As many of you know I've been dealing with some fairly serious and frustratingly perplexing health issues. After more than a year of doctor's appointments, blood tests, and specialists the results are finally in...
There's nothing wrong with me.
My body isn't being ravaged by some unknown attacker, it's simply... off. More specifically, my immune system apparently turned psychotic from monotony and went all Falling Down on me. It initially focused most of it's attention on my left eye, reducing it to a painful lump of nearly-sightless swollen misery. As of last week, I was unable to discern simple shapes from a distance of two feet and the pain and swelling meant it was closed most of the time anyway.
I make for a very cranky pirate.
Bored with my eye as it's sole playground, my immune system recently decided to branch out; resulting in the random and yet pointedly excruciating swelling of my ovaries, spleen, and various lymph glands. Fun.
No matter. Now that a team of dedicated specialists has determined there's nothing wrong with me aside from my own malicious systems attacking me from within, a course of action has been set. I'll be taking a daily dose of Prednisone for at least the next month, meaning mostly that I'll be horny as hell and too nauseated to do anything about it. I've also begun a weekly regimen of Methotrexate which will be steadily increased until either the symptoms disappear or we decide it's not working and try something else. It's a nasty drug with a nasty list of possible side effects, but none of them include going painfully blind or dying from a ruptured spleen so I'm game.
It's still early, but I'm already seeing a bit of improvement. Hell, my left eye has been partially open through this entire blog post and, all things considered, that's just the dog's bollocks. So....
UPDATES:
Daisies and Shit Webcomic: I had intended to start posting again in October... but my body had other plans. The downtime has had an interesting effect on the format that was accompanied by the pleasing sound of snapping restraints, which I generally find to be a good thing on a creative level. I'll be doing some web work to accommodate the new format first, then I'll get back to drawing.
The Daisies and Shit Channel: On hold until the swelling goes down. YouTube comments are horrible enough already without the obvious distraction of the flaming eye of Sauron.
The Dubious Kitchen: A nice little side project I've entered purely for my own pleasure. I'll be posting recipes and tips on the site at first, then adding videos when I'm a bit more camera ready.
NinjEel: I'm still working on the script for the first issue which burst through the bounds of it's original 16 page box. Luckily, Nate works faster than I do so we're still on schedule for a Penguicon 2011 release.
University: I'm deep into my first semester and feeling pretty good about it. Grad school is a loooooong way off.
My health is in charge of my schedule at the moment, and probably for a while yet to come, so I'm not making any specific predictions about when certain things will be happening. I'm fairly sure now that they WILL be happening, however, so that's a good thing. Thanks to everyone who has been so supportive - these last few months have been a bit more of a ride than I generally like to take and your kind words and offers to help have been greatly appreciated. *snugs*
See you again soon!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Skepticamp Colorado 2010 - Impressions, Part Two: Praise
Four paltry complaints made up the last blog post detailing my criticisms of Skepticamp Colorado 2010, and not a one of them can stand up for the mountain of praise I could heap on the event. It's clear that the organizers not only had their own shit together, they also had the good sense to learn from the failures and successes of similar events.
How the hell do I get involved? Oh, wait...
Stunted troglodytes could have figured out how to get involved in the planning and implementation of Skepticamp Colorado 2010. The main informational link for the event was a freakin' wiki page that gave enough information to successfully cobble together your own Skepticamp. There were even instructions for those uncomfortable with editing wiki markup. Seriously, if you couldn't figure out when and where the event was being held, how to register, what was going down, and what needed done you were better off missing it because you weren't rational enough to understand what was going to be discussed anyway.
Ugh, I hate restrictive events... oh, wait...
Even an experienced troll would have had difficulty committing a Godwin here. Speakers weren't carefully selected by a panel, voted upon, or even drawn from a hat. If you had something you wanted to talk about, you signed up. Sure, they asked that talks be related to science or skepticism so it's always possible that questionable topic registrations would have been subject to more than a few raised eyebrows, but the organizers went out of their way to make it clear that anyone was welcome to give a presentation on the topic of their choice.
I'm new at presenting! What the hell do I... Oh, wait...
Not only did the organizers offer tips on giving a good presentation, they offered good tips on giving a good presentation. Even better, their tips were tailored to both the nature of the event and the expected audience. As simple as it is to toss a a few bones of advice to the masses I rarely see it done. Convention after convention I've encountered huddled groups of nervous newbies who signed up to be on a panel or give a presentation expecting some sort of guidance and being given nothing but a time slot in return. Not only do a few casual tips help to calm those nerves, they likely help to encourage those who were ambivalent about signing up to take the plunge. It's the instructional version of a warm handshake and a "mind your step".
I can't handle another monotonous... oh, wait...
It may have been a side effect of the free-for-all presentation sign up, but there was no shortage of variety in presentations. Sure, there were plenty of favorites on the list (is it even possible to have a skeptical event in Colorado without the Rocky Mountain Paranormal Research Society?) but there were also some unexpected and specialized topics on the docket. Seriously, I've never before come from a skeptical event with a clearer understanding of mushrooms.
Where the hell do I... oh, wait...
Park? Explained on the wiki, complete with lot prices. Find the event? Explained on the wiki, complete with a driving map and turn-by-turn directions to the greeting table; miss all that and all you had to do was follow the signs. Eat? Explained immediately prior to the lunch break, including walking directions and a brief description of the available choices and price ranges. Get the WiFi login? Information was written on the chalkboard at the front of the room and explained before the presentations began. Again, I have difficulty believing anyone was significantly lost.
I'm shy! I hate being forced to... oh, wait...
While there were plenty of opportunities for socialization, there was no forced socialization. No "let's go around the room and introduce ourselves" spotlights. No "take a moment to shake your neighbors hand" germ fest. No "find out one unusual thing about someone at your table" kinder bullshit. I hate that shit. As I mentioned earlier, there were plenty of opportunities for us to get to know one another - before the presentations began, at session breaks, over lunch and dinner... we weren't sealed off in individual cubicles like phobic pariahs, but we weren't prodded onto a social examination stage either.
A whole day of dry, intellectual... oh, wait...
I laughed at Skepticamp Colorado 2010. Presentations were, for the most part, personable and many were intended to pull a chuckle or two without skimping on point delivery. Questions and comments were pointed, but polite and there was a lot of good-natured kidding going around. I think it's important that we skeptics never forget how fucking ridiculous some of the pseudoscience floating around is and it's nice to know I'm not the only one. Lastly, ending the event with a four-round trivia contest was a stroke of genius. It was a light-hearted and information rich way to end a great day.
Is this guy ever going to take questions? Oh, wait...
I've mentioned this before, but it's worth repeating - Skepticamp's policy allows audience members to ask questions during presentations and that decision sparkles with brilliance. I've seen a number of presentations where the speaker stood up and unloaded such a massive haul of bullshit that a 3-day question and answer period wouldn't have even scraped the surface. I'm convinced there are speakers (creationist ass-hats, I'm talking about you) that do this on purpose - they know there's simply no way to refute every falsehood they've spewed in the brief period of questions that follows their presentation. I'd like to see someone try that at Skepticamp where the audience would be busy dismantling their farcical juggernaut as it was being built. With fire. Brainy, brainy fire.
No, really... I'd like to see that. If someone could arrange that, I'd be uber grateful.
There are people out there who view skeptics as a massive horde of killjoys, pouncing on the harmless fantasies of the unsuspecting public and probably kicking kittens in their off time. The truth is, skeptics are very much concerned about that unsuspecting public, precisely because that public believes their fantasies are harmless. Skeptics know that real harm is done by those fantastical beliefs - from "holistic medicines" that keep people from seeking proven treatments to "you have the power" mystical schemes that fill people with guilt while emptying their wallets. Was everyone at Skepticamp opinionated? Everyone I met or heard from, yes. Was anyone at Skepticamp a pompous ass wreaking with arrogance? Not a one of them. Everything I saw and heard fortified my belief that skeptics are caring individuals, desperate to shine the light of reason into dark corners.
Not another crappy venue... oh, wait...
Skepticamp Colorado was held in two adjoining classrooms at Colorado University's Boulder campus, a very wise choice indeed. Now, before anyone starts griping that not everyone has access to such posh accommodations, it wasn't the fact that it was a college campus that made the choice wise. There are a number of things you can expect to need for an event where people are coming to present information to people who are coming to take in information:
Electricity - They had it at every seat.
Internet Access - They had several WiFi accounts at the ready.
Ample Seating - They knew how many people were going to be there, and they had butt holsters for all.
Climate Control - No one died of heat stroke, 'nuff said.
Lighting Control - No one went blind, 'nuff said.
A Projector - It's 2010, there's no reason to be using a chalkboard if you don't want to.
Designated IT - They had a name to scream when things went wrong.
There were other things that were nice about the classroom setting, like desks, but the things I've listed above are practically essentials these days and Skepticamp had them all.
So... hungry... fading... oh, wait...
Somebody (probably more than one somebody) brought food. Yes, there was a lunch break where we were all able to gnosh to our hearts content on a wide variety of tasties, but there's something about sitting on your butt listening to presentations that brings on the munchies. It's always nice to have something for people to snack on here and there, and Skepticamp did. Those unknown somebodies were also smart enough to bring a range of snackage, from the healthy to the carblicious, all the way down to the sugertastic. Thank you somebodies... the bagels were nummy and the fudge was much appreciated.
Damn, I wish I could have heard more about... oh, wait...
As a speaker, a special brand of disappointment descends when you're made to leave an attentive and responsive audience that would clearly like to hear more. Similarly, captivated audience members wilt with frustration as they watch the time-keepers hurry their speaker off the stage with desired information in tow. We all understand why schedules and time-keepers are necessary , but that doesn't lessen the suckage when a topic on a roll is brought to a crashing halt. There were, however, no such issues at Skepticamp. When it was clear that a topic hadn't been explored to the audience's satisfaction the presenter was either directed to the hallway where interested individuals could continue the conversation, or they were given an additional time slot later in the day.
If you haven't gotten the gist by now, Skepticamp Colorado 2010 was a very successful event put in motion by people that genuinely care about skepticism and the skeptical community. Those that stepped forward to help with organization clearly used their experiences (and their brains) to mold an event that catered to those who would be participating. It was a community event, and it felt and worked like a community event - no lockstep top down committee to steep it in the feel of an academic lecture series, no over-complication springing from a basic distrust in the mental capabilities of the participants, and no wall of separation between organizers and attendees. This fluidity is clearly intentional; allowing the event to evolve naturally over time to a stable, rather than rigid, state. The glory of the model is that new ideas can be implemented with very little risk, making leaps of advancement possible for the entire organism without hampering the growth of its individual... bits.
Okay, the Darwinian comparison breaks down a bit in the area of vocabulary. The general abstract, however, is apt. Skepticamp Colorado 2010 rocked it, and the model it's built on all but guarantees it'll rock it even harder next time 'round. I know I'll be there, and this time I'll be bringing at least one newbie along with me. Somehow, I doubt I'm the only one.
How the hell do I get involved? Oh, wait...
Stunted troglodytes could have figured out how to get involved in the planning and implementation of Skepticamp Colorado 2010. The main informational link for the event was a freakin' wiki page that gave enough information to successfully cobble together your own Skepticamp. There were even instructions for those uncomfortable with editing wiki markup. Seriously, if you couldn't figure out when and where the event was being held, how to register, what was going down, and what needed done you were better off missing it because you weren't rational enough to understand what was going to be discussed anyway.
Ugh, I hate restrictive events... oh, wait...
Even an experienced troll would have had difficulty committing a Godwin here. Speakers weren't carefully selected by a panel, voted upon, or even drawn from a hat. If you had something you wanted to talk about, you signed up. Sure, they asked that talks be related to science or skepticism so it's always possible that questionable topic registrations would have been subject to more than a few raised eyebrows, but the organizers went out of their way to make it clear that anyone was welcome to give a presentation on the topic of their choice.
I'm new at presenting! What the hell do I... Oh, wait...
Not only did the organizers offer tips on giving a good presentation, they offered good tips on giving a good presentation. Even better, their tips were tailored to both the nature of the event and the expected audience. As simple as it is to toss a a few bones of advice to the masses I rarely see it done. Convention after convention I've encountered huddled groups of nervous newbies who signed up to be on a panel or give a presentation expecting some sort of guidance and being given nothing but a time slot in return. Not only do a few casual tips help to calm those nerves, they likely help to encourage those who were ambivalent about signing up to take the plunge. It's the instructional version of a warm handshake and a "mind your step".
I can't handle another monotonous... oh, wait...
It may have been a side effect of the free-for-all presentation sign up, but there was no shortage of variety in presentations. Sure, there were plenty of favorites on the list (is it even possible to have a skeptical event in Colorado without the Rocky Mountain Paranormal Research Society?) but there were also some unexpected and specialized topics on the docket. Seriously, I've never before come from a skeptical event with a clearer understanding of mushrooms.
Where the hell do I... oh, wait...
Park? Explained on the wiki, complete with lot prices. Find the event? Explained on the wiki, complete with a driving map and turn-by-turn directions to the greeting table; miss all that and all you had to do was follow the signs. Eat? Explained immediately prior to the lunch break, including walking directions and a brief description of the available choices and price ranges. Get the WiFi login? Information was written on the chalkboard at the front of the room and explained before the presentations began. Again, I have difficulty believing anyone was significantly lost.
I'm shy! I hate being forced to... oh, wait...
While there were plenty of opportunities for socialization, there was no forced socialization. No "let's go around the room and introduce ourselves" spotlights. No "take a moment to shake your neighbors hand" germ fest. No "find out one unusual thing about someone at your table" kinder bullshit. I hate that shit. As I mentioned earlier, there were plenty of opportunities for us to get to know one another - before the presentations began, at session breaks, over lunch and dinner... we weren't sealed off in individual cubicles like phobic pariahs, but we weren't prodded onto a social examination stage either.
A whole day of dry, intellectual... oh, wait...
I laughed at Skepticamp Colorado 2010. Presentations were, for the most part, personable and many were intended to pull a chuckle or two without skimping on point delivery. Questions and comments were pointed, but polite and there was a lot of good-natured kidding going around. I think it's important that we skeptics never forget how fucking ridiculous some of the pseudoscience floating around is and it's nice to know I'm not the only one. Lastly, ending the event with a four-round trivia contest was a stroke of genius. It was a light-hearted and information rich way to end a great day.
Is this guy ever going to take questions? Oh, wait...
I've mentioned this before, but it's worth repeating - Skepticamp's policy allows audience members to ask questions during presentations and that decision sparkles with brilliance. I've seen a number of presentations where the speaker stood up and unloaded such a massive haul of bullshit that a 3-day question and answer period wouldn't have even scraped the surface. I'm convinced there are speakers (creationist ass-hats, I'm talking about you) that do this on purpose - they know there's simply no way to refute every falsehood they've spewed in the brief period of questions that follows their presentation. I'd like to see someone try that at Skepticamp where the audience would be busy dismantling their farcical juggernaut as it was being built. With fire. Brainy, brainy fire.
No, really... I'd like to see that. If someone could arrange that, I'd be uber grateful.
There are people out there who view skeptics as a massive horde of killjoys, pouncing on the harmless fantasies of the unsuspecting public and probably kicking kittens in their off time. The truth is, skeptics are very much concerned about that unsuspecting public, precisely because that public believes their fantasies are harmless. Skeptics know that real harm is done by those fantastical beliefs - from "holistic medicines" that keep people from seeking proven treatments to "you have the power" mystical schemes that fill people with guilt while emptying their wallets. Was everyone at Skepticamp opinionated? Everyone I met or heard from, yes. Was anyone at Skepticamp a pompous ass wreaking with arrogance? Not a one of them. Everything I saw and heard fortified my belief that skeptics are caring individuals, desperate to shine the light of reason into dark corners.
Not another crappy venue... oh, wait...
Skepticamp Colorado was held in two adjoining classrooms at Colorado University's Boulder campus, a very wise choice indeed. Now, before anyone starts griping that not everyone has access to such posh accommodations, it wasn't the fact that it was a college campus that made the choice wise. There are a number of things you can expect to need for an event where people are coming to present information to people who are coming to take in information:
Electricity - They had it at every seat.
Internet Access - They had several WiFi accounts at the ready.
Ample Seating - They knew how many people were going to be there, and they had butt holsters for all.
Climate Control - No one died of heat stroke, 'nuff said.
Lighting Control - No one went blind, 'nuff said.
A Projector - It's 2010, there's no reason to be using a chalkboard if you don't want to.
Designated IT - They had a name to scream when things went wrong.
There were other things that were nice about the classroom setting, like desks, but the things I've listed above are practically essentials these days and Skepticamp had them all.
So... hungry... fading... oh, wait...
Somebody (probably more than one somebody) brought food. Yes, there was a lunch break where we were all able to gnosh to our hearts content on a wide variety of tasties, but there's something about sitting on your butt listening to presentations that brings on the munchies. It's always nice to have something for people to snack on here and there, and Skepticamp did. Those unknown somebodies were also smart enough to bring a range of snackage, from the healthy to the carblicious, all the way down to the sugertastic. Thank you somebodies... the bagels were nummy and the fudge was much appreciated.
Damn, I wish I could have heard more about... oh, wait...
As a speaker, a special brand of disappointment descends when you're made to leave an attentive and responsive audience that would clearly like to hear more. Similarly, captivated audience members wilt with frustration as they watch the time-keepers hurry their speaker off the stage with desired information in tow. We all understand why schedules and time-keepers are necessary , but that doesn't lessen the suckage when a topic on a roll is brought to a crashing halt. There were, however, no such issues at Skepticamp. When it was clear that a topic hadn't been explored to the audience's satisfaction the presenter was either directed to the hallway where interested individuals could continue the conversation, or they were given an additional time slot later in the day.
If you haven't gotten the gist by now, Skepticamp Colorado 2010 was a very successful event put in motion by people that genuinely care about skepticism and the skeptical community. Those that stepped forward to help with organization clearly used their experiences (and their brains) to mold an event that catered to those who would be participating. It was a community event, and it felt and worked like a community event - no lockstep top down committee to steep it in the feel of an academic lecture series, no over-complication springing from a basic distrust in the mental capabilities of the participants, and no wall of separation between organizers and attendees. This fluidity is clearly intentional; allowing the event to evolve naturally over time to a stable, rather than rigid, state. The glory of the model is that new ideas can be implemented with very little risk, making leaps of advancement possible for the entire organism without hampering the growth of its individual... bits.
Okay, the Darwinian comparison breaks down a bit in the area of vocabulary. The general abstract, however, is apt. Skepticamp Colorado 2010 rocked it, and the model it's built on all but guarantees it'll rock it even harder next time 'round. I know I'll be there, and this time I'll be bringing at least one newbie along with me. Somehow, I doubt I'm the only one.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
I'm Not a Strong Person, But I Play One IRL
The husbandish and I frequently find occasion to reference the following allegorical question:
Stranded in the desert for days, alone and without supplies, hungry and dehydrated, all men will fall... what is the difference between those who emerge from the desert and those who die?
The ones who emerge from the desert stood up.
I typically count myself as someone with the will to stand up... but lately the sand beneath my feet really seems like a great place to just lay down and take a nap. I'm just So. Fucking. Mentally. Tired.
I'm tired of Fibromyalgia. I'm tired of waking up in pain every damn day knowing I'm bloody well going to be in pain straight through to lying down to sleep at night and I'm tired of knowing that it's most likely downhill from here.
I'm tired of Scleritis. I'm tired of the shifting of focus or the slightest change in lighting hitting my left eye like a spiked sledgehammer. I'm tired of looking like I've lost a fight and I'm tired of assuring people I'm not contageous. TWO FUCKING YEARS I've been dealing with this.
I'm tired of lying in bed for hours every damn night wishing I could go to sleep and I'm tired of witnessing the husbandish fall into a deep and peaceful slumber within five minutes of his head hitting the pillow.
I'm tired of adults with imaginary friends. I'm tired of gullibility. I'm tired of willful ignorance. I'm tired of intellectual dishonesty and I'm tired of intellectual laziness. I'm tired of rhetoric and sound bites and cultural adolescence.
I'm tired of being capable, responsible, reasonable, intelligent, rational, and nice. I'm really tired of being nice.
I'm not just tired of struggling... I'm tired of trying.
Now, let's be clear - I know this is a temporary state with clear causes (mainly shitty health and a number of life changes that managed to converge within a short time-span), so I'm hardly hinging on the verge of a major breakdown. My resources are simply being drained faster than they can be recharged... but I'm just not sure how to throw it into reverse. I do know, however, that I'm not at my most dependable right now and consistently apologizing for that is on the draining side of the equation. I can't afford feelings of failure right now.
For those currently waiting on me for any number of reasons, unless you've already received an uncharacteristically blunt message from me to the contrary, you're not waiting in vain. I have already boiled the fatty leavings off my To Do list to reveal the skeleton of a unified future within and whatever it is you're waiting for is part of that future.
If you have received an uncharacteristically blunt message from me, whatever you were waiting on me for isn't part of that skeleton nor the creature that will be built on top of it. I'm sorry. This is a case-closed situation.
If you've been intending to ask for my participation but haven't yet, please know that it doesn't hurt to ask. I am, after all, a human being and it feels good to know that people want me to participate. I have a very clear set of criteria in place that will determine whether or not I agree, so there's no need to worry that I'll feel pressured into taking on more than I can handle. Academia (especially the areas of Evolutionary Biology and Astrobiology), Skepticism, general science accessibility, and writing will take precedence over other areas of interest.
Thanks in advance for understanding.
- T
Stranded in the desert for days, alone and without supplies, hungry and dehydrated, all men will fall... what is the difference between those who emerge from the desert and those who die?
The ones who emerge from the desert stood up.
I typically count myself as someone with the will to stand up... but lately the sand beneath my feet really seems like a great place to just lay down and take a nap. I'm just So. Fucking. Mentally. Tired.
I'm tired of Fibromyalgia. I'm tired of waking up in pain every damn day knowing I'm bloody well going to be in pain straight through to lying down to sleep at night and I'm tired of knowing that it's most likely downhill from here.
I'm tired of Scleritis. I'm tired of the shifting of focus or the slightest change in lighting hitting my left eye like a spiked sledgehammer. I'm tired of looking like I've lost a fight and I'm tired of assuring people I'm not contageous. TWO FUCKING YEARS I've been dealing with this.
I'm tired of lying in bed for hours every damn night wishing I could go to sleep and I'm tired of witnessing the husbandish fall into a deep and peaceful slumber within five minutes of his head hitting the pillow.
I'm tired of adults with imaginary friends. I'm tired of gullibility. I'm tired of willful ignorance. I'm tired of intellectual dishonesty and I'm tired of intellectual laziness. I'm tired of rhetoric and sound bites and cultural adolescence.
I'm tired of being capable, responsible, reasonable, intelligent, rational, and nice. I'm really tired of being nice.
I'm not just tired of struggling... I'm tired of trying.
Now, let's be clear - I know this is a temporary state with clear causes (mainly shitty health and a number of life changes that managed to converge within a short time-span), so I'm hardly hinging on the verge of a major breakdown. My resources are simply being drained faster than they can be recharged... but I'm just not sure how to throw it into reverse. I do know, however, that I'm not at my most dependable right now and consistently apologizing for that is on the draining side of the equation. I can't afford feelings of failure right now.
For those currently waiting on me for any number of reasons, unless you've already received an uncharacteristically blunt message from me to the contrary, you're not waiting in vain. I have already boiled the fatty leavings off my To Do list to reveal the skeleton of a unified future within and whatever it is you're waiting for is part of that future.
If you have received an uncharacteristically blunt message from me, whatever you were waiting on me for isn't part of that skeleton nor the creature that will be built on top of it. I'm sorry. This is a case-closed situation.
If you've been intending to ask for my participation but haven't yet, please know that it doesn't hurt to ask. I am, after all, a human being and it feels good to know that people want me to participate. I have a very clear set of criteria in place that will determine whether or not I agree, so there's no need to worry that I'll feel pressured into taking on more than I can handle. Academia (especially the areas of Evolutionary Biology and Astrobiology), Skepticism, general science accessibility, and writing will take precedence over other areas of interest.
Thanks in advance for understanding.
- T
Friday, July 16, 2010
Skepticamp Colorado 2010 - Impressions, Part One: Criticisms
I'm sure you all noticed I completely failed to live-blog Skepticamp Colorado. The sharper tacks in the box have also likely noticed that it's taken me quite a while to even begin blogging about the event. I could go on and on about needing time to digest all the information we were fed, or I could just get with the blogging and leave the excuses for the next project that gets swallowed up by the passage of time. *coughs*
Before I delve into each of the presentations I attended, I'd like to give a brief overview of my impressions and I'm going to do it in 2 parts. This was my first Skepticamp experience and I went into it without much in the way of expectations or general knowledge. I hadn't had the opportunity to attend any of the planning meetings, didn't know any of the participants (aside from the husbandish, of course), and only glanced at the presentation schedule once it was finalized. Initially my ignorance was just a matter of lacking the time to really sit down and give it a work over, but eventually I embraced the possibility of going in more-or-less blind and getting the full virgin's view of the event. What I found both exceeded my expectations and fell-short of my hopes.
I'm going to go into the difficulties I found with the event first... not because I want to be a prick right off the bat, but because overall my impression was positive and I'd like to leave on that note. I'm splitting my impressions into Part One: Criticisms and Part Two: Praise, because I want to give a forum to discuss both without getting either muddied up. Please keep in mind, however, that I've already stated I was NOT involved in planning the event. These events rely on the participation of attendees. Had I attended those planning sessions it's likely some of the issues I'm about to discuss would have been addressed. I'm offering them only as an insight into what I felt didn't work coming from a position of complete and utter ignorance.
So... here we go.
Wait... what just happened?
The time limit for presentations defaulted at 15 minutes (**see correction below), with more time being granted to those individuals who could show they needed it (the longest presentation ran an hour, and it was the only one to run longer than 30 minutes). 15 minutes is nothing. Many professional public speakers take that long just to introduce themselves and their topic. I completely understand the organizers wanted to give everyone a chance to speak... but I can't help but feel 15 minutes isn't much of a chance. Adding to the strain of the time limit was the general format of Skepticamp - participants are encouraged to ask question during the speaker's presentations. This allows for instantaneous objections to questionable material, requests for references, and input that is often stymied when questions are saved for the end. Unfortunately, this format also seemed to occasionally cause unintentional hijackings as less experienced presenters were led away on tangents they never quite recovered from. Presenters who read directly from previously prepared speeches were especially vulnerable as precious moments ticked by while they attempted to find their place and get back on track after every question.
If I Were Queen: I think I'd extend the minimum presentation time to 30 minutes, allowing additional time in 15 minute increments to those individuals who could demonstrate a need for it. I would encourage presenters to spend the first 5 to 10 minutes of their allotted time introducing themselves and highlighting any points they believe are essential in conveying the intention of their presentation. I would then ask that the presenters give a moment for questions specific to the introduction (such as requests for credentials) before delving into the topic. Lastly, I would ask that each presenter write up a synopsis of their intended talk to be made available to participants before hand as this might help weed out some early questions that are intended to be addressed later on in the presentation.
How This Creates More Problems: The more time that is allotted to each individual presentation, the fewer presentations you can give in a single room during the space of a single day. Running conflicting presentations in separate rooms almost guarantees that participants will be forced to make unpopular choices. Extending the event to encompass two or more days almost guarantees that some participants will miss at least half of the scheduled presentations. Both options also narrow the list of venues where a Skepticamp might be held.
** CORRECTION: 15 minutes was NOT the default time frame. Presenters were given a choice between a 15 minute time slot and a 30 minute time slot, and longer time slots were available by request to those who could demonstrate need. My apologies for making the assumption that the 15 minute slots were assigned by default rather than chosen, and thanks to Festivus2007 for pointing out my error.
Football is For Pussies.
The primary reason I can't stand popular American sports is the feeling that for every 30 seconds of play time, they spend 10 minutes standing around in various huddles chit-chatting or looking at bits of film over and over again to decide if there was a foul, or replacing players, or calling their mothers... or whatever it is they're doing while I'm busy falling asleep. I'm a lacrosse girl... a rugby (I prefer league over union) girl... a "fucking do something while you're out there on the damn field or I'm not going to pay for this shit" girl. Injured? Lay still - we'll come get you after your replacement is out on the field and the team has moved out of the way. Foul? Get your ass to the box - your replacement already has the damn ball.
So... I think it's safe to say I can be rather impatient.
What the hell does this have to do with Skepticamp? By the time we hit the first break, my brain was wanting to know why I was confusing academia with rugby. As one presenter was wrapping up, the next was already setting up their presentation. I felt as though the sound of a cracking whip or a starting pistol would be more appropriate than the sound of the participant's applause. There was no time to digest what I'd just heard, wrap up notes, or prepare for the next speaker... because they were already speaking.
If I Were Queen: 5 minutes. That's all I ask. 5 minutes between presentations. Yes, it creates the same time issues that extending the default time limit would and that sucks... just... please... 5 minutes...
Make the Fucker WORK!
Welcome to the digital age, it's less like Star Trek than we really hoped it would be. My computer doesn't like your computer and neither of them like the projector. Your laptop treats my USB like it has cooties and our programs are busy making demon babies even though they're totally incompatible and it'll never work out in the long run.
Basically, technical issues munched on tight time frames like tasty crisps.
If I Were Queen: Finally, something I actually know how to overcome due to experience! Too bad I didn't show up to any of the planning meetings like a douche, eh?
As a once frequent convention panelist, I learned there are ways to avoid the tech time eater. Attach one laptop to the projector, a laptop that both loves and is loved by the projector. Ask presenters to submit the digital portions of their presentations as soon as possible before the event and charge the projector loving laptop's owner with insuring each presentation will run as intended. Presentations that won't run as intended can then be converted to a format that will. (If you absolutely must, plan to have both a PC and a Mac laptop that will connect to the projector. Make it clear to presenters that they'll need to specify the operating system when they submit their presentations.)
How This Creates More Problems: I've just asked two individuals to subject their laptops to at least a week's worth of trial and error by inundating them with presentations sent in my strangers. For some laptop owners, that's synonymous with asking a man to drag his dick through a fetid ditch frequently used as a toilet by dirty whores with nasty heroin habits. (Some computer owners are more than a touch dramatic... but I digress...) Also, while this method really does work, it also requires both a decent time commitment from the laptop owning volunteers and the compliance of presenters. Lastly, it requires the laptop owners be allowed time to insure their equipment is compatible with a projector that is often owned by the venue rather than an individual... which isn't always possible.
WHAT DID YOU SAY?
When Skepticamp proper concluded, many of the participants migrated to a local sports bar to continue the discussions in a less formal way. Sports bars are horrible places to discuss anything (unless you consider monosyllabic grunts of approval and rage directed at sports programming "discussions"). The difficulty in hearing over the roar of the bar resulted in everyone raising their voices... which resulted in difficulty hearing over the roar of the skeptics. It was a self perpetuating cycle that careened me straight into a headache and an acute sense of claustrophobia. The seating arrangements at sports bars, and many restaurants, also make broad discussion difficult - leaving one to either relegate themselves to the discussions at the table they inhabit or feel like an utter cad by migrating around the room.
If I Were Queen: I'd be hosed. There aren't a lot of venues that allow groups to use private rooms with variable seating that don't charge an arm and a leg. In fact, locations like that feed like vampires off the desperation of groups that simply can't handle congregating in another damn sports bar. There are, of course, venues that do have both the room and the inclination to donate it to groups that need a meeting place... typically libraries and churches. Libraries tend to frown on groups bringing in mounds of food and booze, both of which are substances popular enough to be considered necessary, and churches... well... churches don't like people like me... and there are often a lot of people like me at skeptical functions.
That's it. 4 measly criticisms for a day long event and every damn one of them pretty difficult to avoid (and possibly based entirely on my own pissy preferences). Seriously, the gang that put this together rocked it hard. I can't wait to give them the praise they deserve in part two.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
AFA Counteraction Alert - Won't Someone Think of the CHILDREN???
I grow weary of the AFA. I still feel their consistently vapid and exaggerated Action Alerts are worth combating (it must be nice for the companies and individuals targeted by these idiots to field a few comments from sane individuals now and again), I just don't have the energy to take them seriously anymore - after all, they don't even take themselves seriously. If they did, their Action Alerts and articles would contain actual facts rather than frenzied rhetoric. From now on I'll merely be using comedic translation to lampoon them like the clowns they are. I'm being generous, ridicule is more than they deserve.
The original text of the AFA Action Alert appears in italics, my helpful "translation" appears in bold.
Yes... that was far more enjoyable for me than logically dissecting their bullshit. There is one bit in the companion article I'd like to seriously comment on though:
"While homosexuals, who make up about two percent of the population, might applaud Home Depot for its actions, AFA contends the corporation is taking the risk of offending and losing business from the other 98 percent of the public."
Really, I wouldn't have thought you could pack so much propagandist crap into a single sentence. There are a number of tactics commonly used by anti-equality groups like the AFA at work here:
1 - Using the term "homosexuals" when discussing queer organizations and events.
When attempting to properly cultivate an "Us vs. Them" mentality it's important to eliminate all shades of gray, and Pride events are brimming with shades of gray. The queer community isn't composed only of individuals who primarily identify as homosexual, it includes individuals across the entire spectrum of sexual and gender identity. By only mentioning the opposite end of the spectrum from what they consider "normal", anti-equality groups neatly avoid discussing the fact that sexuality isn't black and white. Hinting at the existence of non-homosexual individuals like myself who identify as queer* only leads to a realization that human sexuality is too complex to be simply categorized as "Us" and "Them".
2 - Asserting that homosexuals "make up about 2% of the population".
2% is such a tiny little percentage, isn't it? Let's pretend for a moment that their percentage is accurate (it's not - even the most conservative studies estimate that 5% of the population self identifies as gay, lesbian or bisexual), 2% of the American population equals about SIX MILLION, ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY ONE THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED AND NINETY TWO people. That's a whole lot of people who "might applaud Home Depot for it's actions". It's hard to marginalize a minority using hard numbers (especially when they're HUGE) so anti-equality groups only advertise the fuzzy, conceptual ones.
3 - Suggesting that supporting homosexuals offends all heterosexuals.
After pulling out the supposed 2% of individuals anti-equality groups oppose, they then try to suggest that the other 98% of individuals agree with their bigotry. The facts simply don't hold up to the rhetoric, however. Recent polls suggest that as many as 49% of Americans support same-sex marriage** and it's pretty damn unlikely they're okay with marriage, but radically against corporations that support queer-equality and rainbow-themed crafts. I couldn't find any poll results for "percentage of Americans that are blatantly bigoted against homosexuals", but I imagine it's a great deal smaller than the remaining 49%.
Also, let's be clear - if you're offended by the notion that a business sponsored a craft booth for kids at a Pride event I think you qualify as a blatant bigot.
4 - Suggesting that businesses who support queer equality will lose money.
Anti-equality groups love to threaten that since the vast majority of consumers are heterosexual, the vast majority of consumers will deprive any business that dares to support queer events and organizations of their hard-earned cash.
Bollocks.
Only a small percentage of consumers will even be aware that a business they visit supports queer equality. Of that small percentage of aware consumers, an even smaller percentage will be offended. An even smaller percentage of offended consumers will participate in a boycott. Finally, an even smaller percentage of boycotting consumers will continue their boycott long term. Blips that small don't even show up on the radar of big corporations - and once you take into account the fact that a similarly small percentage of consumers go out of their way to support businesses who openly support equality, the blip disappears entirely.
Before I step off my soapbox I'd like to take one final parting shot at the AFA:
The American Family Association boasts a membership of some 3,400,000 people.
That's approximately 21% of the conservatively estimated total of American GLB individuals and only 2% of the number of Americans in favor of same-sex marriage.
Somehow I don't think Home Depot has anything to worry about.
*I choose "queer" as my orientation because the term "bisexual" falsely suggests there are only two gender identities available.
**April 30, 2009 ABC News/Washington Post poll - PDF
The original text of the AFA Action Alert appears in italics, my helpful "translation" appears in bold.
Dear Friend,
Dear like-minded zealot,
Clad in rainbow colors and Human Rights Campaign stickers, these Home Depot employees help promote the company's outspoken pride for homosexuality.
Home Depot is proud they treat the gays like humans. They don't even have the decency to be ashamed of their disgustingly non-discriminatory attitudes.
According to the 2010 Southern Maine Pride website, Home Depot signed on as a major sponsor of its 2010 Gay Pride event. But simply financing the event wasn't enough for the big box chain.
Giving money to the gays is bad enough, but just wait until you get a load of what we're about to reveal...
Home Depot also signed on as a vendor, conducting kid's craft workshops for children in the midst of loud and boisterous gay activities.
Holy fuck! Did you catch that? CHILDREN! and GAYS! in PUBLIC! TOGETHER!
To this end, Home Depot is basically encouraging the attendance of children at events which openly expose them to transvestites, cross-dressers, and homosexual activists.
There weren't any children at these things until Home Depot showed up to entertain them! It's not like the queers have families! Home Depot must be luring kids in from NORMAL families whose parents are too stupid to realize they've just wandered into a Pride event! (Also, we're horribly confused by transgender terminology and have no idea that transvestite and cross-dresser are culturally synonymous terms.)
Unfortunately, Home Depot's participation in the Southern Maine Pride Festival doesn't stand alone. It has also sponsored and participated in the 2010 Boston Gay Pride parade.
They're everywhere! No where is safe! Why, if we don't stop them, YOUR town might be the next to be exposed to their filthy message of equality! And crafts. Filthy, filthy crafts.
Homosexuals often exploit young children in their desire to 'normalize' their gay lifestyle.
Those bastards! WE get to decide what's normal! Otherwise, kids might grow up thinking logic and equality trump prejudice and dogma!!! It's exploitative! Children don't have anything to gain from equality!
Gay pride events have a long track record for offensive public displays of homosexual conduct.
Have you seen them? It's disgusting! They have the gall to act like NORMAL couples! All huggin' and holdin' hands and stuff! And if you wade through thousands of totally decent photos you'll eventually come across a couple that are almost, very nearly, risque! It's revolting!
Obviously, Home Depot is OK with the idea of exposing children to an unhealthy and risky environment. So much so, it is willing to also celebrate it by participating in its promotion.
They're exposing these defenseless, innocent, CHILDREN to their own PARENTS, FAMILIES, and FRIENDS!!! Can you believe it??? It's unhealthy! It's risky! We can't say why, but... but... it is!!! CHILDREN!!!
TAKE ACTION
Bolster your sense of self-righteousness without exposing yourself in public where your bigotry might be recognized for what it is.
Send an email to let Home Depot know you are sickened by their support and approval of children at homosexual events.
Let Home Depot know that you vomit at the sight of families that aren't carbon copies of your own.
If you are a customer, please add an additional personal line to our prepared letter to Home Depot.
Also, tell them that you'll be buying your wholesome supplies at a store more sensitive to your bigotry.
After sending your email, make an extra effort to protect children by calling Home Depot personally. Brad Shaw is the Vice President of Public Relations. His direct number is 770-384-5350.
If you're comfortable outing yourself as a moron who can't tell the difference between danger and normal human behaviors, clog up Brad Shaw's phone lines in an attempt to protect children from their own friends and families.
Yes... that was far more enjoyable for me than logically dissecting their bullshit. There is one bit in the companion article I'd like to seriously comment on though:
"While homosexuals, who make up about two percent of the population, might applaud Home Depot for its actions, AFA contends the corporation is taking the risk of offending and losing business from the other 98 percent of the public."
Really, I wouldn't have thought you could pack so much propagandist crap into a single sentence. There are a number of tactics commonly used by anti-equality groups like the AFA at work here:
1 - Using the term "homosexuals" when discussing queer organizations and events.
When attempting to properly cultivate an "Us vs. Them" mentality it's important to eliminate all shades of gray, and Pride events are brimming with shades of gray. The queer community isn't composed only of individuals who primarily identify as homosexual, it includes individuals across the entire spectrum of sexual and gender identity. By only mentioning the opposite end of the spectrum from what they consider "normal", anti-equality groups neatly avoid discussing the fact that sexuality isn't black and white. Hinting at the existence of non-homosexual individuals like myself who identify as queer* only leads to a realization that human sexuality is too complex to be simply categorized as "Us" and "Them".
2 - Asserting that homosexuals "make up about 2% of the population".
2% is such a tiny little percentage, isn't it? Let's pretend for a moment that their percentage is accurate (it's not - even the most conservative studies estimate that 5% of the population self identifies as gay, lesbian or bisexual), 2% of the American population equals about SIX MILLION, ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY ONE THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED AND NINETY TWO people. That's a whole lot of people who "might applaud Home Depot for it's actions". It's hard to marginalize a minority using hard numbers (especially when they're HUGE) so anti-equality groups only advertise the fuzzy, conceptual ones.
3 - Suggesting that supporting homosexuals offends all heterosexuals.
After pulling out the supposed 2% of individuals anti-equality groups oppose, they then try to suggest that the other 98% of individuals agree with their bigotry. The facts simply don't hold up to the rhetoric, however. Recent polls suggest that as many as 49% of Americans support same-sex marriage** and it's pretty damn unlikely they're okay with marriage, but radically against corporations that support queer-equality and rainbow-themed crafts. I couldn't find any poll results for "percentage of Americans that are blatantly bigoted against homosexuals", but I imagine it's a great deal smaller than the remaining 49%.
Also, let's be clear - if you're offended by the notion that a business sponsored a craft booth for kids at a Pride event I think you qualify as a blatant bigot.
4 - Suggesting that businesses who support queer equality will lose money.
Anti-equality groups love to threaten that since the vast majority of consumers are heterosexual, the vast majority of consumers will deprive any business that dares to support queer events and organizations of their hard-earned cash.
Bollocks.
Only a small percentage of consumers will even be aware that a business they visit supports queer equality. Of that small percentage of aware consumers, an even smaller percentage will be offended. An even smaller percentage of offended consumers will participate in a boycott. Finally, an even smaller percentage of boycotting consumers will continue their boycott long term. Blips that small don't even show up on the radar of big corporations - and once you take into account the fact that a similarly small percentage of consumers go out of their way to support businesses who openly support equality, the blip disappears entirely.
Before I step off my soapbox I'd like to take one final parting shot at the AFA:
The American Family Association boasts a membership of some 3,400,000 people.
That's approximately 21% of the conservatively estimated total of American GLB individuals and only 2% of the number of Americans in favor of same-sex marriage.
Somehow I don't think Home Depot has anything to worry about.
*I choose "queer" as my orientation because the term "bisexual" falsely suggests there are only two gender identities available.
**April 30, 2009 ABC News/Washington Post poll - PDF
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Sudsy
So... I'm in the bathtub. I'm writing this in between YouTube videos as the thoughts come to me. Going through my YouTube subscriptions while soaking in the tub is one of my favorite personal rituals. Odds are good that, come late Saturday morning, this is where I'll be. Also, I'll be happy.
Speaking of which...
Glee
I missed the series the first time around (much to the annoyance of some friends who are avid fans of the show) but now that the network has decided to start over again and show the full season over the summer I'm making sure to record it. I've only seen the first episode so far, but there are already two characters I want to torture until they die out of desperation to escape the pain and I'm loving the way they use songs to create mood and comment on the story.
Webcomic Theory - Sex vs. Masturbation
I have this theory that comics fall into one of two categories - sex and masturbation.
Masturbation comics do well on the web. They're quick and instantly gratifying and, for the most part, you "finish" at the end of each strip - they stand alone fairly well. This isn't to say that they don't have heavy moments of expertly crafted plot, the story line involving Davan's mother in Something Positive, Faye's father in Questionable Content, or Harmony in Jazz and Jess come easily to mind as examples. While you certainly could be expected to have a more intense emotional reaction to those arcs if you'd been following the comic long enough to care about the characters, each individual comic stood on it's own. The emotional impacts were encapsulated in each individual comic, as well as spread out over the entire arc.
Sex comics do well in print. They're often long stretches of entertaining valleys punctuated by occasional peaks. Their impact is mostly spread over an entire arc, or even the entire comic, and newcomers are likely to lose out without backtracking and putting in the same kind of effort long time readers have. You want to spend time with them, get to know them. They're intimate.
Let's be clear - there's a ton of crossover. Comics that are insanely popular on the web also tend to sell a lot of books if they're made available. I believe their sales are tied to the fan desire to own something that their favorite comicker created. Likewise comics that sell hundreds of books tend to have a decent following on the web as well. Their web presence is often populated by fans "keeping in touch" until the next book is published. By in large, however, I think web-only audiences (those who rarely or never buy print comics) are attracted to "masturbation" style comics and print-only audiences (those who rarely or never follow a comic online) are attracted to "sex" style comics.
Why bother with the differentiation? If you're putting out a quality comic on the web and your numbers are abysmal, maybe it's because you're sex trying to market to a masturbation crowd. Conversely, if you've got stacks and stacks of print comics lying around that have gotten great reviews and few sales, maybe it's because you're masturbation trying to market to a sex crowd.
Just a thought.
Pity I'm a Reader...
Should there actually be any Theists out there reading this, please do me a favor and spread this around. It's for your own good, really.
While I cannot speak for all Atheists, I can say the following piece is representative both of myself and those Atheists I've encountered (even only in passing or online). I am not an idiot. If you quote me a passage from your holy book that I am unfamiliar with, I will not only read the passage but several passages both before and after the passage in question. If you tell me that a particular book was written at a specific time by a specific person I will fact check that assertion. Assuming that I will not almost assures you will come out of the debate looking like a disingenuous ass. If you insist that evolutionary theory, geology, astronomy, the big bang theory, M theory, etc... asserts something that it does not I will find out if I don't already know and you will come out of the debate looking like either an ignorant git or a liar or both.
Don't insult my intelligence and I won't insult yours. It's a fair trade.
Everyone Draw Muhammad Day - Disappointed Thanks
I learned a great deal from Everyone Draw Muhammad Day. Unfortunately, one of the most poignant lessons I learned was that a few people I honestly admired and respected are apparently unashamed bigots. I feel the day itself and many of the drawings it inspired were important. It's important that we drive home the fact, as often as necessary, that in America no one has the right to not be offended. It's important that we drive home the fact, as often as necessary, that in America nothing is beyond the reach of criticism - including religion. It's important that we drive home the fact, as often as necessary, that in America your personal freedom extends only as far as it's ability to negate the freedom of another. I believe with all I am that all our freedoms rest upon the strength of our freedom of speech. I believe in the core of Everyone Draw Muhammad Day and I thank all those who participated.
Throughout the time period in which the day was being promoted and "celebrated", and now extending to the debate surrounding the plans to build an Islamic cultural center in the general area of "ground zero", a few individuals have risen to prominence for me. Some have stood out by virtue of their honor, dignity, tolerance, and sincere desire to educate. Others have stood out by virtue of their ignorance, bigotry, hatred, fear, and desire to spread propaganda and obscure information.
All-in-all, I'm disappointedly thankful. One of the reasons I so champion freedom of speech is that it makes the vile amongst us easier to spot. It's simply a shame that I now count a handful of previously respected individuals amongst the vile.
It's No Longer Saturday
I somehow managed to skip the "click the Publish Post" step before stepping out of the bath and continuing my day. Bugger all.
Speaking of which...
Glee
I missed the series the first time around (much to the annoyance of some friends who are avid fans of the show) but now that the network has decided to start over again and show the full season over the summer I'm making sure to record it. I've only seen the first episode so far, but there are already two characters I want to torture until they die out of desperation to escape the pain and I'm loving the way they use songs to create mood and comment on the story.
Webcomic Theory - Sex vs. Masturbation
I have this theory that comics fall into one of two categories - sex and masturbation.
Masturbation comics do well on the web. They're quick and instantly gratifying and, for the most part, you "finish" at the end of each strip - they stand alone fairly well. This isn't to say that they don't have heavy moments of expertly crafted plot, the story line involving Davan's mother in Something Positive, Faye's father in Questionable Content, or Harmony in Jazz and Jess come easily to mind as examples. While you certainly could be expected to have a more intense emotional reaction to those arcs if you'd been following the comic long enough to care about the characters, each individual comic stood on it's own. The emotional impacts were encapsulated in each individual comic, as well as spread out over the entire arc.
Sex comics do well in print. They're often long stretches of entertaining valleys punctuated by occasional peaks. Their impact is mostly spread over an entire arc, or even the entire comic, and newcomers are likely to lose out without backtracking and putting in the same kind of effort long time readers have. You want to spend time with them, get to know them. They're intimate.
Let's be clear - there's a ton of crossover. Comics that are insanely popular on the web also tend to sell a lot of books if they're made available. I believe their sales are tied to the fan desire to own something that their favorite comicker created. Likewise comics that sell hundreds of books tend to have a decent following on the web as well. Their web presence is often populated by fans "keeping in touch" until the next book is published. By in large, however, I think web-only audiences (those who rarely or never buy print comics) are attracted to "masturbation" style comics and print-only audiences (those who rarely or never follow a comic online) are attracted to "sex" style comics.
Why bother with the differentiation? If you're putting out a quality comic on the web and your numbers are abysmal, maybe it's because you're sex trying to market to a masturbation crowd. Conversely, if you've got stacks and stacks of print comics lying around that have gotten great reviews and few sales, maybe it's because you're masturbation trying to market to a sex crowd.
Just a thought.
Pity I'm a Reader...
Should there actually be any Theists out there reading this, please do me a favor and spread this around. It's for your own good, really.
While I cannot speak for all Atheists, I can say the following piece is representative both of myself and those Atheists I've encountered (even only in passing or online). I am not an idiot. If you quote me a passage from your holy book that I am unfamiliar with, I will not only read the passage but several passages both before and after the passage in question. If you tell me that a particular book was written at a specific time by a specific person I will fact check that assertion. Assuming that I will not almost assures you will come out of the debate looking like a disingenuous ass. If you insist that evolutionary theory, geology, astronomy, the big bang theory, M theory, etc... asserts something that it does not I will find out if I don't already know and you will come out of the debate looking like either an ignorant git or a liar or both.
Don't insult my intelligence and I won't insult yours. It's a fair trade.
Everyone Draw Muhammad Day - Disappointed Thanks
I learned a great deal from Everyone Draw Muhammad Day. Unfortunately, one of the most poignant lessons I learned was that a few people I honestly admired and respected are apparently unashamed bigots. I feel the day itself and many of the drawings it inspired were important. It's important that we drive home the fact, as often as necessary, that in America no one has the right to not be offended. It's important that we drive home the fact, as often as necessary, that in America nothing is beyond the reach of criticism - including religion. It's important that we drive home the fact, as often as necessary, that in America your personal freedom extends only as far as it's ability to negate the freedom of another. I believe with all I am that all our freedoms rest upon the strength of our freedom of speech. I believe in the core of Everyone Draw Muhammad Day and I thank all those who participated.
Throughout the time period in which the day was being promoted and "celebrated", and now extending to the debate surrounding the plans to build an Islamic cultural center in the general area of "ground zero", a few individuals have risen to prominence for me. Some have stood out by virtue of their honor, dignity, tolerance, and sincere desire to educate. Others have stood out by virtue of their ignorance, bigotry, hatred, fear, and desire to spread propaganda and obscure information.
All-in-all, I'm disappointedly thankful. One of the reasons I so champion freedom of speech is that it makes the vile amongst us easier to spot. It's simply a shame that I now count a handful of previously respected individuals amongst the vile.
It's No Longer Saturday
I somehow managed to skip the "click the Publish Post" step before stepping out of the bath and continuing my day. Bugger all.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Everyone Draw Muhammad Day
Today is Everyone Draw Muhammad Day, a day which began as a peaceful protest against the censorship of a recent South Park episode which depicted the prophet Muhammad dressed in a bear suit. While only the bear suit, and not the prophet Muhammad himself, was depicted (in the cartoon in question, South Park did depict the prophet Muhammad sans costuming in a previous episode) the episode was quickly targeted by Muslim extremists who claimed the cartoon was offensive as depictions of Muhammad are forbidden by Islam. Fearing reprisal by radicals, some of whom made comments that could easily be interpreted as death threats, Comedy Central chose not to air the episode which in-turn offended a number of individuals who champion Free Speech as a cornerstone of civil rights.
I've no intention of going into the details of the event, the history of violence in response to depictions of the prophet Muhammad, or even to debate the actions of Comedy Central's response. (I've included links to two relevant Wiki articles at the end of this post for anyone that wishes to read further.) My only intention is to discuss my thoughts concerning the protest and post my participation.
Why I wanted to participate
Thailand's leaders have apparently found the wearing of underwear so important to the fabric of their society that they've made it illegal to leave the house commando. As I'm not a member of Thai society, I've felt free to leave the house underwear free every day for several years now. Religious leaders have introduced their own dictates throughout the ages, supposedly supported by the will of their deities. As I'm not a member of their religions, and am not convinced their deities exist, I feel just as free to ignore their commands as I do Thai underwear law.
So far the Thai government has made no attempt to force me by way of petition or threat to follow their laws. Religious leaders and devotees, however, frequently attempt to force compliance with their specific deistic directives regardless of individual affiliation. This pisses me right off.
I do not believe that extremists, of any stripe, that demand all follow the laws of their religion should be obliged. In fact, I believe they should be directly challenged. In this specific instance, Muslim extremists have demanded that all individuals be forced to obey the dictates of hadith because they find disobedience offensive. To them I say simply -
Too fuckin' bad.
My thoughts on offence
A number of individuals have chosen to participate in Everyone Draw Muhammad Day by drawing caricatures that are clearly intended to offend. Freedom of speech does have limits, but those limits are set far higher than moral indignation. Perhaps those individuals are making a specific point - that they not only have the right to depict Muhammad in the same benign fashion the South Park creators did, but that they also have the right to depict Muhammad in a vile and degrading fashion. Or perhaps they're making a statement about how intimidation through threat of violence often backfires. Or maybe they're hateful, bigoted pricks. It's hard to tell.
I readily admit that I'm anti-theistic, but I generally refrain from being blatantly offensive to non-fundamentalists. For me, this protest was about flipping off radicals - not offending moderates.
Moderate Muslims?
Yes, moderate Muslims exist. Frankly, I'm disappointed this even has to be mentioned. Granted, the Muslim population is fairly small here in the US but that's no excuse for a mass display of ignorance. There are somewhere in the number of 159 Million Christians in this country. A handful of those millions also happen to be violent nutjobs who use their faith as justification for psychotic behavior. If I were to paint all of those 159 Million Christians with the abortion-doctor-shooting, child-raping, medically-neglectful, militia brush I'd be called out in a heartbeat.
There's a word for people who use brushes that broad - bigot.
Before I present my happy little drawing of Muhammad, I'd like to present a video and ask that you please watch it. I've learned a great deal from this young man in the past few days, and I hope to learn a great deal more from him in the future. If you like what you see give it a thumbs up and if you're a YouTuber, please consider subscribing.
Now, without further ado, here's what all the fuss is about:
I chose to depict Muhammad as a cartoon flame because it has historic precedence and is pretty incredibly non-offensive. Should someone still manage to take offense, I'm secure in the knowledge that I didn't offend them intentionally.
Following Ali's lead - I would now like to direct you to the top of the side bar where I've included an image link to the Foundation Beyond Belief. If you feel so inclined, give a little in the name of free speech.
UPDATE: My husbandish did a drawing yesterday as well, only I haven't been able to upload it now... so... we're double-participated.
Related Wiki articles: Everybody Draw Mohammed Day and Depictions of Muhammad
I've no intention of going into the details of the event, the history of violence in response to depictions of the prophet Muhammad, or even to debate the actions of Comedy Central's response. (I've included links to two relevant Wiki articles at the end of this post for anyone that wishes to read further.) My only intention is to discuss my thoughts concerning the protest and post my participation.
Why I wanted to participate
Thailand's leaders have apparently found the wearing of underwear so important to the fabric of their society that they've made it illegal to leave the house commando. As I'm not a member of Thai society, I've felt free to leave the house underwear free every day for several years now. Religious leaders have introduced their own dictates throughout the ages, supposedly supported by the will of their deities. As I'm not a member of their religions, and am not convinced their deities exist, I feel just as free to ignore their commands as I do Thai underwear law.
So far the Thai government has made no attempt to force me by way of petition or threat to follow their laws. Religious leaders and devotees, however, frequently attempt to force compliance with their specific deistic directives regardless of individual affiliation. This pisses me right off.
I do not believe that extremists, of any stripe, that demand all follow the laws of their religion should be obliged. In fact, I believe they should be directly challenged. In this specific instance, Muslim extremists have demanded that all individuals be forced to obey the dictates of hadith because they find disobedience offensive. To them I say simply -
Too fuckin' bad.
My thoughts on offence
A number of individuals have chosen to participate in Everyone Draw Muhammad Day by drawing caricatures that are clearly intended to offend. Freedom of speech does have limits, but those limits are set far higher than moral indignation. Perhaps those individuals are making a specific point - that they not only have the right to depict Muhammad in the same benign fashion the South Park creators did, but that they also have the right to depict Muhammad in a vile and degrading fashion. Or perhaps they're making a statement about how intimidation through threat of violence often backfires. Or maybe they're hateful, bigoted pricks. It's hard to tell.
I readily admit that I'm anti-theistic, but I generally refrain from being blatantly offensive to non-fundamentalists. For me, this protest was about flipping off radicals - not offending moderates.
Moderate Muslims?
Yes, moderate Muslims exist. Frankly, I'm disappointed this even has to be mentioned. Granted, the Muslim population is fairly small here in the US but that's no excuse for a mass display of ignorance. There are somewhere in the number of 159 Million Christians in this country. A handful of those millions also happen to be violent nutjobs who use their faith as justification for psychotic behavior. If I were to paint all of those 159 Million Christians with the abortion-doctor-shooting, child-raping, medically-neglectful, militia brush I'd be called out in a heartbeat.
There's a word for people who use brushes that broad - bigot.
Before I present my happy little drawing of Muhammad, I'd like to present a video and ask that you please watch it. I've learned a great deal from this young man in the past few days, and I hope to learn a great deal more from him in the future. If you like what you see give it a thumbs up and if you're a YouTuber, please consider subscribing.
Now, without further ado, here's what all the fuss is about:
I chose to depict Muhammad as a cartoon flame because it has historic precedence and is pretty incredibly non-offensive. Should someone still manage to take offense, I'm secure in the knowledge that I didn't offend them intentionally.
Following Ali's lead - I would now like to direct you to the top of the side bar where I've included an image link to the Foundation Beyond Belief. If you feel so inclined, give a little in the name of free speech.
UPDATE: My husbandish did a drawing yesterday as well, only I haven't been able to upload it now... so... we're double-participated.
Related Wiki articles: Everybody Draw Mohammed Day and Depictions of Muhammad
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
THIS is why you hire a REAL artist!
So... I laboured over several concept sketches of NinjEel on my own before I decided I might want to try and find an artist. I liked the sketches I did that were more "hero-realistic", but they took me hours just to sketch, there was no conceivable way I was going to be able to stay consistent throughout an entire comic book and still manage to get the first episode finished before the decade drew to a close. I also tried a more campy, cartoonish look but I was never really happy with it - I'm just now learning how to create purposely disproportionate characters and, while I really like the look, it's just not natural for me yet. So (as you already know) I went ahead and sent out a feeler tendril to my first-choice artist for the project, Nate Hammond of Jazz and Jess, who eagerly agreed to join forces. We had our first concept meeting this last weekend, and after a few rounds of questions and some quick sketches he held the final sketch up to the webcam:
This sketch took him somewhere around three-minutes. I didn't realize it was possible to so intensely hate and love someone all at once.
Nate did an amazing job at asking the right questions, not only nailing down the look of the character but also what types of gadgets he'd be using, how he'd carry them, how his personal powers would be used, and how those powers could be represented in the costuming. My only regret in the entire process is that electric eels are so damned ugly - not exactly an aspect within our control to change.
Now, I was already a big fan of Nate's work and I became an even bigger fan after browsing through his deviantART page, so I wasn't surprised by the detail and skill in his sketches. What did surprise me was how instantaneously looking at the final character design sketch solidified the writing style for me. Now that the character is in my head visually he's talking to me much more clearly, setting the tone in snarky shades of Sarcastic Scarlet and Ostentatious Orange. He's taken a clear side-step from what little I know about @NeuroPunk's personality and walked boldly into his own. The whole comic has taken on a slightly darker tone, less silly and more sardonic, but there's still plenty of humor to keep the education flowing and stomp my ever-present urge to preach the good word of Science.
I'll be sending him the character profiles for NinjEels team next - three fellow scientists who keep him informed, keep him in gadgets, and sometimes... keep him alive.
More updates to come!
* Side note - I'm spending waaaay to much time with the UK, Australian, and Canadian blokes. I actually added "labour" to my spell check because it's become a force of habit to add the letter u to everything. Or... since proper English started in, you know... England, perhaps I should say it's become a force of habit to stop omitting the letter u from everything.
This sketch took him somewhere around three-minutes. I didn't realize it was possible to so intensely hate and love someone all at once.
Nate did an amazing job at asking the right questions, not only nailing down the look of the character but also what types of gadgets he'd be using, how he'd carry them, how his personal powers would be used, and how those powers could be represented in the costuming. My only regret in the entire process is that electric eels are so damned ugly - not exactly an aspect within our control to change.
Now, I was already a big fan of Nate's work and I became an even bigger fan after browsing through his deviantART page, so I wasn't surprised by the detail and skill in his sketches. What did surprise me was how instantaneously looking at the final character design sketch solidified the writing style for me. Now that the character is in my head visually he's talking to me much more clearly, setting the tone in snarky shades of Sarcastic Scarlet and Ostentatious Orange. He's taken a clear side-step from what little I know about @NeuroPunk's personality and walked boldly into his own. The whole comic has taken on a slightly darker tone, less silly and more sardonic, but there's still plenty of humor to keep the education flowing and stomp my ever-present urge to preach the good word of Science.
I'll be sending him the character profiles for NinjEels team next - three fellow scientists who keep him informed, keep him in gadgets, and sometimes... keep him alive.
More updates to come!
* Side note - I'm spending waaaay to much time with the UK, Australian, and Canadian blokes. I actually added "labour" to my spell check because it's become a force of habit to add the letter u to everything. Or... since proper English started in, you know... England, perhaps I should say it's become a force of habit to stop omitting the letter u from everything.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Update updates
Here's the skinny:
The Daisies and Shit Blog
The company actually hired someone which should free up some time for blogginating and such once he's been good and trained.
The Daisies and Shit YouTube Channel
I've started playing with the new video camera and software in preparation for my introductory video. I may need to invest in some lighting as I'll likely be filming in my bedroom, which is a den of sweet, sweet darkness. I'm also working on some simplistic into/outro graphics.
The channel is currently populated with my favorite videos made by some of the brilliant people I subscribe to. Check it out here - http://youtube.com/user/weofui
The Daisies and Shit Comic
My eyes still suck, but I'm working on it. I became disgusted with the comics I had started work on and binned them. The new ones, while still in their infancy, are more in line with my intentions. I'm still not giving a promissory start date, but I'll be sure to tweet when the new comics go up. (http://twitter.com/daisiesandshit)
BetaPwned Book
Not going to happen, nor will a "farewell to BetaPwned" comic be posted. I simply can't stand the thought of working on it any more. In the welcomed words of @KO_Myers, "If you're done, move on. Take it behind the shed and bash its head in with a shovel. Don't torture yourself."
Advice accepted.
NinjEel
Rather than delay any longer I approached an artist with a pathetic offering of pennies and percentages and he accepted! Nate Hammond of Jazz and Jess is on the job! WOOT!
The potential awesomeness of the series has skyrocketed now that Nate's on board. I've a great deal of respect for his talent, and he's a stand-up guy to boot.
Dr. Higgins
I've been accepted and fully intend to start classes in the fall... but I'm having a hard time scraping up the cash. Ideally, I'd like to quit the job and go to school full time but I may have to part-time it for a year. My kids would really like to eat, and it's hard to study in a cardboard box.
The Daisies and Shit Blog
The company actually hired someone which should free up some time for blogginating and such once he's been good and trained.
The Daisies and Shit YouTube Channel
I've started playing with the new video camera and software in preparation for my introductory video. I may need to invest in some lighting as I'll likely be filming in my bedroom, which is a den of sweet, sweet darkness. I'm also working on some simplistic into/outro graphics.
The channel is currently populated with my favorite videos made by some of the brilliant people I subscribe to. Check it out here - http://youtube.com/user/weofui
The Daisies and Shit Comic
My eyes still suck, but I'm working on it. I became disgusted with the comics I had started work on and binned them. The new ones, while still in their infancy, are more in line with my intentions. I'm still not giving a promissory start date, but I'll be sure to tweet when the new comics go up. (http://twitter.com/daisiesandshit)
BetaPwned Book
Not going to happen, nor will a "farewell to BetaPwned" comic be posted. I simply can't stand the thought of working on it any more. In the welcomed words of @KO_Myers, "If you're done, move on. Take it behind the shed and bash its head in with a shovel. Don't torture yourself."
Advice accepted.
NinjEel
Rather than delay any longer I approached an artist with a pathetic offering of pennies and percentages and he accepted! Nate Hammond of Jazz and Jess is on the job! WOOT!
The potential awesomeness of the series has skyrocketed now that Nate's on board. I've a great deal of respect for his talent, and he's a stand-up guy to boot.
Dr. Higgins
I've been accepted and fully intend to start classes in the fall... but I'm having a hard time scraping up the cash. Ideally, I'd like to quit the job and go to school full time but I may have to part-time it for a year. My kids would really like to eat, and it's hard to study in a cardboard box.
Shepherd's Pie
This post has nothing to do with food.
Well, not literally at least. I used to specifically plan my meals over the course of a week just so I'd have the right kind of leavings to make Shepard's Pie as a special dinner treat to cap off my weekend. I've been told one can make a Shepard's Pie using fresh ingredients rather than left-overs, but that's as near a definition of blasphemy as this Atheist is comfortable with. There's a brilliant form of magic that occurs when bits of other meals join together in a warm gravy bath beneath a nurturing blanket of flaky crust. The culinary among you might know this magic as "layering" - creating a depth of flavor by utilizing a number of techniques and ingredients to form a single delicious dish. You know how your grandmother's Menudo or Bangers and Mash was better than the versions you find at even the best restaurants? It was better because she used the decimated ruins of family meals. Layering Au Naturale.
Yes, yes... I know I said this post had nothing to do with food and then immediately dove into a full paragraph about nothing but. Or so it seems... oh ho ho.
When defining myself, I typically toss out the word "writer" as a front runner. It's been years since I was actually paid for anything I wrote, unless you count the advertising revenue earned from the webcomic, but I consider myself a writer the same way I consider myself a geek - it's not a profession, but an aspect of who I am as an individual. When I come across a hunk of life's flotsam that inspires me (be it to bliss or rage) my thoughts instantly churn toward what I might write about it, how I might mold it into a script or dissect it in a blog post.
Have you ever met a chef who held left-overs in disdain? Who grimaces and gags at the thought of creating a dish with the scraps of an over-abundant table?
I've spent much of my life saddled with the writer's equivalent of that ignorant attitude. Faced with mere scraps of ideas I'll invariably choose to toss them in the bin. If it's an idea I'm especially fond of I might store it for a bit first, shoving it to the back of my mind where it's ravaged by mental mold and decay. Inevitably I encounter these seeping packages of inspiration whilst laboring through an insomnia inspired bout of psychic housecleaning and wince; like a hoarder coming across the desiccated corpse of a once loved cat.
Right about now you should be wondering if there's a point to all this long-winded hyperbole. There is.
The point:
Please take notice of the new "Shepherd's Pie" tag. Posts thusly labeled are purposely comprised of disjointed commentary. They may coalesce into the literary equivalent of comfort food, or coagulate like potted meat... but at least they're not going to waste.
PS - Thanks to @munkymu of Goth Bunnies for pointing out my original misspelling of "shepard's pie".
Well, not literally at least. I used to specifically plan my meals over the course of a week just so I'd have the right kind of leavings to make Shepard's Pie as a special dinner treat to cap off my weekend. I've been told one can make a Shepard's Pie using fresh ingredients rather than left-overs, but that's as near a definition of blasphemy as this Atheist is comfortable with. There's a brilliant form of magic that occurs when bits of other meals join together in a warm gravy bath beneath a nurturing blanket of flaky crust. The culinary among you might know this magic as "layering" - creating a depth of flavor by utilizing a number of techniques and ingredients to form a single delicious dish. You know how your grandmother's Menudo or Bangers and Mash was better than the versions you find at even the best restaurants? It was better because she used the decimated ruins of family meals. Layering Au Naturale.
Yes, yes... I know I said this post had nothing to do with food and then immediately dove into a full paragraph about nothing but. Or so it seems... oh ho ho.
When defining myself, I typically toss out the word "writer" as a front runner. It's been years since I was actually paid for anything I wrote, unless you count the advertising revenue earned from the webcomic, but I consider myself a writer the same way I consider myself a geek - it's not a profession, but an aspect of who I am as an individual. When I come across a hunk of life's flotsam that inspires me (be it to bliss or rage) my thoughts instantly churn toward what I might write about it, how I might mold it into a script or dissect it in a blog post.
Have you ever met a chef who held left-overs in disdain? Who grimaces and gags at the thought of creating a dish with the scraps of an over-abundant table?
I've spent much of my life saddled with the writer's equivalent of that ignorant attitude. Faced with mere scraps of ideas I'll invariably choose to toss them in the bin. If it's an idea I'm especially fond of I might store it for a bit first, shoving it to the back of my mind where it's ravaged by mental mold and decay. Inevitably I encounter these seeping packages of inspiration whilst laboring through an insomnia inspired bout of psychic housecleaning and wince; like a hoarder coming across the desiccated corpse of a once loved cat.
Right about now you should be wondering if there's a point to all this long-winded hyperbole. There is.
The point:
Please take notice of the new "Shepherd's Pie" tag. Posts thusly labeled are purposely comprised of disjointed commentary. They may coalesce into the literary equivalent of comfort food, or coagulate like potted meat... but at least they're not going to waste.
PS - Thanks to @munkymu of Goth Bunnies for pointing out my original misspelling of "shepard's pie".
Friday, March 26, 2010
NinjEel
As I mentioned in the last blog post I have a superhero comic series in the works that will cover a number of topics kept in cages like potentially lethal pets by skeptics everywhere. The hero, NinjEel, sprung forth from a bizarre mating of a static electricity Tweet and the combined mental powers of fellow skeptics @NeuroPunk, @briandgregory, @qaphsiel, and @ymberlenis.
Snowball + hill... that kind of thing only with radioactive isotopes and no access to a puma.
I have a lot of work ahead of me on character designs alone, but I think I've decided to go with a kind of campy, exaggerated retro style. Kind of like if the Tick had been drawn by Shane Glines. I think that's my best bet for bringing in the dynamic movement of a superhero comic without killing the silliness of the whole thing. I mean... we're talking about a superhero with electric eel powers and a ninja shtick who fights against the most ridiculous aspects of our society. This isn't Shakespeare folks, though I do hope to pepper in enough actual information to be subversive.
At this point I'm tentatively looking at a ten-comic run, here are the titles and a brief synopsis of the first five:
Issue 1: Common Origin
Every hero has an origin. Follow NinjEel and his team as he attains his super powers, organizes in the fight against the forces of Woo, and tries to find a solution to the chaffing effects of spandex without resorting to powders that cake.
Issue 2: AntiVax Anarchy!
The anti-vaccination forces are primed to release a plague on our fair city! Can NinjEel disarm the Toxins Gamut in spite of the Big Pharma millstone around his neck?
Issue 3: When Crockoducks Attack!
Beneath the scientific veneer of the ID Institute lies a meaty underbelly of deception. Can NinjEel dig to the bottom of their motivation barrel and discover the truth before it's too late?
Issue 4: H2Oh No!
Can NinjEel save his team from a threatened homeopathic overdose... or will he simply offer them some iced lemon for flavor?
Issue 5: Ghost Hucksters!
Ever wonder how the ghost investigators on TV know their instruments show paranormal activity? NinjEel knows the secret, but will he live to tell the world?
So, there you have it. Five camplicious issues in their chubby infancy. I'll keep you posted as things progress.
Snowball + hill... that kind of thing only with radioactive isotopes and no access to a puma.
I have a lot of work ahead of me on character designs alone, but I think I've decided to go with a kind of campy, exaggerated retro style. Kind of like if the Tick had been drawn by Shane Glines. I think that's my best bet for bringing in the dynamic movement of a superhero comic without killing the silliness of the whole thing. I mean... we're talking about a superhero with electric eel powers and a ninja shtick who fights against the most ridiculous aspects of our society. This isn't Shakespeare folks, though I do hope to pepper in enough actual information to be subversive.
At this point I'm tentatively looking at a ten-comic run, here are the titles and a brief synopsis of the first five:
Issue 1: Common Origin
Every hero has an origin. Follow NinjEel and his team as he attains his super powers, organizes in the fight against the forces of Woo, and tries to find a solution to the chaffing effects of spandex without resorting to powders that cake.
Issue 2: AntiVax Anarchy!
The anti-vaccination forces are primed to release a plague on our fair city! Can NinjEel disarm the Toxins Gamut in spite of the Big Pharma millstone around his neck?
Issue 3: When Crockoducks Attack!
Beneath the scientific veneer of the ID Institute lies a meaty underbelly of deception. Can NinjEel dig to the bottom of their motivation barrel and discover the truth before it's too late?
Issue 4: H2Oh No!
Can NinjEel save his team from a threatened homeopathic overdose... or will he simply offer them some iced lemon for flavor?
Issue 5: Ghost Hucksters!
Ever wonder how the ghost investigators on TV know their instruments show paranormal activity? NinjEel knows the secret, but will he live to tell the world?
So, there you have it. Five camplicious issues in their chubby infancy. I'll keep you posted as things progress.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Let's Start With An Apology
I know it's been a ridiculously long time since I posted. I think we've finally gotten a handle on the Scleritis that was happily blinding me and I'm just now starting to dig out from under the pile that has accumulated while I was essentially down for the count. Rather than leaving you all to assume I've abandoned everything, here's a little update:
The Daisies and Shit Blog
At this point, blog posts are primarily written at work between assignments. While this arrangement allows the blog to exist (there's no way I'd get any substantial writing done at home with the distractions of family life), it means the blog is at the mercy of my work schedule. For the last couple of months I've been doing both my job and a job I'm completely unqualified for and dislike immensely. The company assures me that they're looking for a replacement and they're conducting scattered interviews to keep me hopeful, so I'm tentatively optimistic that I'll be able to post more frequently in the near future.
The Daisies and Shit YouTube Channel???
As much as I hate appearing on camera, I'm seriously considering posting on YouTube. Serious enough that I've played with the channel settings and started researching digital cameras, mics, and editing software. Fluttering around me at all times are the ghosts of blog posts that were briefly given life and then mercilessly killed when I was unable to train them up into a form that pleased me. I try to be very conscious of my writing, I try to bend the words to my will, shape them into an exact replica of my thoughts... and when I can't do that, I kill them. I see dead blog posts. They're everywhere, and they're pissed. *shudders*
It's a frustrating truth all writers face at some point - some expressions are better suited to visual media. Waxing poetic? I'll write. Illustrating a point? I'll film.
A YouTube Channel will also allow me to respond to (and highlight) a number of troglodytes who've no doubt been spared the burden of literacy.
The Daisies and Shit Comic
I'm aiming for a three comic buffer before I start posting again. I've one ready for color, one 60% finished, and dozens scripted. Now that my eye works my biggest hindrance is getting back into the habit of creating on a daily basis. I'm doing what I can and I get a little closer to optimal every day. I don't know when the next comic will go up (a little label pontification), but it will be followed shortly by a small "farewell to BetaPwned" page before gliding into the first proper Daisies and Shit comic (Q & A).
Other Stuff
BetaPwned Book - As time allows I will be rewriting and redrawing all the old BetaPwned strips for publication. I made the horrible mistake of saving the vast majority of the BetaPwned strips at 72 dpi - leaving them far too small for publication. The rewrite will be constrained to breaking up the early strips which were far too verbose.
NinjEel - My first foray into superhero comics, NinjEel is the defender of logic, skepticism, and the scientific method! Intended as campy goodness, the series is being written and drawn for print rather than the web (though it's likely I'll make a digital version available for download as well). These are stretching my capabilities quite a bit, so they're going to take some time. The Preview Episode: Origins, Episode One: Antivax Anarchy!, and Episode Two: When Crockoducks Attack!, are being written now while I work on the cover art.
Dr. Higgins - I've decided the thirty-seventh year of my life is an excellent time to begin pursuing a degree in Astrobiology and a doctorate in Evolutionary Biology. Why the hell not, eh? This is going to do weird things with my time - the first couple of years I'll likely have more time for personal projects, followed by a few years of steadily decreasing amounts of personal time, until I'm eventually swallowed up by the dark and terrifying hole known as graduate studies. At that point my entire world shall consist of some wretched bit of scientific minutia which I shall cling to like an abusive lover. *coughs*
So... there you have it. See you again soon. *smiles*
The Daisies and Shit Blog
At this point, blog posts are primarily written at work between assignments. While this arrangement allows the blog to exist (there's no way I'd get any substantial writing done at home with the distractions of family life), it means the blog is at the mercy of my work schedule. For the last couple of months I've been doing both my job and a job I'm completely unqualified for and dislike immensely. The company assures me that they're looking for a replacement and they're conducting scattered interviews to keep me hopeful, so I'm tentatively optimistic that I'll be able to post more frequently in the near future.
The Daisies and Shit YouTube Channel???
As much as I hate appearing on camera, I'm seriously considering posting on YouTube. Serious enough that I've played with the channel settings and started researching digital cameras, mics, and editing software. Fluttering around me at all times are the ghosts of blog posts that were briefly given life and then mercilessly killed when I was unable to train them up into a form that pleased me. I try to be very conscious of my writing, I try to bend the words to my will, shape them into an exact replica of my thoughts... and when I can't do that, I kill them. I see dead blog posts. They're everywhere, and they're pissed. *shudders*
It's a frustrating truth all writers face at some point - some expressions are better suited to visual media. Waxing poetic? I'll write. Illustrating a point? I'll film.
A YouTube Channel will also allow me to respond to (and highlight) a number of troglodytes who've no doubt been spared the burden of literacy.
The Daisies and Shit Comic
I'm aiming for a three comic buffer before I start posting again. I've one ready for color, one 60% finished, and dozens scripted. Now that my eye works my biggest hindrance is getting back into the habit of creating on a daily basis. I'm doing what I can and I get a little closer to optimal every day. I don't know when the next comic will go up (a little label pontification), but it will be followed shortly by a small "farewell to BetaPwned" page before gliding into the first proper Daisies and Shit comic (Q & A).
Other Stuff
BetaPwned Book - As time allows I will be rewriting and redrawing all the old BetaPwned strips for publication. I made the horrible mistake of saving the vast majority of the BetaPwned strips at 72 dpi - leaving them far too small for publication. The rewrite will be constrained to breaking up the early strips which were far too verbose.
NinjEel - My first foray into superhero comics, NinjEel is the defender of logic, skepticism, and the scientific method! Intended as campy goodness, the series is being written and drawn for print rather than the web (though it's likely I'll make a digital version available for download as well). These are stretching my capabilities quite a bit, so they're going to take some time. The Preview Episode: Origins, Episode One: Antivax Anarchy!, and Episode Two: When Crockoducks Attack!, are being written now while I work on the cover art.
Dr. Higgins - I've decided the thirty-seventh year of my life is an excellent time to begin pursuing a degree in Astrobiology and a doctorate in Evolutionary Biology. Why the hell not, eh? This is going to do weird things with my time - the first couple of years I'll likely have more time for personal projects, followed by a few years of steadily decreasing amounts of personal time, until I'm eventually swallowed up by the dark and terrifying hole known as graduate studies. At that point my entire world shall consist of some wretched bit of scientific minutia which I shall cling to like an abusive lover. *coughs*
So... there you have it. See you again soon. *smiles*