Pop-Tart Lifestyle Branding

What is our society coming to? A while ago, at a supermarket, I came across a little item… the Pop-Tart carrying case.

I realize this item may seem innocuous to you, but I think this just one more indication that our society is completely obsessed with food. Honestly, how fat are we getting?
Cigarettes, as a vice, have become completely taboo. To the point that we actually care that they’re bad for us. There are cities in my great state trying to, or have actually passed bans on, these cylindrical little devils. It seems only likely that food has become an acceptable alternative as vice.

As such, it’s only going to make sense that Pop-Tart carrying cases (and all food carrying devices, such as paper bags, lunch boxes, and sandwich wrappers) will replace cigarette carrying cases. I hand to you the following example of a social scene in the not too distant future:

Person 1: ”…and that’s why I think old people shouldn’t be allowed to drive.”
Person 2: ”I can see that argument.” Person two then pulls out a pop tart carrying case.
Person 2: ”Care for a Pop-Tart?”
Person 1: ”Oh, no, thank you. I don’t toast.”

If Kellogg’s were smart, it’d include the case with tiny, battery powered toasters for the fattyconsumer on the go. In fact, the toaster could even open up, exactly like an old zippo lighter. Just instead of butane, there’d be two slots with coils inside.

All that’s next, I suppose, it Pop-Tarts lifestyle branding, not unlike that of Starbucks. Then again, if you’ve ever eaten any high calorie treat at your local chain coffee shoppe, then you know that Pop-Tarts aren’t really a stretch, anyway.

Reflecting

Interestingly, I uncovered a few comics I drew in high school the other day.
Now, uncovering things from when you were in high school is rarely ever a good idea, unless you were the Prom King or some other such nonsense I didn’t care about. Creative types, nerds, geeks, and the like should really just move on after high school as quickly as possible and forget about it for the most part. This would be sensible, but I’ll save the self-destructive tendencies of revisiting one’s formative years for another post.

So, the comics – these comics are old. Somewhere around a decade and a half old… and not all that well drawn. Still, I’m happy I uncovered them.
I searched for these specifically (again, remembering your years surrounded by gaggles of other awkward teens isn’t all that awesome) and pulled them out because I planned on actually actually revisiting said comic. The characters were good, and these did, more or less, circulate as a sort of underground comic.
Which, part of me finds that odd. Not only were they poorly drawn, they were hastily drawn with a fountain pen I mostly likely permanently borrowed from somebody else.
One thing I notice about these comics, though – they’re still funny to me, and muchly without having to revisit that part of my life.

Aside from the strong characters, the comic was a rather scathing (and perhaps, well done) satire of events around me (I’ll leave it there and keep that intentionally vague.) There’s a lot of awesome potential for further development, too – with the characters, and moreover, actually developing a semi-coherent plot is more than feasible without sacrificing the humor, that, and adding some quality art could really make this project worthwhile.

Damn It, Monkey!, I always felt, was slightly lacking. I think I incorrectly prioritized what I needed to develop in the comic. That, and I’ve maintained for a long time the format for what I wanted to convey was wrong, anyway, but, again – I’ll save that for another post.

Mostly, I remember how much fun I had with these comics. Back when the fun I had actually translated into what I was doing. I think that is what I need to recapture most of all. I’ll try, and it’ll be awesome, I think…

…and good Lord, this all sounds like I’m thirty and having a mid-life crisis.

Overload?

So, I realize, perhaps I shouldn’t be starting something like, oh, say a *blog* when I barely have time to keep up on the websites I currently run.
To the nay-sayers, I say: nay to you.

My greatest achievement always has been my ability to overload myself with work. But the good news is that Damn It, Monkey! is actually going to end once I start working on it.
…Wait, that’s not good news at all! But I’ve written the ending and am working on an even better comic that I’ve actually been working on for an even longer amount of time. I’m still fleshing out how I really want it to go this time, which really just involves drawing a rough outline and winging it. No, not really, it is a lot more involved than that, but I’m almost done save for the actual script. Which is great.

Aside from that, Clown Wisdom doesn’t really take up much time, just occasional excursions into the database to make sure you assholes aren’t submitting things you shouldn’t be. I also plan on adding a new part of the database soon (which only requires what amounts to busy work), so expect that in the next couple weeks.

So, will this blog be only about my websites? Hell no. This is my catch all for any random crap I feel like posting. I did warn you, didn’t I?

1,000 Monkeys at 1,000 Typewriters

Anybody ever get that feeling that there is a huge, dark shadow cast over the entire planet, foretelling certain doom, destruction, and revolution? …and that that shadow is yourself?

Anyway, welcome to my brand new, shiny little blog. It’s going to be fun! Writing, reading, more writing, more reading, and most important, plenty of time wasted online. At least it’ll be more productive than, oh, say social networking. And without all the annoying drama and self-absorption.
…Well, on your part, anyway.

Oh, but I bet you ‘traditionalists’ are looking for this blog to have some sort of purpose. Sure, sure. If I must. Just think of it as one more weirdo’s soap box. This weirdo, however, is quite aware, though, that what he is saying is absolutely absurd, and shall run with it. Amok, that is.

So, sit back, laugh, and enjoy. Oh, yeah, I may occasionally be actually coherent and serious. I hope you enjoy social pseudo-science.

…You’ve been warned, my pretties.

In the meantime, you can check out my other sites:Damn It, Monkey! and Clown Wisdom. Both may be hazardous to the accident prone.