Cheap Promotion
Monday, April 30, 11:00 PM By
Bryan
Today ain't no big Thang. In trying to
promote this blog, I went to this list of social networking sites. I signed up for over 30
of the 55 services, so lots more spam. I haven't seen much traffic
from the sign up...I did this a week ago and was squirreling away
this for a later Thing. Why are all of these sites almost identical
and very sparsely populated? Testimonials lie. Does anyone know of
a good blog promotion site to target readers who may be interested
in Things?
|
April Buttons
Monday, April 30, 06:52 AM By
Shelly
Here's a set of ten small buttons, made from a button kit. Some drawn, some made from magazine pictures. All sporting our web address.
And by the way, today's the last day of April, and every comment left in April will be put into a random drawing, so today is the last day to get entered into the contest.
Hmmm, can you guess what the prize might be?
Arbor Day Team Pass
Friday, April 27, 06:10 PM By
Team
Creative Toys & Games
Thursday, April 26, 06:46 AM By
Shelly
To help have fun exercising your Creative muscles, I've compiled a page full of links that are online art projects, games that make you think, and stuff that is just plain fun!
Warning! You may spend more time playing than you intend to.
Creative Toys
Cross Post
The Stick Men-Spam
Thursday, April 26, 03:57 AM By
Bryan
Here's another
one pager from America's wordiest comic right behind
Cathy.
Sheesh. She sure is chatty. AAAARRRGGGHHH!!!
I'm thinking of renaming The Stick Men to "Two Pieces of Modeling Clay Who Talk A Lot and Absolutely Don't Listen to Each Other," but that seems a bit wordy.
Check it out on the flickr page, on PDF or just Read More.
Read More...
Sheesh. She sure is chatty. AAAARRRGGGHHH!!!
I'm thinking of renaming The Stick Men to "Two Pieces of Modeling Clay Who Talk A Lot and Absolutely Don't Listen to Each Other," but that seems a bit wordy.
Check it out on the flickr page, on PDF or just Read More.
Read More...
Postcards from The Edge
Wednesday, April 25, 03:15 AM By
Bryan
No Stick Men
today, I'm tired.
However, I was rummaging through some old boxes in the attic and found some old galley proofs.
These postcard mark-ups cost me my one-day imaginary job working for the Arizona Tourism Board. I misguidedly thought I could drive up female visitors to Arizona.
Warning, crude juvenile humor ahoy!
The Galley Proofs. (Small 1 Page PDF Only)
However, I was rummaging through some old boxes in the attic and found some old galley proofs.
These postcard mark-ups cost me my one-day imaginary job working for the Arizona Tourism Board. I misguidedly thought I could drive up female visitors to Arizona.
Warning, crude juvenile humor ahoy!
The Galley Proofs. (Small 1 Page PDF Only)
The Stick Men-Too Soon
Tuesday, April 24, 03:59 AM By
Bryan
Here's another Stick Men Comic called
"Too Soon."
It's wrong, wrong, wrong. It's what happens when I give myself one day to turn around a comic.
You have the option of downloading the PDF or clicking through on my flickr page or click on read more. It's a two pager, although for some unfixable reason, the big-sized PDF is 4 pages--- two comic, two blank.
Another comic tomorrow.
The Stick Men---having cake, eating it too.
Read More...
It's wrong, wrong, wrong. It's what happens when I give myself one day to turn around a comic.
You have the option of downloading the PDF or clicking through on my flickr page or click on read more. It's a two pager, although for some unfixable reason, the big-sized PDF is 4 pages--- two comic, two blank.
Another comic tomorrow.
The Stick Men---having cake, eating it too.
Read More...
Letter
Monday, April 23, 06:46 AM By
Shelly
This weekend I sent the following
letter to all of the 'family and friends' I could find in our
address book, in two e-mails, one from The G, one from me,
depending on how you know us. (I know one of my aunties won't even
open an e-mail if she doesn't recognize the name) One thing I
learned is that our address book is terribly un-updated, so forgive
me if I left you off, I'll be working on updating our address book!
The other thing that I learned is Murphey's law as it applies to
e-mail: as soon as you hit send, you'll remember what you
forgot to write! What I left out of the e-mail was inviting you-all
again to the forums page, and asking you to please send our
site address, or the whole e-mail, to anyone you think might find
it interesting. Thanks.
Dear Family and Friends:
Bryan and I have taken on a new presence on the interweb.
The Thing Of The Day is a blog website with a contest. Every week day Bryan and I will each post a 'thing', photography, comics, crafts, whatever. (Shelly's definition and Bryan's pdf definition) We'll see who can stick it out the longest, a contest of endurance. Here's the 'official' rules. (Weren't we cute as babies! And if you can't figure out who is who, my kids have informed me that my photo is in black and white because I'm older!)
Please check it out. While you're at it, check out the disclaimer page. We know that we don't all share the same opinions or sense of humor, so please decide what is appropriate for you &/or your kids.
Feel free to leave us comments. All comments left in April will be entered into a random drawing.
luvs,
shell
If you comment on this post that you received our letter, I'll put you in the April drawing twice! Read More...
Dear Family and Friends:
Bryan and I have taken on a new presence on the interweb.
The Thing Of The Day is a blog website with a contest. Every week day Bryan and I will each post a 'thing', photography, comics, crafts, whatever. (Shelly's definition and Bryan's pdf definition) We'll see who can stick it out the longest, a contest of endurance. Here's the 'official' rules. (Weren't we cute as babies! And if you can't figure out who is who, my kids have informed me that my photo is in black and white because I'm older!)
Please check it out. While you're at it, check out the disclaimer page. We know that we don't all share the same opinions or sense of humor, so please decide what is appropriate for you &/or your kids.
Feel free to leave us comments. All comments left in April will be entered into a random drawing.
luvs,
shell
If you comment on this post that you received our letter, I'll put you in the April drawing twice! Read More...
The Stick Men-The Secret
Monday, April 23, 04:49 AM By
Bryan
Today begins, hopefully, a week of new
comics. It's a new strip called The Stick Men.
Each comic, initially will be published as PDF's to insure high
quality. Later I'll go back and upload the files to flickr or
somewhere else. I also hope to make a special slide show of this
week's comics sometime early next week. All the pictures used in
the comic are royalty-free and I did all of the clay work, writing,
photography, manipulation and, as the nerds say, inking.
However, as of publishing, I've only thought of this Stick Men comic called The Secret. I'd better get busy.
Enjoy today's PDF.
Update: you can also see this 4 page comic on my flickr page if you do not want to download the PDF. Or go to the Read More page. Read More...
However, as of publishing, I've only thought of this Stick Men comic called The Secret. I'd better get busy.
Enjoy today's PDF.
Update: you can also see this 4 page comic on my flickr page if you do not want to download the PDF. Or go to the Read More page. Read More...
Photo Page
Friday, April 20, 07:25 AM By
Shelly
I've been working on this photo page since we started this blog. No, really!
All of the flickr photos I publish on this site, and a few extras,
will be on this new site. You could bookmark it separately if you
like, or we will add a link on the sidebar later for you.
More flickr Fun
Friday, April 20, 03:26 AM By
Bryan
After Shelly's excellent flickr
review, I'm coasting by this Friday and starting my own flickr page.
Next week is humor week.
Next week is humor week.
Contacts and Calendars
Thursday, April 19, 03:34 AM By
Bryan
Today on site improvement week, I've
added a simple contact page which could be easily modified for polls,
buying stuff or all kinds of form-filling-out-fun. Look to the
sidebar.
Also, here's a test calendar page. It'll be up for a while, but until we find a good use for it won't appear in the sidebar.
Plus, playing with transparencies in the logo area of the blog. Thingy takes a walk.
Also, here's a test calendar page. It'll be up for a while, but until we find a good use for it won't appear in the sidebar.
Plus, playing with transparencies in the logo area of the blog. Thingy takes a walk.
Flava Favicon
Wednesday, April 18, 03:40 AM By
Bryan
He/She's the first incarnation of the TTOTD Mascot. Seeshells drew him/her. I'm sure as Things change on TTOTD, Thingy will change as well.
To welcome the amorphous corporate-friendly and easily branded Thingy to the site, I've made a favicon out of him/her. So look to your address bar for your tiny, Thingy buddy.
I thought this project would be super easy, but actually ended up sucking up quite a bit of time. I've never made a favicon before and a 16x16 pixel picture is awful tricky to clean up.
Files Page
Tuesday, April 17, 03:01 AM By
Bryan
Sooner or later, after soooo many
Things, finding your favorite Thing may become difficult. For a
remedy, Today's Thing is a Files Page.
You can get to the page from the sidebar anytime. It's called "TTOTD Files."
On the page, I'll update any and all new Thing media weekly. This way you'll always be able to find a file or download a JPEG.
You can get to the page from the sidebar anytime. It's called "TTOTD Files."
On the page, I'll update any and all new Thing media weekly. This way you'll always be able to find a file or download a JPEG.
Photogamer
Monday, April 16, 05:52 PM By
Shelly
"Photogamers are challenged weekly to use their
cameras and go into the world to find interesting photographs."
Read More...
New Forum
Monday, April 16, 01:43 AM By
Bryan
Today kicks off a week of improving
the site. I'll be adding some new basic Things for the site.
Today, I've created a forum. It's pretty basic. If you have ideas for categories and boards, let me know. We'll spiffy the forum up at a later time.
Today, I've created a forum. It's pretty basic. If you have ideas for categories and boards, let me know. We'll spiffy the forum up at a later time.
Mana Free Magic
Friday, April 13, 03:50 AM By
Bryan
Here's a broken Magic variation for lazy and cheap gamers. This variation can work for most card games. Read More...
Good Night, Kilgore Trout
Thursday, April 12, 02:06 AM By
Bryan
I imagine one
the author's protagonists might write his obituary like this:
"Upper New York state native Kurt Vonnegut Jr. lived a very long time. And then, as expected, he died. So it goes."
Kurt Vonnegut died.
I haven't read the details just yet, but I'm guessing he went out quietly, not with a wimper, but with a slight wisp. Hopefully, after a nice day, a nice meal, a contented smile. This would seem apt. No he-man heroics for Vonnegut. No shotgun in the mouth like Hemmingway or Hunter S.
Drama may be for other people. Life is funny that way. Just the act of living, then dying, was enough for Mr. Vonnegut. I hope his family was there and there was resolution. Resolution is important. Resolution is for the old and infirm. Distraction has always been a goal of the young. Static and distraction.
There's so much mystery and wonder and hope and glory just in the act of living, then dying. That's something I've learned from Vonnegut's books. Maybe he never even said those exact words or even intended that sentiment, but that's what I've learned. Go figure. The concept of God just fucks up the mystery and the wonder and the hope and the glory. Static and distraction for the brain. But more about that in a minute.
Back up, do the straight obituary. Vonnegut was an ironist, satirist, humorist, humanist, and all the other 'ists that get people so angry at words. That's how life is. Like all good American writers, he started out as a journalist. He taught me the most important lesson about writing---Get to the point, stupid. Also, every word must advance the story. He taught me these lessons. I don't think I learned those lessons, though.
Vonnegut also epitomized a certian breed of post-war writer, the observer. America's such a big pot trying to figure itself out, all one can do is watch, be an observer, and avoid judgement because freedom has so many hooks, even in the righteous and cock-sure. Not a lot of melting. Every man's life is absurd and small and epic and misguided and just is.
Mark Twain watched. And then made funny comments. Vonnegut did so too. Unlike some other important American authors, from what I could tell, Vonnegut didn't speak directly to race and class and justice. This is because, you see, everyone lives and everyone dies. All races and all classes. There's your justice. Thanks for nuthin'.
Morality is like trying to tell a one-eyed man what binocluars are about. And everyone has only one eye. And never even seen a pair of binoculars. So it goes.
Easily, I could be wrong. With so many connections and lessons, my mind is the pot I'm observing. My melting pot. With binoculars. And one eye.
Like that commencement speech everyone thought Vonnegut wrote a few years ago. Just because it's funny and seems to have and an ironic, practical, and at first glance, trite tone does not make it Vonnegut. Don't forget your sunscreen. Bring a towel. Still Life with Woodpecker. I am Jack's liver. I am the all-singing crap....
And on and on.
I've read most of Vonnegut's books, like everyone, a long time ago. In college. This was when The Satire and what seemed like The Detachment in his books were cool. I read a later novel just two years ago and realized the satire was serious and the detachment attached. What struck me were the criss-cross of connections that create the haze of our life. There is so much of our lives that has been determined by mysterious history, unexpected relations, world events, handleless motivations, the unintended left turn. Ayn Rand be damned. But in the end, this is okay, because it is what it is. No Zen poem, but simple fact. This may sound Rumsfeldian, but the unknown is our mysteries and wonders hopes and glories. We just are too dumb to know it.
I don't need to name a book that most influenced me because, it's all in there amongst the all the stories.
History is mystery to the individual, so life must press on. The good and the bad have practical reasons, but like a single ant in a massive ant farm, we can't see the whole magilla. Am I repeating myself or are these slight variations? Hard to say.
But, Mystery is good. Love starts with the mystery. To make sense, to comprehend, life is a constant act of reduction. My favorite phrase from a Vonnegut book about love, paraphrased, as always, is---"This bed is all there is. This bed is our country and we are a nation of two." A nation of two seems like a nice country to be a citizen in.
And even within the reductionist confines of a nation of two, mystery abounds. Wonder and hope and glory abounds. That's why God is uneccessary. God just provides answers tries to give context. God is reductionist on mystery and wonder and blah, blah, blah. God mysticisizes the mundane and crushes the truly wonderous. Static and distraction. Distraction and static. Plus, where's he been lately, anyway?
American novels often concern themselves with static and distraction as the constant and always current American state. Run, Rabbit, Run...Run, Forrest, Run. The intellectuals find solutions in meaning and understanding. The spiritualist finds meaning in meaning and God. Meaning reduces. Meaning shrinks. Meaning often offers scarce comfort, but great absurdity.
Even with meaning, tragedies sill happen and life still goes on, that's what Vonnegut seems to say to me. Life doesn't go on couragiously or with profound insight. Life just goes on, but that is just how life is. That's how life rolls. There's still mystery and hope and wonder and glory. And, hopefully, there's also some comfort and absurdity.
People are as they are. Abusrdity is as it is. Vonnegut certianly pointed out absurdity; getting out of bed is an absurd act. Killing milions of children is an absurd act, too.
I don't believe Vonnegut ever would have been on Oprah's book club---wouldn't that be absurd---as hope and spirits sailing and that inner meaning that makes you the Goddess of your own Universe isn't really the point. It's the static and the distraction.
And tragedies still happen. They happen to the hopeful, the spiritual, those with solutions and understanding in ways they can't understand. And the hopeful, the spiritual, those with spirit and understanding also cause tragedy, often in ways they can't understand.
Nobody gets out alive, I'd imagine a Vonnegut protagonist would say.
And as I'm sure most obituaries about disgraced, failed hack Sci-fi writer Kilgore Trout will end...So it goes.
And so it goes.
Read More...
"Upper New York state native Kurt Vonnegut Jr. lived a very long time. And then, as expected, he died. So it goes."
Kurt Vonnegut died.
I haven't read the details just yet, but I'm guessing he went out quietly, not with a wimper, but with a slight wisp. Hopefully, after a nice day, a nice meal, a contented smile. This would seem apt. No he-man heroics for Vonnegut. No shotgun in the mouth like Hemmingway or Hunter S.
Drama may be for other people. Life is funny that way. Just the act of living, then dying, was enough for Mr. Vonnegut. I hope his family was there and there was resolution. Resolution is important. Resolution is for the old and infirm. Distraction has always been a goal of the young. Static and distraction.
There's so much mystery and wonder and hope and glory just in the act of living, then dying. That's something I've learned from Vonnegut's books. Maybe he never even said those exact words or even intended that sentiment, but that's what I've learned. Go figure. The concept of God just fucks up the mystery and the wonder and the hope and the glory. Static and distraction for the brain. But more about that in a minute.
Back up, do the straight obituary. Vonnegut was an ironist, satirist, humorist, humanist, and all the other 'ists that get people so angry at words. That's how life is. Like all good American writers, he started out as a journalist. He taught me the most important lesson about writing---Get to the point, stupid. Also, every word must advance the story. He taught me these lessons. I don't think I learned those lessons, though.
Vonnegut also epitomized a certian breed of post-war writer, the observer. America's such a big pot trying to figure itself out, all one can do is watch, be an observer, and avoid judgement because freedom has so many hooks, even in the righteous and cock-sure. Not a lot of melting. Every man's life is absurd and small and epic and misguided and just is.
Mark Twain watched. And then made funny comments. Vonnegut did so too. Unlike some other important American authors, from what I could tell, Vonnegut didn't speak directly to race and class and justice. This is because, you see, everyone lives and everyone dies. All races and all classes. There's your justice. Thanks for nuthin'.
Morality is like trying to tell a one-eyed man what binocluars are about. And everyone has only one eye. And never even seen a pair of binoculars. So it goes.
Easily, I could be wrong. With so many connections and lessons, my mind is the pot I'm observing. My melting pot. With binoculars. And one eye.
Like that commencement speech everyone thought Vonnegut wrote a few years ago. Just because it's funny and seems to have and an ironic, practical, and at first glance, trite tone does not make it Vonnegut. Don't forget your sunscreen. Bring a towel. Still Life with Woodpecker. I am Jack's liver. I am the all-singing crap....
And on and on.
I've read most of Vonnegut's books, like everyone, a long time ago. In college. This was when The Satire and what seemed like The Detachment in his books were cool. I read a later novel just two years ago and realized the satire was serious and the detachment attached. What struck me were the criss-cross of connections that create the haze of our life. There is so much of our lives that has been determined by mysterious history, unexpected relations, world events, handleless motivations, the unintended left turn. Ayn Rand be damned. But in the end, this is okay, because it is what it is. No Zen poem, but simple fact. This may sound Rumsfeldian, but the unknown is our mysteries and wonders hopes and glories. We just are too dumb to know it.
I don't need to name a book that most influenced me because, it's all in there amongst the all the stories.
History is mystery to the individual, so life must press on. The good and the bad have practical reasons, but like a single ant in a massive ant farm, we can't see the whole magilla. Am I repeating myself or are these slight variations? Hard to say.
But, Mystery is good. Love starts with the mystery. To make sense, to comprehend, life is a constant act of reduction. My favorite phrase from a Vonnegut book about love, paraphrased, as always, is---"This bed is all there is. This bed is our country and we are a nation of two." A nation of two seems like a nice country to be a citizen in.
And even within the reductionist confines of a nation of two, mystery abounds. Wonder and hope and glory abounds. That's why God is uneccessary. God just provides answers tries to give context. God is reductionist on mystery and wonder and blah, blah, blah. God mysticisizes the mundane and crushes the truly wonderous. Static and distraction. Distraction and static. Plus, where's he been lately, anyway?
American novels often concern themselves with static and distraction as the constant and always current American state. Run, Rabbit, Run...Run, Forrest, Run. The intellectuals find solutions in meaning and understanding. The spiritualist finds meaning in meaning and God. Meaning reduces. Meaning shrinks. Meaning often offers scarce comfort, but great absurdity.
Even with meaning, tragedies sill happen and life still goes on, that's what Vonnegut seems to say to me. Life doesn't go on couragiously or with profound insight. Life just goes on, but that is just how life is. That's how life rolls. There's still mystery and hope and wonder and glory. And, hopefully, there's also some comfort and absurdity.
People are as they are. Abusrdity is as it is. Vonnegut certianly pointed out absurdity; getting out of bed is an absurd act. Killing milions of children is an absurd act, too.
I don't believe Vonnegut ever would have been on Oprah's book club---wouldn't that be absurd---as hope and spirits sailing and that inner meaning that makes you the Goddess of your own Universe isn't really the point. It's the static and the distraction.
And tragedies still happen. They happen to the hopeful, the spiritual, those with solutions and understanding in ways they can't understand. And the hopeful, the spiritual, those with spirit and understanding also cause tragedy, often in ways they can't understand.
Nobody gets out alive, I'd imagine a Vonnegut protagonist would say.
And as I'm sure most obituaries about disgraced, failed hack Sci-fi writer Kilgore Trout will end...So it goes.
And so it goes.
Read More...
AAAAAYYYYYY!, Hip Check, Cha-chi.
Wednesday, April 11, 02:44 AM By
Bryan
Today starts a few days of game
related posts. I've been thinking about non-traditional games and
trying to create games you could do anytime, anywhere-often without
the other players even being around. Workplace shenanigans, pranks,
dares and just plain ways to keep your mind entertained. Yea, some
of it is a tadmean, but slight displaced hostility at the workplace
is how our economy runs.
I've got a CCG-game variation for lazy nerds tomorrow and a more ambitious idea for Thursday or Friday. I think games should generate talk between players.
In some ways, this website is so Shelly and I have more ideas to explore and talk about before all the necessary 'maintenance' talk that seems to suck up so much time.
The two shortish, gamish games today can easily be adapted to your own taste.
Created out of boredom, underwritten in haste...
Read More...
I've got a CCG-game variation for lazy nerds tomorrow and a more ambitious idea for Thursday or Friday. I think games should generate talk between players.
In some ways, this website is so Shelly and I have more ideas to explore and talk about before all the necessary 'maintenance' talk that seems to suck up so much time.
The two shortish, gamish games today can easily be adapted to your own taste.
Created out of boredom, underwritten in haste...
Read More...
Blue Moon Art Rage
Tuesday, April 10, 12:49 AM By
Bryan
Five Random Seconds of 24
Monday, April 09, 04:17 AM By
Bryan
A quick preview of what's bound to
happen on tonight's or, well, any night of 24 with a tiny print
disclaimer on the read more page.
Read More...
Read More...
Battle Chess
Friday, April 06, 03:56 AM By
Bryan
Here's a Chess variant I wrote that
incorporates some modern gaming ideas into Chess. I think it adds a
few more levels of strategy to the game. I haven't play tested the
game yet, so let me know if any of the rules are unworkable or
confusing. I think they're pretty straightforward.
I'm pretty proud of the rules and I hope Chess Heads have fun with it. Feel free to download the PDF and pass it around.
Here's the PDF.
(Update: After talking with Jed at work, I've slightly changed the game and PDF to match the point system used in traditional Chess. Thanks for the feedback. I always got my butt kicked in Chess, so I know little about strategies or the finer points of competition rules. Hey, I still call the Knight piece, "the horsey piece." Oh, if you don't like the point system, change it to match your taste, no big deal. Open Source Gaming is all about customization.)
I'm pretty proud of the rules and I hope Chess Heads have fun with it. Feel free to download the PDF and pass it around.
Here's the PDF.
(Update: After talking with Jed at work, I've slightly changed the game and PDF to match the point system used in traditional Chess. Thanks for the feedback. I always got my butt kicked in Chess, so I know little about strategies or the finer points of competition rules. Hey, I still call the Knight piece, "the horsey piece." Oh, if you don't like the point system, change it to match your taste, no big deal. Open Source Gaming is all about customization.)
Rock Me Dr. Zaius
Thursday, April 05, 03:37 AM By
Bryan
Since I can remember, I've had trouble
doing the simplest snap-together models. I have awful mechanical
and fine motor skills: I can't paint and didn't have a ton of
patience as a child. So, last weekend, I bought the Planet
of the Apes snap-together model for my Thing today. It's
Dr. Zaius.
I thought the box said there was no painting, so I didn't get paints.
Ooops. That'll be another Thing. Here's some more pictures of the model from my new Flickr account. They're artistic.
That's just another way of saying they're crappy pictures.
I thought the box said there was no painting, so I didn't get paints.
Ooops. That'll be another Thing. Here's some more pictures of the model from my new Flickr account. They're artistic.
That's just another way of saying they're crappy pictures.
This Week on Daddy Issue Island
Wednesday, April 04, 03:57 AM By
Bryan
Who's Got the Button??
Tuesday, April 03, 10:13 PM By
Shelly
Here are a few link buttons:
Read More...
Old TOTD and Old Comics
Tuesday, April 03, 02:12 AM By
Bryan
Today's Thing archives some old
comics, plus tracks the long history of Thing-related websites.
Read More...
Thing! Vol1
Sunday, April 01, 08:20 AM By
Bryan
