"Buckle up..."

I've said it so many times, I'm tired of hearing it myself. But I'm really busy. It struck me today that I haven't updated the blog in a long time. I'll be honest. There are times when I've thought about just letting this thing go. It's been so long since I've been able to do any sketching at work (for various reasons) that I've wondered what's the point of keeping it up. There's also the constant fear that someone I work with will stumble across it and the ribbing I'll get will be epic. But I still hold out hope for a time when things will settle down and I'll get to start sketching again. It was a lot of fun when I was doing it regularly and I really miss it.

I've also had to put the video project on the back burner. Just too much other stuff to worry about. The good news is that things are aligning at work in such a way that when I'm able to continue, I may have more resources available than I thought. I can't go into detail (damn it!) but there's some cool things happening and hopefully I'll be able to get involved. I've accomplished quite a bit on the 3D portion of the project (I've finished modelling my main character and am now working out the bugs on his rig.) and it's got me encouraged to keep going. As with everything I do, it's getting a little bigger than I anticipated as my ambitions get out of control. Hopefully, we'll see how it all turns out. This a long-term project, so I'm not too worried.

The patio's coming along. It's no longer just a big hole in the ground and I'm probably one long weekend from being finished. One word of warning, though. When someone admonishes you to make sure your frame is squared up before you start laying down stones...believe them. Crap.

I've started on the second part of the Perhapanauts back-up and will start tracing the layouts of page one tonight. Work is heating up so drawing time is at a premium. I'm going to be drawing this installment a lot looser than the last one to try to make the deadline. Better put on your embellisher's helmet, Leaf. This ride's gonna be bumpy!

Somewhere in the middle of all this, I found time to see STAR TREK with Suzanne and two of my best buds, Paul and Don. I won't say a lot in case you haven't seen it but I absolutely loved it. Continuity junkies will hate it but they've had their time in the sun and it's time to let go. I think Abrams did the right thing and set this series up (and there will be more, make no mistake) in such a way that fans of the original continuity (including me, up to about halfway through ST:TNG) will be satisfied and yet still attract new viewers. I don't think I'm spoiling anything

(BUT MAYBE I AM SO STOP READING IF YOU CARE!!!!)

by stating that I was shocked that the changes brought about Nero's journey back in time were not "fixed" by the end of the movie. This is a whole new Star Trek now. Same classic characters but with a completely open-ended future not bound by 45 years of tiresome continuity.

I love the original show and can recite entire episodes worth of dialogue verbatim. But I'm very excited about what's happening with this franchise now. We have the classic characters, well-cast and young, in a setting that embraces the wonderful costume designs of Bill Theiss and the production designs of Matt Jeffries. There are even winking nods to the things fans love about the original show. Inside jokes that don't make new viewers scratch their heads. (Keep an eye out for the "space jump" scene. You'll piss your pants laughing.) And yet...anything can happen. Yes, this movie has it's problems. But it's pure set-up. And damned fun. I haven't been this excited about the future of Star Trek since the release of WRATH OF KHAN. And that's saying something. To put it in perspective, my friend Paul is the world's biggest Star Wars geek. He lives and breathes it. As we were leaving the theater, he looked at me and said, "Lucas should've called Abrams before he did Episode 1."

I'd like to write a review of Michael Giacchino's wonderful score for the film but I need to start drawing. I'll probably end up devoting a post to it. It's that good. Giacchino is probably my favorite composer right now. His SPEED RACER score last year completely flew under the radar of most movie music fans but I would dare say it was the best movie score of 2008. Giacchino is incredibly versatile. It's a good thing Abrams seems to have a lock on him because the guy is in demand.

Anyway, have a great Memorial Day weekend. Can't promise to have anything of interest next time, but is it ever?