Hot Enough For Ya?

Wow, I certainly never meant for half a month to go by without posting a real blog entry. I have no excuse other than work has been nuts, but... what else is new?

This has been one of the most humid, hottest and driest Summers on record, and I am not one bit sorry to see August get the hell out of here.

For the last month or so, I have spent my Saturdays helping my dad clean out the family business. John Lee & Sons was an excavation company that was run by my great-grandfather and his heirs up until about 7 years ago. I was never interested in continuing the business, and my dad closed it down not long before his father passed away in 2000.

The two-story garage that housed all of the equipment and materials used for the last 60+ years sits on a prime piece of real estate and after my dad found a buyer, he decided to clean out the monster and then hold an estate auction for the remaining goods.

Imagine all of the junk in the world and then double it. I'm talking about miles and miles of scrap metal, junk parts, old construction equipment, rusted steel, car parts, you name it. All of it had to be sorted through and disposed of to make room for the auciton that took place this past Saturday.

The auction was a success; every last item sold over the course of six hours, and after all of my dad's hard work over the last six months, he doesn't have to haul a single thing away before they tear the building down in October.

It was a little emotional for everyone, too. Most of my very extended family showed up to buy a little piece of our history and to say "goodbye" to the downtown street corner that has been in the family as long as we've been alive. It wasn't easy to say farewell to that giant garage with the little offices where my grandfather would let me sit with him when I was too sick to go to school and spoil me rotten. But its what's best for my dad and we're proud of all his hard work.

ITEM! Want to feel better about yourself? Here's a site that shows the "before" and "after" effects of photo retouching on some pretty damn famous models.

ITEM! Nick Anderson, political cartoonist for Louisville's own Courier-Journal, just won the Pulitzer Prize for his work, which he colors with Corel Painter IX. Yay, Nick and yay, Painter!

ITEM! Nothing helps the creative juice flow like scented candles. My wife prefers the fruit and flower scents, but with Fall around the corner, my favorite scents are now in season; Foods and Holidays. I'm talking about pumpkin pies, sugar cookies, apple cider, candy canes, cinnamon rolls, pine trees, and spice cakes.

But the number one scented candle ever created is without question, Beanpod Candle's Creme Brule. After being out of stock for almost a year, our local shop just got some in and they kick so much ass, I would go so far as to reccomend that you buy one unseen from this link. I am that confident you will not be disappointed.

Second runner-up for all-time greatest scented candle: Hot Chocolate also from Beanpod.
Root Candles' scented line is no slouch, either.

You can all start in with the "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" jokes now.

My Guest Strip on "Good Little Robot" Is Live NOW!

http://www.thegoodlittlerobot.com

And yes, I know that I have not posted a blog, nor have I answered a single email, forum post or comment for almost two weeks. I'm sorry. I've just been up to my neck in it. I'll get around to everyone as soon as I can.

New Story Arc Starts TODAY!

"Lightning Always Strikes Twice"
Alan finds a whole new way to self-destruct! Tiffany gets her shot at the brass ring! Carol must win a battle of wits unarmed! Catherine Zeta-Jones is in town! Roger takes his shirt off! A Lot!

_________________________________

M E A N W H I L E . . . I'm clearly rusty when it comes to the stand alone comics. Getting an idea for each one of this last batch was like trying to get whiskey out of a turnip, so I just decided to put myself out of my misery and begin the next story.

I'm going to try very hard to wrap this one up no later than early October. Haley's debut went on so long it nearly wore me out and I don't want to break the tradition of the off-the-wall Halloween stories. That should bring us to another Christmas story and then we'll head into 2006 setting up the return of a certain secret agent. Is anyone else as shocked as I am that 2005 is 2/3 over already?

The Suburban Tribe Pledge Drive will take place September 12 - September 23. In addition to the limited-edition print which will serve as a donation incentive, I'm putting together a few more unique prizes that will be given to the highest donors.

More to come...

New Comic Friday Morning

Sorry for no Wednesday update. Tuesday was just a long, bad day for me. New comic Friday, and a 50/50 chance I'll start the new story arc on Monday.

In the meantime, here's my new favorite emoticon:

From the "Broken Clock Is Right Twice A Day" Dept.:

John Byrne posted on his forum this morning:

"In the US, approximately 500 people die every day from lung cancer. That's almost 10 times as many as die from AIDS in all of North America. Altho [Christopher Reeve's] family is beginning to resemble a Greek tragedy, it is wise to keep in mind just how pernicious this disease really is. As one commentator noted, following the death of Peter Jennings, if 500 people died in a single plane crash it would be considered a national tragedy, yet virtually no steps are taken to prevent the same number of deaths from lung cancer."

The Haley Bhairavi Print Is On Sale NOW!

For the first time in three years, the Suburban Tribe store is open! I am currently taking orders for the 8" x 10" print of Haley Bhairavi's 2005 tour photo. It ships within two days and only costs $10 American to ship anywhere (international orders included!) I ran a test print of this piece over the weekend, and I am very pleased with the final results. If you would like to see how much of a difference practice makes in your art, click here to see my first attempt at comic coloring.

Click here or click on the Store link in the right hand navigation to place your order via PayPal. If you would like to buy the print via check or money order, send me an email and we'll arrange something.

And speaking of prints...
I'm going to start work on the limited-edition incentive print for the Suburban Tribe Pledge Drive, which will run for two weeks in September. What I would like to know is, Which of the subjects below would be a greater incentive for you guys to contribute :
1) Shaggy McWhiskey and the Faeries
2) A "Women of Suburban Tribe" type thing, or
3) Something else (serious suggestions only, please!)
Let me know in the comments section below!

I've Been Meaning To Post This For a While

Phil Spector is looking damn good these days

Ever Have One of Those Days...

...that wasn't bad, really, but it wasn't good, either? Today was like that. I spent the whole day at the day job doing research (yes, real research, not the "surf the web 'cause I have no deadlines and no one is looking" kind of research) which is much more tiresome than actually producing design work.

Somehow while I was doing this research I got to thinking about my last job and how the boss/owner was a verbally abusive, bullying pseudo-sociopath and I couldn't figure out if I bore a grudge against him for tyrannizing his employees or if I bore a grudge against myself for staying there so long.

Not much point to this post, was there? Guess I'm just feeling "blah" tonight.