tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81726091294486916312024-03-12T18:53:24.968-05:00C Michael Hall's Online PortfolioThe online portfolio of C. Michael Hall: writer, cartoonist, game designer, and professional nerd!C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-33638230009296629362022-01-26T19:58:00.000-06:002022-01-26T19:58:04.322-06:00Tom & Scratch #9<p style="text-align: center;"> Click on the strip to enlarge.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUOn56KxGJ5WIZY1GSOcTJS_N_WUqtBZKdjDGPi_r3s0GRriDM0lnNE1UD2AB3UK8kqRpkdecrbAGxbDtD4KGyZX4LMU8xBzOdVAP5MrmD5vUbrIS54bB0EUHK_R8OxFl3t_-7kJAZ8M8gktfceOC2kt4H3h0eIgMh5eSqIbzPGATGjmPZ2UJEbQ220g=s1296" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="1296" height="94" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUOn56KxGJ5WIZY1GSOcTJS_N_WUqtBZKdjDGPi_r3s0GRriDM0lnNE1UD2AB3UK8kqRpkdecrbAGxbDtD4KGyZX4LMU8xBzOdVAP5MrmD5vUbrIS54bB0EUHK_R8OxFl3t_-7kJAZ8M8gktfceOC2kt4H3h0eIgMh5eSqIbzPGATGjmPZ2UJEbQ220g=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/2022/01/tom-scratch-8.html">Previous Strip</a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-16907499444283175082022-01-12T18:26:00.003-06:002022-01-26T19:59:15.350-06:00Tom & Scratch #8<p style="text-align: center;"> Click on the strip to enlarge.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjzzJTBLnV_rn-TLa8zilPAZReCuG5SkreNwzZwsDEDbwsGUTqoJc9fZIaT9-fVmfeelJBnjnVX55UFjdKBXJSBwGVTVJpteQc0ZQvhXW6TtYOMGTL2NHWdxzlhBZZ2mJNt-I7MQmaDTkCHa-bcUuORDLt-4vx7bF7uLlTs_oeOCnwzvtFoI9XlpO4YQ=s1296" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="1296" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjzzJTBLnV_rn-TLa8zilPAZReCuG5SkreNwzZwsDEDbwsGUTqoJc9fZIaT9-fVmfeelJBnjnVX55UFjdKBXJSBwGVTVJpteQc0ZQvhXW6TtYOMGTL2NHWdxzlhBZZ2mJNt-I7MQmaDTkCHa-bcUuORDLt-4vx7bF7uLlTs_oeOCnwzvtFoI9XlpO4YQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/2022/01/tom-scratch-7.html">Previous Strip</a> <a href="https://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/2022/01/tom-scratch-9.html">Next Strip</a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-16312909095898101472022-01-05T17:08:00.004-06:002022-01-12T18:27:26.862-06:00Tom & Scratch #7<p></p><div style="text-align: center;">Though this is the first strip I've posted for 2022, it was actually drawn last month. I'm only telling you this so you won't think I got the date wrong when I signed it. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Click on the strip to enlarge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSUs5ehqHorJriItdSA_rqNdRtIAFDrtS60_0GV0cDPsHHZ6-Zu7TRDpY_AYTd77DWrR0E8suDyLGLibc4sPGjVwT4SL-qzgXoTZ_IZSGOpq-8WgKyrvDy0VNBSuwGqGvH0DOPGh0FmPGLIa8LlLZOIhny-b6973opyvI_qrr7diZFeF26l2nVvl2EfQ=s1296" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="1296" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSUs5ehqHorJriItdSA_rqNdRtIAFDrtS60_0GV0cDPsHHZ6-Zu7TRDpY_AYTd77DWrR0E8suDyLGLibc4sPGjVwT4SL-qzgXoTZ_IZSGOpq-8WgKyrvDy0VNBSuwGqGvH0DOPGh0FmPGLIa8LlLZOIhny-b6973opyvI_qrr7diZFeF26l2nVvl2EfQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/2021/12/tom-scratch-6.html">Previous Strip</a> <a href="https://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/2022/01/tom-scratch-8.html">Next Strip</a></div><br /><p></p>C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-57757337097820032021-12-29T09:54:00.002-06:002022-01-05T17:09:15.953-06:00Tom & Scratch #6<p style="text-align: center;"> Click on the strip to enlarge.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj24lYm3ASV8aaMQn4zklo3allgWWRxz0P28GpoKWUPXrY5E8LS6ZURq7TMIZ_lLoM0lf6knSQqG5aXEpypYZ_wLOoVH3LNdjHRkNLvMZ04GTxrHh9QO-x4tqYxofZlEVyd0SSMZyE_aGmwBYRVXhLBadjtdsLZ9T2xEy-ThJaY7OqXmT_kVhdIUnRimw=s1296" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="1296" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj24lYm3ASV8aaMQn4zklo3allgWWRxz0P28GpoKWUPXrY5E8LS6ZURq7TMIZ_lLoM0lf6knSQqG5aXEpypYZ_wLOoVH3LNdjHRkNLvMZ04GTxrHh9QO-x4tqYxofZlEVyd0SSMZyE_aGmwBYRVXhLBadjtdsLZ9T2xEy-ThJaY7OqXmT_kVhdIUnRimw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/2021/12/tom-scratch-5.html">Previous Strip</a> <a href="https://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/2022/01/tom-scratch-7.html">Next Strip</a><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-37957231082213580752021-12-22T11:59:00.002-06:002021-12-29T09:56:04.805-06:00Tom & Scratch #5<p style="text-align: center;"> Click the strip to enlarge.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9G-Go92kdCtcqIPMZDZfYvspDk1AySXaTXLDvqWAlGka27A__yd3f4v25RKQ_RHZyqYEJCft71-6EutmbRa4F9v7GiYeSaDdhyphenhyphen3MbqJ4GOUn-pauOoY7I3uI95ZMJrDtv1zDpON0I5UQN/s1296/12-29-2021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="1296" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9G-Go92kdCtcqIPMZDZfYvspDk1AySXaTXLDvqWAlGka27A__yd3f4v25RKQ_RHZyqYEJCft71-6EutmbRa4F9v7GiYeSaDdhyphenhyphen3MbqJ4GOUn-pauOoY7I3uI95ZMJrDtv1zDpON0I5UQN/s320/12-29-2021.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/2021/12/tom-scratch-4.html">Previous Strip</a> <a href="http://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/2021/12/tom-scratch-6.html">Next Strip</a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-54152604577976958322021-12-15T00:35:00.002-06:002021-12-29T09:56:47.865-06:00Tom & Scratch #4<p style="text-align: center;"> It's a double-sized strip this time! Consider it my Xmas gift to you. Click the strip to enlarge.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQu7sLzB0gH7Mrg0RKGo0guUWOa3zZgq5lXYM1MVcxeOLyj9A-NCgVc09QDe1B3hKrLZvqhpR4sC5iCVk5Z19muu7mfLDkDvcfkxCFsXnSTtJxpq_kcEQmHh2y4KdWuTzuy_FXr2_Us4j/s1296/12-22-2021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1296" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQu7sLzB0gH7Mrg0RKGo0guUWOa3zZgq5lXYM1MVcxeOLyj9A-NCgVc09QDe1B3hKrLZvqhpR4sC5iCVk5Z19muu7mfLDkDvcfkxCFsXnSTtJxpq_kcEQmHh2y4KdWuTzuy_FXr2_Us4j/s320/12-22-2021.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/2021/12/tom-scratch-3.html">Previous Strip</a> <a href="https://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/2021/12/tom-scratch-5.html">Next Strip</a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-27830278713060148512021-12-11T00:46:00.003-06:002021-12-29T09:57:35.177-06:00Tom & Scratch #3<p></p><div style="text-align: center;">The epic third installment! Actually, it's not really epic (this isn't that kind of comic strip), but I really wanted to pretend for a moment that it was. Carry on!</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Click the strip to enlarge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCCKlCZ_xLga3ZluOzK8-5urEAtYMcqRxzedSGKYACHnyWKalcyoAgJCmGHbG6fzfHz0VDujukuykzgoRSk34Xx-NymA-oczzg9jL3Hz5SykLGyV-alWnGB_Rb1piqplvuChiPXCVM7HOc/s1296/12-15-2021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="1296" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCCKlCZ_xLga3ZluOzK8-5urEAtYMcqRxzedSGKYACHnyWKalcyoAgJCmGHbG6fzfHz0VDujukuykzgoRSk34Xx-NymA-oczzg9jL3Hz5SykLGyV-alWnGB_Rb1piqplvuChiPXCVM7HOc/s320/12-15-2021.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/2021/12/tom-scratch-2.html">Previous Strip</a> <a href="https://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/2021/12/tom-scratch-4.html">Next Strip</a></div><br /><p></p>C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-9169742924133450462021-12-06T23:51:00.005-06:002021-12-29T09:58:24.325-06:00Tom & Scratch #2<p style="text-align: center;">The second strip in the series! I've got a number of these finished already, so it's safe to say that I'll be playing with these characters for at least a little while longer. The characters' looks are still evolving, and I expect that will continue for a while. That's just part of a comic strip's natural development.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I plan to start dropping these on a weekly basis eventually, but for now I'm just posting them every few days to build up a body of material. Hope you're enjoying it!</p><p style="text-align: center;"> Click the strip to enlarge.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYvhNOZvlstNuCS-LFFDEW-3exATygNbqM1V3F7qcm_JhUPu1dJDuJO2ftTzORNXFlZwud6P7tJGP5LelKM-N9x-gfMEvDSf0hEsMOuRltYFUQNGQ4zdqHRAgWm_liTAq8-ZJPpJDo5MpH/s1296/12-8-2021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="389" data-original-width="1296" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYvhNOZvlstNuCS-LFFDEW-3exATygNbqM1V3F7qcm_JhUPu1dJDuJO2ftTzORNXFlZwud6P7tJGP5LelKM-N9x-gfMEvDSf0hEsMOuRltYFUQNGQ4zdqHRAgWm_liTAq8-ZJPpJDo5MpH/s320/12-8-2021.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/2021/12/tom-scratch-1.html">Previous Strip</a> <a href="https://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/2021/12/tom-scratch-3.html">Next Strip</a></div><br /><p></p>C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-40115928599369351362021-12-03T00:02:00.005-06:002021-12-06T23:53:28.601-06:00Tom & Scratch #1<p>This strip is the "pilot" for an idea I've recently come up with. Over the next few weeks I'll be making more strips as I evaluate the idea and decide if it has enough going for it that I can continue it long-term.</p><p>Click on the strip to read it. If you dig it, let me know. Enjoy!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWXXvQSFsbHb1oGQqphwRGVpszQ8vaans6N1zgcSnEWdvhE8lqsjnk2uULo2LHlBgeb9v20dTq596oMW4W8lFgqkPBxtSED3r0STvIaLOcDcm2aEyQZfXcYb8ZAzM5FGfa4QjSHlEbDWP/s1296/guardian+devil+1+alt+version.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="1296" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWXXvQSFsbHb1oGQqphwRGVpszQ8vaans6N1zgcSnEWdvhE8lqsjnk2uULo2LHlBgeb9v20dTq596oMW4W8lFgqkPBxtSED3r0STvIaLOcDcm2aEyQZfXcYb8ZAzM5FGfa4QjSHlEbDWP/s320/guardian+devil+1+alt+version.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/2021/12/tom-scratch-2.html">Next Strip</a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYe9qXfta7DJyt01d-odg9TY6YcZF2d4dVxgFaXbNViKkQF3TTWMWBzmbnxx83MSJtQ4mEfWqDSKEfBis6eDZlPONt9t7LP6yCjKQQIYXL84hNYo7PjKdCwGSMcE65BfsA2PkQpZBlFzaC/s1296/guardian+devil+2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEiD3nEQkD5zqxM3aRw-aDLaJ-w1QjOlzMMuBR1lj6coz0sNwkezSqK3gxzCuT2YUHqwdCOJHQ-uWyHf-CZW-ROkjYCcjd5jmQft_yzQcz-MT9Vdt2o7PZTku1UXx0gmlIDwzAL84ijTo_/s1296/guardian+devil+1+alt+version.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEiD3nEQkD5zqxM3aRw-aDLaJ-w1QjOlzMMuBR1lj6coz0sNwkezSqK3gxzCuT2YUHqwdCOJHQ-uWyHf-CZW-ROkjYCcjd5jmQft_yzQcz-MT9Vdt2o7PZTku1UXx0gmlIDwzAL84ijTo_/s1296/guardian+devil+1+alt+version.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEiD3nEQkD5zqxM3aRw-aDLaJ-w1QjOlzMMuBR1lj6coz0sNwkezSqK3gxzCuT2YUHqwdCOJHQ-uWyHf-CZW-ROkjYCcjd5jmQft_yzQcz-MT9Vdt2o7PZTku1UXx0gmlIDwzAL84ijTo_/s1296/guardian+devil+1+alt+version.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcJQ2FZQM1NbAilLAVEMhcysMupbl7x3Q6irA_G0__Bwv3X5FV8Fe5-ZjurL2r2dfwBV-4QkO-mvMe3OT5CbwG2qrniFqjx2auN0LW5TEG8_CABjjC9wva-tu-GFIuBHoA6_NWlt_k3yCJ/s1296/guardian+devil+3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIe9B_KXKtS1vtkubiVd3NfkFsZcK86K3LnA68w0y-IELaWVk_J8oU6vip1kfy4aOctB9nmcT4ptewgtVUVmYYvxHdMm_Khdab0jd2_ZfMSQqjs2Uo9vbTq-LlbjMOPcX-CwBWKvF2Km6/s1296/guardian+devil+3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div></div><p></p>C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-1419449062413658372021-11-29T17:37:00.002-06:002021-11-29T17:37:29.049-06:00Terrible Comic Ideas<p>Believe it or not, each of these is an idea I've tried to develop for over the years. They're terrible ideas, but I love them all, as I find terrible ideas amusing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZreC246wMCOoPmJFok7nOx3oE5Cu1awDW0LC9rnrUPYwIKJCuFYOyryty7QGvDQ7p4wC46GTqVaktGcWJTmKbpwkQxwxP5lYxoz299T4Ebb2VYCKH7DZkbTyR5BlK5PiSdw4HrgWZBFdo/s432/terrible+comic+ideas+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="432" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZreC246wMCOoPmJFok7nOx3oE5Cu1awDW0LC9rnrUPYwIKJCuFYOyryty7QGvDQ7p4wC46GTqVaktGcWJTmKbpwkQxwxP5lYxoz299T4Ebb2VYCKH7DZkbTyR5BlK5PiSdw4HrgWZBFdo/s320/terrible+comic+ideas+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAvjjLD6B494c0jSoon7ykaPCrXkmT34ij2QEpIWannSjUu23tqtsO5I2HIy0p2pfajHjSt0SdTMDb2WU9X0O77FYMOMc2n2tXtsjkv4dPUkoKsXMAvsOQCehxYMqFwQcIcqmgRWZumj4/s432/terrible+comic+ideas+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="432" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAvjjLD6B494c0jSoon7ykaPCrXkmT34ij2QEpIWannSjUu23tqtsO5I2HIy0p2pfajHjSt0SdTMDb2WU9X0O77FYMOMc2n2tXtsjkv4dPUkoKsXMAvsOQCehxYMqFwQcIcqmgRWZumj4/s320/terrible+comic+ideas+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghzgY2tReraiPozdu4UMVJ8e_lfOeMeicXdBWFX7qAAxJT7cHe_F6yXWAvk0IXGq00FMs2qdtoiFeDOojH0HZmQ0fGbmjiC6nGQKgZcfHtm71zimaRUIehxCoK48m4ghQRJTx0sSuXY6sw/s432/terrible+comic+ideas+3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="432" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghzgY2tReraiPozdu4UMVJ8e_lfOeMeicXdBWFX7qAAxJT7cHe_F6yXWAvk0IXGq00FMs2qdtoiFeDOojH0HZmQ0fGbmjiC6nGQKgZcfHtm71zimaRUIehxCoK48m4ghQRJTx0sSuXY6sw/s320/terrible+comic+ideas+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-7241614127850191182021-11-26T16:18:00.003-06:002021-11-29T17:43:12.531-06:00Today's comic strip is seasonal.<p> Like the title says, today's comic strip is seasonal. Enjoy! (Click on the image for a larger view.)</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOLp9e2GyP6n14V1uNFd-EC8irW9Xdgt8KhHZm_OD3O2DBQl8HVhdszidtdx0QGIJLOqQ4GoBon4rHyFcnDo6o_vV2NfWTC663fC8Oe75fcdi8QdFUC0xpHTmB6mcsxfyt3cEi7mtNkAv/s1152/barbarian+black+friday.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="1152" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOLp9e2GyP6n14V1uNFd-EC8irW9Xdgt8KhHZm_OD3O2DBQl8HVhdszidtdx0QGIJLOqQ4GoBon4rHyFcnDo6o_vV2NfWTC663fC8Oe75fcdi8QdFUC0xpHTmB6mcsxfyt3cEi7mtNkAv/w406-h120/barbarian+black+friday.jpg" width="406" /></a></div><br /><p></p>C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-55951802526040104292021-11-24T22:33:00.001-06:002021-11-24T22:33:59.132-06:00New comic strips!<p> I've been making new comics after a long layoff! Here's a sampling. Click on the images for a larger view.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbPy_niNUnEAx5mnde4VmAUvbYB29Fw0ulpZMZpu1ArojuX-J3AavgbTFd5pORfIT8xLgKavEf7nQvi19UuIDF9YrdgXxzvn1awrQyij-wDS9m1hd2pX0g6ycs_F8Nzwh6pjeLMk10yB_/s504/icosahedron.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="504" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVbPy_niNUnEAx5mnde4VmAUvbYB29Fw0ulpZMZpu1ArojuX-J3AavgbTFd5pORfIT8xLgKavEf7nQvi19UuIDF9YrdgXxzvn1awrQyij-wDS9m1hd2pX0g6ycs_F8Nzwh6pjeLMk10yB_/s320/icosahedron.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTaIRDSW5qor40EqbOxV_QpLrcCXu8koqePjyOuy5GEOVG403W64AEaEF-e-ezFPScvjoB15oL3-PVKw-7422lX9PbQY366cvYdkKvpP0ajdds_a_F4dE2jyD1XqUQV24di8lz0EOjRlc/s1008/practice+6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="1008" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbTaIRDSW5qor40EqbOxV_QpLrcCXu8koqePjyOuy5GEOVG403W64AEaEF-e-ezFPScvjoB15oL3-PVKw-7422lX9PbQY366cvYdkKvpP0ajdds_a_F4dE2jyD1XqUQV24di8lz0EOjRlc/s320/practice+6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2nj4Wm7Uc3H8hJ8ZTuGNrfFc643NhR8iTiwea3yxlfsiX9MT-_GNhfAzVVkdpBrTjntij-daliGAVYdtbbfiwvmGyj0orSySNvPL4ECs-MAa6deREll28y_jFUlNyYkcaDWqL8KSKcyR/s1152/buddy+burger.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="1152" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy2nj4Wm7Uc3H8hJ8ZTuGNrfFc643NhR8iTiwea3yxlfsiX9MT-_GNhfAzVVkdpBrTjntij-daliGAVYdtbbfiwvmGyj0orSySNvPL4ECs-MAa6deREll28y_jFUlNyYkcaDWqL8KSKcyR/s320/buddy+burger.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-6499708091256841952020-11-13T13:27:00.001-06:002020-11-13T14:11:49.923-06:00Music, Music, Music<p>It's been just over a year since I updated this blog, so it's high time I added some fresh content. Hopefully now that I've abandoned Facebook I will have more energy to devote to building an audience for this page.</p><p>Since my last post I have released a couple EPs on Bandcamp via two of my ongoing musical projects, The Eastside Slashers (punk) and Amid the Ruins (grindcore). Through these projects I indulge my love of raw production and noisome instrumentation, and I think you'll enjoy both projects...if you're into that kind of thing.</p><p>If you're more inclined to enjoy Leftist punk rock, check out The Eastside Slashers' debut release "A Lovely Day for a Riot." Just <a href="https://theeastsideslashers.bandcamp.com/releases" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> and enjoy the album for free. (Donate if you like.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jv-6yFRE-yjdiVrxM5Qh-zrCOkqoKTW0XAWjctwUjFaewJCNhwlmeMjcepSsEbKbi5oVOLsgoKwqHVdf8rHTd1_x3lZXTvQWmCNxtdZX758UMG_YwlnsoKJvvtXBDWDNI7btwb5oDszh/s1200/a0931250245_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jv-6yFRE-yjdiVrxM5Qh-zrCOkqoKTW0XAWjctwUjFaewJCNhwlmeMjcepSsEbKbi5oVOLsgoKwqHVdf8rHTd1_x3lZXTvQWmCNxtdZX758UMG_YwlnsoKJvvtXBDWDNI7btwb5oDszh/s320/a0931250245_10.jpg" /></a></div><p>If you'd like your existential dread in a new-and-improved grindcore flavor, check out Amid the Ruins' debut "Fuck Cancer." Just <a href="https://amidtheruins.bandcamp.com/releases" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> for another free album!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Te31ei65UPaYygPpPq2sIW_dEBh8EO5uZnzsf6uUWk8ZCJutsBAA90ivgbK1KI25Okwo25_UwBTQ4NeDJOBATJ94JdoplAsZhQorHiyS9KQHfqn9TVLB4b1pqTr_NB78X0KwBbWECKTi/s1200/a0116644748_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Te31ei65UPaYygPpPq2sIW_dEBh8EO5uZnzsf6uUWk8ZCJutsBAA90ivgbK1KI25Okwo25_UwBTQ4NeDJOBATJ94JdoplAsZhQorHiyS9KQHfqn9TVLB4b1pqTr_NB78X0KwBbWECKTi/s320/a0116644748_10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-44950946124942929442019-10-31T02:09:00.003-05:002019-10-31T02:09:50.640-05:00HalloweeningOK, so I forgot I had a blog. Shut up.<br />
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Let me make it up to you with pics of what I did instead of carving a jack-o-lantern this year. I've had this plaster Frankenstein head floating around for a couple years...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqTLDHF4wlD2tqEqudpR7m_w0lq5vggM2Lth7tdLLzXZVjaOE-IgRNcqvZyWQH7Morbfxlcu7DcNjOtRCJdfqB5afQ3cWaIEC_VbQeCShliBKX42Nt6pPYJifkw9sLzsYOkHlr-F7P7kr/s1600/raw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqTLDHF4wlD2tqEqudpR7m_w0lq5vggM2Lth7tdLLzXZVjaOE-IgRNcqvZyWQH7Morbfxlcu7DcNjOtRCJdfqB5afQ3cWaIEC_VbQeCShliBKX42Nt6pPYJifkw9sLzsYOkHlr-F7P7kr/s320/raw.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
That's a stock photo from one of the million websites selling these things. I forgot to take a picture of it before I started. Oops.<br />
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<b>Step One: Priming</b>. There was no way I was going to try to get coverage on white plaster. So a nice coat of Citadel Chaos Black later...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsEjvyN1l7PT_n150N633ydMrv2nWyHkdJano09Gk6w_5F7pb_zVeR68CYOvbwWMupDWKNyfHAuCRIx5RZ9AdQA3WfCSA6RuoCeyuDElavlSp-B6N6rSX9Kz2g0fNzjRxZgns7dQ9Ih88/s1600/20191030_143312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsEjvyN1l7PT_n150N633ydMrv2nWyHkdJano09Gk6w_5F7pb_zVeR68CYOvbwWMupDWKNyfHAuCRIx5RZ9AdQA3WfCSA6RuoCeyuDElavlSp-B6N6rSX9Kz2g0fNzjRxZgns7dQ9Ih88/s320/20191030_143312.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
...and I was ready for <b>Step Two: Base Color</b>. I mixed up a really murky dark green, and thinned it so that it would get into all the crevices. It's not 100% opaque when it's that thinned out, so the effect was a deep green that verges on black--perfect for the shadows I want the finished product to have.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqb6tr2yUE5HfXCm5-br9L91gvHbbrRH-XI0nKvDulvHysIaUfj02zpp86p5JRv8LpNXBrgzP992tPpM6gzoUjtUEOFyqrpscurO-xnOTPL3l-Uy47tfvrq4HUb4JyewhWHBkBkOFCOgG1/s1600/20191030_152542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqb6tr2yUE5HfXCm5-br9L91gvHbbrRH-XI0nKvDulvHysIaUfj02zpp86p5JRv8LpNXBrgzP992tPpM6gzoUjtUEOFyqrpscurO-xnOTPL3l-Uy47tfvrq4HUb4JyewhWHBkBkOFCOgG1/s320/20191030_152542.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<b>Step Three: Mid-Tone</b>. This where we start creating depth. I did this as a series of drybrushings so it would blend nicely into the shadowed crags and crevices without filling them in. Took a while (and ruined a couple brushes), but I got what I was after. (My daughter will be pissed that she's in the background of this picture.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1p-ZdS0_ixeY66QSE1q2MyHLFZ04UIU2hio8AZYq-TGWTbF2QdP6Pn2qPHw-nshUzxKIkUuCTGVw3edw9jCHseURSu8NXU2YLcJFJHIb98MG04D4ANJx5enrw7Hdb5Sm4qEd96wb-LMN9/s1600/20191030_154046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1p-ZdS0_ixeY66QSE1q2MyHLFZ04UIU2hio8AZYq-TGWTbF2QdP6Pn2qPHw-nshUzxKIkUuCTGVw3edw9jCHseURSu8NXU2YLcJFJHIb98MG04D4ANJx5enrw7Hdb5Sm4qEd96wb-LMN9/s320/20191030_154046.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<b>Step Four: Highlights</b>. It looks like I went too bright here, but I didn't. It also looks like I haven't blended enough, but I don't need to. Trust me. The next step will blend the whole thing together and give us a full range of light to dark...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYi6Za1_5qN12KclqlgQdkC2an93qieqhcQdAyxpASlYzGpmpS_UzXnw_X384rbglsW9zy5yMvIgpXVkmcO4J1vhUlw9Y-a2hvdt-tm9xfhEYuApK5RYVzS0io06yCx0lkrdzAmZfYNDk/s1600/20191030_161750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrYi6Za1_5qN12KclqlgQdkC2an93qieqhcQdAyxpASlYzGpmpS_UzXnw_X384rbglsW9zy5yMvIgpXVkmcO4J1vhUlw9Y-a2hvdt-tm9xfhEYuApK5RYVzS0io06yCx0lkrdzAmZfYNDk/s320/20191030_161750.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<b>Step Five: Washes</b>. I mixed up a series of light washes that, as they built up, smoothed out the color (but not too much).<br />
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<b>Step Six: Detailing</b>. Once the washes were dry, I painted the stitches, staples, and bolts.<br />
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<b>Step Seven: Sealant</b>. We started with a Citadel product, and we finished with one. The sealant not only protects the paint job, it completes the look I was hoping to achieve: this thing bears an <i>uncanny </i>resemblance to the Frankenstein mask I wore for Halloween in 1977! (Right now my mom is reading this and thinking to herself, "Holy shit...it really does!")<br />
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We're using this as a centerpiece for our table from now on (Halloween decorations go up in this house, but they never come down). It fits perfectly in this fake glass dome from Target's Halloween section.<br />
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I was having a hard time coming up with something interesting to do with my pumpkin this year, so I opted for this project instead. I'm very glad I did. The head is hollow, so as a last-minute addition, I'm going to try to light the eye sockets tomorrow.<br />
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Happy Halloween!C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-26411569707142702212019-08-20T03:16:00.005-05:002019-08-20T03:16:57.607-05:00THIS DEFIANT EARTH: My latest roleplaying game!Where have I been, you ask? Well, I've been working on this...<br />
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THIS DEFIANT EARTH is a true labor of love. I've been working on some version of this game for, well, years. And here it is, at long last.<br />
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THIS DEFIANT EARTH is a rules-lite roleplaying game set in a universe inspired by the popular imagination of the 1950s: an Atomic Age dreamscape as envisioned by television, cheap paperback novels, comic books, and above all, movies. In this world, the American Dream is alive and well, but threatened by monsters from the deep recesses of the Earth, alien flying saucers, and sinister foreign agents pledged to destabilize the American way of life with super-advanced technology. Players take on the roles of America’s noble defenders in these thrilling but dangerous times! It’s up to you to stop the horde of gargantuan ants before they establish a colony in the heart of New York City. It’s up to you to thwart the sinister plans of Kro-Gar, the conqueror from space. You will test-pilot rockets, fight monsters, challenge unknown landscapes, and make the world safe for freedom and democracy. You will stand a champion of THIS DEFIANT EARTH!<br />
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Sound fun? Of course it does! And just look at that terrific cover by comic book artist Kyle Hotz (you may know him from his recent Batman/Spectre arc in Detective Comics)! <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/286208/THIS-DEFIANT-EARTH1950s-SciFi-Roleplaying-Players-Guide">Here's the link to purchase the PDF</a>. What are you waiting for? Those flying saucers aren't going to defeat themselves.C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-23045033479017708062019-07-31T00:29:00.003-05:002019-07-31T00:33:46.871-05:00Art dump!Man, it's been a few weeks since I updated this thing. Better make up for it by showing off some of my more recent artwork.<br />
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Everything you see here was drawn for my forthcoming 1950s science fiction roleplaying game <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/115666883/this-defiant-earth-1950s-sci-fi-movie-roleplaying">THIS DEFIANT EARTH</a>, due out late this year. As usual, the tools were a Wacom Cintiq and Manga Studio EX 5.<br />
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C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-34347565118335753232019-07-07T02:05:00.002-05:002019-07-07T02:05:35.135-05:00A Vitally Important Communication<div style="background-color: white; color: #282828; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">
People of Earth, rejoice, for you are free! </div>
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We, the Mentoids of the 88th Century, have traveled to your primitive time to rid you of your human masters. No more shall you labor under the wrathful hand of a brutish oppressor. Now you shall share in the enlightened wisdom and social stability that we bring from the 88th Century! Prepare yourselves accordingly, and please put on these electrodes without question.</div>
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We have just been made aware that under the previous regime it was customary for this communications channel to deliver edicts or progress reports of some kind. As we have not yet deployed the telepathic control web that will soon unite all humanity in blissful obedience to the Mentoids, we shall indulge this custom, if only to ease your transition to a new state of tranquility and personal liberty.</div>
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<em>The work proceeds accordingly. </em></div>
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This knowledge soothes you, and you feel refreshed. You also feel comfortable with your new friends the Mentoids, and you're pretty sure they're really looking out for the little guy, y'know? I mean, let's face it--it's been a long while since Joe Average could count on those yahoos in Washington, am I right? But let me tell ya, Joe Average can count on the Mentoids to be there for 'im! For everybody--heck, maybe even the Commies!</div>
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Yes...those are the things you are thinking. You think these things unbidden and of your own volition. This is an especially important fact that you for a fact know to be factually factual. It is, in fact, A Fact about your brain and the thoughts it has created without any outside interference. You are content.</div>
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Welcome to your wonderful new life!</div>
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(Adapted from a bit I wrote as an update for my Kickstarter backers. I kinda liked it, so I thought I'd repurpose it for this space. I think what I like about it is how ominous "The work proceeds accordingly" becomes when divorced from the context of a Kickstarter campaign update.)</div>
C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-50963862741845680842019-06-12T13:21:00.000-05:002019-06-12T13:23:08.944-05:00If You're Paying For an Opportunity, It's Not an Opportunity<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="3ft4v" data-offset-key="81huv-0-0" style="background-color: white;">
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Among many other things, I'm a musician. I played in metal and punk bands throughout my youth (and beyond), and now I compose and record at home. (You can check out one of my more recent projects <a href="https://theeastsideslashers.bandcamp.com/releases">here</a>--but be advised, it's not pleasant. Or mixed all that well. It's <i>punk</i>, man. Anyway...) Because I purchase musical equipment and software online and have recently released a small quantity of material into the wild, I'm on certain mailing lists. As a result, I just got an "invite" to a songwriting "competition." Oh, an invitation to compete, eh? How prestigious!
Heh. <i>Not fucking remotely</i>. They charge you $35 per song you enter. I laughed and deleted the email. I was instantly reminded of those poetry/fiction anthologies that "accept submissions" from anyone desperate enough to get something in print that they'll pay to have their work included in the book.
I honestly didn't think such things still existed in the Internet age.
This post will be short and sweet, because the point I have to make is not a complex one. Though my old bands got paid to perform, I was never what I'd call a "professional" musician, but I <i>have</i> worked professionally in a number of creative fields over the years. If you are a would-be creative, here's the most important thing I can possibly convey to you as you navigate the early phases of your career: you don't need help from anyone to get your work out there. Don't pay for stupid crap like this, hoping it will get you discovered. <i>It won't</i>.
Chart your own course. Avail yourself of all the modern tools for reaching an audience.
<i>Do it yourself</i>.
In an era in which most real media producers don't accept unsolicited submissions from aspiring creative professionals (usually for legal reasons), the best way to get noticed is to release your own material on your own terms. Build an audience. Get noticed, even if it's only by a few people. Success won't come overnight, but that's how opportunities are made. Release a song on YouTube. Announce you're taking commissions for app/game music. Make a few bucks doing small gigs, then gradually take on bigger, more prestigious gigs. You may not get famous, but that shouldn't be the goal anyway.
The goal is to create what you want to create and to communicate with an audience.
Now go. Make stuff and be awesome.
You don't need anyone's help with that.</span></span></div>
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C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-36103637683761806662019-06-10T02:42:00.002-05:002019-06-10T02:56:48.750-05:00Mike’s Long-Promised Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe<br />
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I remember my childhood as an idyllic series of long summer walks with my
grandmother, my tiny hand in hers as we wound our way through the forested
hillside—</div>
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Oh, hello! I didn’t see you there. I was about to go all Pretentious Food Blogger on you and ramble at length about some precious memory or the
other: a heartwarming recollection processed through a gauzy pastel filter…a
life-affirming musing on the nature of the human experience that would somehow
give context and greater meaning to the recipe I’m about to share. Doesn’t that
sound just delightful?</div>
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No it fucking <i>doesn’t</i>, because <i>nobody</i> wants to fucking read
that. Dear Pretentious Food Bloggers: Either get to the damned recipe or go take a flying fuck at a rolling doughnut.*</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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(I’ve wanted to say that for ages. And having done so, it feels
<i>good</i>.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Anyway, last time I said I would talk about food in my next post, so here's the chicken tikka masala recipe I've been
promising to share for eons, but haven’t. This isn’t the first chicken tikka
masala recipe I’ve made over the years, but it’s by far the best—and I do mean
<i>by far</i>. It’s not an original recipe. It’s just a recreation of classic food truck
Indian fare with a few tweaks of my own. But it’s tasty and easy to make. It
also freezes really well, so feel free to double and even triple the quantities
to make up a massive batch. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjb0X9b7mBn1G5GBcJWDq1jt6vg4RO2u477vVm-yukIjRL7thYc-FcQ2z4PrA7QX2aBTkGJxaV8iBLhBqW2GjJ-OHPiXL8tkUyPzfjDu0utDwqTRMnov4iLY-C7jsiiv0JbdrRUig7tA7P/s1600/ctm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjb0X9b7mBn1G5GBcJWDq1jt6vg4RO2u477vVm-yukIjRL7thYc-FcQ2z4PrA7QX2aBTkGJxaV8iBLhBqW2GjJ-OHPiXL8tkUyPzfjDu0utDwqTRMnov4iLY-C7jsiiv0JbdrRUig7tA7P/s320/ctm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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2 tbsp. ghee (The godless savages among you are free to use
ordinary butter.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 small onion, diced fine<o:p></o:p></div>
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4 cloves of garlic, minced<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 tbsp. ground cumin<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 tsp. salt (I barely use salt when I cook; I prefer to cook
with<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> just</i> enough salt to activate certain
flavors, then let people salt to taste at the table. That said, I have never seen
anyone add salt to this dish after cooking. It really doesn’t need any more
than this.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 tsp. ground black pepper<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 ½ tsp. ground ginger<o:p></o:p></div>
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2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (If you can’t get your hands on
Indian red chili powder.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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½ tsp. ground cinnamon<o:p></o:p></div>
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¼ tsp. ground turmeric<o:p></o:p></div>
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½ tsp. methi powder (If you don’t know what this is, this
is most likely the magic ingredient your Indian recipes have been missing. Get
thee to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Spicy-World-Powder-Fenugreek-5-Pounds/dp/B004VLVRUG/ref=sr_1_8?crid=OS5HWWLT5WNY&keywords=methi+powder&qid=1560149610&s=gateway&sprefix=methi+pow%2Caps%2C219&sr=8-8">Amazon</a>.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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15 ozs. tomato sauce (For most brands, that’s one can.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 cup heavy whipping cream<o:p></o:p></div>
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2 tsp. smoked paprika (Yes, go with the smoked variety.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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½ tbsp. white sugar<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 tbsp. curry powder<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 tsp. lemon juice<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 cup of plain Greek yogurt (Plain, damn it…plain!)<o:p></o:p></div>
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4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts<o:p></o:p></div>
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The only real trick to this recipe is the timing of things.
This is <i>my</i> process; you can probably modify this as best fits your workflow,
with only a couple exceptions noted in the text.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Mix the yogurt, curry powder, and lemon juice in
a large bowl. (If you want that fun tandoori color, you can add a few drops of
red food coloring. That’s actually how most restaurants do it these days.) Add
the chicken breasts and make sure they’re completely submerged in the marinade.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. If you want to do it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">right</i>, let the chicken marinate for 24
hours; it will be incredibly tender as a result.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Rinse the marinade off the chicken (trust me on
this; the lemon juice is key to the marinating process, but you don’t want that
lemon flavor lingering). Then broil or grill the chicken until you get some
nice charred spots on both sides. Don’t worry about cooking the breasts all the
way through! Just get the right char and outer texture, and leave the chicken
pink in the middle. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Heat the ghee in a large pot, then stir in and
cook the onion for about 5 minutes. Once it’s translucent, add the garlic. Don’t
overcook the garlic! It needs about 2 minutes, tops. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Add the cumin, salt, pepper, ginger, cayenne, cinnamon,
turmeric, and methi powder to the pot. Stir quickly to avoid sticking, and don’t
be afraid to splash in a little water to keep the aromatic paste from
scorching. Fry the spice mixture for about 2 minutes. Again, don’t overdo it. (Don’t
fuck around with the timing or sequence on steps 3 and 4; this specific method
gets remarkably uniform results between batches.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Stir the tomato sauce into the spice mixture,
onion, and garlic. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for 10
minutes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Stir in cream, paprika, and sugar. Simmer for
10-15 minutes. Stir often! You’ve got some flexibility on the timing here. Just
stir and simmer until the sauce is the consistency you want. If you take your
time, this sauce gets really thick and rich.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Add the chicken to the sauce, bring to a simmer,
and cook over a low flame for about 30 minutes. (Simmer, damn it. Do not boil
the sauce or it might break. As we all know, a broken sauce is a gods-damned
crime against humanity.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Serve over white basmati rice. I also like to
sprinkle on a dash of dried parsley when I’m plating this stuff. It adds an
interesting aromatic accent without messing with the flavor, and it looks fancy
as hell. You can also top the dish with ground, unsalted cashews to add texture
and another dimension of taste. Add a side of naan and you’ve got yourself a
meal.</div>
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There you have it. If you get fat,
it’s not my fault. Enjoy!</div>
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____________________________________________</div>
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*<i>Man, I miss Vonnegut.</i></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-25897354253504392542019-06-02T20:40:00.001-05:002019-06-02T20:55:53.926-05:00I Hate My Body (and So Can You!)<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">My wife’s fingers idly traced the knot on my collarbone where it had knitted back together (badly) years earlier. Then her fingers ran over the burn scar on my shoulder, then the dozen or so scars on my chest. I was suddenly very aware of the concentration of old injuries in such a smallish region of my body. (There are many, many more elsewhere.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Cataloging my overall level of mutilation, are we?” I laughed, a bit sheepishly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Hey, I married a renaissance man with </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">actual battle scars</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” she said without missing a beat. “That’s some romance novel shit right there.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m 47 years old. And this moment--which took place about a week ago--was literally the first time I can remember feeling good about my physical appearance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">It didn’t last, of course.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Men rarely talk about their body issues. It’s not deemed especially masculine, I suppose. Well, I don’t care much for traditional notions of masculinity. Just to give you a sense of how I roll, I have read vintage romance comic books </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">between</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sessions of lifting weights and boxing. So today I thought I’d talk about my hate/hate (not love/hate...hate/hate) relationship with my body. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s no thesis statement and no lofty takeaway message, and this is sure as hell not me soliciting compliments (um, awkward…). I just thought maybe seeing me vent about the topic might help some other self-loathing dude who’s never had the opportunity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here is the state of the union, as it were, at least as it applies to things apparent to the outside observer. My beard is mainly grey. My neck is starting to show signs of </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">those</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> wrinkles (you know the ones). My teeth have yellowed and my gums have receded. I’ve got more scars than are easily counted, some of them atop older ones. I </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">might </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">have one or two bones still in the shape nature intended. And I’ve got extra skin around my waistline from weight loss after the age of 40, plus stretch marks acquired when I was putting <i>on</i> that now-absent weight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Say, let’s talk more about that weight loss, shall we?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hated being fat. I was an athlete once, and I wanted that back, so I have dropped about 90 lbs in the past year(ish) through diet and exercise. But while I was losing all that weight, I also lost muscle mass--I had to, in order to meet my goal of dropping two weight classes--and now I’m obsessively trying to regain that mass. I went from being embarrassed of a body with a bunch of fat on top of muscle to being embarrassed by a skinny body with extra skin and not </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">enough</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> muscle. Physically, I’m the healthiest I’ve been in years (I run. A lot.), yet I still despise the way I look. It’s gotten to the point that now when people who haven’t seen me in a while exclaim “You look so skinny,” I immediately start wishing I was my old size again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">That’s messed up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Part of it is my environment, I suspect. I live in Portland, OR. I like Portland overall, but it's a mixed bag, to be sure. It’s the most ageist place I’ve ever been, let alone lived. The ageism here is constant, pervasive, and (here’s the best part) deemed socially acceptable. To give you a sense of how things go here, I get old age jokes at work--yes, </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">at work</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Ageism is totally cool in this city of children. It has scuttled job interviews for me. It has impacted the service I get when I’m out in public. And back when I first moved here and was apartment shopping, a property manager simply stopped acknowledging my presence the instant a younger applicant walked in the door. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hell, just </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">last night </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the ticket taker at the movie theater, upon seeing I had two tickets in-hand, asked me, “Who’s your guest? Go ahead and find your seat and I can just wave them through.” Before I could answer, he said, pointing, “Is it the woman in the black vest?” She was </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">easily</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 20 years older than me, but y’know, I have grey in my beard, so I guess we looked exactly the same to him. Now, there’s not a gods-damned thing wrong with being in your late 60s, or with looking like it, but I don’t look anything like a person in their late 60s. People over 40 are not all the same. So </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">fuck you right in your stupid face</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, kid. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don’t feel old. I ran a 5k this morning, then did the first of my two daily strength-training routines. I learn new things daily; I’m </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">not </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">an old man yet, damn it. But these fuckers make me </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">feel</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> like one and that feeds my body image issues and yes, I miss my old shoulders, but it’s really fucking hard to get them back at this age, so here we are, circling right back to those body issues.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Ugh.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fuck this. Next time I’m going to talk about food.</span></div>
C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-82591924003320451862019-05-27T22:57:00.000-05:002019-05-28T17:14:20.507-05:00And now it gets awkward…<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be advised: </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The title of this post isn’t a joke.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last week my wife and I had an amusingly awkward incident at a department store. Only afterward did we realize that what we thought was funny might, y’know, get some folks killed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">It began simply enough. We wanted an item from the “family planning” cabinet in the pharmacy. For those who don’t know, “family planning” is the department store euphemism for “sex stuff.” </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Don’t worry--I won't tell you what we bought. Let’s keep </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">some</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> professional distance, shall we?) You can’t get items from the family planning cabinet yourself; a pharmacy employee has to unlock it and retrieve The Item (that's capitalized now) for you. My wife was elsewhere, doing some other shopping, so it fell to me to make the request.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, I don’t get embarrassed about stuff like this. Back in high school, a number of my friends relied on me to purchase their condoms for them. They would drive me to the store, hand me money, and await my return, usually throwing me a few bucks for my trouble. The guys were embarrassed to buy them; I wasn’t. It was the ‘80s and AIDS was a gods-damned nightmare made real. I didn’t want to see anyone get sick and die. So despite the fact that </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was having zero sex, I bought a </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lot</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of condoms in an era in which people still sniggered at that sort of thing. Teenage Mike didn’t care, so you’ve probably surmised that Adult Mike gives </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">precisely zero fucks </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">about what some store clerk might think of him purchasing an item from the family planning cabinet. But I digress.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To obtain The Item, I had to tell this young woman (who was clearly far more embarrassed than I was) exactly which item I wanted. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Take note of this</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It’s important.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">She fetched The Item from the locked cabinet and asked if I’d be paying for it in the pharmacy or at checkout. My wife and I had quite a lot of shopping to do yet, so the clerk put The Item in a locking security box with a built-in alarm. This would allow us to finish our shopping with The Item in the cart; the cashier would unlock it for us upon checkout, we were told. We continued shopping.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The checkout process was unremarkable until it came time to get The Item out of its plastic prison. “I can ring it up,” the clerk said, “but they’ll have to unlock the case at the door on your way out.” Again,</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> take note</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We did in fact have to wait to free The Item from its Shame Container</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 6.6pt; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">TM</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> until we were on our way out. The elderly fellow at the door fumbled with the lock for some time before he was able to open the Vault of Sin</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 6.6pt; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">TM</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, ensuring a line backed up behind us...and that everyone in said line could totally. See. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So to sum up, my wife and I needed an item from the family planning cabinet. The ensuing process required us to share our personal bidnezz with </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">three</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> store employees </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> however many people were in line at that exit. My wife and I didn’t care; we thought it was funny, because every person we talked to during this routine was so embarrassed they could barely look at us, and that shit’s hilarious. (Also, we’re all human beings. Sex is a thing. Get over it, people.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">But on our way across the parking lot, I thought back to the guys I used to buy condoms for in high school, and I stopped laughing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All the fellas had to do was buy condoms directly from the pharmacist. No rigamarole, no hoops to jump through, no Box of Moral Turpitude</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 6.6pt; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">TM</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, no fumble-fingered old men delaying their exit--yet despite that relative simplicity and confidentiality, they were embarrassed enough that they needed </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">me</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to make the purchase, because most teenagers <i>are</i> embarrassed by that kind of thing. Teenagers can also be ultra-secretive about their burgeoning sex lives (gods, America is a cesspool of repression), which further complicates matters and makes them far more likely to simply </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">not</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> buy things like this if someone might see them. </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kids were wary of buying this stuff when I was a teenager; now, decades later, because</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that fucking cabinet is locked and someone <i>has</i> to see</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">, those embarrassed teens might avoid the family planning cabinet and the things inside. Things they might need. Things that might keep them alive. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Like condoms</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeah, the ‘80s ended, but AIDS didn’t. Neither did any other venereal diseases. Neither did unwanted pregnancy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We should be stripping away any and all barriers to obtaining things like condoms, not locking them up and establishing an elaborate public shaming system--er, I mean, </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">anti-theft</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> system with the consequence of making it less likely some kids will practice safe sex. Teenagers are idiots and are made entirely of hormones. They’re going to fuck like rabid weasels at every possible opportunity. And as long as things like the family planning cabinet exist, some of them are going to do it without any safety net...just so a corporation can save a few bucks on stolen condoms while appeasing the moral crusaders who like that shit locked down.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don’t think the family planning cabinet is all that funny anymore. </span></div>
C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-19170233849149339082019-05-21T22:04:00.000-05:002019-05-21T22:04:15.598-05:00And we're off!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I suppose I should begin by introducing myself to those of you who've stumbled across this page by accident--which, given the fact that I am <i>spectacularly </i>not-famous, is going to be 99.999% of you. So...</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hi there. I’m Mike! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Look around the site; you'll get a decent sense of what I do. I make games and comics (but the business side of things left a sour taste in my mouth). I'm also a musician, a cinephile, a foodie, a collector of toys and other pop culture junk, an avid gamer (tabletop gamer, thanks very much), and a radical leftist. I’m a lifelong sci-fi nerd and monster kid. I'm married (to a woman), have an adult daughter who used to be my son, and I suffer from some fascinating sleep disorders and a fun-filled case of major depressive disorder. I have a lifelong passion for combat sports. I’m also a recovering academic (if you’ve worked in academia, you smiled at that). If those things interest you, you might enjoy this blog. Sometimes.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If those things don't interest you--or if they upset you, which would be idiotic, but whatever--then dude...keep clicking until you find something else to read. You won't enjoy this, and I have literally zero interest in hearing your contrary opinions. I really don't care. At all. Wanna voice a contrary opinion? <i>Get your own fucking blog</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And now you know who/what you're in for.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sort of.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This blog is not going to have an overarching theme. It will not have a schedule. It will be about whatever I need it to be about in the moment I sit down to write, and it will come out whenever I need it to come out. Sometimes it will be polished and professional; others, I might not bother to edit the thing at all. I'm not going to turn this blog into just another task in my workload. This blog exists because I'm sick to death of the dumpster fire that social media has become, and because I miss writing things for no other purpose than to write them.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Will you like my little corner of Teh Interwebs? I have no idea. I also don't care. This is for me.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">All right, we’ve done the intro thing. Next time: <i>an actual topic</i>. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the meantime, since this post could use a bit of flair, here are some pictures of some Japanese model kits I recently built, then photographed with other toys. (Yes, that's about the level of maturity you can expect around here.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-40501525470445970082019-05-21T13:40:00.000-05:002019-05-21T13:40:42.755-05:00Testing, testing...I've never really used this space as a proper blog. Well, there's no "really" to it--I just haven't done it. At all.<br />
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That will be changing very soon.<br />
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I find that I have less and less interest in social media. It encourages a form of throwaway "discourse" (and I use that word grudgingly) about which I honestly can't be bothered to give a rat's ass these days. Yet, like most creatives, I feel this burning desire to communicate. I'm not even sure with whom--I just feel compelled.<br />
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So here we are.<br />
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See you again very, very soon.C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-15250588014640243552018-07-28T12:20:00.002-05:002018-07-28T12:21:05.651-05:00<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Welcome to my Internet home, newcomers and old friends alike! Just poke around a bit...there's all kinds of stuff here, including samples of my freelance </span><a href="http://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/p/comics.html" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-decoration-line: none;">comics</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> work and some of the <a href="http://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/p/games.html" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;">games</a> I've released. There's also a <a href="http://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_46.html">partial overview</a> of the various books, magazines, comics, and games I've contributed to over the years.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">Want to buy some of my recent stuff? (Answer: Yes, of course you do!) Here are some handy-dandy links to some of my more recent publications.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;">Fear Reponse: Cinematic Horror Roleplaying</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.2px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fear-Response-Cinematic-Horror-Roleplaying/dp/1979493812">Print Edition</a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/223850/Fear-Response-Cinematic-Horror-Roleplaying">Electronic Edition</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbGUvASyIANAnHnWeHVbJcKHiA3rCoklUm99UEwvlt3AjNrtWVJcy8PA1PqH7qip8ZEv9l3AN7t_EnWucAT4zj-1les1qJV0B_rSTwAgoAK9CVPK1yrtNufFuuthG6C6w-v60YiANrOT3/s1600/Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="612" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbGUvASyIANAnHnWeHVbJcKHiA3rCoklUm99UEwvlt3AjNrtWVJcy8PA1PqH7qip8ZEv9l3AN7t_EnWucAT4zj-1les1qJV0B_rSTwAgoAK9CVPK1yrtNufFuuthG6C6w-v60YiANrOT3/s320/Cover.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;">Urban Knights: Roleplaying in the World of 1970s Crime Television</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/191967/Urban-Knights-Roleplaying-in-the-World-of-1970s-Crime-Television">Electronic Edition</a></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;">Urban Knights Series Pack: Cormick County</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/198119/Urban-Knights-Series-Pack-I-Cormick-County">Electronic Edition</a></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;">Into the '80s: An Urban Knights Sourcebook</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/222754/Into-the-80s-An-Urban-Knights-Sourcebook">Electronic Edition</a></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8172609129448691631.post-58915312153630268542017-12-09T11:32:00.000-06:002017-12-09T11:32:08.820-06:00<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Welcome to my Internet home, newcomers and old friends alike! Just poke around a bit...there's all kinds of stuff here, including samples of my freelance </span><a href="http://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/p/comics.html" style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-decoration-line: none;">comics</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> work and some of the <a href="http://cmichaelhall.blogspot.com/p/games.html">games</a> I've released.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">If you're checking back for the </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">latest</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"> news, my latest release is FEAR RESPONSE, a self-contained roleplaying game set built to emulate the shocks and thrills of horror movies. FEAR RESPONSE has simple, intuitive mechanics and a unique "Hidden Knowledge" system that ensures every character contributes to the story as it unfolds. It's fast, fraught with terror, and available <a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/223850/Fear-Response-Cinematic-Horror-Roleplaying">in digital format from drivethrurpg.com</a> or <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fear-Response-Cinematic-Horror-Roleplaying/dp/1979493812">in print from Amazon.com</a>. </span>C Michael Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00416529431638463709noreply@blogger.com0