Frightening, dangerous, INSIDIOUS thoughts…

These thoughts are, fortunately, almost completely non-political.

The thoughts went like this:

1) I think I’ll take the day off, and just sketch in books. No buffer-fu.
2) Nah, I think I’ll take the WEEK off from buffer-fu. I’ll just sketch in books and otherwise relax.
3) Maybe I’ll paint some miniatures. I’ll bring my gaming stuff with me to the Keep today.

A part of that neurochemical gestalt that is my consciousness quailed at these thoughts. These thoughts, after all, are the ones that lesser webcartoonists* revel in when they’re running filler weeks, guest weeks, or life-caught-up-with-me weeks. They’re the same sorts of thoughts that lots of us embrace when we’re procrastinating and collecting a paycheck even though the work’s not done. Sticking it to our employers, you know? (I know. I did it at Novell once in a while.)

I voiced my thoughts, and my quailings. Sandra said, in essence, “GOOD. TAKE THE WEEK OFF. YOU NEED IT.” Apparently having a buffer of only 30 days is acceptable right now. Maybe I’ll let it drop all the way to twenty-five before the quailing knocks me back into my type-A mode. I expect that to happen Monday.

The funny thing? I’m considering it a “vacation” when the only thing I’m doing is fourteen hours’ worth of ultra-repetitive sketching.

(*e.g. anybody with less buffer than me. Oh yeah, I went there.)

22 thoughts on “Frightening, dangerous, INSIDIOUS thoughts…”

  1. And the reason for the Buffer Of Unusual Size would be…???

    Why, YES- YES, That IS the correct answer!! To take time off to do OTHER things when you need to, to be with your family, and to be able to do things in a reasonable time, (Rather than, say- sketching like a fiend and overdosing on ibuprofen while you’re at it…)

    STOP Feeling guilty and go…
    (Sheesh!)

        1. And once more I spit milk all over my screen.

          I wonder if, by the time all the sketch editions are finished, Howard’s hand twitches in the pattern of our favorite amorf?
          Could we slip a pen into his hand as he sleeps and get some interesting spasm doodles?

  2. And the reason for the Buffer Of Unusual Size would be…???

    Why, YES- YES, That IS the correct answer!! To take time off to do OTHER things when you need to, to be with your family, and to be able to do things in a reasonable time, (Rather than, say- sketching like a fiend and overdosing on ibuprofen while you’re at it…)

    STOP Feeling guilty and go…
    (Sheesh!)

        1. And once more I spit milk all over my screen.

          I wonder if, by the time all the sketch editions are finished, Howard’s hand twitches in the pattern of our favorite amorf?
          Could we slip a pen into his hand as he sleeps and get some interesting spasm doodles?

    1. His secret lair, which is where he keeps prisoner a golden dragon, the actual writer of the strip, feeding it only the occasional wandering neighbor or unsuspecting up-and-coming author (LOOK OUT DAN AND BRANDON!).

      Or Dragon’s Keep. A local comic book shop. At least… that’s what he will probably tell you…

    1. His secret lair, which is where he keeps prisoner a golden dragon, the actual writer of the strip, feeding it only the occasional wandering neighbor or unsuspecting up-and-coming author (LOOK OUT DAN AND BRANDON!).

      Or Dragon’s Keep. A local comic book shop. At least… that’s what he will probably tell you…

  3. Dude? You are the example I hold up to new cartoonists who want to get into the trade (webcomic trade, that is). I state to them: Create a six week buffer! Look at Schock Mercenary, which has not once missed an update. And why? Because he has a Buffer of Unusual Size!

    Okay, maybe yours isn’t six weeks… but considering you’re updating daily (and not even weekdaily), a 30 update buffer ain’t nothing to sneeze at! ^^

    Take some time off. That’s what the buffer’s for. Just make it up later. 😉

    Rob H.

  4. Dude? You are the example I hold up to new cartoonists who want to get into the trade (webcomic trade, that is). I state to them: Create a six week buffer! Look at Schock Mercenary, which has not once missed an update. And why? Because he has a Buffer of Unusual Size!

    Okay, maybe yours isn’t six weeks… but considering you’re updating daily (and not even weekdaily), a 30 update buffer ain’t nothing to sneeze at! ^^

    Take some time off. That’s what the buffer’s for. Just make it up later. 😉

    Rob H.

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