Went down to the Japanese Consulate yesterday to pick up... oh that's right... my VISA! She's a beauty. I'll be flying out on November 29th so that's just shy of 2 months. I decided to fly with JAL instead of Air Canada cuz, well, AC can suck my ass after this summer. Screw their point program which was the only reason I was torturing myself with their services. After 3 years I barely accrued enough for a one-way domestic flight and I'd have to pay taxes on top of that. No thanks.

So, 2 months left. Once tomorrow rolls around it'll technically be "next month". I've got so much work to do it's making me sick just thinkin' about it but, hey. I'm goin' back to Japan. I can use this to justify every hardship from now till then. lol

I realized I had one last BoyGenius Tom strip to upload. To help put it in context, it takes place after Zoë arrives and before they are on the road. Ironically, it echoes my life at the moment.

TAK

Goin' to see DJ Krush tonight. Yeeaaahh!!! This'll be my second time. Can't wait.

I read in a daily paper yesterday that Bin Laden has been thought to have perished from typhoid. I haven't seen any news bits about this since so I'm assuming this is another rumour. If it IS true, though, wasn't there a gazillion dollar bounty for that dude's head? Big T just hit the jackpot. Cha-ching.

I'm singing to Pearl Jam's Last Kiss right now. I think this will be my karaoke song of choice from now on.

BFX is coming along nicely. Here's a preview:

TAK

I got food poisoning last night. I suspect it was the gyoza I made last week and froze but didn't cook thorougly enough before eating. Raw pork is always a no-no, plus, Jackass was on TV and I checked it out for the first time and got really grossed out at the snorting wasabi lines scene. I think it was Steve-O or whatever his name is but he snorts the wasabi and pukes up phlegm right onto the plate infront of him. Naaaasty... So, with that playing over and over in my head while I'm starting to get the "puke" shivers was how I spent my Saturday night. I was invited to go clubbing and I'm thankful as hell I decided to stay in and work instead or else today would've been much much worse. I probably won't be checking out Jackass 2 anytime soon, believe me.

Spent all of today sleeping and reading some books. I really need to get better fast so I can work again. Got lots of pages to draw before I leave. Sorry for the lack of images on the site. The new BFX week is penciled and just has to be toned now and aside from that I've been in dire straits with SMLMJ #12.

TAK

Lotsa cleaning this week. Mentally and physically (my apartment, I mean. I shower every morning). My visa for Japan will be ready for pick-up on Friday but I need a plane ticket to pick it up so I'm searching websites for a good deal. I also need travellers cheques to prove I won't be a hobo. I took down a bunch of posters and drawings I had on my walls last night and now my place looks extra white. The fact that this move is actually happening is starting to dawn on me now. It used to be far away with less pressure. I'll let my landlord know I'll be moving out with the next rent payment. I have a various phone and internet places to call and let them know to disconnect as well. Seeeee ya.

I watched Half Nelson while I worked just now. Awesome movie except the shifty close-up shots got a bit much. Otherwise, I found myself glued to everything happening. Especially the body language from Gosling. The dude is mesmerizing in this film. Very subtle. Very real. I've been inspired and I'm finding that happens less and less these days. I think what was most golden were the many small twists and turns without being twists and turns. Things pushing and pulling at each other in equal and less equal parts. Loved it.

I sold most of my stock of novels this past weekend. I've read pretty much every Coupland book out there and had to let them all go so now I'm slightly depressed about my loss. I kept my favourite, though, being Girlfriend in a Coma. I was reading chapters from it this morning to comfort myself.

Anyway, fuck. I say anyway, in every post. At least I don't say anyways which isn't a word.

TAK

Okay, so I've been a little "not here" lately, I know. I did manage to finish SMLMJ 11 and now I'm working on 2 covers and the next issue. It's been pretty stressful with many things happening at once actually. I went down to the Japanese Consulate yesterday to pick up a visa application form and had a health check-up today since that was one of the requirements. I have to write a resumé tonight (geez, haven't written one since high school...) and a short cover letter stating my intentions while I'm there. I'm also having a yard sale with my friend Daphne on Saturday to get rid of some stuff. If you're in the Vancouver area and wanna get your hands on some junk owned by yours truly you should come down. I'll give you a deal.

In between all these headaches I drove down to Seattle with some buds and checked out the Jays clean house on Monday. Yeaaaahh!! I got to see Ichiro make a pretty dramatic sliding catch in center field. The man is awesome.

Anyway, more updates to follow.

TAK

Yeah yeah, I'm workin' like a motha right now tryin' to finish SMLMJ #11. The last few pages of every issue have been a delight to draw for me (not to diminish the quality of the rest, of course) . This issue has been no different. Allow me to indulge for a second but I used to hate Flash. Seriously. He incapsulated everything I hated about high school but over the past few issues Sean has given him so much dimension I've come to like the dude. Well, a little anyway. lol You're all gonna dig it!

Oh, RIP Steve Irwin. I loved his programs and genuine enthusiasm for everything he did. I have little in common with the man but his love for his pursuits and his voice have always been an inspiration. I aspire to be so pure. Daily Planet did an entire ode to him today with clips of Steve and interviews with co-workers and other animal experts. They described the cause of his death as one in a million. You get struck by lightening more often than stung by a stingray. wtf... So heartbreaking.

No new BFX yet but I have the cover at least. Forgive the mismatch of context with this post.

TAK

Still not getting the hang of this blogger vs. blogger beta. Sorry for the lack of updates.

It's been a sorta fluxy time for me here in Vancouver. Friends are coming and going in and out of the city to bigger and better things while I've been weeding through my stock pile of magazines and papers trying to reduce the amount of crap I'll have to finally chop away at. Lots of comics I don't need or can't keep. I have to figure out what to do with my furniture but that's for later.

I still have to do some research into my visa for Japan and start seriously looking at apartments in Tokyo online. More to sorta aquaint myself with what I can expect for my price range. It looks like I've got a bit of a hook-up through family friends that are real estate agents once I'm there, though. Ohhhh yeah.

The Toronto Comic Expo is happening this weekend. I'm sorta regretting not going but seeing how far behind I am on scheduling, it looks like I made the right decision. For those of you who had the chance to go let me know how it went! I can live vicariously through you guys.

Anyway, today's strip:

TAK