Mr. Twinkles in 'Best of Breed'...

I've noticed that if I type a random word into Google's Image Search field (almost any word will do) I'll get at least one picture of someone's pet. Cats and dogs, of course, make up the majority of these search results, but it's not uncommon to find amusing pictures of peoples' rabbits, ferrets, horses, parrots, what-have-you. Today I stumbled across some Guinea Pigs.
I had no idea that Guinea Pigs came in such a variety of breeds, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You can get American Boars or Sows, Satins, Peruvians, and Skinnys (which are all hairless, I think). Many of them have also been blessed with fantastic names, my favourites of which are GlimmerBoy and Vandah Black Crusader. I'm not making this shit up.
Anyway, I chuckled like an ass for a solid forty minutes or so and was inspired to assemble this stupidity.

Clearly, my time is precious.

Gallery Update

I've been playing with Painter 8 again and I think I'm finally becoming familiar with (or at least less frightened of) the nuances of its interface and toolset. Now all I need is a bigger Wacom Tablet.
I've updated my gallery with a couple of sketches I did in Painter today (it's so much fun I might make this a daily ritual) along with some older natural media pieces I did a few years back.
Enjoy...

Your Mac Life Interview

Hi. My name is Karl and I'm a macoholic. I'm one of those nuts you read about in all the tech magazines who frightens off women and children and house pets with all sorts of Apple-related news and conversation.

No, I've actually got the evangelizing under control and my policy is to no longer discuss mac stuff with anyone unless I'm specifically asked about it or the conversation somehow leads there. Because, well, it's a little creepy and sick.
Luckily for me, I've been asked to be a guest on my favourite internet radio show, Your Mac Life, hosted by the lovely and talented Mr. Shawn King. I recently drew three issues of Superman (Action Comics #811, Adventures of Superman #624, and Superman #201, all on the shelves this month) in which I idly included some references to the show in the background, along with several Apple computers, (because Metropolis should be setting a good example, right?), and as it turns out, Shawn is a Superman fan.
So if you're interested in hearing me talk about comics and mac stuff (my two great passions), tune into the show on January 28th at 8:15 PM (CST) by visiting www.yourmaclife.com and following the simple QuickTime instructions.
It's a really fun show, regardless of my presence, so dial in and listen!

UPDATE: I'll be giving away a Superman sketch to one lucky listener on Wednesday's show. Brush up on your Superman trivia!

UPDATE 2: If you missed the show, you can listen to the archived file by downloading the mp3 or the slightly larger, but infinitely cooler AAC file!

UPDATE 3: The finished Superman sketch

Alas...Earwax

I have been stricken deaf in both ears - at least, partially.
While swimming in Tobago I dared to do several loops, somersaults and sundry aquatic acrobatics (aquobatics?) as is my wont in private swimming pools. I paid the price with my hearing. The water drained from my ears pretty quickly, within minutes, I'd say, but it churned up enough ungodly wax to coat my inner ears and obstruct the canal. I remain in this predicament. It's been nearly four days.
Let me say, for anyone who has taken any of their senses for granted (which is pretty nearly everyone, I suppose), that losing one's hearing, even partially, is an experience not to be dealt with lightly. I am effectively removed from any meaningful conversation, as I can only just make out deadened sentences - like listening through a gun muffler - and I find myself longing for the loving embrace of sleep, where at least my dreams are at full volume. The nights, however, are the worst. I lie in bed, fidgeting every so often with one ear or the other in an attempt to loosen or jostle a bit of wax into a more advantageous position, which, if it works at all, lasts for exactly three seconds before I hear it close up like a spiteful sponge. When I force myself to lie still, the only thing I can listen to is my own breathing, which seems oddly shallow and unhealthy. Anxiety sets in. I roll over and then back again. I get up. I have a glass of water. I look out the window into the tropical darkness, which never manages to be very dark at all, but beautiful and duskily cloudy. I look at the clock. I sit for a bit. Still breathing. I go to the bathroom and look at myself. I go back to bed. Morning awaits with a new flavour of hell.
Melodramatic, no?

I have an appointment tomorrow with an ear, nose and throat specialist. All my hopes ride on this...

DWI

I've discovered, after extensive research, that I really enjoy drinking alcohol in a moving automobile.
Here in Trinidad it is not illegal (at least, I've been told that it's not, and it certainly isn't enforced) to "booze up" as it were, while driving, unless of course, you are the driver, in which case it is absolutely illegal.
Still not enforced, though.
I have it on good authority that a couple of drinks makes a Trini a better driver, being that he is now slightly under the influence and thus more careful.
I will miss this insanity.