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12/03/2003 - I've received some emails over the last month or two inquiring about where Bruno the project is going, and I wished to talk about it here, in case anyone else was wondering. First of all, I just want to say in response, that I have no idea. I know there will be more travel and adventure, but also just as much navel-gazing as there ever was (sometimes more, sometimes less). And I know it's been slow lately, and that the whole stripping storyline took a long time and weaves in and out (and will continue, though hopefully more subtely), but with all this stuff I deal with, I'm basically experimenting with Bruno. I am trying to create some organic tapestry, trying to keep myself learning more about drawing and writing, and I will tell you, i am still excited about this project.
And I can say that for 2002, my goal was to get the art up to par. And I think i succeeded in spades. This year my goal was writing, which I feel I have brought the bar up many notches. I think it's the strongest written year to date, but at the same time I realize that may not be so noticeable because the storylines this year have not the most exciting. Perhaps that will be my goal for 2004.
And I know sometimes the strip can get wordy or bogged down on topics or ideas, and I'm not some bad-boy, I'm not going to tell anyone that if they "don't like it that they can simply get lost", but I have to admit, in essence there is some truth to that. I mean, through all of this, I do want Bruno to be entertaining. And I do know that the therapist strips are not as interesting, largely because it is a big block of text with no human interaction. But for me, parts of Bruno like this I view in this way: the last time I wrote her seeing the therapist (2000-2001) I though it was almost utterly unconvicning (barring some moments), and this time i feel like I'm hitting it almost dead on for what therapy is like (barring crossword puzzles, which still makes me laugh). So, you see, to me, that's interesting.
And soon, that will be done with. She'll likely be moving to Olympia soon (following slowly in my footsteps), and the therapist visits will be over. The lush backgrounds will hpoepfully return (I can only rehash the same references of Portland so many times, although, admitedly, I have hundreds and hundreds of them that I took). And it will be new people and new ideas. And it even seems that I'm learning a lot about what a healthy relationship is, after being with Bethanne for almost two years now, and who knows, maybe that might even trickle into Bruno's life.
So, that's my vague roundabout answer. I still love the strip, and I'm going to keep doing it, and it will keep changing. Some things will work, and some may not as well. But part of being alive, in my opinion, is allowing that. And i know that 99% of you love Bruno for just those reasons.
However, there's more. This past year it's been a bit tought keeping up on the strip, as my needed month off in August was a display of. And here's the thing, it has nothing to do with any waning interest in creating Bruno, but rather to do other things in addition to Bruno. For this reason (upon the suggestion of quite a few readers and friends, as well as my own thoughts) I will at some point in the near future be moving Bruno to a Monday-Thursday schedule. Friday I will be posting sketchbook work, be it doodles or figure-drawings, portraits, just something. Anything. I want to play with other things, and this will make me do it at least once a week, and I look forward greatly to that (to having the time and the deadline). And Saturday I will be taking off. I do not know how permanent this may be, but that is the current plan. I was thinking about New Years to implement, but with my head how it's been lately, it may be sooner.
Oh, and the other side of that, I am doing much more. I am writing a graphic novel. I've hinted at it (maybe more than hinted), but now I've written about 80 pages of it, and I hope to begin drawing it in January (if I don't spend 10 years editing the text first). That, and I've been very active in trying to prepare a package to self-syndicate Little Dee, but I think I mentioned that recently.
Never a dull moment in Baldwinville.
(link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200312.html#20031203)
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12/06/2003 - I received a Season's Greeting card from Rachel today, and it cheered me up. Pictures of snow covered trees, the effect magnified by slathering of glitter. Glitter. What makes it so wonderful? It's like a drug. And of course somehow, through it's strange ways, it is now on my hands, face, sketchbook, and drinking glass. Mm. I'm such a kid sometimes. :)
(link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200312.html#20031206)
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12/08/2003 - For anyone who is still planning to buy Bruno books for Christmas (or fill in holiday here), not only do I usually get orders out within one business day, i'll make sure to do that through the 22nd. Plus, books will go out first class this week and priority next week (overseas always goes priority).
I know i have my own personal hang-ups about the holiday, and I try very very hard not to pimp Bruno for Christmas, but I know it makes a fine gift, and I think that's okay.
Anyhow. That's my awkward version of my little tiny and sales pitch. I'm afraid I'm not very cut out to be a business person. Ho ho ho and all that.
(link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200312.html#20031208)
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12/12/2003 - If what you see here is a Monkey riding on a bike, what that means is that somehow I overcame my spiraling anxiety of Wednesday night, managed to agree to go to Portland through Sunday, and have not been able to get my act together enough to draw Bruno and or get to a scanner and FTP program.
If that's indeed the case, I suspect Saturday may be the same. Perhaps I'll have more on Monday than usual.
But right now (as I write this) it's Wednesday night, Bruno at dinner with Sophia, Robert and Carey feels authentic with the awkward conversation because I had no idea what they'd talk about. Usually when I throw her into odd situations, something comes up, but I'm lost. And the background is nothing exciting bu every inch is so slowly and meticulously done, like rolling grains of sand uphill with a toothpick.
I'm amazed at you all, you are so great. You listen to my ravings here, you patiently watch my indecision and waffling and sliding. I'm sure sometimes it's not so fun, and you wish there was something you could do to cheer me up or something. And sometimes I feel like I'm shouting at the world how wounded I am so as to get sympathy, but more often I feel almost more obligated to tell, simply so that it all kinda' makes sense. Sympathy and attention never did much for me. Just telling it like it is. Trying to figure it all out in my head, as if magically someday it will all make sense. Part of me wants to stop doing this journal on this page altogether to seperate me from the comic strip, and part of me wonders if that's even possible anymore.
(link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200312.html#20031212)
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12/15/2003 - First off... A fair majority of you soon will be, or already are, receiving gifts, and it is very polite to say "thank you" to those who gave them. Well, the Bruno/Heifer Holiday cards can not only do that tastefully, but it would be for a good cause. So without further ado, go. Order them. What are you waiting for? :)
Secondly, I had a good weekend away. I got to see my friends and just mull over life a bit. I tried doodling here and there, but kept instead just walking around, in squishy damp Portland shoes, avoiding it. It felt good.
But hell, it also felt crummy, to have missed some strips, I felt I was avoiding things, and so over the next few days I will be trying to catch up, but we'll have to see if I'm actually successful. I'm not gonna' push myself too hard, but I do wish to try.
(link: http://www.brunostrip.com/notes/200312.html#20031215)
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