Sunday, December 28, 2008

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.

12 comments:

Josiah said...

Whoah, just by chance I checked to see if you've posted, like so many other days in the past few months, and finally there is word!

The Sigma year is always the first one I remember when I start thinking about Christmas. In all actuality, the fact that you had me thinking I wouldn't get the bike - and sadly accepting that - made receiving it all the better. So no need to apologize.

And Micah got that Genesis, too, so maybe your harrasment is good luck.

And I'm definitely looking forward to seeing you next month. Will Sharis and Hunter be here too?
Let me know the dates you'll be in town so I can see if I can take a day off from work (of course, I'm on a 2-week vac. right now, so I'll need to use some subtle schecanery)

Ethan VS said...

Josiah:

Yeah, Sharis and Hunter are coming too! We'll have to show Hunter around the old neighborhood. Maybe rent a car, I don't know.

It's Jan 23-25, and if you run a google search for Phoenix comicon, you should find the website and all pertinent information.

As for a day off work, it's the weekend! You work Saturdays?

Hannah said...

Hey Ethan! I wanna see you too!! You haven't even met my family yet.

Ethan VS said...

Hannah:

Yep! We're hoping you'll join us as well! So we'll have you, Josiah...is it too much to hope for Amanda? And Dad is coming down too. Everyone else has moved from Arizona, right?

Jenna said...

Ah, man! I wish I was going to be there! Someday we'll all be together for a group photo.

Ethan, I've missed hearing from you on your blog! Yes, you can make it private. Go to your blog settings and Permissions and then set it to Invitation only and type in the family and friends you want to invite. Too bad you can't have privacy.

Hey, I love you! You're a great brother to me, and I hope you have a reasonably happy New Year's Day sans asthma, and that 2009 is your best year yet.

YogaNana said...

Wish we could be there!

Saint Holiday said...

The wifelet & I shall be there, Eehee, unless I am in Ghana quelling the tribes. Or, unless I cn't get off from my new job at Cheeses of Nazareth. (Great prices on Velveeta by the way!) However, we're looking at the Phoenix Comicon site, and it does not mention you. Maybe you're not really invited! Maybe you've been boycotted because of your peculiar religious inclinations. You'd better check. You could join my new religion: Kickhimfarianism. We get to wear funny hats. The only criteria for membership is a densely corrugated neocortex, and I know you have one of those. Hey, can you get us free tickets? Aren't I cheap? True dat, fer sure! Poverty's vale, abounding with grief! It would be wonderful to see you & your family again. One last time. Rumors are spreading that I may not be in perfect health, and the Dow fell 12% yesterday at the prospect of my death. Don't worry; I'm working day & night on a new vaccine. Do I have to wear my spandex at this comicon?

Love,
Mr. Missit
Sleep-deprived, chronically bored, with festering carbuncles of creativity

Hannah said...

Dad just said true dat fer sure!

Hahahaha

Ethan VS said...

Dad:

I just looked at the site. I'm there. Look at the "Guests" page, and it's alphabetical by first name.

Of course you'll get in free.

EVS

Grant/Jen Willis Family said...

Let me be the first non-Van Sciver to request access when you make the blog private!

Getting in free... I don't remember paying for much of anything in the greater Merchantville area when we were with Ethan.

Grant

Saranga said...

no idea if you sill need to know this or not, but to make your blog private you need to:
go your dashboard, then to settings, then to permissions. from there you can select, under blog readers, whether to make it viewable to everybody, those you invite or only blog authors.
as you want this to be private i shall now remove it from my blog feed.

Unknown said...

Nice post and really interesting to reading this.
God bless you