ChrisMaverick dotcom

Tag: selfportrait

365 Days, Imported From Flickr

6-26-08

by  •  • 35 Comments

6-26-08

Day 685 of 365 More.

You know, I gave serious thought to quitting smoking today. I really did. In fact, I only had 3 cigarettes in my pack when I woke up this morning and i was like "well, that’s it. Today is the day. Just think of the money I’ll save."

Made those three last til after work. Had the last one at like 6.

I made it til like 11.

I just had to get my fix. It is so very sad.

Mike Tyson once said to Barbara Walters that he was on Zoloft for the world’s protection. "I take Zoloft to keep me from killing you." Truer words were never spoken. That Mike Tyson is a genius.

365 days

365 Days, Imported From Flickr

6-25-08

by  •  • 9 Comments

6-25-08

Day 684 of 365 More.

You know, sometimes I think I’m losing my mind. No particular reason. At least not one that I can put my finger on. I only realized tonight when my face started itching that I haven’t shaved all week. It’s 2:30am and I’m up and not really doing anything just because I can’t sleep. That’s nothing new really. I never sleep. I’ve mentioned that before. But usually I utilize that time working on something creative. The comic, pictures. Something. But I got the comic posted hours ago, and I just don’t have the mental energy to work on any thing.

So instead I’m sitting up and watching the World Trade Center movie, when i should be going to bed so I can go to work tomorrow.

Pretty sure I’m losing my mind.

Yep. Pretty sure.

365 days

365 Days, Imported From Flickr

6-24-08

by  •  • 9 Comments

6-24-08

Day 683 of 365 More.

Hey look, it’s a TTV. Well, kinda anyway.

I’ve been really burnt out lately. Long day at work and had a lot of work to do on Thursday’s comic when I got home. On top of that, I have to get into work early tomorrow, which means I need to force myself to go to sleep soon, and it’s not even 12:30 and I’m totally not used to that.

Sigh… I’m burnt out. I really need a vacation. And a party. And a pony. Any two of the three would probably do.

365 days

365 Days, Imported From Flickr

6-23-08

by  •  • 10 Comments

6-23-08

Day 682 of 365 More.

Blah… you know some days I just can’t think of anything interesting to say. Basically I just didn’t really do much today. I worked. I came home. Watched some TV. Shot the podcast. Tried to get some rest. Really, its the same basic thing I do every day.

I really need to inject some excitement into my life.

365 days

365 Days, Imported From Flickr

6-22-08

by  •  • 10 Comments

6-22-08

Day 681 of 365 More.

I had a very interesting day. Spent the early afternoon with Steph’s family for her nephew’s birthday. It was full of all the… ummm… interesting conversation that I expect when spending time with my inlaws.

After that we spent the evening at a grown-up birthday party for a friend of mine with further interesting conversation.

It’s all very interesting the path that an encounter can take given the participants. There aren’t just two Americas. There are like 87.

365 days

365 Days, Imported From Flickr

6-21-08

by  •  • 2 Comments

6-21-08

Day 680 of 365 More.

I should make an indy film.

I mean, lets be honest, I don’t really have time to make an indy film, but I would so love to. I actually studied screenwriting in college. I even know how to do it. And up until a few months ago when I decided to start writing a comic strip, I was basically wasting my whole creative writing degree, but now that I’m doing it, I totally love it. I love doing creative stuff, and I’m a total junkie for doing more.

While coloring Monday’s strip tonight, I sat down and watched Kisses and Caroms, and indy film that Amazon recommended to me. I’ve mentioned before that I’m a movie addict, so whenever I hear about a film that’s even half interesting sounding, i just kinda buy it on the theory that sooner or later I’ll want to watch it. So I picked up Kisses and Caroms. The reviews on Amazon kinda panned it, saying it was highly derivative of Kevin Smith. The thing is, I watch a LOT of indy film and 90% of it these days is highly derivative of Kevin Smith. Credit to Vince Rocca (the writer/director) he’s 18 billion times better at ripping off Smith than most people. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

So now I have something else to add to the list of things that I need to do with my life. ARRRGHHH!!!! I so don’t have time for this. I can’t get everything I need done now. Sooner or later, I’m really going to have to quit my job. A shame really, I actually kinda like my job, but having to work 8 hours a day is really depriving the world of like 33% of my creative genius, and I think the world deserves better than that.

I’m all giving that way.

In other words, I need your help America. Give me money. Go out and buy a copy of Hellcats. Buy my 365 Book. Hell, just paypal me a grand or two. The world is depending on you, the heroes to support me so I can make it a better place to live in.

Or, on the other hand, if there are any wealthy socialite trophy wives, bored of their rich husbands who want to set me up and be my benefactor/sugarmomma so I can afford to not work and spend my time creating great works of art, I am accepting applications. Oh, and I put out.

And I said, what about Breakfast at Tiffany’s?
She said, "I think I remember the film,
And as I recall, I think, we both kind of liked it."
Well I guess that’s one thing we’ve got.

365 days

365 Days, Imported From Flickr

6-20-08

by  •  • 16 Comments

6-20-08

Day 679 of 365 More.

I want to change my hair. I’ve actually been thinking about it for a while which is why I’ve let it grow so crazy. I think I want to get braids of some kind. I just can’t decide what.

Sometimes I think I want cornrows. Sometimes I think I want braids. I’m not sure which style of either. Every once in a while I really want to just go all natural and pick it out into a huge 70s afro. Unforunately, I don’t think that would allow me to exist in the day to day working society I have to frequent. Oh to be a full time artist.

Anyway, what do people think? I’m totally open to suggestions here.

365 days

365 Days, Imported From Flickr

6-19-08

by  •  • 20 Comments

6-19-08

Day 678 of 365 More.

Got a new 50mm lens. The world is good again.

Last year I dedicated a photo to Juneteenth. Sadly I was late doing it. I didn’t get around to doing the photo up til June 21st. Two days after Juneteenth. I considered it apropos as the entire point of Juneteenth is being late, but I vowed to make sure I did a commemorative Juneteenth photo on the right day this year.

For those of you who didn’t see last years photo, and are too lazy to click on the link, allow me to excerpt it and explain the meaning of Juneteenth:

The base idea of Juneteenth is that back on September 22, 1862, Abraham Lincoln announces that the civil war is over and that all slaves would be freemen effective the 1st of the year (you know, you can’t just end 200 years of slavery and oppression, you have to ween people off of it. Give Masa a chance for a few last beatings and rapes… and you know, the harvest was coming).

Two and a half years later, Union Soldiers by led by General Gordon Granger rode into to Texas and were surprised to find that, goshdarnit, there were still slaves there. Apparently "news hadn’t gotten that far." Of course, I’ve always felt that news had gotten that far and Whitey just decided that since the nigros couldn’t read, maybe if no one said anything out loud they’d never catch on. Anyway, on that day, the slaves were "freed" in Texas. Of course, General Granger advised them to continue doing the same work they were doing, living in the same houses they were living in and proceed exactly the same, you know… except now they would be getting paid (slaves wages). And thus slavery died and the ghetto was born.

I commemorate this joyous day by symbolically breaking free of my chains.

Yay! I’m free… And yet still poor… No 40 acres… No mule… hmmm… Can a nigga get a table dance?

So there you go. By the way, I have marked this pic flickr safe, even though technically I am naked. I figure, I’m a boy. I’m showing no naughty bits, it’s not even remotely sexual. Here’s hoping that I don’t get myself banned again. I’ve pretty much given up on explore. 🙂

Happy Juneteenth. Now how about that table dance?

365 days

365 Days, Imported From Flickr

6-16-08

by  •  • 16 Comments

6-16-08

Day 675 of 365 More.

*sigh*

So I hobbled up to the cigarette store after dinner to get some smokes (my knee is still screwed) and I looked up in the sky and the clouds were back lit in the absolute most beautiful way and I knew it had to be today’s self-portrait. So I hobbled back home and got my camera and my 50mm lens and tripod and then hobbled back up the hill to set up.

And then I kncked my tripod over!

*ARRRRGGGGHHHHH*

Luckily my camera is fine, hence me not just killing myself on the spot, but the casing to the 50 completely cracked open. It’s ruined.

On a good note, at least it was my cheapest lens. But as any photographer knows, the 50 is like the bread and butter. I’ve already ordered a new one.

*sigh*

365 days

365 Days, Imported From Flickr

6-15-08

by  •  • 20 Comments

6-15-08

Day 674 of 365 More.

Ouch.

So if anyone ever tells you wrestling is fake, do me a favor and find the hardest object you can and smack them over the head with it as hard as you can..

Today was the BDW anniversary show. I didn’t even have a match. Instead I was in the corner of my tag team partner, Bulldozer while he was in a "street fight" with Dash Bennet. For those who don’t follow wrestling, a street fight means that you don’t wear wrestling gear, you come as you are, weapons are allowed, and you beat the shit out of each other as anything goes and there’s no disqualification.

So I was sitting in the corner rooting my friend on, and keeping a safe distance in a totally fair and completely sportsmanlike manner, when for no reason whatsoever, that bastard Dash attacked me. I was forced to defend myself with the closest thing I could find, which was this here garbage can lid. Only, somehow when I was swinging the lid at Dash’s head, again, in self-defense, I swear, Dash somehow got out the way and I ended up hitting Bulldozer in the head with it. After that, Dash powerbombed me on top of the lid, hence it being all bent out of shape as you see here.

And that’s not even how I got hurt. I mean, it sure as hell didn’t feel good. But somehow, before that, while I was minding my own business, and totally not attacking Dash unfairly, I ended up banging my own knee into the ground when I was doing a diving elbow drop on Dash’s head. Oh my god, it hurt. It was my bad knee, and when I first did it I thought I’d broken it. It’s not I’m pretty sure, but I’m definitely going to feel it tomorrow. And maybe also a couple pains from Dash hitting me in the head with various other street weapons. What a bastard.

New Hellcats is up. Go check it out. We’re definitely moving the story along now.

And while you’re there checking it out, do me a favor. You’ll notice at the top of the main page, just above the comic, there are three voting buttons. Go vote for us on each of those sites. Especially the one that says TWC. TWC and Buzzcomics will have you press a confirm button. While The Web Comic List just takes you to a Hellcats page on their site. It’s a portal, that keeps track of all your favorite webcomics. Anyway, the more people who vote for us the higher we rise on all the lists, and the better it is for us. We’ll be more popular and make more money and one day, we’ll be able to do it full time and there will be daily Hellcats. Won’t that be great? I thought so. You can only vote once per day, so go back there every night and vote again.

And I’m still looking for more fan art and more feedback on stuff, so feel free to write feedback@cosmichellcats.com and let us know what you think and send us any fan art you might have. We’ll put it up on the site and you can be famous too.

Ouch… I think I’m going to bed so I can hobble to work tomorrow.

365 days

365 Days, Imported From Flickr

6-14-08

by  •  • 9 Comments

6-14-08

Day 673 of 365 More.

Didn’t really have an idea for a shot today.I was sitting around managing some of my project wonderful ads on my laptop and working on coloring the next comic, when Otto, Steph’s cat, climbed up on the couch right above me head. Sometimes its just a moment like that where inspiration is born and you get a shot.

Tess our other cat would have freaked out and ran as soon as I climbed up there with her.

365 days

365 Days, Imported From Flickr

6-13-08

by  •  • 11 Comments

6-13-08

Day 672 of 365 More.

Brother can you spare a dime!!!!!

You know it’s crazy. I don’t do anything but work anymore. I guess it’s been like that for a while now, but I’m just starting to have it sink in.

I have so many extra projects, I can’t keep up with extra projects. 365s get posted after 4 in the morning. I keep falling behind on answering comments. I’m really behind on commenting on other people’s stuff. I started working on a tarot card like four days ago and haven’t gotten back to it. I haven’t had time to draw or edit my most recent photoshoot.

I’m just burnt out.

This will be so much easier when I become so famous that I don’t have to work a real job. But for being at work for 8+ hours a day, I’d really have a pretty good life.

As it is, I have no life anymore. It’s June. I should be well into planning Jammy Jam by now. I got nothing. No bands. No prizes. Last year we were actually talking about maybe trying to find some venue other than my house for this years jam, and yet I haven’t even been looking at outfits for myself. Anyone want a job being my Jammy Jam coordinator? My last one moved to Hawaii.

I’ve spent most of my time since I got home from work reorganizing the Hellcats site so that it can better display ads. Ewww, banner ads, my god have I sold out. But if I want to seriously be a writer/artist/whatever, I guess I have to make money some way. And I’m really happy about the Project: Wonderfiul business plan. They actually gaver us a serious boost in views today. Let’s hope it continues.

365 days

365 Days, Imported From Flickr

6-12-08

by  •  • 4 Comments

6-12-08

Day 671 of 365 More.

Got a fair amount of things done today. After spending all day at work, I took Sarah to dinner for her birthday, and then I came home and worked on editing a tutorial for next week’s 365 Podcast (which had a new episode released today, so if you haven’t checked it out, you should).

After that I did some work on promoting Cosmic Hellcats, which also had new episode come out yesterday, so check that out too. The first phase of Hellcats actually went really well. We got a nice big burst of traffic when we opened up shop. We do better on days with new comic than without (no surprise there), and every once in a while someone links to us, and that adds a nice bit of traffic, but for the most part we’ve leveled off. This is bad, because I really think the strip is just getting funnier and funnier. So Max and I decided that maybe it was time to try some advertising. So I’m now experimenting with Project Wonderful. We’ll see how it goes. if anyone else has any ideas on how to make us famous, I’m open for submissions.

365 days

365 Days, Imported From Flickr

6-11-08

by  •  • 21 Comments

6-11-08

Day 670 of 365 More.

I am a patriot.

I have saved the economy.

At the behest of our fearless leader, I have used the recently issued bribe, errr… that is… stimulus check to revitalize the economy by buying even more photography lights. They should be here in a week or so. I mean, I really didn’t want to. But, I feel that it’s the least I can do for the sake of this great nation.

Besides, I’m going to need all the lights I can get once I destroy the sun.

In other news, new episodes of both the podcast and Cosmic Hellcats are up. Go check them out!

365 days

365 Days, Imported From Flickr

6-10-08

by  •  • 18 Comments

6-10-08

Day 669 of 365 More.

In some ways I miss last year. This time last year I was unemployed and looking for work. Looking for work only takes so much time out of your week, so the rest of the time I spent working on photography and working out like I was in prison.

I was in great shape.

I’m not anymore. I’m fat and flabby and generally just not comfortable in my body. I spend most of my day at work and most of my evenings working on the comic strip or the podcast. It doesn’t leave a lot of time for anything else.

Don’t get me wrong, I love doing the podcast and Hellcats is a childhood dream come true. I mean, I’d be happier with both of them if I had more of an audience, but I’m hopeful that will happen.

I just don’t much like looking in the mirror or looking at pictures of me anymore.

So I took a break tonight and did some weight lifting. I don’t really feel like I look any better, but it’s a start. I need to work on the strip some more tonight, but if I can do that and still convince myself to get up early tomorrow, maybe I’ll put in 30 min. on the elliptical.

It’s time to bring sexy back one more time.

365 days