Hourly Comics Day 2012

Today is Groundhog Day. This means two things: 1) it's the day after Hourly Comics Day. Normally that means I'm giving out about having been thwarted in my attempts to draw a comic for every hour I'm awake for the day (but not this year) and 2) It's Groundhog Day which means something to some people who worship some sort of American Rodent or something. So, um Happy Groundhog Day!

But forgetting about that whole Winter Rodent thing, Hourly Comics! 

I've done them before, a comic depicting some point of every hour that you are awake for a particular day, February first preferably. I've succeeded only once to date (not including this time) because either I forget to do it or the comics I do draw out get destroyed in the process. The only other time I actually got them done (and they are posted here somewhere) was on just some random day so they hardly count. These ones do (see below)

A few quick points first. I'm not great at drawing, whatever artistic merit or skill I had has diminished (rapidly) since whenever it was that I could draw, and I honestly believe I have too much hair. It is too big and busy and just there. I am seriously considering shaving my head so I won't have to deal with it (I probably won't though, I imagine my scalp isn't a nice colour and my head is probably a funny shape too). I tell you this so that you understand why the comics are so bad and why I've drawn myself like that. In my head, that is completely how I look, all of the time: A stick figure with shrubbery on its head.

So here they are:

Woke up at 5.30 in the morning freaking out, thinking I was late I guess. My sister told me later in the evening I'd been sleep walking for about fifteen minutes at this stage. This is all I remember from it.

I normally get up at 7.30 in the morning, but it kills me every time. I think I'm disappointing my bed by leaving it. It hurts!

Me and my buddy Moo Moo drive to college today most days. This is a comic of us in the car. It's really hard to tell, I know.

European imperialism and decolonisation, and ninjas! If only!

This is me in the library. In my usual seat. Doing the usual thing. For hours!

The most boring lecture that has ever been taught. The most boring thing that has ever happened. The only thing more interesting than my own thoughts was Red Hair's stomach. She was hungry too.

Me and Red Hair hitting up the Paddocks for a bit of dinner. Yay food!

Two hours of TEFL and discussing how we are all terrible people and incompetent as future teachers. Well me at least.

Back to the library. This one is for 18.00 - 21.46 (I forget to date it). At 20.01 the fire alarm started going off. My thoughts were to keep writing up my history notes so that I'd be able go home early. Everyone else seemed to think that same, as only after five minutes of the annoying bell did people actually start packing up their stuff and start leaving. Totally the wrong reaction if you're on the top floor of a building filled with paper and wood and its on fire. Turns out it was a false alarm but we didn't know that at the time!

o it was cold as balls last night and my car decided it didn't want me inside it (I think it's trying to break up with me). The driver's door lock is dodgy so I can only unlock the car from the passenger's side. But that door was frozen shut. So in the end after fifteen minutes of practically beating the door I climbed in through the boot. Which I realise now really needs to be cleared out (I found my favourite pyjamas in there, a timing belt and an empty wine bottle)

I finally got home and had my dinner (second of the day) and got don to proof reading Red Hair's chapter for her thesis. I was hungry and tired and my hair was at its biggest and messiest of the day.

All in all, it was an interesting day but pretty typical. Although, it's not like I face down death every day and don't so much as flinch. I mean there could have been an actual fire, I guess. Either way it would seem that I think history notes are more important than life itself. Nor do I regularly break into cars, much less my own but I see this becoming a much more common occurrence. Next year I really hope these are better and that I can get them up quicker. Also I'd like it very much if people had faces and weren't just some weird circle.

Please please check twitter and the forums for everyone else's hourlies, seriously most of the stuff posted is amazing and brilliant. Also I think I have a more interesting life than some people. That makes me feel good about myself.

Also, yes I think and talk in purple. And that sentence makes perfect sense to me. Moo Moo is green but she doesn't know that, Red Hair is orange but I dindn't have an orange pen, so it was brown or pink for her and I thought she would rather.

As Such, Such is Life

I've said before that I'm cursed when it comes to travel, and by all accounts and treating the subject empirically, it's true. Flights delayed and cancelled, trains missed by mere seconds, travel company pulling out and all that craic, like I said, I've said it all before.

But this time -

This time was different!

I had packed ahead of time and nothing was forgotten. Train to the airport, not a hiccup and the airport itself, I was in plenty of time. While there I even got a reading done for my class/essay on 'Post Communist Transforamtions' before getting onto the plane. For the check in I was only a few moments and the lady really didn't seem even remotely bothered that I was 0.7kgs overweight or that my carry-on lacked any known shape. Security, not a glitch! And believe me, that's unusual. Usually it's a case of what did I forget to take out of my bag?! *Whoops, I beeped!* Back through the scanner, off goes the belt, jewellery, boots (I tend to wear boots a lot, and if I'm flying my big heavy hiking boots are on me, 'cos they weight about a kilo, so no way am I paying Ryanair to let me have some practical footwear with me!) and back through the scanner *whoops! I beeped again* Back through the scanner, I forgot to take off my necklace. *Beep again* *Pat down* *So uncomfortable* really should be used to it by now! Aw, Shit! My phone is still in my pocket, security is pissed, I'm embarrassed so just grab my stuff and go. *Calls from security* In all the confusion I wondered off without my passport, comes in handy when about to enter another country and of course coming back again!

But not this time. Everything was perfect. Okay, so my flight was delayed by twenty minutes, the plane is ridiculously hot and making me noxious and stuff, but other than that all is good. (Apologies for the weird use of present and past tense [in general terms] This was initially written while I was at the airport/during the flight on my way home from Poland last Christmas. I really meant to post this way back then but I guess I just never did. Anyway because of this parts of it are interjected with past and present verbs as well as some future stuff in there too, but that's self-explanatory and not confusing to read).

I did develop a slight obsession, though, in the time between security and landing! That is, a young Polish woman and an Irish guy, who looked beyond doubt to be a couple, took my attention a little more than an essay concerning Ralf Darhendorf an Piotr Stzompka (even though that was also really very interesting). Let me explain...

I was sitting, headphones on and reading away, when suddenly I thought of a friend of mine. Not that weird, but when you consider we haven't known each other very long, or have only ever spent a few hours in each others company and have what could be described as a 'casual friendship', it seems odd for him to just pop in there. Anyway, thought no more of it until, just moments later the Manic Street Preachers start to play on Outspan Foster (my iPod). Now I don't think that he reads this, I'm pretty certain that he doesn't even know that I write, let alone keep this blog,  our friendship really is quite 'passerby' but in case he does I'm sure he knows now that it was him that I was thinking of. But anyway, aside from that aside, he briefly passed through my thoughts and then I looked up, and there he was! Well, I could have sworn it was him standing across from me. I mean this guy is either a doppelganger or he was a slightly taller twin brother who never came up in conversation. But whoever this guy was, I did not know him.

In a room full of Poles and Irish, he was clearly Irish! The woman standing beside him, almost definitely Polish. Tall, slender, gorgeous, boots (not like mine), dressed up to the nines (and beyond) making it all look like no effort at all. You know the way, how all Polish women seem to look, at the very least, all those I every came across while there, making all the tourists and internationals there feel bad about themselves.

They were both standing. Right beside one another, neither with a large carry-on. They both looked a little sad. Now I was reading but on the last pages, I was bored of it and easily distracted, plus I thought he was someone I knew...so, I kept looking up.

They never spoke to one another. They didn't even seem to acknowledge one another. They never shared a look, but I am certain that they were there together.

There were plenty of seats, some right beside them. Boarding had not began, they could have both sat, beside one another if they had wanted, but didn't. When one of them looked at something in a 'fake daze' the other looked to see what at. They both did this.

I became fascinated. I wanted to know were they together, I'm pretty sure they were (maybe it's just hard to explain, but seeing them there, there was definitely that vibe. They were together!) Why were they not speaking with one another? What had happened between them? Will they talk it out? 

Would they sit together on the plane?

Boarding began, I wasn't inclined to leave my seat, so when the queue began to move I joined at the end and sat. (I really am quite lazy). But they didn't leave my mind. On the shuttle to the plane I looked for them both, but they were on the first shuttle, I the second, probably already finding their seat on the plane. I boarded from the rear and found his red hair and Irish face immediately. I wanted to sit so I could see him (like I say I had developed an obsession), but no free seats behind. So I moved on forward. (Damn my laziness!)

She was not sitting with him.

And I can't stop wondering what happened between the two.

They travelled to Poland for a few days, maybe even a week. She was to work over Christmas and wouldn't be able travel home to see her family, flights were still cheap and it was a chance for them to meet him. Maybe?

What happened then I can't even assume. I don't know what could have happened to have made those two people seem so sad. I don't want to write that story.

But the time came to go home. Both booked the same flight of course, weeks ago, assuming that they could sleep their way through the journey resting snugly on each other's head. It was too much hassle and effort to change now. Neither had the energy. But at least the seats were not set. They arrive at the airport and go through the usual.

In the waiting area they both still have hope, but the upset is still so great and the wound, whatever it is, is still open. She being the woman, sets a test, and no it's not vindictive. It's just subtle, to see what he does, to see if there is a reason to hope.

She Stands!

It's still an hour, with the announced delay, maybe even more, there are seats available and it's not as if she'll be the first in the queue when boarding begins. It would make sense for him to sit! But he stands. He stands beside her and never moves away. He stays right beside her and not wanting to be away, at the other side, from her glance. Her breath. Her voice. Her.

That's a reason to hope!

But...they don't talk, he sends a few text messages and plays with his phone. She receives a few phone calls. It doesn't seem to attract his attention at all. She speaks in Polish. They carry on like complete strangers in each other's presence. Both too frightened to take the first step, to make that first move. To say it, to say 'forget it', 'it was my fault', 'I'm sorry', 'you're forgiven'.

So they stand there, in silence, a barrier between them both.

Is there still hope?

Boarding begins and the queue moves. Still they don't speak or offer each other help. They get the shuttle. He gets out first and heads for the rear entrance of the plane. He thinks she'll follow and sit beside him. They'll talk then. They'll make everything right again, and it will all be okay again. They'll get home and it'll just be a bad memory.

They'll talk and it'll all be okay again.

She gets off the shuttle and goes to the front entrance.

She doesn't want that.

Things can't be fixed.

There is no hope.

They spend the next three hours on that plane. Not a single spoken word, just a nod to the hostesses offering drinks and pass the time staring at the seat in front. Not even out of the window at the twinkling lights below.

They go home and life moves on, they fall in love and are happy again. He becomes a fond memory to her and he'll never go back to Krakow!

I Also Take Photograhs, Sometimes!

It has come to my attention that I have spent too long recently thinking about food, and looking through previous posts, its blatantly obvious, even if it does seem to be only Asian food. I love food, I really do and it's a majorly important feature of my life, for one thing, it's the only thing that stops me from keeling over with starvation. But it's hardly the only thing that I care about, even if lately I have been reading food blogs a ridiculous amount and been wanting to experiment more (by-the-by I've made Mochi/Mochiko twice now with the recipe I found on Instructables.com and its been more of a success than a failure). But at the end of the day, I didn't, and still don't want this blog to become all about food (even if it did start about me being bored, and I do eat when I'm bored, I don't think it's a logical step). That's why it's time for my semi-regular feature of just posting some pictures I'd forgotten I had even taken, or that I just wanted to share in more places than Flickr (or felt that Flickr was not the place for it).  

'Camera Phones are to Photography what Two Minute Noodles are to Cooking'

I don't care for the camera on my phone, what mega pixel it is, or its exposure controls. Not because I necessarily agree with the above sentiment but I had/have a camera, specifically designed to take pictures, my phone isn't so why would I use my phone and get shakey images when I am guaranteed to get somewhat respectable pictures using my camera? The answer, of course being that I was caught off guard, and didn't have my camera with me! These few pictures here were all taken using the camera phones and are surprisingly good, considering that and the fact that these were all taken before I had any clue about photography whatsoever.The Windmills were photographed using a Nokia E63 and the snowy images with my now lost (but still loved) Sony Ericsson K800i.

Somethings Just Need to be Photographed!

I don't think the following images need to be explained, but just in case they do: These are quite simply just things I have come across, or (in one or two cases) been wholly responsible and took photos as proof of their existence or just because it made me happy to do.

 

The Ministry of Silly Walks

This I do believe is the best example of graffiti that I have ever seen in my life. I spotted this while wandering around King's Island, Limerick, Ireland one day and bust out laughing to myself. I honestly do believe that graffiti can be a  legitimate art form and this definitely expresses something particularly strong when you think about the state of this state currently. Also its just funny!

Food - I cannot escape it!

This is a triple chocolate krispie, chewy, chrunchie Rice Krispie cake I made not too long ago. It contains Scotsbar cooking chocolate, Wedel milk chocolate, Wedel dark chocolate, Chrunchie bars, marshmallows  and some sugar sprinkles. Oddly enough, it turned out a little too chocolaty, but that didn't stop my drunken cousin eating it all when he crashed at our house that night!

 More Chocolaty Goodness

Deep Fried Mars Bars, also known as Battered Mars Bars are largely mistaken to be a myth, but despite looking like frozen feces are fantastically delicious, even if painfully artery clogging. I make these every so often but the people in my life still refuse to believe it so whenever I do I make sure to get a few pictures in. Evidence for the non-believers and to frighten health freaks!

 

Funky Fungi!

This is a mushroom. I am not sure why but when I saw this mushroom I felt obligated to photograph it. It's weird I don't even like mushrooms. It's a shame about the camera shake, I was using a hug lens!

I Really Just Wanted to Share These Ones

 You're Not a Flower

There is something I don't like about this picture, but I don't know what, and that is why I did not post it to my Flickr account. But I do still like it and that is why you get to see it. It is of course a pine cone masquerading as a flower with some nice bokeh sort of stuff going on there in the back.

 Everything is Better if it's Purple!

Hydrangeas are one of the few flowers that aren't prettier when seen closeup or in Macro. There definitely is something nicer about the big bushy blossoms then the simple individual flowers. In saying that I like how this photograph turned out!

 

Vertical Lines and Lupins

This was the first picture I took, successfully with my Nikon D3000 in Manual Mode and have since been shooting in Manual with a good deal of success. I also took heed of certain rules of composition and photography and I do believe, at least personally, that this is my best image. I took it to enter into the weekly assignment of DPS but for some reason, after I submitted it, it would not accept it. The theme was vertical lines, which I'm sure are obvious in this image. Plus it has Lupins in it, which are beyond doubt my favourite Flower to photograph, probably because they are so accessible, being that they are all over our garden at home.

 

 

To our left, a couple on a beach at sunset. A complete cliche I know but I like it. Though I would prefer thatthe woman was more in a silhouette and not visible in such detail but I guess that's a good reason to finally learn how to use Photoshop or Gimp. 

And finally, a makeshift pinhole camera using my mother's old 35mm film camera. And look there's lupins in it. Whoohoo!

All these pictures are my own so please feel free to comment and critique as all feedback helps, and remember to check out my flickr page for more of this sort of thing and some stuff completely different!