Gekiga (劇画) is Japanese for "dramatic pictures." The term was coined by Yoshihiro Tatsumi and adopted other by more serious Japanese cartoonists who did not want their trade to be known as manga or "irresponsible pictures." Its akin to Will Eisner who started calling his comics "Graphic novels" as opposed to "comic books" for the same reason.

Stopped at the Crestwood Flowers this morning after our ride (more about that later) and asked what the little varigated flowers in the boxes were called -- they're "Lantanas," apparently. I remember taking pictures of some on the Plaza last year.

(Crestwood is a gorgeous shop with amazing orchids in the windows, nearly year-round. The site is rather disappointing, I think. Doesn't capture any of the charm of the brick and mortar version. Also more charming than their website? The girl who identified lantanas for us. She had beautiful tattoos -- botanicals on one arm and a paper crane on the other.)

“People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us.” ~ Iris Murdoch

Welcome to Team Married, Kids.

You make us proud.

Remember I posed for a bunch of prints/paintings for Laurenn last year? I think the paintings have all been sold, but she's hawking 5 of the images as a postcard set. $15 for 15 prints - 3 each of 5 designs. One to save, two to mail. More info on her site. Or e-mail her at LAURENN AT LAURENMCCUBBIN DOT COM.

Here I am discussing my options with Nick at Bike America. (Nick is *awesome* by the way. Coach Jen sent us there. I've liked all the shops I've been to -- Acme, Bicycle Shack and Bike America -- but I was most comfortable talking to Nick. He was patient and explained everything -- despite the fact that it was a Saturday and he was swamped.)

Long story short, we're changing the bike from a 7-speed to an 8-speed and moving the shifters up to the drops. That should help me, um, not fall over and die. That means, of course, that I'm spending the money my step-dad sent me for shoes on shifters. I'll get shoes later. After my birthday, maybe...? Fundraising aside, THIS IS AN INSANELY EXPENSIVE SPORT.

Laurenn found herself a fantastic used road bike and put some money down on it. She's selling her mountain bike back in Oakland and she's been borrowing a hybrid from our friend Jeff for the last few weeks. While the price is right and it fits her well, it'll be good to have something lighter and all her own. (I think she sweats borrowing Jeff's bike much longer and I don't blame her. I'd be scared of wrecking it. Of course, if it was me there'd be a decent chance it would get wrecked. Not so with Laurenn.) The one now on layaway is silver and she's named it Stacy. Nick threw in a new saddle for free, too. Nice.

Speaking of names, "Quintana Sue" doesn't seem to be sticking. It's unweildy, I suppose.

What should I name my bike? It's small, blue with yellow tires and I'm not supposed to admit this but it scares the crap out of me. Anything leap to mind...?

Maggie used to name all her bikes after racehorses. "Xtra Heat" might be fitting...

Hm....

Have I already exhausted Meiko Kaji and Superman themes...? Scorpion...? No, that suggest red, doesn't it...?

I'm $3 from $2,100.

Somebody hook me up? I ran 3 miles yesterday. That's got to be worth $3, right...?

I'll post more pictures of my bruises...they're at least 3 different colors now...

EDITED TO ADD:

Got it! Thank you, Xtop. $2100!! That's three times seven hundred, y'all. That's huge.

TOTAL DONATIONS COLLECTED: $2,062
GOAL: $3,700

I'm knee-deep in Doubt!! Volume 6, so more later - but progress is being made! Halleluja and thanks, folks.

TOTAL DONATIONS COLLECTED: $1,555
GOAL: $3,700

I need your help! I'll take anything you can spare - no minimum!

Click here:

Need a reason?

Reason to donate #482:

Leukemia is the number one killer of children between the ages of 1 and 14.

Reason to donate #7:

Leukemia strikes ten times as many adults as children. Blood cancer can affect ANYONE.

Reason to donate #224:

All the super cool kids are doing it.

Reason to donate #161:

You like to see pictures of bruises on the internet.

Reason to donate #212:

AFLEET ALEX WON THE BELMONT!!

Reason to donate #351:

You don't get much mail and a handwritten thank you note would be an improvement on the Val-U-Pak.

Reason to donate #6:

For Nick Serum, the 8 year old boy in whose honor we train.

Reason to donate #637:

It's five bucks you'd otherwise spend on Funyuns.

Reason to donate #74:

You like me and you hate to see me beg.

Reason to donate #75:

You don't like me much and you'd like to see more photographic evidence of my humiliation.

Reason to donate #200:

Strong girls are hot.

Got more reasons? Post them here.

Also? DONATE!

Running

3 miles on Thursday the 9th. The walk/run breakdown went from 2 minutes/5 minutes to 2 minutes/10 minutes. Woo hoo! Amazingly, I did not die. Yay, progress! Yay, not dying!

My knees were pretty sore after 3 miles; I made a note to ask Coach Jen what to do about that. Next run isn't until next Thursday the 16th.

Biking

So I had my first wipe-out yesterday. The good news is that I managed to change gears TWICE! TWICE! The bad news is that the third time was anything but a charm. The ground was bumpy and I suck at taking my hands off the handlebars. (My gears are down on the frame between my knees.*) I lost control of the bike and there were two options -- the road (the one with the cars) or the ditch. So I went into the ditch. The bike slid out from under me and I flipped over my left shoulder. The ground was soft from the recent rain, so while I have some impressive bruises (the best of which is on the inside of my right knee; see above) my head and neck are fine. Mostly I was pissed off. FURIOUS. Wet, sore, scared, embarrassed and livid.

A truck pulled over along side Laurenn and Gene (our Team Mentor).

"Hey, are you riding with that girl back there?"

"Yeah."

"She just wiped out."

Laurenn and Gene zoomed back to my rescue, Laurenn in the lead.

Now, in my defense, I did not curse at her when she arrived. I did however threaten her life: "If you ever tell me again that I will not wreck or that it will not hurt, I WILL KILL YOU!"

...Oh and thanks for coming back to help me, friend.

Anyway, I'd managed to get back up out of the ditch on my own, and I'd gotten the bike chain back on but I could not get the bike to...well, work, really. Laurenn and Gene figured out that the back wheel was pressed up against the frame somehow. They fixed it and I was able to finish the ride. Back at the shelter, Coach Jen hugged me and congratulated me like I'd just made it through some kind of hazing incident. I cursed a little, still full of FIGHT OR FLIGHT adrenaline, and we packed up and headed to the pool.

On the way Laurenn asked me if I was going to tell anyone. "Everyone," I promised.

Swimming

From Longview Lake to the Prairie Life Center, we somehow made a wrong turn. (We'd made two on our way to Longview Lake at 7:30 in the morning by the way. Grr.) Oh, and it was pouring down rain at that point. We arrived a few minutes late and scrambled to get suited up. It was clearly my day as I soon realized I'd left both my cap and my goggles at home. I had to buy new ones. Goodbye, $15.

If my terror is the bike, Laurenn's is the pool. She has a really hard time putting her face in the water. And if changing gears is an integral part of a bike race, a wet face is fundamental to freestyle. She's made huge and amazing strides, though -- a breakthrough at nearly every practice. Yesterday's breakthrough was thanks to an exercise that involved swimming with a plastic egg held under our chins like Cary Grant in Charade. At the end of the swim Laurenn announced gleefully, "I didn't cry this time!"

Love. Her.

Celebrating

...We headed to the Plaza and tried on lipsticks at the MAC store. The healing power of cosmetics never ceases to amaze me.

Oh, also: GO SEE MR. AND MRS. SMITH. I'm thinking about starting a church devoted to gazing at Angelina Jolie in dumbstruck awe. O! Angelina.

____

* Coach suggested having Shimano handlebars with thumb shifters put on my bike. I suspect this will cost a gazillion dollars. Any experienced bikers or KC bikers out there who might be able to offer some guidance...?

VIZ Media annouces the theatrical release of the Japanese live action film Kamikaze Girls, followed by translated novel and manga graphic novel series to be published early 2006.

REED EXHIBITIONS, ORGANIZERS OF BOOKEXPO AMERICA, ANNOUNCE LAUNCH OF NEW YORK COMIC-CON … A NEW COMICS CONVENTION

Diamond Comic Distributors is Co-Sponsor … ADV Films, Marvel, and DC are Exhibiting … Midtown Comics to be Retail Sponsor

Fair Will be Open to Public

Norwalk, CT, June 8, 2005: Reed Exhibitions, the world’s largest organizer of business-to-business events, has today announced the launch of New York Comic-Con, a new trade as well as consumer event, which will focus on comics and all matters relating to comics and associated fields including graphic novels, manga, anime, games, film, television, toys, videogames, and licensing rights. The event will take place annually in New York City and will be designed to attract the loyal fan and avid collector, while also providing a unique and unprecedented business to business environment for comic book retailers, chain and independent booksellers, mass merchandisers, toy stores, libraries, and rights and licensing professionals. Organizers note that they also expect the event to attract considerable media interest, which is why they chose the New York City location. Other co-sponsors of New York Comic-Con, in addition to Diamond Comic Distributors, which is the world’s largest distributor of English-language comics and related merchandise, include ICv2, which publishes the leading Website and magazines for pop culture retailers in the comic, anime/manga, and games categories, as well as the Reed Business Information publications Publishers Weekly, Variety, Library Journal, and Playthings. Marvel, DC and ADV Films are among the many industry-leading companies who have already made a commitment to exhibit at the new convention.

New York Comic-Con will take place at the Jacob K. Javits Center and will be open to the trade only on February 24th, 2006 and to the trade and the public on February 25th and 26th, 2006.

More in link.

Misfits in mainstream, geeks gather in a world of their own

By Anthony Faiola
The Washington Post

June 10, 2005

TOKYO -- At his favorite neighborhood cafe, Shunsuke Yamagata, a college student who proudly calls himself a nerd, smiled shyly behind his horn-rimmed glasses at waitresses hurrying about in black Minnie Mouse-style shoes and lacy, racy mini-dresses inspired by Japanese comics.

The place is a dream come true for Yamagata, whose passion is collecting comics and cartoons. He giggled when his servers addressed him in the squeaky character voices they use to delight their fantasy-loving clientele.

It was just another night out with the pocket-protector crowd in Tokyo's neon-splashed Akihabara district, where "costume cafes" are the latest of hundreds of new businesses catering to Japan's otaku, or nerds.

More in link.

I changed my hair color.

I'm freaking out.

More later.

MAR053318 KARE FIRST LOVE VOL 4 TP $9.99
MAR053319 SENSUAL PHRASE VOL 8 TP (MR) $9.99

I get to write columns for the back pages of Sensual Phrase occasionally, and Vol. 8 features one of my favorites:

That's right, Kittens; we're just about halfway through this 17-volume series and I thought now might be a good time to pause and reflect upon what we've learned in the pages of Sensual Phrase so far.

What's that you say? You don't recall having learned anything in particular...? Oh, for shame, Kittens! Why, there are valuable life lessons on nearly every page. In fact, I have taken the liberty of culling a sample list...

Someone on the http://www.kfccinema.com/ forum has hotlinked to one of my images and I've gotten 280 hits in two days. I'm not upset about it -- it is bad manners, but I confess I've hotlinked a time or two in my day. Most of us have, I would imagine. Pitching a fit would make me a hypocrite, and 280 hits isn't going to kill my bandwidth. So, whatever. Consider it karma. (I've made an effort to curtail the practice of late -- or to at least ask permission, but in my Delphi days I hotlinked with wild abandon.)

I am curious what image they're linking to, though, and in which thread. My stats page just gives me "http://www.kfccinema.com/xtemplex/index.php"

Anybody know a trick for identifying hotlinks in a forum?

Anybody a regular on the http://www.kfccinema.com/ boards?

Biking

Yesterday's ride was 10.69 miles -- Fraction went with me. We rode for an hour (1:04:51 to be exact; that's a slow pace, you'll note -- 9.8 mph avg). The ride was beautiful - we saw several bunnies, one little cottontail even raced me for a bit. The fifth mile took us back behind Stroud's, which was not terribly lovely and smelled like, well, the back of a fried chicken restaurant. We ended up riding through some broken glass, but the 4th and 6th miles made it worthwhile. I did get my first hint of a side stitch during the ride -- nothing awful, just a little bit of a pinch on my left side, but it was worth noting since it was my first in 3 weeks of training. (According to that link, side stitches usually happen on the right side and usually when running. So. I am an aberration, I guess.)

Swimming

Last swim was Tuesday. It went fine, I enjoyed it, I did two more laps that what was required, hoping, I suppose that it would make up for the stopping and resting I did between laps. I need to cut that out, but I'm working on my form right now, and as I tire my form collapses so...first things first. Next swim on the schedule is Tuesday, next week.

It's disheartening to see myself in my swimsuit. Well, my upper body looks good -- my thighs? Not so much. I try not to look down. Everytime I do I start thinking there's no way I can do this.

Running

4 mile run on Saturday at 7am. Ugh. Laurenn's in NYC for BEA, too, so I'll be w/o my cheerleader.

Weight Lifting

Speaking of disheartening, I love weightlifting and I love my new gym. What I don't love is this asshole personal trainer guy who pretty much seems to live at the gym (he doesn't work there, but he seems to work out of there) who likes to make snide comments about Laurenn and I and MAKE FUN OF OUR HAIR. What is this, high school? The guy's got to be in his 40s! He looks like Gerald McRaney, only really short. It's incredibly annoying -- we've never done anything to this guy, we've never even spoken to him! I try to stay out of his way, avoid eye contact (I'm very confrontational, so you have no idea how hard this is for me) all that...he goes out of his way to get to us. It's unbelievable. And it's starting to make me dread going to the gym, which is a real shame. Not sure what I'm going to do about it yet.

Misc.

- I've started using the training log at BeginnerTriathlete.com.

- This month's COOKING LIGHT, which I picked up because I keep seeing it mentioned on Gastronome, features an article on multisport training and specifically the Triathlon.

- As I mentioned, Laurenn's in NYC for BEA and she's a little blue. If you have the time, maybe you'll go post something on her site to cheer her up? Tell her she's beautiful and adored?

- This has nothing to do with triathlon training, but Jean Snow just hooked me up with SURVIVE STYLE 5+ and I am giddy. Can't wait to watch it!

...Sadly, I have many miles of work to do (MeruPeri and Kare First Love) before I'm allowed to take a night off, so back to work now...

Happy Kitty Bunny Pony : A Saccharine Mouthful of Super Cute

Hey, everyone I know (but especially YOU):

Failing upwards: it's not just for Department of Defense officials anymore! It is with delight and disbelief beyond words that I type the following:

Somebody at CBS gave me a show.

Here's the skinny: "Fire Me...Please" is a hidden-camera game show in which 2 people compete to get fired from their jobs on their first day, closest to 3pm, without going over. Winner gets $25,000, and I'll be your host. Think of it as a cross between "Candid Camera" and "The Office." It's guerilla comedy at its finest; our contestants are absolutely hilarious, and our unsuspecting bosses, co-workers and customers gave us exactly what we wanted and more. We've been working on it for more than a year now, and I couldn't be prouder of the results. In fact, just to ensure that this show gets the publicity it deserves, I've already slept with several of the contestants and told them what to wear.

"FIRE ME...PLEASE" airs for 4 weeks, starting this TUESDAY, JUNE 7 at 9pm (8 central) on CBS. (I think we're between CSI and CSI.) Please forward this email to everyone you've ever met, particularly those with TiVos and Neilsen boxes. Those of you who live in the greater Los Angeles area, watch this space for premiere party details.

Have a great summer, my friends!
Dave

...Okay, so it was a mass e-mail. So what? I know he loves me. You know how I know? Dave started all this triathlong nonsense. Also? He sponsored me for TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY SMACKERS! Clearly, he is a good egg.

Anyway, I don't much care for reality television (I'm agin it!), but if Dave says it's funny, then it's a hoot. Check your local listings and all that.

Novelist Ernest Hemingway's hideaway near Havana, where he wrote "The Old Man and the Sea" and spent more than 20 years of his life, is so tied to American culture -- and so damaged by time and the elements -- that a U.S. preservation group has listed the house among its endangered historic places.

...I've meant to visit his home in Key West for years. Still haven't gotten there. Looks like the Cuban home won't be around for long.

A 9-year-old girl got into a fight with an 11-year-old girl in a Brooklyn apartment yesterday - family members said it was over a ball - and killed her by plunging a steak knife into her chest, the police said.

As most of you already know Laurenn McCubbin (RENT GIRL, QUIT CITY) and I are training for the Pacific Grove Triathlon -- an Olympic-distance event consisting of a 1.5K swim, a 40K bike and a 10K run...ALL IN A ROW. While I we're at it, we're raising money for the treatment of Leukemia, Lymphoma, Myeloma and other blood cancers.

We've probably hit you up for donations already (though, on the off chance we haven't, please feel free to drop by our donation sites -- links at the bottom of this missive!), this time we're hitting you up for assistance with our SDCC FUNDRAISING PROJECT:

The Daruma Comics Internet Index Project

Laurenn and I want to put together a book -- an index to comics-related sites on the web -- that we'll offer as a bonus at SDCC for donations over a certain dollar amount. (We'll take out what it cost us to have the books put together, then divide the rest between our two fundraising accounts. These won't be gorgeous books, mind you -- just Kinko's copies with spiral binding so that we can keep production costs down -- but they should be handy little indexes with something in there for anyone who has an interest in comics. That's the theory, at least.)

I'm in the collection phase right now, collecting suggestions for categories, links (sites/pages can be cross-listed, no sweat), design — anything you think might be useful. (Also, anyone interested in donating illustrations?)

Here's our list of categories so far:

*** Web Comics
*** Creator Sites
*** Publisher's Sites
*** Publisher's Submission Guidelines
*** News Sites
*** Review Sites
*** Columnists/Opinion Sites
*** Forums
*** DLs/Torrents
*** Manga
*** On-line Retailers
*** Misc (e.g., the Master List, online databases for collectors, cover scans, Superman is a Dick, etc.)

... What am I missing?

Michael May was kind enough to send me a list of sites/URLs broken down by the categories above. THAT IS THE BEST POSSIBLE ANSWER, but I know it's time-consuming. If you have time to send me links by category -- GREAT! AWESOME! YOU ARE TEH AWESOME!!

If you don't have time for that nonsence, but want to cut and paste a list, or even export bookmarks and send them as a file, well that's cool. You're pretty, too. Send suggestions, links and feedback to kellysue@gmail.com, please.

Thanks, all.

DONATION SITES:

Laurenn McCubbin's donation site:
http://www.active.com/donate/tntgsf/lmcc

Kelly Sue DeConnick's donation site:
https://www.active.com/donate/tntmida/kellysue

Info on Blood Cancers:
http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_toplevel.adp?item_id=4187

Info on Team In Training:
http://www.teamintraining.org/hm_tnt