Losttoy

New bLog ...

2006-02-24T18:19:00.000-05:00

I have a new bLog at livejournal. I am still keeping this one as my "website log" keeping you updated on the updates. However losttoy.livejournal.com is more of my day to day journaling, updates on my daughters health and random rants about current events. My livejournal will also publish illustrations I think are too riske for my regular website (like my half naked picture of Batgirl).

More news about this site soon though. Promise!

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this again ...

2006-02-13T20:10:00.000-05:00

So, I have not posted on my blog since December 2004. A LOT has happened since then in my life. One of the reasons I have not updated this blog is because when I try to write what has happened it is overwhelming and I never finish it.

Regardless, I want to write something here. I have decided that this particular blog will only update readers on updates to my site. I have updated my design portfolio, but not my resumes yet. Zwol: Nouveau Chemin has finished last year, but I never updated my intro page until now. Beyond that there is no changes to my site. I am planning on more soon, but that will take some time.In fact the whole site might be moving soon, but more later.

I did one of those I did one of them Batgirl drawings that everybody is doing at LiveJournal. See for yourself and then reply in my forum where I have already said my piece about it.

I am working on a comic to publish in print this spring. Look out for more info soon. Unit then ...

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Working Hard & Updates

2004-12-05T11:47:00.000-05:00

I think people are beginning to forget me again. Damn, I have been so busy that I have not posted since October. Here is the news:

Personally, I have had a lot of work Jerry Baker has raised me from 20 to 30 hours since I have an over-loaded work schedule. Around this time I also decided to quit Meijer. I really was burning myself working 60 hours a week and 70 would not do. I was burning both ends of the candle there and was not getting enough sleep. Now I am on a somewhat regular schedule, but I have taken up more household responsibilities now that I am home more. So I guess I am just working as hard anyways.

My mother-in-law is visiting us for a month. She was recently in the hospital for an inflamed ulcer and other problems. She is doing much better now and will be moving to a senior apartment where housekeeping and a nurse are available for her if she so pleases. I also think that she will be able to socialize more often now, which is good. We wish her good health.

Between October and November we had Zwol: Nouveau Chemin being published. It is currently taking a break between part 2 and part 3. I have the plot outline complete and some of the scripting done, but we are not in the illustrating stages yet. I will keep you updated when there is more to report.

However, I have just recently added eight new illustrations to the achieves. These are illustrations I have done at work for projects. Of course, most of them have been rejected, saying that they are, too artsy or too abstract. You be the judge.

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Writing.

2004-10-12T18:07:00.000-04:00

So Zwol: Nouveau Chemin is up and running. The first two strips of chapter two are up now. These strips are written by myself, illustrated by Eric Myers and edited by creator Greg Stephens. Comments for Nouveau Chemin can be made here.

"So where is your prose?" I am being asked this question lately. You see, I tell people I am a writer. That I am: I write poems, short stories and scripts for comics. However, at this time my site I only has the later in my own comics or ones illustrated by others (like Zwol). I had a website about 8 years ago that keep several of my stories, as well as your typical "about me" and favorites. When I started this new site you are reading now, I have been primarily focusing on my art and as a design portfolio. When I get time, I plan to add a section for prose as well as the illustrative section. I also want to expand the individual section to include pictures and some of my other hobbies. However the content of the website in its current state is mostly due to just trying to get it done and published so people could view my portfolio. Indeed somebody did view it and I was hired in the process. For that, this site is a success. I do promise to expand this site to reach beyond its original goals in the upcoming future.

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No News is Actualy Good News this Time

2004-10-06T13:30:00.000-04:00

So here I am on my lunch break at Jerry Baker. A company hired me part time for graphic design and it is also not temp work! As well, I am working third shift at Meijer as part of the general merchandise crew. So after all this time, I am finally working again! I also had several relatives help me out financially while I was jobless to be able to survive and I would like to thank them for their help. We are not out of the woods yet, but we are finally catching up on the bills.

Some will notice that I have a shop up. The Starving Artist Shop has original art, printed works, and other stuff for sale. To be honest there is not much up there yet since I have been too busy to update. New items are on the way, I promise.

Of course, with two jobs, I have no day off and barely enough free time to sleep. I have not been working on comics or my website as I would like too. HOWEVER, I have been doing a script for Zwol. The good and the bad is that I am not illustrating it. Sure, I wish I could illustrate this myself, but I can except that I am too slow and do not have enough time to devote to the process. A very talented artist, Eric F. Myers, has illustrated the next four chapters already. Eric is a wonderful artist who has been a saint to work with. It is quite an amazing thing to see one of your stories illustrated and realized. Sure, there are things I would have done differently if I had drawn it. On the other hand Eric added things I would have never thought of and made it more then it was. Since this is Zwol, I have the pleasure of reading it as fan as well as the writer. Eric has truly been able to capture the spirit of Greg Stephen's comic (who has also been along as an editor on the project). New strips will start October 11th 2004 and will run Monday through Friday with a new chapter each week (chapter five takes two weeks).

I have several illustrations I have been doing that I would like to post. Making a blog entry and updating a website is two different things. I am not sure when I will post them, but know that they are on the way. I have been having trouble with blogger comments so I want to direct people to my forum. To comment on this or any other post, CLICK HERE.

I hate to beg, but I am afraid I need a miracle

2004-07-30T02:17:00.000-04:00

I know that this economy has been tough on everybody. However, I have been hit by it particularly hard. I am not sure what else I can do anymore. Now I am going to need some help from my friends.

In 2000 I became a graphic design temp. I worked for several companies giving me a lot of experience in a short amount of time. However of my career I spent most of my time at Budco. I was there for two years; the first year on and off and the second all year long. I thought they were going to hire me, after all if I was there that long they must have needed me. However when the recession started, the company let me go as well as several permanent employees. After that I continued doing temp work, however the assignments became short in duration and further apart until there was none at all.

I have tried to find work, believe me. I am registered with almost every staffing agency in the state. Every Sunday I go online to Monster, HotJobs, CareerBuilder, Michigan Talent Bank, Print Workers, Toledo Blade, the Ann Arbor News, as well as going to individual company sites to look for any open position. I keep record of every job I have applied to and the list is currently ten pages long. I have applied to graphic design jobs, but I have also applied to any other jobs that I might be remotely qualified for, no matter how menial it may be. I have been to several interviews with no luck.

The problem is I am in a state of my career where nobody wants me. I have actually been told at interviews for position that are not directly graphic design that I am too over-qualified. It was not an issue of money since my salary requirements are very flexible, but I am told that they worry if the economy gets better that they think I would leave when a better offer comes. On the other hand, at graphic design positions, even working in the industry as long as I have with the amount of experience, it just seems like there are too many out of work, yet talented designers out there all competing for the same position. Since I have not gotten any job, it makes me think that people think I am under-qualified for a graphic design position in this current job market.

So where does this leave me? I guess I am either over-qualified or under-qualified and just unemployed. My state unemployment compensation benefits have ran out. I cannot renew for to receive unemployment checks until I get another job and get let go. I have been making due with occasional freelance work that comes my way, odd jobs, selling stuff on ebay and financial help from my mother. However, it seems now the well has gone dry and mother refuses to help anymore.

Right now I am in big trouble. Rent, utilities, car payments, and other bills are all due NOW. To add insult to injury, the alternator in my car went out and I can no longer start my car. Basically, if something does not happen soon, my wife, daughter and I will be evicted and will have to live on the street. I know it is unfair to ask one person to shoulder this financial burden, however I need to ask for help. The only thing that comes to mind is at the end of "It's A Wonderful Life" the town all chips in a little to collectively raise the money to advert the situation.

So I am afraid I have to ask for donations. It does not have to be a lot, just anything you can spare. I do not have paypal, so anything has to be sent by mail to:
David Ano
6784 Maurice Dr.
Belleville, MI 48111

I am sorry to ask this, but please help.

No news is not good news ... so I better post again

2004-07-26T15:31:00.000-04:00

So here I am again ... things are okay considering. I had a phone interview today. I have been applying to jobs like a man possessed. I am bound to get one of them.

I recently finished scripting the first draft of the next four scenes for Zwol: Nouveau Chemin. I have decided to write out the script in movie form instead comic full script. I want to just get all the dialog and action out and worry about panel layout, format and pacing out until later in the illustrating process. I have given the script to Greg for his approval. Illustrating it wlll be another story. I should be working on Norlin Voyage, but I haven't.

My cousin Allison has just announced her engagement. I want to send my congratulations out to her and her future husband.

I need tto update this thing more often.

2004-07-15T16:33:00.000-04:00

Now that my new site is up, what am I doing? I have had a couple of people bug me, saying that now that I have the site done I can get back to drawing comics. I wish it were that easy. My life is hectic to say the least.

My wife and I are breaking up. She wants to get couple counseling, although I think it is too late for that. We have been struggling for almost three years now. What it comes down to is that I do not want our daughter seeing her parents fighting and bickering all the time. Neither one of us is happy which makes me think that maybe things are not working out.

However this leaves me with very little options. I am still out of work and desperately looking for a job. I have been doing some small freelance design projects here and there, but it has been harder and harder to pay the bills. Eviction is just around the corner. I have been searching for a permanent job for two years now and it just seems like the economy and job market in Michigan just sucks. My thought is if the jobs are not here, then I should go where the jobs are. With my personal life being what it is, the idea of starting a new in another state sounds refreshing.

However there comes the matter of my car. It so desperately needs a new alternator that I can just consider it dead. Which means, I will have trouble moving or even going to an interview.

Overall I just feel depressed, which of course is making a block for my creativity.

Not a time to show patriotism.

2004-07-04T02:46:00.000-04:00

An observation of local politics: This is the July fourth weekend and usually you would see a lot of American flags. However the climate has changed …

After 9/11, the neighborhood spouted a bunch of American flags as a show of patriotism. Even through the war in Afghanistan, they stayed up. However with war in Iraq, the Abu Ghraib prison scandal and what is going on in Guantanamo Bay has apparently shown that it was time to take down the flags. Just walking through the neighborhood today, I found several "no war" and "peace" signs, however only two American flags (although one of them had corporate logos instead of stars as a political statement). I seems that no matter what the polls say, it does not seem like people are proud of their country to show their flag even on the holiday to celebrate the country’s independence … at least in my neighborhood.

In Afghanistan, we knew the goals: strike back at the people who attacked us and take out an oppressive government. After the 9/11 there was a showing of support for the US. Many countries supported and helped out in the operation. In particular, Pakistan was a neighboring country that continues to provide the backing for the war on terrorism. Even us tree-hugging hippies could not disagree too much with invading Afghanistan; we did not like it, but it had to be done. More importantly is to point out that before we invaded there were several tribal leaders within that had an armed resistance against the Taleban. After the war, we were able to rebuild the country with the support of an international effort, including the various Afghan tribal leaders.

Some us knew that war in Iraq was wrong before it started. We saw through the lies. When Bush was quoted, "this is the guy who tried to kill my dad," it told us that it was a personal vendetta. Sure enough, the UN weapons inspections did not come up with anything because it was not there. Inspections did reveal 30 missiles that were not weapons of mass destruction, although they still were not supposed to have (Iraq said it was a filling error) and the Iraq government immediately destroyed them once discovered. While weapon inspections we not answer, it was working. Some people saw that the war Iraq was a mistake when the US and Britain could not convince the UN Security Counsel that we need to take action; if so many countries objected then maybe we were not justified. None of the neighboring countries pledged support, nor were there any armed resistance already in Iraq to help fight the battle or rebuild the country afterwards. Saddam effectively ran the country so any resistance would be stamped out before they started ("preemptive strike" perhaps).

The war began. Instead of missiles being destroyed, they were being fired. News came out that Bush's administration lied about the whole plutonium from Niger was found to be unconfirmed and untrue. People started to realize that if the US and Britain forces did not find weapons of mass destruction after invading, overthrowing and occupying the country, maybe there was not any there; if the intelligence was so lock solid enough to invade, then they would have walked right in and uncovered them instantly. Still a lot of people were fooled by the propaganda that Iraq had ties with al-Qaeda. However, when we found Saddam in the spider hole we found paperwork that told the Iraqi resistance to not trust foreign combatants as they were the enemy just as the US and Britain. More recently, congressional commission probe investigating the 9/11 attacks found that there was "no creditable evidence" to show ties between Iraq and al-Qaeda, the Bush administration held its ground, but not the American public. The only thing that the Americans could hold on to justify the war on Iraq was that Saddam was an evil dictator. Nobody disagreed with that. Sure, at first we freed the Iraqi civilians from their oppressive government. While they were happy that Saddam was gone, Iraqi civilians still did not want us there. Terrorist attacks in Iraq started happening everyday killing US And British troops, international contractors brought in to rebuild the country and even Iraq civilians who got in the way. Terrorist attacks just never happened in Iraq while in Saddam's control. Furthermore, when the evils of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal showed that we were committing war crimes, violating human rights and torturing the prisoners, it became apparent that we were just as bad as him.

So why are we there? US had to sacrifice international relations to do so which puts us in worst standing in the world. In fact we just showed to the world that extreme groups were right when they said that we were the monsters that must be opposed. While we might have defeated al-Qaeda to a degree (but does anybody remember that Bin Laden is still at large?), these actions will only make more groups rise against us.

So if you are planning to celebrate the birth of the United States of America, celebrate your freedom of speak and do NOT put up your flag.

Some progress

2004-07-03T22:54:00.000-04:00

Now that the site is done (although I am still trying to debug things), I now have time to focus on the actual comics. Earlier this morning I sat down and wrote a rough draft of the next four scenes of Zwol: Nouveau Chemin. After I am done scripting this chapter of the story, I will proof-read it and send it to Greg Stephens to look over, edit as he likes and then we we work to get it illustrated. I have not really gotten a chance to sit down with Greg lately to plan what we want to do with this, so I am not exactly sure what is the plan right now. However, progress is being made!

The site is up the site is up!!!

2004-07-03T01:05:00.000-04:00

I have finished the last page and sent out e-mails and post telling people that my new site is up. I have also set up a redirect at my old site. I am rather excited because this is a new begining to me. There are still a few bugs left. I will spend the weekend fixing them up. If anybody finds any spelling errors or other problems with the site, please feel free to tell me about them. I also would like to know what you think about my design, art and comics. I am excepting critiques at Talk About Comics.

This is my first entry.

2004-06-23T18:00:00.000-04:00

Since about June 3rd I started redesigning my site ...

I have redesigned my site before. When I started publishing online, I had no idea what I was doing. In fact, to show how little did I know, I created the html in MSWord. A co-worker pointed out that was probably not work very well and told me to use Dreamweaver. This gave a lot more flexibility, but still an amateur design. About a year ago, I decided to divide my site into various sections much like a newspaper labeled A1, A2, B1, B2 and so one. I had the idea that since my site was a collection of comic strips and editorial cartoons illustrated by yours truly, that the site design should also reflect a newspaper look to it. This gave the site a more professional feel.

This design proved to be a good archive for my comics. However, I started growing and learning more and even though the newspaper design worked well for print media, this was the Internet. The problem is, for the web the look is just too cluttered and turns people away. Furthermore I had the need to revise my graphic design resume and portfolio. This new site would have to serve as a visual example to all of my work. It needed to show my artist, professional and personal achievements in one location. It could not just be any site, but the end all best design I have done yet (having also designed sites for GeoCityComics, Michigan Comic Network (formally Michigan Web Comics) and Comic Awareness Week). It could not just serve as just an archive but would to captivate readers.

I started working with ImageReady and came up with a template for menus system that you would not just easily navigate through, but one that would react and interact with the reader. The animated head would act as both an example of my work and the presenter of my work. This was important to set my work aside from all the other portfolios and resumes online. You may remember a play you watched, but you will remember a play you were IN. Participation is everything here. Hopefully, also including this blog.

I am now moments away from launching my new site. Wish me luck!