Snarkclaw

Complicated Clothing Sizes

2008-08-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

I have mixed feelings about clothes shopping. I love looking at clothes and getting new things, but I have difficulty finding things that suit my tastes. I want the freedom of a leotard, the sophistication of a business suit, and the elegance of an evening gown... all in one clothing article. I want pants to simultaneously be as comfortable and sleek as leggings, professional as loose slacks, and durable as tough jeans. I love the appearance of off-the-shoulder shirts with billowy sleeves, but want my body covered up to my neck and dislike sleeves getting in my way. I want to have a rainbow of colors in my closet for just about every item, but do not want to spend much, consume much closet space, or have to worry about matching everything.

Unfortunately, the fact that I cannot trust sizes makes fulfilling my neurotic wardrobe requirements even harder.

First, the shoes became tricky. I generally have to look for anything from 5 to 7.5 in women's shoes. Then coat sizes became doubtful. I had to buy a raincoat in size 4 because the 6 (which had been my normal size) was way too big. Then I bought a Speedo swimsuit in size 14 and, yes, I looked good in it. Recently, I shopped for plain slacks and had to browse every size from 2 to 16 and finally walked away with four pairs of slacks: one in size 4, one in size 10, and two in size 8. One 8 is smaller than the 4 and one 8 is larger than the 10!

Some articles I read discussed that clothing makers relabeled clothing sizes so women "feel" thinner, encouraging us to buy. The idea is that a woman accustomed to looking in the 11/12 sizes shall be more excited about buying clothes if she suddenly finds that she can fit in 7/8 sizes, since they are "smaller."

Frankly, I do not care if I have to walk into a store and say that I need a size 6, 10, or 14... as long as I only have to say that I need one of those sizes. Trying to figure out what size I wear is hard enough without having to know that I am size 5 in Brand A, size 12 in Brand B, and size 2 for shirts and size 9 in pants -- except jeans, in which I'm a size negative 3 -- in Brand C. Seriously, what would be wrong with measuring women's clothes like men's clothes are measured: by using the actual measurements? A man with a 36-inch waist and a 32-inch inseam can trust that slacks bearing a label with those measurements will probably be a good fit. ¹ A man with a 17-inch neck and a 34-inch arm can buy a shirt with those measurements and enjoy a very good chance that it fits him. Now I have to look in every size and hope for the best.

Fellow shoppers, can we put aside our obsession with being small and delicate long enough to get some consistency and logic in our clothes sizes? Would it really kill us to admit to our waist or hip measurements? Honestly, I would rather go in and admit that my measurements are not 38"-24"-34" than hunt every size in the store for a pair of slacks.

1: My father has advised me that men cannot trust the inch measurements provided on clothing anymore, either! "Pants marked with a 36-inch waist can mean up to a 42-inch waist." The lunacy has snuck into the men's section, too!

Unmarried Marriage Counselor

2008-07-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

Advice is frequently tricky, especially on large and important matters. An advisee might receive so much input from conflicting advisors that he cannot sort through it all. He might receive no help, or only advice from those who do not value his particular needs. Some people feel that they are qualified to advise on all topics, whether they know anything on the particular subject or not. Some even go so far as to be offended when their suggestions are not taken. Some who may be able to help instead withhold their opinions, fearing to seem like "know-it-alls" or "busybodies." Sometimes an advisee does not even want advice.

One concept that often crops up in the advice arena is that of the "unmarried marriage counselor." "The person who has not been in the situation is unqualified to speak on it." This idea does not stop some people, and, frankly, is not entirely correct. Certainly "the voice of experience" is frequently more insightful than its less seasoned counterparts. However, research and observation can also provide insight, and sometimes a naive person can offer a fresh view (without cynicism or emotional stigmas). Still, the person seeking advice should watch for those just speaking to be heard with nothing useful to say.

Interestingly, we seem to forget that those who have "been there, done that" are not always the best to give advice. For example, all who are adults were once children, but there are many of us -- myself included -- who do not know what children need or want. I do not know what a crying infant wants, despite having been one. Most adults dismiss teen angst and related problems as "a stage," forgetting how those same problems honestly felt like the end of the world when we were teenagers. (Personally, I think any adult who tells a depressed teenager, "Cheer up; these are the best days of your life!" should be forced to relive the worst instances of her own teenage years in full, graphic detail.)

What can a person seeking advice do?

Keep sight of the goal. Inquire from sources that are likely to have some information regarding the goal, particularly reputable sources. (For example, when looking at American colleges, U.S. News & World Report publishes a detailed analysis every year. When trying to decide between the Dodge Dakota and the Toyota Tacoma as your next truck, Consumer Reports is a good source.) When making personal decisions, limiting your inquiries to those who know and care about you (and keep your interests at heart) is helpful. Once you have advice and information, weigh it in your own mind, de-emphasizing the opinions of others, particularly those not affected, and emphasizing your needs and the goal. Make your decision thinking about what you need and what your priorities are.

That is the best general advice I can give.

Yobo Controller

2008-07-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

Deer Me reader Kris Keegan provided me quite the entertaining instance of art imitating real life. His N64 controller bears a label that should be very familiar to regular readers. Thank you, Kris!

Your Background Image Is My Eyestrain

2008-06-29T12:00:00.000-07:00

I joined MySpace recently and actually found something good about it: it is a great place to find music. Many musicians and bands, both new and established, use MySpace to promote themselves, sharing songs, videos, and announcements. Very few of my "friends" on MySpace are people I know; most are bands I found or bands that found me.

Yes, all but one of the "friend requests" that I have received so far have been from bands who seek to expand their audiences and probably watch the pages of bands like them for new people. This suits me, since I want to find more music. I even included text in my profile to invite this behavior, in the unlikely event that the bands sending these invitations check the profiles of those they invite.

Unfortunately, there are also many aspects to MySpace that are as off-putting as they were when I was not a user. MySpace offers the option to hide your birthday, but then shows your age and your zodiac sign, so viewers still have your birthday, within a thirty-day interval. Gender, relationship status, country, and state must be provided and are always viewable. There are special codes that make it possible to hide these details... sort of. A user's MySpace profile page provides the age, gender, and location in the title, so even when the user employs a code to hide the information on the page, it is still visible in the page's title. Also, the information is again visible on blog pages and other places. The only solution to the issue is to lie on anything that a user wishes to hide.

Profile pages suggest that most users have little web design sense; the pages are painful to view. The few that do not opt for dark-on-dark go for bright-on-bright and nearly all employ far too many images. On the average profile I have seen, the background has an image (and not a muted one that works well for a background, but a big, vivid image that causes problems with any font color choice), the menus have images on top of the background image, and more images are stuck into whatever little room is left. I have often been unable to find links I know are there because the images take too long to load or the poor color scheme makes text hard to read.

I find it surprising that a user, especially a band using MySpace to promote itself, looks at a profile and thinks, "That looks great, just like I want to be represented," while I look at the same profile and think, "Ow! My eyes! My poor eyes!" or "Is this page ever going to finish loading? How many huge images are crammed onto this page, anyway?"

Zombie Attack!

2008-06-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

I had an actual post planned for today, but fell in love with the zombie attack meme and had to complete it.

You are in a mall when the zombies attack. You have:

1. one weapon.
2. one song blasting on the speakers.
3. one famous person to fight alongside you.

* Weapon can be real or fictional; you may assume endless ammo if applicable. Person can be real or fictional.

1. The gun that shoots shurikens and lightening from Painkiller.
2. Hymn by Lunatica
3. Ash from the Evil Dead movies.

Note: This post was migrated from its original location. The following is the comment in response to the post in its original location.

1. Typographer Says:
June 16, 2008 at 7:50 pm UTC

Shurikens and lightning! Cool!

Employed Again

2008-06-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

I am employed again; my start date is this Tuesday. I look forward to it.

I do not have comics ready to publish and sabotage my job yet, but I have some ideas I might pursue after the working with my new employer for a while.

(Yes, I merely jest about publishing comics causing my unemployment. There is a difference between cause-and-effect and coincidence.)

Note: This post was migrated from its original location. The following is the comment in response to the post in its original location.

1. Typographer Says:
June 2, 2008 at 7:41 pm UTC

Hurrah!

Hamlet on The Macbook Pro

2008-05-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

SO wrote a fabulous speculation about whether he should buy a laptop. None of the following was written by me; SO wrote it all and I felt it should be shared.

May 1, 2008 12:00 PM

To buy or not to buy, that is the question which plagues Shan-kind.
Wether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous prices, or to take arms against a sea of crappy IBM laptops and by opposing, end them? To buy, to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end the heart-ached and the thousand windows crashes that PCs are heir to, ’tis a consumation devoutly to be wish’d.
To buy, to sleep; to sleep perchance to dream: aye, there’s the rub, for in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal PC, must give us pause:
There’s the respect that makes calamity of so long scanning, for who would bear the whips and scorns of time, the clients' wrongs, the companies' contumely, the pangs of despised crashes, the PC’s delay, the insolence of Microsoft Office and the spurns that pathen merit of the unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make.
With a bare Macbook Pro? Who would fardels bear, to grunt and sweat under a weary life, but that the dread of something after PC,
The undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveller returns, puzzles the will and makes us rather bear those ills we have than to fly to others that we know not of?
Thus budgeting make cowards of us all. And thus the native hue of wide-screen matte resolution is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought of the price, and enterprises of greath pith and moment with this regard their currents turn awry, and lose the name of action - Soft you now!
The fair MacBook Pro, in thy orisons, be all my sins remember’d.

May 1, 2008 12:10 PM

This rambling brought to you by NyQuil, Gatoraide, and Kleenex tissues! I was gonna stop early on, but the stuff just kept coming. I'm especially proud of the undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveller returns, considering how once you went Mac you never went back.

Note: This post was migrated from its original location. The following is the comment in response to the post in its original location.

1. Kehf Says:
May 19, 2008 5:16 pm UTC

I'm glad you posted this. Very fun!

Especially since my Brother-in-law just converted to the Mac side this weekend and couldn't resist showing off his shiny new laptop :)

2. Zorkfox Says:
May 21, 2008 6:42 am UTC

I'm in much the same quandary. I want a MacBook Pro something fierce, but I can't seem to scrape the cash together all at once. Ever since I started working for Discovery Map, and after I got around for a week on my Mac there, I've wanted one of my own.

Someday, somehow....

Emerald City ComiCon 2008

2008-05-04T12:00:00.000-07:00

Is anyone reading this planning to attend Emerald City ComiCon? If yes, then would you like to meet up there? If yes to that as well, then please let me know!

Also, for everyone who likes a good laugh, go Watch The Guild. These videos about a local gamers guild are hilarious and might strike a cord with those of us who fear that we are spending too much time on the computer.

Note: This post was migrated from its original location. The following is the comment in response to the post in its original location.

1. Chuck_Melville Says:
ECCC!
May 6, 2008 at 5:06 am UTC

You know, I was planning on going to the ComiCon. But then, I remembered that I was unemployed now, and probably couldn't afford it, and that made me sad because I've been to every single EC ComiCon since they started, and I hate to miss it this year. But it would probably be foolish and unwise of me to go somewhere where I would be surrounded by hundreds of temptations to throw money away, when I really need to hoard every buck I have in order to face an uncertain future.

But then I remembered...

The government is giving me $600 this month.

So, hell yeah, I'm good for it. Let's go stimulate the economy!

Character Meme - Some Intriguing Questions

2008-04-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

I took this character meme from marbled_genet.

What is the name of your character?
Zeal Sharpclaw.

Where did the name of your character come from?
Zeal Dubois was a fan response to Feral Jackson of the 2000 AD comic series, Strontium Dogs: her "Zeal" to his "Feral". She migrated from Strontium Dogs fan concepts to Disney fan concepts, becoming a companion to Rose Red as they toured the various Disney films to get Snow White so Rose Red and Snow White could have their story. (You may laugh uproariously now.) That concept was wisely abandoned, though I kept Zeal Dubois and Rose Red traveling together. However, I was not excited by the pair. After I turned them into anthropomorphic animals, I changed their names: Rose Red to Lillian Lighthare and Zeal Dubois to Zeal Sharpclaw.

What species is your character and why did you choose that species?
Humanoid Canadian lynx.
As I mentioned in response to the previous question, I changed Rose Red and Zeal Dubois from humans to anthropomorphic animals. I wanted a natural predator-prey relationship, so ideas for Rose Red included deer, rabbit, and mouse. I opted for a rabbit named Lillian Lighthare. Zeal Dubois now had to be a rabbit predator. Despite my fondness of canines, I did not want to fall into the "foxy lady" concept and a wolf seemed wrong. My Differential Equations class offered the solution through the Lotka-Volterra predation model, which is based on the cycle of Canadian lynx and hares.

What color is your character and why? Hair/fur/eyes/etc.
Hair: Brown, like mine.
Fur: Mostly a warm grey with few markings. Canadian lynx coats are generally grey, brown, or a somewhat mottled blend of the two.
Eyes: Brown, like mine.
Markings: The tips of her ears and tail are black, normal for Canadian lynx ears and tail. In the interest of simplicity (or laziness, take your pick), she does not have the white and black stripes on her cheek tufts. Her torso is pale grey, though this is generally hidden by clothing.

What is your character's personality and how does this compare to your real personality?
Zeal shares my temper, my conflicting desires for solitude and to fit in socially, and some of my interests. However, she is bolder, better knows what she wants, and more dedicated to her pursuits.

What is one item your character owns that is significant to you in real life?
An infinity symbol that she wears on her person. I have not actually illustrated this yet, but I always mentally envision her with it. Concepts like zero and infinity fascinate me, for we can label them and mathematically work with them, but we cannot really illustrate or understand them.

What is one thing you thing you would say to your character if you could meet?
"Do retractable claws as fingernails hurt?"

What is one thing your character would say to you if you could meet?
"When are you going to finish writing my story and illustrate it?"

How has your character changed over the years?
She started as a human, then became a mutant with weak shape-shifting abilities, then became a human in a different universe, then became a humanoid Canadian lynx (or a human with Canadian lynx features, if you prefer), and finally started to resemble a Canadian lynx rather than a domestic cat with fluffy ears and cheeks when I started actually looking at references. She has made friends and enemies, had loves and losses, studied magic under a dragon, become a teacher, and had costume changes. One day, she might even have some of these things documented for others to read!

How long have you had this character?
She has existed in some form since 1992, but developed more into her current incarnation in 2000 or so.

Would you like to be more like your character?
Definitely, though everything I want to be more like (except the magic powers and her universe) is within my own abilities, if I am just willing to try.

Now tag three other people you would like to learn about!
Are there three people who read my journal, have characters, and have not done this meme? If you qualify, then I tag you!

The World Wide Web Keeps Me Busy

2008-04-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

Despite being unemployed still, I have managed to both stay busy and avoid feeling bored (most of the time). The World Wide Web has helped me, being related to most of my current activities.

Job Hunt:
Most companies with positions for which I apply require online applications. Though many advertise on job boards like CareerBuilder or with online editions of newspapers, several have their own online job application systems and listings within those systems.

Deer Me, My Comic:
I continue drawing Deer Me on Bristol board, but I scan the drawing into the computer, use a program to include text and word balloons, and then publish the comic online. I have also been uploading past comic strips to my VCL gallery and posting links to the images on BlogSpot. The VCL-BlogSpot combination is not intended to replace my web site, but serve as an online back-up, should anything cause my site to be unavailable for a long time. I do not anticipate that happening, but the back-up is nice to have and it took a long time to establish.

Other Comics:
With most newspaper comics and many comic books posting on the Web these days, is there any point to referring to comics that publish online as "web comics"? Anyway, I read comics online. Though I continually seek new creators, I mostly follow a relative few. Speaking of comics published online, check out my presentation for Outstanding Newcomer for the 2008 Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards!

Sharpdraw, My Drawings Journal:
I found a Bristol board that claimed to be good for technical pens, but I found unpleasant for inking. I made a note that I should not use that particular Bristol board for Deer Me. Forgetting why, I ignored the note and tried the paper again, repeating the unpleasant experience. After that, I started writing reviews of art supplies that I tried. I figured that having my own assessments on hand would reduce the risk of repeatedly using something that did not suit my purpose. I also figured that such reviews might help others or that others' comments might help me, so I publicly posted the reviews. I supplemented the journal with drawings, particularly my "Bouncy Bus Ride Doodles". Unfortunately, I lost momentum for posting anything -- reviews or sketches -- last summer. Scanning and posting old sketches has kept me busy in the last few weeks. Going forward, I shall try to continue making Sunday posts of drawings, calls to sell or buy art supplies, or even -- yes -- reviews. Since scanning and describing images rarely entertains me as much as drawing them does, we will see how well I maintain a weekly schedule for this on top of Deer Me's Friday updates.

Shopping:
Shopping can be good or bad, depending upon the purpose. In my current case, I have gotten some very useful items, but I need to curb the shopping. My online purchases have included some excellent additions to my supplies and resources, but shopping is becoming a way to stimulate me with new things. There are too many better -- and cheaper -- ways to do stimulate me with new things or experiences to justify shopping for shopping's sake. I recently realized what I was doing and decided that, when I start browsing an online store, I should visit the local library's site (or visit the local library in person) for a new book to read.

That list does not even include activities like posting to this journal, reading and writing e-mail letters, or visiting news sites and entertainment sites like I Has A Hot Dog! Even while unemployed, I am managing to stay pretty occupied, thanks in part to the World Wide Web.

Convention Dealer Table Advice

2008-03-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

Completing my dealer table application for Further Confusion 2009 brought to mind some questions about running a dealer table at a convention.

I plan to sell my book, prints, and possibly other merchandise like tee-shirts or mouse pads... plus the table is a way to promote Deer Me. I have sat at a friend's table for a while at a previous convention, but have never had my own table before. So, I could use advice and am open to suggestions.

What merchandise do you recommend that I stock at the table?

Should I include promotional freebies as well as merchandise to sell? If so, what sorts of things should be freebies? How can I best distinguish freebies from my pay-for items to my customers?

What are ways to grab the attention of random passers-by in a positive way? Should I use a colored table cloth? Should I try to bring a tall-standing vertical display?

What signage works best for providing prices and attracting attention?

Is it worthwhile to offer services like drawing convention badges or sketchbooks?

What things should I be aware of? What questions am I not asking that I should?

Thank you for your help!

It's Different When It's Your Own

2008-03-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

"It's different when it's your own," is the number one argument for breeding I receive when I tell people that I generally do not like children and do not want to become a parent.

An attendee of a loud and raucous revelry probably has little concern for the neighbors who are trying to sleep. However, he shall hold a very unfriendly view towards those causing disruptions when he tries to get some rest. Many drivers think that they drive better than all the other people on the road. Many users of cellular telephones say that other people are obnoxious in their use, but that they themselves are always considerate.

"Some people are so rude, always using their cell phones anywhere at any time, and talking so loudly, but I always consider where I am and... wait, I have a call. HEY, HOW'S IT GOING? YEAH, I WAS JUST... OH, YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE..."

Most of us assume that our own negative impacts are less than those of others, including the waits that we cause, the resources that we consume, the wastes that we generate, and the noises that we make.

Parents may shake their heads at the way other people's "unruly kids run wild" in public places, but then have no trouble letting their own children go equally unchecked, since their children would never be so troublesome... obviously.

I suspect that it is true that "it's different when it's your own." You more forgive your own children when they exhibit the same behaviors for which you condemn other people's children.

Cleaning House - Pens for Sale

2008-02-24T12:00:00.000-08:00

My recent move made me review my possessions, including the art supplies that I so dearly love to collect. I decided to "clean house" and have listed below a few pens for which I hope to find good homes.

Kuretake Brush Pen: No longer available.

The Sailor Ink Pen is a delightful sketching pen, the best fountain pen I have yet tried for sketching. It is lightweight and dependable. The nib is a fine steel nib and the body is lightweight plastic. The pen looks cheap, but it is great for carrying around. I have one used pen available; no bag or cartridge is included. The pen has been cleaned and I am asking for $4 for the pen, including shipping within the US.

The Sailor Profit Brush Pen is a beautiful fountain pen with a nylon-hair brush nib. The cigar-style body is attractive, light, and comfortable to hold. The brush nib is thickly packed, allowing great control. The pen accepts regular Sailor cartridges and the Sailor converter; neither are included with the pen. I am asking for $30, including shipping within the US.

The Staedtler Mars 700 set of seven technical pens has been cleaned, tested/used, and cleaned again. I particularly love these technical pens, but I finally realized that I have four sets of them! In this set, the largest pen's nib (not the full pen) is missing its nib cap (all pens do have their caps; I can explain if you are interested in the pens but confused by what I mean). I have not found this to impact performance, but mind the weighted wire when removing the nib from the pen body. I am asking for $30 for the set, including shipping within the US.

The Uranus 2018 Multifunction Pen is a very pretty metal pen with a very fun feature: a fine ballpoint on one end and a foam brush on the other. Both feed from the same ink reservoir in the body. The pen comes with its box and its ink bottle, which is not entirely full due to one filling of the pen. I am asking for $25, including shipping within the US.

All pens are available on a first-come-first-served basis. Please contact me to express your interest in a pen or pen set.

In other news, I attended my first gun show yesterday and bought an 80 lb self-cocking pistol crossbow. I look forward to shooting it. We need to build a good target first, so I have something both at which to shoot and into which the bolts can safely go without getting (or causing) damage.

Comics Announcements to Start 2008

2008-02-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

Nominations for the 2007 Ursa Major Awards are now open and will continue until February 28. If there is an illustration, story, comic book, or other creative body of work featuring anthropomorphic animals that you think deserves recognition, then go nominate it! The site provides a complete list of nomination categories and instructions on how to participate.

The final voting round for the Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards is open now through February 22. If you are the creator of an online comic and you feel that one of the nominated comics deserves recognition, then show your support by voting. The Ursa Major Awards and the Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards are fun ways to both show support for creative endeavors that you already know and discover new material. I learned of a few of my now-favorite comics through previous Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards.

The first Deer Me book collection, All I Hold Deer, is available! You can now order a copy from me, through Jarlidium Press, or through Second Ed Mailorder.

My work also appears in the following publications that are available for purchase through their respective publishers:

* Furrlough 157 from Radio Comix
* Hit The Beach 13 from Radio Comix
* Furrlough 177 from Radio Comix
* A Girl's Guide to Guys' Stuff from Friends of Lulu
* North American Fur (NAF) 12-19 from Jarlidium Press
* Tales of The Tai-Pan Universe 27, 28, 29, 32, 36, 39, 42 from Tai-Pan Literary And Arts Project

Looking at that little list makes me think that I should draw more.

Note: This post was migrated from its original location. The following is the comment in response to the post in its original location.

1. Seth Starke Says:
thank you
April 5, 2008 at 7:37 pm UTC

First i would like to say i have been a fan for a little while from vcl. I finally had time to sit down and read all the comic from start to finish. I enjoy it alot and wish to say please keep up to great work. I wouldnt mind showing up in your fanmail section but thats not my call. I do enjoy the way that viana likes thomas however is not sure of herself it shows the little soft side of her and im glad she has one. again keep up the good work and ill look into donating when i can. thanks for your artwork.

Amusing Con-versations

2008-01-27T12:00:00.000-08:00

I have rarely accessed the Internet in the past two weeks. SO and I moved on January 11 and got Internet access at home on January 19, just before we flew to Las Vegas, NV for half a week and then San Jose, CA for the second half of the week. Now home in the new house (which is absolutely stunning), I am catching up on various Internet-based activities like e-mail.

I issued address change messages to people before I moved. If you have not received an address change message from me and believe that you should have, then please:
1. Check your e-mail inbox for a message from me.
2. Check your e-mail spam box for a message from me.
3. Write me, requesting my new information, if no message from me appears in your inbox or your spam box.

My Deer Me book collection, All I Hold Deer, apparently sold well at Further Confusion on Friday. of Radio Comix was surprised by how few spare copies they had of Furrlough 177 when I visited the table on Sunday, so I hope that means that it sold well, too. Self-serving comment: Buy stuff featuring my work! It encourages me to create more!

I enjoyed much of Further Confusion. As a fan of panels, I kept busy by attending panels and did not spend much time at the Jarlidium Press table. If I can, though, I plan to get a table for next year... and I might sit at it for more than a few minutes. The convention provided some decidedly entertaining moments, including deliberate ones -- like energetic costumers performing well -- and unexpected ones -- like the following funny conversations.

The "Hot Tub Puma" Print:
[FAN opts to buy a Flinthoof print that features a particular puma character in a hot tub.]
SO (who created the character): [to FLINTHOOF] "See? It is popular."
FAN: "It's okay. I know her on Taps."
SO: "I am her on Taps."
FAN: "..."
SO: [to FLINTHOOF] "When he says he 'knows her', he really means 'saw her once, masturbated to her picture, and put her on his watch-for list'."

Divining Rod Pixie Stix:
[Fan carrying one long pixie stick in each hand, henceforth known as PIXIE FAN, approaches SHERYL. PIXIE FAN holds out the two long pixie stix, says something that SHERYL misses (probably "Is she female?" or "Is she cute?"), and slowly pulls the pixie stix together in an angle that means something to PIXIE FAN.]
PIXIE FAN: "Yes."
[PIXIE FAN spreads the pixie stix out again.]
PIXIE FAN: "Is she also a geek?"
[PIXIE FAN pulls the pixie stix together in same angle.]
PIXIE FAN: "Yes."
[PIXIE FAN spreads the pixie stix out again.]
PIXIE FAN: "Now, the tough question. Is she straight?"
[PIXIE FAN pulls the pixie stix together in a different angle.]
PIXIE FAN: "That question is trickier and they're stumped."
SHERYL: [sweetly] "You could always ask me."
PIXIE FAN: [pleased] "What is your sexual preference?"
SHERYL: [sweetly] "Private."
PIXIE FAN: "Ah."

Attending Further Confusion 2008

2008-01-13T12:00:00.000-08:00

Hello, fellow fans of funny animals!

I am attending Further Confusion 2008 and hope to see some friendly folks there. Most of my time shall probably be spent at the Jarlidium Press/PonyPics table or at panels.

If I look friendly, then please feel free to say, "Hello!" If I look unfriendly, then please feel free to say, "Sheryl, smile. You are here to have fun." I (probably) shall not even bite!

Also, the first Deer Me book collection, All I Hold Deer, is available!

This book shall be sold at the Jarlidium Press table in the Dealers Den at Further Confusion 2008. So, swing by the table and show me that you think that my effort from the past four years is worth $7 USD to you. ~~You can also contact Jarlidium Press directly about the book if you are not attending the convention.~~ Correction: The book shall also be available soon (date TBD) at Jarlidium Press and Second Ed Mailorder, in case you are not attending the convention.

Wait... And There 2007 Went

2007-12-30T12:00:00.000-08:00

When a calendar year ends, remarks that "the year just flew by" are often made. This even happens when the year itself did not seem to go quickly during the year... only in hindsight.

The year 2007 certainly flew by, though. In February, I could not believe that the year had started. In April, I still could not believe that the year had started, never mind that a full quarter had passed. In June, I wondered what had happened to April, and in August, I felt dizzy trying to figure out where the first half of the year had gone. In October, I wondered what had happened to both spring and summer. Now, at the end of December, I almost wonder where the year went.

I say that I "almost" wonder, for I do know. In summer, or possibly autumn, I figured out what I was doing: I was waiting. I waited for:

* each work morning's commute to end, so I could start my workday.
* each workday to end, so I could go home.
* other people's input, so I could be productive.
* the weekend, so I had days for my personal tasks.
* paydays, for money.
* SO to leave on a distant assignment, so I could do things that are easier in solitude.
* SO to return from his distant assignment, because I missed him.
* holidays, vacations, or other events.
* the release date of some publication.
* news on some topic.
* many other things.

First I realized that I spent all of my time waiting. Then I realized that all the waiting wasted my time.

I am glad that I realized this before the year ended. The realization and the accompanying solution -- a focus on "now" -- helps me see the end of the year as it happens... rather than see it two months later. I have much that needs doing, and waiting for another month and then wondering where yet another month has gone will not help me.

Note: This post was migrated from its original location. The following is the comment in response to the post in its original location.

1. Amoveodivus Says:
December 31, 2007 at 4:04 pm UTC

That's an excellent observation and solution. Waiting always seems to drain energy and motivation.

I barely remember this year at all. It's just a big blur of work and unproductive musing about accomplishing things. So maybe this year I will have one resolution. Accomplish things I've always wanted to try. If I can achieve just one of those desires I will be satisfied.

Further Funny Coincidences About Funnies

2007-12-16T12:00:00.000-08:00

The trend continues.

As I previously observed, news that one of my comics has been published closely precedes news that my position at work will be eliminated.

Shortly after Radio Comix published Furrlough 157 with my five-page comic, "It's A Wonderful Day", I received my first layoff notice ever. On the same day that I learned when the Friends of Lulu anthology, A Girl's Guide to Guys' Stuff, would run with my three-page comic, "Comics Are for ~~Men~~ ~~Women~~ Me", I learned that my position at the time would be eliminated.

Last weekend, I learned that my comic story, "Ghost Writer", ran in Furrlough 177. On Monday, I received my layoff notice.

At least I have a sure-fire predictor. If I publish a comic, then I lose my job.

Wishing for A...

2007-12-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

I sometimes wish that I had:

An overly wealthy eccentric who pays me a high salary, with benefits, just to do my own thing. (This is probably a pretty common wish.)

An inner demon that compels me to get off the computer, put down the books, and draw and write much more than I do.

A web-master to maintain my web sites (currently sorely in need of updating) and handle advertising for Deer Me (sorely in need of readers).

A writer to write non-Deer Me scripts that I draw into comics and to help me on occasional Deer Me blocks.

A maid. (This is probably also a pretty common wish.)

Of course, I also sometimes still wish that I had a unicorn friend who carries me on his back to a different world, where we have lots of magical adventures. I suspect that this is about as likely to happen as some of the things from the above list.

Send Me Entertainment Suggestions

2007-11-18T12:00:00.000-08:00

Hello, fellow Netizens. I crave new amusements... and you can help me!

I seek new distractions to keep me entertained, so send me your suggestions. Send me recommendations for:

- Music:
-- Classical/Instrumental
-- Metal/Rock
-- New Age/World
-- Dance/Pop
-- Soundtracks

- Fairy Tales, Folklore, Myths:
-- Original or alternate versions
-- Children's books that use the stories
-- Shows that use the stories, like Into The Woods
-- Comics that use the stories, like Fables and No Rest for The Wicked
-- Music inspired by the stories

- Art Supplies:
-- Is there some snazzy tool that you think everyone should try?
-- Is there something you would like me to review (or revisit) in my art supply reviews?

There is no expiration date for this request. Anytime you can recommend something, then please do so!

Double-Decker Joy

2007-11-04T12:00:00.000-08:00

One thing that I miss about England is the double-decker bus. Riding on the top of a double-decker bus -- particularly in the front -- is very fun. The added height alters the view enough to create a different riding experience.

Thanks to new buses in the local bus system, I no longer have to miss double-decker buses. For months, I have occasionally seen the new double-decker buses on the road, but none were for my routes. Finally, recently, one of my routes used a double-decker bus. The front seats on the top were already occupied when I got onto the bus, but I got to sit in the next row, directly behind the front seats.

The added height made pedestrians and cars look smaller. Tree branches scraped at the windows as we passed. The streets themselves seemed distant and a little like a toy setting. People stared at the bus as we passed. Some even waved at those of us in the top.

Whee! I love double-decker buses.

Note: This post was migrated from its original location. The following is the comment in response to the post in its original location.

1. Dolphinchatter Says:
November 4, 2007 at 8:38 pm UTC

Wee! SO Metro is adding double deckers? Cool!

I was just mentioning to Chuck_Melville yesterday that Metro is a pretty good service when compared to Kitsap Transit. I thought I would take KT to my folks place once. I changed my mind when I found that it would take two days to get there.

By the way.. I tried to email you but it failed. I wanted to thank you very much for the e-card animation. IT was a great addition to the morning coffee.

Food Service Doom

2007-10-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

SO does not complain about a restaurant's food or service, no matter how bad it gets. Despite being a very amiable customer, he sometimes really gets the short end of the service... particularly when we dine together.

More than once, he has been almost completely ignored while I received attention... until when he received the bill. Since he refuses to complain, he has gone hungry through meals that contained onions (his food allergy), despite his request and the server's confirmation of no onions. Still, the waitress at Planet Hollywood in Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, NV, impressed me.

For my order, the waitress enthusiastically agreed with my "good choices" and said that they were her favorites. Anything that SO even speculated, though, she strongly advised against. He considered the turkey club sandwich versus the Caesar salad and she said, "You can get a turkey club anywhere." (We find Caesar salads even easier to find.) He found the key lime pie interesting and she repeatedly made the Stop-Dead finger-across-throat signal. I cannot recall seeing any server so adamant against the customer's choices, even in comedy skits.

Coupled with the fact that she seemed to be relaxed and friendly with me and not so much with him, she gave me the impression that she did not like him. Getting such different treatment for two customers at the same table is a weird experience... yet not that uncommon for us.

I wonder if he was a restaurant critic in a former life.

Writers Night Folks: I apologize for disappearing and taking to baby-sit me all night. Shortly after I arrived, I realized that some current stresses accumulated sufficiently so that I was not emotionally fit enough for a group activity. I was happy to see you (if briefly) and I expect to be more sociable next time!

Not My Kind Of Place

2007-10-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

I have been away from home for a while, visiting the tourist hot-spot, Las Vegas, NV. The trip told me something that I could probably have guessed:

Las Vegas is not my kind of place.

Las Vegas caters to tourist excess. The hotels are enormous and vibrant, with slot machines, shows, and scantily-clad servers. Signs advertising alcohol, comedians, and topless dancers reach several stories high. Gratuities are expected for everything, including things that the customer does for himself.

For those who enjoy gambling, drinking, and partying, Las Vegas must be fabulous. I did find the shows that I saw, the Blue Man Group and Spamalot, delightful. I plan to return to Las Vegas sometime for the Cirque du Soliel shows that do not tour, like O and Mystere. However, I found most of the rest of the tourist experience simply gaudy and overpriced.

Oh... SO and I had a funny experience at the Planet Hollywood restaurant in Caesar's Palace... but I am saving that story for later. For now, I shall just say that a waitress once again obviously liked me much more than she liked him. (SO is not a difficult customer, in case anyone thinks that was the problem.)

Deer_Me = Snarkclaw

2007-09-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

Back in college, one of my professors discussed underscores as he provided us his e-mail address. He had used an underscore to separate his first initial from his last name in his address.

"It is such a pain," he said. "It interrupts your typing flow, having to reach the extremes of the keyboard to hit the underscore. Never create a username that includes an underscore."

Forgetting his advice, I selected the username "deer_me" for my LiveJournal account. He was right. The underscore is a pain.

The underscore is gone now; deer_me is now snarkclaw. As my profile says:

Snark: (slang) a snide remark
Sharpclaw: last name of Zeal Sharpclaw, my fictional, anthropomorphic Canadian lynx
Snarkclaw: my on-line journal, featuring musings, news, observations, tirades, and other posts

Back Off, Fan-Boy?

2007-09-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, SO attended a small convention that I did not. He told me of a teenage girl who cheerfully announced that she was having a great time, since she was receiving so much friendly attention. He commented that she was female who was not incredibly heavy, so of course she received friendly attention from the mainly-male population. I pointed out that I am also a not-heavy female and I rarely receive much friendliness when I attend similar conventions. He then said to me the following:

"You don't wear a 'Stupid teenager' expression. You wear a 'Leave me alone or I'll crush you' expression."

This observation came from my sweetheart.

I consider myself a physically attractive woman and have been somewhat surprised by the lack of attention from obnoxious fan-boys in settings where they are reputed to approach and creep out women. Is my freedom from such experience really due to my aggressive and unwelcoming stance? I have speculated that this is possible, but I did not realize that it was so prevalent in my non-verbal communication!