
Lately I’ve been really busy with illustration work, mostly commissions for various publications. I’m not complaining at all; it’s just odd how these things tend to come (and, sadly, go) in clusters.

Lately I’ve been really busy with illustration work, mostly commissions for various publications. I’m not complaining at all; it’s just odd how these things tend to come (and, sadly, go) in clusters.
Things seem to be getting easier. While I’m still mildly hungry most of the time, Friday went a lot better than Thursday, at least as far as the detox went. It probably helped that I spent $35 at Go Raw Cafe on lunch for a few days, snacks and a smoothie. Seriously, their food is awesome, all raw, all vegan, all natural and creatively arranged in ways you would never expect to taste so amazing, but it is. Even if you think the idea of a raw “pizza” or “pasta” made only with veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds sounds gross, TRY IT. You’d be surprised what you can do with a little soaked almonds or rolled oats.
However, what did suck yesterday was my left eye, which has been kind of tender all week, but Friday morning I woke up with that eyelid a bit swollen. Thankfully, my eye doctor’s office got me in within an hour of calling. Turns out I had the beginning of a sty, caused by a blockage in any one of the 50 glands in our eyelids that produce the eye’s self-cleaning fluid. The doctor relived some of the pressure with a needle — and if you’ve never had a needle poked at your eye, I don’t recommend trying it — and sent me off with instructions to do a warm compress for 10-15 minutes each day. I did that last night, and the left eye seems to be better today, though I’m eschewing wearing my contacts for a while until it’s 100 percent. So, as my friend Mark pointed out at band practice today, I will continue looking like a ’60s college professor for a while longer.
Last night’s 10-year reunion of The Three Wise Guys (Geoff Carter, Gregory Crosby and Dayvid Figler) at the Griffin went pretty well. A huge crowd turned out to fill the bar’s back room, where Geoff read from his forthcoming novel, Gregory reminded us why his words are inscribed on the Poetry Bridge downtown, and Dayvid told a funny, touching and heartbreaking tale of his father’s final day on Christmas last year. It was great to see so many people who I hadn’t seen all together in almost 15 years in one room — and shockingly, we all seem to be relatively healthy and possibly better-looking than we were then. It was an honor to serve as the emcee for the event, even if I forgot to make proper announcements and my shtick was a little weak.
Today, Mark and I jammed with a potential new bass player for As Yet Unbroken. Our singer not being available, I had to “sing” while playing drums to set the timing of the songs. It was pretty disastrous. But the bassist is solid, has great gear, and seems like a swell guy, so hopefully we didn’t scare him off.
That’s all to report thus far. I have some comic business to take care of around here, and maybe a nap before heading to my pal Scott’s house to play Rock Band — sober. We’ll see how that goes.
Here’s yesterday’s menu, to the best of my memory:
… and thanks to a little cold I picked up and some car drama, I’m more behind than expected. So a quick update, bullet-point style:

That’s it. I’ll have a wrap-up on the Florida trip and other goodies soon. Just wanted to check it. Booyah!

It’s that time again, kids, where I squeeze into my hipster jeans and lug my Ludwig drum kit out of the house to entertain your lovely faces. This time, As Yet Unbroken is kicking off the semiannual Neon Reverb music festival, which takes over just about every club and bar in downtown Las Vegas from Sept. 17 to 20. We’ll be playing at the Thunderbird Lounge inside the Aruba Hotel this Thursday, Sept. 17 at 10 p.m. with The Black Jetts and Collinz Room.
I’ve never heard of Collinz Room, but The Black Jetts is probably one of the most well-regarded, rawest, rockingest bands in Southern Nevada. The guys were recently picked “Best Local Band” by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, for what it’s worth, so even if you think my band sucks, you should come out Thursday night to see how it’s really done. Admission is only $5 and, sorry children, you have to be 21 or older to come shake your ass with the big boys.

It’s that time again, kids, where I squeeze into my hipster jeans and lug my Ludwig drum kit out of the house to entertain your lovely faces. This time, As Yet Unbroken is kicking off the semiannual Neon Reverb music festival, which takes over just about every club and bar in downtown Las Vegas from Sept. 17 to 20. We’ll be playing at the Thunderbird Lounge inside the Aruba Hotel this Thursday, Sept. 17 at 10 p.m. with The Black Jetts and Collinz Room.
I’ve never heard of Collinz Room, but The Black Jetts is probably one of the most well-regarded, rawest, rockingest bands in Southern Nevada. The guys were recently picked “Best Local Band” by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, for what it’s worth, so even if you think my band sucks, you should come out Thursday night to see how it’s really done. Admission is only $5 and, sorry children, you have to be 21 or older to come shake your ass with the big boys.
It’s not exactly an Emmy, Pulitzer or Eisner, but as someone not used to winning anything, I figured I had to share this with you fine people: Yesterday, The Write Blog announced the winners of the Write On! Online/Write Environment Query Contest. And who won first place in the Teleplay category?
Me, bitches.
Will it get that pitch anywhere? Who knows. Part of taking first place is having the query read by David Boxerbaum, a senior literary agent at APA talent agency. So, maybe. Or not. If nothing else, it got that TV series pitch out of the growing pit known as my Google Docs account and in front of someone‘s eyes.
In the meantime, I’m on deadline for two stories at two different publications, trying to get caught up with The Utopian before San Diego Comic-Con sneaks up on me (in two weeks!), working with my band to find a producer with whom to record and closing on a house. Oh, and apparently, failing to get paid by What’s On magazine.
Speaking of Comic-Con, if you’re going to be there, I have semi-complete details on how to hook up with me there posted over at the Pop! Goes the Icon website.

Left to right: Lemmy Kilmister, Willy Wonka, Ringo Starr, Thurston Moore
Amongst all the recent discussion of my musical past, it may have slipped my mind to talk about my musical present.* Well, let’s fix that, shall we?
That badass rock band in which I kind-of play drums, As Yet Unbroken, returns to form this Friday, July 3, at the Aruba Hotel (1215 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) to join up with the monthly music-art-performance mash-up called N.O.I.S.E. (Network of Immersive Sensory Entertainment, I believe). It’s a hippie-ish vibe over there, but our friend Steve (who also plays in another band performing that night, The High Rollerz) hooked it up and despite the fact that we will MELT THE FACES OFF THOSE LONGHAIRS, we’re quite looking forward to being surrounded by creative people.
Starting at 10 p.m. and costing you ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, N.O.I.S.E. takes place right after First Friday (and the Aruba is all of five minutes from the Arts District … walkable, almost) and features multiple artists live painting, a DJ or two, two rooms of live music, a communal drum circle and … probably a lot of incense-burning. But it should be good times. You should come on down and see what I do when I’m not making comics, writing articles or drinking myself into a stupor. Here’s a flier or something.
*Um, so I totally wrote about AYU all of one week ago. Whatever.

Left to right: Lemmy Kilmister, Willy Wonka, Ringo Starr, Thurston Moore
Amongst all the recent discussion of my musical past, it may have slipped my mind to talk about my musical present.* Well, let’s fix that, shall we?
That badass rock band in which I kind-of play drums, As Yet Unbroken, returns to form this Friday, July 3, at the Aruba Hotel (1215 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) to join up with the monthly music-art-performance mash-up called N.O.I.S.E. (Network of Immersive Sensory Entertainment, I believe). It’s a hippie-ish vibe over there, but our friend Steve (who also plays in another band performing that night, The High Rollerz) hooked it up and despite the fact that we will MELT THE FACES OFF THOSE LONGHAIRS, we’re quite looking forward to being surrounded by creative people.
Starting at 10 p.m. and costing you ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, N.O.I.S.E. takes place right after First Friday (and the Aruba is all of five minutes from the Arts District … walkable, almost) and features multiple artists live painting, a DJ or two, two rooms of live music, a communal drum circle and … probably a lot of incense-burning. But it should be good times. You should come on down and see what I do when I’m not making comics, writing articles or drinking myself into a stupor. Here’s a flier or something.
*Um, so I totally wrote about AYU all of one week ago. Whatever.