Find me at Toronto Comicon this weekend , P31A!
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While I try to keep things light here, I don’t think it’s been much of a secret that 2014 has been kicking my butt. I’m sure you’re all familiar with the feeling of all those plates you’ve been spinning in the air coming crashing down on top of you, all at once… well I’ll spare you the details but a few weeks ago, that’s pretty much what happened to me. So I’m calling a do-over. Happy New Year!
Sometimes there is no easy way to bounce back, but I had a lot of help getting here. I’ve always said I know the best people, and there’s no clearer view of that than when the chips are down. Even in the shadow of all that badness, I have to say I feel like the luckiest person in the world, just to have the people I do, in my life.
In addition to the huge debt of thanks I owe to my incredible husband and family for their patience, support and generosity; I had to reach out to some of my amazing, and talented webcomics friends, on very short notice, for the fantastic guest strips you saw here last week. As you can see, the response was nothing shy of amazing! I am so touched by the amount of time and work that went into putting those comics together for me that I’m at a bit of a loss for words to express it. I’m afraid I’ll have to fall back on a good ol’ fashioned set of “Thank-you(s)”
Thank-you so much, Adriana, Jay and Jim!
I hope they’ll call on me to return the favour some day. Now go check out their webcomics, they’re every bit as wonderful as the cartoonists behind them!
Welcome to Guest Week on Promises Promises!
Some fantastic and talented friends are helping me out this week. They’ve come up with some terrific comics I think you’re really going to enjoy!
Stay tuned!
Here’s something many Canadians wouldn’t admit:
I can’t ice skate.
Hello, my name is Julie and I am not a skater.
If you remember that scene in Bambi, where he’s trying to get across the frozen pond – poetry in motion compared to me on ice skates.
When I was a kid, my parents, in vain, sent me to figure skating lessons. At the end of term recital, the coaches made me one of the snails. I knew the snails were the worst of the class, (like the other kids would let you get away without knowing it) so I got mad and tried to quit. My parents were big on, “finish what you start” and insisted I go through with the show. But being the willful little jerk that I was, I would be having none of that, thank you very much! So I ate my antennas.
True story.
As difficult as it was to digest styrafoam balls and pipe cleaners, I doubt the antennas were what prevented me from learning. I just never got the hang of it. What little I did glom onto would be gone by the next winter anyway so I threw in the towel by college. I’ve been skating exactly three times since then, all of which were for one of my best friend’s birthday parties (I REALLY have to love somebody to endure ice time). Karen is an excellent skater* and she’s very patient while I’m shuffling along**, trying to keep up with her but it really is pitiful to watch.
That’s Karen on the left and me on the right. You may observe a slight variation in our styles… In fact, had the shutter been clicked a single second after that picture of me was taken, it would have looked a lot like the last frame of today’s comic. Nothin’ but feet in the air!
Now they make me wear the helmet.
**Actually she’s great at everything. I’d be jealous if I wasn’t trying to be like her, most of the time.
**Dignity-free zone, here!
Last week I started month 2 of my insanity challenge. It did not go well… I’m no fitness pro, but I can’t help thinking that if you have to take a barf break during more than three workouts in one week, you’re probably working at the wrong fitness level.
Call me crazy.
Does this let me off the hook? No, absolutely not. It just means I have more work to do. I have every intention of completing this challenge, but in order to do that, I have to fall back and do some more building up. There’s not sense in making myself sick and frustrated. In my experience, that’s a direct path to quitting. So, I’m back at week 2. I’m not thrilled about it but I’m not going to let it discourage me. The good news is that I can do a lot more than I could before and I’m down a few inches* so I’m pretty sure it’s the right choice.
I hope y’all are enjoying the new Promises Promises site. A lot has changed and I’ll get more into that later, for now, I’ll direct your attention to the new 2014 appearances scheduled below and in the sidebar.
I’m also delighted to be a part of the March Break Comic Book Jam! March 12th at the central branch of London Public Library. Hope to see you there!
*1.5″ around my middle, 0.25″ around my arms and 0.5″ around my thighs. But I still haven’t bought a scale so I don’t know whether my overall weight is up or down. I’m clinging to that old, “ignorance is bliss” philosophy.
