Something probably more suited to my now extinct Livejournal (and for more wise-to-the-world watchers now I come to think of it), but I feel I owe an explanation as to the melodramatic nature of my end-note ramblings yesterday, which contrasted strongly against my employment extension.

It could be unfortunate coincidence or something more than that, I can't say for certain. But hasn't there been a lot of gun violence on the news recently? Well in British news anyway.

The recent spate of victims this week ranging from Northern Ireland, to Alabama in the US, to Germany... it kind of struck a chord too close to home. I grieve for the surviving victims of the barbarousness of those particular weapon-wielders. Not an attack on all those who like or own firearms. I personally don't like the idea of privately owned firearms but that's just my opinion (most definitely biased with what has gone on recently); there are pro's and cons with that whole deal, as there are with everything else with in this world.

Picking my words very carefully here and remaining as neutral as possible, because of such events (and a particular BBC documentary I watched on a particular Evangelical 13-year-old girl's opinion of those who don't follow Christianity) I've begun to question a lot of things, almost in a philosophical nature in some roundabout twisted way. What it means to be human, whether there really is... erm... a greater force out there (albeit God, Allah, Shiva, whoever or whatever), or if it's all pomp and circumstance, pure fate and stuff... yeah, that kind of deal. It's certainly put me off doing a couple of pieces of artwork I had planned to do, including, unfortunate as it is with the Gonne and everything, a re-versioned Feet of Clay homage (a Terry Pratchett Discworld novel I kind of alluded to once; not generally known in the US since it's my opinion fantasy novels over there have to be quite heavy and serious/romantic/sci-fi-ish to be noticed, But that's just my own take on it).

However, thanks to some very wonderful people, both on-line and in real life, both recent and past, I've come to realise that atrocities are always going to happen in the world, be they as large scale as the global recession and its implications (not least the financier Bernard Madoff now being convicted of 11 counts of fraud which some estimate at being over £35 or $50 billion) or as slight as... I dunno, getting yelled at for accidentally bumping into a toddler running round... OK, that was weak (or in my case, my childish twinges of disappointment regarding certain things, at the moment, UK users of Youtube being blocked from certain US music videos -- how pathetic of me, I know). But yeah, as tiresome as the message is, it's best just to get on with life the best you can. And enjoy the good things that balance out the bad in some respects (I wonder if this is why Full Metal Alchemist is seen as depressing?). 'Que sera' and all that. Difficult to adhere to but something I'm increasingly adopting a doctrine, underneath all the emotions and crap. Gods, I can be a right drama king sometimes.

Anyway, I hope that'll explain about the continuing trickle of artwork, especially on the comics front. I know a lot have been wondering about the ending of UEIE, which I have started drafting on and off I'm pleased to report. But with things as they are at the moment, especially with redundancy now coming Friday 20th, I'm finding it difficult to get into the drawing mood for anything other than rapid inaccurate Hellboy-style scribbles, especially when I'm only beginning my 'how to better my artwork' crusade which has kind of ground to a halt. .

Oh well. Inspiration or instigation will get me back in the game, whatever, wherever or whenever it strikes. My most gracious thanks to all who have put up with me thus far!

Here's hoping for a better tomorrow (well, not Friday 13th, no doubt something'll go wrong... gah; and I'm not fond of St Patrick's Day either, although the UK will be first to see this year's Simpsons St Patrick's episode, apparently. Hmm, not much to shout about after all.... oh well).

P.S. My most gracious thanks to those who particularly put up with my sour nature recently.

P.P.S. And that's extended to the glut of new watchers and commenters and note-leavers and new artworks I've been influenced or inspired or wowed by. I really appreciate having a lot of eye-candy to sample on recently.