Hey there.  Not much going on but things seem good at the moment.  Grandma seems to be getting a little better.  Thank you to everyone for your well wishes.  It means a lot to me. 

I came up with a new character design and name for a character I might ad to my ongoing writing projects.  Her name is Lilica and here you can see a WIP sketch of her I did yesterday.  http://electricvinyl.deviantart.com/art/Lilica-WIP-119868669

She's a gangster girl and that's about as far as I got with her personality yesterday.  Not sure if she will be a villain, or more of a neutral naughty possible love interest (along the lines of say... Catwoman) for the main character.  

That's about it for now.   Not much else going on, but overall things are good.  :)

- TTYL

PS - I don't care what Cully Hammer says, woman with long hair in fedoras rock.  ^_^

I'm sorry if there is too much detail here.  I just... I need to get this out I think.

Over the past year, my Grandma has been getting weaker and weaker.  It all started when she fell at the bowling alley one day.  She didn't break anything but she hurt her back pretty bad and started having trouble moving and getting around.   She started using a walker, which in of itself was painful to watch because my Grandma had always been very strong in my eyes.   This fall was the starting point of a downward spiral...   She stayed in bed, started losing her appetite, then she turned yellow.   Upon inspecting her, the Doctor said there was a stone blocking part of her liver functions which was giving her jaundice.   They operated, placed in a stint, and removed the stone which wasn't a stone... it was a tumor.   First they said it was benign, but then it was determined it was cancerous but they caught it early they said.   So since then she has been going through treatments that we were told cleared it all up.   She seemed to be getting better, but then the cough started.   She began staying in bed again, not really eating, but refusing to go back to the doctor (she's never been one for medicines or hospitals, she hates them).  Then when she turned yellow again, she finally agreed to go back to the hospital, where yesterday we were told there was another "stone" blocking the stint in her liver...   I'm hoping it really is just a stone this time...

I guess I've always considered myself very lucky I still have all of my Grandparents.  Most of my friends have lost at least one...   I lost a great uncle a few years back, a man who I loved dearly and was as much a grandparent to me as any of my proper grandparents.  That was hard.   I also lost a 2nd cousin who was like a real uncle to me, who helped take care of me when I was young and taught me many important life lessons.  He died suddenly one night from an aneurysm while away on vacation with his family.  I think one of the great tragedies in my life was I never told him what he meant to me growing up or thanked him for taking care of me and my mother while we were still getting adjusted to life in St. Louis...  

That said, I can't imagine life without my Grandparents.  They have always been there.  Part of the reason I moved to California again was to be with them.  And I know I can't hold them forever and that they have to go sometime... it's part of life.  I'm trying to make the most of what I can with them right now, before it is too late.  I'm trying to enjoy my time with them and ignore the fact that my strong Grandmother is deteriorating slowly before my eyes.

Sorry to pour my feeling s out onto the internet, but I guess I kinda hope someone out there might be able to give me some advice on what I can do to help relieve this sadness inside me.

You ever have one of those days, when someone can tell you are feeling a bit down, and they ask you "Are you ok?"   Well, obviously you are not ok, you're feeling blue, but you don't want to tell them that because:

a) You are just feeling down.  There isn't any real rhyme or reason to it.  It is what it is.
b) Your problems and why you feel blue seem.. fairly insignificant compared to the hardships some other people are going through and you don't want to look like a whiner.
c)  It's just the same ole complaints, just a different day, and really what can they do to make you feel better?
d) All of the above.

So you end up telling the person "I feel fine.  Really, you don't need to worry about me.  I'll be just fine."  That's what your mouth says, but really your brain is going "Thanks for noticin' me."   I call it Eeyore syndrome...   You're lonely, you feel ignored, you are desperate for some other person to reach out to you, talk to you, but when they do, you say "Nah, I'm ok.." because you are afraid to open up.  After all, nobody likes a whiner right?  So it all bottles up inside, filling you to the brink until you are waddling around in your own saddess like a big blue jackass.

So... yeah...  I'll be just fine.  Thank for noticin' me.

I arrived home last night at around 10pm safe and sound.  The trip was lots of fun, which it usually is when I get to see my brother and sisters.  We played tennis, swam, played mini golf, saw Monsters Vs. Aliens in 3D which was pretty fun, and went to a baseball game.   I wish I could have spent more than two and a half days there with them, because the next time I see them will probably be Christmas... Sigh.  :(

So back at work today.   Getting back into the grind and getting caught up on what I missed from Friday.  Not to much thank God. 

In other news there is a good interview with Cully Hammer on Newsarama about his upcoming Question story with Greg Rucka.  Very informative.  http://www.newsarama.com/comics/030930-Cully-Question.html  ; He makes some good points about the new designs for Renee, but I have to disagree with him on at least one thing.  I think a woman with long hair wearing fedora looks awesome, but that's just me.

There are so many comics coming out soon I'm really stoked about.  Detective Comics, Gotham City Sirens, Streets of Gotham, Power Girl, Blackest Night, Flash Rebirth... I feel my wallet screaming a Darth Vader "Noooooooooooooooooooo!" but the rest of me screaming "Hells yeah!"

Wizard is canceling Anime Insider?  Geez... another nail in the Wizard coffin.  Is Toyfare next?  And if so what will become of Twisted Toyfare Theater?

Sorry about the lack of updates lately.  I was ill most of last week and just didn't feel up to posting.  Today I'm heading to Phoenix because my family is there on vacation till Monday.  Not really looking forward to the drive (6 hours without stops) but I bought Fragile Things audio book from itunes last night so that should help pass the time.    I'll be back Sunday night.    Should be a fun trip once the driving part is over.  Ok, LJ land, I hope to see more of you next week. 

Personally, I have always believed that the Watchmen graphic novel, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, is largely unfilmable because there are parts of the story that are told visually that ONLY work as a graphic novel.  The story is long, thoroughly complex and is told as much through the art and panel layout on the page as it is the words that accompany it.  It is like a giant interwoven sweater and every single string is integral to holding it together and if one is pulled out it starts a chain reaction and the whole thing begins to unravel.   So, with these beliefs it is easy to see that when I heard that Zack Snyder was having a go at adapting Watchmen for screen I was apprehensive at best.  I’m not a big fan of 300 (though I must say that the Rifftrax version is HILARIOUS *slaps knee*), but I never faulted Snyder for that.  He really did a great job with the weak source material (Sorry, I’m really, really not a Frank Miller fan) and it looked amazing.   After seeing the movie last night, I still believe that Watchmen as a whole is unfilmable, but this film is as close as you can possibly get.  It was very, very good.

Oh, I will not lie and say as a fan of the comic that there weren’t parts that irked me.  There most certainly were, (and since this is a Spoiler free review I can’t discuss them) but none of them were things that a person who has never read the GN would notice.  They were parts from the book that I personally loved, that for whatever reason were less vital than others and easily covered up.  And yes changes were made to the ending, but overall it works.  There weren’t any glaring holes in the plot (which was my fear with the ending changes), to which I have to give Snyder huge props for.   I’ve been hearing people say the movie is overly complex.  This is understandable give the source material but I have been asking myself, if I hadn’t ever read the book, would the story make sense?   Was it easier to follow because I knew what was coming?  I don’t think so. I can’t see any reason it wouldn’t be easy enough to follow, but I’m really not sure since my brain doesn’t have a selective memory erase button and I’ll leave that to someone else to tell me. 

Visually the film is stunning.  The cinematography, effects, mood, lighting, were all spot on.  The one glaring exception was some of the music seemed out of place and really pulled me out and distracted me for those scenes.   There were other times the music was brilliant, especially the opening credits.  Brilliant, truly.  

The characters were pristine mint in box perfect.  Jackie Earle Haley’s Rorshach was disturbingly superb as if he was born to play that role.  Same goes for Jeffery Dean Morgan's Comedian.   Billy Crudup’s soft spoken take on Dr. Manhatten and Patrick Wilson’s equally timid and badass NiteOwl also stood out to me as outstanding.   The only characters I felt something was missing were Matthew Goode’s Ozymandias, but that may be because I felt a lot of his best dialogue from the GN was cut or re-worded especially during… (Dammit No SPOILERS!), and Malin Ackerman's Silk Spectre for much the same reasons.

Watchmen is considered the greatest GN of all time by many people, so is this film the greatest adaption of a comic ever? No, but it’s still extremely entertaining.  I don’t think there was one part where I felt it was dragging or felt to long.  I was riveted the entire 2 hours and 43 minutes.  So the unfilmable was filmed and the filmmakers it got pretty damn close and overall it was pretty damn good.  So did hell just freeze over or does this mean we should move the hands on the doomsday clock one minute closer to Armageddon?

4 out of 5 Stars.

First, off i would like to point you in the direction of Karen Ellis, who does the fantastic web-comic Planet Karen.  Recently there was a fire in Karen's apartment building destroying most everything she owns and leaving her effectively homeless.   There is a place for donations on her website http://planetkaren.girl-wonder.org/ so please help her out if you can.  I understand times are tough right now, but even a small donation of like $5 - $10 can help her get back on her feet, and help her replace things she needs such as clothes, food, utensils, etc.  

In other news, I've been thinking a lot about getting a pet, but unfortunately I do not have the finances or the means to support an animal right now.   Additionally, the house I live in really isn't in any condition for a dog or an additional cat (my roommates have 2 already).  So taking that into consideration,  I have decided I'm going to start volunteering some of my time to the local No-Kill animal shelter to help take care of some of the homeless animals.  Play with them, take them for walks, maybe help them find good homes, things like that.  There are two in my neck of the woods so i'm going to visit them this week and see what I need to do to volunteer.

Lastly, good news everyone. I came up with a new short story idea finally.  I'll tell you more about it sometime, but not today as I am a bit tired. I've also been drawing more, which also makes me happy.  You can see the pictures on my deviantart site if you want too.

Till then,

- Daniel

Friends! Romans(?)! Countrymen (And women)! Lend me your ears!

As it seems I've managed to keep this journal semi-regularly updated (huzzah!) I figured it was time for another post.  Not as serious as the previous ones, (I could hear the collective sighs of relief spewing into the blogsosphere as I typed that.  "Oh lord, Daniel is droning on and on about life in general again.  Oh no... not that.") but more fun and light.  I understand people usually read blogs/journals to be entertained, catch up on the latest gossip, or keep in touch with friends, but since I only have 2 or 3 actual readers (People that, at least to my knowledge, read my ramblings regularly) I feel relatively safe when I blather on and on about the parts of my life that are… (Hmmm… how gently can I put this… slightly depressing?  Sure that works) slightly depressing.  I understand that those types of journal updates are a tad sad and not very fun to read, but as I said in my previous update I believe they are necessary for my own sanity.  So please, bear that in mind.   

That out of the way, on to randomness and fun and whatnots.  Speaking of Whatnots, have you see this? http://www.fao.com/catalog/factories/muppets.jsp You can make your own muppet!  How cool is that?  I want one so very badly.   I’m really not sure what I would even make, I play with the creator almost every day to try and find the perfect combination of parts, and yet I haven’t come up with one that is “just right” yet.  LOL!

My favorite web-comic is currently on hiatus, but it will be making its return pretty soon.  It’s called Sequential Art by Phillip Jackson.  It’s such a great comic and I think everyone should check it out.  Excellently drawn and very funny.  You can find it at http://www.collectedcurios.com and then click the Sequential Art logo.  The comic is currently on #514 but I do recommend you start at #1 so you really get to know the characters.   His other comic How To Play is also hilarious, as is Spider and Scorpion… in a very VERY surreal way.        

Another great web comic I read is Ménage a` 3, by Gisele Lagace and Dave Zero 1 (I couldn’t find his real name), which is a bit more on the adult (i.e. naughty) side of the humor forte.  Again, fun characters, beautifully drawn, funny as all get out.  Both Jackson and Lagace have a real way with facial expressions, which I think is key to really getting to know a character in a web comic.   You can find Ménage a` 3 at (Just a warning though, as I said it is a bit more… adult.  Not porno adult, but lots of bare bums and such.  Not anything worse than an “R” rated sex comedy, like say American Pie, in my opinion) http://www.menagea3.net . Again I recommend starting at the beginning obviously and don’t let the naked guys scare you away.

So what do you all think of the new journal/avatar look by the way?  I know it is not exactly new anymore, but still I'm curious if it was a good change or not.  The character is from Disgaea 3 and I've been using him as my default avatar for all my accounts lately (Deviantart, Twitter, etc.) because I think Takehito Harada does some of the best character designs in gaming, and the game is just plain fantastic.  

Well, I think I’ve rambled enough for one day.  I did have more to talk about but I didn’t want to overwhelm you.   I will ask this one more question though.  Which is preferred?  Long posts like the ones I’ve been doing lately, or shorter ones?  Let me know.

Till next time!
- Daniel

Hello my friends and welcome to another thrilling installment of What is Daniel Going to Talk about Today?  On today's episode we will be discussing some realizations I have come too about the goings on in my life lately, the theory that orangutans are really super intelligent aliens from the planet Squidlove 6 who are laying in wait for us to drop our guards long enough for the orangutan revolution to begin, and cheese.  But first the news:

Spanish dictator Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.

And now back to our regularly scheduled journal update.

If I may be serious for a moment, in my life there are times where I wonder if I am doing all I can to enhance myself productively, creatively, and intellectually.   Sometimes this all bottles up inside me until the self-doubts and concerns manifest itself into a depression, but recently I have realized that “most” of this is all really my own doing.   As much as I hate to say it, part of the problem is it is easier NOT to create than it is to create.  That is a problem within me that I am dealing with.  Also I’m not a terribly patient person it seems.  I like to see direct results, but when doing creative works (writing, drawing, etc) or even life goals (exercise, losing weight, etc) this is exceedingly rare or entirely nonexistent.   Therein lies Problem One, in which the end result relies entirely on me.  So what is Problem Two?  

Problem Two might actually have bearings on Problem One.  You see, growing up I had people who supported me, who told me I could do anything I wanted to do, be anything I wanted to be as long believed I could and as long I wanted it bad enough not to be lazy. And that is the truth I believe. I had the smarts and the talent to do so, I just needed to grab it, wrap it up in pretty bow and stick it in my pocket.  I was always encouraged to do my very best by the people who loved me.  Most of them.  I say most because while my Chicago always pushed me to succeed, my California family inadvertently has done the exact opposite.  

When I moved to California, it was in secret hope that it would kick my ass into high gear and drive me to succeed.  However, at the time I wasn't aware of my family's constant negativity and bitterness at the cards life has dealt them. Well, that's not true, I did know about it, but I ignored it.  It emits from many members of my family out here like water from a Las Vegas fountain, you can’t really miss it.  Over the course of living here the past four years that negativity has penetrated me, piercing my heart and dragging me down in the deep soulless, murky, abyss of self loathing that the majority of this side of my family falls prey too.  Words of encouragement are as foreign to them as the Great Wall.  A perfect example is when I worked my tail off to land my current job.  It was a very exciting time for me and when I brought the news of my employment to them, it was met with shrugs of indifference and in a few cases flat out discouragement.   

It’s like swimming in a sea of pessimism and somewhere along the way I lost control of what I wanted and what I needed out of life. Slowly I have been trying to swim out of the abyss and back the surface by doing drastic things like avoiding my family, or not visiting them as much as they want me too.  This has worked a little bit, but some of those negative tendrils seem to have a tight grip.   I have always considered myself an optimist, but negativity lurches into your soul and starts breeding like a horny bunny.    I think it is truly inevitable for this environment not to affect my work ethic, don’t you?  Is it Nature vs. Nurture?  Maybe, I’ve always believed you can’t truly have one without the other.  

So what is the point of this?  I know I started this journal on a very light note and it has quite sharply delved into a deep penetration of my psyche.  But as the sub-title of this journal says “My venting for your entertainment…” and actually that’s only half the reason this journal is here.  The other half is so I can put my feelings on paper… or screen rather…  and reflect on them and hopefully learn something.  I also delight in and love when friends chime in because it gives me a fresh perspective on the matter, and I still crave that encouragement I once had when I was a young and doe eyed scamp, planning one day to have the world on a string.    

Now, about those oragutans.  Don’t you find it just a little bit suspicious that… What?  Oh… we are out of time?   Oh… that’s to bad… Well, until we meet again.

- Daniel

Kryptonsite.com has a picture of Serinda Swan in full Zatanna garb.  Pretty spot on if you ask me.  Yes, fishnets are included.  They also list the episode as scheduled to air on March 26th so set your Tivos/VCRs/DVRs/Whatevers.    The blurb under the picture makes reference that this will be Zatanna before she has complete control over her powers, so expect magical shenanagins to ensue.   Lets just hope they get her right.

http://www.kryptonsite.com/tvgzatanna.htm

 I sat down last night with the intention to write.  Really write.  I cleaned my work station of the clutter, crap and dust that had been accumulating in the area around my desk, computer, and monitor and then I sat down and stared at the screen... and stared... and stared...  Nothing.   I eventually gave up and went to a story I had worked on about 3 years ago that I never finished.  I didn't add to it, I just rewrote the beginning and lied to myself this was a good thing, that I was being productive.  Lies.

I haven't written anything new in so long.  No new short stories.  No new chapters of my existing works in progress.  I haven't even had any epiphanies of new story ideas like I had before.  There was a time when suddenly some strange idea would just plow into my brain, and I would go "That would be an interesting story."   There was also a time I could just sit and type the first thing that came to my head.  I think two of my best short stories, 'Together in the Moonlight' and 'Guardian Angel,' were written in this fashion.  But that was years ago.   I haven't had any new ideas in at least two years.   If you’ve read my journal before you know I do not believe in writer’s block.  So what is it then?  I know part of it is how time consuming my current career is and the resulting stress that comes with being that busy (because that was when this all started), but that can’t be the entire reason.   So what is it? Do I just not care anymore?  Am I creatively dead?  Is it because I'm not reading as much as I used too?   It makes me wonder sometimes, if this goal of becoming a writer, something I have wanted to do since I was 7 years old, is all a pipe dream.  An idealistic fantasy I won't be able to achieve.

A few years ago, a friend of mine told me “Either you are a writer, or you are not.  You do it or you don’t.”  She was right and when she said that I felt empowered.  I was a writer.  I knew I had it in me.  I knew I could do it.   Where has that feeling gone now?    It has been replaced with the sickening feeling of self pity/loathing.  It needs to stop.  I need to find why has my productivity that was so inspiring, so invigorating two or three years ago (when without a doubt I was doing my very best work) all but vanished?  Where is the vim and vigor that pushed me to sit for hours at the keyboard and type endless streams of words and sentences, phrases and exclamations, and weave tales that, at least in my humbled biased opinion, were pretty damn good?  I want it back.  I want to write.  I want the surge and feeling, the high that comes when the story is just pouring out of me onto the (digital) paper.  Much like this journal is actually.

So to you my friends, I have just poured out my heart and feelings.  This is why I have been feeling down lately, or at least has compounded the matter.   I will say that writing this entry has helped me feel a little better, and the way my fingers danced on the keyboard so quickly as the words flowed out was a bit inspiring.  Now if I could just recapture this stimulating sensation tonight and actually produce something new, I know I would feel just a tiny bit better.

As always I’d love to hear your thoughts, comments, ideas, and suggestions. 

Best,

Daniel

So I joined Twitter.  If you are on there and want to be my friend let me know.  :)

http://twitter.com/electricv01

Hey everyone. 

As you may or may not know, Zatanna is probably my favorite comic book character.    So I see today that Newsarama is reporting that TV Guide is reporting that Zatanna will be making an appearance in Smallville this season.     And here is who they cast:



*faints... hits head on coffee table*

Ow!  Ummm anyway... her name is Serinda Swan.  I looked her up on IMDB but I didn't see anything else she had been in that I have seen before.   She certainly is very pretty, I just hope she has the personality and acting chops to pull off Zee.  I don't watch the Smallville anymore, but I may have to make an exception for this episode.

I woke yesterday morning, a day just like any other day, got showered, dressed, and grabbed a quick breakfast before hopping in the car to go to work.  I didn't listen to the radio, instead I plugged in my iPod and enjoyed a sensible fifteen minute drive to work.  When I got there, I sat down at my desk and started my morning routine, when there was the sound of a familiar man's voice coming through the speakers toward the front of the office. 

"Crap... that was today wasn't it?"

I stopped what I was doing and listened.  I had missed the swearing in and I'd guess about half of the speech, but I sat there and watched the remaining parts.  In watching it, it felt as if a cloud had lifted, that the past eight years were just that... the past, and ahead of us is a bright future.  The speech was the embodiment of hope.  

In the news, you hear about more and more layoffs at so many different companies, you hear analysts discussing the the economy imploding around us,  it may be hard to make that feeling of hope last.   I know Obama isn't the Messiah.  I know he is a man and a politician.  He's not going to do everything the way I want him too, but for a moment there he gave me hope.  An idea that everything will be alright, that things will work out for the best.  That, my friends, is the mark of a true leader.

As many of you know, I am an aspiring writer. I want to be a published author, and I have many short stories, a novella, and couple of novels in the works. Most of these are unfinished or in-progress works that haven't been touched or worked on in a couple of months. And while I do have some finished works, how many stories do you think I have submitted to be published? One. That’s it. Just a five page short story that was... (sigh) rejected.

So what’s holding me back? What's keeping me from writing, finishing, and submitting my work?
Fear of rejection? Maybe…
Self Doubt? Possibly…
Too much damn City of Heroes? No comment…

The fact of the matter is that… I’m just lazy. Too lazy. So lazy that I don’t call it lazy… I call it writers block. But someone once said there is no such thing as writers block. The human mind has hundreds and hundreds of thoughts and ideas flying through your little head every day… hell every hour even. At least one of those thoughts has potential to become something to write about. So really, there are only four reasons people get “writers block:"

1) The aforementioned laziness.
2) Fear
3) Distractions
4) All of the above

So let’s address these issues:
1) Laziness
The fact of the matter is you have to make your own muse, your own inspiration. If you just sit around (watching TV, or surfing the web, or playing City of Heroes, or whatever) waiting for the idea to magically come to you, I got bad news for you. Ain’t gonna happen. If every writer waited for divine inspiration for a story, then Barnes and Noble wouldn’t exist.

Now I’m not saying that there is no such thing as a muse. Far from it. I’m just saying you can’t count on it.

You have to sit in front of the computer (or typewriter for you old-fashioned types) and write. To quote a movie “A writer writes… always” inspired or not. And if you can’t think of what to write or what should happen next… write something else… like a blog.

2) Fear

Fear can be many things. Here are some common ones:

a. Fear of rejection.
b. Fear the story is going to change from what you originally envisioned it to be.
c. Fear of that you aren’t talented enough
d. Fear of spiders (there could be one on your keyboard)

There are many more, but I won’t get into them because these are the important ones (except for maybe the spider thing). And here is the way to overcome them:

a. Get over yourself, and write! The worst that could happen is you are going to get a note mailed to you that says “No thank you.” You know what you do then? You pick up your shattered ego and send the writing somewhere else. Also don’t be afraid to send the story out just because you aren’t sure where to send it. Your stories are never going to be published if they are sitting in your computer waiting for you to decide which magazine you rather get a rejection letter from this time.

b. Get over yourself, and write! You can always change it back to the way it was if you don’t like it.

c. Get over yourself, and write! Sure there are hundreds of aspiring writers, some of which are much better than you are. But, guess what? They most likely suffer from the same anxiety as you do. If you get off your butt and get it done before they do, then you are more likely to be published then the depressed beatnik genius who sulks in the corner all day. Also the more you write the better and more talented you will become. Just like anything else, practice makes perfect.

d. Rolled up newspaper.

3) Distractions

This one is easy. Turn off the damn TV! Stop playing the damn Video Games! Write, dammit write!

4) All of the above.

If you suffer from a combination of these “writers’ blocks” then I have one final opinion to hand out to you (because these are all just the opinions of someone who can’t take his own advice). You control how you write, how frequently you write, and what you write about. No one else. You! Not your Mom or your Aunt Tilly. You!!! And while you can’t control if anyone gives a damn to buy your work, you can increase your odds that it may happen by writing and submitting as much as you can.

So… why are you still reading this?! Write!

P.S. If you are still reading this, I do recommend you read "On Writing" by Stephen King and "How to write Science Fiction/Fantasy" by Orson Scott Card

This sucks...

I mean, yeah, it wasn't the best show in the world but it was still fun. One of my favorite things to do, one of my favorite pastimes, is to go and hang out in artist alley at conventions. There I can meet new artists, make new friends, talk to old friends, get commissions, learn about drawing... etc etc. Wizard World LA is one of the few places in CA where I can do that. It was easy to get too and convenient. WWLA is where I first met and/or got to know some of my favorite artists, some of who I dare say to call friends now.
Amongst them . I really looked forward to seeing each of them again this year at WWLA, because really it is one of the only 1, 2 or 3 times a year I get to see them. So, this is a real bummer for me. Now I have to wait till Anime Expo, or even possibly San Diego Comic Con. And as much as I like Comic Con, every year I go it is for work, so I don't get to see or really hang out with them because my schedule doesn't allow it. So I say feh at Wizard... FEH I SAY!! (Ha, that will teach them...)

BTW, go check out 's Giant Fru contest and see all the awesome entries, including mine.

In other news I have made my New Years Resolutions. Aside from the same ones as I do every year (write more, draw more, get healthy, etc) I have added the following. Don't stress so much. I tend to worry about little things I really can't control, so I think I'm going to try and eliminate those and I think I will be happier.

How about you? Any resolutions/goal for 2009?

I'm back from holiday.  It went by way to fast.  Happy New Year to everyone and I hope you are all well. 

Season's Greetings Everyone!

Christmas is right around the corner and I'm sure you are all desperately trying to figure out what you are going to get me for as a present. Well, I've taken the liberty to make a list for you...

Haha, just kidding. Honestly, I feel very lucky to have so many friends and watchers here. It really does mean a lot to me. So that is the best gift you all have given me. Thank you. Also thank you for over 6000 page views. You guys are all rox.

December is always a busy month for me, mainly because where I work usually closes for the holidays on the Friday before Christmas (and we stay closed till the after the new year), so we have to squeeze 4 1/2 weeks of work into 3 weeks time, which of course means more stress and longer hours. Very much worth it for the time off it brings, but leaves such little time to do what I really want to do, which is buy presents for the people I cared about. I work endlessly in search for the perfect gifts for my friends and family, which isn't always easy I'm sure most of you know.

Additionally this year I'm flying back to Chicago on the 22nd to be with family. I'm very happy about this, as I usually am.

In other news, things are going well. Again I'm sorry for the lack of updates and new pictures. Hopefully I can get my artistic juices going again soon, so I appreciate your patience. I need to start practicing different bit everyday again, maybe even practice by copying some artists I admire.

Speaking of artists I admire, here are a few (of many!) that are on DA. You should check out their pages if you don't have them fav'd already.


Also I'm going to participate in 's Giant Fru contest. Wish me luck!

Anyway, if I don't get around to posting another journal before then... I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and an awesome New Year.

- V

Hi Everyone! 

I just wanted to wish you all a belated Happy Thanksgiving.  :)   I trust you didn't eat to much turkey and pass out for the entire weekend. 

Went and saw Zack and Miri Make a Porno on Friday night.  I really haven't laughed that hard at a movie in a very long time.  Sure some parts were awkward, but they were meant to be. 

Ummm... that's about it for now.  Wow, I'm boring huh?