All my bags are packed, we're ready to go.... :)

Paris awaits!

Tonight, Chantale and I fly off to Paris for a romantic long-weekend getaway! Just the 2 of us! :) The kids are watching the in-laws (yes, they need watching ;) ) and we'll be free to stroll through the streets of a city neither of us have been to while soaking in a very rich history. Something to definitely remember!

A lot of last-minute juggling had to happen to get this trip done but it's all gone off smoothly which is wonderful. The kind of opportunity that comes by quickly and you have to grab at or lose. I don't know when we would have had another chance like this.

So, after all the insanity of Chantale's first year with Air Canada and all the work she's done in that major project, we'll finally be able to get away from it all and just unwind together. Yes, we did that a few months back when we got away to Banff, but this will be much more different. Much less rushed.

So, radio silence after today, back on Tuesday night. Behave yourselves and enjoy your weekends! :)

So I'm sitting here wondering:

- who are you? (Do you know?)
- who or what are you living for?

Any takers?

Sometimes I really miss posting on this blog. But, with all the things vying for my time and attention, there's only so much I can do.

For right now, though, I thought I'd login to the LJ mobile site and post from here. Perhaps this might become more habit forming after a while :). After all, I might like interacting on Facebook, but I get tired speaking in soundbites. Which, unfortunately, is why I still can't get into Twitter.

I created an account and tried a couple of apps for the Blackberry but, really, unless you're logged in and looking at it all the time it's just overwhelming.

Life's too short to drown in Tweets.

so those are my thoughts for today. My train stop is next and I'm itching to get home and continue my James Bond marathon ;)

Peace out.

Remember: The Mysterious Minute-Men books are available everywhere you shop with great discounts through Chapters-Indigo. So what are you waiting for? :)

My older kids have made "plans" this weekend. So, tonight, instead of driving close to an hour to go pick them up so they can spend the weekend, I have to tell Kyle that his older brother and sister won't be coming. Again. I already mentioned to him this morning that James wouldn't be able to come because "he has something to do". He was disappointed but then perked up thinking that Melyssa would sleep "upstairs in James' bed!". I did warn him that it was possible she would also not come and gave him a list of things we'd be doing tomorrow regardless. It made him very happy to know I'd let him help with the painting downstairs, "with the roller, okay, daddy! I'm a big boy now I can help you!" :)

I know with James being 3-months-short of 15 and Melyssa being 12, Chantale and I expected them to want to hang with their friends more and more - regardless of how little they see us now. And, in fact, we'd prepared for this already - especially with summer in swing. But still... it doesn't mean it's not disappointing - especially to Kyle who's still small enough to adore them and want them around all the time.

But, such is life. And I've long given up living in regret for what and how one wishes it can be. Instead, as I choose to always focus on the NOW of what is. In the end, Moments are all that matter and count - not regrets. So, when next I see them, we'll enjoy our time together. For now - and this weekend - I'll enjoy watching movies, playing, painting, and gardening with my little ones. And probably throw in a visit to Nonna and Nonno as well to put a smile on their faces! :)

I spent the last week scanning the 226 covers from Comicopia's history to date. Then, I fixed them up, coded each page, and made sure everything looked good locally.

A part of me still can't believe how many pages I put together in so short a time but it was all very well worth it. The site is not 100% complete (still missing a number of splash/pinup pages and member bios/ info) but in terms of all the covers to date, it's done.

So, without further ado, head over to http://www.comicopia.net and let me know what you think! I must warn however that if you're using Internet Explorer 6 it's going to look wonky. Chrome works fine, IE8 works great but I prefer FireFox :)

This past weekend, Savage Enterprises Publishing signed a distribution agreement with Five Rivers Chapmanry to pave the road for better distribution of our books in the Canadian market (primarily with Chapters-Indigo).

As of today, you can purchase our books through the Chapters-Indigo Website (with a really great deal!) as a start. Tell all your friends and share the word :) This will help get sales figures going in order to set up some in-store signings!

The Five Rivers note is also on their blog.

Have yourselves a great day/ week!

Today's checkup for Charlize went better than we could have imagined!

We got to our appointment on time at 830am and got out by 11am. In between, our little girl was weighed, measured, blood pressure checked, and then off to electrocardiogram and echocardiogram tests which she seemed to have passed with flying colors! :)

She (and her heart!) is doing so good that the doc's have re-confirmed their quote of last year that they have no concern in regards to her health. It really helps that she did not have to lose her valve during the operation (she's one of the lucky few). After a round of questions, the doc smiled and said, "see you in two years"! TWO years! Not next year, TWO!

*insert massive happy dance here*

:) Relieved? Oh god you have no idea! What a wonderful birthday present for her (and us)! :)

Fantastic, Fantastic, Fantastic news!!! :)

*wipes away tears*

(I think one of the hardest things about this day was seeing 2 other little babies (4 days and I think 1 week old) there to go through their preliminary tests... and then seeing one of those new families sitting in with one of the cardiologists who was obviously breaking the news to them... Flashback to 2 years ago and the shattering effect it had on us... But as I told Chantale - if they looked at us and this little blonde bundle who did NOT stay still the entire time we were waiting for the tests - as she skipped and walked up and down the hallway for over 20 minutes - we could have perhaps given them strength and confidence that it could very well work out for them, too....)

I've been waiting to share this with everyone as I wanted tscheese to hold the actual book in her hands first. This was, after all, somewhat a suprise for her :)

The same as she did for The Mysterious Minute-Men Omnibus, Theresa provided a piece of artwork that I included in the book. When it came time to gather material for The Mysterious Minute-Men: Ready for the Future I once again contacted her for a pin-up.

Well, I loved the image SO much that not only did I have to include it in the book, I wanted it on the Back Cover so folks can see it in all its glory! When I handed the image over to Von Allan (vonandmoggy), he lifted the images out, added some great color highlights and shading, and the end result was this:



Isn't that a beauty? Wonderful, wonderful work once more, Theresa and Von!

If you haven't ordered your copy yet... what are you waiting for? :)

Tomorrow morning, after dropping Kyle off at Daycare, Chantale and I are taking Charlize to the Montreal Children's Hospital for her follow-up visit. We'll go through (I'm pretty sure) of the regular tests (echo, maybe xray) and learn how her little heart has been developing in the last year.

As much as I've always tried to put myself in the mindset that it's just "another yearly checkup" similar to dentists, optometrist, physical, etc, there's always that little... nugget of fear that takes hold of your center.

I guess it's still something to get used to. After all, I don't go visit the Eye Doc, Dentist, or Family Doc worried they'll find anything. I do it as a regular preventative measure knowing they'll confirm my clean bill of health. I'm thinking it'll take a few more years before I feel the same way about Charlize's cardiology appointments...

You know what I realized today - about an hour ago? That this sunday IS Father's Day.

I know I've been out of touch for the last couple of weeks while insanity swirled around me, but this was just a bit much. This would have been the first Father's Day weekend when I would have had James and Melyssa with me without any "complications". However, due to other appointments and Charlize's birthday, and the fact that Melyssa still has school on the 22nd and 23rd (which meant I couldn't keep the kids from the 19th through the 25th), we agreed to postpone pickup until the 23rd.

Had I realized...

sigh.

Oh well. It'll be different next year as my "little" girl will be in Junior High and thus have a similar school schedule to James.

I need more sleep and less "stress"

Edited to change the "was father's day" to "IS father's day". More PROOF POSITIVE that I am really out of touch! (you're out of touch... i'm out of time... but I'm out of my HEAD when you're not around... oh-oh-oh... oh-oh-oh!"

So. Since last weekend (May 31st?) I've been on my own while Chantale has been "sequestered" in various hotels working on some very big deals - affecting the lives of over 15,000 people.

I think I've mentioned before - and many times over - how damned proud I am of her and all that she's accomplished in her life - and her still not even 30! :) The point is, it's been a tough climb for her to prove herself NOT just as a woman in the workplace, but as a young woman who had the vision, strength of character, and integrity to pull off all she was capable of.

It's been tough but today she has quite the incredible stories to tell about what she's gone through and laurels to prove it. And as she embarks on her new project/ career, she can lay to rest the biggest project she's worked on so far and move forward with a clear goal.

True, the finalizing of this project required up to 20-hour days, barely getting one or two hours of sleep for a week at a time, but it's "done" now. Or close to being done-done with a chance at some normality. She did come home last Thursday, and promptly slept a good 15hours :) But, she flew out on Saturday and back into the thick of things until, finally, last night, the agreements were signed.

So, I should be getting my wife back (and the kids their mom!) before the week is up. Just in time to relax for the weekend and then take Charlize for her follow-up appointment on the 17th at the hospital to see how her heart is doing. And Charlize turns 2 exactly one week after that :)

Have I mentioned it's going to be a busy month? :) (obviously there's more going on that I haven't noted here, but it's going to be a busy month!)

So. Back to my first sentence. I've been handling stuff while she's been away and I have to admit it's been running well. It's been said many times that kids need and thrive on routine and weeks like this have definitely shown that. I get up every day at around 545am. Charlize and Kyle are up by 6am which means I just had time to get dressed and wake up :) I dress them and get them ready, then they eat breakfast while I prepare my own lunch and breakfast. We're out of the house by 645am to get to daycare. Afterwards, I grab the train and head to work until 4pm. I pick them up at 530pm and head home. On one night, they take baths while supper cooks, on other times they just play while supper cooks. Point being that by 6pm we're eating (and usually done by 630pm). The kids then play or watch some tv (week 1 was The Emperor's New Groove. week 2 seems to be Superman The Movie). Charlize, by 7pm, is clamoring to go to bed. So, I give her some milk and she's in bed. It's Kyle's turn at 730pm. By 8pm I'm working on various projects (either copyediting or writing) and by 930pm I'm already fried and ready for bed!

Crazy, sometimes strict-sounding, but it runs really well. Minor changes fall after suppers on nice nights when we take out the bike and ride around for 20-30 minutes. It works well, but it still takes a lot to keep it going and since I wasn't sleeping very well (or at all) for the last 10 days, it made things a little tougher.

Last night was the first night I slept right through since I don't remember. I could have definitely slept a few more hours but responsibilities beckoned... :)

I've been wanting to update this journal for 2 weeks now and only got a minute in between taking a bite to eat, drinking coffee, and fighting off an impending headache!

But at least there's an end in sight. Phew.

Being an Author of Italian origins, how could I not take advantage of a new agreement between LSI and the Espresso Book Machine? After all, when The Mysterious Minute-Men need a really quick boost of energy, does it not make sense to grab an Espresso?! :)



Savage Enterprises Publishing has signed an agreement to make their current (and future) titles available on the revolutionary Espresso Book Machine

It's like an ATM for books and will allow our titles to be available to a wider audience who could literally buy themselves a copy and have it printed out for them within 10 minutes!

Technology is changing the face of how we interact with each other and it has certainly allowed micro publishers the chance to break down the walls of traditional publishing and reach an audience base that would have been a lot more difficult before.

According to On Demand Books, here is the list of EBM current locations (including my home town!):

The University of Alberta Bookstore - Espresso Books, 9012 Hub Mall, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Internet Archive - 116 Sheridan Avenue, The Presidio of San Francisco, San Francisco, California

Bibliotheca Alexandrina - P.O. Box 138, El Shatby, Alexandria, Egypt

New Orleans Public Library, 219 Loyola Ave, New Orleans, Lousiana

Angus & Robertson Bookstore - 360 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Australia

University of Michigan Library - Ann Arbor Campus, 818 Hatcher South, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Northshire Bookstore - 4869 Main Street, Manchester Center, Vermont

NewsStand UK - 88 to 84 London Business Park, Roding Road, London, UK

McMaster Innovation Press / Titles On Demand - McMaster University Bookstore, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

McGill University Library (spring 2009) - McLennan Library Building, 3459 McTavish Street, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

University of Waterloo Bookstore - 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Blackwell Bookshop - 100 Charing Cross Road, London, UK

Brigham Young University Bookstore (spring 2009) - Wilkinson Student Center, University Hill, Provo, Utah, USA

The InfoShop, The World Bank (exhibition 2006) - 701 18th St. N.W., Washington, District of Columbia, USA

New York Public Library, SIBL (exhibition 2007) - 188 Madison Avenue, New York, New York, USA

I'm Ready for the Future! Are you? :)

Reminder: Online retailers selling Ready for the future: http://tinyurl.com/minmen2
Online retailers selling the Omnibus: http://tinyurl.com/minmen1

I'm proud to announce that The Mysterious Minute-Men: Ready for the Future is now available!



You can get your copies online at various prices or directly from me for the discounted price of $12.00

Raise your coffee mugs up high! Life never ceases to amaze :)

The Future!

Are you ready for it?

I am! :)


The Mysterious Minute-Men: Ready for the Future

Now Available! Sporting an awesome cover by Gabriel Morrissette! Special thanks to Von Allan for helping to get it print-ready! :)

http://tinyurl.com/minmen2 can help you find a copy online (use http://tinyurl.com/aragona to see the price plus shipping). Amazon might not be offering any real discounts at the moment, but others are.

So? What are you waiting for? :)

(if the answer is "Me" - I'm waiting for my shipment to arrive)

What a way to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of these zany characters! Who could have ever predicted I'd still be having so much fun with them after all this time?!

at least that's what it feels like! I haven't posted in over 2 weeks and can't even pick up the pieces of what's been going on! :) Mother's Day celebrations, my birthday celebrations, so much done/ to do around the house, the kids, etc etc... wow!

Last weekend, Melyssa pulled my 2004 journal down from the bookshelf and read through it in a couple of hours. If anything reminded me of why I keep wanting to record my life and theirs, it was that :) It's just that there have been a number of... changes that have prevented me from getting on here as much as I've wanted. I'll probably post privately about that later on.

On top of all that, various deadlines have come and finally gone and I'm finally feeling like I have a moment to breathe!! Truly. I think it's been months since I last had a moment where I didn't feel a deadline pressing down on me in one form or other. There is a book I have to proof before the end of next month, but I'm looking forward to doing this (first time going through this author's work).

As for The Mysterious Minute-Men: Ready for the Future... it's almost here... :)

I've got the final front cover from the upcoming novel... and it is SO cool that it helped turn around my entire "bleah" week! :) Seriously! I'm so tempted to share it with all of you but decided to hold off a few more weeks until the book's ready for release. It's done. I'm just putting some final pieces together before sending it off to the printer.

In other news, I'm having a birthday in a couple of weeks! Now, ever year, I have gone to see some kind of comic or action movie on my birth day. Why not? It's fun, it's mindless, it's a day off... what better time to just unwind and give in to the silly side :) This year, the chosen movie was set to be Star Trek. However, one of the folks I was going to see it with would not have been available on my birthday weekend. So, we pushed up the party day to tomorrow May 2nd and now we're going to see Wolverine instead :)

Of course, I'm also taking May 15th as a vacation day (initially it was supposed to be the 14th, but something had come up on that day that made it impossible so I switched to the 15th... and they've since moved that meeting to another day. sigh. but at least it'll make for a 4 day weekend since the 18th is Victoria Day and thus a holiday :) But, I digress). Anyhow, Chantale and I are going to head out to see Star Trek on IMAX on the 15th. So, a double-bonus this year ;)

Speaking of bonuses... another very nice thing about this weekend? May 3rd marks 10 years that Chantale and I have been dating :) This past Monday marked 8 years that we've been living together! So, to celebrate, I'm taking her out for a romantic brunch at our favorite place: Auberge des Gallant where we held our wedding reception :)

*Happy Sigh*

Yesterday, something really, really cool happened.

My 12-year-old daughter, Melyssa, called me as soon as she got home from school. She had her final Language Arts exam and for it she had to write a short story based on a picture she had to choose. Her choice? "a hobo". She liked the story so much that she wrote out a second copy JUST so she can go home and share it with me. How sweet is that?

So, I sat there and listened as she read (with no voice!) this story she was so proud of. And you know what? It was great. It really, really was. There was a valid setup, fallout from it, a secret discovery, and more! In fact, there were enough twists and turns that my pride just grew and grew the more she shared.

Yes, it was a story written by a 12 year old - with all the grammatical issues you can expect - but it was also twinged with a lot of heart and creativity. After telling her how proud I was of her, how much I loved her, and how good a story it was, I hung up the phone, turned to my wife, and said, "I think Melyssa has finally found something she's really good at and that she really likes to do!"

I had been noticing her getting more and more involved and interested in her Language Arts class this year, but this was really something.

A big "WAHOO" from me, I must admit :) Way to go, girl! :)

I don't remember. I don't remember the last time I posted. Yes, of course it's easy to check, but still...

I've been in a weird state for the last probably-two-weeks-although-feels-like-6. I have been living so much in my brain space that I barely remember my real-world interactions with others (small though they may have been).

Been reading quite a bit. Spent time going through the SEP finances in order to finish up with the taxes (and fully feel wonderful today as the refund came in). More time on closing up the new book (Von, I'll need your help with the mashup in a couple of weeks, ok?) and talking reviews with the Omnibus. Working out the schedule for the next books has been a little weird as the priorities keep shifting. Comicopia deadline is this Wednesday and started wondering about how to celebrate the 20th Anniversary in a few short years.

And then, on Thursday, it was time to take Kyle back to the hospital. Wednesday overnight there was worry of an Asthma attack that he'd been battling during the day. On Thursday, I didn't feel comfortable with how he was so off we went. We were well cared for (as usual) and the Pediatrician was really nice. 5 or 6 hours later, we were back. 2 hours after that? Returned to the ER. I think we spent another 4 hours there and went through the now-well-known process of masks and medications with a couple of extra doses thrown in (which weren't judged necessary earlier in the day). Strangely enough, we were the only ones there (although that didn't last the entire time and had 4 Code Whites called out during our time there). Kyle was in a reasonably good mood - he really does handle a lot very well. At least it's always entertaining and we get to catch up on our Disney/ Pixar movie-watching... ;) ) By the time we got back home, he was not sounding 100% any more but it was into bed for all of us. He slept really soundly and had no coughing fits. Friday morning I was so fried that I had to beg off work with a vacation day and stayed home with him. Again, the morning was not going so well when the Hospital Allergy Dept calls to follow-up on the ER Pediatrician's request to see Kyle urgently. We got to book an appointment for May 7th (whereas normal appointments are held one-year in advance) and I then asked to speak with the Asthma ER ward regarding Kyle's symptoms.

It took a little while for them to get back to me but we spoke of what had happened and how he wasn't responding to the treatments that morning and what else could be done. She gave me a few suggestions and we confirmed that he wasn't in crisis (yet) and the things to look out for. I did what she said and also cleared his nasal passages with saline and then held him (to calm him down) and we relaxed on the couch. 10 minutes later he was doing so much better that I was no longer worried. Sure enough, he was able to wait his full 4 hours between pumps and my blood pressure slowly returned to normal :) We spent some time on the swing out back, just relaxing looking at the clouds and planes. We had a pleasant lunch and he took a nice nap.

Saturday morning was also a little tough but not like the other 2. By Sunday, he was pretty much 100% and the day was really nice - we spent it all outside.

Today, all seemed good but I must admit to dreading (a little) what I'll find when we pick him up tonight. I dropped him off smiling, skin cleared up, no dark shadows under his eyes. I'm hoping he's the same way when I see him next.

I sure look forward to those tests in May. I think we'll all feel a huge burden lift once we find out just WHAT triggers these attacks... just in time for allergy season...

I also can't believe how wound-up I've been over the whole thing. I've felt like a visitor in my own life and could not find the inspiration, motivation, or energy to get up out of bed today and prepare for a new week. One step at a time, heavy footfall after heavy footfall.

Okay, time to go back into my brain.

Hey folks! Remember my review of Leo Pulp back in 2006? Specifically, this post: http://off-the-rack.livejournal.com/17300.html where I was engaged in that little 100-reviews-in-100-days test?

Well, it just so happens that IDW Publishing will be putting out a Leo Pulp Trade Paperback in a few months! There's no link yet but if you have the April Previews, just flip over to page 266. There's already a pre-order on amazon, of course.

I really hope it'll translate well and the jokes will be as funny in English as they are in Italian! :) I'll let you know, of course, as I will definitely be getting a copy :)

I certainly like to think so! And what a pleasant way to start a Monday than with someone agreeing with me! ;)

http://withagoodbook.com/2009/04/review-the-mysterious-minute-men-omnibus/

A pretty good summary:
"The best way to describe The Mysterious Minute-Men Omnibus is that it’s a graphic novel without any graphics. Which may seem odd, but imagine a graphic novel before it has gone to storyboard and images have been added. I think you’d have something like The Mysterious Minute-Men Omnibus"

That, I must admit, is high praise. I remember someone else telling me a few months back (Theresa, I believe it was you), that reading the book was like reading a Comic Book without Panels. That's the whole spirit of it all! ;) Something that you can actually "see" in your mind's eye :)

This quote really made me giggle:
"Led by Minute-Man they protect Metro-City, often risking their lives simply because they believe it’s the right thing to do. And so they can have donuts."

That's right, donuts! :) Because... after all... Coffee is great, but Donuts get you sugar-high enough to want to go out and save a city!! :)

And, as a wrap up:
"But anyone who’s a fan of super-hero parodies and comics that don’t take themselves too seriously will enjoy The Mysterious Minute-Men Omnibus by Mike Aragona."

Thanks Jody!! :)

2009 marks the 20th Anniversary of the creation of The Mysterious Minute-Men! As part of the celebration, The Mysterious Minute-Men Omnibus has been re-released to a wider distribution network making it easier for folks to get their copies!


You can get your copies at Amazon.ca, Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk

Special sale price for the month of April!

The Mysterious Minute-Men: Ready for the Future should be available next month!!

Coffee and Donuts for all! ;)

Been wanting to do this for a while now, but such is life...

Kyle and Charlize are obviously growing very quickly. As such, it's always nice to remember certain moments and there are a few I wanted to note. And so...

Charlize:
- Knows what she wants! Will go right up to an object (or as close as possible) and point at it repeatedly. When you ask if that's what she wants, she nods her head vigorously, big smile on her face, and gasps out "ya! ya! ya!"
- When she's eating, if she accidentally drops something on her table, she'll go: "uh-oh! De-gah!" (french for "mess")
- When she's playing with her puzzle pieces, she'll sometimes pretend to not be able to pull them apart. She'll look up and say, "tuck!" with a big smile on her face :)
- This past weekend, when Chantale picked her up in the kitchen, she pointed to the cracked egg shells on the counter (we were having brunch) and said, "Co-co!" which took us off guard. We referred to eggs that way for her, and now after all these months, she's naming them :)
- When I put her and Kyle in their car seats, she pointed to the toys I keep nearby and said, "Caaahr" which made me do a double-take :) Kyle often asks to hold the toy cars (it keeps him quiet) while we drive. This was the first time she did it :)
- When she's hungry, she'll walk to the fridge and state, "Mnum-a-Mnum!"
- a couple of weeks ago, I was in the kitchen cleaning up from lunch while she played in the living room. Abba Gold was on the CD player and at one point Charlize ran into the kitchen, pointed to the radio, and announced, "MaMaMnyumMeeya!". I knew what she meant and followed as she raced back to the living room, pointed up to one of the shelves we have where we keep regular-rotation-DVDs and she repeated what she had just said. I asked, "You want to watch Mama Mia?" and she nodded vigorously, big smile on her face, gasping out "ya! ya! ya!" and then hauled herself up on the couch :)
- When the movie started and the song "I have a dream" began? The little tyke started humming -in tune- "na na nanaaaa..." :)

Kyle:
- What can I say about him except that he's very demanding, is always trying to negotiate for everything, highly active, rambunctious, both argues with and plays very nicely with his sister :)
- One thing that stands on its own: he's now seen Monsters Inc. so many times that he "speaks" along with the movie as he watches it :) And not just the "big" moments, all the small chats, too! :)
- Conversation of a few weeks ago, "Daddy, how come houses don't come with machines that make pizzas?"
- Another conversation, "Daddy, it's not nice what you said to me that I broke that toy when I was little." "But sweetie, I wasn't trying to be mean. I simply told you what happened and why it's broken." "But I didn't know. I was little!"

Heh heh :)

By the way, I finally got around to starting to upload some of the 2009 Birthdays Click the link to see some photos from Chantale and Melyssa's b-days :)

You know when you unexpectedly get praise for something you did? Doesn't it feel really good? Especially when you know you really worked hard on it?

I took on some new work earlier this year and recently got this totally unsolicited feedback in return:

"I just went through your edits and suggestions today and revised my book accordingly. I want to thank you again for the excellent work you did. You know this, I am sure, but you have a sharp eye. Not only did you catch numerous little mistakes that needed to be caught, but you made a number of perceptive comments."

I have to admit that I was just really happy to have been able to help - after all, along with being such a hard-working writier, I respected the work and training that he's done throughout the years. So, to get this note from him really made my day :)

The author in question? Paul Lima. The book in question? The excellent (re)Discover the Joy of Writing.

So... interested in seeing the comparison between the first run of The Mysterious Minute-Men Omnibus side-by-side with the soon-to-be-available-everywhere edition? :) Yes, of course you are :) Here are the front covers and spines. The back covers are pretty identical - the only difference being the sharpness of the text.




What do you think?

I love the new logo and the cartoon font :)

I realized I hadn't posted up the cover to the latest issue. My bad. But it's a beauty and worth sharing so here it is, by Chuck Rhodes:



clicking will bring you to the main site. just select "covers-> year 18" to see the others (and in larger format)

It's crazy. I've done SO much in the last couple of weeks, and yet I still feel like I'm chasing after myself with all the stuff STILL yet to do!

On the family side, we had a fun March Break, even though everyone ended up sick and we're still all taking antibiotics to fight off the various infections. I'm talking EVERYONE being sick - all 6 of us!

On the renovation side, I got the ceiling installed in the basement hallway, plastered, sanded, and put up the primary coat. With picking up a 10-position ladder, I was also able to finish the 1st plastering of the stairwell to the basement. Didn't have the energy to sand it through or start the 1st prime coat but it's coming. Still also have a few minor touch-ups in Melyssa's room (such as installing the various quarter-rounds onto the baseboards and the closet's sliding-door frame).

On the editing/ copyediting side, besides getting through The Mysterious Minute-Men: Ready for the Future (still aiming for a release within 2 months - tscheese, if you're going to get me that 2nd pin-up, I'll need it very soon!), I worked (and continue to help) on the upcoming Star Trek a Comics History by Alan J. Porter (last year's book James Bond The Illustrated History of 007 is a beautiful production and a must-have for Bond enthusiasts!). I also recently lent eyes and thoughts towards Paul Lima's (re)Discover the Joy of Creative Writing which is chock-full of great ideas to spur you back to the road of creativity and one I heartily recommend. There were also a number of other scripts, proposals, and books but too many to mention right now.

Finally, a big thanks to Von Allan who was very kind in lending his time to trying to resolve a big issue I was having getting the revised cover for The Mysterious Minute-Men Omnibus set to the correct format required by the printer. I'm still awaiting the proof copy but once all this is finalized, TMMMO will be re-released at large. The reasons? Simple. I'm not ready to set PDF copies of my books "free" to the world. And the shipping costs for Lulu are bloody atrocious. So, the best of everything is to get the book off of Lulu and out to on-line vendors so folks who are used to shopping online can simply include it in their everyday shopping and save on Shipping (amazon and indigo chapters, for example, have free shipping over $39).

Anyhow, more news when that happens. For now, here's the updated cover - still by Gabriel Morrissette - sporting the new logo :)

Just a short safety note in the event you don't read the lj posts on security, etc:

http://www.livejournal.com/tools/emailmanage.bml

Go. Delete any old email accounts associated with your LJ Account to avoid any possible hacking attempts.

---

Update on what's been going on with me these last two weeks will be forthcoming. Just been busy as heck!

Most of you know that I tend to get to work early and if not in the office I'm usually online working at around 430am-5am. Well, today, seeing as next week is March break, I took the car to a closer train station so I could leave a little earlier this afternoon. What this does is allow me to take the very early bus in and get to the office quite early.

Case in point, I walked onto my floor at 620am. As I get off the elevator, I smell smoke. Not fire-smoke, cigarette-smoke. That's pretty bizarre seeing as not only is the building and the office smoke-free, even the cleaning folks overnight aren't allowed to smoke. Heck, doing so can inviolate our insurance simply due to the "potential danger" of. Yet, I know what I smell.

I take my jacket off and start to go sniff around (literally). I have a very sensitive nose and can trace this without real effort. It's 620am for gump's sake! There shouldn't be anyone IN the office at this time! The first person to show up is usually at 7am and he opens the lights (I prefer to work in the dark so never open them when i get in ;) ). Anyhow, within a few steps I can smell it getting stronger. I turn the corner and literally almost at the end/ back of the floor, there's a guy actually fucken smoking at his desk! As I approach him with a "you've got to be fucking kidding me!" he tosses his butt in his coffee and smiles sheepishly. He chuckles at my comment that I smelled him as soon as I got out of the elevator - like he didn't believe me. Duh. The air vents are all off, dude! Of course your smoke wasn't pulled and pushed away, it lingered in the air on the whole floor!

Sometimes I just wish people would look BEYOND their fucken noses and think about the shit around them. Life's not just about them.

Unbelievable.

Yes, it's only Tuesday, but I have to say I'm seriously looking forward to next week's March Break. The financial crunch has taken a big bite out of a lot of the plans I had initially made (Chantale has to work, so I'll be home with the four kids most days - I might send Kyle and Charlize into daycare for a day or two in order to get ahead on more of the renovation work) but it will still feel really good to just "BE", ya know?

One definite plan, however, will be similar to last year. Melyssa turns 12 on March 3rd and I'll be taking all four munchkins over to the Canada Science & Technology Museum. So, any of you in Ottawa or thereabouts who think they'd get a kick out of walking around the museum for a couple of hours, feel free to come along! :) The kids never change their schedules, which mean we'll be up at 630am anyhow. So, I'm planning on hitting the road after breakfast (around 730am) in order to get there when it opens at 9am.

(Dwight/ Von, I'd be happy to pass along a bunch of Comicopia back issues if you'd like :) )

A couple of hours of discover, followed by (more than likely) Pizza Hut ;), and then potentially running an errand or two before making our way back home (no later than 2pm so we can get back by 4pm). (Moggy, if you want to escape back to Montreal, now's your chance to hitch a ride with me ;) )

Okay. Gotta get my head back into "today"

Someone recently complained that I don't post any more. I went from posting at least once a day to so sporadically that there's no easy way to follow. Of course, it got me thinking.

Have I really been so quiet because I've had nothing to say? Have I been quiet because I've been too busy? Because I've been expressing myself elsewhere? In the end I realized that it's been a combination of everything.

I've had nothing to say: Many, many days I've simply not had anything to "offer up". Nothing post-worthy or discussion-friendly. I went through a bad bout of migraines for almost 2 weeks for which I can't claim 100% was due to work-related stress. I'm sure the little sleep and the too much thinking/ copyediting/ staring at a computer screen had some things to do with it, too. Often, though, I've just wanted to be quiet and observe everyone else.

I've been busy: Hell, yeah. Trying to incorporate 6 new employees into my team, trying to understand the new work and projects being brought in under my responsibility, and trying to keep things running smoothly have taken their toll. I don't have to mention that family demands have also had their moments but that's okay. Then, Comicopia deadline was this week which meant some fast time-juggling to get everything set up as well as finishing my own section, and later today getting the copies back, the final covers, to wind up collating and binding the whole thing for mail delivery tomorrow. On top of that, I had a soon-to-be-released book I promised to copy edit/ proof which I finished this week and a third draft of another book with a deadline for today. My own stuff took a bit of a hit but not an unwelcome one. I'm trying to get the final cover for the Omnibus re-release off by the end of next week so that book can finally be "closed" and I have a chapter and end-notes/ appendix to polish off for the follow-up before stepping back and re-looking at the entire book once more to make sure it still 'works'. I'll have 2 months to do that, at least, in order to keep my promised release date. At the same time, I've been looking at 3 possibilities for 2010, one of which I've already started researching/ taking notes on.

I've been expressing myself elsewhere: Yes and no. Mainly email convos trying to catch up with old friends. Also, some Facebooking in terms of sharing some family pics. Again, I guess I've been too tired to do any real social networking.

All in all, though, I'm seriously looking forward to spring and the "release" of winter clothing. Man was not meant to be encumbered by clothing!

I just heard the news that Picasso's Restaurant has closed down after 30 years :(

After having gone there weekly for the 10 years that The Savage Land BBS was in operation, it's really sad to hear about it :( All those Friday nights of hanging out, laughing, singing, joking around, watching Gabriel Morrissette draw the wackiest images we could inspire him with… *sigh* at least we have memories. So the last time I went there was with Dan after ExpoZine.

Although James, Melyssa, and Kyle got a chance to have smoked meat there, Charlize hadn't yet (although she enjoyed it while she was still in Chantale's belly, of course).

Man... :(

Baci are my favorite chocolates. I especially love reading the little love quotes that come with them :) I've posted some of my favorites on and off throughout the years but always have trouble finding them (this was, after all, pre-tags). So, I'm just going to post a few here now and update them whenever I find a really good one :)

n.1
Amore quarda non con gli occhi ma con l'anima.
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind.
W. Shakespeare

n.12
L'amore non fa ruotare il mondo, ma rende la rotazione piacevole
Love does not make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.
F.P. Jones

n.22
Il riso rende giovani. L'amore rende belli.
Laughter makes you young. Love makes you beautiful.
Proverbio finlandese

n.26
Se mi darai tutti i baci saranno sempre pochi.
If you gave me all the kisses in the world, they would still be too few.
Sesto Properzio

n.27
Affoghiamo in un mare di baci, riemergiamo in uno mare di passione.
We drown in a sea of kisses to resurface in a sea of passion.
(Anonimo)

n.30
Il bacio e un dolce trovarsi dopo essersi a lungo cercati.
A kiss is the sweet prize, long sought for.
(Anonimo)

n.31
Perche parlare? Tutto l'amore si dice in un bacio.
Why use words when a kiss says it all?
(Anonimo)

n.39
Il rumore di un bacio non e forte come quello di un cannone, ma il suo eco dura molto piu lungo.
The sound of a kiss is not so loud as that of a cannon, but its echo lasts a great deal longer.
O.W. Holmes

n.51
Dove sono gli amici, la sono le ricchezze.
Where you find friends, there you find riches.
Plauto

n.61
La belle azioni nascoste sono le piu stimabili.
The most praiseworthy deeds are those that remain hidden.
B. Pascal

n.76
Eravamo insieme, tutto il resto del tempo l'ho scordato.
Day by day and night by night we were together - all else has long been forgotten by me.
W. Whitman

n.82
Non chiudere mai le tue labbra a coloro cui hai aperto il tuo cuore.
Never close your lips to one to whom you have opened your heart.
(Anonimo)

n.84
Amami, perche, senza te, niente posso, niente sono.
Love me because without you I can do nothing, I am nothing.
P. Verlaine

n.94
Se l'amore, nomade benedetto, é tuo ospite, tienilo caro.
If love, that blessed nomad, is your guest, treat him well.
Azizoddin Nasafi

n.101
Nelle donne ogni cosa e cuore, anche la testa.
In women everything is heart, even the head.
J.P. Richter

n.108
Non si trovera una sola donna della cui bellezza o bruttezza tutti gli uomini convengano.
The woman does not exist of whose beauty all men shall agree upon.
G. Leopardi

n.111
Quando si scrive delle donne, bisogna intingere la penna nell'arcobaleno.
when writing of women the pen should be dipped in a rainbow.
D. Dederot

n.114
Chiedete al rospo che cosa sia la bellezza e vi rispondera che e la femmina del rospo
Ask a toad what beauty is and he will answer you that it is his toad wife.
Voltaire

n.122
Fare il marito e un lavoro a tempo pieno.
Being a husband is a full-time job.
A. Bennet

n.126
Il cuore ha le sue ragioni che la ragione non conosce.
The heart has its reasons which reason does not know
B. Pascal

Lux Interior, front man of The Cramps, sails away at age 60. Story can be found at the LA Times article...

"With his wife, guitarist "Poison" Ivy Rorschach, Interior formed the Cramps in 1976, pairing lyrics that expressed their love of B-movie camp with ferocious rockabilly and surf-inspired instrumentation.

The band became a staple of the late '70s Manhattan punk scene emerging from clubs such as Max's Kansas City and CBGB, and was one of the first acts to realize the potential of punk rock as theater and spectacle.

Often dressed in macabre, gender-bending costumes onstage, Interior evoked a lanky, proto-goth Elvis Presley, and his band quickly became notorious for volatile and decadent live performances.

Another part of my teen years dies away...

Just got a copy of the work-in-progress art which will become the cover to The Mysterious Minute-Men: Ready For The Future!!!

Yes, I did a little dance :)

It's a concept I used previously for another project, but will work SO well for this book!!

I think that when I get the color version I'm just going to absolutely flip! :)

No teasers for any of you. Maybe in a couple of months ;)

Woot!