So it turns out that my scanner is obsolete. Since my lappy is new, I can't install my scanner, which means I can't use it. Because of this, there won't be any new art from me for a while, at least not until I can go home and use my scanner on my equally-obsolete family computer.

It sucks, because there's no way I can afford to buy a new scanner and I had a really cool new pic to upload. But, I guess this is the price I pay for having a good computer. I'll try to upload new stuff as soon as I can.

Well kiddies, this is my last journal entry from my comfy little desk in my cozy little hometown. I'm off to college today!

My goal of getting all of the comic pre-stuff done was not accomplished. Over the past week I've only gotten a few hours to myself, and those were used for packing and sleeping. I'll still be working as vigorously as I can, and in the meantime feel free to poke Vox to get some more character sketches done

I'm keeping this entry short and sweet. There's still lots of work to be done!

See you in Carbondale!

I am writing this because I've been working on the comic for oh...six hours straight now and both me and my lappy need a break. I am, however, quite proud of my lappy...six hours and only now do I need to plug it in (though I could have continued working for another 50 minutes or so before seriously needing a charge). Oooh, I love my notebook!

The way I'm prewriting this comic is to essentially write summaries of each of the chapters, hitting on important plot points and explaining a few things that I will need to explain in context in order to make sense. I haven't actually begun working on the scripts that will become pages...but I don't like to think about how far I still have to go because that's depressing XD

So far, I'm at the sixth chapter...and not even into the meat yet! I don't know how long this thing is going to be...but I can't wait to write the ending! Ooooh...it's gonna be gooood...(for me, at least).

Of course, no sooner do I begin work on this comic than a new comic idea pops into my head...that sort of thing always seems to happen! But, never fear, in a gesture of extreme self-control and self-sacrifice, I shall put this story on the backburner until I feel my life is balanced enough to handle it...

The other reason I'm writing this post is for something completely un-comic-related. I want to talk to all you kiddies out there about a little website called OpenOffice.org [link]

OpenOffice is a free program that is just like Microsoft Office. It has everything that Microsoft Office has (including it's own version of powerpoint), minus the annoying paperclip and $300 price tag. OpenOffice can even save and open documents in MS word format, so you don't have to worry about sending documents to people still married to Microsoft. Why am I taking the time to tell you about OpenOffice? Because it can save you a good $150 dollars when it comes time to buy a notebook for school--and you'll want to save all the money you can when you're already shelling out an extra $600 bucks for extra warranties and virus protection.

Besides that, it's a hellova lot better than MS Office. Try it! Even if you absolutely hate it (you won't), what have you lost?

Note: Be prepared for the computer salesperson to look at you like you're a crazy internet pirate when you say that you don't want MS Office because you can get it for free--at least, that's the look I got. It's completely legal, I promise!

Prewriting for the comic is underway and all the little tangles of story are getting straightened out quite nicely. Vox () has Zerda's character design up and, I must say, it completely blew me away! I'm very excited to see what he'll do with Aurora, and even more excited to see how this will look once pages are being drawn. I'm realizing that this really is happening, and that both of us are following through, and it's all so exciting! This project really is my baby, and I'm so thrilled to see it begin to take its first steps!

But, of course, there's still lots to be done. For one, the comic still has no name! That's kinda important, wouldn't you say?

I kinda ignore this journal a lot since I don't think anyone pays attention to it much...especially me. So here's some art-related crap I want to vomit out onto the computer screen.

For some reason, my ability to draw evaporates in the summer. Maybe it's lack of mental stimulation, or just lack of inspiration (though the two are probably connected). Either way, I've been feeling very dissatisfied with the way I draw...and I have a very strong urge to do something about it. I've been playing with other styles with some pretty disastrous results in the hopes that I will somehow strike gold. Blah...we'll see.

I've started writing a comic that is going to illustrate, both to help him get better with drawing in comic format and me to get better with writing in comic format. I haven't written anything for fun in a very, very long time, and now I'm finding it difficult to formulate a story in a way that makes sense. It's been a long time since I've focused on a concept long enough to actually flesh it out, and I'm trying to resist the urge to forgo all prewriting and jump right into the fun bits. I think the fact that someone else is depending upon the quality if my writing will help me, though, since I won't have the option of throwing my hands up and scrapping the story if I get too frustrated. But it also makes me very nervous, since it increases the pressure for me to write it well. I won't be able to go back and make rewrites to fix inconsistencies, so I have to just eliminate inconsistencies before they happen. We'll see how this goes.

I can't change my mood. So screw it, apparently I'm adoring.