THE SIMPSONS NEWS
I’m doing Storyboard revisions on Lance’s show this week. All the other storyboard artists on the show were too busy to help, so they asked me to do it. I’m so happy they did because I’m having so much fun doing it. I’m enjoying going to work again. Doing the same thing over and over for sixteen years tends to get old after a while so doing a different job all together tend to be refreshing. I’ve found myself very focused on what I’m doing. Storyboard revisions can be tedious or fun depending on how much creativity your allowed. It’s an interesting challenge because you’re trying to adjust shots or add shots to an existing show so that they run seamlessly into each other. It’s also challenging working out shots from scratch because your trying to find the best way to tell the story or the joke while working out how to put them all together like a jigsaw puzzle. It’s so fun!
ROLE PLAYING GAMES
Urge to role play…rising….
For my birthday, my compadres (my daugher’s Godparents) got me Star Hero, a table top Role Playing Game (RPG) setting book for the HERO System RPG . It’s funny because they got it off my Amazon.com wish list 
and had no idea what it was for. Star Hero is a book that helps you run a game in any sci fi universe that you come up with. Thing is, getting and reading this book has inadvertently rekindled my table top RPG itch.
What is a table top RPG? The simples way to describe it is, it’s like playing pretend with your friends with rules. Some people like to do Live Action Role Playing (LARP), which is like improve theater, but most people just sit around a table and play it like a board game. Role playing was invented by E. Gary Gygax (who just recently died a few days ago) and Dave Arneson. They were miniatures wargamers. They where the ones who invented the famous (or infamous, depending on who you speak to) Dungeons & Dragons RPG and in doing so, invented RPGs.
When I was in high school my friends introduced me to RPGs through my love of comics. My friends and I played superhero RPGs where we created superheros and played out adventures with them. It was so fun. We had these really involved back stories written up for our characters and it really felt like a giant collaborative story we were all coming up with. It was my first introduction to creative writing and story telling. Since the games took place in our imaginations, they all seemed so much larger than life to me. The system we used to play these games was what is now called the HERO System but at the time was just called Champions .
Getting the Star Hero book really brought back memories. It also made me want to start up a game. Problem with playing RPGs is that they requires a lot of work and a lot of time to play (a minimum of about three hours to play and at least a day to prepare) if you want to get the most out of it. Otherwise you get a lack luster game that feels kinda shallow and dissatisfying. Still, it made me want to play anyway.
BOARD GAMES/VIDEO GAMES
I’ve been playing a play-by-web game of Chase over on the Super Duper games website against someone I don’t know and I’m having a really good time playing it. My opponent is really nice and helpful but he isn’t holding back at all and is just working me over. I really recommend the site, it has all kinds of abstract games you can play. The best part about it is that you can play them on your own time. It’s been a week since the game started and I’ve been making a move a day. It’s great! I get an email whenever it’s my turn, I click on the link in the email, and it sends me straight to the game board on the site so I could make my move. I feel like I’m playing a game without having to spend much time doing it.
Of course, like it always happens to me, I get all obsessive about the game, thinking about it all the time and worrying whether the move I made isn’t going to get me into more trouble. I’m so lame about these things.
ANSWERING COMMENTS
Maria wrote:
Well, it’s clear to me that you are really a cartoon interrupted by reality. Those poor guys need a life, too.
Have you given any thought to any number of podcasted novels? My friend Rob Suarez wrote one which I am enjoying, called Murder by Design. His site also has links to the novels he listens to: http://robsuarez.blogspot.com/
Happy Birthday Maria! I should have written that on your blog but I’ll do you one better and recommend everyone to go to your blog and say happy birthday. Also, I read the post named, Oh! The humanity! it’s really great.
Speaking of great posts, Maria also wrote an article for Rosary Army called The Family that Plays Together… It’s about board games and I love it. Oh, and by the way, when you’re at her site, be sure to pick up one of her books. I just ordered Darknet this Monday. Can’t wait to read it.
Thank you for the book suggestion Maria, I downloaded the first two chapters.
Yelda van Eijk wrote:
Wow, I can so relate to your obsessions-story. I never imagined that another person could have that same ‘issue’, if I may call it like that. My obsessions are throughout the year, not just when I’m very stressed -or maybe I am always stressed :). I used to play Everquest as well (Taoni, halfling druid) and I played Guild Wars for a while. At the moment I am in the middle of my ‘Rome’-obsession. I watch the TV series, I read books about it, I listen to podcasts about it. I try to emerge myself in that world. I don’t have it at work though. Since I work in a photoshop, I can’t help customers while laughing out loud from Fr Roderick’s jokes 
It is so great to hear from another person that he also lives ‘inside his head’. I thought it was just me and that it made me very weird. Well, maybe it does. But at least I’m not alone anymore 
Thanks for the comment Yelda. My obsessions are throughout the year as well only they go into overdrive when I’m stressed.
Yeah, in Everquest I played a halfling cleric named Sammo. It took over my life. It was awful, I promised myself I’d never play a MMORPG again and so far I’ve kept that promise somewhat intact (although I once played Flyff for about thirty minutes or so.)
As for the Rome HBO show, my wife and I enjoy that show very much as well. We are currently watching Disk 2 of Season 2. Both the show and your comment set off my “Catholicism obsession” so bare with me.
While watching the show, it’s very cool to see how different Roman people behaved in a pre-Christian world. It’s interesting to see how the pursuit of pleasure and power was something that was encouraged. It gives great context to the world Jesus was born into. It also really makes you realize how radical his teachings must have sounded. In a world were helping people who are sick or in need, who aren’t your friends or family, is seen as a sign of weakness, to have Jesus do so, must have been crazy. It also shows how alien the Romans must have looked at the Jews who held to the Commandment, “Though shall not commit adultery”. It seems that, adultery was one of the things the Romans also encouraged. Then, of course, along comes Jesus and shocks both Jews and Romans by raising the bar still higher by saying:
27 You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery. 28 But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart. ”
Mathew 5: 27-28 (DOUAY-RHEIMS Bible)
They must have felt as angry, indignant and upset as even our modern society does, where lust is used to sell everything. Above all, they seemed to really love to get revenge for every slight done against them. Then of course Jesus comes along and says:
27 But I say to you that hear: Love your enemies. Do good to them that hate you. 28 Bless them that curse you and pray for them that calumniate you. 29 And to him that striketh thee on the one cheek, offer also the other. And him that taketh away from thee thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also. 30 Give to every one that asketh thee: and of him that taketh away thy goods, ask them not again. 31 And as you would that men should do to you, do you also to them in like manner. 32 And if you love them that love you, what thanks are to you? For sinners also love those that love them. 33 And if you do good to them who do good to you, what thanks are to you? For sinners also do this. 34 And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thanks are to you? For sinners also lend to sinners, for to receive as much. 35 But love ye your enemies: do good, and lend, hoping for nothing thereby: and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the sons of the Highest. For he is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
Luke 6 27-36 (DOUAY-RHEIMS Bible)
They must of thought he was nuts. Hmmm, come to think of it, there are many places in the world today that are trying to rid themselves of these teachings, in order to become more like the Romans.
Writing about this stuff reminds me of a quote from G.K. Chesterton :
“The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people.” – ILN, 7/16/10
He also said:
“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.” – Chapter 5, What’s Wrong With The World, 1910
If you’re obsessed with Rome, I encourage you to read the works of a famous African Roman who had a fascinating Roman life. My uncle August, (A.K.A. St. Augustine of Hippo) . His autobiography, The Confessions is just amazing. He wrote about how he ran away from his mother (who chased after him) as he traveled through out the Roman world, sleeping around with women, and seeking out wisdom from all the famous Philosophers of his day only to find it in the most unlikely place. After finding wisdom, he then wrote about how he saw the Roman world around him. An incident with one of his best friends and his addiction to the blood lust in the Colosseum comes to mind. It’s an amazing book. It’s part theological analysis of the universe and God, and part autobiographical adventure. While I’m on the subject. I also recommend The City of God, which is also by St. Augustine, but this one is his analysis as to why Rome fell (which he lived through). I’ve provided links to the free versions of both books above if you want to read them right away. Just click on the underlined names.
Phew, had to get that off my chest. Sorry. Thanks for baring with me and thanks again for the comments
leah wrote:
Luis, thanks for sharing about your obsessive-thing. I go through phases when I’m really focused on (okay, obsessed with) one thing, too, and I’ll spend all my free time amassing all the info I can get. Until I read your post today, though, I didn’t connect those phases with being under stress, but now I can totally see that. Thanks – that makes a lot of sense for me and is a very helpful insight!
I’m also very introverted and have a hard time coming out of myself in social situations. I find that what I really need to do is focus on developing a genuine interest in other people – each other person is another “self”, another human being with all the dignity and value that entails. Ask them about themselves, see what they are interested in, what their world is like. It can be fascinating and is a great way to get out of the inward-focused interior life I find myself in so often.
Wow, thank you so much for the insight Leah. I think the key word in what you wrote is, “developing a genuine interest in other people”. That is exactly what I need to work on. I’m the most self centered person I know (which shows how interested I am in other people, if I haven’t talked to anyone who is more self centered). Being married and having kids is helping me out with this problem because it’s awfully difficult to stay self centered and still care for them at the same time. Still, it’s a struggle I face everyday. I’ve definitely taken your insight to heart and it’s helped me out a great deal in the last few days. Thank you.
By the way, I’ve been meaning to post this link for some time. It’s an article I read about introverts that really hit home for me. It’s called: Caring for Your Introvert. Take a read and let me know what you think.
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Nephilim Skeletons again, Superhero geekness.
March 27, 2008 in ANSWERING COMMENTS, Nephilim Skeletons, SUPERHEROES, THE SIMPSONS NEWS
THE SIMPSONS NEWS
Not much to tell about work today. Just continuing to do layout revisions on act II of show 17.
I did go to the comic store this Wednesday with my friends though. I saw Bruce Timm buying comic there again…speaking of Bruce Timm…lets talk about…
SUPERHEROES
I’m such a huge Superhero GEEK. Man, I loooovve superheroes. I love their comic and their animated shows too. The animated shows have been great since the first season of the WB Bruce Timm animated Batman TV show. I’ve recently become aware that there’s a new Spiderman cartoon out right now. The Spectacular Spiderman. I love it. It’s great! The designs are interesting. Very pushed and very very very cartoony. It’s well written, fun and funny too. Me likey! Takes me back to the days when I used to read the comic. I also like the fact that he’s still in high school in this show. I never liked the fact they took him out of high school so fast in the movies. It makes for better drama if he has to deal with teenager things while being a superhero. Here’s a bit from an episode. Enjoy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPUKJhhmDnw
If it doesn’t load, click here.
Another show that has caught my interest, is the second season of Legion of Superheroes. I caught a few episodes of the first season and I liked it. The superheroes in the show are really young and the writing is skewed for a younger audience so it wasn’t as mature as other animated Superhero shows I’ve watched. Still, I liked the designs and it had Superman in it so I can’t complain. Season two of Legion of Superheroes looks like it’s changing the formula a little bit. The heroes, while still young, are actually quite a bit older. The story telling is still a bit shallow but if you like super fights, you won’t be disappointed. I saw the first two episodes and it seemed that all they did was fight in the show. Again, I’m not going to complain, it’s got Superman in it. In fact it has TWO Supermans. The show has invented a new Superman character called Superman X. A clone of Superman from the 41st Century (the Legion is from the 31st). Imagine a Superman with the personality of Batman and a few extra powers for good measure and you get Superman X. He’s actually kinda cool. All the flaws of Batman and all the powers of Superman makes for an interesting character. Here’s a bit of the first episode from the second season.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOBJIrm5dnY
If it doesn’t load, click here
It’s funny but the Superman X design reminds me a little of Tom Welling, who plays Clark Kent on the Smallville television show. To show you what I mean, here’s a clip of one of my all time favorite Smallville moments (if you haven’t seen the show, the woman with Clark is his mother Martha and the bald guy on the plane is Lex Luthor):
If it doesn’t load, click here
You might be thinking that I’m making it up when I say that I’ve seen animated Superhero shows that were a bit more mature than Legion of Superheroes. I’m not. The Bruce Timm produced animated Superhero shows where actually really well written and some shows had entire seasons that where mindbogglingly good. Here’s an example from one of my three favorite Batman episodes from the first season of the WB (not the Fox) Batman animated show. From the moment this episode began, I was glued to my TV but when it got to this point in the story, my jaw hit the floor:
If it doesn’t load, click here
Of course there is plenty of mindless fighting in these animated shows too but they are so much more satisfying when they have a long story behind them. For example, the Bruce Timm produced Superman animated show introduced Darkseid into the animated show continuity. During the next three seasons of the Superman animated show he became Superman’s number one enemy to get under his skin. Darkseid did some terrible things to Superman. The Justice League and Justice League Unlimited shows, continued the Darkseid story line using the Superman animated show as part of it’s continuity. This gave the animosity that Superman felt for Darkseid a great history. So when he shows up one final time, Superman takes off the kid gloves. Here’s a small clip of what happens:
If it doesn’t load, click here
These moments are great pay offs for fans of the show who’ve watched the shows from the first season of the WB Animated Batman, all the way through to the last Cartoon Network Justice League Unlimited episodes (because they tell one big story). I highly recommend them. If you love Superheroes and you haven’t seen these animated shows, rent or buy them. They’re worth it.
NEPHILIM SKELETONS
By far the most popular post I have on this blog is the one called Nephilim skeletons, writer’s strike offspring, Munchkin goes to work.
It’s because of the Nephilim Skeleton pictures on it. I’ve gotten a few comments about the pictures I’ve put up. One of them in particular pointed out something about this picture:
Which I was using to disprove this one:
This is how it read:
I took a look at what he was saying and I thought he was right. At first I thought that the area might be lit by two different light sources but I rid myself of that idea. If you notice how cast shadows fall in a situation with two different light sources, you will notice that you get double shadows. Ever been in a stadium at night with the flood lights making everyone cast three or four cast shadows? Also, if you were to walk between two lit lamp posts at night you cast two shadows.
Thing is, the posts don’t have two shadows so either this photo is fake and the person who manipulated it did a lousy job or something else is going on.
Upon closer inspection I’ve found that the later is true. Something else is going on. This photo is not fake and here’s why. As an artist, I work with shadows a lot. I observe and draw the world around me a lot. I’ve often seen that reality seems to do some strange things when you observe it from certain angles. Often, an artist is drawing something and it looks odd from his perspective so he changes reality and makes it consistent so it doesn’t look like they’ve made a mistake. Many times, I’ve had drawing teachers that have told me to do so, so that a drawing reads better. If I was to draw that photo I would probably change the way the cast shadow falls so it would look right.
The truth is, the reason the shadow looks wrong, is because of our vantage point. The posts sticking out of the ground, give the impression that they are all sticking straight up, but what if they are not? If they are not and one of the posts is leaning to one side, then that means the cast shadow of that post is going to fall different than all the others, even though from above that post looks like it’s sticking straight up. This is why I still think the picture is real.
If my terribly, crappy drawing above isn’t enough to convince you, then test it out yourself. Take a pencil or pen, a lamp or a flash light and go to a table. Prop the pencil or pen straight up and shine the light on it so that it casts a shadow. Note how the shadow falls. Now, lean the pen or pencil to the right or to the left without leaning it toward or away from the light. Note how the shadow falls. Problem solved.
There was another comment I would like to respond to that went like this:
Don’t know anything about Lou Dobbs but I will say this about the photo he’s referring to, you can clearly see the remnants of the original photograph in the doctored photograph. I’ll show you what I mean:
I would love it if these skeletons where actually found and that these photographs were real, but the truth is that, (at least this one photo) is not. It’s some sort of prank. Sorry. [EDIT: I’ve just been informed that the this photo was made specifically for a Photoshop contest. It won third place. This is the site for the contest: Worth1000.com. They’ve got other weird Photoshoped photos there.]
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