The Most Fascinating Blog ever

Here we are, suspended in the fuzzy hammock of time in between Christmas and New Year's Day, where I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be working or not. Will people be in the office this week, asking for pages? I'm not sure. Once Christmas is over, the tail end of the year should immediately rot and fall off. It's really boring, and I really want to get back to business-as-usual, which includes the daily routine of shuffling Hunter off to school and planning my work day. And New Year's is always a horrible experience for me psychically. It fills me with dread. The year is over, I can't do anymore in 2008, and I must move onwards. I don't know why this bothers me so much, but it's just not a happy time for me. And post-Christmas finances are always a worry, no matter how far we scale back. It's Winter....it's cold and dull and my asthma acts up every time I inhale the air and I don't like it. Even now, as I breathe, there's a tiny but audible whistle in my throat, which goes away when I use my inhaler, but returns again whenever I go outside.

Sorry so bleak. I'll be better around March or April.

And very sorry I have written in so long. I got discouraged when I found this blog was linked to my Wikipedia entry, which means that comic fans can read it and are reading it. Which it wasn't intended for. And fellas, I love and appreciate you all, but this was meant to be for close friends and family. Dad says there's a way to block outsiders from access to this blog, and if anyone can instruct me, that'd be helpful.

So I enjoyed chatting with Noah a few minutes ago on the phone. He's been posting radio interviews and a very interesting video profile on himself on his blog. It's good to see his work beginning to get some recognition, and it's fantastic to see him grow into his skin as an artist. He really is good. And I'm not sure that means much coming from me, since I'll be proud of him no matter what, but I really mean it. I love what he's doing. He's got such a funny, insightful and sympathetic voice in his cartooning, and I hope it'll take him far.

One of the things we spoke about were the models of financial success that he's got to look at from his standpoint. Matt Groening would be number one. I'd love to see Noah devise recurring characters that could live outside of his pages in some way. Does he have the next The Simpsons inside of his brain somewhere? I wouldn't be at all surprised, and I admire his determination to make that a reality for himself. He does know of his potential. He knows he's got a lot to say and do. I think he can succeed.

I also enjoyed Josiah's Christmas memories, over on his blog. I'm surprised my awful "Have Yourself a Merry LITTLE Christmas" began with him and his bike. Frankly, I thought it was directed at Micah over some videogame system or other. I was a tyrant and a bully, and for that, I apologize. But it is still sort of funny. And yes, Josiah, I was aware that you WERE getting the bike. I found it hidden in the garage.

And you GOT your bike! I did not receive my Transformers OMEGA SUPREME action figure that transformed from a stupid looking grey and orange "futuristic city" into a stout and ridiculous looking grey and orange robot. This broke my heart and forever hardened my soul. Why couldn't I have a few Transformers? We lived next door to Jack, that little Marie Antoinette of awesome toys, who was so blessed with He-Man and Star Wars toys that he'd actually bury them in his backyard when he got bored with them. I exhumed a Lando Calrissian that he'd dismissed under the holly tree that our yards shared, and never told him. Jack was a strange little goblin of a child, but he had Castle Greyskull.

I digress. Though I made the week before Christmas tense for you with my stupid little song, Josiah, I want you to recall that when that same bike was stolen by "less fortunate" kidz from the Camden area, I was out until dark, scouring the streets and ready to dispense vigilante justice in order to retrieve it for you. I was still your big brother and tried to look out for you, on the odd moments that I wasn't torturing you. And I still would!

And this is as good a time and place as any to let you, and anyone else, know that we'll be in Phoenix at the end of January, at something called Phoenix Comicon. I'm hoping for a miniature family reunion there, for anyone still residing in AZ who'd like to catch up over dinner.