i can't pretend to know nothing 8:43 AM

Didn't get a damn thing done. I ate dinner while watching Raising Arizona and went to bed. I suck.

Rick Astley: Never gonna give you up 12:11 PM

Rick Astley: Never gonna give you up
Originally uploaded by Littlepixel™

Never gonna let you down

the inevitability 8:34 AM

The Averatec is back up. I did some quick animation loops before I went to bed last night. Short of getting a cintiq or a new tablet PC, the Averatec is really the best tool I have for doing animation. And I don't think there's a new tablet PC in the near future right now. And a cintiq? HA! Yeah, that'll happen.

Need to set up a dropbox on the Averatec and sync up the docs, too. There's oodles of doodles backing up and need backing up.

don't wanna be here today 9:42 AM

Too much other crap I got to get done right now. I reinstalled the Averatec, now I have to download and install all the updates and service packs. Suck. Then reinstall all the usual apps. Stupid friggin' computer. But, it's the best I got right now for doing animation and video editing. The Eee really isn't meant to be used for much more then intra-net action. No heavy lifting with the Eee. Of course, I'm not having the problems with the Eee that I have with the Averatec. Feh.

I need to set up an apps recovery disc for this kind of thing. I keep having to reinstall the Averatec every 6 months. I may as well accept this kind of thing if I'm gonna continue using the Averatec.

I'm putting Puppy Linux on the thumbdrive. I wonder if they make a Tablet PC Linux? -I guess not.

Have I mentioned I'm not a dog person? *sigh*

pixel harvesting 11:37 AM

warms the heart, fries the brain 8:34 AM

Hot. Damn hot.

Been too busy. And I need an afternoon to bring the Averatec back to life. I'm hoping I can install Avidemux on the Eee. We'll see. Hell, I'm surprised I can run Boxee on it.

The heat makes me so sleepy.

happy accidents 9:01 AM

I started wondering how the Magical Nurse Girl comics would look like in a clean vector style. So I did this in inkscape. It's interesting. It does lose the spontaneity of the fountain pen illustrations. On the other hand it makes the illustration look stronger and more iconic. I don't think it makes it better, just different.

I think I need to work out a system of line weights for this. I want to try to "digitally ink" one of Ed's Hello Tako comics this way.

Finally updated the HNK template. Need to tweak it out, but for now it's looking better then before. And it's functional. Now to make some comics and icons and other stuff to put on the website. Wallpaper? Papercraft? Sozai? I've got to knock some out.

The Averatec is now in a boot up loop. If I can't rescue it I'll have to re-install once again. What I'd really like to do is put Tiny-XP on it. I may have to wait for the weekend to find the time to actually do this.

Lewis Carroll against L. Frank Baum 12:20 PM

Interesting bits floating in the ink. I'm interested in seeing where this is going.

going down the other side 8:12 AM

Not as productive this weekend as last week. But I still filled some pages. I think I'm still gestating this one. I spent more time defining and refining the ideas. But no stories came to me. Time to start making sequences and seeing what happens.

the short of it 8:11 PM

The keyboard is very small. Just typing this is kicking my ass. But it's pretty damn cool. A bargain for the money. I guess I'll just have to get use to this.

I can see using this for doing shows. Hook the portable projector to the VGA port and play video from a portable hard drive. Hook up a portable amp to the headphone miniplug. It could work.

HNK on the way 9:15 AM

I need to call a meeting with Bruce and Katie and Ed. But first I need to work out a plan of action to layout at the meeting.

First up, I need to get a new template for the HNK webpage. I'll do that myself. What I want to work out at the meeting is the content. Between me, Bruce, Ed and Katie there's enough of us to post on a regular or semi-regular basis and maybe get some interest and traffic to the website. 4 people, each posting once a week? How hard is that?

I'd like to bring back Trading Card Tuesday, too. I'll ask Bruce for the files he used to make The Cautious Twins trading cards and make a template card to use. Then I'll do the heavy lifting and ask Bruce to write the copy for the cards. Quick, easy and we could generate months of weekly posts.

I think the best way to do this would be to make a weekly schedule. And we each pick a day of the work week. Monday and Friday being the most important days. I'll take one or the other. Friday'd be best. That'd give me the week to work on the post. Of course it's something we'll have to work out and agree on with the group.

Most importantly, I need to show Ed and Katie (and Bruce) how to post to the HNK page. Show them how to do it and walk them through it. Get Katie a flickr account and show Ed and Katie how to post pictures, too.

And then there's the book/Hell Nurse merchandise. This is something that needs to be seriously addressed. I've dropped the ball on this one. I need to work out a plan for this. Ask Katie if she has any thoughts on what she'd like to see.

Some ideas off the top of my head:

• autographed pictures
• postcard sets
• posters
• stickers (Endless possibilities.)
• candy (That's right. Hell Nurse Katie Candy! HARD CANDY!)
• panties (Screen printed)
• paper nurse hats? (where I'd get these I have no idea.)
• a doctor rabbit plushy (where I'd get that I have no idea. Susan maybe?)
• Katie's special bears
  

AnimeFEST is coming up and I'd like to get something done in time for that. Possibly a contest?

Katie was talking about doing a podcast or video podcast. I think it's a good idea and we should work out something for a weekly show. I'd like to animate the titles and work out some post production for it. Talk to Brian about doing the music for it, maybe?

Set the calendar. I want to post VHS HELL on Monday and Sound Hell on Friday. And back stock it for by 2 weeks at the very least. Gotta do that tonight or this weekend.

UCK 2:12 PM

Ohyo 1:57 PM

Green 1:50 PM

pi 10:07 AM

kittens are your best defense against nin-jas 7:35 AM

Eee 1:14 PM

It only took me a couple hours to gank the machine. *sigh*

Downloading Easy Peasy right now...

Or maybe Mint.

when the lines collide 7:38 AM

Spent much of the weekend drawing. Mostly with the Itoya Blade fountain pen. Ran out of ink Sunday afternoon and had to break out a new pen. Got a few pages worth. Some good stuff. Gotta develop it some more.

I may need to get some more Itoya Blades.

It's the new format 8:46 AM

The VHS/DVD combo unit I bought only two years ago is no longer available. And most VHS/DVD combos are now $200 and up. Crap.

Gotta stop by Big Lots and pick up some more blank discs.

meh. Want to draw. Feeling washed out.

always need more DVDr blanks 9:36 AM

It took me awhile to figure it out. We'd keep losing the DSL. And I'd call the ISP and ask them why the DSL was down and they'd tell me nothing was wrong. At first I thought there was a problem with the automatic payment. But I was paid up. So, why was the DSL cutting out?

The weather.

See, the DSL comes to the Edstead through an old cable in the back of the house. It sags down between the trees. I have no idea where it connects on the other side of the fence. But when it blows that cable gets battered around and we lose the DSL.

And since we can't have a gentle summer rain in Texas last night we got a near biblical thunderstorm that knocked me off the internet. And what with the storm still going through we still had no service when I left for work this morning. And I wager it's still down as I write this.

Needs more information 8:23 AM

San Japan 2009 from tohoscope on Vimeo.

just ducky 9:45 AM

I forgot. June 9th was Donald Duck's 75th birthday. I wanted to draw some ducks, but I was busy drawing zombies.

it's the heat 9:00 AM

This happens every year, but I always forget. Summer in Texas comes and it knocks me on my ass. I thought I was tired all last week from A-Kon. And that was part of it. But it's the heat. I get so tired when it's hot. I just drift off. Last night I wanted to draw comics and I was all, "I'll just lay down for an hour," and that was it. I didn't wake up until 10pm.

Cinder Seeta and Ghetto Geeta 7:35 AM

Seeta Aur Geeta (1972)

The movie opens on a dark stormy night in a shotgun shack. Suddenly, there's a knock at the door! It's Mr. and Mrs. rich upper caste. Their car has broken down and Mrs. rich upper caste is in labor. Mr. and Mrs. poor but kindly lower caste open their home to them. Mrs. poor lower caste takes control and sends Mr. poor lower caste and Mr. rich upper caste out into the storm to find the local Doctor.

At this point I'm convinced that the director has seen Start The Revolution Without Me (1970) because this is identical to the opening of that movie.

But when the Doctor and Mr. rich and Mr. poor get back to the shack Mrs. rich has already had a healthy baby girl. Cut to the next morning as Mr. and Mrs. poor are seeing off Mr. and Mrs. rich and their newborn daughter. Mr. rich offers Mr. poor money for their hospitality, which Mr. poor turns down as any good and virtuous person would do. Instead, Mrs. poor asks the couple to pray for them that they too could be blessed with a child as they have. Mr. rich replies that if they had twins he would surely give one to Mr. and Mrs. poor for their kindness. Once Mr. and Mrs. rich leave Mrs. poor leads Mr. poor to the back of the shack and where she has hidden healthy baby girl twin. Surprise!

And then we dive right into the opening credits.

Now, if you can buy that premise you're probably gonna enjoy this movie. Because this is pretty much a Prince and the Pauper/Cinderella/Parent Trap mistaken identity kinda movie. And maybe a bit more.

After the credits we're whisked to a mansion. You think, "Hey, must be where Mr. and Mrs. rich upper caste lives." But you're wrong. We've taken a turn into Cinderella. Beautiful, kindly Seeta is at the mercy of her cruel aunt, her cruel cousin, and her aunt's evil brother. Yes, these are very thinly defined stock villains, however the actors in this film are delicious hams and play their parts with mustache twirling glee.

Ok. I'm going just use the word. It's camp. It's a very campy movie. However, it's self aware of it's camp. This is a movie where Sickly Grandmother pleads through tears, "Won't somebody come and take her from this horrible life?" And we immediately cut to Doctor rich bachelor/Handsome poor guy with heart of gold. Right on cue.

Meanwhile, back in the ghetto, we meet Geeta. Geeta is a street performer, dancing, singing songs, walking tight ropes, throwing knives and dressing like a Gypsy. It's the same actress who was playing Seeta, but a completely different performance. Seriously, she's a very good actress and pulls off this duel role way better then a movie like this would deserve.

The actress, Hema Malini, is one of those actresses who are so charismatic they glow on screen. Hema Malini is the definition of a true screen goddess. When she smiles, you melt. When she talks, you can't help but fall in love with her. Even through a language barrier. It's a shame that I can't think of any western movie actress of recent years who display this kind of charm and glamor. Hema Malini recalls a Hollywood that no longer exists. Then again, the Bollywood that made this movie no longer exists, either.

As you know it's gonna happen, eventually Cinder Seeta and Ghetto Geeta switch places. But since the guys who made the movie know that you know what's gonna happen there's a couple false starts and a few teases before the switch actually occurs. When Seeta and Geeta finally switch lives the storyline slows down for a moment, like it's waiting for us to take a deep breath, before the fun really starts. Hema Malini really shines at this point of the movie, and her co-stars struggle to keep up.

Like any Bollywood movie, there are a couple of show stopping numbers. And the songs here aren't the best. Not to mention two of the four songs here are about alcohol and getting shitfaced. And they're not rousing cheery drunken ballads but booze sodden laments. I-dun-you-wrong turns out to be a universal theme that comes through in any language. What's interesting is that instead of playing these songs for camp they are used to underscore the confusion and sense of helplessness and self doubt of the characters.

I know you're thinking there must be split screen all over the place, what with one actress playing two leads. Nope. This movie doesn't have the budget for split screen overload. This is a blessing for the movie. You spend less time going, "oh hey, look at that effect," and more time just enjoying Hema Malini's preformance.

I don't wanna give away the ending, but you already know it'll all turn out alright and everybody lives happily ever after, except the bad guys, because that's what happens in these kind of feelgood movies.

still at it, still behind 6:57 AM

Ugh.

I was rethinking the Pill Pals PSAs. I need to make them more visual. I can't just do talking heads. It's a goddamn cartoon! Make it a good damn cartoon. I think I became distracted by the scripts. And worrying about lip sync and recording dialogue.

Yeah. I'm looking at these scripts and I really need to re-work this to make it work as a cartoon.

Here's the script for PSA#1 Stay Home:

Pill Pals: YAY!

Tall Pill Pal: If you're sick stay home.

Wide Pill Pal: Chills?

Tall Pill Pal: Fever?

Wide Pill Pal: Hacking Cough?

Tall Pill Pal: Stay home!

Wide Pill Pal: And get plenty of bed rest!

Tall Pill Pal: There'll be another Con next year when you're not infectious. We promise.

Wide Pill Pal: There's another Con next week! And the week after that! Don't come to the Con spreading your viral contagion! STAY HOME you walking plague!

I can't rely on the dialogue alone. It needs to be visually punched up:

Pill Pals: YAY!
Pill Pals shout happily, arms in the air.

Tall Pill Pal: If you're sick stay home.
Show a sick guy then show him in bed with thermometer and ice pack on his head.

Wide Pill Pal: Chills?
Show sick guy shaking violently with snow and ice.

Tall Pill Pal: Fever?
Show sick guy surrounded by flames and sweating.

Wide Pill Pal: Hacking Cough?
Show sick guy coughing violently with sound effect.

Tall Pill Pal: Stay home!
Pill Pals both point at sick guy accusingly. Sick guy is taken aback by this.

Wide Pill Pal: And get plenty of bed rest!
Show sick guy in bed. Pill Pals are armed and guarding bed.

Tall Pill Pal: There'll be another Con next year when you're not infectious. We promise.
Tall Pill Pal sez this with big happy smile and enthusiasm.

Wide Pill Pal: There's another Con next week! And the week after that! Don't come to the Con spreading your viral contagion! STAY HOME you walking plague!

As you can see, I am not a writer.

dreamageddon 10:26 AM

David Carradine has gone to that Shaolin Temple in the sky.

dreamagineering 8:31 AM

Last night I had a dream where I'm at Project A-Kon. And I'm setting up an animatronic display of ninjas. It was like, "It's a Small World of Ninjas." A big diorama of Ninjas killing animatronic victims over and over. As I'm setting it up people are coming up and asking questions and making comments. For some reason I have to leave. And when I come back there is somebody laying in the middle of the diorama, dead. With the little animatronic ninjas attacking it over and over. And I'm the first to find the body, so everybody thinks I killed the guy.

I should animate that.

video 8:34 AM

If I can get the damn things off the Flip. Stupid Flip software.

Sure, it's easy to shot video with the Flip. But just try to get the damn videos off the device. Crapware.

Wow. It's easier to get to the files by opening it like a drive. Un freakin' believable. Not making me happy right now.

Screw it. I'll go home and copy the files over to the Averatec.

computer 11:58 AM

eh, what do I know? 9:15 AM

I'm finally starting to shake off the fatigue of the show. Still don't feel a hundred percent, but I'm getting there.

Now to get ready for AnimeFEST.

Well, eventually. Gonna take it easy for a bit. Draw some cartoons. Figure out cartoon lip sync. Yeah. Just wanna make a bunch of cartoons for awhile.

That took a lot outta me 10:30 AM

Random thoughts about Saturday.

I'm still very tired, even though I slept most of the day Sunday.

I didn't get any numbers, but that was the biggest show I've done to date. Video Room 2 was BIG. And we filled it. S.R.O.

It seems like it was only a dream.

After the show I was pretty punchy. I rambled incoherently to some nice folks who were asking questions about the show. I'd like to apologize to them for that. I was just too burnt out and couldn't gather my wits.

Still, I couldn't have asked for a nicer crowd. They seemed to have a really good time and I used their energy to keep going.

Next year I need to bring more candy.

However, I only need one Halloween Pumpkin for the candy.

If I could get Tim Eldred to come and do his thing at every show I would. Mission Pancreas was a complete success. I can not find words to describe the fun we had re-enacting the A-Kon 4 lobby massacre. Even if Tim can't make it to next year's A-Kon I think we'll have to make Mission Pancreas an annual part of A-Kon Hell.

I thought I'd lose most of the audience who wanted to get in line for Hentaifest at Midnight, but we still had most of the room filled when I shut it down.

A girl came up to me at Ed's Karaoke Ok and asked if I'd cosplayed as Master Roshi the day before. I realized that short of the turtle shell I had unconsciously dressed exactly like Master Roshi.

Next year I need to ask for a half hour set up time before the show.

I brought two video cameras to the show. And wouldn't you know it, one wouldn't work. Even though I'd charged it and tested it earlier that day.

Next year I need to hire ninjas to turn down the bass at the rave in the next room. Kill the DJ.

You know, we always seem to be in the room next to the dance.

Bruce got the table we used for the show, another reason we need set up time.

We had Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo Senshi in the front row. How much more meta can you take?

It took an act of Congress to get the lights turned on in the room. Since the controls for the lights were not actually in the room we had them set them to a sort of low house light. Not ideal. But better then complete darkness. So, yeah, sorry about that. It was beyond our control.

I guess there was a line of folks who showed up on Friday night. Sorry about that. Again, we had no control over that.

If you need somebody to work the crowd before the show get Tim Eldred.

As Tim worked the crowd into a froth the A-Kon AV guy turns to me and sez, "Should we be encouraging this kind of behavior?"

I admitted to him, "Probably not, but it's what we do."

I'm burnt out. But I feel like I accomplished something. I didn't get to play the Main Room at A-Kon, but I got the room next door. And even in the 3rd hour they were turning away people. Biggest room I'd ever done and we were still making trouble for the Fire Marshal.

the day after the day after 7:50 AM

I'm still tired.

I woke up Sunday, checked on Bruce and Mundee and Han's cats, then took a nap. And woke up and had something to eat, then took another nap.