Thursday sucks this week

As you have all noticed, there have been no real updates this week. That is because the webcomicsnation server is getting switched to something else at www.mosso.com, and we haven't been able to access the control panel. This means no new comics. Maybe tomorrow we'll be able to post something new, we'll see. Thank you for your patience.

My computer is still out. A neighbor will so kindly lend his services this weekend to see if he can cure what ails it. I am forever grateful.

I broke a string on my bass today. The G-string. Every time. I am too funky for my bass.

Feeling upset about this, I picked up my sleek Onyx DS Lite and played through another level on Metroid Prime: Hunters this afternoon. I'll have to say I'm liking the game a lot. I even played online yesterday, and got my face torn off and handed back to me in the same manner a paper shredder mutilates an envelope from Capital One.

I beat New Super Mario Bros on the plane on the way home from California. It was great. I'll play it again and again, as there are lots of different level paths you can choose. The multiplayer is also a blast. I can't wait to try it out on my own DS against Shawn.

We also have yet to test out the multiplayer of Age of Empires on the DS, but I had loads of fun trying to beat an easy AI on the plane, so I'm sure playing against a real person or two will be far more entertaining.

Shawn those shapes are off the chain

Forgive my bad slang. Shawn, the Toad today is hilarious.

I may be able to get my computer fixed today, so I shall return soon everyone. There has just been bad timing all over the place.

My flight from Oakland to Phoenix was 40 minutes late, so when our plane was landing, the other plane I was supposed to be getting on was just taking off. I also felt really sick for most of that day, and then ran across the airport only to discover that my plane was gone. The next flight to Houston wasn't until 10pm, so I was getting home, and then to bed around 3:30am.

Metroid Prime: Hunters for my DS came in the mail, and I played a bit of that yesterday. More on that later.

Adios.

Sterling. It's time you've returned.

Hello. I've come to a hard conclusion. I can't hide behind my lies anymore.


I cannot draw.


And I've generally reconciled myself to this fact. Any idea I have is reduced to the limited palette of geometric shapes microsoft paint provides. I'm not a cubist. I'm not smart enough. And so, Sterling. I hope your computer gets fixed tomorrow.

I hope everyone's enjoying their day. This post shall be updated soon.

I HAD SO MUCH TURKEY I'LL EXPLODE!

So, concrete cylinders are fun to roll in. Football is fun to play in cool weather and the green beans that have that slight bit of vinegar-y tang couple perfectly with deviled eggs and turkey.

People have begun noticing, it can’t be denied. Something’s changed about Blue House Comics. What is this phantom notion that keeps you up in the night? Well it’s that I’m still drawing the comics because Sterling’s still out of town. My cousin put it best perhaps. Below is a dialogue.

“Hey, check out the new comic I drew.”

“Wow Shawn, that’s really good when’s Sterling coming back?”

He reassures me that his only concern is for our readership. A readership, he fears dwindling and meager.

Today’s comic is of a different inception, however. It was drawn by another cousin, who’s credit is noted in the bottom left of the image. I think he did a great job.

I do hope everyone’s Thanksgiving has been filled with warm glows and jolly giggles. That’s a gumpy sentence. Spell checker’s warning me that “gumpy” is not a word. I speak it into existence. If I have your support, then perhaps we can make a foray into Oxford’s English canon.

Anyway, I must now depart for my homeland. To everyone, safe-keeping.

Oakland, CA

Hello everyone. I make post. They have dial-up here.

My flight to Oakland was rather splendid, thanks to the early arrival of my Onyx Nintendo DS, and a certain Age of Empires game that Shawn's brother, Pat, let me borrow. The game grew more and more fun as I played against a computer on the easy difficulty level, which is kind of embarassing because we are now at a standstill in my saved game.

You know those Mac vs. PC commercials? The guy sitting two seats next to me (we had a buffer seat that was rather nice) looked remarkably like the PC man from those commercials. I almost mentioned that to him, but I'm not sure if he would appreciate being compared to the stereotypical white bread middle aged man that uses the "archaic" PCs.

We're going to try and go to a car show sometime this week, so I'm jazzed.

Adios everyone.

It begins.

Well, Sterling’s out enjoying the frivolities of vacation. Meanwhile, the fan mail is already pouring in since I uploaded the toad with my own artwork. So far, the response has been a little bit overwhelming.

I mean, I knew it’d be a hit. But some of you guys are too kind. But who am I to refuse a little bit of acclaim? If you’re that overcome with emotion, then go ahead and email or comment to tell me how awesome my drawings are. I don’t mean to dissuade.

Today I talked with a gnome. No joke. He’s a squire in their underground kingdom beneath my neighbor’s garden. Lately, their land has fallen under the dark enchantment of Rübezahl, the evil mountain gnome. They should like it if I helped them. I told them I would maybe make a comic about it to raise public awareness. Maybe after Darfur, the government might lend ear to their grievances.

If you are confused about how to interpret my art, read the previous post. Thank you.

With today’s toad, I wish to inspire the courage to ask the tough questions. And also to have a good day.


-Arrivederci!

I Had A Dream, but then I forgot what it was

The day draws ever nearer. Soon, tables will clink with the silverware of hungry diners while outside the air is cold. Maybe some football.

It’s true, Sterling is leaving town, but it’s not all true. Many of you are already acquainted with my art. Vampirelando was but a subtle texture in the weaving canopy of my work. There are so many more to experience, and for that I envy you, the audience.

Pertaining to current affairs, this post contains a guide to appreciating my work. This guide begins now:

1. My work reveals expressions and impressions. Do not look for representation. I want to unveil the essence captured beneath the visual, not dress up the husk. Likewise, do not search for exaggerated images of the real. Those reek too much of the latter’s likeness. I aim to create entirely anew.

2. If the drawn image seems “off” or otherwise confuses the intended joke, then perhaps it’s your fault.

3. Do not really pay much attention to the visuals at all.


This guide encompasses most of it, for the primer and philistine alike. A show of hands, who’s having Turducken for Thanksgiving?

Didn’t think so.



-Arrivederci!

Californication

I leave for California today. Until next Monday, I believe Shawn will be manifesting his own comics for the Adventuresome Toad.

In short, be prepared for Shawn's artwork. He may scrawl something out of Microsoft Paint using his laptop. I'm not sure.

I would draw them from California, but I'm not going to put my precious Wacom tablet into any kind of airplane luggage, carry-on, or what-have-you. It is staying here, where it is safe. On my pullout keyboard drawer.

I hope most everyone can remember Zach Morris from Saved by the Bell, or the Adventuresome Toad isn't as funny today.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone! I'll try to at least update my post a couple times while I'm gone.

Adios!

Twenty Years in progress

Today is my birthday. I am 20. Hurray. I'm going to work today. Un-hurray.

I am leaving for California tomorrow through Sunday, so we'll figure something out for the comics this week. Don't expect a Toad everyday.


Get ready everyone, we'll have something cool for the Thanksgiving comic, I promise. It will be themed, you could say. I'm no longer terribly coherent, and so I retire.

Adios.

Oh My Stars

Is the sky falling? Do you, Chicken Little, bewail the heavens? Do not fear. We only took a day of rest from the comic. It’s frightening, I know. But huddled together we can last this tempest.

The Saturday comic is ended.

As Sterling articulates below, we need a spot in the week to chill. You know. Take 5.

On the topic of Sterling, how bout that dragon? An ode to Wii and the new Zelda. It comes out today you know. The vital energy of today’s toad could get anybody excited about it.

So I was thinking to myself, what would the world be like as a mosquito?

Walk with me.

It occurred as a mosquito whined around my ear and then my arm. I came very near swatting it. My arm’s muscle twitched and then stopped. I won’t reel this out like a yarn, so I’ll go ahead and reveal the ending. I smished the mosquito. And now with a fateful air, our story begins.

As I looked at his flying, some things occurred in my mind. I will describe them in order.

First, God made this bug. Knowing I often act like scum it felt weird condemning this (perhaps?) soulless insect to nothing, simply because he has been genetically programmed to suck my blood. Without sentience, I imagine the creature finds it difficult to resist his instincts.

Secondly, there’s a lot of death in the world. Granted, in our universe, a person’s story starts, lasts, and then ends at certain points. The symphony is stilted, but there is concord despite. Still, why contribute that much more dissonance? The tune will get along without it.

Thirdly, I imagined myself quite the benevolent philanthropist letting it buzz. Here I am doling out life to this globally despised invertebrate and expecting nothing in return! What a saint! What a genuine guy!

Then the little rot poked my arm. Darn bug, get offa me! And so I skished him.

This is a relevant story for your life. Thank you for your time.


-Arrivederci! (The Italian’s for all the ladies. Wink.)

No More Saturdays

Today you can see the mysterious project I was working on, the Zelda fanart piece, as the Adventuresome Toad comic. The Nintendo Wii launches today, and the new Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is also launching tomorrow. Fun for everyone.

We are officially dropping a Saturday Toad comic. Not nearly as many people are online on Saturdays anyways, so we hope you won't miss it too much.

We decided that we need a little bit of a breather at the end of the week, as we've been getting stretched thin mentally, physically, and any other way that one can be strecthed.

Kathy and I went shooting on Friday, which was a blast. I showed Kathy how to hold the gun and shoot it and all that and her professor said she looked like a pro. Hurray. A friend of hers let us borrow a couple .22 target pistols and we fired away. I've done a bit of recreational shooting in the past, and I have a suggestion for everyone.

Go shooting outside if you can. Indoors is awful. Everything is insanely loud. Stuck inside of a tiny concrete box, the sound from a guy's .44 magnum sounded like a canon going off 4 feet from us. I don't like the idea of being in a little booth, no more than 26 inches from the person firing in the booth next to you. Bad point number two - there's smoke everywhere from the guns, and there's no place for it to go inside of a tiny room. After 30 minutes you can taste it in the air and it's not wonderful.

My boss invited Kathy and I and some other people to go with him to the Texans football game tomorrow. I hope we win, I've heard out team hasn't played well in the past, but then again... I don't really know.

The Punchline

“I thought of some jokes on the way home… cuz it’s a long way and..”

“oh.”

“what do you call a woman who delivers mail?”

“uh…”

“A Transvestite! A male woman! A mail woman! A male woman. Mail.”

“what.. I don’t.”

“Or should I say ‘female-man’. Like ‘femail-man’ woman.”

“but I… ohh. Oh, ok, now I see. Hm.”

“It came to me real quick too. Like I saw a mail truck and there it was.”

This exchange between roommates occurred behind me while thinking of today's post.

Well, I am reclining in a sea of “job-well-done” satisfaction. I don’t know if the job is well done, but I’m not going to fight the sentiment. My test is finally ended, having logged 16 hours of my life away solely for its preparation. 16 gritty granules to other side of my indeterminately set hourglass. Ah well. It’s at least an engaging subject.

Today marks the last day for our Facebook ad! The ad performed to our satisfaction. Soon we’ll have those buttons and the marketing campaign will continue forward! Do not think yourself too ignoble to soldier in our ranks. Join the street team!

I really need to finish Vanity Fair. How embarrassing.

-Arrivederci!

2nd Amendment is the Best One

Kathy and I are going to go shooting tomorrow, with some professor of hers. He sponsors a 2nd Amendment club, in which they exercise the 2nd amendment rather frequently. Kathy's never fired a gun, and I would like to do so again. We're shooting pistols is what I've heard.

Sounds like fun!



On a side note, don't forget to vote if you haven't done so already. There's going to be new contests like these happening a lot, once a month it seems, so remember to check back and vote.

Enjoy the Thursday.
Thanks!

A Gremlin Terrorizes My Belly

My morning dawns upon the hangover of a gruesome study session. I don't have an avatar for feeling "woozy" so I had to make due.

Last night’s evening will be marked subtly by small, non-descript text beneath the date of November the fourteenth in calendars around the world. I don’t know what they’ll call it. Besides Joel’s birthday, I mean.

I consumed well over the unhealthy number of 13 mugs of java. Sometime after that high-water mark, I asked them to switch me to decaf. But the damage had already been done and it came in torrent. From one moment- a slightly bored drowse to the next, a shaky deluge of unnatural energy. I don’t know if I became more focused or if I absorbed any more knowledge after that. I only remember a waking dream of lights, Modified Internal Rates of Return and the distant sound of conversation.

It wasn’t like I just said, but I did have too much coffee.

Well, yesterday was awesome! We clocked the day out at the number 21 spot on Webcomicsnation with over 800 pageviews! Thank-you, fine individuals. Each and every of your seeing eyes are appreciated.

I should probably go and study some more. My stomach is a mess though. And I can still feel that nasty energy shaking my hands. It’s kind of cold. Maybe I’ll hit up Starbucks.

-Arrivederci!

Black and White

I forgot to make a layer for today's Adventuresome Toad, so I was forced to do some kind of wash on it, thus you have the loose grey shadowing.

The comic is a recounting of Shawn's observations in his classrooms.

I'm going out of town next Tuesday to California to visit some relatives for the Thanksgiving holiday, so we're going to try and work something out for the comics. I may just have to do a bunch this weekend to have them ready for the break.

Have a happy Wednesday everyone.

Feel That Breeze?

A new field shines brazenly before us. You squint because you’ve never encountered light so pure, grass so green, water so shimmering.

Blue House Comics has taken a firm step forward into this new land with our first paid advertisement. We’ve just purchased a quantity of ads on Facebook and are excited about what sort of traffic it might generate. Ok, I’m done with my mirthful enthusiasm.

To every season turn, turn, turn. The weather is getting cooler (as an aggregate). Red now mixes with the standard Starbucks green at their populous locations. And in my heart I feel a familiar tune ol’ Bing used to sing. It’s resonating dully, but growing more full each passing day. “There’s a tree in the Grand Hotel…”

And yes, I realize we’ve still a Thanksgiving to observe. But with more exams and finals around every corner, I can’t help but put on the festive spirit as armor to academia’s bolts and blades. Yesterday I purchased hot chocolate, jumbo marshmallows, some cloves (for smelling) and a large jug of eggnog. Yes, it’s true.

Well, I’ve a large text to dig through before my evening’s finished. But for all you happy Tuesday viewers, please enjoy your stay.

-Arrivederci!

Asleep under the Desk

I wake up under my desk. It's late. The light is still on in the room. How long have I been asleep?

Oh yeah, the comic. Finish the comic. How do I get more sleep? Was that why I was on the floor?

What is this, what's going on? Someone is conversing with my AIM box. Yell at it. It is Shawn.

Oops.


Now I am wide awake again.

My tea is cold now.

Hopping Hotcakes Folks!

We have a new Spiderman 3 trailer.

The wait is now approximately 6.5 months.

Another movie begs mentioning. Stranger Than Fiction might earn a place among my favorite movies of all time. I really am afraid of saying too much so I will only demand, urgently, that you see it. You.

Seriously.

By the way, the latest installment of the Legend of Toad has concluded.

Now let’s talk metaphysics. “What is Nothing, anyway? It's not anything, and it's not something, yet it isn't the negation of something, either. Traditional logic is no help, since it merely regards all negation as derivative from something positive.”

I just copied and pasted that from the second site that popped up when I Googled, “metaphysical question”. I actually have no real input to posit.

Class calls my name. One more test this Wednesday. Then things will start to become a little brighter during the day. I cannot wait. Let us hope I don’t nuke the test. Unless by nuking it, I crush it.

-Arrivederci!

*EDIT* I would also like to subtly note that the controller we’re passing Bethany is the gray controller. For those not among the five that play video games in my room, that’s sabotage. We don’t pull our punches when craving victory. We swing all out.

Male Chauvinism

Special announcement! I believe today is Ben Jackson's birthday, I think, so someone tell him happy birthday because I never get a chance to talk to him.

I wanted to make today's Blue House Comic a lot longer than normal, being a part two as it is, because I desperately do not want to fall into the stereotypical talking heads 3-4 panel comic strip. I hope you enjoy it. I had lots of fun drawing the dancing poses at the end, although I'm sure in real life we look much sillier. I also can't say that Shawn and I have ever ganged up against Bethany and slaughtered her in Smash Brothers. That's why comics are great. You can be a huge jerk and dance around after unfairly annihilating a girl and no one gets mad at you.

The Adventuresome Toad is an old comic, whose text is a quote that belongs to John Heidelmeier. We've always loved it, so there it is. Cheer up kids. Somewhere, someone else is suffering far greater pains than you'll ever know! Doesn't that make you appreciate everything more?

Now that that's cleared up you can get rid of your Taking Back Sunday CD and go to college.

(I actually liked Taking Back Sunday's last CD, I haven't heard the new one yet)


I have a new desk that the aforementioned John's parents so graciously bestowed upon me, and I must say that I LOVE the new arrangement. I've finally set this thing up and it's the best desk I've ever had. I won't bore you with details about a desk, so I'm not going to.

EVERYBODY KICK MONDAY IN THE FACE.

I ate a waffle

I did indeed eat a waffle yesterday, as I had predicted.

The toad army story thing wrapped up today, so if you weren't thrilled by the haphazard way the "story" was told then I'm here to tell you we're going back to our random Adventuresome Toad comics as of Monday.

BIG FREAKING HUGE NEWS. Nvidia has yet again cheapened our satisfaction level with our current video cards by releasing the new 8800 series. Youch.

If you have not made some delicious eggs recently, I suggest you do so. Put something interesting in them though, don't just salt them. Chop up a red onion or a bell pepper and tomato and mushroom and plunk that into your eggs. Use garlic salt if you're fresh out of cloves, marinate this with some lime juice and sherry and then pepper to your liking.

Lads and lasses, girls and boys.

I hid behind a rock. Several thoughts flashed through my mind. The kind of thoughts a man has when he’s strung out his luck to its very end. Fear, courage, doubt… they were all there. That keen sensibility that, at this point, either path ends the same. You find grit stuck behind that rock.

So I tossed my rocket launcher, cocked my SMG and stepped out. Hovering with an alien-electric whine, the fully-armed space vessel waited not but seven feet away. A half second passed, then electrified plasma and hot slugs filled the air. The conversation lasted eight seconds, but I’d had the last word.

The snails represent the guillotine. Or the French. It sucks its eye in when there is an explosion; the explosion is something to do with aristocracy and maybe poodles.

As you can see, we are supremely sophisticated. Well, Sterling is. I just wanted a snail war.

Ahh, the tests are ended and today is Saturday. Hello and welcome friends. We’ve traveled far since the first of the week. Journeying on through the quicksand of Wednesday, we find ourselves at the cusp of a beautiful weekend! The threshold brimming with that yellow sunlight you only see Saturdays.

I sure do love Saturdays. I miss those morning cartoons.

The other night I danced swing. I am a premium dancer. Except when I shuffle my feet, bump girls’ heads, slip on the spins, or laugh awkwardly in their faces. Other than that I am quite premium.

Well enjoy the day folks. A conclusion approaches. Indeed it is nigh.

-Arrivederci!

Waffles

I want to have waffles today. I shall make some.

This week was so exhausting I can't believe it's Saturday. I've made it. I'm finished.

No lawn to mow, no homework to do. I'll get a lot more work done on my top secret art piece over the weekend. Hurray.

I drew a toad with a bazooka for today's comic, which was fun to do. Shawn doesn't realize this, but he thinks he's creating some story about a toad army attacking giant snails. What's really happening is that I'm incorporating images into the comics that are ever so subtle, perhaps subliminal. If you can figure them out you've realized that I'm rewriting a Tale of Two cities through Shawn's new plot.

I hated a Tale of Two Cities so much. Dickens is far too verbose for my tastes. Bleh. Words.

Part Deux.

Howdy Doody kiddos!

A new chapter in Toad is unfolding. again for those just joining us, a link.


This post will become more full, more strong; I must first run errands though.

Toad Saga?

Shawn is working on some sort of Toad story, involving giant snails attacking Barbados and what have you. You'll see it unfold over the next few days.

Today is Friday and I feel awesome enough to kick a barbell to the moon.

This week about destroyed me, having to work a lot more than I had anticipated, but some good things have come of it. My tests went well, I've begun working on a special art piece that I'll unveil later, and after today a cold front is going to blow through and usher in a fantastic era. I'm talking about colder weather. The heat was more than annoying this summer, and I'm looking forward to wearing my long sleeved shirts, my pants, and my cool jackets that stay in the closet 70% of the year in Houston. It's sad, I know.

Have a great weekend everyone! The 1" buttons are on their way!

Math Test

I spent the past couple days stressing out over a math test that my teacher so graciously graded before I left. I made an 88. I'm ecstatic. Free cookies for everyone.

Today marks our first To Be Continued

For the Toad.

The scope of our storyline won’t be too long. Those can get annoying. But it will leave you thrilled, crying, laughing, and stronger before it’s over.

This might provide some clue about events now transpiring. It is a conflict that will alter how we think of the world. I’ve said too much.

By the way, did we tell you we’ve ordered buttons? Well we have finally done it! Woohoo! This first shipment will just be a hundred. 50 Blue House Comic buttons, 50 Toad buttons. We’ll be handing them out for free on campus and to anyone who wants one.

They look something like this:

Except on little buttons.

Just drop us a note and let us know if you’re interested. We’ll hopefully end up ordering more.

I’ve been perusing the Robb Report magazine. A publication “For The Luxury Lifestyle”. They have ads in here for freaking Rolls Royces. It says I’m spelling Royces wrong on Word here. Is it Roycie? You get it.

This should be a tasty enough carrot to carry me through the rest of business school. Ever onwards!

-Arrivederci!

Musicman Sterling Bass

There is a bass out there. That has my name on it. Literally. It's right there on the head of the bass. Sterling. Yesterday, for the first time I got to lay my hands on this bass, and it was everything I'd hoped it would be.

The bass is built for funk slap and popping. It begs to release it's funky potential. The controls on it were incredibly versatile, though I didn't have time to figure much of it out, all I know is that it has the potential for a wide array of sounds.

I found one that I liked, and played away for about ten minutes in the Guitar Center. A local brother came up to me and asked me for advice on how to strengthen the fingers in his left hand and help with individual control of the fingers, because he liked the way I played. I was more than flattered. A black guy was asking me, white bread man, for tips on how to play the bass. From what I understand that is like their native instrument. Whenever you see a black dude playing the bass, he's always awesome. That's not stereotypical, it's more like a law of nature. Like how they can spit lyrics so fast when they're busting a rhyme. Yo. I digress.

I showed him a little warmup I do on the bass to improve both things he inquired of, he gave me a smile, and walked off. I felt like I may actually be good at this instrument now.

On to the bass. I've always wondered why nothing I played ever sounded really that cool or professional. It's all in the bass. I plugged into a 100watt Ampeg amp nearby (the same amp I've mentioned in previous posts) and played away. I sounded like a pro. The neck on the bass is short and fast, and rather narrow. Perfect for what I do. I'm also a big fan of humbucker pickups, as they produce a fat rich tone with tons of punch to boot.

Oh yes, and Kathy's dad bought me a djembe for my birthday. I love it. I'm going to learn how to play it well, too. I may not be able to master a complete drumset, but dang it I'm going to rock out on that djembe.

A Dash of Sage and A Spritz of Lemon

It’s Wednesday. The desperate valley in the middle of the week which mimics the workforce's sagging morale. And so we’re here to spice things up!

Today’s comic is an ode of sorts, to our armed troops. I was talking to a comrade when the idea came. An idea he helped along with his generous input. I understand the covert nature of his operations so I cannot say his name, his rank, his location, or his hobbies. Only know that he’s intimately bound with the military and he’s not stationed in Texas.

I’d also like to add that Sterling bled heavily to create this comic. Creatively straining himself past the tethers of 2:30 a.m., he fought on, wholly devoted to maintaining an artistic caliber. A caliber which expands every day this site operates. Kudos to you amigo. Raving kudos.

There was a humorous anecdote which I would relate to you all, had I the courage. Instead I will let your imaginations wander. Be assured, this household shuns the ordinary.

Alas, time to go study Confidence Intervals and Hypothesis Testing as relating to normally distributed significance levels and calculated z-score determination using standard deviations and population probabilities with error represented by rejection regions being denoted by alpha and beta alternative width proportions null hypothesis p-valuations and CRITICAL VALUES!

I mostly scrambled all the nouns I could find on this formula sheet and threw them into a bad sentence. It is my mind.

Did you know misspelling words on dictionary.com is a great way to expand your vocabulary?

-Arrivederci!

Frou-Frou Smellies and Pretty Gookiness

What a dreadful title. BUT I AIN’T CHANGIN IT.

It applies to a discovery I made today. Why females smell so good, so much. It all started (as, to my understanding, most incredible discoveries do) quite by accident.

The scene: living room. The Characters: Roommate and myself.

There we are, sitting there. I on the couch, roommate on the chair. He holds some mail.

“Excuse me one moment,” says he, rubbing his neck and arms with a small square of paper.

“What on earth?” I ask.

“Cologne sample. American Eagle. Here’s the girl’s if you want it.” He said, tossing me a similarly shaped piece of paper.

“Well, ok.” I thought and smeared it on my wrists. “Smells okay.”

A shower and several hand washings/scrubbings later. THE SMELL DOES NOT RELINQUISH ITSELF.

And that is how they do it. I imagine it’s some chemical that bonds to a lower level of the epidermis, there protected from mere surface treatments. I bet they don’t even have to shower.

That’s my discovery everybody. It’s copyrighted, so publishing it under your name in a scientific journal will only land you legal arraignment.

Happy Tuesdays!

-Arrivederci!

Unquenchable agonies!

Hello. I am a college student and already feel my life is mundane to the extent of perversity. I have spent my day cooped in pencil boxes and ruled papers. The only entertainments I am permitted involve making little whistle-y sounds when I drink from a water bottle!

I am Edmond sitting within the cold bars of Château d’If.

I am Fortunato, entombed alive in a really, really small claustrophobic space- that space being the space of my mind constrained with academic pursuits.

It’s really not so bad but I just felt like going on. But golly, school’s a drag sometimes. I don’t think anyone really knows what they’re doing anywhere. If these professors knew what it took in life, why the heck are they here teaching entry-level courses? Yada yada about loving to teach. That’s silly. They did something wrong somewhere back there and they’re taking it out on us. Just look how emphatic I’m being.

Really though, I just studied for a long time and am a little bored with school. So I took it out here! Excuse the drying laundry. With very little left to say, I bid you a good Monday.

I know this post has doubtlessly lifted your spirits to just float over this workweek.

-Arrivederci!

Onyx Nintendo DS Lite

Hey guys GREAT NEWS! Thanks to everyone who voted for me, I will shortly be the recipient of a brand new Onyx Nintendo DS Lite! HURRAY!!!

I'm pretty excited about that. On another note, I had a lot of fun drawing both of today's comics. The Adventuresome Toad spawned out of me after visiting conceptart.org. If you are an artist like me it is a great place to go visit to remind you that you still suck - :(

After realizing I am a huge nobody in the art scene, I drew something a little different and more creative. I originally started out trying to draw some ominous forest scene and then it turned into a cartoon.

Oh well.

That's why I'm doing this.

Not even kidding

Today's Adventuresome Toad comic is not a comic. It is not a satirical piece of art.

It is a still life.

I'll break it down for you.

At work one day, less than a week ago, Whit and I stopped into a Subway for lunch. A woman came out at the same time, and entered a small car, parked next to our truck. I then witnessed a sight I had never even imagined existing.

The car in its entirety was an ash tray.

So if you were wondering what that pile is that I have illustrated, it's nothing but cigarette leftovers.

Yum yum.

BOOGY BOOGY BOOGY AND UNICORNS!

My post is tardy today. There are good reasons for that though. Among them, recalcitrant store clerks. But that’s beside the point.

My point for today’s post: I HAVE NO FREAKING IDEA.

Ahh, honesty. A salve to clean the most dire gore. That was a weird sentence. You see, I was shooting for a great visual of this mystical tonic being poured over a nasty boo-boo and it suddenly vanishing. You know, Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade style. Sadly, it just would not happen. Anyway, you know what I meant.

So that brings me back to my train of thought. Honesty. (actually that’s a clever lie and more so as you read). I remember when I was possessed of a more diminutive frame (opposed to the hulking beast I am now). I stood in my elementary school cafeteria line. I stood in that line on a Tuesday and that meant ice cream desserts! You know, those little Bluebell cartons that contain roughly three spoonfuls of delicious cream but tend to last longer when consumed with the tiny wooden spoon/boards they are provided with.

Anyway, Tuesdays meant ice cream desserts. Almost. Actually it only meant ice cream desserts if you ordered the right meal. Sadly, earlier that day in class, I had chosen the taco salad which only came with some kind of cinnamon treat. I don’t remember what they were. Like sweet cardboard probly.

Pressing onward! Summary: The cafeteria lady gave me the wrong dessert for my meal. Though I desired the sweet frozen vanilla thing (ran out of the right kind of nouns), my conscience struck me with ethical concerns and I explained to my server her mistake. Her hairnet kept getting bunched up and she really didn’t care about my dessert, so she told me to just keep it.

Now, as a child willing to give up a much desired good for a much less appealing but higher good, and then being rewarded in the nature of Solomon for his sacrifice! Well! I was overwhelmed. From that point on I made it a point to be honest.

Point. Today’s point. I kept my word.

Sort of.

-Arrivederci!

UPS drivers must Speed a lot

Wow, so the headphones came in the mail yesterday. Twenty four hours after my billing information went through - and I paid for ground shipping. Go-go UPS.

So as expected, the Labtect Elite 840s sound awesome, and are comfortable, just as I remember them. I even plugged them into my bass amp and tested them out, and they really put out even the low bass without distortion.

As for the Labtec Curves, they are phenomanally lightweight and comfortable. They kind of float on your ears, you'll barely notice them once you figure out how they loop on. I haven't really tested them out for audio quality, but I did try them in my bass and guitar amps and they produced desirable highs and lows (surprising lows for how small they are). However, the Curves have a rather short cable. They won't make it from the back of my computer to my head, so that kind of sucks. But hey, they were free, and I'm sure Kathy will use them with her laptop.

I have to go mow a yard.

HURRAY FOR GORGEOUS FALL WEATHER!

The Frosty Air.

I’m listening to Pedro the Lion. Specifically, their take on“Be Thou My Vision”. It’s a lovely thing. I’ve found a couple of independent artists covering hymns. Among them, Sufjan Stevens and Feist.

I’d like to highlight Sufjan Stevens. Today marked my first sighting of a Christmas commercial. So increasingly, I’m finding it harder and harder to resist over-listening to Sufjan Steven’s Christmas music. I don’t know where to find it (likely a Google search), but somewhere hiding in the internet is this album. I think it’s called, “Hark! Songs for Christmas”. I recommend finding it and getting it.

Enough of music.

This ought to be juicy. I know of at least one who will particularly appreciate this. U2, and specifically Bono, have come under fire for moving their music publishing company to the Netherlands to avoid taxes. I always wondered why a multi-millionaire rock star could get off so easily when chastising the common man for not giving away more money to his causes. Maybe this will strengthen his message but change his methods? One can only hope.

And now, I look through my cabinets and pantry and realize I’m fresh out of words. Have a great Friday folks.

-Arrivederci!

Labtec Elite 840

I have found them again. I've bought two pairs of these headphones already, although my younger siblings were too rough with them and they broke some years ago (i.e. stepped on them). The headphones of which I'm speaking are the Labtec Elite 840s. They sound incredible, and they are the most comfortable pair of headphones ever. Plus in the winter, they'll keep your ears warm. If you're looking for a nice pair of headphones to play games to, or listen to music or whatever, and you can't afford BOSE or Alienware, then go for these. I've used headphones that cost $60-80 and these sound much better and are more comfortable, and only cost $16 (plus s+h). Plus a long cable to boot!

I believe they stopped making these headphones, because this is the first time I've found a site that sells them in a couple years. And get this, they're paired with some free Labtec wraparound headphones all for $26 (after shipping+handling+tax). I just ordered these, so I'll tell you how the wraparound headphones perform.

I'm almost done with my entry for the new contest at iHigh.com, I'll let you know when I have it up, which should be tomorrow.

To Warm Up

I just jabbed the air a couple times and kicked like Norris. I think I’m ready to do this.

I’m going to blitz the day’s events: Class.

Excellent, moving on. Oh no! I just realized I forgot to do some homework for today.

History of Rock and Roll homework, I mean. I think my assignment consists of listening to the Beatles and Led Zeppelin (thank you spell check). I know. Such academic rigors would make a lesser man cringe on his knees. The hoops I have to hop. But, gotta stay competitive.

I wouldn’t say that the conversation from today's comic actually happened, if it weren’t for the fact that it did. To be fair, he -wait. No. There’s not really a justification. It happened. History doesn’t offer any rationale. Except perhaps to birth this comic.

I talked to someone earlier when it wasn’t as late as it is now. (another truism). I likened my neurons to something like the game Bust a Move/Snood/Bubble Blaster. My neurons normally carry my shipments of chemical and electric information to and around on a tight and accurate schedule. But when the time gets later my little neuron engineers start firing madly at every shadow they conjure out of the increasingly inky regions of my brain.

Hope you enjoy the comic. Thank you, the populace. We appreciate you all.

-Arrivederci!

$100... almost

I have some unfortunate news guys.

I didn't realize that the zombie contest was going to end at 7pm yesterday, so the guys in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th got a lot of votes rather rapidly, passed me up by less than three votes, thus knocking me out of the contest. In short, I didn't win, but I appreciate you all taking the time to register and vote. That said, another contest has taken it's place, with a cash prize of $50, that I will be entering as soon as I can whip up a pin-up girl in pilgrim garb. It appears as though these type of contests will be a regular thing on iHigh.com, so I hope everyone remembered what they registered as so voting will be a snap.

I'm still doing good in the running for the Nintendo DS Lite, and the competition isn't too fierce, so I have that to look forward to.

Now to create tomorrow's comics...