Work Schmerk, Who Needs To Eat?!

It feels like its been another busy week here in the Granite State, but I’m not so sure that it has been. I’m just easily overwhelmed. Its certainly been a stressful week though. Partially due to some goofy planning on my part and partially due to the books I’m working on taking far longer to hit the retailers than I thought they would a year ago I’ve managed to land myself in a sticky financial mess. Luckily (more or less) a few good people where able to come through with some projects to keep me going. As long as I eat only Romin Noodle and donate a pint of blood, twice a week. Working freelance is not for those with weak hearts, let me tell ya.

I was able to ignore reality a little bit this week thanks to Crackdown (and more Crackdown). For a couple hours I was able to put my own petty problems aside to help the good people of Pacific City by enlisting in their genetically enhances police program and starting the work of taking down the criminal triad ruling the streets of their fair city. Its not easy leaping from rooftop to rooftop, raining grenades, bullets, and municipal vehicles down on the heads of lawbreakers (and the occasional civilian) but someone’s got to do it.

This weekend was one of the best I’ve had in a while. For the first time in 7 weeks (yes SEVEN weeks) I got to spend the entire weekend with my wife. Between her going off to Grad School for two weeks and the conventions and weddings I’ve gone to, we’ve only seen each other in passing in almost two months.

WOW did that suck! We didn’t do anything in particular that was awesome –just the normal weekend stuff. Errands, grocery shopping, a few hours at the swimming hole. I did have one of those cathartic moments of revelation while we were at it.

Grandpa took the Widget off our hands for five whole hours on Saturday and Dorinda and I actually got to spend some real quality time alone –we hung out, took a nap, and got a coffee. The silence you experience when sans-child is amazing. And that was when it struck me. Kids sort of suck.

I mean, I love my daughter and everything –I’d kill or be killed for her. But MAN is it nice to not have a little kid trying to crawl up your butt all day long! I’ve got a new working theory on parenthood now.

I postulate that parenthood is 90% convincing yourself that having a rambunctious monkey living in your home, tearing up the place, leaving juice boxes and half-eaten sandwiches under the couch, and using you as their personal, organic, jungle gym doesn’t totally suck. The other 10% is split between convincing other people that it doesn’t suck, hanging onto the last frayed threads of your sanity, and counting the seconds before your first-grader leaves for college.

I wouldn’t give up my child for a million-billion dollars . . .well okay, yes I would. BUT, I wouldn’t give her up for a cool million and I sure as shit wouldn’t give you a wooden nickel for a second one. And Christ, my kid is easy –she’s mostly mellow (for a kid), she’s well behaved and good mannered. And she’s lucky she is, because if she was like some of the other little shits I see at the park or library I’d have killed her by now.

I know I’m not alone in thinking that. But I also know I run into people every day who are all “WOO, KIDZ ROCK!” For several years I thought there was something wrong with me because I just can’t get behind that philosophy. The best I’ve been able to manage is a sort of happy resignation. But now I realize –there’s nothing particularly wrong with me. It is THEY who are mad!

Phew, okay, I’m better now.

Has everyone read the new Harry Potter book yet? No? Me neither. Not because I dislike HP. I love the books and movies. I’ve just never been able to get into that crazy headspace that makes people dress up in robes and wait outside the Barnes & Noble for that 12:01am sale. Chances are good that they will have a few copies laying around next week when I get around to it.

I did see the new movie (on the internets) and I liked it. Definitely not the best so far, but it’s a bridge movie, so that’s to be expected. Like most people I wish they could cram everything from the books into the films, but I also understand why they can’t do that. As it was, there was so much information that they HAD to cram in that the movie felt like a series of cut-scenes to me.

But I enjoyed it. Not like Transformers, which I hated. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Michael Bay movie and ever had an urge to watch it a second time.

Okay, I’ve got a kung-fu pin-up to get done. I’m uploading the covers for ATOMIC ROBO #5 and #6 right after this, so you’ll have something new to look at in the galleries. They are somewhere in the INKS section -but where exactly is anyone’s guess. Wordpress has this annoying habit of NOT allowing me to arrange the artwork in my galleries. Sorry I’ve been slacking with the art posts lately –it takes time to resize and reformat stuff for the website, and between work and Crackdown, well . . .you understand.

This week’s Random Splendor includes a few choice images I’ve been hording. I come across all sorts of goofy shit while trolling the internet for por. . .photo reference. Time to start sharing some of this stuff. If you’ve got any good ones feel free to email them to me and I’ll post it.

Astro-Hawt Bio-Suit

Country Dance Contortion Girls –Thanks Brian L!

Driving in Japan has a unique set of hazards that tourists should be aware of.

I don’t know who he is, but he’s beautiful.

Freedom from pants.

So true.

Its HASSARIFIC!

Yay ROBO GIANT!