Elin's Journal

All the cool kids are doing it! I wanna play too!

Where are you staying? With Smudge and her crew, since I am travelling to the con alone, and Darling Husband doesn't like the idea of me staying by myself in another state.

What day are you getting there? Late Wednesday night, but to actual con site Thursday.

Who will you be with? Smudge, Baron Engel, Rindis, Trump-san, Ken Singshow-san, DAQ

Do you do free art? Trust me, you do not want me to draw for you, even for free. I am no artist.

Do you do trades? Not generally, since there's the whole no making art thing

Do you do commissions? Again, no art skills. Alas. I could probably write you a paragraph, though I don't know why you'd want that! Or I could proofread for you, that'd be as exciting as watching paint dry. Editorial skills really don't lend themselves to commissions....

Do you do badges? See above.

What is your gender? I have a woman's hands!

How old are you? About ten years older than I look. Way way older than you think.

Are you taken? See reference to Darling Husband above. Deeply, happily taken.

What suits will you have? As I live in terror of fursuits (childhood trauma), none. Also, my cosplay days are mostly over, limited to occasional breaks in cosplay retirement at anime cons.

Can I touch you? Please very much NO. As a person of small stature, it makes me very uncomfortable to be touched.

Can I talk to you? Most definitely. I can generally talk to anyone. (20+ years of retail skills!)

Can I buy you lots of drinks? I am allergic to alcohol, so no thank you. I generally am not really comfortable receiving food or drinks from people I don't know very well anyway. (I have some food allergies.)

Can I give you lots of money? If you want to buy books or comics, yes, definitely! It's most helpful! Support small press!

Can I hug or snuggle with you? See above in regards to the touching. I am very reserved, Norwegian heritage. We are not a demonstrative people. Sorry. Also, I'm like super monogamous, if that is even a thing. I hug very rarely, and only like hugs if I initiate them.

How tall are you? 5' 2". Extremely small! (Also, what a weird question!)

You look pissed off out of suit can I come up to you? Since I've been told I look pissed off a lot of the time, even when I am not, yes, come up to me. (My "thinking face", "concentrating face" or "working face" all apparently look angry.) Now, if I am swearing at top volume like a sailor and throwing things, then flee! Flee for your life!

Are you nice? I don't know....? I don't think I get to decide if I am nice or not. I always try to be polite and use good manners, at least.

Are you cliquey? Since I am a fairly reserved person, I have been told I am. Mostly at cons, I am working or spending time with people I work with, so I don't often have time for a lot of socializing, unfortunately. That apparently comes across as snobby or cliquey, which is not my intention. Just a side effect of concentrating on business!

Can I stalk you? Please, no. I've actually been stalked before online and in real life, and it's really such a headache to have to file all those police reports.

Do you have an artist table? I will be manning both the Radio Comix table and the Team Shuffle table for Trump-san.

Do you like parties? I enjoy the dances, but I am always too tired to do much after the dealers' room closes. I am old and covered in cobwebs.

If I see you, how should I get your attention? Be polite and say hello, or introduce yourself. Don't just stand there staring and waiting for me to talk to you, I'm bad at noticing people when I am busy!

Can I hang out with you? If you don't mind hanging around a dealer's table, then yeah. I am trapped there most of the con! (Just don't block the customers, and we're all good!)

How can I find you? Find the Radio Comix/Team Shuffle tables in the dealers' room; look for the shortest person there; profit!

Haven't had time to post much lately, between work at the DayJob and Radio Comix stuff, so here's a bullet point update of Various Things!

--I took a vacation for the first time in two years to go visit my family up north. The trip served multiple purposes: it was my mom's 60th birthday this month, both my sister and my brother had babies in November last year and I wanted to see them, my pop is likely retiring at the end of this year, and my mom made me an appointment to see a dermatologist about a couple of moles on my face. Turned out the face moles are harmless (I have prescription bleaching cream, like Michael Jackson), but there was a mole on my toe that was Suspicious. So, they cut it out of my toe, leaving me with a square divot-like hole. I find out soon if it was malignant or benign.

--The Radio Comix Online site is chugging along, thanks to Smudge's masterful web-fu. We've got a goodly number of delightful comics up now, free to read. They are:
Bureau of Mana Investigation by Smudge
Coyote by Mel. White
Duncan & Mallory by Robert Asprin & Mel. White
Ebin & May by Smudge & Ed Garcia
Tiger Team Three by Mark Moore
Trouble Express by Will Allison

--We're in the middle of scanning and page cleanup for more comics for the online site- Havoc, INC, Pervert Club and Tales of the Fehnnik. They're sadly going slower than we wanted, due to Will having a lot of computer issues the last year. We've just gotten them all fixed (fingers crossed), so the work is going a bit faster now.

--In Not Safe For Work news, the Sin Factory Comix site has had a complete interior overhaul! (The outside public pages are the same as always.) But the interior is totally revamped, with a shiny new interface! It's been getting updated regularly with more goodies from Sutton, Howell and DAQ, and we've been working on getting even more ready for uploading!

--Our next book is in production right now to ship soonish- the Bureau of Mana Investigation Vol. 1 trade paperback! We're just getting the final bits handled. You can still special order it from your local comic store using the Diamond order code SEP101106! It will also be going up for pre-order on the Radio Comix Online Store in the next couple of weeks. (Untamed #1 and Furrlough #190 are up at the moment! Those are the newest books!)

--Speaking of new books, January 2011 will be when the next Radio Comix print books come out- Genus #93 and Genus: Male #10! Just in time for Further Confusion, which we will definitely be attending!

--The Radio Comix Facebook page is up and running, and I'm trying to keep it updated regularly. Check it out if you are a Facebook-using sort of person!

Other than that, I've been out of town, so I have no new auctions up. I will be doing some at the end of this week though, due to a lot of vet bills from September and October that are still hanging over my head. We lost Batty to a combination of diabetes and a brain tumor in October. Still pretty down about that, but trying to keep busy to get my mind off of it.

Now, back to work, before I have to go into the DayJob at the comic store later today!

I'm so sad to hear that legendary comic artist Al Williamson has died. When I was just starting in comics and first going to conventions at the tender age of 23, I met Al and the late Julie Schwartz at a Dallas Fantasy Fair. That is to say, I met Julie and he insisted I had to come meet his friend Al, and dragged me all the way across the convention center. They both flirted with me shamelessly and adorably, and then Al stated I had "the best legs" he'd ever seen in the industry! (I wore a lot of miniskirts back then...) After that, I'd always make a point of going to say hello to them and to pay my respects at San Diego Comic Con. Julie Schwartz sometimes hovered on the line between appropriate and inappropriate (come on, making me kiss your cheek in front of my boyfriend...? a little weird...), but seeing Al was always like seeing your favorite uncle, the one who always encourages you and who tells you how pretty you look that day.

Chummy con stories aside, the man was also an amazing artist with a fantastic career. 79 seems far too young to pass away.

Mostly for my own purposes/memory...

Radio:
--get Untamed and Furrlough #190 color illos to smudge_dragon for header use on Radio Comix Online
--finish prepping Sin Factory sample comics
--wash table cover sheets
--pack con supplies (receipt books, markers, mini-easels pens, CASH BOX & KEY)
--get Radio Comix Online flyers printed
--check mail at PMB one last time
--process online store orders
--GET CHANGE!

Cosplay:
--check cosplay email one final time
--type up FAQ for information desk staff & print out
--pack cosplay stuff (Black Cosplay Binder of Doom, soundtrack CDs, badge stickers, notepaper)

Personal:
--choose & pack clothes
--pack toiletries
--charge DS and iPod (and find my freaking Animal Crossing: Wild World...)
--dye hair (pink)
--fix eyebrows & nails, shave legs
--scoop cat boxes
--groom cats
--clean out purse (too heavy again by half...)
--do dishes
--take out trash (Don't forget to put it on the curb Weds. night!)
--get house keys to denshousha and work out feeding information for kittehs
--work last pre-Kon shift at Day Job

TO-DO IMMEDIATELY POST-KON:
--call accountant to deal with state tax oddness (#1 priority!)
--bug the printers
--scan more pages for Radio Comix Online & upload
--get color illos to smudge_dragon for new online series (Tales of the Fehnnik, Pervert Club)
--finalize ISBN assignment for current books and BMI

Ooogh, so much to do. I so wish I could just escape into a video game for a few hours, some WoW or maybe some Sims2. Alas, that is not for me until after the Kon. (And until the post-Kon list is partially tackled...)

Wellll.... after I work a New Comic Book Day shift at the day job today. I go straight from the store to the airport. A good planner is me! XD

I may not have much time during the convention to check internet stuff, so don't panic if you can't get ahold of me till I get back. I may Tweet, if I remember to do so. (I usually am so busy at cons, I am in a perpetual state of distraction.)

We will have Genus: Male #9 and Genus #92 available for sale at the con, along with all our other older comics and TPBs. I'll also be helping Trump-san and Team Shuffle with their sales like I do every year. The Radio table area will also be home base for Smudge, DAQ and possibly Baron Engel as well, so do stop by and say hello.

Now to run off to the comic shop to work, and to try to not panic about flying (which I hate)! (Also have to try not to think about how much I am going to miss my husband while I am away.) See you peeps at the con!

Our planned trip to Mephit FurMeet on Labor Day weekend has moved from the realm of "extremely difficult to pull off" (due to the final steps of my move occurring the Monday before the convention) into "impossible to make happen". willworks' car (the car we were planning to drive to the convention) needs serious brake work, and we don't trust it to get us there and back again without incident. And, our table-mate and hotel roommate thphilster is going to be unable to attend at all, due to work commitments. Our travel/table watching companion soror is currently fighting off a horrible strain of the flu as well. If it was one of these things, we could probably make it there and set up for the show, but everything at once just makes it too hard on everyone involved.

I'm kind of bummed about it, since we already had to miss Anthrocon this year due to work commitments. But there's always next year!

Lots of small update bits, since I am flinging myself headlong into packing up everything in the Radio apartment for the Impending Move this month, in between Radio work and day job work.

--WE HAVE AD SIGN! No, seriously, we have the first two ad boxes with Project Wonderful up on the Radio Comix Online site! We have ad boxes in two flavors: skyscraper and half-banner, and the minimum bid is a paltry $0.05 per spot. So, if you are looking for damn cheap advertising space for your online comics or sites, please give it a look-see! We're going to have more ad boxes throughout the site as time goes on, but just wanted to get the first two up asap. ^_^ (They are currently filled with the temp files that willworks made... heh...)

--WE WILL *NOT* BE AT ANTHROCON. Between the Impending Move (which HAS to happen) and the day job, there's just no way it could possibly be pulled off this year. We'll definitely be there with bells on next year, but fear not! My esteemed colleague fuzzwolf, he of FurPlanet fame, will have some of our latest books with him on consignment. So, you'll still be able to get your Radio Comix fix, just not directly from my tiny hands. FurPlanet will be at tables A-16 through A-18, so be sure to go check them out at the convention.

--I am even more desperate to get more of this STUFF out of the Radio apartment, so there are plenty more fresh auctions on eBay from me! I'll also be putting up some more FurBuy auctions soon, once I get some more things sorted out.
New eBay auctions are here in this link! Bargain basement prices on this stuff, please check it out!

In other stuff, work continues apace on the two sites. We're still in Deep Planning on the new formats for the print books, so not much can be said about those yet. Also, it's 106 degrees here in San Antonio. The heat just saps the energy right out of me and makes me want to eat nothing but sorbet for dinner. Back to work! I've got to figure out why the Radio Comix Online Store isn't resolving.

My fellow editrix, the delightful tiredfairy, has written an excellent set of quick guidelines for surviving San Diego Comic Con. You can read it here.

This was done in response to the L.A. Times' absolutely pathetic "Girl's Guide to Comic-Con" article, which basically imparts no useful information, unless you are hoping to stalk male celebrities. Because, you know, that's the only reason women go to Comic-Con. It's not to get comics, toys, art books, anime goods, trading cards, autographs, video game premiums or free geek swag from all the major producers of such. They also don't go to the con to work booths, do the portfolio rounds, or network to find jobs in the industries. Oh, heck no. Women only go to Comic-Con if they are DRAGGED THERE by the men in their lives, DUH! But hooray! Now they can ogle hotties while they wait for their bearded compatriots to get out of the Hasbro Exclusives line, instead of having to stand there all bored and stuff.

But go. Read the real Geek Girl's Guide. Important info in there! She ain't kidding about the shoes. Or the bananas.

To do, in no particular order:

Radio Duties:
--pay printer!
--pack mail order and ship
--process orders
--make flyers to advertise RadioComix.com and SinFactoryComix.com
--pull the rest of the con stock; price as needed
--finish packing convention stock
--get change for Radio dealers' tables at the bank
--make sure shipping info for books at printer is sent off
--pack con supplies box (sheets, receipt books, pens, calculators, cash box, tape, scissors, signage)
--pick up debit card at bank
--make any deposits left
--make sure SFC site gets updated
--get start of Trouble Express squared away on RC site
--deal with more email

Cosplay Staff Duties:
--make sure all soundtrack CDs match entry forms (taking longer than I thought) --pro tip: proper labelling is your friend!
--test all CDs
--email all skit participants one final time for confirmation
--make Hall Contest entry form PDF; send to LM for printing
--send regular entry form PDF to LM for printing (for on-site walk-on signups)
--check cosplay emergency supply list; restock if necessary
--type up intro material for all entries; assemble binder for MC
--finish Cosplay Press Room schedule
--make staff schedule (Thursday night at Kon?- will need all staffers present)

Personal Duties:
--buy Feria bleach
--shave head, bleach remaining hair, dye hair pink
--pack and ship auction stuff
--do laundry
--choose and pack clothes
--fix eyebrows and nails
--go to Hobby Lobby to get mask-making stuff (yay, Wal-Mart had everything I wanted!); make mask for Masquerade Ball (already have dress)
--pick up some kind of hair clips for Masquerade Ball outfit
--get keys to denshousha for cat-sitting
--deposit paycheck; make sure rent/water is covered

Going to be busy times right up until we leave for the convention.

It has been crazy busy all last month and this month looks to get even busier, as A-Kon 20 approaches! Here's what is on my plate:

--turn in our last twp floppy comics to the printers; those would be Genus #91 and Genus Presents: Bun-Buns #1. After those two, we will be concentrating wholly on putting comics on our websites, and doing semi-annual perfect bound books and graphic novel collections of stuff that debuts online. The comic industry has changed, and we are changing with it!

--get more stuff prepped to post to Radio Comix Online. Coming soon: Havoc, Inc., Trouble Express, Bureau of Mana Investigation and a Furrlough section! Ebin & May has already started, and has been updating like clockwork, thanks to the tireless efforts of smudge_dragon.

--The Radio Comix Forum is back online, and already chugging along with our usual brand of lively discussion! Go check it out!

--As I said before, A-Kon 20 is coming up, and once again, I am working staff for the show (this is in addition to doing panels as a guest of the kon, and running the Radio tables in the dealer's room... I am apparently a glutton for punishment). Cosplay Staff, to be specific, which means I'm already up to my ears in entry forms and show scheduling. ^_^ Since it is the 20th anniversary of A-Kon, veltonkyle and I are trying to put together a video clip of past A-Kon cosplay to open the show with; fingers crossed we'll be able to get it done in time for the show!

--Still have to prep all the stock for A-Kon, and get it all packed up. Also, somewhat related, there's going to be a lot of work in the storage units in my future, as we finish the organization process there that matthigh started.

--Still have to get things arranged for Anthrocon; I'm running behind on that stuff, but hopefully I can get it managed in time.

--Chunking more stuff so we can move once our lease on the Radio apartment expires. Even though we just moved last year, there's still tons of stuff to go through, pack or get rid of. This is consuming my brain.

--Planning the wedding reception suarez and I didn't get to do last year. (We were married by the justice of the peace at the courthouse; the reception was always planned to be this year in October.) I admit, I am not concentrating on this enough and need to step up my game on it asap!

--Dealing with more day to day business stuff, mail order, auctions, etc. There's lots of that to deal with, and the auctions are important because I need to clear out more of this accumulate STUFF so we can move! To that end, auction plugs to follow this paragraph. ^_^ The FurBuy part is empty at the moment, but I will have fresh ones posted by the evening of 5/8/09, so check back!

AUCTIONS:
New eBay auctions are here in this link!
New FurBuy auctions are here in this link! (NSFW!)

That's everything I can think of now; no doubt I am forgetting something important! I'll make a fresh post when I remember it!