Okay, somebody went into the washroom here, locked the door to one of the stalls, and then scooted under the walls. Weird. Haven't seen that little trick since high school.

I'll get back to the Con-Version report a bit later. I didn't realize how much junk I had to say about it. So we'll talk about my crappy work habits, and some of the things that distract me from doing my job.

I have a little pattern of junk that I work through every day during my coffee breaks, my lunch hour, and the minutes when my computer is processing an image and I've nothing to do but wait (I am the king of the Alt-Tab maneuver). I go through online journals, message boards, entertainment news, comedy and satire sites, and of course...

Online comics.

Online comics are my favorite. Three panels, a quick chuckle, and then on to the next one. Sure, I read the perennial favorites, like Dilbert, Doonesbury, Over the Hedge and such, but these days it's the web-only comics that really shine.

Goats. Kevin and Kell. PvP. Sluggy Freelance. User Friendly. Bruno. Elf Life. Sinfest. Melonpool. They shamelessly break the fourth wall, parody and lampoon syndicated strips, flash bits of nudity, have sweeping story arcs that last months at a time, stretch the boundaries of style and form, and make you laugh, cry, or think. Every day. The revolution in comics is here, baby.

Don't forget Zot! Online, of course, from Scott McCloud, the man who is determined to revolutionize the entire comic book industry.

Anyway, these are people who are not making any money, beyond what they eke out of banner hits and merchandise, which usually only pay for their hosting fees. They are doing it generally out of love, or a desire to tell their story. They haunt their message boards, watching for criticism and input, working to improve their craft and get more readers.

Go read some. You'll find it an experience.

Comics! Comics! Comics!

What was that about the Tyrrell?

Talk about something from your wild past.

Take me home, big fella