like a more dedicated writer than I do right now. It might not be as dedicated as using my body fluids as ink, but it's close, in my opinion. (I'm tooting my own horn because I met deadline while battling a fever and lethargy that refuse to break.)

I turn 30 in 3 weeks. According to my inbox, some of you want to buy me stuff, but hate guessing. So, for the next 3 Fridays I will post a wish list of items. It'll pretty much be the same list.

Personally, I think I am pretty easy to shop for. One, I rarely buy anything for myself. Which means my list of want increases with nary a purchase. Two, I have pretty low expectations, and am surprised when given anything.

The gift ideas are split into four levels:

The Holy Shit Level aka I don't expect anyone to purchase from this level but these are still items I really frakkin' want;

The Super Sweet Awesome Sauce Level aka It's possible people might purchase from this level;


The I Hate Being Told What To Buy, Just Give Me A Vague List Of Stuff You Are Into Level;

and The I Am Broke and Barely Know You But Felt Obligated to Give You a Present/Bring a Present to the Party Level.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Christin's Birthday Wish List(s)

( Read more... )

Today's Strip:

http://everysadstoryneedsnuns.blogspot.com/2009/07/sketchbook-friday.html


Permanent Link:

http://everysadstoryneedsnuns.blogspot.com/


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I'm sick. No, no, I mean I am physically ill. I haven't felt this exhausted since I actually had mono in college.

I swear, real thought out strips will be prepared for next week's "Every Sad Story Needs Nuns". My apologies go out to the four people that read my strip.

*Daily runs.

*Healthy and happy husband working as a Physics professor/researcher/mad scientist.

*Steady paying writing gigs.

*Regularly updated web comic with regular readers.

*Living in a house that functions off the grid.

*Paid off student loans.

*Regular stand up gigs.

* 1 or 2 offspring, be they DIY or adopted.

* A pet bunny named Methuselah.

* A pet pig named Kosher.

* A pet alpaca named Yarn.

* Regular attendance of the artist alley circuit.

* A greenhouse for growing yummy vegetables and fruits year round.

* Living in a place with real seasons.

* Regular 5K, 10K, 15K runs.

* Happy and healthy friends and family.



or



I become a professional disc golfer and tour the circuit in my super sweet robot body. (Thanks, robot overlords!)

Today's strip: "A Fine Mustache"

http://everysadstoryneedsnuns.blogspot.com/2009/07/fine-mustache.html

Permanent Link:

http://everysadstoryneedsnuns.blogspot.com/


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Today's strip is my 25th Every Sad Story Needs Nuns centric strip! It's been 2 months and 2 days since I started this comic diary. Here is to another 2 months and 2 days.

My latest art project involves drawing a series of pictures that involve different types of sharks wearing orthodontic braces and shouting 80's catch phrases.

I know I need professional help.


I hope to have a series of 7 done in time for Shark Week, which begins August 2, 2009. I'll post one a day over in my comic diary. http://everysadstoryneedsnuns.blogspot.com/

Potential List of Sharks:

1. Great White
2. Hammerhead
3. Whale
4. Goblin
5. Tiger
6. ???
7. ???

I'm pretty excited about this venture. And am looking through books available at the library for reference.

I have learned that apparently, no one over the age of 11 is interested in the different types of sharks that populate our great oceans.

This makes me sad.

On the plus side, our library has an extensive selection of books on sharks that I am adding to my reservation queue.

Sorry Timmy, looks like you won't be able to pick up that book on sharks to read before Shark Week. Crazy Old Lady M.C. has an art project and is too lazy to use the internet to search for reference images.

Sketchbook Monday - Now with more sharks in braces!

http://everysadstoryneedsnuns.blogspot.com/2009/07/sketchbook-monday.html


Permanent Link:

http://everysadstoryneedsnuns.blogspot.com/

Peter Gabriel - "Book of Love" Pride and Prejudice fan music video

Uniform picture of ill me welcomes you to this post


Tried to donate blood today. Rejected due to low iron and the above 100 F/ 38 C fever I am currently running.


Blood Donation Nurse: Uh, you know you are sick, right?

Me: What?

BDN: o_O

Yeah, only I could walk around town with a raging fever and not be aware of it. Of course, this action comes from the girl who brought you "Broken pinkie finger that was never set.".

It can't be karmic payback for consuming fish and chips and tea. I didn't eat that until after the blood donation attempt.

Yes, I am aware of the irony of consuming fish and chips and tea on the United States' Independence Day.

Ugh. Now I get to spend my 4th of July, alone, curled up on the couch, drinking more unpatriotic tea and watching the Twlight Zone marathon.

Pity me and my fevered, fatigued, lonely existence.

I was about to post my obligatory weekly beg to get y'all to read my articles over at The HomeWorld
(http://thehomeworld.net/).

My hours old article is already at 100% popularity for the site. This is amazing considering it usually takes a few days for an article to reach 60% popularity.

Aww, you guys pity read me, you really, really, pity read me. Thanks!


This week's article, "Why Aren't You Reading...Raymondo Person?".

http://thehomeworld.net/?p=1877

Today's post goes out to belismakr and her costume problems. You see, she has a Galactic Republic Independence Day party to attend and not a Star Wars costume in sight. Solution? Do your hair and makeup a la Queen Amidala and wear tourist clothing. If people ask, you are Queen Amidala on holiday.

Brilliant!



Today's post - "Queen Amidala on Holiday"

http://everysadstoryneedsnuns.blogspot.com/2009/07/queen-amidala-on-holiday.html


Permanent Link:

http://everysadstoryneedsnuns.blogspot.com/

Mollie Sugden, aka the FBIC* of ladies undergarment sales, aka Mrs. Slocombe on "Are You Being Served?" passed away yesterday due to natural causes. She was 86.

Mrs. Slocombe was my favourite character on "Are You Being Served?". Bitch was fierce, with her ever changing rainbow of giant hair and her "don't have time for your shenanigan's" attitude.



What the hell, I know thousands of people die every day. I know 86 isn't a shocking age to pass away at. But damn, could we make it through the rest of the week without one of my icons passing away?

I guess you and Mr. Humpries can get into wacky situations up in heaven now. :(



John Inman, aka Mr. Humpries. Yet another HBIC GQMF** telling what is what in heaven now.


*HBIC = Hot Bitch In Charge
**GQMF = GQ (referencing the men's lifestyle magazine,Gentlemen's Quarterly.) Mother Fucker

Today's Strip, "Better Left Alone":

http://everysadstoryneedsnuns.blogspot.com/2009/07/better-left-alone.html


Every Sad Story Needs Nuns permanent link:

http://everysadstoryneedsnuns.blogspot.com/

2 months and 3 days until Dragon*Con!

I am so frakkin' excited!



My jumpsuit arrived yesterday! I am this much closer to my Dragon*Con LOST Dharma Initiative costume.

Dharma Initiative member costume list:

1 tan jumpsuit
1 pair of hiking boots
1 dharma patch (chef)
1 GIANT softie Dharma fish biscuit (optional for chef)


What does a Dharma Initiative member look like?

Example:



I will be carrying around a GIANT softie Dharma fish biscuit. I am working on a pattern. I have the fabric, I need to pick up the stuffing.

This will be awesome. I can't wait for the LOST photo shoot on Friday morning of D*C. I am such a photo op whore. Especially when I have a great costume.

Don't judge me. (Not until you see Dragon*Con 2010's Sexy crosplay Spock costume. So wrong, and so right.)


Wait, so you don't obsessively watch and re watch LOST? You don't know what a Dharma fish biscuit is nor it's relevance to LOST and sometimes LOST cosplay?


In season three of LOST, Sawyer ends up in an old zoo cage. After much calculation he figure outs how to get food and receives a fish biscuit.

LOSTies found this inspiring and have adopted the Dharma fish biscuit as their food of choice. Or at least a side item at gatherings of a LOST nature.

There is even a recipe for making your own Dharma fish biscuits.

http://www.kungfoodie.com/lost-fish-biscuit/


Dharma Fish Biscuit Examples:



You only need to watch the first minute of the video.

I'd like to dedicate this post to all my bored peeps. Props to y'all that read this before filling it out yourself.

A
- Available:
For what?

- Age:
30

- Annoyance:
Ignorance

- Animal:
Bunneh

- Actor:
Donald Sutherland

( Read more... )

A writer and nothing else: a man alone in a room with the English language, trying to get human feelings right. ~John K. Hutchens

The coroner will find ink in my veins and blood on my typewriter keys. ~C. Astrid Weber

I have moments when I believe the people who tell me my degree in Creative Writing is useless, that I majored in an easy subject, that I can only call myself a writer if I make it onto someone with shiny letters behind their name's damn list of book that need to be read.

To be honest, I feel that way most of the time.

But then I have moments when I don't give a damn. Yes, I have been paid on a regular basis for my written word so on some technicality I can call myself a writer based on the above. But it seems a bit like prostitution to base whether or not you are something on whether or not you are receiving payment for said service.

Perhaps we are all prostitutes in our own way. Instead of gold or silver, I provide a service of putting words in a lovely order for the payment of satisfaction upon completion of an idea from beginning to end.

My writing plate is getting rather full and this is good. I have the weekly articles for The Homeworld, my sestina project, a couple of novels, and the scripting of a fiction web comic. I'm not getting paid a dime for any of these tasks, nor am I expecting that any will bring me money. So why do it?

Because I am a writer.

I have to see movies three or four times. Not because I enjoyed them, but because I become distracted by an idea and need to write it down while the muse is around.

I zone out in the middle of conversations, not out of boredom, but because the right sentence for that piece I've been working on has finally hit me.

Creative Writing is not an easy major. It is not a group of people sitting around making up random stories and getting an A for showing up. It is a scholastic career devoid of social interactions because you haven't slept in three days due to a writing project. It is three to four years of busting your ass trying to come up with an original thought, maybe even a new style of writing that fits into the rules of proper creative writing.

Writing is not a hobby you take up to kill time. As cliched as it sounds, being a writer is a state of mind, a way of life, a disease with no cure.

Like runners who feel depressed if they don't get a five miler in daily, writers need to write. They need to express their observations of life. I can't say it helps with depression. I know I write my best stuff when I am lonely. But it is a necessity.


I can't convince people who think I am not a writer, that I breezed my way through college to think otherwise. Maybe I can help someone who busted their ass working on a senior thesis of sestina poetry to believe that even if their bread and butter job has nothing to do with pouring their soul out over one page of prose, as long as they keep writing, they are a writer.

-M.C.
A writer