You guys, we have a ghost!

We came home the other day, and the whole apartment smelled like one of Katie's perfumes. But like, strongly. And not just in the bathroom. Like, everywhere. There was no possible explanation other than ghost.

We suspect he was also responsible for the disappearance of four of our periwinkle plastic cups 2 years ago.

And that wooden spoon.

Happy Halloween you guys!

Why I don't ask Katie to help me with my homework

While I was editing Katie's essay the other night, she offered to help me with some of my work in return. Glancing over at my assignment due the next day in Conservation Bio--status report assessments of Canadian species--I assured her that, while I appreciated the sentiment, her, um, "help" was not necessary.* This is why.

*It is a little known fact that despite her nearly six years of vegetarianism, Katie hates animals. No really. But we have a tacit understanding that we at least pretend to listen when one or the other is talking about football (Katie) or critters (me).

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In case you were wondering, the assignment was to read over between 40 and 90 pages of population data each for 3 different Canadian species and decide if they should be listed as Endangered, Threatened, or A-OK. COSEWIC is basically the Canadian version of the IUCN.

COOKIE UPDATE!

Some MTTPL followers show their devotion in comments, others communicate theirs through pats on the back; Katie showed hers today with the pity-cookie I suggested earlier (and a brownie--although to be fair, I did edit her Media & Feminist Studies essay last night.)

So, I'm thinking it would behoove me to start dropping more subtle hints for things I want in future posts (e.g. Seasons 1&2 of "Chuck" on DVD, a macro lens, someone to do my homework for me, a pet giant river otter.....you get the picture). 

Things are looking pretty Dire

Sometimes I like to hang out in the natural history museum on campus. It's quiet, it has mummies, and there are skeletons to draw. I'm trying to get better at this.

Fun fact: This is from a cast of a Dire wolf skull, oddly enough from the La Brea Tar Pits, which are sorta-kinda-(20 minutes away from) my 'hood. Redpath Museum only has two, but at the Tar Pits there's a whole creepy glowing backlit wall full of them.

It made me a little homesick.

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Note: There will be some new comics in the future (trust me, I've got a backlog of ideas like a mile long, mostly written on the backs of receipts, scraps of paper, rough drafts of essays, etc.), but if you saw my to-do list right now, you might want to give me a hug, or buy me a cookie. Both of which I would gladly accept.

S'more doodles

I drew this pair while waiting for a meeting to start at the Zoo in that room with all the taxidermied animals (NoHo kids, you know what I'm talking about--Winter Ball anyone?)

The ostrich was based on a life-sized model donated by Alex Trebeck (god only knows what he was doing with a giant ostrich; supposedly it used to stand in his foyer which is...creepy). The dinosaur was not based on anything more than a superficial morphological resemblance to said ostrich. Science!

A fun (slightly-related) Zoo anecdote:
One day, while traipsing around the Zoo, one of my fellow interns, Will, overheard some lady enlightening her friends on the obvious link between the triceratops and the rhinoceros:

"You can just tell they're related--just look at them."

Yes ladies and gentlemen, you heard it here first: Science might tell you that triceratops were prehistoric reptiles and that rhinoceroses are extant mammals, but it's just plain wrong. Rhinoceroses are in fact directly descended from triceratops. Yeah.

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Also, if you couldn't tell, I'm totally procrastinating. Lucky for you.

Not-A-Comic

I went to a live drawing session last week! This is what I drew (also some other things that weren't very good, and are therefore not posted here).

Some of the comments I got (there was a peer review of sorts at the end) included:

"It looks like an old-fashioned British illustration"

And:

"You've got a sort of fairy tale thing going on here"

Both of which I appreciated immensely, because a) I love old-fashioned British illustrations, and b) I kind of pictured this model as a mermaid, mostly because when I was little I used to cross my ankles like that in the pool and pretend I was one (that, and spend an inordinate amount of time choosing my name--inevitably something like Crystal--my hair color, my seashell bra color, and my accessories).

Next week we're drawing Nudes...which I probably won't post here. Although maybe. We'll see.

Guacamoles

I started drawing this one a while ago (since it was based on an actual conversation preceding the Werewolf Bar Mitzvah for which these cupcakes were made and at which this movie was watched), then forgot about it. Yeah, this totally happened. And the best part is that I didn't even realize I'd said anything wrong until Katie kindly drew my attention to it.

Retribution

See, I don't actually think I was trying hard enough to make Haley look like Cathy, from the comic strip, "Cathy."

 This is a response to the charges leveled against me with respect to this comic:

I don't know--I don't see the resemblance, but hopefully I've cleared some things up.

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to "Cathy," nor do I intend any disrespect . . . to Cathy anyways. 

Strangers are talking about my comics!

Oh, and what profile picture is she talking about?

This one:

That's right. The one I drew.

Do you see the resemblance?

I didn't at first, but now I'm kinda thinking yes. Well spotted,

Jessica Notgoingtorevealyourlastnameforprivacy'ssake.

Wearing ONLY This

You think this is easy? Because it's not. I have trouble drawing my friends (and myself), and then I get comments like "You gave me man-arms" and "Why did you draw my eyes crossed??" and "You made me look like Cathy, from the comic strip, 'Cathy' " and "That's wishful thinking" and "Thanks for making me look like a deranged clown." But really and truly, I do try. I practice. I erase. I spend unreasonable amounts of time staring at your beautiful visages on facebook. And maybe, hopefully, eventually I'll get it right.

Haley, I hope this is more to your liking.
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UPDATE (7:27 p.m.): Evidently not.

Edit me!

To tide over the eager masses (read: my roommate, Haley) until my next two (in-the-works) comics are ready to be posted, here's a page from my notebook this summer when I worked at the L.A. Zoo:

Both are post-it notes that I stuck in after they'd served their respective purposes. In case you were wondering, the critter on the left is a tawny frogmouth and the one on the right is a fennec fox.

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UPDATE (12:03 p.m.): While I was casually uploading this comic, leisurely getting on my rainboots, and contemplating stopping at Starbucks, I should have been halfway on my way to school. For some reason, I thought my first class started at 10:30 today, which is just silly, because while I have a 9:30, a 10, and an 11:30, I don't have any classes that start on 10:30 on any day. Not my finest moment.

However, I booked it to school, and even weighted down by my backpack and laptop AND holding a sloshy Americano, I made a 25 minute walk in like, 18.

That ssssucks.

I was too lazy to draw the sign on anything. Just...pretend there's a wall, or whatever.

Me-OW!!

I drew this tonight on a greasy paper towel while conversing (and consuming vast quantities of leftover feast-food) with my roommates and Alex (all featured variously on this blog). I honestly couldn't tell you why.

But then, does a cat really need a reason to wear a neck ruff?

High time for pie time!

Since I've already included werewolf cupcakes as a post on this blog, I don't think I need to justify my inclusion of this here pie--and maybe, no one is actually debating whether or not pie is an art form. I made this Caramel Apple Pie yesterday for Katie's birthday/late Canadian Thanksgiving/early Halloween feast.

Look at our decorated table: isn't it pretty?

I came up with the idea of making place cards out of Katie's favourite soccer (ahem--football) players, but all the work here--the fall leaves and the tea light pumpkins and the chocolate eyeballs in glasses--is hers.

All in all, a successful dinner party. Martha would be proud.

It's important to keep your pet in shape with regular exercise...

...and I am nothing if not a responsible pet owner.

More old (prehistoric, in fact) doodles from my 3rd year Moleskine. School is totally getting in the way of this blog.

"The Date"

At this time I would like to direct everyone over to my pal Tessa's blog, Repulsive Interactions, where she just posted a fantastic short story she wrote. She sent it to me last year, and when I read it I wanted to tell her IMMEDIATELY how fantastic I thought it was, but somehow I don't think she would have appreciated a phone call--even one in praise of her artistic brilliance--at 4:30 in the morning.

Three hour time differences suck. Tessa, her blog, and her writing do not. Happy reading!

Note: I would post a picture but it would give away the delightfully clever plot twist. You'll just have to figure it out for yourself.

Post #40

Wooooo! I'm so excited! 8 followers as of today! Although I suspect there are a few of you lurking out there (and by "suspect"..... I mean "know").

I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who takes time out of their undoubtedly busy day to look at my humble blog (and especially those of you who check it multiple times a day even when you know I've been in class and no way did I update between when you asked me five minutes ago and now--Haley, I'm looking at you). I really especially appreciate those of you who take a little extra time to leave me a comment (or two). Me? Fishing? Nope. Just lavishing praise on those divine, darling, cherished readers who drop me a line to let me know someone's out there. Your comments make my day.

Once again, thanks for reading. You have no idea how happy it makes me when people tell me they saw the latest post and it made them laugh, cry, high-five the person sitting next to them, leap up in the air and click their heels, or, you know, just smile. It's nice to know.

Yours truly,

I was alone with me thoughts....

So William Wordsworth, it turns out, was a total jerk. You may remember from high school English one of his better-known poems, "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" (if not, you can refresh your memory here.)  But what you probably never learned (I certainly hadn't) is that on the day that inspired Ol' Wordsy to recollect, in tranquility*, the emotions that led him to identify with said cloud, he was actually on a walk with his sister, Dorothy! He wasn't 'wandering'--'lonely'--at all. As my professor put it, "That's not very nice." Indeed, Professor Mole. Indeed.

If I were Dorothy, I'd be a little miffed.

*I have said that poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility: the emotion is contemplated till by a species of reaction the tranquility gradually disappears, and an emotion, kindred to that which was before the subject of contemplation, is gradually produced, and does itself actually exist in the mind.

-- William Wordsworth, Preface to Lyrical Ballads

How To Start A Story

Alex knows how:

Although frankly, I don't even remember what the story was.

Happy 21st Birthday Katie!!!!!!!!!

And here to celebrate: a blast from the past (first year, to be exact) birthday card!

My, how my drawing skills have improved in 3 years.

Note: Katie really hated Raisin Bran in first year. She probably still does, but it's not really a frequent topic of discussion anymore.

Undoubtedly a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup

Because it was vastly more important than working on my Excel spreadsheet, researching for my Herpetology paper, or reading roughly 100 pages of salacious Gothic literature, I took this quiz on marthastewart.com (a.k.a. my favourite website):

Actually, I kind of agree.

So readers, what kind of Halloween candy are you? Take the quiz here and post your results in the comments!

Let the Seasonal Nicknames Begin!

SPOILER ALERT!! There will eventually be a comic about the origin and evolution of my myriad nicknames, but if you read this blog, you at least know one of them (it's Manta, if you were a bit confused). But did you know that I have seasonal nicknames? No? Well, I do. This is one of them:

MAN-O-LANTERN

Origin: Paul Rudd's comment on the wax job Steve Carell gets in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin"

Jardin Botanique de Montréal

So in another slight divergence from the comic art form, here are some pretty pictures I took yesterday at the Botanical Gardens in Montreal! It was a McGill Photography field trip, and I'd never been before. Also, at this time of year, they have all these Chinese lanterns up--sadly, though, homework prevented me from staying until after dark.

How cool would this have looked lit up?

Also, they had this Trail of Pumpkins, which was a bunch of pumpkins that had been decorated by a bunch of people.

Here are some eco-minded pumpkins:

Someone was evidently a little unclear on the concept of Halloween...

A WHALE of a pumpkin!

The Force is strong with this one:

Look! It's yours truly!

And is this not the spookiest cactus you've ever seen? Yeah, I thought so.

EXCELLENT.

You know what is not excellent? Excel.

Which is what I was working on when I doodled this in my notes. The assignment is to model sea turtle populations using Excel, so nothing about this is entirely out of the blue.

This is How Essays Get Written

Like Herding Cats

Another old drawing: I did this one last year based on an experience the previous night, shepherding home from a party two of my friends, both of whom were, well, a *little* inebriated. It was a bit like this:

Cats, you know who you are.

Hungry Hungry Herpetology Students

Don't go to Herpetology Lab on an empty stomach. This is why:

Kate and I learned the hard way so you don't have to.

Man, I could really go for some pancakes right now....

Dude!

More old doodles.

Clark Kent likes this

Ok, ok, it's not one of my comics...but it's about comics! That counts for something, right? Right?

io9.com has this funny link to a bunch of superhero facebook status updates. This just happened to be my favorite. So true, Lois. So true.

BOO!

In lieu of drawing a new comic (since I'm currently hard at work on an essay that is due Friday), I decided to raid my pocket Moleskine from last year for some doodles, which I will post here from time to time. Here is one:

This should be Exhibit A of why I will never be a sports fan. No really, just read all about my roommate's attempts to make me one here. This particular doodle earned a special mention in the February 26, 2009 entry of that list.

I drew this at a Boston Bruins vs. Anaheim Ducks game in Boston that I attended with Katie and her dad. I've been teased mercilessly for it ever since. Frankly, though, I thought it was weird, all these little kids' faces poking out of foam bear mouths--a little macabre if you ask me. And speaking of macabre, come on, how funny would it be to have a stadium full of ghosts, booing? Right?

My Dad is Awesome

Tonight I'm giving a shout-out to my dad, who just posted this on youtube a few days ago. It's an animated short he produced back in '92, which he's now using to generate awareness of the climate change catastrophe we're facing if we don't change our collective thinking and way of life...soon.



*Note: for some weird reason, the right bit of this is cut off a little. Double click on the video to open it in a new window so you can watch in all of its glory!

And if you haven't seen it before, more recently he created a short film to illustrate the unsettling fact that the planet is running out of oil. Check it out:



Yeah...he does this in his spare time. My dad is awesome.

Friday Night

Verbatim.

Spooky, Scary Snacks

Ok, while these are not strictly comics, they are a form of art, and they took me at least 60% longer than your av-er-age drawing. For your viewing (if not your gustatory) pleasure:

WEREWOLF CUPCAKES

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Pack of cupcakes

Lone cupcake

It's those lone cupcakes you have to watch out for. They might just turn out to be really good at boxing, but the fame will go their heads and they'll become total douchebags and ditch the awkward-nerdy-girls-with-overgrown-eyebrows who love them, in favor of the shallow-bitchy-girls-who-wear-extremely- high-cut-underwear, who only love the wolf--I mean cupcake--and not the boy underneath. It all works out in the end though, in case you were wondering.

Yeah, we totally watched "Teen Wolf Too" last night. It was pretty terrible.

Things Katie Wanted To Do at the Angela Davis Lecture Last Thursday

Needless to say, we did not do any of these things. But we talked about doing them. And frankly, after attending the lecture, I can't say that the assembled crowd (a crowd that laughed when Davis denounced those who, in the days following Obama's election, called the US "post-racial"; a crowd that applauded wildly more times than I can count) wouldn't have said no to a little wave action.

Note: For those of you who don't know, Angela Davis is a political activist who first gained notoriety in the early 1970s for a controversial trial following the shooting of a judge with a gun purchased in her name, and her subsequent evasion of arrest. Since her acquittal, she's publicly advocated for a number of causes, including prison abolition, and she continues to teach, lecture, and write on issues of race, gender, and more! And let me tell you, she is one classy lady. Also, she is Katie's favorite feminist. I didn't know much about her aside from what Katie had shared with me from her various Women's Studies classes, but I'm definitely a fan now.

Katie squealed when she appeared onstage for the first time. No joke.