"Working my way back..."

I was writing an e-mail to one of my DZC partners and it prompted me to post. You all, those who are left anyway, haven't heard from me in a month. Not good.

I have been busy (that's my excuse) just not doing much on the creative side. I'm still working on my two novels, though I've hit a wall with the most complete one.
I've been sketching with more focus, essentially trying to get my doodles to look a bit more polished.
The other thing I've been trying to do is read in my spare time. It actually helps me get creative; hopefully I'm not stealing ideas, just getting hints on how to handle problems in my own books. I got through a good thriller called "Black Water Rising" by Attica Locke in about a month; still trying to finish up "Fortress of Solitude" by Jonathan Lethem, which I've been working on for like two years! In the mean I've read an Indiana Jones novel by Rob McGregor and got about half-way through "The Corner of Bitter and Sweet" by Jamie Ford. Nostalgia got me a few months back and I started reading/re-reading some old comics from back in the day, Spectacular Spidey, Marvel Team-Up and Cage.

Otherwise, most of my time has been trying to get some house stuff done (plant grass/water lawn) and check out a playoff game when it's on (I don't have TNT or VS). I also took on a new post at work, as community outreach guy, basically sort of the local p.r. person. And I've been spending longer hours at the paper with people gone on vacations and furloughs.

In comics related news, CCS has let me know I can come back in the fall to finish up my degree. However, the loan program I had taken out with them before is no longer offered; Sallie Mae stopped it due to the recession. BUT ... school has another loan program with a local bank, so here's hoping they'll give me the money.

And I did start this post out by mentioning me and my partner are deciding which DZC comics project to start on. So, look's like I'm emerging from my winter cocoon. Hopefully you'll hear more from me more often.