SPQR Babble

[spqrblues]

Look, something to distract you while I scribble away at the next few comics: an interview on ComixTalk :)

Comments

[dr-phil-physics.livejournal.com]

Hey, nice interview. Always fun when we can learn a few things we didn't know before. As someone who spent years coding in FORTRAN while in grad school, what were you programming in while ruining your wrists? (grin)

Don't know how you are planning on "finishing" up SPQR Blues, but if Chapt. IV is "Last Days", then a Chapt. V could be "Remember Me", a bit of double-meaning between our Romans as well as that sulky volacano... (double-grin)

Thanks for the interview link!

Dr. Phil

TMI! TMI!

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Remember Me...? Aww, now you've gone and made me all sad ::sniffles::

I really do talk (type) too much. Nobody should ever try to interview me :P

I was mainly doing big-corporate websites and application development for web-based marketing systems, applications to be used by remote sales teams, blah de blah de blah. Not super-fun, but at least it paid close to the going rate. My bosses were rather wicked to me when I was injured, so the company will remain nameless unless I happen to be in a mood to name it, which I am from time to time. It wasn't entirely their fault they were wicked, since the Work Comp liaison nurse condensed the plain, factual information I gave her into loaded phrases like "your employee calls this place a hell hole"--but then when I got back to work, the bosses and HR made sure it was one. One of the more amusing things was recording that I'd gotten to work late if I was spotted coming back from the restroom at, oh, 10am, so they could put me on warning... or making comments that I was in AA because even though I said I had regular physical therapy sessions (paid for by me), "everyone knows Wednesday is AA night" (or was it Tuesday? I forget now... and anyone who even slightly knows me knows I have the alcohol-tolerance of an itty bitty bunny)... and then there was leaving graphic images on my desk (and not the good kind of "graphic" with the speech balloons and stuff! grrf!).

My supervisor apologised when I resigned, so I have a reality check that I wasn't losing my mind or exaggerating terribly. It was a kind of yucky place anyway, though with some incredibly talented co-workers. And I do miss the ones who were nice and fun to work with. Uhm... what was the question again? I really need to learn when to stop typing... nobody should ever ask me questions....

edited because it was even more TMI!

Re: TMI! TMI!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_w_o_o_d_/]

So you're saying that there also were some nice people over there ? Does that mean I shouldn't send a bunch of... specialized workmen to redecorate the office building with an assortment of explosive and flammable materials ? "Fight Club" style ?

Re: TMI! TMI!

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Nah, let's spare them ;) Many of my coworkers were bright, sparkly people, deserving of only the milder form of redecoration, such as comfy chairs and frilly curtains. And, at least the bosses fed us well at our weekly meetings. I shall show mercy, because of the breakfast burritos.

Re: TMI! TMI!

[dr-phil-physics.livejournal.com]

Sniffles? Aw-www... I guess we can chalk it up to a triple-meaning then, because I was thinking along the lines of characters all popping up in the finale going "Remember me?" (grin)

I am so tired about hearing about companies behaving badly, especially so as to not pay workman's comp, etc.

Cheer up -- you've got a volcano to blow! That'll teach 'em!

Dr. Phil

Re: TMI! TMI!

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Oh, good, now I feel much better :) Both for the "Remember me?" and the prospect of getting to blow up a volcano. My ex-bosses had no idea the massive power at my command! I choose to be merciful. See breakfast burritos, above.

Yah, the way companies fight so hard against workman's comp is weird to me--that's why they pay into it, right? To take care of such things? Bleh. Part of the injury was caused not only because my job involved incredible amounts of keyboard time, sometimes on weekends and late into the night, but because the entire company had to use shiny "artsy" nerve-pinching office furniture instead of practical chairs and desks. The company had to look modern and hip! The "desks" didn't even have drawers :) So, er... let that be a lesson to you! Drop your job and draw comics! On your couch! Yeah!

Re: TMI! TMI!

[dr-phil-physics.livejournal.com]

I'd have to buy a couch first. (grin)

Dr. Phil

Re: TMI! TMI!

[(Anonymous)]

sorry about the anon. Too many IDs, too few passwords.

Similar to my story. I had triggered too many corporate antibodies and was rewarded accordingly. They put me through 3 1/2 months of sitting at my desk with absolutely nothing to do. To this day, (some 15 years later) it still hurts. It still makes me feel absolutely crazy and like I'm a totally worthless piece of dirt. Doubly so every time pain level flares up or my throat gets a bit sore because of overuse of speech recognition.

People whose don't suffer from our type of problems, never really understand how much it affects everything from your ability to feed yourself through relationships with your partner let alone make a living. It's really depressing when the both of you have disabling conditions and the relationship is reduced to mutual caregivers and nothing more. But that's the reality of disabilities and aging.

may be TMI but, this is one of those moments when one should serve as a warning to others and that warning is "no job is worth a disability"

[kit-the-brave.livejournal.com]

That's an awesome interview! And OMB, you edit Graphic Universe? We have them on standing order at the Liberry.

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Er, yah, I kinda hadn't named the company, but the interviewer spilled the beans :) Not that I was being shy or cagey (well, a little), but I didn't want the interview to end up being about the company. Which it isn't, of course. But it's not like I've determined the look of the list or the books published so far... I'm just a flunky....

Obligatory company promo: check out the Twisted Journeys books, which are cool indeed :) Do you have those on standing order, too, or just the myths and legends series?

[kyleen66.livejournal.com]

The part of the interview that I found entertaining was when the interviewer said, that a publisher like Graphic Universe should be the one to look at actually publishing them. My brain said *snerk* to that....

It did, it really did.

Back off to "gate" hell. I'll have to do an entry of my own to explain that. But if I happen to jump off the roof of my house, B2 will be able to give you all of the reasons why it happened and why it was a totally justifiable action.

GREAT interview though... seriously. It made me smile.

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Not to encourage violence or anything, but are you sure you want to use your own house? I think all you'll do is scare the puppies and damage the roses, then have to limp around in an ace bandage. Er... on second thought, yeah, if you're going to jump, pick someplace nice and relatively low... After all, how am I ever going to go work for you if you're lying in a heap all stuck with rose thorns at the bottom of the garden?

[b2creative.livejournal.com]

Don't worry - I think her grass is pretty tall right now, so it should cushion her fall somewhat.

Just go to your happy place, Ky. Happy place ... happy place ...

[kit-the-brave.livejournal.com]

I'll look for them! They sound like something we should order if we don't have them. And we're flush with cash right now, so hey. :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_w_o_o_d_/]

Er, yah, I kinda hadn't named the company, but the interviewer spilled the beans

(creepy voice) Hmm, that's one more piece to the puzzle... I also notice you mentioned Les Enfants d'Ailleurs... Do you know their third book is out ? It closes the first cycle, or something, but the story's not over

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Brrr, creepy voice! :)

I was lucky to have gotten my hands on a copy of the third book, and I also backtracked and read the first book. I love the story and art so much, and so I was glad to see (I forget in which interview) that they have nine books planned altogether. The story is good, but there's something about the art that has thoroughly caught me. I really think kids here in the US would love it, absolutely gobble it up. It's a shorter book but something about the pacing and scope reminds me a lot of Bone, which must be the most popular graphic novel for kids in schools and libraries, so I hope people here give Les Enfants the same amount of attention.

Poor little purple bunnies... they're what first caught my eye and got me reading book 2 :)

[jdalton.livejournal.com]

I want that book so badly. Only I can't read French worth a darn.

[droolfangrrl.livejournal.com]

Just remember us. The little people when you are a STAR !

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Ooo! Sparklies!

I think in exchange for getting the company name mentioned, they should give me the rest of the day off for drawing, so I can bestow comicky goodness on the little people XD

[b2creative.livejournal.com]

Whatever happened to that 3D walkthrough, anyway? I want to see it!

Well now, this interview didn't really tell us much more that what we already knew - that Klio is an incredibly talented, tragically under appreciated and deliciously conflicted artist/author who the the rest of the world needs to discover, post haste.

(feed the artist, feed the artist)

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

The last time I checked the walkthrough, it was completely stymied by new browsers and the 3D navigation didn't work. And it looked kinda... weird. Antediluvian 3D rendering. But, maybe I can find a quick fix for the links. The rendering really is very very simple compared to what I could get my spiffy brand-new computer to do. The, er, proto-story that runs through the walkthrough is kinda rough and embarrassing (some guy named Felix, a veteran from Titus' legion XV Apollinaris, with a friend named Mus and a girlfriend named Amphianda over in the nearby town of Cosa and an old army buddy named Portumnus who always carried around a leather bag on his belt... poor things, I'd completely forgotten about those two... and then there was a little redhaired girl named Petronia Iusta... and Felix was planning to get a dog...). It's all kind of incoherent... I... uh... I was really really young! Yes! Barely a child. Practically not even born yet.

(also, thank you, that was very yummy :D )

[kyleen66.livejournal.com]

It's all kind of incoherent... I... uh... I was really really young! Yes! Barely a child. Practically not even born yet.

Heh.

And yet I remember it well. I don't remember the characters much as I barely got to play with it. I think it needs revamping. I think we need to hire a programmer to fix it for you.

Hmmm...

[amedia.livejournal.com]

Well now, this interview didn't really tell us much more that what we already knew - that Klio is an incredibly talented, tragically under appreciated and deliciously conflicted artist/author who the the rest of the world needs to discover, post haste.

Beautifully said, beautifully said! *claps*

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

I'm tragic! I always knew it! Now I can complain with impunity. Also, I am delicious and good on conflicted toast. (I've been watching Posh Nosh (http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/poshnosh/recipes/) this afternoon. I'm sure at some point the chefs conflicted some toast.)

[amedia.livejournal.com]

POSH NOSH!!!! I love Posh Nosh!!!! We quote it all the time. "Cooking upsets food."

I'm sure at some point the chefs conflicted some toast.

I'm sure you're right!

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

They're the only teevee chefs aside from Alton Brown that I like XD

[ndgmtlcd.livejournal.com]

"As a kid I went right from an obsession with dinosaurs into an obsession with the Roman Empire"

I hope it hasn't totally disappeared. I'd love to see the revenge of the Carthaginians, with Hannibal's descendant leading an army mounted on brontosauruses, allied with barbarians on velocirapors, as the galant legions try to push them back, with stegosauruses and t-rexes.

It would be super cool if two volcanoes erupted during the biggest battle.

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Wow... there's definitely a comic book series in that. I bet it would sell gangbusters.

The real clincher is the two volcanic eruptions. Yeah! Hollywood will be scrambling to buy the rights!

[jdalton.livejournal.com]

Whuh... whuh...

"Order of the Stick always makes me happy. Templar, AZ keeps my brain nicely boggled. Dicebox, Family Man, Lords and Death and Life, Hereville, Emma, Minus. "

*blushes profusely*

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

It's quite utterly cool--so, everybody, go check it out (http://www.jonathondalton.com/mycomics.html) XD

Plus, it will be a distraction while I try to catch back up on these Romans.... Gotta keep giving people really interesting distractions!

[purvision.livejournal.com]

In the interview I read where you said you like real swords as well. Have you seen these?
A few years ago when they were on sale, I bought myself a Fulham gladius. I recommend it.
Also, there's a bladesmith New Jersey who's work I can vouch for.

But perhaps you were referring to modern fencing...

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Oh my, that modern fencing business, not at all anymore. Very athletic, but not my cuppa. I'm very fond of rapiers and wouldn't mind a gladius for the collection. Not necessarily for hitting people. I do enjoy hitting people with the rapiers. I let them hit back, if they can catch me (it's not that hard to catch me... I don't get nearly enough practice :) )

I'll definitely check out the Roman swords. I just know I'm going to want one of each. A lady needs to accessorise many different outfits, after all.

(Hmm... only one icon with a sword... must work on that.)

[dr-phil-physics.livejournal.com]

I put a link to the interview, as well as SPQR Blues, on my blog.

Of course, my two readers probably already know about SPQR Blues, since I've babbled about it before, but maybe the spammers from overseas will stop trying to put anonymous postings with spam links in my comments long enough to become fans. (grin)

Dr. Phil

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

That's not happening on your lj blog, is it?

When I was mostly posting comics just on my own website, I finally gave up on having a comments section at all. The anti-spam software couldn't keep up with the evil.

Thanks for the non-spam-related linking :)

[dr-phil-physics.livejournal.com]

I used to allow anonymous comments for those who didn't have LJ accounts. But these turkeys were leaving links and encrypted messages in the comments for a Christmas short story I posted a couple of years ago. So I moderate the anonymous comments now.

Apparently that entry was becoming something of a Free Parking space.

Dr. Phil

[jauncourt.livejournal.com]

Evil woman! you recommended another comic and now I have clicky-soreness in my hand from reading two books worth of archives.
Argh, now I have to go make bread or do yoga or something.

Ow. Shakes owie fist limply in your direction.

[meritahut.livejournal.com]

Best wrist-and-hand therapy I ever had was hitting people with rapiers. Seriously. It did wonders, and here I am, drawring again. Miracle cure. Has to be a nice musketeer-style rapier, though. And you'll need patient and well-padded friends. Bread-kneading is probably safer.

Which one of the comics were you reading? All of them, perhaps??! :)