Is that a Trombone in your...

A while back one of my kids was jumping on the couch, and I noticed a sort of glint that would appear every time she landed. I investigated, and discovered that there is this whole region inside our couch that I didn't know existed. And then I extracted, seriously, a box of stuff out of there. Jewelry, foody bits, toys, clothing... wow. I mean, I knew about that weird gap between the driver's seat and the center thingy in the car, where if something falls down there you can't ever have it again - but I didn't know the same thing existed in couches. So, if I ever need to hide the plans for galactic invasion or the formula for everlasting gobstoppers, I'll know exactly where to put it.

Nothin' But Net...?

Basketball Ipp
Originally uploaded by betsystreeter

More from pencil illustration-land.

How an Ipp does a Puzzle

How an Ipp does a Puzzle
Originally uploaded by betsystreeter

Here's hoping pencil comes across okay on your screen...

BTALD: Customer Service

Lately I've spent a lot of time in customer-service land. The garbage didn't get picked up - but the lady was very pleasant about telling me that I can leave it out there for several days until someone makes it back around. My credit card info expired on everything I have ever done so lots of nice folks have informed me that they are discontinuing service, or sending another bill, or generally kicking me to the curb. So I call them all and fix it. I'm trying to order some doorknobs, but the person who is "really good at this stuff" (doorknobs?) isn't back for a few days. So I have to call back.

A lot of this involves setting the phone on speaker and listening to the person say "your call is important to us" over and over while I cruise around doing other things. 'Cause they really, really don't want to talk to you. I feel like the whole thing is just a test of my resolve.

The best one is where the little message says, "In a hurry? Try our website." Then you try the website, and they want some account number you don't have, so back you go to the phone. That's when I start punching the phone buttons really hard.

Anyway, these folks should provide some outlet while you're waiting. Maybe a game, where you get to yell swear words into the phone and it makes a Mad Lib out of them. Or, a human punching bag person you can scream at. Or, you push buttons and it makes the sound of explosions and people getting punched in the face.

I would stay on the line for that.

BTALD - That's not your dog.

Okay, so it's common knowledge that people often look like their dogs. That's why I find it especially amusing when I see some burly guy walking what is clearly his girlfriend's little tiny dog with the rhinestone collar. On the one hand I think, "Dude, that's so obviously not your dog." But then I think, "That dude is really nice for walking what is so obviously not his dog." Since he has to put up with looks from people like me. And the dog is thinking, "Cool! I get to go out with this burly dude." So it works out.

Don't Say D*ck

Okay when you publish cartoons six days a week in family-friendly newspapers and things, you don't get to say "dick." What you do say is, "jerk."

I have done this a number of times.


However, here's a great site that makes good use of proper terminology: Dickipedia. It's well worth a read. I especially like the article on Your Mom. It's almost Onion-worthy satire, I think. To find out what Onion-worthy is, check out The Onion.

Oh and in case you missed it, check out the "re-edited" version of Bill O'Reilly's meltdown on Barely Political (WARNING - a couple of F-bombs in here...). It's worth it just for the use of the term "Troglodyte Humunculus."

Invite an Ipp to come Hang Out with You!

The Ipps are loose and they want to come see you...

They want to come to your house.

They want to come to your office.

They want to be your friend.

So far there are a space, viking, rock and roll and sports Ipp.

They are magnets, so you can put them where you want and accessorize as you like.

Since they are hand-assembled, they come in a fashionable sandwich bag. Since that's what I have. And I want to use after-market and salvaged materials as much as I can.

It says there's one in stock for each style, but that's not really true. I can make more.

So, invite an Ipp to hang out with you! Or get several and mix their accessories up. Or give one to a friend - they are good karma I'm told.

Cartooning, Cubism and Futurism

Okay bear with me 'cause I just love this stuff. So if I get esoteric here I apologize in advance.

Above is a sketch of a moment in a book I wrote a few years ago. While I love the story and I think it's fine in text, I've been wanting to adapt it into a graphic novel for quite a while.

In this sketch, the main character encounters something scary behind a door. I am enjoying showing all aspects of this one moment at one time.

Here's another sketch...

A major theme in the book has to do with doors, appearing and disappearing and serving as transitions from one type of reality to another. So I'm enjoying experimenting with how doors as visual devices can serve so many purposes - as places to hide, barriers to keep something out, something to peek out of, and of course portals into somewhere else.

Here's a cool article about the relationship between comics, Cubism and Futurism. If you're into these types of things it's a good read.

And, for a wonderful book that's constructed in such a way that the text and how it exists on the pages tells a lot of the story, check out House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. What a fascinating book, in so many ways. Here's an interview with the author too.

An Ipp, a Bad Day, and Non-Linear Storytelling

An Ipp, a Bad Day, and Non-Linear Storytelling
Originally uploaded by betsystreeter

This is a non-linear tale of one Ipp's bad day. In my past as an information architect I tended to work my way from a central thought out to various "framing" thoughts, like spokes on a wheel (I call them mandalas).
That's what I'm doing here in this comic - from one angry Ipp in the center to the various reasons the Ipp is angry. Noise, customer service menus, being sick, bad stuff in the news. Together, they tell the story.
And yes, this is actually my bad day - and as I worked my way outward, I felt better. So I framed the whole thing with an "architecture" made up of peace, love, music and art.

BTALD: Bird Poop Furniture

There's a nest of baby birds outside my window currently. The nest they're in is a used one, that's been there since last year. I meant to take it down, but I was pretty sure that no other birds would come use it again because, well, it's full of baby bird poop.

I hadn't thought about baby bird poop until I got to observe this whole process up close last spring. But I guess if you're doing nothing but sitting in a nest, and eating, it follows that there'll be poop. In the nest.

Ick.

Well, the birds are back and re-using the poopy nest.

I keep thinking I'll peek in there and they will have made little poop sofas and stuff.

I'm definitely going to take that nest down when they're done with it - so they can get a fresh start next year. That's just gross.

How not to spew ants everywhere

Thinking about anteaters makes me want to sneeze. It's something about snorking ants through your snout.
I wonder if animals ever sneeze when they are eating. There's that moment of semi-panic when you realize you're going to sneeze and you have a mouthful of food and you hope you don't spray it everywhere...
It must be allergy season.

BTALD: One-Hit Wonders

So, the B-52's just came out with a new album. I heard them interviewed about it, and they basically said, "Well, we still tour and we still play all the same songs and we figured we should have some new songs."

Anybody who's been to a concert knows the part where the first notes of some popular song come out and everyone cheers. I'm sure that's a rush if you're the one who wrote it.

But, jeez, what about after the 50th or 100th or 1,000th playing? Wow.

And then there's the music you hear at the store and stuff. I mean, does Sting realize that he's become the wallpaper of our life? I don't know.

I suppose walking to the mailbox for that royalty check makes it all okay.

But like the B-52's I'd sure be looking to write some new stuff. Just so my hands wouldn't freeze permanently in the chords for "Rock Lobster."

Or, you can just go off the deep end like Michael Jackson - I don't suppose too many people bug him to sing "Beat It" these days. Just guessing.

What's that new colorful thing over there?

Hey, you may notice on my main blog page - there's now a "mini" of my store where I'm going to be selling handmade Ipp stuff! This is a grand experiment for me - the first things I've put up there are Ipp magnet sets, which come with fabulous accessories like space stuff, sporting equipment, and viking helmets. So take a look - you can buy stuff with a credit card and everything. So very high tech. And if you think someone you know would like these, by all means send it on!! I'm told these little guys bring good karma.

New Ipp Strip: Booga Booga!

2008_05_01_monsters
Originally uploaded by betsystreeter

In this one, the Ipps demonstrate their amazing smooshy capabilities. It's one of the things I like best about them.

It's you and me, Kittty.

This one's dedicated to me and my cat, who aren't getting any younger.