idiosyncratic routine.
I think this will be an old-fashioned "what I've been doing" post, as opposed to the normal "my life has sucked since I was 14" or the "omg! video gamez....I has dem!" posts.
I did my best to enjoy Leap Year. But first, I had to renew my drivers license. I haven't been to the DMV since I got my license 10 years ago, as the last time I had to renew I did it online. But I had to go in this time, and it was just as annoying as they say it is. Not so much because of the waiting and the forms, more because 1): The DMV is in a nondescript gray building that we drove past twice, and B): There is like, about half the parking spaces needed to accommodate the people inside. Oh, and they don't take debit cards. Are you serious?! In this day and age? I call shenanigans on that, my friends. Anyway, I dressed in a nice red polo and made sure that my hair was nice and cut and my mug was freshly shaven. I even smiled. That's right, I smiled for a photo!
So it's sure to come out terrible.
After that, I ate at Cannoli Joe's with my mom. This is a relatively new Italian buffet that has taken South Austin by storm. I loves it, but it's a little pricey to eat there often. Probably a good thing, considering the damage I can do at that place when I'm hungry. I was very hungry that day. After that, I was going to see Semi Pro, considering that it was the only new movie opening on Leap Day, but for some reason I couldn't bring myself to go. Instead, I went over to Joe's to watch the latest Naruto DVD set with Shanna as we waited for Joe to get off from work. Shanna made dinner, and we watched Superbad and Death at a Funeral. I highly recommend Death at a Funeral, by the way. Kristin was going to the Staple pre-show at Austin Books. She asked if I was going, and I thought about it, but going there would have meant that I would end up spending my hard earned money on the next Powers trade. Besides, that's a place for artists like Kristin to connect and talk, and I would have been out of place there.
Me, out of place in a room full of artists. That makes me profoundly sad. But that's what happens when one's talent and passion walk out the door, never to be heard from again.
Saturday was Staple!. This was my third year there, and it really does grow by leaps and bounds each time. I was there in support of Kristin and Dead Squirrel Girl, of course. Not that there was much to do, mind you. Last year, I helped Kristin set up, took photos, got her lunch, and watched the table so she could wander. This year...I got her lunch. She's a pro at these cons now, so I was really just in the way. She did mention after the show that I was hovering. I didn't mean to. But once I saw the show floor and paid for my convention sketch by Danielle Corsetto( http://www.daniellecorsetto.com ) there wasn't anything else I wanted to do. And besides, I like hanging with Kristin.
Okay, and maybe I wanted to see if Amy came by. So sue me!
Kristin is well on her way. This year, people would come up and say things like "Oh, yeah, I've seen your stuff online" or "You were at the iron Artist thing!" and so on. She was interviewed for a podcast, and editor for Top Shelf Comics bought her book, and she just all around kicked butt in sales. As for me, I spent my secret money stash on the aforementioned convention sketch, as well as a signed copy of Danielle's new Girls With Slingshots book. I told William Rodriguez or Mangled Stare fame how awesome a comic Invincible is, and sat in on a panel on webcomics with Scott Kurtz of PvP fame, Danielle Corsetto, and Kristin's new hero David Malki !, who does Wondermark. http://wondermark.com/
I also ran into Korey Coleman again! I seem to always see him around, and he always stops to talk to me. He's become something of an Austin celebrity, and his new movie review website, Spill (www.spill.com) is getting pretty huge. It's an amazing world to be introduced to via Kristin. I kind of get to see the behind the scenes of this whole thing, and it reminds me a lot of Chasing Amy.
Er, the independent comic creator part of it...not the falling hopelessly in love with a lesbian comic artist.
And speaking of "chasing Amy", she did indeed come to the show. And, yes, she is married. So yes, Kristin saved me from making a total fool of myself. Sigh. She sure is cute, though.
I re-read the Amanda saga this evening. It's amazing how much you can forget in three years. I didn't remember staying up talking to her till 2am, or her saying she called me the day after our first dinner to do something. I felt so sure that she was interested in me, and it wasn't just me...all the comments to those entries concur. I miss having that cheerleading squad in my journal. I find myself lacking in a female friend to give me advice, encouragement, and a listening ear when I need it. Ah, well.
I did my best to enjoy Leap Year. But first, I had to renew my drivers license. I haven't been to the DMV since I got my license 10 years ago, as the last time I had to renew I did it online. But I had to go in this time, and it was just as annoying as they say it is. Not so much because of the waiting and the forms, more because 1): The DMV is in a nondescript gray building that we drove past twice, and B): There is like, about half the parking spaces needed to accommodate the people inside. Oh, and they don't take debit cards. Are you serious?! In this day and age? I call shenanigans on that, my friends. Anyway, I dressed in a nice red polo and made sure that my hair was nice and cut and my mug was freshly shaven. I even smiled. That's right, I smiled for a photo!
So it's sure to come out terrible.
After that, I ate at Cannoli Joe's with my mom. This is a relatively new Italian buffet that has taken South Austin by storm. I loves it, but it's a little pricey to eat there often. Probably a good thing, considering the damage I can do at that place when I'm hungry. I was very hungry that day. After that, I was going to see Semi Pro, considering that it was the only new movie opening on Leap Day, but for some reason I couldn't bring myself to go. Instead, I went over to Joe's to watch the latest Naruto DVD set with Shanna as we waited for Joe to get off from work. Shanna made dinner, and we watched Superbad and Death at a Funeral. I highly recommend Death at a Funeral, by the way. Kristin was going to the Staple pre-show at Austin Books. She asked if I was going, and I thought about it, but going there would have meant that I would end up spending my hard earned money on the next Powers trade. Besides, that's a place for artists like Kristin to connect and talk, and I would have been out of place there.
Me, out of place in a room full of artists. That makes me profoundly sad. But that's what happens when one's talent and passion walk out the door, never to be heard from again.
Saturday was Staple!. This was my third year there, and it really does grow by leaps and bounds each time. I was there in support of Kristin and Dead Squirrel Girl, of course. Not that there was much to do, mind you. Last year, I helped Kristin set up, took photos, got her lunch, and watched the table so she could wander. This year...I got her lunch. She's a pro at these cons now, so I was really just in the way. She did mention after the show that I was hovering. I didn't mean to. But once I saw the show floor and paid for my convention sketch by Danielle Corsetto( http://www.daniellecorsetto.com ) there wasn't anything else I wanted to do. And besides, I like hanging with Kristin.
Okay, and maybe I wanted to see if Amy came by. So sue me!
Kristin is well on her way. This year, people would come up and say things like "Oh, yeah, I've seen your stuff online" or "You were at the iron Artist thing!" and so on. She was interviewed for a podcast, and editor for Top Shelf Comics bought her book, and she just all around kicked butt in sales. As for me, I spent my secret money stash on the aforementioned convention sketch, as well as a signed copy of Danielle's new Girls With Slingshots book. I told William Rodriguez or Mangled Stare fame how awesome a comic Invincible is, and sat in on a panel on webcomics with Scott Kurtz of PvP fame, Danielle Corsetto, and Kristin's new hero David Malki !, who does Wondermark. http://wondermark.com/
I also ran into Korey Coleman again! I seem to always see him around, and he always stops to talk to me. He's become something of an Austin celebrity, and his new movie review website, Spill (www.spill.com) is getting pretty huge. It's an amazing world to be introduced to via Kristin. I kind of get to see the behind the scenes of this whole thing, and it reminds me a lot of Chasing Amy.
Er, the independent comic creator part of it...not the falling hopelessly in love with a lesbian comic artist.
And speaking of "chasing Amy", she did indeed come to the show. And, yes, she is married. So yes, Kristin saved me from making a total fool of myself. Sigh. She sure is cute, though.
I re-read the Amanda saga this evening. It's amazing how much you can forget in three years. I didn't remember staying up talking to her till 2am, or her saying she called me the day after our first dinner to do something. I felt so sure that she was interested in me, and it wasn't just me...all the comments to those entries concur. I miss having that cheerleading squad in my journal. I find myself lacking in a female friend to give me advice, encouragement, and a listening ear when I need it. Ah, well.