2/2/07
So anyway today I have been thinking about site promotion around UCSB, and I have a little something-something planned. I want it to be a surprise, but after the fact I will post pictures. IF I can do what I am hoping for, it will be totally awesome. However, things rarely go according to plan; in which case I have a slightly less cool plan B. Keep an eye out Monday. . .
2/3/07
After a little bit of thinking, I’ve decided to put the current comic on the “archive” page as well as the "home" page. Just a small site update. I think it lends itself to better browsing.
2/5/2007
You may have noticed the text of the comics have been changed. This will be the text of the comic as soon as I run out of already-made comics. The font on certain comics have been changed because I changed the size of the image because I wanted them to fit on the screen, whew. I personally like to browse the internet with my favorites bar on the left open, and I hate scrolling right all the time. I have designed my site for those with my browsing preference. Needless to say, this shrunk the text. I have redone the text to make it easier for you all to read. Btw, if you're at UCSB tomorrow, look out for that on-campus surprise. . .
2/9/07
EX-TER-MINATE! EX-TER-MINATE!
Ok, so I have lots of pictures of the special secret surprise, but unfortunately it is taking awhile to get them onto the computer. So, hopefully I will be able to post them sometime in the coming week. Until then, do you know the magic that is Dr. Who? This is one of the best Sci-fi shows I’ve ever come across. I saw an episode on the Sci-fi channel and was instantly smitten. I have seen 3 of the old, old episodes and I am not as impressed. I supposed I’d have to see more to make a fair judgment, but the new season rocks. BBC, your programs are either hit or miss and this one is definitely a hit. I look forward to the next season.
2/11/07
Lots of new things! I have changed the buttons backgrounds and added an “Extras” page with Dry Ice avatars. Also, there are finally pictures of the surprise! I made a real-life snowman survivable warm weather! Pictures are posted in the “Extras” page. It took alot of work figuring out how to make a warm-weather snowman. After all that work, I had forgotten to get a poster paper and made a lame impromptu poster out of cardboard and printer paper. The dialogue reads: “But won’t we melt if we go to UCSB?” “No, we’ll be fine!” And the irony is they did melt! I also liked the fully melted one; that was easy to do! Unfortunately, someone took the parts while I left it out! Strange, huh? I like to think it was an honest maintenance staff mistake. I was trying to take pictures of people looking at my snowmen, but it appears that people are really shy! Whenever I had my camera up it seemed people sensed that they were going to be documented and did not look at my snowman. Strange! Anyway, enjoy the updates!
Today’s comic is one of the few with color! Normally I don’t bother to color my comics because they are snowmen, and there’s not much to color anyway. Who wants to see a bunch of comics with very little color? Anyway, last week I submitted this article to my college’s newspaper complaining about their 5 terrible comics (a representative example) run once a week on Fridays. (I didn't give my article that bad title, btw.) Although I am sad they left out my comic I made especially to go with my article. Ah, well. I guess you can’t have it all. The comic I drew for them will eventually get posted; I’ve arranged the comics to post semi-randomly so I’m not sure when it will turn up. I guess it’s just something to look forward to.
2/14/07
Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
2/17/07
So yesterday I ready my school’s newspaper, The Nexus, and I was surprised to see one of the artists had retaliated to my article. A week ago I had submitted a story talking about how their comics were not funny and how I had tried to put my comic on the newspaper and failed. You can read the full article here.
Collin Anderson used his comic, “Packin’ a Punch in a Sack Lunch”, published in the Daily Nexus to fight back. The newspaper version had a mistake on panel 2 and the text read, “Our revenge shall swift, and dry as a desert . . . It shall be and cold as ice.” I read it a few times before I realized this was supposed to be a play on my comic’s name. I guess the terrible grammar interfered with the pun. You can see the comic here, as the author sent me a png of the comic, although it appears the digital version was actually proofread.
My Nexus article was set to be posted randomly, but I used divine intervention to post it today. Take that.
2/18/07
I have added a new page with my guide to making an all-weather snowman. Enjoy! It details exactly how I made my snowman, Melty. I am also working on changing the layout of the blog. The blog will soon be separated by months. I think this will keep the blog page not too long.
I have recently been informed that the grammar error in the printed version of the comic was caught by the comic’s author. However, the Nexus didn’t let him fix it in time before it was printed out. I have also been informed that the art director, Mark, lied/ misled me about becoming a newspaper comic. You don’t need to be an illustrator. Thank you, Nexus for valuing honesty.
I have had a few brushed minor brushes with the Nexus before, and I have come to realize it doesn’t matter who you are or what you want to contribute, the Nexus will probably end up screwing you. From the center of the story, to the minority in a story, to people wishing to contribute genuine hard labor, you cannot win with the Nexus.
It seems that there is something inherent in the Nexus’s system that keeps it from achieving its potential. And to Collin Anderson and the rest of the people working for the Nexus: get out. Get out while you still can. Get out while your resume remains pure and white. Do not let terrible articles and nigh daily scandal ruin your future careers.
There, I hope that is my last blog ever, ever, ever about the Nexus.
2/21/07
So yesterday’s and the day before’s comic got mixed up, whoops! I fixed the problem, but then today I realized that I did a terrible job of fixing the comic. What was supposed to be yesterday’s comic ended up being on the homepage for 2 days, and the comic that supposed to be run 2 days ago ended up in the archives. Oh, well nothing to do about it now. Any anyway, it’s close to my birthday (the 23rd). You can get away with anything on, or close to, your birthday. If/when I figure out RSS feed this whole problem will be solved.
For something completely different I bought myself a small canvas on sale and some fancy markers/pens. I am drawing a snowman on it; we will see how it turns out. I forgot I am left handed and everything I touch leaves a mark on my hand that smudges everything. Maybe I can incorporate it into my painting (markering?). Anyway, it’s just for fun, so no biggie.
I have realized how total of a nerd I am. I recognized an actor from a Twilight Zone episode as the same actor who played Cornelius in Planet of the Apes: Roddy McDowell. I have never seen McDowell in anything else except Planet of the Apes, and then he was all covered in makeup and fur. But I knew him by his voice and mannerisms! Crazy. normally in movies I have difficulty discerning which actor is who.
2/23/07
Today is my birthday, yay! Enjoy one of my top favorite comics!
2/26/07
What is new with you, Internet? Nothing much here. I have been reading about the joy of scam-baiting. The transcripts are way too long, but they are hilarious. I think it would be awesome to condense them somehow, because the hoops scam-baiters make the scammers jump through are way awesome. Normally they get them to take pictures of themselves holding signs that say stupid things, but some advanced scam-baiters can convince the scammers to do even more ridiculous things.
However, I feel I must be serious and remind you that scam-baiting can be potentially dangerous. The scammers are serious criminals/thieves. Don’t scam-bait if you don’t know AT LEAST the basics of protecting yourself (i.e. hiding your name +address + IP address) or don’t know what you’re doing. As much as I think it’s hilarious, I personally am not going to join the ranks of scam-baiting aficionados because I admit I wouldn’t know what to say.
2/28/07
So I wrote a quick article comparing my comics to Calvin and Hobbes. I’ve gotten a few questions about that, so I thought I’d clear it up for everyone. I’m also thinking about reorganizing the Extras page. We shall see. I doubt anyone ever goes there anyway, so I suppose it’s more of a moot point. But, I prefer the most elegant design possible, even if it is in something slightly more obscure.
I have also decided to rename my all-weather snowman from Melty to Snometheus. Prometheus' punishment was eternal, daily loss and restoration of part of his liver, but he could never die. Snowmetheus is perpetually melting away, but he can never fully melt. I think they relate to each other very well.