Assorted Online Shenanigans - Brought to You by Coffee!

November went by really fast...because, let's face it, I needed to take a break

One of the great things about leaving Chicago TARDIS is that my Thanksgiving was a bit calm....but I was dealing with a lot. I talk about it here - as well as The Witchhunters - for the Who 37 Doctor Who Podcast.

As for the "taking-a-break"  part, well...earlier in November I suffered a serious case of caregiver burnout, but I recovered in time for Family Caregiver Month.

Huzzah! I have a sponsor on my Patreon page! Please come to join him!

Finally, here's video from my October Deep Dish reading at Volumes Cafe:

Join Me For...A MONTH OF LETTERS

I'll be honest...I've been feeling isolated. Much of it was due to the flu, but I've realized that I tend to spend more time in front of a keyboard. I miss the joy of putting pen to paper and reaching out...and in February, I plan to rectify that.

I'm participating in A Month of Letters Challenge - every day, I have to mail at least one piece. That's it - could be a letter, package, or something that isn't business. Yes, it starts tomorrow, but at some point...things will run out.

Which is why, I'm asking those who are interested in receiving a piece of mail from me (letter, card, etc) to please send me your address via http://www.postable.com/gordondymowski or my website contact page.

And yes, you can mail me back. Thanks! 

Support the Blog via Amazon Prime Day

Well, you're probably wondering if there's a way you can help support the blog, other than Patreon (which, as of this post, doesn't exist).

There actually is - today is Amazon Prime Day, where you can sign up for free and get huge deals. Plus, if you click the graphic below and sign up/purchase stuff....I get a small percentage. (That's right - I'm an Amazon Affiliate)

More blogging goodness is coming your way!

Today's Comic Marketing Lesson

One of the things many companies don't realize is that, when it comes to advertising, they should know their audience.

Great example, in the 1940s, you would see ads like this in comics everywhere....

Don't believe me - download any of the free CBR files (and here's freeware for reading CBR files) from the Digital Comic Museum.

And that was today's lesson in marketing.

I'm Not Sure What's Sadder

The fact that this was once sold to kids and adolescents everywhere....

...or the fact that I would have worn something like this in high school.

Seriously.

Pausing for a Moment

Just a heads up - family health issues have been keeping me busy; hence the post NaBloPoMo drought.

Working on my Chicago Now post to (hopefully) go up tomorrow.

Sunday will bring the last of the Doctor Who reviews.

And besides Mondays with Columbo, have a great idea for a semi-regular post.

Until then, keep the faith.

Ask Gordon Anything - The Extension!

Remember when I encouraged all of you to ask me questions?

That was before I realized that I would be a bit busy with work search activities (and that I would need to promote this more), so you have until Sunday, September 6th to ask me anything.

E-mail me. Tweet me @gordondym. Reach out via Facebook. Leave a comment.

Thanks, and trust me - more blogging shenanigans are on their way!

Cleaning Out the Notebook

Nope, I haven't been sleeping or ignoring the blog - quite the contrary.

Seeing an uptick in work with a potential new client, which has meant that a variety of projects have been pushed to the forefront....and the blog has taken a back burner.

No problem, no big issue, but here's what you can expect from the blog in the next few weeks:

• A review of Doctor Who: Deep Breath in glorious full screen!
• The second annual Cheapskate Film Festival!
• Gratutious jokes and whining!
• More stuff!

And yes, I'll be pumping out content this week - have a bunch of deadlines which are coming up, and quite frankly....with one or two more freelance clients, that means I can get back to a regular posting schedule. 

Join Me On Thursday for Chicago Geek Breakfast!

For those of you wishing to have an up-close, personal encounter and/or wanting a non-traditional networking event....this should be of interest.

One of my many newish extracurricular activities is organizing the monthly Chicago Geek Breakfast, and the kickoff breakfast will be this Thursday, March 13th at 7:30 am at the Wow Bao located at 225 N. Michigan (just look behind the escalators on the ground floor). Click on the link above for the three rules of Geek Breakfast (namely, it's free to come, but you're responsible for food/tax/gratuity; you're welcome to Tweet, but with the #chicagogeekbreakfast hashtag; and we don't take sponsorships).

Please feel free to RSVP via Eventbrite (you can choose more than one breakfast), and you can follow @ChiGeekBreakfst on Twitter.

Thanks, and hope to see you there!

Upcoming Important Personal Appearance Pulp Announcement

Just a heads-up, I'll be running at panel at this year's Windy City Pulp and Paper convention - details can be found here.

(Here's hoping that it doesn't interfere too much with C2E2 - both are on the same weekend)

And now, preparing for Snomageddon: 2014 - Phase Two. Writing story for publication in the summer. Freelance work. And waiting news on publication (got an early heads-up, but want to wait for details)

Surviving Snowmaggedon - Insert Obligatory Johnny Carson Reference Here

Courtesy of Red Eye Chicago, and posted by pal Elliott via Facebook. The answer to the question, "Well just how cold was it in Chicago on Monday?"
Cold enough that bottled water froze in seconds.

To East Coast pals like Roger - keep warm and stay safe.

Coming Alive in the Dead of Winter

Never have I experienced such a productive post-New Year's period in my entire life....

Shortly before the holiday, I signed a contract for some part-time marketing work for a startup downstate. (It's short-term, and I'm still seeking work, but it's been a great character builder). Working on a story for publication....copy edited another story....and found out that another story may be released as a single e-book as well as part of an anthology.

Spent New Year's with a friend who I haven't seen in awhile....spent the holidays with Mom....and currently, playing catch-up and building up steam.

It's also meant making some well-needed changes in my life, and on that end...I'm stepping down as organizer of Net2Chi/Net Tuesday at the end of January. As someone who was there very early on, I leave with mixed feelings....and yes, both my cat's my friend's passing had a lot to do with it.

But it's something I'm starting to realize (or even "re-realize", if there is such a word) - life is too short to waste time. When I hear colleagues talk about how people should have reached out to them....I simply shake my head and realize that I should be doing the reaching. Focusing on my own interests - balanced with concern and care for others - isn't just a good idea; it's what allows me to enjoy life thoroughly.

Things aren't easy....but they're easier. I'm feeling much more centered and focused that I have been throughout much of 2013.

Even in the harshest of winters, spring can still emerge, and a person can come alive in the dead of winter.

I'm living proof of that.

5 Things I'm Planning To Do New Year's Day

Yes, tomorrow is the beginning of a whole new year, and I'm prepping for New Year's Eve festivities tonight after two years of inactivity. (To be honest - one year involved wading in self-pity, the other was due to falling asleep early). So in that spirit, to close out the blog for 2013, here are my plans to spend tomorrow (other than sleep and possibly shovel snow):

1. Marx Brothers Marathon - In my younger days, I would stay up to catch the odd showing of a Marx Brothers film on local television. Thanks to the miracle of modern technology - and ownership of all of the Marx's films - I'll be spending the day laughing and enjoying myself.
2. Writing and editing - I have one story that I am writing due in February, the other I will be copyediting for publication. In addition, I may also receive news of other stories that need to be taken care of. My writing career will be off to a pretty interesting start.
3. Job Seeking and Freelance Work - I am doing contract social media work for a site looking to match home builders and home buyers (Drop me a line privately if you want more information); since this is only part time, I'll also be spending some time looking for other work. (My Linked In profile isn't going to update itself, you know.
4. Catch Up on Reading - this will be how I spend my morning, since I have a nice pile of magazines, review copies, and assorted other material to catch up with, and finally....
5. Relax With a Full Pot of Coffee - this is how I usually begin each day; sitting quietly and meditating while sipping a nice, hot cup of java. Home brewed.

So in other words, much of my New Year's Day will be spent...like any other day. But the important part is that, well, the New Year is going to bring plenty of new, unique opportunities and experiences.

Have a post up for automatic posting tomorrow, and will definitely see you next year!

Support The Blog - Buy A Top Pick for 2013!

I've been working on my obligatory "Best of 2013" blog posts, and thought to Hey, with the Amazon store up and running....maybe I can help readers use all those neat-o Amazon gift cards they received!
myself,

So I'm posting a cool online widget with some of my personal favorites from 2013. (I also included a book I reviewed for I Hear of Sherlock as well, so don't worry if you can't find the post in this blog). Can't include all of them (due to tech/coding limits), but these are definitely a few of my must-reads....and I get a little bit of cash back, so if you can afford to purchase something, please do.

The Return of the Amazon Store!

Once upon a time, Amazon.com had decided to leave Illinois over (gasp) a law encouraging them to pay sales tax.

Needless to say, this had the effect of Amazon basically dumping their affiliates, and moving on.

Now that Amazon is starting to see the light, they've reinvited their affiliates (including me) to return and create stores....

...and now, if you would like to purchase any of the fine products on this site, simply head to http://astore.amazon.com/btp094-20 - there, you will see an ever-increasing array of items which have been (or will be) featured in this very blog.

(Don't worry - I'll be including a widget into the sidebar at some point).

But why not check out the widget below to give us a try!

5 Things I've Accomplished in the Past 48 Hours

In the past 48 hours, I have managed to:

1. Finish post-auction work having raised over $2,900 in funds and food for the Northern Illinois Food Bank as Auction Coordinator for Chicago TARDIS;
2. Begin preparing for a job interview on Thursday after receiving news about another potential professional gig;
3. Take pride in the fact that I shared one of my favorite Doctor Who stories on DVD with a really cool pal;
4. Finish and present a marketing plan focusing on acquiring work as a consultant; and
5. Receiving this lovely certificate from six months' worth of classes (via grant) from DePaul Kellstadt:

And now, it's time for a nap. 

Gradually Approaching Normal

Right now, my life seems to be moving into a higher gear...and gradually approaching something resembling "normal".

I've seen a slight uptick in job interviews and positive responses - most of the interviews are phone interviews, and the response time is shortening between resume submission and time scheduled. (It's also a nice change to not have minimal response...then get chastised when I follow up). That, plus an editing project for Airship 27 (I'll let you guys know when it's available for sale) has kept me a bit busy.

One side-effect is that, right now, I'm missing Dax, who passed three months ago. It's not the overwhelming grief of losing her, or even a pang of wanting to adopt again to fill the void (collecting cats the way that some of my friends collect spouses) - it's that I want her back, as if she were merely lost and left outside rather than no longer amongst the living. Grief is tricky, and I'm handling it well....but when it comes to another kitty, it's going to be awhile.

You definitely want to check out this week's edition of Zone 4 (as well as a previous edition which received a spotlight this week), as well as another post in One Cause At A Time.

Have plenty to work towards in the next few days - finishing draft one of a story due in October; prepping for a November convention; and general networking/job search activities. But all in all, starting to feel a little more human....and that's a good thing.

In October, I'm Gonna Be An Author

Remember how I disappeared from the blog for awhile in April and May?

Besides other things in my life, I had found out that a story I had submitted for a contest had been accepted....for publication, and was busy rewriting/shaping the story)

(The contest in question encouraged people to write stories inspired by the painting on the left, created by artist Mark Wheatley).

Although I didn't "win", my story - entitled Out There In the Night - is going to be included in the Les Vamps anthology due later this year.

Will provide ordering details when they're available, but wanted to provide this as some good news...and to show that my time away from the blog was rather productive.

Soft End to a Hard Week

Things have been....well, this week started a bit dramatically.

First, there's no more "potential plus one". There had been a candidate (which I left off the blog because, well, you read this blog for snarky comments about comics and popular culture, not romance), but it's not happening.

In addition, Mom's cat Smokey passed on Monday. These things are rarely easy to talk about, but at the very least, he passed with a minimum of pain.

In happier news, had a promising phone screen that led to scheduling a potentially promising phone interview on Monday, so my weekend will be spent prepping for that. But don't let that stop you from participating in the Hire Me, Pal! Initiative - for more information, visit http://bit.ly/HireMePal

Finally, there's this week's Zone 4, where we talk about a variety of news items, and I chew out one of my co-hosts for disrespecting a comic character. Meaning - I'm starting to slowly, but surely, get back to a somewhat normal mode of operating.

But enough of my blogging - I have some DVDs to watch thanks to BBC Home Entertainment. (Which will lead to, obviously, more blogging)

Best Video I've Watched All Day

Between job seeking, volunteer projects (some of which I am ending), and other tasks, I have to admit that I don't feel very productive.

Now, after seeing this video, I actually feel somewhat better informed....and possibly have a way of rethinking how I'm approaching things.

At the very least, this might help me become slightly more creative.