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10/01/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031001)
First off, allow me to give my thanks here to Dr. John R. Van Eenwyk who most graciously allowed me to take photo-references of his office for Dr. Talle's office in "Bruno". He's a Jungian and is also associated with the International Trauma Treatment Program.
I was referred to him (for photos, not therpay, although good-lord, i could use it again sometimes) by Whitney, a reader of Bruno, and a friend of one of his children, who lives in Seattle. But Whitney referred Dr. Van Eenwyk due to him practicing in Olympia, and by sheer coincidence, his practice is so close you can actually see it from the Bayview Arms apartments where I live. It was quite convenient, and I snapped off a roll of pics and should be set 'til kingdom come.
Oh, but Bruno's Dr. is in Portland, don't get confused. I just needed an inside Dr. office reference.
I have other things on my mind as well. And before I begin them, allow me to note that I'm still rather ill, so excuse if it comes out all warpy.
I always seem to read about these intellectual personnages who find so much heartening in the simple folk, the quaint idiots with a smile almost cursed upon their lips. And I tend to think that with knowledge generally comes the end of romanticism.
Gods mapped by dots in the skies becoming merely burning gaseous bodies, dogs lovingly laying at the master's feet actually just sopping up the fireplace warmth, Disney being an anti-semite and a ruthless CEO, Corporations good-deeds actually being mere public relations to divert exploitations in third-worlds, and humor being simply the unexpecting twisting correctly in the face of of the assumed.
Things aren't always as fun once you know them. At movies I try not to deconstruct the plot and analyze the social implication and depth of character, and I actually try and enjoy it. But I am often not successful in this attempt. Knowledge... knowledge... but yes. Hm. Not only was I not talking about me, but also, I digressed.
So, I was also thinking humor today. Analyzing it. I have this thought that humor is the unexpected. A general feeling I've had for years and which I was told in observation by my brother while walking in a park in New Orleans. "Humor is substitution". Sarcasm, for instance, is substituting a false statement, for a real one, and is the more funny the more it is an unexpected response from the speaker.
Parody is often used in humor, the reason being that it can ride the coat-tails of the popularity of the original work, but also because the general public already know the "real" story, and thus expects it, and finds humor in the substitutions made. Sluggy Freelance, for instance, is currently doing "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (now dubbed "Torg Potter and the Chamberpot of Secretions") in which in one strip, when the three leads drink a potion in order to take the form of their enemies so they can spy, Torg ends up becoming (deleted spolier here). Which is funny enough in itself, but he also mentiones that he bought one of his hairs on Ebay, which has it's own out-of-place-ness humor about it as well. (I dig Sluggy Freelance btw.)
Which I think creates some problems with the humor in Bruno (well, supposedly there's humor in there) in that it's character-based, and it's based on a somewhat "real world" and thus people are not going to act unexpectedly, or they only may do this a few times before it is expected. And thus the humor kinda' needs to come from different ideas or situations, in which either through narration, a set of assumtions is developed or else the situation holds an already cultural set of assumptions,and thus the characters can break them. Hm. Actually none of that is unique to Bruno.
Hell, I don't know. Just some thoughts on the matter.
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10/02/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031002)
I'm still sick and I'm tired all the time, been so about a week now. And I'm in no mind to stick myself out there right now, but I simply can't at least provide some links. If you don't know what's going on, here's a quick rundown (among other things). So yeah, Schwarznegger ahead in the polls (I have no comment on his acting, but certainly on his behavior), Texas potentially being successfully Gerrymandered before the election (lets hope their squabbling prevents) unless of course "oh, we'll just have to move back the election," banning abortion again in the scopes (better yet, keep up on things here), and now the white house outing a CIA agent due to politics (thanks for the link Kip.) Anyhow, I just had to link to a couple places, if people are interested in reading stuff. This site shows a pretty good line connector between Bush and many bad things and people. And this site lays out fairly well the deceptions it seems the whitehouse has dealt out. And now I'm going to bed.
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10/04/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031004)
I thought I was feeling better, perhaps I even was, but I am not again. Barely made it through todays strip (sorry if the art seems rushed, I'm a little wee-bit hazy). Bethanne and I did wander around Olympia artwalk (event here, twice a year), and had a fun time due to little quirks we found (the high school performers, the monk sand-artists, and the potter mostly), but unfortunately it seemed that most of it was geared around getting people from the suburbs to come in and shop in the evening in the old downtown, and not much about art. Ah well. And Tomorrow I work a one-day temp assignment sweeping floors at Home Depot, oh the joys of that I can tell you all warm in my socks about it (actually, rather grateful to have the work). Wish me good rest and health (you can do this in your mind, not really soliciting emails, although never hesitate to drop me a line.) Um. yeah. G'night.
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10/06/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031006)
Oye, am I sore. Again, grateful for the Home Depot job, and it wasn't that it was such terribly hard work, nor that I'm complaining really, it just happened to use every muscle in my body which I've not used for months. The only part of me that didn't feel totally crippled was my drawing hand, the one muscle I keep in shape. That's, um, the drawing-hand muscle. And so I've been so laughing at myself, I feel like I've been beat up or something. Very unpleasantly silly.
Feel like I have things to say, but not much is reaching my tounge. I can hit the media I suppose. I adore Rufus Wainwright's new album, "Want - one". Period. (actually, comma, can't waint until Want - two). I still want to, yet haven't gotten to see Lost in Translation. Oh, and I just read the first two chapters of Apocamon by Patrick Farley. The Apocolypse told by way of the Pokemon. Which frankly, is just wrong, just totally wrong, and wrongly amusing too. Too wrongly amusing. Anyhow. Spiders is also fascinating, it's a strange alternate verstion of the Afghanistan/US war. Oh, and Apocamon also has a third chapter, but I haven't gotten to read it, being one of the lamer cartoonist from the online hive, I simply haven't gotten organized enough to get myself a bitpass. If I didn't already own Wary Tales by the Pants Pressers, I'd surely have my bitpasses in hand.
Meanwhile I tak-tak-tak away here on my keyboard while Bethanne reads to me from Joel Glenn Brenner's The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars, a book on the history and corporate goings-ons of Mars and Hersheys. Basically, take Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and multiply it times ten. Weird, very weird stuff. Seriously.
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10/07/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031007)
Just in case you weren't upset enough about Matthew Shepard's murder, that fucker Phelps is at it again. I actually feel a little bad for you Christians due to association, I know he acts as other Christians don't. (thanks for the link Susan.)
And I don't even want to think what the California election will result in today. Sigh.
Oh, but Bush Sr. dissed Bush Jr. (thanks Kev via Martial, Lion in Winter indeed.)
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10/08/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031008)
First off, regarding today's strip, Dije and Samantha met way back when.
Yeah, I've been feeling a bit chatty lately. I mean, I love spending time with my my girlfriend, and I'm broke, and I'm terribly busy working on Bruno, Little Dee, and a graphic novel. But I gotta' get out.
Or else blog more. Which I've been doing instead.
So yeah, today's Bruno was actually written a day ahead sort-of. Monday night after the lights were out and Bethanne and I were chatting about life stuff, she asked what the next Bruno was going to be. And I told her that Dije and Bruno would be going to Olympia, and that I was thinking that Samantha should go. Then I started rattling off the dialogue impromtu, looking for punchlines, and she chimed in some lines, and then me, and eventually we got to the punchline (or two or three, but one that seemed to work), and I continued with Bruno saying "and pickles and chips and cheesecake..." and we fell into a fit of giggles.
So Tuesday, I was driving her to school (she was running late) and since it had been late when we did all that the night before, and I have an awful memory, she and I tried to remember the strip, and she wrote it down while I drove. And that's my story. :)
Actually, Bruno (the strip) has been feeling really good lately. have I mentioned that? Plus I have the next several months vaguely plotted out in my head. I have events in my head, which act sort of like future empty sinks for a plug pulled, you know when the sink will be empty, you just have to fit in all the pieces before they drain, like playing Tetris. Yes, writing Bruno is exactly like playing Tetris. Figures, like it came from the same country which produced such great writings as "The Brothers Karomazov" and "Master and Margarita." (too tired to find links)
Which, actually, gets me on the topic of books. I keep on mentioning books and movies in my blogging here, and I am ever so tempted to link them all to Amazon.com to reap the benefits of the percentage one recieves for any sales there via the linker (me). What stops me is the icky feeling I have about large companies which limit a market. Amazon can easily compete with local stores and also, if Amazon is where everyone shops, the market will be more and more defined solely by what they carry. I'm not sold on my argument, and for large companies, they seem better than most. They do allow small bookstores to sell books through their site, but I can't help wondering if that still hurts because the small bookstores need to then compete in pricing on a national level. Hm. I'm hesitant to say "any thoughts?" because I'm not sure that I have time to wade through dozens of emails. But if anyone has anything really brillant to say, or links to articles for or against, that might be cool. If I don't get to respond, please don't hate me.
In general, all of you, emails, if I don't respond, please don't hate me. I try, but I just can't do it. This is all about the comics, and so everything else is on a "do as much as I can" basis.
Oh, and late last night I realized that some of you might not remember Rev. Phelps, he's been a real yahoo for a while, so this is all no real surprise. Of course, if you want to talk about mixing church and state, how about the president advocating continued gay exclusion from marriage (as he states: "Marriage is a union between a man and a woman") by having a Marriage Protection Week this October 12th-18th, coinciding as well with Shepard's death.
sigh
Oh, and speaking of idiots, looks like Schwarzenegger won California. Although I'm not sure if I'm referring to him, the people who voted for him, or both (hell, I'm no genius, but... come on). Thank goodness we can rely on voting in the most popular guy who has no platform.
Truth is, I suppose, that we all wanna' be just like him. Rich. Oh, and be able to squeeze ladies bottoms. Though in a surprise apartment poll, Bethanne said she'd definitely vote for me if I squeezed her bottom. Guess I better start campaigning.
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10/09/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031009)
So, I start work this morning (Thursday) cleaning up a print shop for 3-4 weeks. It's work, downtown (walking distance) I'm pleased.
But it's late, so not much blog today. Although, I must say, sorry about the baloon hell in today's strip. I feel like I'm doing one of those comics you see about the settlers with all sorts of balloons with lines actually drawn to each persons lips and almost totally undecipherable. Perfect for a sophisticated audience like yourself. Although, not that that's why you can interpret my strip, that's more probably because you're used to my insanity. Not to imply you're not sophisticated, I'm sure you view my insanity with a sophisticated flair of erudition.
Okay, I need more sleep these days.
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10/10/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031010)
Need sleep. Sorry about the background. Need sleep.
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10/11/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031011)
So yeah, tonight's strip. I had given up. I wrote over 600 words, about 3 to 4 different scripts/situations. All crap. Couldn't do it. And I began writing an apology to you all, because I was past 600 words and it was 11:30 at night. But I couldn't do that either. So I dug in my heels for better or worse, ended with 652 words written (not including deleted crap) and of the finished scene, I tried 13 different punchlines before I settled with the one I used. Not proud, doesn't matter in that sense. Just tired and it's strange the loops I go through. Strange sometimes that I make myself do it. Been tired the last few of days. Not sure of what.
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10/14/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031014)
What to write? Lot of things happening. In today's strip, a lot of words. Yup. But I edited and edited it and every single word has some action, every word important. And yeah, also nice to explore now what was going on in her mind way-back-when. Digested utterances.
Also, work things may be picking up. The print shop's been verry hard physical word (cleaning, hauling, etc.) Kinda' okay in a way. I like doing physical things. But it looks like there's potential for a job working with numbers, for more money. Which makes me rather happy. I really love playing around with numbers. Did you know I always aced my math classes? I love art, but math was always where I was strong. Adore it. Seriously.
That, and I may be feeling okay again. I was feeling so good since the move to Olympia, but the last week or two I slipped. Damn those emotions. But I seem to be doing well again. We'll see (cross your fingers.)
10/16/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031016)
We all have Kierkegaard moments sometimes, don't we.
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10/17/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031017)
A bit sick and stressed about this-and-that and I'm afraid that today's strip is number four of Bruno this year in which I haven't done the background for it. The mystery question is: will I do all four before Book#9 will go off to the printer? Only Father Time (and perhaps me) knows (correct answer: "yes").
In good news, I did land that job doing legal work (not as much numbers, but sounds interesting) and it starts today (Friday). Hope it works well. I'll keep you posted.
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10/18/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031018)
And on to number five. hoo-boy.
But actually, I'm just pleased that I could write in today's strip "here on out" and have it make sense even though the words look like nonsense strung together like that.
Plus, I am going to have "nothing but chocolate and sex here on out" tattooed across my chest. As if I wasn't irresistable enough as it is.
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10/20/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031020)
10/20/2003 - Sorry that Bruno was up late today, I uploaded it last night, but I had named the html incorrectly, so it didn't auto-update correctly. My fault!
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10/21/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031021)
So, a few people wrote in to point out that the expression "here on out" is actually "from here on out". As in "nothing but chocolate and sex from here on out." Which is a funny thing to me. Now first off, don't get me wrong, I really like and encourage feedback of this sort. A few weeks ago someone wrote in to tell me that "judgment" does not have an "e" after the "g", and I had to write and tell them that both were actually acceptable, and I felt awful doing so. I don't want to hold people back.
But yeah, the reality is, over half the time I totally agree (I am prone to stupid mistakes, I confess).
But still, words are such an interesting thing, and how people are so interested in the rules and all that is fascinating as well. So yeah, ummm... anyhow, this whole rant is about the "here on out." I even mentioned this to Bethanne as I drew that strip, how I knew the full expression was "from here on out", but that I think I'm more likely to hear it without the "here." People just drop that kind of thing while talking. Read it out loud, it sounds fine to me.
So what's right? Should I encourage accuracy, or encourage sloppy speakers? Frankly, I simply like to encourage the language to remain alive. To write things like craziness and have them all convey, lead, crumple sometimes, underneath, twist-go-round, and fly. Go figure. Oh, umm... I mean, you go and figure out what is going on here.
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10/23/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031023)
Okay, so any of you Star Wars fans? I mean, reaalllly Star Wars fans, where you've read the comics and such? So much that you know a briefly-featured character named Jaxon 11, being a green rabbit who traveled with Han Solo?
Well, aside from the 2 or 3 of you who have, Michael Russell, a buddy and someone who has helped me promoting Bruno more times than I can speak (actually, now that I think of it, that's more true than the expression was intended), has been writing an online comic about this post-Star-Wars-time-as-we-know-it story, featuring this evil rabbit.
If curious (of course you are) start here., or start off reading about this "Jaxon 11" project here.
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10/28/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031028)
"Sorta' like, Bruno the Vampire Slayer"
I know, I seem to be all about linking these days. And so, yeah. Okay, so I've mentioned Kip before. He does the wonderfully wordily eloquent blog Short Story; Long Pier. Well he's been working on realeasing a fantasy story, a sort of fantasy-fiction in modern-day times, written in installments called The City of Roses. It's good. And although it's not Buffy, if you do like that sort of thing, you'd probably like this.
And I've wanted to link to it, but I've held off until he had several installments put up. Now the prologue is up, Chapter 1 has begun, and it's running Monday-Wednesday-Friday. Plus, you can either read it regularly online on his site, or have the installments emailed to you. So anyhow, if curious, you can start reading from the beginning HERE.
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10/30/2003 (link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031030)
If anyone's wondering why I haven't responded to their email, I started working full-time two weeks ago on top of Bruno and dozen other things (and so I'm re-adjusting), and was away for the weekend, and have been sick as a dog since Sunday. And now, I'm off to bed.
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10/31/2003(link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200310.html#20031031)
Happy Halloween 'all.
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