FC 64 - Just Doing My Part

First off, happy Earth Day! I know I am a day or two late but I can't go messing with the Friday Comic schedule*. If you forgot it was Earth Day or weren't able to celebrate it properly, I encourage you to take some time this weekend to do a little something-something (but not turning on the AC with the window open. Or leaving the fridge open.) Anyway, my standard comic explanation/disclaimer: I didn't really have the people drawing skillz this week*, so I borrowed a few of my previously drawn elements. Ain't cut and paste grand! Please don't think less of me. Or do, as that seems to be the hip trend these day. Anyway, if you haven't, be sure to check out the dedicated comics page for more drawin' and less yawin'.

Thursday April 23 2009

File under: comic

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on Sat 25th Apr, 2009 11:46 am PDT Jule said: people really do that in high rise apartments in places like NYC. The heaters run continuously in winter and on a hot winter day you are forced to turn on the AC. Or go outside. Ick! ************************ on Sun 26th Apr, 2009 08:54 am PDT bob said: our man must not be familiar with the laws of thermodynamics. ************************

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Sleeping Outside Season

When the weather starts to get warm and there is a relatively small chance for overnight rain, nothing beats sleeping outside*. [Pictured here is the coveted sleeping outside spot, on the deck upstairs. Notice the view of Mt. Baker in the background, but high enough railings to block out any street lights.] Last night was my 2009 inaugural outdoor snooze and it was awesome. Sure the birds start chirping at some ungodly hour, it gets bright well before I even consider getting up, and there's no Morning Edition to lounge and listen to, but the clear cool air makes up for it all. There is just something so primitive (in a good way) about sleeping under the stars. Yep, sleeping outside on the deck is one of the [many] awesome parts about spending summers in Anacortes.

Tuesday April 21 2009

File under: Anacortes

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on Tue 21st Apr, 2009 03:03 pm PDT Saxtor said: My inaugural night outside was unintended, and caused by a freaking BILLION* people in San Miguel de Allende. Luckily my trusty hammock saved the day night! ************************ on Tue 21st Apr, 2009 06:59 pm PDT Mom said: Just so you know--that's MY spot for the rest of the summer and fall! ************************ on Tue 21st Apr, 2009 10:18 pm PDT steve said: this spot looks cleaner than the outback ************************ on Sat 25th Apr, 2009 11:44 am PDT Jule said: and smells better too! ************************ on Sat 02nd May, 2009 08:34 pm PDT Joe said: there's a great sleeping outdoors pic of me floatin around out there somewhere, i think hannah and barry have it. outside on a beach on orcas island in the middle of winter...almost ended up sleeping in the ocean when the tide rolled in, snowed on, and a bird landed on me for awhile. yea good times. ************************

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Mysterious Monday Quote

Life is tragic. Life is wonderful. Embrace it. "Why mysterious?", you ask. Well, I ran across this quote this past week* and thought what a great, and applicable, quote. As with most people, I imagine, my life recently has had both big bummers and big wonders. When I read this quote, I filed it away to await Monday. Then I forgot where I got it from (which means it might not be an exact quote*). I was almost sure that it was from the latest issue of Mental Floss*, but in a quick search, I couldn't find it. That doesn't lessen the value of the quote, however.

Monday April 20 2009

File under: quote

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on Mon 20th Apr, 2009 12:38 pm PDT Saxtor said: Some lady from Mental_Floss has been posting in BoingBoing pretty consistently for the past week or two, and I have enjoyed 100% of her posts. Perhaps I'll have to check it out. ************************

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FC 63 - How Does That Make You Feel

Now that my travels are over with*, it is time to get back to the business as usual. This comic, drawn by East Coast MS Paint virtuoso Annie (with caption suggestion by her beau Sam)*, has been sitting in my inbox since before I left for Taiwan so many weeks ago, making it long overdue for posting. Luckily, once ya'll see it, you'll agree that it's worth the wait. While I've still got one or two lingering travel posts I'm planning, you can count on your Friday fix of amateur comics resuming for at least a while longer. (Traveling solo lends itself to lots of thinking time which in turn leads to at least a few comic ideas.) (And if you are just getting into the Friday Comic series, catch up on previous ones in an easy to navigate format here*.)

Friday April 17 2009

File under: comic

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on Fri 17th Apr, 2009 11:40 am PDT Jen said: traveling solo is dangerous. ************************ on Fri 17th Apr, 2009 12:07 pm PDT Saxtor said: Well, if a fella needed advice on "shrinkage", it seems like this'd be the person to consult. ************************ on Sat 18th Apr, 2009 05:56 am PDT Dave said: did that guy graduate from THE Maryland high school? ************************ on Fri 29th May, 2009 08:14 am PDT Wren said: E-mail in: "...the comic you did with the scissors in therapy was used in this weeks lecture about personality. It was used in regards to Freud's psychoanalytic "death drive" theory." ************************

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More Minor Media Mentions

Forgive me if it seems self-centered to post such little things like a minor picture in a small-press magazine. This blog, while mostly for the purpose of keeping ya'll informed (and hopefully a little entertained), is also my virtual scrap book, something that I will look back on when I am 90 and say "those were the good old days"*. Anyway, a picture of me made it to the Klipsun magazine, a WWU publication. A big thanks to team Weddle for spotting it and delivering it. To see non-scanned, original photos as well as read the text of the article, check it out on here on their website. Besides a misspelling of my name, I can't really complain. There is just something neat about seeing yourself in print, I think. Maybe if this small-press media luck continues to rise, I might just make it to the NY Times someday.

Wednesday April 15 2009

File under: misc

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on Wed 15th Apr, 2009 10:28 pm PDT dave said: Wren, I actually have a copy of this picture in my kitchen. Gordon mailed it to me a couple weeks back. I refrained from passing it on to you because I know how you feel about [international] mail. Congratulations - cool picture. You and sepia go well together. ************************ on Sat 18th Apr, 2009 01:21 pm PDT Joe said: hellyea ************************ on Sun 19th Apr, 2009 10:21 am PDT Horge said: Congratulations Ren! ************************

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Good Hosts

Traveling can be a tedious endeavor: language barriers, different beds every night, very little familiar territory, no space to really feel comfortable. Traveling solo adds the extra aspect of not having someone to share thoughts and observations with, etc. Don't get me wrong; all the newness and time for reflection can be a very good thing, but it sometimes is just plain hard. Enter wonderful people. In Japan and Taiwan, I was fortunate to have a number of wonderful hosts to help ease the hardships of travel. Whether providing guidance on local activities (many of which I would have never experienced otherwise), welcoming me and sharing their lives with me, offering up generous use of their homes and a place to sleep*, or just indulging my brain dumps (and chance to speak English for a while), I realize that my experience wouldn't have been nearly as wonderful without these people. So to Bob, Dave, Kristin, and Bryan I can't say thank you enough. If ever I can repay you in whatever way, I'll be glad to do it. In thinking about it, all my travels of late have been helped along and enhanced by so many good people: Steve and Hope in Grenada, Gabriella in Mexico, so so many good folks on the eastern seaboard, Andrew and Gretch in Portland, and Sibley and Nina in Santa Cruz just to name but a few. I count my lucky stars each time I think about it, and hope that the generosity they all have shown me comes back around to them someday. As I hope, I realize that the best way to make sure that happens is to be the best host I can be whenever I get the chance. So next time you, any of you, pass through Anacortes, know that you've got a willing host to put you up, show you around, and help in any way possible. After all, it is the least I can do.

Tuesday April 14 2009

File under: travel

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on Tue 14th Apr, 2009 09:33 pm PDT Mom said: Luckily, I concur in extending the invitation and you won't have to share the Outback with Wren. ************************ on Wed 15th Apr, 2009 03:00 pm PDT steve said: Thank god for mom shielding us from the outback!! ************************ on Wed 15th Apr, 2009 05:04 pm PDT Joe said: It was kinda funny clicking on each of the pix of your hosts one by one, as each one got further and further away from the camera, thus more and more unrecognizable. I was expecting the last one to just be a google earth shot with an arrow pointing to a dot representing your host. ************************

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Meebo HQ Visit

Silicone Valley is like my Hollywood. Just as a visitor to Hollywood might buy a Map to the Stars and go hunting for their favorite celebrity's homes, I stalk and gawk around Silicone Valley looking for my favorite tech companies. Highest on that list is meebo. Meebo is a company started back in late 2005 that allows users to access all their various instant messaging protocols via a unified interface all through through their browser*. The nerds among you probably already know all about it. I imagine the non-nerds don't care. Anyway, I've been following the company since its start-up via their blog where they write about the venture capital aspect, the technology hang-ups, the social culture of the bay area, moving from a garage to a real office space, hiring people, etc. etc. Seeing it all in person was something I've been wanting to do for a while. When we found the location, I was positively giddy. I was so giddy, in fact, I thought it prudent to stroll the avenue for a minute or two before making too much of a fool of myself by knocking on the door. While trying to compose myself on the street corner, I recognized a meebo-er* and lost whatever composure I had managed to regain. Long story short, I finally got up the guts to poke my head in to the office. I was given a quick tour, a smile, and a meebo t-shirt*. I snapped a goofy picture for the blog, and I was out the door. (The giddiness, however, remained for a good 2 hours.)

Sunday April 12 2009

File under: travel, USA

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on Mon 13th Apr, 2009 10:33 am PDT EMoore said: does this mean you're in the USA? And, Can you stay with Thomas 13-27 October? ZAR Trip! ************************ on Mon 13th Apr, 2009 03:48 pm PDT Dave said: What was distinct about the meebo-er that made you recognize him/her? ************************ on Mon 13th Apr, 2009 03:52 pm PDT Wren said: I'm just good with faces, I guess. I must have seen a picture of her on the blog before or something. ************************ on Tue 14th Apr, 2009 11:01 am PDT Saxtor said: Okay, that's just badass. Your next task is to track down Tom, tell him that he's not actually my friend and then punch him in the face. ************************ on Wed 15th Apr, 2009 07:39 am PDT steve said: Thank the FSM that Mom clarified the invite! ************************ on Wed 15th Apr, 2009 04:59 pm PDT Joe said: uhhh...wow. ************************ on Wed 15th Apr, 2009 10:31 pm PDT dave said: Thank the FSM? The Federated States of Micronesia? ************************ on Thu 16th Apr, 2009 09:22 am PDT Saxtor said: Dave, I pray that you, too, may be touched by his Noodly Appendage. ************************ on Sun 19th Apr, 2009 07:11 pm PDT Chris said: I feel your pain on the whole getting excited about things that nobody cares about. Down in Malibu people could never figure out why I didn't get excited about running into Dean Cain, Mel Gibson or David Duchovny but that I had much the same stupid giddiness when I ran into Dave Thomas (No, not the Wendy's guy) at Blockbuster. It was extra awkward due to the fact that I was actually holding a copy of Strange Brew at the time contemplating its rental. ************************ on Mon 20th Apr, 2009 03:49 am PDT Dave said: Chris, that is so cool! Strange Brew is one of three movies I OWN! I hope he picked up the rental fee for you. ************************

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Santa Cruz Visitor Decathlon

Firstly, good work to all those that correctly identified last post's interchallenge: Trees Of Mystery near Klamath, CA on highway 101. In all the times I've passed by it, I've still never paid the $13 to do the tour. Maybe someday... We just finished with a wonderful (albeit way too short) visit to Santa Cruz. Although it may have been short, we still managed to complete 7(ish) of 10 of the Visitor's Decathlon events. 1. Tree Platform: a platform 72 feet up in a redwood at the top of a ridge overlooking the Monterrey Bay. 2. frisbee golf: we played 9 holes on the world renowned frolf course.* 3. roller coaster: the Giant Dipper is the 3rd oldest roller coaster in the US. It is wooden, it is historic, and it is awesome. * 4. Saturn Cafe: quirky vegetarian cafe. We ate there. It was delicious. 5. Malobar's or Dharma's: this is one we missed. We only had a few meals to eat out and this missed the cut. 6. pier and sea lions: check. 7. surfing or watching surfers: this is the ish. The weather wasn't great so they weren't out in droves, and we had already stopped for a bit up highway 1 to watch the gnarl be shralped. 8. Tandem bike: missed it. Next time... 9. Mystery Spot: Alisa and I thoroughly enjoyed this one*. 10. Adult gymnastics: had we had more than 48 hours in Santa Cruz, this is one we definitely would have liked to get in. Instead, we played some beach volleyball*. I had so much fun on this decathlon, maybe I should consider looking into the Olympics...

Thursday April 9 2009

File under: travel, USA

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on Fri 10th Apr, 2009 01:46 am PDT Juline said: What's this decathlon you speak of? Trees of Mystery...I lived in Trinidad for 20 years. Never did the tour. ************************ on Fri 10th Apr, 2009 11:00 am PDT steve said: who is we jose?is she the one near babe the blue ox? ************************ on Tue 14th Apr, 2009 12:57 pm PDT Ryan Walters said: Was the Mystery Spot really worth it? What the hell is it? ************************ on Tue 14th Apr, 2009 01:00 pm PDT Wren said: Ryan, the Mystery Spot was worth it, provided you weren't expecting too much*. Basically, the place is a bunch of optical illusions, some of which are pretty dang good. It was a lot of fun and a great place to snap a few pictures. I'll have some more photos to post here soon. ************************

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Changing Gears

For those of you who recognize where this picture is taken, you might be feeling a little confused. (For those of you who don't recognize the location of the photo, consider it an interchallenge*.) "I could have sworn Wren was in Japan." Well, I was*. Then I came home. For 36 hours. Then I left again. Wheeeee!! I don't want to divulge too much about my current location because interchallenges are so much fun. But since a picture-less blog post is so thoroughly frowned upon, I have to add these little pictorial hints as to location of said road trip. Hint #1 Hint #2

Monday April 6 2009

File under: travel, USA

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on Tue 07th Apr, 2009 05:53 am PDT Dave said: N 41° 35.066 W 124° 05.177 ************************ on Tue 07th Apr, 2009 05:54 am PDT Dave said: you can drop those A's with hats ************************ on Tue 07th Apr, 2009 10:23 am PDT soreyes said: narrowing it down to about 50 places ************************ on Tue 07th Apr, 2009 09:55 pm PDT Joe said: i know where ************************ on Tue 07th Apr, 2009 11:14 pm PDT Horge said: Do they also have some of those over-sized pancakes I hear he ate? If so, I recommend just the short stack. Probably filling enough... ************************ on Wed 08th Apr, 2009 01:30 am PDT Juline said: Am I allowed to say? If it's where I think it is, it's only about 30 miles from where I spent my childhood <3. ************************ on Wed 08th Apr, 2009 06:07 pm PDT Juline said: I'm wondering how you ended up there -- it's not even remotely close to an international airport. ************************ on Wed 08th Apr, 2009 10:52 pm PDT Jule said: Arizona beach and south. Don't miss the hot dogs at Langlois when heading north. Trust me. ************************ on Sun 12th Apr, 2009 05:15 am PDT Sean said: If that's the one Jeff and I went to on our epic road trip, that sucker has a giant set of nards left out of this picture ************************ on Fri 17th Apr, 2009 11:29 am PDT Jen said: California? ************************ on Fri 17th Apr, 2009 12:09 pm PDT Saxtor said: California...!! ************************

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Vending Machine Restaurants

I mentioned how the Japanese love their vending machines*, right? Well, it's not only street corners where you find them. Some restaurants use vending machines in place of counter people. You just put your money in, select the button of the item you want (assuming you can read what the button says, which I can't (although sometimes there are pictures)), and then take the ticket over to the cooks, and you're good to go. It is really a clever business model. It gets rid of the need for a person to deal with the money and orders and no one can be blamed for screwing up an order. All the restaurants of this type that I saw (which were pretty much in any big city) had only 2 cooks, and that's all. It really serves to keep costs down which is reflected in the price of the food. Most places, you could get udon or soba noodle soup for around $3.00. If you wanted a little meat in the form of a tempura prawn or processed fish tube*, it might cost a little extra. Yep, once you learn how it works, vending machine restaurants are awesome. Before you know how they work, well, not so much*.

Friday April 3 2009

File under: travel, Japan

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on Fri 03rd Apr, 2009 05:54 pm PDT Dave said: I pay for my haircut at a vending machine! ************************ on Fri 03rd Apr, 2009 07:57 pm PDT Sean said: The TV said there are vending machines with pictures of girls and you can pick out whose dirty undies you want. Can you confirm this? ************************ on Fri 03rd Apr, 2009 08:28 pm PDT Joe said: i like this ************************ on Fri 17th Apr, 2009 06:17 pm PDT Jenn said: I thought this was really funny. It does sound like it streamlines the process though. ************************

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