For a day I spent mostly in the British Library, happily enjoying no longer having my mind smeared across the pavement by Writers Block, I seem to be sunstroked and burnt!
Yet I wore clothes and everything!
More coherent and interesting thoughts later, when I've had eighteen gallons of water (or so).
For now, enjoy this video blog by a fellow named Pat Condell. Shawn introduced me to him with the dubious suggestion that he could very well resemble what I'll be like at 57. I was skeptical at first, mostly due to Shawn's squinty ears and prehensile tail - but I carried on and watched a few of this comedians videos. Below is a good sample - don't worry, he doesn't give any particular religion slack...it's just that the way the news is in England, this video felt pretty relevant.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Friday, April 13, 2007
Got my USB cable in the mail....
....and tomorrow I'm going to try inking and scanning some stuff. But until then, please to be enjoying this Japanese parody of the Power Rangers, which was actually pretty enjoyable!
Thursday, April 12, 2007
So it goes...
Here's a First World Problem if there ever was one.
"Man, I actually have a full days work to do!"
Thus I can't get too wordy today, but I can point you in the direction of a curiously intelligent statement made by that Austrian guy who did some movies. The nut of it is that Arnold has come out and said that guilt isn't a good motivator to get people on board with fighting climate change. Plus it really needs to be made sexy and respectable so as to rescue it from the "hippie tree-hugger" stigma. If he keeps coming out with statements like this then he can inappropriately grab all the women he likes!
UHHHHHM
Meanwhile, Kurt Vonnegut Jr. finally got his wish. I'd say it's a shame, but I think the real shame is that such a talented writer felt that he'd reached his peak more than 35 years ago. Yet perhaps I only feel this way because my absolute favorite works of his were all written after Slaughterhouse-Five. If you've never read that man's work, I'd recommend starting with Slapstick - it's more absurd than a lot of his works but it speaks just as powerfully and is what lead to me acquiring almost his entire library over my high school years.
"Man, I actually have a full days work to do!"
Thus I can't get too wordy today, but I can point you in the direction of a curiously intelligent statement made by that Austrian guy who did some movies. The nut of it is that Arnold has come out and said that guilt isn't a good motivator to get people on board with fighting climate change. Plus it really needs to be made sexy and respectable so as to rescue it from the "hippie tree-hugger" stigma. If he keeps coming out with statements like this then he can inappropriately grab all the women he likes!
UHHHHHM
Meanwhile, Kurt Vonnegut Jr. finally got his wish. I'd say it's a shame, but I think the real shame is that such a talented writer felt that he'd reached his peak more than 35 years ago. Yet perhaps I only feel this way because my absolute favorite works of his were all written after Slaughterhouse-Five. If you've never read that man's work, I'd recommend starting with Slapstick - it's more absurd than a lot of his works but it speaks just as powerfully and is what lead to me acquiring almost his entire library over my high school years.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
More words please!
This article gave me a huge headache. Not becuase of the issue at hand, per se (though I'd count myself as being against forcing online journals with "swears" to come with warnings), but the dearth of vocabulary evidenced by just how many times the word "blog" is used. I know it' s the topic but god damn if you can't talk about a great many topics and be able to go more than two sentences without saying (for example) "climate change" over and over and over.
I realize that I'm guilty of linguo or biblio-fascism from time to time...but lord almighty, there are consequences to language shrinkage.
Meanwhile, for reasons unknown to any, the dam finally broke and I found myself able to write a good deal on the train this morning. Thank the lard, I was beginning to get really worried since in this case I would be disappointing others than myself (Re: Myspace Man and the sci-fi parkour bit). Why, there might even be a new Bronze Age Sky God this week... The only down side of this is that (if the dam hadn't broken) I was going to paint out my frustrations tonight and it would have been curious to see what that would be resulted in.
In totally incidental news, I was listening to the very Belle and Sebastian song discussed in the latest Cat and Girl strip as I read it. Coincidence aside, I have to admit that I agree with Girl! Normally I don't find that the personal beliefs and behavior of a muscian have any great effect on my enjoyment of their music. I don't think I could have been such a big Oasis fan through my teen years, otherwise! But there is something about that moment when you pay a ltitle more attention a certain song in a musicians roster and you realize "Heyyyyy, they're preaching the word a gawd! At me!". It just feels sneaky and even a little underhanded, which essentially leads us to the feeling that I should give my consent before bearing the stern glare of piety.
Despite all this and my usual vitrolic feelings towards religion, one of my favorite Richard Ashcroft songs is God in The Numbers. Hearing that song the first time, it drew me in and made me actually want to learn more about Ashcroft - supposedly to sniff out whether or not I wanted to keep listening to him. I learned that he admits to having several points of view on the matter and this is expressed rather well in the high quality song Why Not Nothing? that lead the charge in his latest album. To give you an idea, it contains the line "Let's get some of the God squad in the dock, where they belong". Ashcroft himself had the following to say:
"I wrote this song a few years ago when I was feeling completely disillusioned with all the establishments. It's a ranting two chord rock 'n' roll tune that's asking why we can't accept that there's no greater power. I first heard the phrase 'Why not nothing?' from my father-in-law, and I think it conjures a lot of ideas in your head. It's not some hippy statement, it's more like an anarchist concept, why can't we accept that there's nothing?"
So there you go. Though I've yet to encounter something in B&S' work that suggests they take anything but a Catholic view on the world and our need for the bible's teachings...I think I'll be be patient and hang in there. Given that so much art in the world has been inspired by religion, I'd be really losing out to close my ears and eyes to it. Coming back to the latest Cat and Girl, I know I'd miss the works of Caravaggio if nothing else!
I realize that I'm guilty of linguo or biblio-fascism from time to time...but lord almighty, there are consequences to language shrinkage.
Meanwhile, for reasons unknown to any, the dam finally broke and I found myself able to write a good deal on the train this morning. Thank the lard, I was beginning to get really worried since in this case I would be disappointing others than myself (Re: Myspace Man and the sci-fi parkour bit). Why, there might even be a new Bronze Age Sky God this week... The only down side of this is that (if the dam hadn't broken) I was going to paint out my frustrations tonight and it would have been curious to see what that would be resulted in.
In totally incidental news, I was listening to the very Belle and Sebastian song discussed in the latest Cat and Girl strip as I read it. Coincidence aside, I have to admit that I agree with Girl! Normally I don't find that the personal beliefs and behavior of a muscian have any great effect on my enjoyment of their music. I don't think I could have been such a big Oasis fan through my teen years, otherwise! But there is something about that moment when you pay a ltitle more attention a certain song in a musicians roster and you realize "Heyyyyy, they're preaching the word a gawd! At me!". It just feels sneaky and even a little underhanded, which essentially leads us to the feeling that I should give my consent before bearing the stern glare of piety.
Despite all this and my usual vitrolic feelings towards religion, one of my favorite Richard Ashcroft songs is God in The Numbers. Hearing that song the first time, it drew me in and made me actually want to learn more about Ashcroft - supposedly to sniff out whether or not I wanted to keep listening to him. I learned that he admits to having several points of view on the matter and this is expressed rather well in the high quality song Why Not Nothing? that lead the charge in his latest album. To give you an idea, it contains the line "Let's get some of the God squad in the dock, where they belong". Ashcroft himself had the following to say:
"I wrote this song a few years ago when I was feeling completely disillusioned with all the establishments. It's a ranting two chord rock 'n' roll tune that's asking why we can't accept that there's no greater power. I first heard the phrase 'Why not nothing?' from my father-in-law, and I think it conjures a lot of ideas in your head. It's not some hippy statement, it's more like an anarchist concept, why can't we accept that there's nothing?"
So there you go. Though I've yet to encounter something in B&S' work that suggests they take anything but a Catholic view on the world and our need for the bible's teachings...I think I'll be be patient and hang in there. Given that so much art in the world has been inspired by religion, I'd be really losing out to close my ears and eyes to it. Coming back to the latest Cat and Girl, I know I'd miss the works of Caravaggio if nothing else!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Wheeee
At least the First World Problems meme is spreading a bit! Thanks for posting on that music forum, Heather.
Also, hello to all the New Zealanders who've swung by today! I can't say as I've been, but my dad tells me the kite surfing is magnificent. By this single merit I have decided that your county is pretty okay. I can only hope that this induces a pleasing, tingling sensation.
Also, hello to all the New Zealanders who've swung by today! I can't say as I've been, but my dad tells me the kite surfing is magnificent. By this single merit I have decided that your county is pretty okay. I can only hope that this induces a pleasing, tingling sensation.
£1,000,000 Reward...
...to the man or woman who can create a reliable cure for writers block. Also, burn out - which I'm starting to feel like this might actually be. I was able to squeeze out a page of treatment on Saturday but otherwise I have been amazed at how flattened my writing ability has been since early last Friday. It's maddening beyond belief! I've tried turning to every technique I've ever used...
- Reading work that I really admire.
- Listening to music which would be an appropriate soundtrack to what I'm trying to write.
- Taking a walk (preferably through a picturesque setting)
- Having a conversation (more jokes the better, lord knows why)
- Transcribing my pen & paper notes in the hopes that when I reach the end of the transcription, then I'll just keep on going into the realm of new content.
- Praying to the little, improvised idol of Kurt Vonnegut Jr. which I've assembled from common household cleaning items.
And even a new piece of armament in the war on unproductiveness, drawing. Good gravy but I can at least take some solace in having drawn a good deal more. I feel like I've nailed some basic reference designs for Clive and Charlotte, while I'll have to have another go with Devon. I've also been figuring out details in The Gimp and messing about with my photographic backgrounds. I'm beginning to consider taking a note from John Allisons partially tongue-in-cheek guide to doing webcomics - tracing the photographs instead of using them straight. This is because I know I will not often have access to interiors which suit what I want, not to mention possible entanglements pertaining to legal permission. Thus I might get a bit of a clash, having photographic exteriors and drawn interiors. I'm sure readers would be bright enough to "get it" but I don't think I have the artistic chops to get away with intentionally inserting an element which will jar people from their standard reading patterns. Overall, my temptation is to try and get fancy as possible, but I know that I will ideally want to get something looking decent enough that I can reliably put out two or three times a week.
Having bought my first printer/scanner (the previous ones being hand-me downs) I discovered a scam that apparently has been going for some time - they sell the damn things without a USB cable to connect it to your computer! (FIRST WORLD PROB...) Luckily good ol' paw has sent one along with some of my shirts and so I hope to be scanning and uploading some of these artistic efforts for perusal (and perhaps pointing and jeering? Go on, I won't hold it against you) on Friday-ish.
Tangent Status: Engaged
Also, okay maybe I tried every unblocking trick but one: becoming infatuated with one of them females you read about in the scientific journals. Mind your ego there, wimminz, but it's true! For whatever reason, you can in fact inspire writing (and not just of the romantical, whimsical variety which results in embarrassing poetry scrawled along the underside of a daydream).
Meanwhile, I was pleased to see that somebody in a position of authority remembered that men get to have some say when it comes to the creation of children - not to mention that modern fertility techniques should perhaps not be used to provide an endless supply of second chances, particularly in a world burdened by overpopulation that is only getting worse.
Tangent Status: Disengaged
- Reading work that I really admire.
- Listening to music which would be an appropriate soundtrack to what I'm trying to write.
- Taking a walk (preferably through a picturesque setting)
- Having a conversation (more jokes the better, lord knows why)
- Transcribing my pen & paper notes in the hopes that when I reach the end of the transcription, then I'll just keep on going into the realm of new content.
- Praying to the little, improvised idol of Kurt Vonnegut Jr. which I've assembled from common household cleaning items.
And even a new piece of armament in the war on unproductiveness, drawing. Good gravy but I can at least take some solace in having drawn a good deal more. I feel like I've nailed some basic reference designs for Clive and Charlotte, while I'll have to have another go with Devon. I've also been figuring out details in The Gimp and messing about with my photographic backgrounds. I'm beginning to consider taking a note from John Allisons partially tongue-in-cheek guide to doing webcomics - tracing the photographs instead of using them straight. This is because I know I will not often have access to interiors which suit what I want, not to mention possible entanglements pertaining to legal permission. Thus I might get a bit of a clash, having photographic exteriors and drawn interiors. I'm sure readers would be bright enough to "get it" but I don't think I have the artistic chops to get away with intentionally inserting an element which will jar people from their standard reading patterns. Overall, my temptation is to try and get fancy as possible, but I know that I will ideally want to get something looking decent enough that I can reliably put out two or three times a week.
Having bought my first printer/scanner (the previous ones being hand-me downs) I discovered a scam that apparently has been going for some time - they sell the damn things without a USB cable to connect it to your computer! (FIRST WORLD PROB...) Luckily good ol' paw has sent one along with some of my shirts and so I hope to be scanning and uploading some of these artistic efforts for perusal (and perhaps pointing and jeering? Go on, I won't hold it against you) on Friday-ish.
Tangent Status: Engaged
Also, okay maybe I tried every unblocking trick but one: becoming infatuated with one of them females you read about in the scientific journals. Mind your ego there, wimminz, but it's true! For whatever reason, you can in fact inspire writing (and not just of the romantical, whimsical variety which results in embarrassing poetry scrawled along the underside of a daydream).
Meanwhile, I was pleased to see that somebody in a position of authority remembered that men get to have some say when it comes to the creation of children - not to mention that modern fertility techniques should perhaps not be used to provide an endless supply of second chances, particularly in a world burdened by overpopulation that is only getting worse.
Tangent Status: Disengaged
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Britains strongest weapon against Climate Change...
...is, right now and in my own opinion, The Big Ask Campaign. Fundamentally, it is a plan put together by The Friends Of The Earth to hold the government to it's responsibility of protecting the people from danger - such as...oh I don't know.
I rather prefer the style of the Big Ask Campaign to other lobbys in that it not only informs but stresses that we are not powerless and that we need to get involved and create a dialogue with our elected representatives. I haven't detected a whiff of smug superiority, doom and gloom ranting or impractical solutions amongst any of the literature that I've come across so far. A good starting point is this interview with Thom Yorke who, unlike Bono, is a University educated man that does not seek publicity for the sake of it - in fact, he has a history of being repelled by it. Try to keep that in mind when you watch this video, for once I'd like to encourage that your cynicism be left at the door.
I rather prefer the style of the Big Ask Campaign to other lobbys in that it not only informs but stresses that we are not powerless and that we need to get involved and create a dialogue with our elected representatives. I haven't detected a whiff of smug superiority, doom and gloom ranting or impractical solutions amongst any of the literature that I've come across so far. A good starting point is this interview with Thom Yorke who, unlike Bono, is a University educated man that does not seek publicity for the sake of it - in fact, he has a history of being repelled by it. Try to keep that in mind when you watch this video, for once I'd like to encourage that your cynicism be left at the door.
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