Random Thoughts for October

Things are improving, but we're going through some weird times.  Being out of work for a few months seemed like it was putting us in ruin, but I think in the long run, we'll come out of it in a better place.  We're trapped in a bad mortgage, and the bank isn't giving us any help at all, despite hearing about all of the programs out there put in place to help people like us.  We've gotten nothing but a runaround from them, and we can't even get anyone to look at our account despite numerous phone calls and responses to mail offering us these programs.  It's almost as if they just don't care...

I'm giving a lot of thought to digital comic publishing lately, and getting my art on track.  I'm also playing with Flash and Dreamweaver, and getting better at web designing.  Put it all together, and I should be able to offer some pretty cool art online.


I would love to get to the point where I have enough money to pay the bills and do a few things for the family each month.  I don't like being on the constant edge of financial ruin, but I take some small comfort in knowing we're not the only ones.  Part of it is how bad the economy sucks, but I also feel responsibility myself for not making my skills better and not making myself a more valuable employee.  I need to keep my abilities advancing and let people know what I'm capable of.

Trish and I did a re-vamp of a website at www.artisticchoppers.com - and it's turning out pretty cool.  We're still working on it, and it will evolve over the next few weeks.


Google has really impressed me lately with how well all of their products work together.  I love the homepage I've customized on iGoogle and how easy it is to blog and link everything together. I hope to get into the beta program for Google wave.  I'm working on consolidating and tieing everything together lately, between my laptop, my desktop, and my phone.  I do so much online, I find I don't mind keeping a lot of my data there, but I do have a little worry about losing stuff by not having a copy for myself.  I'd love to step up to the iPhone 3GS, but I just don't have the money right now. Being broke sucks.

I've gotten back into reading some comics at marvel.com - nothing really recent, but they've got over 5000 titles online, and I'm catching up on some great stuff I missed over the past few years.

The scooter has not been working out, and I don't like not having a vehicle of my own.  Got to get that thing working again, but I don't like the way other people drive around me when I'm on it.  I've love a decent bike, but again, there's that money thing.

I wish I had some time to devote to getting back into music again.  I've got a bass and some lesson books, and a mini-guitar, but I just don't have a great deal of time to spend with it right now.