When I started working at Comic Carnival a colleague and I talked about putting together a meet up to get people to draw. We fashioned it after the “Cartoonist Club” and after she left, I decided to still run with it. So the third Thursday of the month, I move a few racks around to make room for some small tables and from 5:30 to 7:00 we sit around and draw. We could go longer, but the shop closes at 8:00 and I want to give us time to clean up.

The group size fluctuates and the ages tend to skew towards those younger, but we get together and draw- each to our own abilities and using whatever tools we want. The shop provides paper and pencils, along with crayons, and colored pencils. We also have cookies- because drawing takes a lot of energy. Admittedly these aren’t the yummy Kaiju Cookies the shop normally sells, but I can’t afford giving those to people. 🙄 Last night it was sugar cookies decorated with Jack o’Lanterns.

For the most part we draw, and maybe chit chat, but as you know, most people who draw tend to be a bit more on the introverted side. We’ve talked about putting something together to showcase our work, but the club is still just figuring things out. Most participants like the idea, but don’t want the pressure of having to draw something for others… we’ll get there. For now it’s more draw and chill.

Typically people come in with ideas, and just work on characters or pieces they already have started. For those who don’t have an idea I start by getting out Steve Jackson Games old RPG Toon written by Warren Spector & Greg Costikyan. A newer version is in the works, but I still have my original book with tables to help create characters. Species Tables (Species, Silly Species, Really Silly Species, Unbelievably Silly Species), and the Occupation Table. Two d6 later the person who had no idea what to draw is trying to draw a Llama that is an Accountant. I’ve been using it for years when I teach cartooning. With the younger participants we do have to modify some of the roles, since they either no longer exist or are jobs they have no clue about. I’m hoping the newer version will update some of these things.

Being the one who runs it, sometimes we have to skip a month which can be hard. Weather, and school holidays also can be a problem. That said, I’m still there drawing away trying different things and helping attendees if they have questions about how to draw something or need some inspiration.

Next time we get together will be November 19th, if you are in the area, join us and have a cookie!

Sue and I left Thursday afternoon driving through Ohio and just into West Virginia. Friday was Pennsylvania into New Jersey with a stop off in Red Bank at Jay & Silent Bob’s Secret Stash where I was able to fill in a few holes in my Silver/Bronze age collection. Sue was also able to claim (with Cecil) the only Webcam in New Jersey - GCQWPK nearby.

We awoke and started heading to MetLife Stadium and the parking lot where everything was going to happen. By the time we arrived the lot was full of balloons and people, with more to come. Sue got in her line, and I got in mine a little apprehensive about where I should go- pilot or captain training?

Fortunately, it was a simple question and off I was to pick up breakfast and pick up a red cap.

It’s sad when a simple colored ball cap says so much about a person. When first asked about what role I’d like to try for I said “pilot” not specifically because it was something I longed for (I just wanted to help) but because pilots wear green caps and captains wear red ones. I didn’t want to be associated with the type of person in this country who wears a red cap. While I have been called a cult member about a few things- Apple Computers, MINI Coopers, DC Comics- none of those actually cause harm to other people (OK maybe DC Comics). Today I decided to ignore the stigma of a red cap and train as a captain.

The pilot is in charge of the balloon, they make sure it doesn’t run into things. That the balloon is in the “envelope” and on time as it goes down the street. The height of the balloon is the pilot’s job. The captain - herds cats. The role of the captain is to make sure everyone is there and to keep everyone moving and excited. It’s important to keep the balloon handlers in lines, to swap out people as they get tired and give everyone their time in the limelight. Mostly it’s to make sure that the pilot’s directions are followed. Basically, as a former public school teacher it’s like managing a class of first graders on a field trip. Something I have done many times. We were given Manny the Hippo to train on and basically the trainee captains played the role of balloon handlers throughout the morning. Each person got a rotation and I learned a lot.

Things I learned during training

• Manny the Hippo likes to breakdance - I had tried my hand at balloon handling with Manny in June during my first training. He wants to spin on his head. The tail end seems to want to point to the sky which can be hard on handlers. The pilot picks who they want in certain positions so stronger handlers are given key positions. I spent a lot of my time in the back and Manny for the most part flew level because the back end kept him under control. Pilot B kept an eye on Manny’s rear end.

• The Pilot Matters - Having on through pilot training I know how hard it can be. That said, some pilots have more experience and really do a great job. We had a wide variety of pilots so it was interesting to see how some were better than others. I started to feel better about my failure at pilot training.

• Always on the move - We had four captains on Manny and the most successful groups made sure to run between the four lines of handlers keeping their spacing from becoming a mob every time there was a pause

• Balloons are different- After we deflated Manny there was a call for help with the pilot trainee’s Green Star balloon. I grabbed another red hat and ran over. The Captain on that balloon had to leave so they needed a replacement. I was a little concerned having left pilot training for Captain training, but jumped in. The Star had fewer handlers and my job, was to keep everyone in their place as we marched along. This was actually a great experience. I got to see trainee pilots mess up a lot worse than I had done a couple weeks before. I found this interesting since the head of the pilot trainee group had come over and recruited a few from the captain ranks to train as pilots since there was a better chance to get into Flight Management through the pilot program than the captain program. I guess last year they invited 5 new pilots and only 2 new captains. I just wanted to help out and not freak out so I stayed with the captains.

I never got to work on the Astronaut Snoopy balloon since that was more for beginning handlers and vehicle training. There is a new Snoopy balloon this year so you won’t see the Astronaut or Beagle Scout this time around.

What’s next?

This week they will let people know what their role will be. I have no idea. Like I said, I’m fine with being a balloon handler as long as next year I can try again for flight management. 100 inflatables in this year’s parade so the odds are kinda in my favor? I’ve gone through pilot training twice, and captain training once - but I attended all three training sessions and a test flight. Not being local this shows my dedication… if that matters.

I also have an invitation to Balloonfest in early November which is the last time the balloons get flown before the parade. This usually is a few of the new balloons. We get to be handlers and fly the balloons around for the press and VIPs. We still don’t know where it’s going to be so our reservations are pending.

If you are in New York for Thanksgiving I highly recommend waiting in line on that Wednesday to see the balloons being inflated and the floats up close. Sue and I will be around, but since this is just another Whimventure all we know is where we are staying, not a minute by minute itinerary. I know I will be up very early Thanksgiving Day and it matters what my role is as to what I will wear and what I need to do. I will be wearing layers, but besides that- who knows? Handlers are dressed for their balloons, Pilots and Captains are in white jumpsuits with either red or green caps. Pilots also get bright orange gloves. Once I’m allowed to announce anything about my role, I will.

It is an amazing experience and being someone with the “give back more than you have received” mentality, this year I decided to try for Flight Management. Which, may have been a mistake. You see balloon handlers follow directions, walk and wave. Flight Management people give orders, and make sure everything goes smoothly. They are ones responsible for things. Ummm… I have a degree in Educational Administration, but stayed far away from becoming a school administrator because (I’m smart?) I realized it wasn’t the best role to make an impact in a student’s life. I also have difficulty following orders without understanding and agreeing with them. Which was an issue when given a scripted curriculum as a teacher.

Sunday, while in the rain, I realized this is an issue for me as a balloon pilot. I take complete responsibility for my actions. t was my fault, trying to please those judging my performance after watching everyone make little mistakes. I think my anxiety looked at all that and said “Hold my beer.” Then I did everything everyone else did wrong and more or at least worse.

In my debrief the lead coach for this group talked about the traffic light- Red, Yellow, and Green. I was at red the entire time, overwhelmed with directions attempting to comply immediately. On the actual route we would not be pivoting or changing our minds as quickly (would we?). In my limited experience that has not been something we need to do. In the limited space of this parking lot we did it a lot. I started introducing my self and getting the handlers to turn the balloon… I took too much time and now we needed to change direction. I didn’t signal at the start properly, I didn’t stop properly, I had them try to raise the balloon while turning… Basically, in this short time if I could do it wrong, I did.

There are only four turns lots of straight lines on the actual parade route. Issues come from navigating a few trees and mostly windy intersections. The thing is, I think I’ve come to the realization that maybe, I need to consider other options. They need a lot of people in a lot of different roles. Maybe being in charge of flying the balloon isn’t the best place for me. Once I realized that, it was like when I decided school administration wasn’t going to be my thing a weight was lifted off my shoulders. Now to just see if it is even a possibility, or will I just be drummed out of flight management altogether.

Monday, Monday

I was originally going to just relax at the hotel on Monday. I had things I wanted to do in New York City, but some of the places I wanted to were closed Mondays. I changed my mind and did a dry run leaving a little late. My plan was to just wander a bit. I was hoping to see the exhibit: Snoopy in Style NYC | Peanuts , so I got off the train at Penn Station and walked to the gallery in Chelsea. Not being a New Yorker, and not being Jewish I was unaware it was Yom Kippur and that school was out. Yes, I live in the cultural wasteland of a very, very Red State where we ignore anything non-Christian for the most part. Growing up in an agnostic family (at least they were when I was there) didn’t help me out either. The line when I arrived was a three and a half hour wait. I asked a few of the line monitors what the wait would be like on Tuesday, when I actually had a reason to be in the city. “Maybe an hour at most.” OK so this got added to tomorrow’s list. I thought about visiting museums and decided most would be just as crowded. I only walked 14,700 steps while trying to figure out what I was doing, before heading back to New Jersey and my hotel. to relax read and wait for the National Cartoonist Society’s monthly virtual open house.

Good Grief… it’s Tuesday

I got up earlier and headed to the Snoopy exhibit. I arrived around 30 minutes before they opened and the line had already turned the corner. Definitely no where near what I saw Monday. By quarter after ten (when they opened) I was in!

Having been to the Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa this was a different take on Peanuts, more on the strip and characters influence on culture tied to fashion, sports (tennis) and New York City. The exhibit is around until September 26.

My next visit was another comic related gallery exhibit - just a “short” walk from Snoopy. This was an exhibition of the work of Mike Mignola, the creator of Hellboy. His style (like Schulz) is distinctive. You might recognize it from the Disney film Atlantis: The Lost Empire a film he did the concept art for. Being someone who gets frustrated sometimes with my own artistic style, I like seeing how other artists bend & break the “rules” to make things that are simply amazingly unique. Hopefully, someday I’ll do something like that.

The Philippe Labaune Gallery was intimate and I was greeted upon entering by having to step around Copper, a wonderful dog “guarding” the entrance. I recalled the scene in the film The Producers - “I’m the concierge!” and I distinctly felt that was Copper’s job. Circus of Bones is around until Oct. 17 so a week-ish after New York Comic Con. I understand the exhibition book will be available at your local comic shop or through Image you can order online if you like - CIRCUS OF BONES Hardcover in November.

Not All Those Who Wander are Lost…

After that, I wandered. I had until almost six o’clock which was when classroom training began at Macy’s. During my wandering I had lunch at a diner and discovered that the public library 😱 had a wall outlet so I could recharge my old phone that seems to always be low. I also tried to get a few virtual geocaches that I had skipped when Sue picked them up one time when we were in New York. I could have wandered up to Central Park, visited a museum or two, but instead I sat back (after my phone charged) and listen to a brass quartet play In Herald Square.

At around 5:30pm I headed over to Macy’s for more balloon instruction which included dinner. I met some more wonderful people including the person responsible for making sure that the trees are trimmed along the route (and I thought I had pressure).

The instruction was a repeat of what I had watched virtually before heading out, but it was nice to meet some more people and charge my phone again.

Sorry, I signed an NDA

I didn’t hang out in New Jersey just to take the train and hang out in New York, there was an actual reason, besides being cheaper. Wednesday I participated in a Test Flight of a new balloon. These tend to happen in the Prudential Center and are super secret - which is why I’m telling you about it.🙄 actually, being Lawful Good and signing a Non Disclosure Agreement, there isn’t much you can say. It was a new character balloon, we tested it. That test consisted of marching with it and testing stresses by doing things that simulated strong winds. It was supposed to last until noon, we were over a little after eleven. I hit the road and by 10:15pm I was being attacked by Bailey and Issi as I tried to go to sleep in my own bed.

Sue and I will return for another training session in October, then we’ll discover our parade assignments. As Flight Management Trainees we get to attend Balloonfest. After my lackluster performance during the last training, I am assuming I will still be a handler this year even with rumors of the need for more Pilots and Captains. I’m happy to help wherever I’m needed. As long as my “help” doesn’t make things worse. This has been an amazing experience and while I’ve checked it off my bucket list more than once I think it’s something I will continue to do as long as they let me. Now “Let’s Have a Parade!”

Fitness, by the Numbers:

I normally wouldn’t do this, but I was tired at the end of each day and I decided to figure out why… my average guesstimate, as a retired guy who draws and works part time at a comic book shop, is I walk about 4,000 steps on a good day.

Saturday: 6,922 steps with the CITO event picking up trash in a park, most of the day was on the road driving.

Sunday: 8,535 steps from Balloon Training in a mall parking lot. Note: most of these steps were done walking backwards.

Monday: 14,734 steps As the patch on my jacket says - “Not all who wander are lost… but I am”

Tuesday: 25,211 steps Yes, I know they have a very good public transit system in New York.

Wednesday: 4,704 steps this is from the flight test mostly, since I spent about 11 hours on the road.

Thursday: 4,434 steps ummm… I did the laundry, and mostly did nothing.

1. It wasn’t all that epic. It has been a cross country trip lasting at least a week if not longer.

2. It wasn’t over the summer. Like many MINI owners I set aside the entire summer every two years to go on this epic journey. They moved it to the Fall.

3. It was basically three weekends in three different states. California, New York, and Florida. Completely ignoring the middle of the country. A lot of MINI folks considered it to be a slap in the face and just like something their local club would put together. “Ho hum.”

Since the announcement things have been pretty silent, the usual enthusiasm missing from the social media groups. Sue, Cecil and I will be attending the NEW York Event.

People are getting excited, but not to the levels I’ve seen in the past. Only time will tell if this will be another 2008. We don’t talk about 2008 (unless you’re from Florida).

The History of MINIons

In 2009 I received a Fellowship from the Lilly Endowment to visit England and MINI United (The European version of MINI Takes The States- which was completely different). Cecil had recently come into existence so he joined the fun on his first epic Whimventure®. In this infantile era of social media I had met some people coming over for the event and shared information, like who to rent a MINI from, and other stuff. On our tour of “Plant Oxford” I heard some American accents and discovered these were some of the folks I had been communicating with online. They accepted the fact that I had a stuffed monkey with me in stride and we quickly became friends. Cecil had his first MINIons even if they didn’t know it.

Hence started the MINIons. A small group of MINI enthusiasts joined together by a silly monkey. In 2010 I was asked to do a daily comic strip about MINI Takes The States, We met more people with that shared vision and in 2012 at the start of MTTS in New Jersey each member of that small group was given a magnet for their MINI. In My Humble Opinion 2012 was the pinnacle of MINI Takes The States events New York to Santa Monica. It was still a small group who “Went all the Way” and I think that it created the insanity that is now MTTS. From there all Hades broke loose.

In 2014 I started designing individual badges for the group, each person had a number (four digit) and a corresponding monkey. The numbers grew and while the core group tended to stick together when we could others joined the ranks. In 2015 I challenged myself to create a new badge for every day of the year. So a new MINIon number and a drawing of a monkey. The rules were the monkey had to have Cecil’s winged gear emblem somewhere, usually this was on a fez or some hat it was wearing. If you were a member of the group you could request a specific monkey and/or number.

I learned a lot during this process… first and foremost that people don’t understand me. I was doing this as a challenge, I wasn’t asking to be paid for it. It was fun, until it wasn’t. It stopped being fun when I would make a badge and the person who requested it, asked for multiple changes. I could understand some things, but nitpicking turned it from fun to a job. The reverse of Mary Poppins spoonful of sugar. “And SNAP! the games a job!” After making over 365 of these (I actually had lost count). Most people were just happy to get a badge, some felt entitled. Funny thing, those people were usually people I didn’t know too well. They were friends of friends or people who saw the badges and wanted to be part of the crowd. Early on- they were all crazy MINI owners who bought into the initial MINI philosophy. Before so many of them became ‘Extraordinary” 🙄.

As you can see some MINIons are a bit obscure. In most cases the numbers do correspond to something. In some cases it has to do with the Person who requested it, but in most cases its has to do with the actual drawing. Just note- this is just one tenth of the MINIon badge I designed. Ugh. I still can’t believe I did so many.

At one event I recall someone from my local MINI club asking someone how they could get a badge. “You know Bruce” and the person said “Yes… Is he still running around with that stupid stuffed monkey?” This conversation got back to me. So when this person came up and said “So I hear you’re the person I need to talk to about getting a MINIon badge.” I told them they needed to talk with MINIon #0001. They looked confused and I continued- that I had nothing to do with anything- I’m MINIon #4238 I’m nowhere near anyone in control of giving out badges. They walked away with a quizzical look on their face. I just smiled.

The group in 2014 had started to get large and actually developed some cliques. I decided even though I was drawing MINIon badges, I started to take a step back. By 2018 Sue, Cecil, and I were doing the event as lone wolves and finding that it was nice to not have to worry about where everyone else was, although we did miss the camaraderie, it was nice to be able to do what we wanted when we wanted. In 2024 through serendipity we ended up at the same place as some friends a few times, which was nice. I’m hoping that the New York weekend will allow us time to reconnect - being really only two full days it will be a rush.

In 2024 I was asked to make a badge for a “friend of a friend” - they decided that it wasn’t good enough and also felt they should take it upon themselves to make it better… When I said, please don’t. They offered to pay me for my work… (Cecil was appalled.) Because of that I won’t be making badges for people unless I really know them… my sister in-law just got one drawn up this morning, that’s how close to me you need to be. So will you see MINIon badges on the road with MINI Takes the States this year? I don’t know, I know I’ll have mine, but everyone else? Who knows? I’ve taken a step back from a lot of the group activities. No buttons this time, but I will have stickers. That said running around trying to hand things out at events makes it so you can’t actually spend time with people, and that’s more important than stuff.

What It’s Actually All About

I remember when I first thought about my friends from around the world and the initial concept of the MINIons as a group-

• We are all unique (special little snowflakes) and therefore don’t have to do everything together, but we also shouldn’t leave people out.

• When we are together we should enjoy each other’s company - MINIs are what brings us together.

• It’s the journey not the destination that matters, although some destinations are really awesome.

• Bruce is never allowed to use the radio.

• In the wonderful words of LEGO “Play Well.”

• It’s never about egos or people needing to be in charge- that’s Cecil’s job. His ego is bigger than all of ours combined. Being a stuffed monkey, he doesn’t have much to say about it anyway.

The purpose was to not take ourselves too seriously. Other groups existed that were “Serious.” We made fun of them (in private). The MINI was all about fun and “Not Normal” behavior. The MINIon badge was to provide a unique icebreaker for newcomers. To those who held up these beliefs and joined in on the silliness - thank you- I hope to motor with you for many miles (except when we go off and do our own thing).

I just wrote about saying “no.” Sadly sometimes people put you in a situation where you can’t say “no.” You get the “Oh you’re SO good at this” or “I knew you could help out.” Most of these requests come from friends or family and most come with no actual compensation. Just a chance to feel good about spending hours helping someone out. Isn’t that enough? (umm…) I was a teacher I know all about spending hours and hours and not getting properly compensated “for the kids.” This time around I’m desgining pathtags and other things for a geocaching event. I already wrote a bit about this earlier, but figured I’d catch people up now that almost everything I’ve currently designed has gone into production.

This project started out with Sue being an advocate for real artists and not AI. She had been asked to be on a committee for a GeoTour in Southernish Indiana. They already had someone who was a pathtag designer onboard, so I wouldn’t be needed. With in 48 hours, I was now the lead (only) designer. Along with that I was to go to between the company making the pathtags and the person in charge of the GeoTour. I had “experience”… I knew the vocabulary. My actual scope of work? Take sponsors logos and turn them into a pathtag.

What’s a Pathtag?

A pathtag is a metal coin about the size of an American five cent piece, it has a hole in it so it can be hung off f something. The original purpose was as a signature item for geocachers to place into a cache. “Who have you crossed paths with?” they were collectible and tradable. I made my first one in 2007, and dove into it (like I always do) for a while. When I took a break from geocaching it also took a break from pathtags. Due to the beautiful tariffs the company pivoted with a product called “Flashtags” which were easier to make, but didn’t have a hole and were pretty much a graphic file suck on a metal blank. Not as long lasting or nice as a path tag. Until this project I’d designed somewhere around 30, and tried out a Flashtag.

The design process is pretty straight forward. The design needs to have raised metal spaces to hold enamel paint. Therefore you can lose detail. Making the detail either metal (therefore sticking up) or the background metal (so the detail is cut in) does make things easier. Not all designs allow for this. Once you think you have a design finished- it gets sent to blueprinting. This is where the factory takes your design and makes it possible for it to become a pathtag. Lines too thin? Too much detail? Too many colors? All are issues. You want glitter, glow-in-the dark, or translucent? They have restrictions also. What about textured metal? Again warnings and restrictions will pop up.

Find the Fun and… “SNAP!” The Job’s a Game!

My job… Yes, still a job, take a photo or low res image of a companies sign/logo that has been texted to me and turn it into a Pathtag. Most of the time I would go online search out the company and find a higher-res image or the logo that they currently use in Social Media and convert it to a viable design. Some sponsors provided their own design which was usually awful and wouldn’t work. I believe I commented on how much AI slop was being used in what is supposed to be an Arts Community- most of it won’t translate properly to a Pathtag, although I’m sure I could just pop it into some AI engine and have something perfect… ugh.

I do enjoy the challenge, so far I’m 14 designs into the project with a few being “gold sponsors” those get gold path tags. A few dealing with glow, or translucent, that was usually my call. I created a simple template with the “BROWN COUNTY BACKROADS GEOTOUR” along the bottom edge. This was moved and slightly resized in a few cases. when completed with the design I would add Pantone® numbers to help guide which colors I was wanting.

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To compare- here is what I turned into blueprinting, and here’s what blueprinting gave back to me.

This design I took their logo and simplified as much as I felt I could, but the blueprinting process took it a step further (I’m still learning) in this case they changed the font bolder and to sans serif to make it so the paint could fill, and took “Boutique” and made it raised metal.

This one was all me! but also taught me some of the limitations, like limited color palette and channel width. I actually took their rejected blueprint and modified it to get it to work.

As few I had to turn down and make either changes in writing or major design changes. I learned that 8 colors is pretty much the maximum after sending in a couple designs with more than eight colors and getting them returned with fewer colors.

This one was interesting in that I was trying for texture on the lunar surface. My initial idea was to put a translucent yellow over it, but decided that the would be too much. As you can see I got limited to two textures, and even got a warning email about how this doesn’t always look the way you want it to. I’m still waiting for the tag to arrive, but I think I made sure the textures are different enough it should look pretty cool. The sponsor also wanted part to glow so the lettering glows.

Being a “Gold Sponsor” I thought this would be tastefully simple in mostly gold. The sponsor initially wanted the pathtag to be completely orange. Having to put a channel around the colors, I felt that the design would end up getting lost. Also being handed a gold coin is really cool.

Lots of cleaning up needed to be done on this one, mostly the design has lots of computer aided color shifts, which were pretty much impossible for a pathtag. As you can see a sans serif was used to replace the font in the logo to increase legibility.

This one I had only been given the logo- so the words. Like with most of the designs I took to the webs and did a search to see what else might be out there as an image. in this case their social media avatar was this really cool tree design. I figured I’d see about a mash up of the two.

I’m not done. There are still some sponsorships available, and therefore more tags to make.

Hoe do you get these? Once the tour opens (in mid-May) you need to get a Passport (something else I might be designing or at least laying out) and find caches that have been sponsored. I fas as I understand if you find that geocache you will have a way to prove it. Take that proof to the sponsor and they will give you their pathtag. Silver sponsors have 100 tags, Gold Sponsors have 200 tags, so who knows how long they will last. ^{No purchase necessary. Your mileage may differ. Professional driver on a closed course. Offer not valid in some states. Klaatu Birrada Nicto. May the Force be with you. Why are you still reading the fine print?}

Things I Learned

• Paint needs space. If you notice most of my thinner lines ended up getting thickened so the paint could flow in to the space.

• Fancy fonts only work up to a certain size. Smaller font sizes were converted into a sans serif font. even if they were metal and not paint.

• Limited to 8 colors. Any design I turned in with more than 8 colors was reduced to 8, so after a while I just made sure the design was 8 colors. I don’t recall seeing a limit, but then again, I didn’t look.

• Thin lines are better as raised metal.

• Remember the final size- it’s not that big, so lots of detail or words are going to be lost. One I’m currently waiting on I thought about having the background similar to the Victorian gingerbread siding, but realized that that would just be too busy.

• “Done is better than perfect” since I’m sending these in to be finalized, spending hours and hours on a design doesn’t mean that’s what’s coming back for blueprinting. I send the design to the project lead who checks with the sponsor, I then submit that approved design to blueprinting. The blueprint than gets sent back to the sponsor for final approval before going into production. I don’t want someone coming back saying “That’s not what I wanted!” or the blueprint doesn’t match the design that was approved.

• Arts communities are in most cases just businesses so with the advent of AI they will use whatever shortcuts they can to get stuff done. Why spend hours designing a sign for your shop, when you could be using that time to make things to sell? I don’t have to like it, but I kinda understand.

• I’m not a digital artist- I scan things and then play around with them in Photoshop. The Outer Glow effect is really helpful on something like this to create the raised metal around a colored area.

I’ve been asked to design a few other things for this project- first on that list is the Geocoin (Bucket List #80) and I’ll also be working on the virtual Souvenir both of which you would receive once you complete the trail. I’m also designing a “Shareable” which is a new thingie- a graphic image attached to a cache, event, or even a person that people can collect. Remember: the geocacher who dies with the most stuff (virtual or otherwise) wins. 🙄 I’m looking forward to not having the limitations that pathtags and geocoins present, but also a bit apprehensive as I will have to have these things approved by multiple groups and that can be a pain, especially when you really like something and someone with the veto power doesn’t.

You see I get involved in a group or organization, then get over-involved, then burned out. It’s me, not the organization. It’s been repeated so many times. I become indispensable and then need to run for the hills. I decided yesterday to put that to an end. I don’t like to quit things. I’m an “obliger” according the Gretchen Rubin. I put others needs ahead of my own even when it causes me stress. I decided after taking the entire day to focus on a project for someone else I would just stop and say something I rarely say- “No.”

Since returning from a bonspiel in Las Vegas a few of us had talked about “Curly,” the CurlVegas mascot. Designed by Frank McCourt (Canada’s Curling Cartoonist). We’d talked about how it would be cool to have a character for our club. Something cute and silly. Curly is a desert tortoise something that lives in Nevada, so we started to brainstorm ideas for what animal could work for Indiana. Opossum, raccoon, pig all came to mind. I started working out ideas, but nothing seriously. We got back and the idea was thrown into the miasma that is a club board, and deemed not a high priority (which I can understand).

Helping Out…

I’m not saying boards are bad, or individuals are bad. I’ve been on a club board before, here you have people who are passionate about the club, and what it’s about, sometimes they are also stuck in their ways. The hardest thing to tackle is “but we’ve always done it this way.” The other thing you have are those people (and I was one of them, once upon a time) who are very serious about how things should be and how the club looks to others. There are those who want change for the better but get hit with the roadblock of the ones who don’t want things to change.

The basic membership doesn’t worry about these things, they want to go to events, play the game, or whatever. When I dealt with school robotics, you had the people who saw it as a sport equal to any other sport and should have the same respect as basketball or football. In a car club you had the people who wanted more technical events, challenging drives, or track time. Then you had the people who said these were just clubs and to get over it. I’m not quite sure where this club board stands, but it seems like a lot of egos and politics like most boards. Most members will never see it and just go along with whatever is presented. It’s kinda nice to be in the dark.

The club I’m currently a part of is celebrating its 20th anniversary. I was asked to join the planning committee in hopes that I could help design things for the event. The first meeting did not go well. In our first meeting I griped (OK- I blew up) about AI and also using race cars as a cliché representation of Indianapolis. I offered to try some things out, but got the feeling that whatever I created would probably be rejected. It seemed like the majority were all on board with AI and that race cars are synonymous with Indiana. The board seemed to love AI and saw it as looking very professional and easy for anyone to use. I tried to counter, with many not aware that I can draw. This meeting came up while I was in the middle of traveling, so thinking time was available, but serious drawing time wasn’t. Any creative person knows how long it takes to come up with a workable idea. I had time in hotels and planes to think things through. I kept thinking about Curly, from CurlVegas. Not as a cornerstone, but something to add a little whimsy and make us not seem so serious. He could also be infused into things instead of the AI curling stone currently on most of our event flyers.

The morning of the next meeting arrived and I was asked to contact the chair which, in my experience, is never a good thing. All I heard in the discussion was that one member of the committee was really pushing race cars, and since they were on the board, I again figured anything I came up with that wasn’t race car related would be shot down. This person even suggested doing a Cars character as a mascot… Oh my. Just waiting for the Disney lawyers to knock on the door. I said I would try to come up with something (but not a Cars character), I had some ideas, but I went back to the AI slop that had been shown to me at the first meeting. Ugh. It was awful, but it was also what they wanted, or at least something similar. I suggested to the chair that if they wanted to go for race cars go whole hog throughout the club. Where are the racing flags? Why isn’t the hog line a row of bricks or a checkered flag? Why isn’t the club championship trophy a knock off of the Borg-Warner cup? Use racing wheels and tires as tables… Don’t go halfway - embrace it.

Then I put my nose to the grindstone and tried to create what it seemed the group wanted. Hours passed and I had nothing I felt was decent enough to show. Most artists have self-esteem issues. Cartoonists especially since while people are supposed to laugh at their work, they also get the serious arts people maligning it. “Are you still drawing those silly pictures?” If given ample time I’m sure I could come up with something that works, but I keep falling back on whatever I turn in will be rejected, so why even try. I fell back on some of my original ideas and re examined the “beautiful, very professional looking” AI slop and just gave up. My heart wasn’t in it to fight. I felt I was being set up for failure. I texted the committee chair and quit. My style of art would not meet their needs. I’m old enough to choose my battles, and this was one I decided would just make me miserable and alienate me even more. I also have other projects and ideas this was keeping me from. I said something I almost never say “No.”

As for the club I’m still feeling like the “new guy” after three years. I’m trying to figure out why some people started referring to me as “Crazy Bruce” after just hiding in the shadows and only playing in a couple of leagues & events for a couple of years. What did I do to be labeled insane? I laugh with them, but still wonder. Once again feeling like an outsider, Senior year of high school all over again.

Just Here to Play

After scratching my head for years and trying to figure out why some people join a group but then do nothing but pay their dues and attend events I decided that maybe they actually are enjoying the experience more than I ever have. Be it a professional organization, car club, or sports thing. After so many years I realize that I don’t need to be part of the sausage making process to enjoy a yummy brat. I decided at that point- all I wanted to do was just play. Not focus on making the club the best in the midwest, or internationally known, just a nice place to hang out and play. By playing and enjoying the time I have there I am making the club a better place for those who are there. Funny thing is, I still haven’t signed up to play in a league yet. You see I’ve been holding off to figure things out.

I learned yesterday that I I am now a full member in the National Cartoonist Society, something I am still in shock over. I am thinking about getting ribbons made for the next NCS Conference in San Diego that say “mistakes were made” or maybe “I still can’t believe they accepted my application.” But in honor of this I’m posting the last comic I submitted to PinPoint and will now try to prove my worth by drawing more comics… I even reduced my hours at the comic shop to give me more time.

Which brings me to the World Science Fiction Convention in the guise of LAcon V.  First of all I only attended three of the five days.  Why?  I really don’t know.  I think at the time I felt it was cost prohibitive.  I actually did a lot of this trip on “points” trying to cut costs as much as possible. I finally pulled the trigger on the trip due to a cheap airfare email and an excuse to visit my dad.

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Is This My Tribe?

It’s interesting being a “multifaceted geek” I think I have many tribes, but as I start to settle I’m realizing a few things about myself what I’m not.  I’m not a LEGO geek anymore. I’m not much of a board game geek. I’m not as diehard a MINI Cooper geek. I’m moving away from being the comic book geek or at least being more selective. I enjoy curling, but am still just starting out. I like to draw and want to spend more time at a drawing table, and most importantly,I still enjoy reading, especially science/speculative fiction and fantasy. Also, I’m a cat person (Crazy? Probably - but “my mother had me tested.”)

WorldCon or The World Science Fiction Convention had been a late addition to my bucket list, but I’m very happy I attended even for just a few days. After attending San Diego Comic Con, New York Comic Con, C2E2, Gen Con, blah, blah, blah… the list goes on. Those conventions tend to be flashy and chaotic. Navigating through crowds is a skill I have honed over the years.  My brothers even commented on it this year at Gen Con how I could move through the aisles. I was pleasantly surprised that this was a smaller convention which made it a nice change. Unlike so many of those conventions the attendees seemed interested in more than the typical con crowd.  In fact this seemed to be a mix of the pop culture/comic book and the educational conventions I used to attend as a teacher.  The exhibit hall wasn’t crowded with dealers which was a nice surprise.  Not saying I didn’t buy stuff, but it was nice to not have row upon row of 3D printed junk or “.  Most exhibitors were actually exhibiting and not just hawking stuff.

The art show embraced from the amateur to professional artist along with people just wanting to see things in their collections.  Many items were for sale and I definitely picked up cards from so many artists. I wish I had the money to buy some things, but I had decided to hold off after last year and consider what I really wanted and (being old) what would happen to this stuff in the future.

Another interesting bit was that the celebrities were authors not stars talking about their latest TV show or film so a very different vibe. I found it interesting that George R.R. Martin showed up at, I guess, the last minute.  They rushed to create an autograph time for him.  But I think he did this to avoid the throngs of non-literary fans who would descend and take over. Yes, LAcon would have gotten a massive boost in attendance numbers, but I think everyone would have had a way different experience.  Then again, what do I know?Also I didn’t see anyone charging for an autograph or photo. At the autograph tables there were tickets given to those in line for some people, but mostly it was people with a few treasured volumes.  Yes, some authors had limits, but mostly it was civilized and respectful of everyone.

Tie a Yellow Ribbon?

Like Gen Con, ribbons seem to be a trade item. There were a number of unique cool ribbons that I figured out you had to find the individual person.  Ribbons were an ice breaker. Besides the “normal” ribbons. Some interesting ribbons:

• Spaceballs the Ribbon

• 1.6 gHz

• I Like Moss

• Restore Roe

• No Kings

• Chaos Gremlin

• Elbows Up! (Montreal WorldCon)

• TANSTAAFL

• I Grok Heinlein

There were many more, some I got, some I didn’t. I still haven’t found an “imposter” ribbon - guess I know what I need to create.

The Sessions (or as I like to call it- Level 2)

The sessions seemed to be more intellectual and while I did not attend all the sessions I had planned either because of time or just being exhausted (mentally & physically) there were other options that made it more unique.

I can’t say I had a favorite session, each was unique and good.  Some I could listen and multitask.  I found it interesting the number of sessions did not have graphics or slides. I think mostly because I attended a number of panels.

One thing that was awesome was voice to text.  I’ve mentioned it before, but it was a nice added benefit even for those in the audience who weren’t deaf.

Sign Up Events

A number of events had a limit on how many people could attend.  Unlike many cons these were not a line up the night before if you want in. Instead you signed up digitally the day before and received an  email if you got picked in the lottery.  A waitlist was also created at the same time. The also posted if there were seats available after the lottery.

One other piece I did not try for (talking with people I admire makes my brain go blibity blobity) were Table Talks.  These were small groups who would spend time chatting with an author.  Pretty much about… anything. Something to try for next time.

The Big Events & Parties

Years and years ago I read Sharyn McCrumb’s Bimbos of the Death Sun and having been to a few comic book conventions I found it hard to see the convention in the book similar to any one I had attended.  I figured I just wasn’t one of the “cool kids” or maybe wasn’t geeky enough to have been granted access behind the curtain. Now I realize that she was actually writing about a con like this.  There are signature events - the masquerade, and the award ceremony. There are also other events and get togethers.  Groups bidding for a future WorldCon throwing a party, authors DJing. Heck the Hilton had a floor with suites that I guess was party central.  I say “I guess” because I didn’t attend any.

Sue got me to at least stop by Scalzi’s Discotheque, but introversion, social anxiety, and exhaustion made me turn into a pumpkin way before midnight.

Peoples is Peoples

As I look for my tribe it’s not the events or the vendors, or the things that make up a convention that creates tribe. It’s the people. WorldCon had an eclectic mix of people, but they were all welcoming and friendly and here’s the crazy part- many more of them “got me” than at most cons I’ve attended.  How do I know this? My jacket.  My “extrovert cosplay” battle jacket.  People remember the jacket long before they remember me.  At WorldCon most people who commented that they liked my jacket went a step further.  They actually pointed out a specific patch they liked, usually an obscure one. One person commented at how they had to smile at the Science Fiction Double Feature patch and how sad it was to lose Tim Curry.  Another commented and relayed the story of “The Winslow” -Phil Foglio was in attendance, but he didn’t have that patch at his table.  More than a few passed the geek test - by naming the IP from each of the patches on my right arm… this doesn’t happen to me, ever. I get “love your jacket” or just weird looks never have I had people actually understand the significance of what in on that jacket what it says about me and in turn, them. To paraphrase CE3K “I am not alone” - knowing that makes me happy. Maybe I have actually found my tribe.

What’s Next?

I see myself probably limiting my attendance at comic book conventions (the exception is CXC) unless I’m promoting something or looking for something specific. I still love HeroesCon and Baltimore Comic Con.  I liked the National Cartoonist Society’s conference and the people in it, however I’m conscious that I’m not at this point a member, a cartoonist. Therefore I only see myself attending if it is close due to cost, because if I were to go, I want to do everything. I still consider Gen Con fun for the gaming aspect, and it is local.

WorldCon? I can see myself doing this again and using it as a convenient excuse to travel someplace new and put more pins in the map. 2027 Montréal, that’s an easy drive unless politics get in the way.  2028 Brisbane? Darn! I’d have to visit Australia which leaves only Antarctica to check off visiting all the continents.

I kind of came in blind, not knowing what to expect or how things worked. Things I’d do differently:

• Stay at the host hotel.  I think being closer to the action, even by just a few yards would be nice. I think this is something to consider for most Cons.

• Attend a table talk

• Submit something to the art show

• Make a unique ribbon

• Vote for the Hugo Awards.  I read all the novels and bunch of other categories, but I didn’t vote 🙄

• Go to a party or is that crash a party?

• Attend the entire convention, not just three days

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Thank you to the organizers and volunteers, you did an amazingly amazing job. As a first timer- it was great and I really have nothing to complain about - especially since you’ve probably heard enough from “experts” online who have mentioned anything and everything under the Sun. 🙄😱

Reading: Steven Barnes

Saturday started off with a Steven Barnes Reading something I didn’t know was a thing.

Steven started with just a quick update as to how things are going now.  He talked about how the challenges help you determine your path and how you embrace them is important. Wow! What a positive outlook!

Steven decided to read from a book he is working on, not something already published or ready for publication. We were the first audience The Dead Lands a paranormal story bouncing around the in time, sounds interesting and after the reading one I will want to read.

He also spoke about Warrior-walk.com which is his program he used to rehabilitate after being in the hospital (he’d died from a blood clot).

Steven mentioned how he likes having AI read things back to him… yes, that is a good use of AI in the creative process. For those keeping score that’s 1 for AI, a bajillion against. He thought the voice to text interface used through the con for deaf interpretation was awesome.

As for the state of the world-

We’re doing the best we can. This is just the shit that happens.

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Autographing: Steven Barnes

I rushed from his author talk to make sure I had a place in line. Steven commented over the condition of Dream Park (yes, it isn’t pristine and the pages are brown with age) and asked me why it was my favorite, what I really liked about it… fanboy stutter and trying to come up with an answer.  I’m not sure he was impressed.

The Comic Book Sommelier

From the Program: “Even with sales numbers dropping and the distribution channel scattered and shredded, it’s a great time to be a comics fan. Marvel and DC are doing some of the best work they’ve done in years, and there are strong stories from “second-rank” companies and a surge of independent publishers. We will look at how things are going, then become an audience-led “comic book sommelier,” where we match an individual with a perfect comic title or two.”

Some discussion as to the validity of the program description. Sales aren’t down.

Absolute Batman changed things

Manga/anime people post on Insta and followers hunt for those artists works.

There has been a societal shift towards comics. Reading comics isn’t as taboo as it once was (unless you have one of those teachers 🙄).

Many people are learning via Digital storytelling and the WEBTOON infinite scroll which can be difficult to turn the comic into a printed book.

Unfortunately for many creators there is a belief that “If it’s on the Internet it should be free” while things are changing to more of a subscription service model, it is still a bit of a challenge to get people to pay for your work.

After that some members of the audience volunteered to have the panel pick comics for them due to their likes and interests. This was interesting as the recommendations were almost entirely Indy publishers or stuff I had never heard of. I did make a list and will research some of them. Not knowing the group I chose not to contribute anything…

Life Drawing Workshop

From the Program: “A lightly instructed life drawing workshop. Participants will draw a costumed figure beginning with quick gesture drawings and gradually progressing into longer poses using traditional techniques. Participants are also welcome to work with other drawing materials if desired.”

This was a nice break, the instructors didn’t realize it was two hours, they thought it was only one.  Having taken life drawing classes it was nice. The materials used were newsprint and charcoal. The models were in costume, but the set up wasn’t as conducive as it could be. Rows of tables blocking the view of the models.  There were three models which was awesome, one dressed as Odin, one in a Star Trek uniform, and one in Steampunk attire.  All various shapes and sizes. One of the participants also joined in as she was in an Amazonian armor and helm. I switched to my sketching pencil after a time.  My conclusion- I need to be doing this more.

The Makerspace - making a blinkie

Next to where life drawing occurred was the Makerspace, costume repair, and a place to learn how to solder and make a flashing badge.  I figured I would give it a go.  I picked the LAcon V logo and headed in.

When my former school was going through its renovation the powers that be decided to put in a Makerspace.  When I left, the area was being used for test prep and remediation, but it’s the thought that counts. 🙄 one thing that the “experts” kept saying we needed was soldering irons. I recall vetoing that idea for multiple reasons including safety and teacher comfort in using the tool.

Doing this badge I realized that I am smarter than the average bear. It was a lot of fun and I ended up with a great blinking badge.  In a classroom setting, it would have been chaos, and kids would have burned tables, clothes and themselves.  Here in a controlled setting with people helping clueless (yes, that would be me) adults it works. I highly recommend doing this if you have a chance.

Caring for Your Collection(s)

From the Program: “Many fans love collecting items. It may be books, art, trading cards, fanzines, textiles, or other fun stuff! Yet just obtaining the item may not be enough. Time may take its toll on the collection. Collections may be damaged by water, light, pests, and even dust. In this presentation we will show what we can do at home to improve the safety of our collection(s).”

Two topics were covered:

Protection - keeping disaster away

Preservation - longevity

Up, up and away! Keep things away from walls and off the floor.

Protection - if water damage happens - dry it as quick as possible - freeze it

High value? Talk to insurance company

Pests- bugs, rodents, mold

• Keep the space clean

• Check regularly

• Cool and dry area

Vocab: Frass- bug poop that looks like sawdust

Mishaps most bad things happen because we aren’t careful when handling things.

Current thoughts in the profession- those cotton gloves aren’t needed except in rare cases just have clean hands and use common sense.

Preservation

Vocab: Inherent Vice- everything is falling apart (entropy)

Accelerating Factors- light, temp & humidity (big fluctuations ), and other materials in contact with your stuff.

Pencil lasts longer than Sharpie - who knew?!?

Light-

• direct sunlight bright rooms old fluorescent bulbs

   +    LED lights kept low & UV filtered glass

Keep your stuff where you live, not in the attic or basement (up, up & away)

While your mileage may differ- Statistically speaking the attic, basement, or garage aren’t good places.

Housing- how you store your stuff

Most office copy paper is acid free now.

Plastic tubs- better than cardboard

Post it notes, pvc sleeves, scotch tape are bad

1. Up, up and away.

2. Declutter remove things touching items.

3. Out of the attic & basement.

Inspect your stuff at least twice yearly

He is not a fan of slabbing comics - out gassing things need to breathe.

If you are concerned about new item being contaminated - Bag and freeze for 6 months… to destroy pests (bugs & molds)

Enjoy the stuff you have while you have it.

Comics - Acid free bag & board should be fine. No mention on when to swap out.

The WorldCon Masquerade

From the Program: “The Masquerade is one of the prime events at a Worldcon - an onstage presentation extravaganza where genre costumers of all levels and abilities show off their skills and compete for awards. The event also includes a half-time show featuring Rogue Shimmy performing Star Trek themed belly dancing and Tadao Tomomatsu's comic musings to take place while the judges are conferring. Please join us for a night of excitement and wonder!”

Having been to a few costume contests at conventions this one seemed to be a lot more low key.  These didn’t seem to be professionals and that made it fun.  The work was amazing, but more driven by a love of the source material or genre than trying to make a duplicate of some character from a film or game. I’m reminded of Adam Savage’s TED Talk.

I was tired so I did leave before the judges returned with their decision.

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I do apologize for not posting this earlier, I took Sunday to visit my father and am catching up now at the airport as I wait to hoard my circuitous route home.

Today was all about LAcon V aka WorldCon.  I took the entire day to attend sessions to immerse myself in whatever.

Draw a Dragon with Tim Kirk: Adults’ Workshop

From the Program: “Ready to bring a dragon to life? Join Guest of Honor and Disney artist Tim Kirk to learn how. Learn tips, techniques, and creative secrets from a master illustrator as you create your own legendary creature. (This workshop is for adults.)”

So… drawing a dragon🤔 I tend to go to some sessions to see how other people do things, especially professionals. This was a session that had limited space so the day before you had to sign up online to be put into a lottery. An hour or so after the sign up closed they alerted people of their status via email. Being paranoid/anxious I made sure I had done this early in the day.  After getting confirmation I arrived early and got to watch people who hadn’t read the description or instructions find out that there was a waiting list.  I felt bad, but after the non compliant rule benders at the Freebie Table the previous day I decided to stay quiet.  If allowed, these people would camp out taking spots from people who had read and done what they were supposed to. Yes, I’m lawful good(ish).

Autographing: John Scalzi

I began reading Scalzi with Redshirts and stuck with his more humorous works until I had run out.  I then delved into Old Man’s War and found, while different, a series I really enjoyed. I follow Scalzi in social media and was fanboy shy when I met him, but look forward to his next book.

1966 Time Capsule: What Made Star Trek Ahead of its Time?

From the Program: “Travel back to 1966 to explore why Star Trek felt boldly futuristic from day one. How did its optimism, diverse cast, and social questions challenge television norms of the time? Which creative and cultural choices helped it speak not only to its moment, but to decades beyond it?”

With this being the 60th anniversary of Star Trek and Star Trek being the grandfather of all big fandoms in the U.S. I wanted to hear what the panelist had to say.  Due to the book signing I came in late.

By the time I arrived they were talking about the social and cultural changes.  One was the mini skirt.  While in our current society we think of it as sexist in the 60’s it was actually rebellious.  One audience member recalled how school dress codes made girls get on their knees to prove their skirts were the proper length. The morals of the time that Star Trek tried to get around that nowadays we chuckle over.  Star Trek was “woke” at the time and still tries to push those boundaries.

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Barbara Hambly: A Life in Fantasy, Mystery, and History

From the Program: “Join Christine Valada for a special conversation with her friend and colleague of more than 30 years: our wonderful Guest of Honor, Barbara Hambly. A master of fantasy, mystery, horror, and historical fiction, Hambly has delighted readers for decades with her richly imagined worlds and unforgettable characters. Together, they’ll explore her writing journey, creative inspirations, publishing experiences, and memories from a remarkable career in speculative fiction.”

I think I started reading Barbara Hambly when I picked up Those Who Hunt the Night.  A detective story with vampires. As I am finding in my advanced (but not too advanced) age - I don’t know everything and was pleased to learn about all of the other series she had written along with her personal history.  As the description suggests this was just two friends sitting on stage reminiscing, with a hundred or so people listening in. I highly recommend reading her stuff and will be checking my library for titles to fill the Dungeon Crawler Carl void.

Autographing: Larry Niven

Second run at autographing I had brought an old copy of Niven & Barnes seminal work - Dream Park the story of solving a murder mystery in the middle of a LARP.  This book is a fall back for me.  If I need to escape- this is one of a handful of books I pick up. I can start reading it from anywhere and will usually read it to the end in one sitting. Like many series, I feel this first book is the best- your mileage may differ. Like many of my favorites I loaned my hardcover copy to someone and never saw it again.

Can We Still Build Star Trek’s Utopian Society?

From the Program: “Though advances in technology have brought us closer than ever to the kind of future envisioned in the Star Trek franchise, soaring economic inequality, climate change, illegal wars, ideological extremism and polarization makes that future feel further and further away every day. Panelists will discuss how we might still be able to get to a society like Star Trek’s from here.”

Lots of optimism in the panel.  Should we plan for changes in 2045? Maybe 2050?

Do our elected officials have the political will? (Duh, no) Can everyone’s needs be met? I found it interesting that the hedge fund expert on the panel felt taxing the wealthy wasn’t a good solution.  That said, most panelists seem to believe we have the solutions, it just means making some politically difficult decisions. Star Trek comes from a united Earth- heck, Europe can’t even stay together.  It takes one political snake oil salesman to trash decades of work.  Fortunately it will take a decade or so to clean up the current mess, longer, if you consider how many things keep happening.

We need to “Plant the seeds for a tree that we will never enjoy the shade.” I think many in society are too Ferengi to even consider this.

Can we do it before a hard reset? In Trek it was a decimating war or two that finally led to utopia.

One suggestion was to create a single united government in the western hemisphere-US, Canada, Mexico… drop the names and national identities. Patriotism, xenophobia, and the current isolationist policies are a roadblock. Think the EU and Brexit. If we did, would it last?

There was a brief mention of how we were able to unite (kinda) during COVID do we have the resiliency to do it again? I have to remind myself I’m in California and many of these people didn’t get the societal pushback from living in a deeply red state.

The end was a call to action to vote to become politically active.  To dream the big dream… personally, I’d like to think it’s possible, but then I read the headlines.🙄

D&D Actual Play at LAcon V!

From the Program: “Do you like Critical Role or Dimension 20? Are you into D&D? Are you interested in tabletop roleplaying games? Join us for a live D&D adventure with author and long-time Dungeon Master Gregory A. Wilson. He will lead a band of intrepid explorers into the depths of a thrilling and dangerous adventure, interacting with the audience as they go!”

I decided to attend this for two reasons- first I had said in my Gen Con post I wanted to see a live play through of an adventure. Now I have.  I wanted to compare my running a game with someone who does it in a more professional setting.  You see many people listen or watch people playing an RPG and figure that all games are like that.  They don’t take into account the players all have acting or improv experience.  Then they complain when things aren’t like what they expected.  The problem is not always that your DM doesn’t do voices. It might have something to do with the players.

Secondly it ended the same time that an event Sue had mentioned started.

In tonight’s game I found it interesting the number of players saying they were fairly new at playing D&D “proper.” Teenagers from Outer Space sounds interesting, something I may have to research.

I do apologize to everyone, the person who came up and started a conversation with me?  I didn’t know them.  I tried to politely ignore them so I could actually keep following what was going on with the game. I was just trying to be nice by not saying “Leave.”  Nice guy, just took a while to take the hint.  Any other time? Sure, let’s chat. In the middle of a session? Not cool.

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DJ Scalzi Discotheque

I’m a socially awkward introvert who avoids events like this (no matter how awesome the DJ is) like the plague.  My wife tells me about it with a hint I should attend? “As you wish” is my reply. Cecil had a good time, I cosplayed a wallflower in an extroverts jean jacket.

A bit of history- the last time I had set foot at Disneyland my mother went into the hospital and soon passed away. I had actually spent that time with my niece/god daughter and the power was out in the park so there wasn’t much we could do. We tried to enjoy ourselves while protecting my brother and his kids from the news. They’d find out soon enough and l didn’t want them to worry about something they had no control over.

So I arrived at the park about an hour before it opened walked around the shuttered Downtown Disney (except for Starbucks) and figured I’d ride a ride or two, maybe find a virtual geocache and just be. I’ve realized that I am too old for Disney. I figured this out at Disneyland Paris. While it is the “Happiest Place on Earth” not having kids and not having a reason to drop a lot of money on stuff makes it an interesting bit of people watching, but that’s about it. Once they let us past Main Street I decided to head to Star Wars Land since it didn’t exist the last time I had been there. I wandered through seeing pretty much a duplicate of what was in Florida and looked at my watch. I had never had a chance to ride “Rise of the Resistance” since it seemed to be perpetually broken at Disney World so I took a chance and joined the 25 minute line. It was about 25 minutes of twisting line before we joined the story (already in progress). Being set in the latest film incarnation of the series it was OK. I could enjoy the reactions of the families around me and chuckle at the people taking selfies. One we had stopped the advance of the First Order I continued exploring the space popping into shops- yes they are now selling Ewoks into servitude right next to the Droid Workshop.

I continued my wandering and decided it was time to head back to the hotel to rest a bit and then head to the convention.

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The Sessions:

In Conversation - Colleen Doran, Tim Kirk, and Stan Sakai

From the Program: “Join Tim, Colleen, and Stan as they sit down together for an engaging, free-flowing conversation, sharing stories, influences, and creative journeys.” Moderator: Joe Siclari

I always find it great to listen to artists and designers talk about their craft. This was great and as with most of these sessions I found I was listening a not taking notes. That and going to multiple sessions with the same presenters makes it challenging to determine who said what, when. After this session i need to do more research on other artists (including Carl Barks) and I need to move visiting Tokyo DisneySea up on my bucket list even after just saying how I was getting too old for Disney Parks.

“If the art doesn’t come first, nothing else follows.” -Colleen Doran

Doctor Who at the Crossroads

From the Program: “One of the most popular British imports into the U.S. for over half a century, Doctor Who enjoyed a renaissance beginning in the mid 2000’s. However, with the collapse of its American partnership with Disney, the future of the show hasn’t been as bleak as this in decades. Or has it? This panel will discuss the status of the series, its prospects, and its promise for a new generation of fans.”

Yes, I have been a Whovian. Heck, I even created a multi state geocaching series based on (at that point) the eleven incarnations of “the Doctor.” My interest waned and as we curated our subscriptions it had ended up on the chopping block. I had heard Disney had left and the BBC was taking the show on hiatus so I was curious about what was going to happen next.

The general consensus was that it will be at least a few years before the show returns. The hope is that there will be a fresh start without trying to explain anything, like they had done in 2005. Only time will tell.

Current Landscape of Speculative Fiction Comics and Graphic Novels

From the Program: “As the boundaries of speculative fiction are pushed every year in novels, similar growth is experienced in comics. This panel will discuss where we, as fans and creators of comics and graphic novels, find ourselves in the SFF landscape.”

A wide variety of comic book writers and artists talked about the state of the genre in comic books (comics are a medium, not a genre). Most participants felt that things weren’t horrible, but that Superheroes were what most comic shops focused on. The discussion on the process each person went through was fascinating.

The Ziegler Effect was brought up which gets me thinking. It’s where you leave a drawing unfinished before you go to bed so that you can look at it with fresh eyes in the morning. It also makes it so you aren’t confronted with a blank page so that you can actually hit the ground running. This session also named dropped so many artists and comics I couldn’t get all of them in my notes.

Sherlock Holmes Through Time and Space

From the Program: “It's elementary, dear Watson, that Sherlock Holmes is one of the greatest, and certainly best known, detectives of all time. Portrayals of Holmes have included gender bending, alternate timelines, and more. Our panelists will discuss the various depictions of Conan Doyle's detective through the years, and using their powers of deduction, may even decide upon which ones worked best!”

I read my first Sherlock Holmes story in high school. It was sophomore English and I then turned around and read more. This session made me feeL like the Scarlet Pimpernel session I went to at Gen Con. I thought I knew a lot, but I discovered I know a lot among the people I surround myself with, but I know nothing around Holmes fans. Like most of the sessions book TV show, and film titles were dropped in rapid fire succession.

Everything Else

The exhibit hall opened at two o’clock the same time as the Freebie Table did. The freebie table was actually a series of tables with donated books on it. Many of the titles were pre-release copies from publishers. I walked by saw a few things that that looked interesting. Having spent time a more than a few silent auctions I knew the drill. Stand by what you want and then when the time comes - pounce. Unfortunately, it seemed the way this worked was make a pole of the books you want either find an open space on the table to put your stack or even sit down with your stack in front of you. I decided to play the game, but only did that with two titles that looked interesting, I would take my chances on anything else. The clock struck two and locusts, vultures, whatever descended and the tables were pretty much picked clean.

Two o’clock also marked the opening of the exhibit hall. I popped down and did my round of shopping. The hall is an eclectic mix. There is even a silent auction of art pieces from a wide variety of talent. Some pieces in the show were just for display. I did see a few things I liked, but I also don’t need them, or have a way to transport them home.

Today ended with me watching the stream of the closing ceremony. It’s been a long day and I really should go to sleep. Tomorrow - more sessions and stuff. Maybe even some drawing.

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I look at how my retirement goals have morphed since this I’m now no longer dealing with the abstract thought of retirement and now have hit the grim reality head-on. Yes, my goals have evolved and are still evolving. Recently after seeing my Local Comic Shop (where I work) embrace AI for so many things I decided to stop providing graphic design work for them. Someone had actually scrubbed my character design I had made for the shop… Mongo, Cecil, and I were appalled!

Last week I was asked to update some artwork for the shop because they had decided to take a step back from AI slop. I didn’t rejoice, I didn’t say “I told you so” I just said “Give me a week.” I said this because I have been working on some other things that have been volunteered for and I was sure how long that project would take.

So what am I doing (besides not producing a comic strip for people to scratch their heads at and say things like “He thought this was funny?”)? It seems - Fighting the good fight against AI.

Brown County Backroads Geotour Coin and Pathtags.

I was volunteered for this when Sue joined the committee and saw that most of the materials being produced were AI generated. Most of the folks involved were overjoyed at the “professional nature” and how “easy” it was to make things. You need to understand, Brown County is an artist community south of Indianapolis and East of Bloomington. You throw something in any direction and you’re bound to hit three or four artists! So when Sue complained (as she should) I was asked to design some of the materials which included a Geocoin and a series of pathtags for the geotour and sponsors. If you don’t know what those are, basically they are trackable items coveted by many geocachers. Think limited edition collectibles. So far we are in the blueprint stages for the geocoin, and for four of the pathtags.

Most of these are simple formatting pieces, taking a company’s logo and fitting into a template. So far only a few have required me 😱 to actually draw something.

The big piece so far has been the Geocoin. Think of this as a challenge coin. This will be given to those geocachers who complete the geotour. Since this is an official geotour (one of around 90 in the entire world) We had to get permission to use the official geocaching mascot and logo in the coin. For me it was the first time I’d used someone else’s trademarked stuff or had to jump through certain hoops to get things approved, beyond just the person who asked.

The design came from the marketing materials they had created using AI and for me, LEGO Creator Expert set 10290. Like most designs I drew this out countless times until I had it in my toolbox and could produce one quickly that I liked. That helped when creating the pathtag with the truck on it since I could now envision it from almost any angle.

Cirque du Comics

With these off my drawing table it was time to move on to my LCS. Since they converted over to a new management system and website, AI slop has been the norm. I said my peace the this first happened and then moved on. Sadly, for me, every week I was welcomed via email by a weird AI version of the character I had designed. last week I was asked to replace the AI image with something human created.

When I was a child I recall watching a 60 Minutes piece on Charles Schulz and knew there and then I wanted to draw like that. I watched as Sparky put pen to paper and before you could say “Linus” had him drawn. At the time I wasn’t aware of the work it took to have that ability. The hours and years of drawing the same characters so that with a mere thought they could appear. Since then I have a few characters where I am close to achieving that magic. The monkey I created for my Local Comic Shop was based off of Cecil and his MINIons so it isn’t that difficult. I figure I probably created the initial drawing in the same time it took for someone to type the prompt needed for them to make it.

I had spent days designing the character with little bits that AI and the “artist”using it never caught. I was just sad that I was never even asked to contribute. I showed up one day and there was a website created by a “designer” who had just used AI, when confronted, the initial characters became these weird bastardized versions of what I had envisioned. I just ignored it, and don’t even consider visiting the shop website. Yes, I’ve had my fun, (OK maybe I am passive aggressive) I wear my “AI is for Hacks and Fascists” shirt from Dad Soup Comics to work every once in a while. When doing some photoshop work on the staff photo I added in a few things including a picture on one of the shelves-

Next Up Curling

Now that I’m waiting for new sponsors for the Geotour so I can work on their pathtags, I’ve been asked to help remove AI from some of my curling clubs materials and posts. I think fighting AI is going to be a never ending fight

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” - Arthur C. Clarke. I think about the Disney/Pixar Film Onward in which magic was replaced by technology making world “easier” for most people but also not as wondrous, mysterious, fantastic.

Now as people use AI for everything. What are they losing? The bigger question is- Which is more important, the product or the process? For many the product, they don’t want to deal with learning how to draw, or write, or think - Or even to find someone who can draw, write, or think. They just want the finished bit and to say “Look what I did! with little or no effort.” Like most artists I have spent decades learning, and failing. In the minds of many what I can do is magic… Anyone can do it, it just takes time. Time I spent in my bedroom with paper and pencil. Time I spent in class drawing when I should have been listening to a lecture on economics, instead of drawing a cartoon of the teacher. If I had the self confidence, maybe I would have done more with my doodles when I was younger, now I guess I’m a Knight fighting against the monster that is AI. A member of the Holy Order of the Non-Photo Blue Pencil. Great… Now I’ve got some heraldry to draw. or I could just proudly wear the pin I picked up at Gen Con from Harebrained they are currently doing a second run and preorders are being accepted.

I just went to Gen Con and hung around with a bunch of people who make me feel “normal.” I learned when I first started My Geek Odyssey that everyone is a geek about something. The problem arises when you are constantly around people who have no interest in what makes you a geek you end up feeling weird. The internet has, in some ways helped create safe places for people to let their geek flag fly. Of course there are gatekeepers and those who strictly adhere to whatever canon is. Those who don’t understand the difference between fact and opinion. Someone once said “Nobody hates Star Wars as much as a Star Wars fan.” 🙄

I (as usual) digress…

Last week I attended the National Cartoonist Society’s Annual Conference in Columbus, Ohio as a lurker, but maybe, just maybe, I found the lost tribe I’ve been looking for. This isn’t a con for fans… these are the people that draw to make us laugh, escape, and think. These are dangerous people. “With great power there must also be great responsibility” and I learned a lot.

Imposter Syndrome

Yup- that’s me. Among my friends I’m the weird guy who draws silly pictures. I’m the one who gets laughed at but then is asked every once in a while to draw something for them. My friend Mike Altman used to call this “giving away the golden egg.” Those of us who took the time to hone our skills with a pencil are wizards to those who didn’t. “How did you get so good?” Look at my grades throughout school. I could have been top of my class, but instead I drew silly pictures. I draw not for fame or fortune (although either would be nice) I draw to keep myself out of the asylum. I draw because, for a brief moment, people like me through my drawings. When surrounded by other cartoonists I feel like I’m an imposter. Funny thing I learned this weekend was we all dealt with the ridicule, the teachers complaining, the art professors saying we could be good if we’d just get these silly creatures out of our heads (true story). For the record I never complained about my students drawing. I learned about sketchnoting (something I had naturally done for as long as I can remember) and embraced it- trying to get colleagues to understand how drawing creates a connection to the material like nothing else can. Again, I digress.

The sessions were amazing! I’m wanting to read more and learn more and maybe even create more. Which was the whole purpose of attending. Being ‘Sessions Only” kept me from some of the social events, social anxiety kept me from the rest. I was overjoyed to meet and informally chat with some of the nominees for the Reuben award along with some fantastic cartoonists, too many people I admire. Listening to Jim Davis, and Cathy Guisewite talk about their experiences was awesome. I’m now catching up on the Comics Lab podcast. I’m basically trying to do everything and instead doing this, along with petting my cats.

How did this end up? Being a comics geek you only realize how much you don’t know when you are in a room with your tribe. You are no longer the font of all comics knowledge and you realize there is so much more you need to learn. Yesterday before heading off to the comic shop I submitted my application for membership… Now we wait and learn if I really can call myself a cartoonist. Of course I probably should draw something… Like Kyle Baker said in How to Draw Stupid - “To be a cartoonist, you must actually make cartoons.” Unfortunately, the minute I got home, we went to a geocaching event, then I had work, and a bunch of other projects that I was volunteered for so the Obliger in me puts off what I want to do for myself, in order to do what others have asked. So I’m off to draw a red truck for a pathtag! Woo Hoo! At least it’s drawing.

This year I had a bunch of people join me at the Con. My brothers, some friends from the east coast, and the usual suspects from around the Midwest. The thing is so many events are going on and there are so many people that unless you plan for it you may never see anyone. This year I was able to play a game or attend an event with almost everyone. Which can be wonderfully exhausting.

Day 1:

Thursday I started off at GM 101 to learn to be a better Game Master. I learned the mistakes I made in my first campaign and in the presenter’s eyes - the role of the GM in a game. It was a great session that I may take again and/or move up to the more advanced 201.

From there I branched out to a craft session. This one was basic block printing. I remember doing this in middle school or maybe high school. We were given the choice to create our own or use a premade design. In the end we could print out as many as we had time. It was fun, and a nice break from the chaos that can be Gen Con.

After block printing I learned “Bagged & Boarded” a game I had Kickstarted which dealt with comic book collecting. I was about as successful at the game as I have been in real life. 🙄 That said, I enjoyed myself and the whimsical take on comic titles and characters in the game. A great game for the comic book geek.

The next session I attended was on the first superhero: The Scarlet Pimpernel. The presentation covered a lot I was clueless about, having only read the initial book and seen a couple of the film adaptations. I now have things to do when the time comes to expand my knowledge.

Thursday ended at the D&D Tower- which was the Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT). This was the D&D Keynote covering the “Future of Dungeons & Dragons.” It seems that a lot of IPs are going to have D&D versions - similar to what the Magic Collectible Card Game is doing. Many of the worlds from past versions are coming back, along with partnerships with other companies. Basically in the hope that old players will return and new players will jump into it through a familiar IP. The partnership everyone had heard about was World of Warcraft. The one that was a surprise - Star Wars. I’m looking at how much it’s going to cost to have all the sourcebooks for every new world/era. 😳

Day 2:

This started off taking me way out of my comfort zone with the Orc Stomp 5k. Those who know me, know I’m not athletic and except for maybe curling don’t deal with sports. I survived, was not last and even won a game in the bib number raffle! I was 4th in my age group (out of 5) and “ran” it in under 50 minutes. So maybe I should run more.

Next came a DCC (not Dungeon Crawler Carl - Dungeon Crawl Classics) Funnel. This one was not only run by a good friend, but I had used it as my first adventure as a GM. I just wanted to see it from the other side and determine how badly I had done. It was fun seeing the other adventurers figure things out and discovering that while I wasn’t perfect, I hadn’t done that badly. Though next time I think I’ll try something I haven’t played.

After that it was the D&D Carnival at the Roof. The Roof is the ballroom at the IRT. The Roof usually has a Disney vibe looking like you are surrounded by a small European town. The story was this magical carnival only shows up once every eight years and your magic wrist band gave you two hours to safely visit - I thought back to “Finian’s Rainbow.” While at the carnival you were handed a card which gave your character class and quest, along with side quests. It was basically a series of carnival games to test your aptitude in Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, Constitution, and Charisma. I ended up a Bard, so my main quest was the Charisma game so I started there and failed. Some quests were easier than others. I only completely failed at Dexterity. That was a ring toss… stupid purple unibunnies.

From there I headed to play Munchkin! I have played once or twice before, but they have updated the rules so it was a “Learn to Play” session. Munchkin can be cutthroat. Our game was amazingly fun with everyone having a good time learning the power of friendship. You see we stopped a number of winning attempts by using a friendship potion to make the monster disappear. Cutthroat - but fun.

Following Munchkin I met up with some friends at the 25th Anniversary of Munchkin party. Like the Carnival earlier we had quests we had to accomplish before gaining a prize. These weren’t as bad as the stupid purple unibunnies. All in all it was a great time and I see Munchkin coming out for game night once the update makes it to my door.

Day 3:

Saturday is usually a zoo. I started off with Kobolds Ate My Baby. A silly Role Playing Game in which you assume the role of a cute fuzzy orange kobold with lots of sharp teeth. You are given a quest from King Torg “All hail King Torg!” Basically the sillier you are the more fun it is. This is not a game for someone who takes their gaming seriously or cares a lot about their character- you will die multiple times in this game.

From there I headed to the Vendor Hall to get Dungeon Crawler Carl stuff. After the great Lorcana debacle, vendors have tried to come up with fair ways to make sure people can buy stuff without ruining the con for everyone. So Renegade gave out tickets between 10:00 & 11:00 which allowed you to line up to get Dungeon Crawler Carl stuff. This ended up being dice, a pin, and a Mordecai on Level 10 miniature. You were limited as to how many you could buy of each. I had a 2:00 ticket and an event at 2:30 so time was a bit crunched.

I headed to secure a table for my geocaching event - the one with 😱 stickers. Met some great people gave away random dice and a few books to those in attendance. That was until it started to rain and then there was that tornado warning thingie. So I sent out an announcement asking everyone to stay safe and we were ending the event early.

“Auntie Em it’s a twister!” While Gen Con does give off the “We’re not in Kansas anymore” vibe things did get a bit tense. As the waterfall erupted from the roof into a few of the exhibit halls and the Cascadia kept telling us to move to the safety of the center of the building I understand that many people in the Vendor Hall just kept shopping. By the time the all clear was sounded it was time for my first game of AerodromeACE. Pacific Theater World War 2 edition. I took the role of a Japanese pilot of a Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero. Flying against a squadron of American Grumman F4F “Wildcats” flown by my brothers and a few other fine folks. We had a great time and being a peaceful spirit did not shoot anyone down… wait, Was supposed to shoot the other planes down?

Day 4:

Pretty easy going today. Only one game in the queue. A return to the AerodromeACE tables and this time a galaxy far, far away. I decided to embrace the evil nature Cecil brings to these things and fly a TIE fighter. My brothers joined in this time. The interesting thing about space (besides no one hearing you scream) is that you can fly backwards! So in hopes of becoming a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Balloon pilot I embraced going backwards and actually got my first kill earning my space wings! Besides that I died a horrible death with lots of fiery (but silent) explosions. After that Gen Con was over except for a last trip through the Vendor Hall and purchasing the Dragon Luau pizza to take home for dinner.

Hindsight is 20/20

I had a great time and did enjoy Gen Con, but there are a few things I might do differently. I will probably forget this advice when it comes time to register for next year, but here goes nothing!

1. Pay for parking in advance. My older brother did this and while he had a bit of a walk he saved some money and stress by not having to deal with the daily rate charged by many of the Garages.

2. Keep myself busy with games, or things that will keep me out of the chaos that is the vendor hall. While I like buying some stuff, I don’t need to wander the hall, and I really don’t need the stuff, no matter what the dice goblin in my head says. I picked up some very cool pins, but have some buyers remorse on a few things I spent money on and it’s only been a day.

3. Try to take in a show- I need to sit back and watch one of the live play sessions.

4. I enjoyed taking a moment to do some crafting, so always consider that as a viable option.

5. Play more with people I know and like. No bad experiences with anyone, but I think some events are better shared. I did more events with friends and family this time around, and it was nice. Being able to talk to someone about your shared experience vs. just telling someone what you did.

6. Run the 5k but give myself enough time afterward to take a breath, and maybe stretching would be good. I heard stretching and maybe actually preparing for things like this help.

What does that mean? If I can, I’ll return to Gen Con next year. Then again, because of Gen Con, I’m going to run a second campaign (Ravenloft) this year and help organize a Mystic Curling Club bonspiel. There is some interest from members of my family to do Historicon in Pennsylvania so they can play more AerodromeACE.

Your first time at a Con no matter what the size will determine your future expectations. You will learn if these folks are your “tribe” or just a bunch of weirdos. Each Con has a different vibe and like I have said about geocaching events they have their followers. I bring this up after some guy I’d never heard of posted a rant about how horrible Gen Con (the big gaming convention next week in Indianapolis) was for him. This, of course, got all the fans of Gen Con up in arms and defensive. It also, most likely, got this guy a lot of online traffic which will in the end help him and his brand. Hmmm… maybe I should say something really bad about San Diego Comic Con so I can get a lot of traffic… wait did I just say that aloud?

SDCC is what everyone imagines a Comic Con is - They are very disappointed when they attend a local con and it isn’t at all like San Diego. I enjoyed San Diego Comic Con the three times I attended. It is a great Con and a bucket list item for anyone who loves pop culture. If you like comics, it’s a nice place to go and see comic artists, because they usually don’t have crowds around them. If you like crowds it is an amazingly awesome con, if you don’t like crowds… ummm… I learned after a fluke my first time to avoid Hall H and Ballroom 20. I also learned to ignore texts from people asking if I had seen whichever celebrity that was just on the news. “Yes, I am at the con. No I have not seen any stars, I know it seems weird from what you saw on TV. I’ve seen at sessions dealing with comics and artists.” I tend to avoid a lot of social media the weeks prior to SDCC so I don’t have to hear about the “exclusives” that will only be available to attendees. At least LEGO stopped offering exclusives, then again I’m on hiatus from LEGO right now.

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However, I prefer HeroesCon, CXC, and Baltimore Comic Con to SDCC, C2E2, and New York Comic Con. If I could afford it I’d do the Lake Como Comic Arts Festival every year… but I’m still paying for last year’s trip. No Con is for everyone- Indy Pop Con tried that they first started out and now… again, some people love it, other people- not so much.

Next week Gen Con starts -the best four days of gaming. Tens of thousands of gamers descend on Indianapolis, confusing most locals. It takes over the entire downtown and they keep expanding the convention center to accommodate it. Yes, it will be crowded. People with ginormous backpacks will wander the halls turning rapidly and hitting everyone around them. Why do they have this backpacks? it’s a mystery, I think it’s to make sure they have enough personal space. Maybe they just hate people and want to hit as many people as possible “by accident.” Yes, there are evil people in the world who don’t get elected to high offices in the government.

Each year I try new things, and each year I realize that while I like games, I’m not as into them as much as I could be. Because of Gen Con I am running a D&D campaign so I’m going to try to improve my Dungeon Master skills. The thing that makes Gen Con different than most of the Cons I attend has to do with tickets. I mentioned before in a post that the event program comes out and then attendees create a wish list. One certain date everyone gets into the queue and submits that wishlist. You may not get everything you want- I didn’t get into any Neon Odyssey (a Space Opera version of D&D) or Dungeon Crawler Carl games. Oh well. If you are new to Gen Con this can be confusing and frustrating. You learn after your first year, but it can be a steep learning curve. Most people seem to think that you show up and play games… having survived the great Lorcana stampede I know having a system in place is a good thing.

I’m signed up for a bunch of different things and look at it as a chance to just have some fun and learn. Cecil is even hosting a geocaching event on Saturday when I have some open time.

What I’m doing at Gen Con:

• GM 101: Introduction to Gamemastering - Learning what I’ve been doing wrong as a fledgling GM

• Intro to Block Printing - there is a whole section of craft classes so I decided to try out block printing, something I haven’t done since maybe middle school.

• Bagged & Boarded - a game about comic book collecting that I kickstarted. Maybe it will show up on my doorstep before or soon after I learn how to play.

• The First Superhero: A History of the Scarlet Pimpernel - I’m going to be intellectual and learn about The Scarlet Pimpernel! Actually I’ve read the book, seen both film adaptations and find the whole concept fascinating. A rich guy, acting like a buffoon and fighting evil… the concept will never work.

• D&D Vision Keynote 2027 - They’re taking an entire building and turning it into D&D central. I’m going to see how they will attempt to get my money this year as I work on being a better GM.

• Orc Stomp XVI 5k Fun Run - yes, I’m going to attempt to “run.” not really, but I do need to exercise and late July in Indiana is the perfect time.

• Portal under the Stars - A Dungeon Crawl Classics Funnel. Something I try to do every year now. I start off with four level zero characters and try to get one to survive and adventure to become an actual character. A friend of mine is running this one, so I have a chance to catch up.

• The D&D Carnival - Basically an indoor fair for D&D players, I’m not sure what to expect, but figured I’d try it out.

• Learn to Play Munchkin Second Edition - I love Munchkin, even though I never get a chance to play it. The second edition is coming out and I did buy it, so I figure I should try it out. I know one friend of mine will be joining me.

• Munchkin 25th Anniversary Party - Years ago Steve Jackson Games set up a hQ at a local restaurant. they abandoned the idea after a couple years, but I do miss it. They have decided to come back for a night to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Munchkin.

• Little Orange and Dangerous - I saw this game (Kobolds Ate My Baby) and figured I should try it out. I’ll let you know what a learn about the secret life of Kobolds.

• AerodromeACE WW2 Pacific Theater - Like the DCC Funnel I really enjoy playing this Dogfight game. My older brother played it with me last year (it was the only game he played) and we talked about doing it again. I usually stick with the WWI era but this year I’m going to WWII and also Star Wars. In the past I have played (and enjoyed the Battlestar Galactica version.

• AerodromeACE Star Wars - use the Force and see above.

After Gen Con

I’m not going alone, I have two of my three brothers coming out, along with a few other friends who are trying it out for the first time. I’ll be taking a few days after the Con to do some other things before heading to the next big event.

I’ve already talked about the National Cartoonist Society’s Conference which starts the Thursday after Gen Con. I’m attending to see if these are my tribe also. I’m a published cartoonist (Thank you FTF Geocacher & PinPoint for giving me that honor) but just how awkward will I feel surrounded by what I consider actual artists. Oh the joys of being lead to believe that whatever I do isn’t really “art.” I will be on the look out for an “Imposter” ribbon while at Gen Con. While I’m not attending the Reuben Awards I have volunteered to help set things up. Then on Saturday Cecil will be hosting another geocaching event before the “Showcase” begins. I’m looking forward to the sessions which will be awesome, and being able to wander through the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum now that the renovations are complete.

I get a little time off to catch up and then it’s off to Los Angeles to see my dad and attend (at least part of) LA Con V aka the World Science Fiction Convention. I’m still waiting patiently for them to release the program so I can start planning things out (maybe even have Cecil plan a geocaching event) and see what I might need to RSVP for. Then again I do have passes to visit Disneyland and I’m walking distance from the Park. I’ve read all the novels up for the Hugo and some of the graphic novels. I’ve been too busy trying to keep up with my library loans of the Dungeon Crawler Carl books (only two more to go and nine weeks until a copy is available) to get anything else done, but I still have time. This is one of those bucket list items ever since Mr. Calkins and Science Fiction class at PVHS. While I won’t be there for the entire event, I hope to get the enough of the flavor to decide if I should try to make this an annual or semi-annual thing.

Our usual roadtrip planning involves making sure we have someplace to sleep, but besides that, it’s mostly just seeing what’s around. Atlas Obscura, along with geocaching helps. we also look on Yelp to see what local places there are to eat. Sometimes we return to a place we like, but mostly we are just exploring.

We started off day one making it to Asheville, North Carolina one of our favorite stopping places. We’ve been stopping here since Sue’s parents retired to Charleston. Asheville is a bit on the weird side, which is why we like it. Although it has become more touristy and therefore expensive. After dinner at White Labs Brewing we rested for the night. we got up had a hotel breakfast and then roamed downtown stopping in at a few favorite places, Mast General Store, Tops for Shoes, and Malaprop’s Bookstore. We also did some window shopping for interesting items as we walked around before heading to up to Raleigh and a troll hunt.

We decided to take two days in Raleigh to see the Thomas Dambo Trolls there. It’s always fun to see new trolls. Each one is unique, and we always seem to run into happy friendly people while in their presence, this time was no different. It’s also kind of nice to stay in one location more than a day, you can unpack a bit and settle in, even if it’s only two nights.

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We explored Raleigh and the trolls, it was hot so that slowed us down a bit. Unfortunately the Grandmother Tree, the secret Dambo addition to the Raleigh area trolls, had been vandalized (this is why we can’t have nice things). While it was still there I would have liked to have seen it in all its glory. We were trying to figure out if it was just kids being destructive, or maybe local homeowners who realized that most AI navigation apps had people walking through their yards to see it. We know many people, sadly, don’t use common sense and will march right through someone’s azaleas without a second thought. We found the actual parking for the nature preserve and walked the trails… yes, it was hot.

After troll hunting we headed to Charleston to see Sue’s parents. We stopped at the infamous “South of the Border” because there were a couple caches there and we figured, it was just the kind of place Whimventuring is all about. Cecil got a hat.

As for seeing Sue’s parents, it was a nice visit and something we look forward to. Sue’s family is not one for long drawn out visits, we used to see them when they would stop for a night on their way to or from Chicago. While you may like to week long family reunion kind of event- the short stops are always low stress and a nice time.

We then headed south to Savannah for CacheFest. We haven’t been to Savannah in years (decades?). We had heard about this event when meeting another cacher after heading home from Huntsville, Alabama and thought we’d check it out. We’ve been to a bunch of events since we started geocaching in 2006 each has their own following and vibe. Geocaching events are ways to bring like minded people together - no we don’t talk politics m- that would ruin the camaraderie.

As I said each event has its own vibe. We’ve been to some that have evolved into something you almost need a manual to follow, and others that are simply show up. Events like Midwest GeoBash and GeoWoodstock seem to be all about the numbers. Yes, there are social events, but a lot the planning an effort seems to go into putting out a large number of caches and Adventure Labs so people can increase the number of finds they have. You can tell when an event has a large piece of GeoArt, or Adventure Lab Art or when new caches are announced throughout the event. People aren’t necessarily there to chat, they are there to cache. the actual event is a “sign the log, be in the picture, and then head off to find a cache.” These might be in locations that are out of the way, so most people have never been there.

Other events have multiple things going on, and if you aren’t aware, you will be lost. Going Caching and MOGA come to mind. Going Caching had a play, and teams, and a puzzle incorporated. If you were a new cacher and just showed up, you’d probably be wondering why everyone is in cosplay and are looking for clues instead of caching. We showed up to MOGA and found the event location empty… We didn’t understand that it was a competition with teams going out to find caches and that the actual event location wasn’t really that important.

As I may have mentioned, we don’t always read the instructions before heading out, so we probably have missed a few things and may not have understood the purpose of each event (not all events are the same). I think of this year’s GeoWoodstock that we forgot to register until after the deadline had passed, same thing happened with CacheFest. Sue was a bit more on it than I was. The lure for CacheFest for me was it seemed to be more focused on the education aspect of an event. While many events do have panels and sessions, Cachefest seemed to really be about becoming a better cacher. The first session dealt with puzzle caching. If you registered you received a packet with ten puzzles. The puzzles were actually part of an Adventure Lab. You had to solve each puzzle to get a stage of the Adventure Lab. They also had prizes for meeting certain challenges… you had to use challenge checker to determine how many points you earned, that determined what prize you would receive. The other session was dealing with creating a gadget cache. You were given the materials, instructions and then had someone walking around to answer questions. When you were finished you ended up with an ammo box that you could put a combination lock on and have LEDs tell the cacher what the combination was. You were given everything except the lock. Yes, we had to pay for the supplies, but I now have a cache almost ready to be put out - I’m considering calling it “Chain of Command” because there are four lights (IYKYK).

I would definitely attend Cachefest again and now I know a bit more - like if you register you are given a key card that will get you prizes at the associated events. They also hid actual keys around and gave clues online as to where to find them. this was for another prize. Finally if you stayed at the post hotel there was another chance to win a prize. What I liked was a lot of people participated in the main event. it wasn't a sign the log and run. Maybe it was the heat, but since it took place in downtown Savannah, Georgia there aren’t that many places to dump a boatload of caches. The event also finished in the early afternoon. This gave people the opportunity to go caching without ignoring the event. Cachefest 2027 will be closer (St. Louis, Missouri) the actual dates are still being worked out, but it will be in July (so hot). We are already filling out 2027 calendar, so hopefully we’ll be able to go and this time actually register!

Sue and I hope to return to Savannah again when it’s a bit cooler. I was overjoyed to be able to stop in the bookstore for the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). I was able to pick up a few supplies and a book. I discovered why SCAD had not been on the RADAR when looking at colleges… It had only been around 6 years and hadn’t built the reputation it currently has. I looked a a couple of art schools, but had really set my sights on education as a career. Smudge ended the trip with 12670 miles.

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In school I had an art teacher whose catch phrase was “Great! I love it!” No matter how bad your work was. This teacher had learned at some point that honest constructive feedback upset students (and therefore parents) and turned kids off to art, so she did the opposite. Everything was amazing… even when the student knew it wasn’t. Throughout my schooling I was looking for feedback on how I could improve, and all I usually got was “Wow! That’s really good.”

I had to keep this in mind at Webcomics Bootcamp. My Geek Odyssey was early on in the panel and I was nervous. I had raised my hand when they asked whose work this was, I then sat and listened. The first few comments dealt with my website and how it wasn’t set up to be profitable. The layout wasn’t conducive for advertising. (This was a pre-patreon and paid subscription world) I wasn’t worried about this since that wasn’t why I was drawing the comic. I had a job and I was doing this to keep myself sane, so those comments were easy to take in and file away for later.

Next came the comment that, at the time hurt, and in front of a crowd was a bit embarrassing. “Lettering is an Art” and it was something I either needed to work on or I should just download a decent font and move on. I was flabbergasted. I taught handwriting! Of course I look back at those strips and agree that the lettering was awful. While this was just the kind of advice I wanted, it hurt when I first heard it. There were other comments, many positive, but also constructive on panel layout and dealing with how characters were interacting in each panel. I learned a lot, but it also was a bit painful. Being early on in the critiques usually means your work is the example for a multitude of sins and while other pieces may have similar issues the critic doesn’t want to keep repeating themselves. I understand that, but it also makes those initial people feel like their work is the worst of the bunch since so much was said about it. I shutdown at first, especially since I had to sit through the rest of the panel seeing other webcomics and not hearing much else except replaying how “bad” my strip was.

Once I calmed down and thought about how this was exactly the advice I had wanted. I then came up with a plan of action. The first thing I did was find a few fonts to try out and figure out which one I felt worked best. Comicraft became a good friend and their New Year’s Sale made it so I didn’t break the bank.

In August I push myself and get to dive into imposter syndrome pretending I am a “professional” cartoonist in a room full of professional cartoonists. Yes, I draw a comic strip, published in two countries. Yes, I’ve been at this off and on for 17 years. What do I hope to get out of it all? I’d say “networking” but I’m probably going to play wallflower, run away from people I admire, or fold up into a fetal position in the corner of the room. Like with many conventions I attend I guess I’m going to see if this is my tribe. I am not a NCS member (If you can’t tell, I’m not that confident in my work). I’m actually attending on a “Sessions Only” badge so that means I’m avoiding most of the social activities like the Reuben Awards Banquet and meals (introvert superpower activated). I hope to learn something and push myself out of my comfort zone. Maybe gain some confidence and hopefully get inspired to actually draw more and maybe feel worthy enough to actually apply to become a NCS member. Then again, maybe I’ll just get home and pet my cats after a good cry.

The other day I woke up after a line of thunderstorms had been predicted to devastate our area (they went south so no damage here) with a sinus headache (barometric pressure changes, ugh.) and drove to the comic shop to work. Along the way I was deep in thought about a friend who had talked to me about his idea for a Lilly Teacher Creativity Fellowship. For those who might not know, as a teacher I was fortunate enough to have received two of these during my career. I like to call them the best and maybe only good thing about teaching in the state of Indiana. You see the Lilly Endowment learned a while ago that teachers need to be rewarded, treated like important parts of the community and set up a way to do that. Teachers are given a chance for renewal, to spend the off season not working on curriculum or going to meetings but an opportunity to do something they’ve always dreamed of. With how Indiana funds public schools and compensates teachers, the Fellowship gives teachers a chance to do something they may never have a chance to do. I tried three times before being able to get my idea, and my passion for it on paper. It is not a “Gee I want to go to Disneyworld and have someone else pay for it” kind of thing. You need to demonstrate that it will be something that will impact you personally, professionally and even spiritually. When asked I always say to people - think about something you’ve always loved, an opportunity missed, a regret you can fix. That kind of thing. My first fellowship was spent ironically at Disneyworld. You see I’ve always loved animation and I figured out a way to spend time at Disneyworld through the 3rd Annual Disney Institute Animation Event and learn about traditional animation. They closed the Disney Institute soon afterwards (actually they started closing things down during our event). This was before computer animation and AI were a thing. so everything was hand drawn. As part of the $7500 I received I set up a basic animation studio at home and after everything was done had created a stop motion clay animated short. I then brought it all to my classroom and used it with kids. The video from the event below was found online and isn’t the best quality… My group’s segment is at the very end.

I waited nine years before submitting again. My second attempt, since the folks at Disney hadn’t offer me a job, was to try making a comic strip. Webcomics were just becoming a thing. The comic idea combined with a trip to England and immersing myself in the history of the Mini Cooper. Which brings us to My Geek Odyssey and Math.

So tired, hungry, and my head hurting while on my way to the comic shop for work I started to figure out how long ago this all happened. I was shocked to realize that 25 years ago I had started on this journey! I was thinking through what I should be doing to celebrate. My mind was going at light speed with the possibilities. As I drove home after a day of dreaming (and sorting comics, and dealing with comic shop goblins) I checked my math and… yup, I was wrong. 26 years since my first fellowship and My Geek Odyssey was “only” 17 years old. Yes, my comic strip could drive, but it can’t vote or buy a round at the bar for everyone.

Still, 17 years, off and on, is still an accomplishment of sorts. I still do the comic strip but mostly just for FTF Geocacher and PinPoint. My website has turned more into a blog just because even retired I don’t have as much time to invest as I would like. So as I’ve said in previous posts, I want to get back at it. So instead of drawing, I’m writing about how I want to draw more. 🙄 I guess this does give me a few years to plan for an appropriate 25th anniversary and maybe even have things back on track to have something to actually celebrate. I have lots of ideas, but things seem to get in the way.

With the shift from a WordPress site to SubStack I do need to start posting the stuff I have done (secretly) giving me time to catch up and produce new strips. So today I start a series of “classic” meaning cringe worthy old strips from when I started. I’m going to skip over the time I spent in the UK for my fellowship. Like Hergé I want to redo many of them since I was still working out silly things like character design, timing, and just what the heck I was doing. The earliest you’ll see is that first strip.

As a retired educator I had years of experience on some of the needed skills- specially, blowing a whistle and walking backwards. There is more to it than just that and I definitely have some work to do before I can earn my Aeronaut wings. Things I need to work on:

• Giving directions clearly and allowing wait time for those instructions to be heard and processed before moving on.

• Being far enough ahead of the balloon to make sure it is following the correct path.

• Giving positive feedback to everyone involved throughout the experience, I’m there to cheer everyone on not yell out orders… Which I wasn’t yelling, but I know I need to be say “good job!” more especially when things get tough.

After my rotation and debriefing I spent some time on another balloon as a handler and was able to see how windy it was. Ugh. The next day my arms were sore from trying to keep the balloon under control. My fault, with a number of people trying to give helpful advice, but giving contradictory directions it was a bit of a challenge.

Next (if I’m asked to) I head back for classroom training and more practice. So “Smudge” the new MINI will be getting more miles (over so far 9,000 in almost three months) as we drive back and forth from Indiana to New Jersey. I’m looking forward to the challenge and will be spending a bunch of time walking backwards. I’m even thinking about doing the Orc Stomp 5k at Gen Con backwards.

Sorry I don’t have any photos of the event (we were asked not to and I’m Lawful Good) but here are a few that should be OK for publication.

My first year I decided to try it out since it was close, I have fond memories of building model airplanes with my Dad growing up, and there was a presentation on the building of the Rocketeer’s jet pack. I was amazed at the wonderful things on display, but leery about diving into another hobby. Especially when I figured out how much model kits and the tools to build and paint them well cost.

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I did decide to at least give it a try with a model building challenge they had. The challenge was to kitbash (modify using parts from other kits) the DeLorean from Back to the Future. A specific kit had been chosen and I had an idea and part way through realized I was way over my head. I could envision it, but actually putting it together well… not possible. I ended up just giving up and trashing it.

I did introduce a friend, who is an excellent model maker, to the convention and drove down for a day last year to chat and ogle the stuff people had built. As I talked with other friends who like painting miniatures I bring up WonderFest as something they might consider attending. This year I drove down with another friend who paints miniatures and thought it might be a good fit for him. It’s the 60th anniversary of Star Trek so I was curious to see how model makers might celebrate it.

The convention is held at the Crowne Plaza in Louisville and is in that awkward stage where it’s grown too big for that facility, but isn’t big enough for a larger venue. That and it seems to have been there enough years that people are comfortable with the layout.

The convention has two exhibit halls, one for model vendors and one for guests and overflow. They also use a ballroom for the displays brought in by participants for judging and awards. Other spaces are used for presentations, classes, and other displays. This year they created a reproduction of the original model making workshop used for Star Wars in the 1970’s. Another area housed someone’s collection of Star Trek memorabilia. The hall with guests also contained a collection of items from Lost in Space.

My third year attending I was still amazed at some of the items people had created, but also swear there was a lot more in previous years. (Maybe the economy & gas prices impacted attendance? Maybe it was showing up on Sunday.) Also while this tends to focus on building and painting, the amount of 3D printed things made it less of an “oh wow! How did they do that?” To more of a “great painting”, but just more and more 3D AI stuff. Having done work in CAD I know how difficult it can be, but also how many files are just out there in the web, so I’m not as impressed with some of the builds.

I was asked by my friend how this compared to LEGO shows with repeated displays. I don’t recall seeing too many modelers bringing the same thing each year which is pretty common at LEGO shows. Each model even when it’s the same kit, is unique. While many LEGO builders just bring the same set up each year with only slight modifications. I used to take hundreds of photos at LEGO shows, I think I only took a handful the last show I attended. I did drop the number of photos at WonderFest this year, but I think that was more about quantity of things I was interested in.

Over all for the ticket price, I think I need to either dive into model making or say it’s a nice convention, but not my thing. I like looking at the models, but I’d rather draw than build and paint someone else’s creation. Compared to most conventions I attend or choose not to attend WonderFest isn’t that expensive ($75 for two days $40 for one), but if I’m not interested in building or painting models…

Again, if you are a model builder, I highly recommend attending WonderFest at least once, for me, who knows what the future holds?