vert-is-ninja

I totally had this dream last night where I asked you guys on DA what conventions you would suggest going to, and then I woke up and was all 'GOSH SO WEIRD' and once I had breakfast and coffee I started realizing this wasn't a bad idea.

Gee golly, thanks subconscious!!

Anyhow, I have a few cons already lined up in my mind, but I also wanted to expand my horizons and not just repeat the ones I did last year (plus I like seeing new places!). I am going to try to pick my cons very carefully and make a smart schedule this year (meaning err, 2011!) as last year I ended up doing everything last minute and being weirded out and sick the entire time (which sucked). So planning ahead for me this year!

What cons would you suggest? I am kind of looking for conventions in these regions (but am also open to anything):

Seattle, Chicago, New York <<(really need a con in New York cos of a friend, so help me out here! <33)

I know people have mentioned it several times that they'd like me to go to a con in Canada and England (you guys are so sweet!) and boy WOULD I LOVE TO but I am not sure next year I'll have the finances to do that, but we'll see! I imagine Canada is much easier to manage than England (though overseas, nnghhh sounds so lovely!) Life is surprising sometimes! Never know where you are in a year from now.

I still don't know how many cons I am going to. Five was pretty rough on me this year, but probably with some better planning I can avoid the mega-stress I put upon myself. Plus, I was practically a con virgin last year so I was constantly bewildered. Now I have some experience under my belt! But I realized that when I try to look up cons I don't even know what they're like and there's like a CON EVERYDAY SOMEWHERE, so I figured you guys know the convention scene better than me.

I mean, you have to. I don't know it at all! Thanks so much in advance for your help!!

Dear San Jose,

You are pretty awesome, did you know that? Your weather is pretty freaking fantastic because I can leave the windows open all day. I can also walk into (almost) any random mom & pop owned restaurant and it will be pretty tasty. I can walk around your streets and not feel like I am a huge inconvenience to everybody on the road (and universe), and I can actually GET places instead of walk around in a big circle in a suburbia neighborhood.

But also your stores are crazy. I am used to every store I shopped at feeling like a zombie apocalypse. If you bumped into ONE other person that was crraaazyyy unsual and usually they were plastered up against the other side of the aisle like you had some sort of disease. Personal space was not a problem in Texas.

Now I bump into everybody else all the time and if I am trying to pick a fruit someone runs me over and picks one out over my unconscious body. I am sort of exaggerating, but you get what I mean, don't you San Jose? I guess this means that I am going to have to learn to get really good at elbowing so I can pick my fruit in peace. I am only halfway kidding.

I would go on more about you San Jose, but I'm sorry I have to excuse myself because a new Alan Wake episode was released and yes, I do have a fictional crush on this guy. Why? Don't ask. I am not even sure.

With love,
Tess

I am aware the 4DE books are taking a painstakingly long time to get to people. I really really apologize for this. I wish circumstances were different and there's nothing I want more than you guys to get what you paid for (and more, if I could help it). The best I can suggest is to ask questions with 4DE and if they are not able to get back to you, I understand your concern and your desire to cancel the order. I am not encouraging this, but I understand 100% and if I were in your position I would do the same.

I am not in this to make a million dollars. If you guys can't feel confident that you're going to get the books, I am more concerned that you feel safer with the money and possibly have another chance to get the book some other time if you even still would like it. There are going to be other chances to get sketches from me, I promise. I wish I could help each of you more individually, but I have no access to the orders or anything of the like.

I do know that 4DE is backlogged (which means they will be shipped, it is just taking time) and they are trying to get them out as soon as they can. They (and I with sketches) were overwhelmed, but regardless of circumstances, this is not about me or about 4DE. This is about you.

Please don't worry about me, or feel bad cancelling the order. This is your money, your purchase, and in the end whatever happens I want what's best for you. And I mean this in the most serious, genuine way.

Again I'm sorry it's gone so badly, and I wish to make it up to you, so I will do my best to keep Hanna running full of updates and get some freebies on the way because Hanna was really all about sharing in the beginning. You know I love you much!

So San Jose is still pretty awesome. I'm still truckin' along through life, and finding my artistic feet again, if you will, so things are feelin' pretty up. Still overwhelmed with notes and messages, so I'm slow to get to them but I'm doing my best!

Our furniture finally got to our apartment and it feels like a PLACE now. I'm pretty happy with it. It's nice and small and cozy. Also this is the first time since I was a kid that I'm sleeping on a top bunk and I have to say I truly dig it. And the space it saves!

Hanna is sort of fiddling with his facebook and I'm kind of working on a site re-haul and a strip, and a surprise for everyone for Halloween. I know it seems like I'm doing nothing these days but I promise the wheels have been turning on Hanna behind the scenes (maybe slowly) but surely.

I realized at some point the other day that Hanna will probably make zombie watch Hocus Pocus with him on Halloween, because that's good wholesome fun. And Hanna is twelve. Buuuuut we knew the later bit already, right? I'm sure he is just waiting excitedly for a chance to meet a witch that looks like Bette Midler. It will never happen, but in Hannaland it juuuuuust might.

Have a great Halloween guys...it's my favorite time of year! Who cares if it's commercial? It's the only time of the year you can get bat-shaped sprinkles and thus is a great time of year for me.

So there's a ton of things going on with me, so let's get this going, yeah?

I MOVED!

I'm now living in San Jose. I had to do a very rush move right after Dragon*Con which has made everything bumpier and slower. But it's great! I have never lived out of Texas, I won't lie, but California so far is treating me fabulously. I really love how you can walk around and it's always 70 degrees every day, all the time. That's fabulous! Tired of the Texas heat so it seemed appropriate for me.

I don't know many people out here, but I am still loving it. Today was the first day we got internet (which is AWESOME), so things are going more smoothly in that regard.

LUDO IS FUCKING AWESOME, BUT YOU KNOW THAT RIGHT?

Some of you already have kept me posted on how Ludo linked me! It's cos they're bad ass. And in turn, I ask you : Have you bought Prepare the Preparations? If you haven't, you should. And if you don't know who Ludo is, then I suggest that you should by checking out one of their videos. Not your cup of tea? That's okay, because you can rest assured that even if you don't totally jam out to their music that they're also incredible people.

I did get to hang out with them in Sacramento and I was a lucky fool for it. The concert was great, and I even got to meet some awesome people who dig the comic there, so thank you! I apologize if I seemed tired at the time. I feel tired a lot of the time. But I love you, I swear!

I feel the whole Ludo things deserves more of a comprehensive post but maybe when I feel like my head's on straight, haha.

ME, MYSELF, AND I

I always feel random ass and like a douche for posting shit like this (again) on the internet but I feel like it's relevant. I'm really trying to keep up with Hanna updates and everything with Hanna on my side in general, but the honest to god truth is that I'm not doing very horribly well right now. You don't need to worry about me or anything because I will be 100% fine! I just realize that in the past I did my best to respond to people and be very active and well, I posted a hell of a lot more than I did right now. I've got a lot of sorting in my brain going on, and I know that my last post was a touch on the creative side of that, but I want to reassure anyone who thinks I'm quitting or that Hanna is no more that it's totally not true. There's a lot of real life situations presenting itself to me and I'm having to take care of them first in order to ensure that Hanna can be taken care of as soon as it's possible.

LAST THINGS

I really miss you guys and I appreciate you all for being patient with me. I know I say it about every time I post or update, but I really cannot stress it enough. I am aware the 4DE books are taking a long while to get to everyone so how awesome you guys are all being is just phenomenal. I cannot apologize enough, and I sincerely wish I could change the circumstances. Again, I can't help you with the merch info at all but the guys at 4DE can. Just hit them up at their site or at Team4D. If you have e-mailed me, or noted me or anything I haven't been able to check, and sadly I would not be able to help you at all, so please feel free to contact the people at 4DE. I owe you all like a hug, a coffee. A casual date, yeahhh. Hahaha.

I'm so sorry.