Episode 81 of the "The Inappropriate Couch" is up! "Bifurcated"!

Naughty, but you know you love it!

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This and That: June 27, 2011

Why do I look like shit?  Because my allergy meds haven't kicked in yet, that's why. 

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1.  It's a rainy Monday morning after a really productive weekend  On Friday, Bill and I competely cleaned out the Family Room, making a huge leap by getting rid of more garbage and donating more stuff.  I feel that we are 90 percent ready to keep the house guest friendly at all times, and that is a huge accomplishment for us. 

The only drawback is that in order to do so, I had to take myself out of my comfort zone many times over the weekend, and my panic disorder is on the fritz.  

Saturday, I helped my friend BigRed and Ken move a few items from their storage unit to their old apartment. They are in the middle of a move and were in need of my truck to get it done.  It was great seeing their new house, and I am all kinds of jealous.  Definite motiviation to getting our house renovated.

Sunday, I was placed in charge of the Shelby County Players Twitter account.  This is an assignment that appeals to my strengths since it takes care of itself after a while.  The account doesn't have much going on right now, but that will be changing soon (I hope).  

2.  I have a million projects I am in the middle of.  Many of them I can do just fine, but there are some that seem to be controlled by my panic disorder.  For instance, (and I really can't explain this), the podcast.  I love doing the show, but when it comes to upload, I start to get really nervous.  With everything that has been going on lately, everytime I go to do it, I start doubting and freaking out.  

I do a lot better when I have someone with me, helping me with the project, but I'm just no good at doing things on my own.  

I didn't realize what the problem was until I began work on the webcomic.  I write the scripts, and I send them to John, and he gives me feedback and such so I feel like there I'm not in this all alone.  Now that I know that, I need to find a way to get that sort of help with many of my projects.  Some of the projects are temporary, meaning once I get them done, I don't have to take them on anymore if I don't want.  I guess now that I think about it, my blogging projects fail for the very same reason. 

I have some video projects that I need to finish.  Those overwhelm me so much that I'm almost in tears.  Don't get me wrong, doing them is easy, it's just the panic and self doubt that is weighing me down.

I'm sorry if this seems like rambling.  I'm just putting down what I feel and I'm not doing a very good job about it.  I might write more about it later, but I feel that I wrote too much already.

3.  July is a big travel month for me.  I'm going to Wichita for Bears in the Heat, then I'm going to Columbus, Ohio for Bear Camp, then I'm going to Oklahoma City for MCA.  

My truck is going to see a lot of miles in the next 30 days.  

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I'm gonna wait for my meds to kick in, then I'm going to attempt to get started on a project.  Wish me luck, I'm going to need it.  And if you are waiting for me to finish something, I'm sorry.  I'm working on it, I truly am.  I didn't realize when I took on these projects that I would be doing them alone, and that it would affect me so badly.  I *will* get them done because I am a man of my word, but goddammit, it's so fucking hard. 

Talk soon, everyone.  

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Hope Chest

http://yourfetish.net/breakfast/?p=150

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This and That: June 23, 2011

1.  As most of you know, I am collaborating with my friend John Adams on a webcomic called "*Breakfast Included".  I've attempted many projects in my life with limited success, but this one is different somehow.  Part of it is because I'm in this with another person on equal footing.  I write out the scripts, then John does the art for it.  It's been a very long time since I have attempted something this difficult.

Because it is an ongoing story, rather than a bunch of one shot, non sequitur comics, there is a higher level of committment in this for us.  After 20 comics, we have developed a readership that is loving the story, as well as the characters.

While I wrack my brains trying to write out the scripts (I am my own worst critic and somewhat of a perfectionist), John has been very patient and supportive while I send him e-mail after e-mail with ideas, questions, neuroses, and complaints.  Every response is encouraging and motiviating, so he is more than just the artist in this.  He is also my friend. 

2.  About 5 or 6 years ago, I came up with the initial idea that is now "*Breakfast Included".  I considered many ways to tell the story, but I have always liked the idea of doing a comic.  Back then, I thought about having one printed, but as time went on, I realized that a webcomic would be a way to go.

Problem was, that while I had the story in my head, I can't draw for beans, and that was a major hinderance.  Once I got the idea of the comic in my head, it was hard to go back to the idea of novelization, so I just let the story sit in my head, growing on it's own as ideas about characters, plot twists, and jokes kept attaching themselves onto the idea. 

I mentioned a few times that I wished that I could draw, and I even pitched the idea to some people that I knew were good with a pen, but it never went anywhere.  

Then one day, a few months ago, the idea resurfaced again as another plotline entered my brain and this time, it was a great one.  Without even stopping to think about it, I posted on a social website, Bruizr, cursing the fact that I had a great idea for a webcomic, but no way to create it because of my inability to draw.

I got a message from John a very short time later, explaining that he was pretty handy with creating computer generated scenes.  His problem was the opposite of mine, that he had the desire to create a webcomic, and he could draw them out with his computer, but couldn't really put together a sustaining story to save his life.

I'd like to think that it was then that "*Breakfast Included" was conceived, since the comic was already created, it just needed the place to be born.

Within a couple of weeks, we were off and running, and the response was immediate.  Not all of it was positive, but it wasn't constructive either.  I began to beat myself up, and John was having none of it.  In the last 10 weeks, John has been my comic esteem coach and has helped me see that haters were gonna hate, and that we needed just keep going without changing anything.  We are finding our audience, and that was all we needed.

No matter what happens, I feel that I have already learned a lot in this project, and even if it were to stop next week, I would be walking away with a hell of a lot more than when I went in.  I can't argue with that at all.

3.  I think this is the first time since I began doing theatre where I haven't been in a production this long.  It feels strange, like being away from home for more than a week, and I feel myself eager to get back into something, and quick.

One of the things that I meant to blog about was the fact that I was Assistant Director for a play for the first time.  The production was "Picnic", and I never thought I could learn so much in such a short amount of time.  I was foolish to think that because I spent time on stage that I knew *anything* about putting on a production, but as I quickly found out, there is driving the car, and then there is working on the engine.  Just cause you can do the former doesn't mean you can do the latter.

The thing is, I'm torn now because while I enjoyed playing a part in the directorial process of putting together a production, it made me miss being on stage even more.  

The last time I was on stage was when I performed as "Walter" in the play "Inspecting Carol".  That was definitely one of the most memorable roles I have had, and it wasn't even a major one.  I'll have to tell you about it sometime.

In a few weeks, there are auditions coming up for "Arsenic and Old Lace", a play that I know nothing of at this point.  I have a copy of the script sitting in my living room waiting to be read, and I will have to do that very soon.  But even knowing almost nothing about the play, I am extremely eager to audition and very hopeful that I get a role.  

The theatre itch is beginning to get to me.

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I need to hop off here and write a couple of scripts for the comic before bed.  I hope you all had a good day and I will talk to you tomorrow if not sooner.  

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Nine Hours Later.....

Okay, I stayed up way to late last night chatting. Seems that no matter how late I stay up, I will walk up at around 9am or so.

If my brain doesn’t wake me up, by 9, my bladder acts as a failsafe between 9:30 and 9:45.

I went back and reread my post last night, dreading it. I was very tired, but when I saw on Bruizr that someone had picked up on my blog and was starting to read, I made a resolution that I was going to start writing again.

This is, probably, my 4th time making this resolution. I’ve been vocal about it, and I’m sure some of you just chuckled at this. I could say “this time, I mean it”, but everyone knows that my sincerity can’t be proven until I’m already posting like a madman again.

But I have two steps to make blogging easier.

1. I have configured Windows Live Writer to post to Posterous, which then sends my blog to the many sites that I have attempted. I guess I’m a Blogging Pack Rat, and I can’t bear to delete any of my sites. Maybe, after a while, I will check to see which blog sites are really getting readers, and act accordingly.

2. I have configured my phone so I can post wherever I am. It will also be easier to post pictures and stuff that way. Last night’s post was done on my Phone App, but I won’t make it a habit to use that exclusively. My typing word average goes right down the shitter when I do that.

So, I’m awake (barely) and I need some breakfast (definitely). Before I go, I need a favor.

This is not a plea for attention, although the results of this will make me a very happy guy, if I can get you all to do it.

Leave a comment if you are reading, so I know which blogs are working and which ones aren’t. You don’t have to pay me a compliment, or denounce me, just a comment saying hey. If I find that a particular blog has no readers at all, I may delete it, or take it into a new direction. Not really sure and I’ll burn that bridge down when I get to it.

That’s it from me for now. Look forward to hearing for you!

 

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(Tap, tap, tap) Is this thing on?

So, I've been away for a while. My own fault, really since I let my own neuroses and my short attention span keep me from posting.

Not an excuse, just an explanation.

Anyway, I've had a lot happen while I was away, but I'm still here so it can't be all bad.

I guess the reason I am posting is because I thought about how much I love to write, but I don't do it as much as I used to. There was a time when I would post and I would get several responses and that would motivate me to post even more.

But, as most things in life turn out, things changed and the response to my posts were sporadic. And I am ashamed to say it but it made me sad. It made me feel like no one wanted to listen to what I had to say anymore.

But today, my urge to write became too much to bear, and so now I am writing this hoping that I can say something to rekindle that motivation to write.

I foolishly thought that I could pull this off tonight but it is late and I have already taken my sleeping pill. But I will post something tomorrow. I promise.

Good night all. Hope to hear from you soon.

Love,

Wm--

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