photo roll-out: San Diego

I never really posted pics from the Comic Con in San Diego, so here they are. I didn't take enough pictures of the mayhem and geekery, mostly because I was too busy being frustrated by not being able to weave through the hoards of people (over 100,000 people went that weekend). Amazingly, I neglected to take photos of the very reason we were there, to sell Joe's book at his table. D'oh.

Impending Day Off

I'm psyched.

It's not that I'm extremely overworked, I just find myself lately unable to switch off the ol' brain in order to fully relax when I do have time to myself. I know, I know, right?? The old cliched workaholic lament! But I'm not a workaholic. I just think too much. That can be as tiring as actually working, I find.

Anyways.

I'm off tomorrow! And though I just had a day off the other day, I'm extremely excited about this one. Why, I just recently got health insurance! I booked a doctor's appointment for a check-up, stat (this is perhaps the biggest reason outside of the fact that I have to pay bills and rent that I am suddenly a grown-up; I am supremely interested in medical appointments). Sometime either before or after that, I am going to laze about Gantry Plaza a bit, and then hopefully pick up my computer from the Geek Squad (finally) so that I can hook it up to the printer.

I've also been under the weather for a few days so this can give me a chance to recharge.

I've also got like 4 pages in the Moleskine to upload to etsy.

I was at a party at a friend's in Brooklyn until 3am today. Then I had the Day Job. I would've done well to gone to bed at like, 8pm, but my neighborhood friends opted to have a bar-be-cue on their balcony! I was invited, and c'mon. You can't say no to a bar-be-cue. Now, as a result, I am damn near unconscious and delirious.

The burgers were good, though.

Um, so yeah, Gantry Plaza is now my favorite place to go and laze about. To think! I was actually schlepping all the way in to Central Park to read/listen to ipod/lie comatose in the sun. It's a brilliant view of the Manhattan skyline (see the pic down below, framed by the gantries), and it's rather quiet, if not for the water lapping and the occasional helicopter. How awesome is it that I only just discover it a year after moving to Queens and a month before summer is dunzo? Not terribly.

Oh, also un-awesome is this news that New York is actually at a greater risk for a "substantial" earthquake than previously thought. WTF. That does it! Rent prices and now earthquakes!!? I'm going to California...oh, wait.

New. Actually New.

Easily my most favorite thing I've done in the last little while.


What is it with me and antlers lately?

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14526915

I've also started posting the Moleskine sketchbook. Each page will be $18 or less, and each will be an actual original. I think it's fun. We'll see.

one ACEO left...

The original sold 2 days ago, and an ACEO went last night.

One left in the etsy shop...


http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14335006

Artists.

Artists, Schmartists. I'm not one of those people who's gonna just huff and puff and fill you full of hot air whilst name dropping the most recently hottt+ artist around. Some people feel a bit self-important, as though their blog is all about INFORMING THE PUBLIC. Nah. I won't do that. You've maybe heard of these people already; I'm not on the cutting edge, and I won't pretend to be informing anyone of anything. I'm just sayin'... these artists are dope.

James Jean (lolz of course, right?)
Process Recess 2
This book is fantastic. A friend gave it to me for my birthday-- I'm terrible at buying myself things I ought to have or want to have as an artist or whatever. I'm usually blowing it on sushi and coffee and bills. I was super thrilled to acquire this though, and I recommend it to anyone who happens to really, really enjoy gorgeous illustration. That sounds so lame. Heh.


Claire Wendling
Various books...
I found out about her a couple of years ago at the San Diego Comic Con, when I happened upon Stuart Ng's imported book store (an awesome resource for french artists, btw). Her work is amazing! It's so dynamic and I'm shocked more people don't know her (oh SNAP I just went and informed some of you... hypocrite!).

Jan Op De Beeck
Famous Corpses
This is an amazing caricature artist from Belgium. In 2005, he and some friends published a "celebrity roast", full of amazingly rendered caricatures by Jan along with funny, irreverent blurbs about each one. His website and sketchbook are amazing. This fall/winter, a newer version of 'Famous Corpses' is supposed to be out. Sweet.

Takashi Murakami
Murakami
One of Japan's most celebrated pop artists, you probably are maybe rolling your eyes at me right now ("james jean AND murakami? come oooon!"), because, yeah. Duh. But dude. I went and saw his major exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum last month. That. Is crazy. And it's awesome to see.

Craig Thompson
Blankets
omg. A graphic novel never broke my heart with such sweetness as 'Goodbye Chunky Rice' did in 2000. A friend showed it to me 8 years ago and I haven't stopped loving it. 'Blankets', which I read a few years later, managed to beat my heart back into submission again. Le Sigh.

Ross Campbell
Wet Moon
An amazing comic artist! I went to art school with this guy, and only knew him peripherally at the time... after graduation, friends would say, "You should really check out Ross' website..." and I was so gobsmacked (fun word of the day) over his clean lines and his incredible knack for expression in his girls' faces.

So. That's all I have for now. Just sayin'.

I am a late adopter to the frozen yogurt fad that's had NYC in a choke hold since last summer but I will say this: Red Mango is pretty damn good. Better than Pinkberry! And granted, good is open to interpretation when we talk about Pinkberry. But it does have oddly and unsettling addictive properties. Last night I elected to try mochi and watermelon on my first Red Mango outing and I quite enjoyed the differing textures.


thatisall.

Oooh!

Two sales on etsy. Woot, woot.

FINALLY one of them was the adorable original I did for the Bee's Knees in March (and then left at home when i flew down for the actual event). I couldn't believe no one had grabbed it up before; it's my favorite, to be honest.

So that's exciting.

Also, note to self, never order from Tasty Thai. They are not Tasty, and their ethnicity is questionable.

Oh, honestly, you're gonna be like that?

So.

My Day Job.

I refer to it, and don't really talk about it. I post here occasionally from there, mostly because my computer was indisposed at home. It's entirely possible that this blog can be monitored by Day Job's Corporate Offices. That's okay; I don't plan on saying anything terrible. And I'm on my lunch break as I type this, so. Yeah.

But really? The customers at Day Job are insufferable. I cannot fathom what these people must do each morning upon waking to put them into such demanding, horrible moods that they must come in here to take it out on us. I work in Manhattan. I work on the Upper East Side. People here, they're not used to being told "no". And let's be clear-- it's not my job to tell people "no". Unless, of course, they come in wanting--nay, demanding--something that either violates the company policy (which is put in place by people above me), or that we just don't have. As polite as one can be, in those cases, I tell them "no". And then! Oh, gosh, you'd think I'd just punched their child in the face and spat on their Fendi bag. All hell breaks loose.

I mean, look. I'm 29. I'm not the most adultest adult. I'm not a kid either. But these broads are pushing 70 a lot of times! You can't tell me they were all born into a life of priviledge; I'm sure some of them really worked hard to get to where they are, sitting on their giant bags of money. But along the way it seemed that they lost the ability or desire to interact with people at the ground level, still making their honest living. I'm just here to do a job. I enjoy it a lot of times, but largely, it's to make money, to pay bills, to eat. I'm just here to work. I want it to be pleasant. Everything would go a lot smoother for everyone, if people would just relax.

I want to shake some of these people and just be like, "YOU ARE AN ADULT". Unfortunately, just like it's not my job to say "no" all the time, it's not my job to help people grow the hell up.

tired, etsy, stuff

Waking up at 6am for work is not awesome.

I nearly rolled over my poor mutt on my way to turn off the alarm. I got a foot to the face as a thank you.

Work kind of blew, but that was largely due to the waking up so early.

Now, I'm at home, and things are looking up, up, up!

I added new ACEOs to etsy. I'm out of Day Job early tomorrow so after my bike ride along the East River, I'm gonna go home and buckle down on some new work. I'm still woefully behind in posting some stuff.

Here's the new ACEOs


http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=14335006

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_2&listing_id=14335276

Oh, so things that happened today...

I went for a haircut and took a nice stroll up 5th Avenue in Brooklyn. Stopped in to some of my favorite shops. I always consider accosting the lovely proprietors about selling some of my stuff there-- cards, namely-- but always chicken out. It's easier when I know the people who run things.

But anyway, here are the places that I <3

Brooklyn Mercantile
I found an amazing oil diffuser there, in 'wasabi + mint' scent. I didn't purchase it and am kicking myself. After the move next month, maybe that'd be a better time to go grab it.

Scaredy Kat
A fun little store for cards and toys. I'm not a stationary afficianado per se, but it's chock full of pretty paper goodies.

Cog & Pearl
GORGEOUS. GORGEOUS stuff that I can't bring myself to buy. Or rather, I can't bring myself to do without rent or food in order to buy all the stuff I want there. The adorable handcrafted plush deer, for record, make my knees weak.

And then I went to Target. Where someone set off a smoke bomb. I got the best of both worlds.

Well.

It's raining outside. I had planned on a bike ride, prior to the sun setting. Looks like I'm gonna have to.... take a raincheck. Bwa!

So, here's something that sucks-- I created a flickr account for my art. I then forgot the email address I created on Yahoo especially for it. I don't think there's anyway to recover it, or ha><0r the mainframe. I'm kinda pissed, especially since I saved it with my specific username. Gah.

Here's something that's awesome-- I have a computer! I have it hooked up to a printer! I will have prints made from that printer! Life is not all bad! Although I did lose everything I had worked on before with the old hard drive. But whatever. I'm just glad I'm able to start over, now that I'm given the proper tools.

briefest of all recaps

Comic Con was great. I picked up some great things. I hung out with great people. Great.

My computer is still not in my possession. Not great.