I've got Mono

I have mono and it seems I'm part of that rare 6% that can get it over and over again.

Also this month I have to complete a professional portfolio for tenure, so I may not get to spend a lot of time on AGD. My every waking moment (which there don't seem to be a lot of since I'm tired from mono) needs to be spent on this portfolio so I can keep my job.

This county is the kind that if you don't get tenure, you're not allowed to stay the following year.. .so it's incredibly important I make tenure.

Hopefully I'll find more time to draw in March!

Have a good Valentine's day!

Aggie

Gotta see this movie!

2009 in Review

It's Saturday night and my fiance and his parents have left for Europe. The last three months with him here have been wonderful. The house is so empty.

Seems...weird.

Not long ago I deleted my blog for very logical reasons. My job. My ex. If my blood family ever found out I drew a comic with nudity and witchcraft. That sort of thing. Blah blah blah.....

So what has happened this year?

This year I've become much more secretive, picky... selective. I've turned to Facebook as a way to keep up with friends. I like Facebook's security features. I've made more face-to-face friends here in my new town. Joined the local UU church. Spent a lot more time outside on the farm. Learned to make cheese.

I've painted the bathrooms, the living room, the dining room. Finished working on my kitchen. Replaced a dishwasher, expanded the deck, replaced the well pump house, repaired the vinyl siding. Got a new puppy, watched him go from a small furpig to a 100 lb. monster. Had baby goats born, got my first real farm egg. Saw my oldest child start driving, my youngest child become a teen.

Realized my father will not be with us much longer on this earth. Reconnected with my sister. Liberated myself from my old in-laws and their drama. Discovered my neighbors are really sweet people (Frank brought over buckets and buckets of greenbeans and squash). Got a new boss and co-worker, made two new friends out of them.

I said yes to marriage, went ring shopping. Bought my dream wedding dress. Cried when my dad said he won't be there because he's so sick.

Went to a lot of drive in movies.

Went to a few comic related things.

Didn't paint enough. Didn't draw enough, but I did have a wonderfully creative year anyway.

Was it a success? YES. It was the best year I've ever had. I had health, wealth and good fortune. I worked hard and could sit back and be proud. Most importantly, I loved.

Now.... how to top it in 2010... hmmmmm

That's gonna take some thought-

Aggie

Hehe

The best thing to ever happen to Twilight......

A new page, hopefully things will get back to normal

The last three months have been filled with football and soccer, three trips to the emergency room, a sinus infection, Reinder away then coming home again, work stress and black mold in my dining room wall.

This last week it's been roof repairs, gutter repairs, vinyl siding repairs, painting the living room, laundry room, master bathroom and doing all the things on my list. I got my flower girl and Ring bearer gowns and got fabric samples for my bridesmaids.

It was good today to climb the stairs to my studio, sit in my chair and actually WORK on something for ME.

I've missed AGD... and when I've not missed Millia and Luke, I've missed the time I used to devote to it. I see my Monday through Friday career taking my life over because it brings in the bacon, and I miss doing the things I truly love-- telling a story, writing, drawing, playing with the wacom tablet.

Hopefully I'm back for a while. Cold weather is setting in, and I wont be outside building barns or tearing down half rotten shacks for a while, getting the farm up to speed.

Take care everyone, and happy Halloween!
Aggie

My one and only rant about Healthcare debate

Wikipedia: The term 'single payer' refers to funding and does not imply a socialized medicine system. A socialized medical system is one "in which all health personnel and health facilities, including doctors and hospitals, work for the government and draw salaries from the government," an example being the U.S. Veterans Administration, while U.S. Medicare is a single payer system which is not socialized medicine.

So let me get this straight: It's okay for us disabled vets who've served our country.. .and it's okay for our old people who have paid into the system with years and years of taxes... but it's not okay for the WASPs.

We are the richest country in the world, yet our children and working poor go without care. How disgraceful. We are a so called Christian Nation, yet we can't help our own. How disgraceful. We are spending insurance dollars on Viagra so old men can get boners while little babies can't get basic healthcare. How disgraceful.

-Aggie

Getting Married and other real life issues

As many of you have figured out, Rein and I are getting married next spring. There's lots of stuff going on though.

Lately I have been stressed at work. The last two weeks have been exhausting. I've come home and crashed asleep most nights.

I'm also dealing with my father probably having cancer again. I may have to take time off work and go out of state to see him.

At home, my goats are getting sick. I've recently dewormed them and put them on DQ for coccidia. Hopefully they'll get to feeling better soon.

Other than that- I'm just trying to get myself to a point I feel inspired again. I want Rein to come home.

Aggie

The Epic of Cuchulainn --- Webcomic

http://cuchulainn.oghme.com/post/p.001

Been reading this comic this morning, which I'm quite impressed by in some ways and totally not impressed in others.

The art history angle is good. They use correct references (i.e. battersea shield). The artist knows thier Celtic art-- which is great. They also put a nice American Indian spin on it with the uber use of crow feathers and other dead animal decorations, giving it that wild-lime-paste-hair look expected of any true Celtic warrior.

What I don't like: the site is way too visually busy and detracts from the comic pages themselves. There is just toooooooo much stuff packed around it... too much flashing stuff too. Enough to make me go into a Pokemon-flashing seizure.

I hope the artist doesnt go into burnout, as the real story of Cuchulainn is very long. Already the first scene of a simple head chopping, takes some four pages to complete. That could have been packed into one single page-- but hey.... who am I to talk? (She who has a single story arch in 260 some pages). Like my comic, it will take four or five years to complete the whole story at the rate it's going.

Over all, I recommend.

Lovecraft is Missing

My new recommendation: "Lovecraft is Missing" at http://lovecraftismissing.com

Nice easy to read pages, good color choices, interesting storyline so far. I'm not a big Lovecraft reader, but this lured me in quickly. It's been a good little adventure so far!

Adventure Con Wrap Up

Adventure Con was a lot of fun this last weekend. I got a lot of drawing done and talked to lots of new folks, including a fan who had already read American Gothic Daily. That made my whole weekend!

The other thing that made my weekend great was talking to a lady I used to know in the SCA and catching up on the things we both enjoyed. She too has shared disappointment in the SCA and has considered leaving, wanting to start her own comic. Her husband had a booth with comics for sale and she has always liked comics, but just didn't know how to get started. Reinder and I spent much of our time talking to hopeful artists who wanted to know how to get into webcomics. Maybe next year we should do a class/panel on it.

It would be great to get more women artists, writers and creators!

Reinder and I were asked several times if we were going to Heroes Con next weekend in Charlotte, and for this I had to say "no". For us to get a shared table, it would be $300.00, plus all of the hotel and food expenses. Next year Heroes would be great-- it would be a lot cheaper than hitting San Diego Comic Con.

There is new art scanned and up at skycladstrega.deviantart.com -- a new possible front page for print issue and a new cast page that will be going up on the website some time soon.

*hugs*

Aggie

Adventure Con 2009

Reinder and I will be appearing at the artist's alley for Adventure Con in Knoxville TN.

I'm not selling any paper bound issues, or anything horribly spiffy, but I will be giving out small prints with my autograph. If you're interested in getting one, you can only pick one up live and in person. Sorry-- no mail order signed prints at this time.

Hours are Friday noon to 7 pm, Saturday 10 am to 6 pm, Sunday 11 am to 5 pm.

No photographs please.

*hugs*

Aggie

24 May 2009

Last night I managed to get another page done and two pages of concept art for the future of the story. They are posted over at skycladstrega.deviantart.com To see them, you gotta sign in because of the nudity.

Aggie

Time to Wipe the Slate Clean

This week I have seriously thought about what I want out of American Gothic Daily.

I realize I'm never going to make money with it.

It is really just this place I tell a story.  That is the main goal.  The only goal.

Time to clean house and redefine.

Aggie