Welcome to hell on earth or, as I call it, The Creative Life.
Hugely productive week, followed by enormous day of self-doubt and insecurity or, as I call it, Being a Cartoonist.
Some very good things in the works. Meaning, of course, the potential for Spectacular Failure.
But you keep on keeping on because, frankly, there’s no real solid alternative.
Also, cartooning is FUN. Even through the self-doubt.
So given the self-doubt, I went on a 21-mile bike ride this afternoon, around the trails that loop through Madison. I’ve knocked almost 15 minutes off my time from mid-summer.
(Biking — indeed, anything athletic — makes you forget for a while what a desperate situation your little, little cartoony world may be in, and gives you boost of confidence. In that sense, it is like alcohol.)
(Cartooning, for all the fear and doubt it generates in you, is bloody addictive. In that sense, it is like drugs.)
(Tomorrow, I believe, I shall go straight to drugs and alcohol, and skip the middlemen.)
Speaking of drugs, at Bike Ride mile 14 or so, I partook of a one-shot glop-tastic substance that is supposed to provide a burst of energy. I believe it’s called “Bannana Boost” or something. Perhaps it was “Baboon Spew,” as it tastes and feels uncannily like something a monkey might regurgitate. Warm, too, Mmmmmmmmmmmm.
On the plus side, the sensation of ingesting it is not quite as disquieting as eating a McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish: the world’s only sandwich where all traces of texture have been scientifically removed for your convenience. Seriously, for all the mastication needed in the injestion of it, they might as well serve the Filet-O-Fish in a plastic cup with a bendy straw.
If I seem in a weird mood, it’s partly because I’m immersed in some work right now that I’m pretty excited about, and also pretty scared by. Another part, though, is that my group of friends here in Madison seems to be splintering wildly, spinning apart like the spiral arms of a galaxy, which saddens me to no end.
Family and friends mean everything to me, not to sound like a Hallmark Card or anything.
And you’re so busy lately that you haven’t found the time,
To open up your mind,
And watch the world spinning, gently out of time…
So, to make myself feel tons better, I’ll look at some more of Chris Jones’ art (this always puts me in grand fettle), and just mention that the November issue of Psychology Today has a story on Dr. Blink in it! Yay for Team John, Chris and Melissa!
So here he is, the guest-star of Dr. Blink #1…drum roll, please…Major Amazing (Alien name: Ma-Zingg), ala the stunningly talented Chris!
OK. So. Back to work. Dork Tower 29 and Dr. Blink #1 are getting ready to go off. Still a day away or so from the Big Dr. Blink #1 Announcement ™. Plus a cool project that involves the fab folks at Dundjini. Plus a cool project with Z-Man Games. Plus the usual Out of the Box madness.
Much coolness. Less sourness. Soon.
Soon.
Peas, out.
PS. Hope folk are enjoying the almost-daily (Damn your eyes, Tuesday! Damn them!) Dork Towers.
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