The One Where We Accidentally Reference the Lost Finale

Didn’t plan it, but this week’s multiverse story-line coincides nicely with last night’s Lost finale.

I’m definitely a Lost fan.  I’ve seen every episode.  I’ve spent way too much time theorizing about the island, smoke monsters and tropical polar bears.   So, what did I think of the ending?

Sigh…   It’s complicated.

I think they wrapped most of the character stories just fine.  The sideways reality/purgatory thing was emotionally satisfying.  I teared up a bit to see the final reunion/communion.   Yes, the Christian references/symbolism were heavy-handed.  But I think it worked well.

I think the island story was handled poorly.   This show for me was never about the soap opera, it was about the mystery of the island.  The island was the hook.  If I want emo-opera, I’ll watch Grey’s Anatomy (which I do).  The producers built this huge  jigsaw puzzle.  They showed us the corners

Fun with Power Tools

T’s been knocking it out of the park lately.   The last few Sundays have been stellar.

Okay, maybe that 5th panel of Hammy in Space on a T-shirt will sell.  Let’s try that.

Dilbert: Framework Process

Here’s one of about 400 RingTales Dilbert Animations.  We’ve been animating Dilbert for about three years now.  Over 100 million views online.   Check out more at babelgum.com.

A Bang, A Whimper, or a Foob-a-la, Foob-a-la?

Personally, I hope the world ends with a giggle.

Goodbye Mr. Bubble

Yesterday’s ‘Everybody Draw Mohammed Day’ was pretty quiet.   Our Big Mo cartoon got a larger than normal audience over at comics.com.  Lots of comments.  All positive.  Some, kinda silly positive.  Also, unfortunately, a couple of right-wing blogs mentioned us.  But on the whole no big deal.  No fatwas that I know of. Which is good.  I think we made our point and managed not to insult anyone.

I guess I won’t be joining Salman Rushdie in that bunker outside Omaha.

Or Boise.  Or maybe Tulsa.

Everybody Draw Mohammed Day

I wrote two versions of this and let T pick which one to draw.  The other version was similar, but more long-winded and over-explanatory.  T picked the right one.

Less is more.

Everybody Don’t Ask Me a Stupid Question Day

Every day is “Everybody Don’t Ask Me a Stupid Question Day,” yet it’s never celebrated by anyone other than me.

Doomed Warm-Blooded Bags of Obsolete Endoskeletal Goo

Another nice RingTales Hedge animation appearing exclusively on babelgum.com.

A shout out to local Austin acting talent Bill Wise who’s voicing RJ.   I met Bill when he was cast for the Austin Film Festival live reading of my screenplay, “Dead Serious.”  He did a great job on that and he’s doing a great job on this.

Everybody Annoy Verne As Much As Possible Day

“Look!  Webbed knees!,” is pretty funny.  I know it seems arrogant that the writer thinks his own stuff is funny, but you’ve got to understand that I wrote this a couple of weeks ago and then instantly forgot about it.   So, it’s fresh to me.  Which is the only nice thing about having UNtimely deadlines.

For those who care, we made it back home from Annapolis safe and mostly sound.  Sarah is all graduated.   Her adventure in trying to turn her liberal arts degree into a career has begun.   She’ll do fine.  She’s going to do some animation for us at RingTales this summer and also prepare her portfolio for graduate art school in a year.

It’s all good.

(Oh.  I’m going to send a check to Washington D.C. so they can make more than three signs directing you to Washington Reagan Airport.)

Everybody Kiss a Gnome Day

Gnome, like spleen is a funny word.  Something about the silent g.  But unlike spleen, gnome is both a funny word and a funny short, pointy-headed bearded person.   But what do they do exactly?  Guard gardens?  Act as spokes-gnomes for online travel sites?  Fill some unknown crucial role in the whole fairy/sub-dwarf fantasy world?  Here’s what wikipedia says about gmones:

A gnome /noʊm/^[1] is a fictional creature with origins in European mythology (particularly Renaissance magic and alchemy), later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature. Its characteristics have been reinterpreted to suit the needs of various story-tellers, but it is typically said to be a small, humanoid creature that lives underground.^[2]

Hmm…  sounds like a gnome is whatever we need it to be.  Which is kind of inconsiderate if you ask me.  Has anyone ever asked gnomes what they think of being our fantasy slaves?  Aren’t they endowed by their creator with certain in inalienable rights?  Like the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of not being peed on by near-sighted dogs?

FREE THE GNOMES!  KISS THE GNOMES!*

*But not after they’ve just put their face on.