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Post by Roquefort Raider on Jan 21, 2019 6:27:24 GMT -5
With the arrival of more stuff in our house as we finish emptying my late mother’s flat, we had to get rid of something... and so I bid a fond farewell to thirty-five years worth of National Geographic magazine and the bookcase that contained them, since I honestly never re-read them and since nobody wants them anymore. How much do you want to bet that two weeks from now I’ll remember some article that I absolutely need to read again?
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Post by Icctrombone on Jan 21, 2019 6:51:18 GMT -5
Sorry for your loss, RR.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2019 9:37:28 GMT -5
35 years of National Geographics ... Back in 2016, Roquefort Raider ... My brother and I had to get rid of 30 years of those magazines too and we found a school in Spokane, Washington that's wants them badly. I understand what you are doing these days and it's something that all of us has to do when our parents not living with us anymore. I just wanted share that and we did the same thing too. Best of everything, and with my humble respect ... thanks for sharing that with us.
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Post by hondobrode on Jan 21, 2019 10:34:14 GMT -5
Sorry to hear that RR.
Wanted to let you know we had many years of that great magazine as well and had to get rid of them.
I later got my dad Nat Geo on cd. It went back at least 100 years I remember.
I see used sets going for $ 20-50.
The set also has an index feature that's extremely helpful.
Hope this helps you out brother.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2019 7:56:00 GMT -5
Future with CCF
On January 30th, I'll be flying to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to see old friends from College that I've not seen for a very long time and spend a day in that city staying at a friend's place. Then, on the 31st ... we are taking a leisurely drive to Atlanta to see the rest of my college friends and stay there until the 15th of February.
I'll be back here from the 18th of February until the 28th. Starting March 1st, my girlfriend and I are heading to London, England for a week there and after that we'll be spending the rest of the month in March before heading back home around the 3rd of April.
After the 4th of April
I'll be very active with my club that I run, and my club have 174 members and my girlfriend and I are a big part of that club and spending more time with it. Of which, I don't have much time spending online here in CCF Land and that's why I'm no longer reading any books and canceled my reading goals in the 2019 thread and deleted my posts there.
My future here is not so bright anymore and sometimes along the lines ... that I might delete this account for the 2nd and final time and will not compete in the CLASSIC COMICS COVERS CONTESTS anymore.
I may at some point, may not cancel my account and may end up posting a post every so often to reflect on my weight loss, movies, and anything important for all of you here. Right now, my girlfriend and I may get married in the Spring of 2020 and she and I love to travel and that's the reason for not spending any time here in CCF.
I'm not changing my avatar anymore and one that you see is the one that remains the same for the duration of my time here in CCF.
I don't have a pull list anymore, ... and not investing any monies towards future expenses involving Comics.
If you have any concerns ... please send me a private message and you got until January 29th to allow me to answer your questions about my future here. I'm totally burned out here and rightly so.
Thanks for the memories ...
Respectfully Submitted,
MechaGodzilla1974
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Post by BigPapaJoe on Jan 23, 2019 8:46:47 GMT -5
Hey folks. For those that know me, I'm a ghost around these parts. I don't post here often, but it's probably the best community I've seen online. At least in terms of civil behavior. Which is why I keep coming back. Anyway, I'm going to share a personal situation here. Wouldn't be the first time. As usual, I'm not necessarily looking for responses, but do welcome them. I guess I've always felt more comfortable sharing with strangers. The older I get, the more I feel people don't care about your bullshit, and really you shouldn't cry to the masses about your obstacles. But...I've also heard that bottling up things isn't a good method of dealing either. And I don't really talk about stuff with anyone outside the realm of cyberspace. I suck at that. Regardless, I want to start with an image: This is endgame. In a sense. What is it? It's a hotel bar. Where is it? It's in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania at the Double Tree Hotel. I've never been there. However, I plan to be there on May the 16th. This is a Thursday. It's two days before a wedding that I've been invited to. One of my best friends is having her wedding day at a venue near the hotel, and I'm planning to attend all the way from Macau, where I've lived the last three years. Flying in. Won't be that cheap. Why the image of a bar? Well...I don't drink. Not really. Only on special occasions. The only time I used to drink was maybe a couple of times a week at a bar in San Francisco when I went to college years back. It was a quiet dive bar ran by a few ladies trying to always trick you out of your money, but I liked it. Not very crowded, and there was a vibe of "ships passing in the night" with some of the people that walked through. Usually, I kept to myself. Fat Tire, the liquor of choice. Sometimes Blue Moon. So where is this going? Well, since the new year has started, I had set a few goals for myself. To chip at away each day. I've only stuck to one of them consistently thus far, and I feel like even that one in on the fringe at this point due to me not seeing results as fast as I'd like (daily exercise for weight loss). Brushing up on my Chinese language learning has gone off the rails (I wanted to improve to speak to some family members of my friend at the wedding as they are mostly Chinese). My drawing endeavors (always wanted to work in comics) has of course stagnated once again. For whatever reason when it comes to sticking to a goal, I just lose hope, and give up. Story of my life. Sadly, I feel like I'm destined to live this life of destitution, like my estranged mother and father. If it wasn't for my recently born son, I truly might be on a darker path to say the least. My father wasn't in my life though, and I don't think I could do that to my son either no matter how bad things get. I had planned to go as hard as I could trying to accomplish these goals until I left for Philadelphia. 5 months. Now it's about 4. I'll be going there alone. After the wedding, I'll go to New York for a few days with a couple of other friends that are going to the wedding as well. And then it's back to Macau. The first couple of days I'll be in that hotel by myself I believe. Maybe I see my friend, but she'll be two days out from her wedding. Not counting on it. I just plan to enjoy the alone time there, which correlates with the bar I've seen from pictures online. What a miserable existence for this to be my version of potential bliss right? So what's next after my business in the USA is finished? Honestly, I'm not sure. A friend of mine in Macau told me about a job teaching English that starts in the fall. It's for children. The pay is decent, and they apparently want a foreigner. If I were to get a job like that, well, it's goodbye to any hope of having a career as some kind of illustrator. I just wouldn't have any time to practice my craft. My wife has told me it would be a waste to not at least try and get your stuff out in the open, no matter how bad you believe it is. Because then what was the past decade of you trying to do this drawing gig all for really? I go back and forth on whether having the ability to accomplish a goal is some sort of inner super power in itself. And that some people, just never have the mental fortitude to stick to the grindstone, no matter what their life experience is. It's just in their DNA to fail. They'll never have their eye on the prize. Never see the big picture. Never see the results that aren't visible. I'm 31, and I can't remember doing something where I put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into making it happen on my own. I can't look back and say, "yeah it was a fight, but I came out on top". Not even "yeah it was a fight, I didn't win, but I did the best I could". BTW, I think I've bellyached about this before on this forum. Right? The Shawshank Redemption is my favorite film of all time. There is a scene, or rather, two scenes that usually stick with me. "Get get busy living, or get busy dying". I mean, Andy is right. What can I say, he's right. It's up to me to get off my ass instead of crying on the internet about my lack of power. I decide where I get to be in life. I have the resources at my disposal *shrugs* Hmmm...I guess I don't know what else to say now that I've reached the end of what I wanted to type. Actually, one last thing. Negative thinking I do know has had a really bad effect on me. Which I know I'm partaking in right now. I used to read all of the depression type forums on Reddit, and that can really mess with your head. I try not to do that anymore. The positive things I see from the highlights of people's lives on Instagram help on some days, but sometimes those people are a bitter reminder of a reality that I'll never see. So...yeah. Gonna go walk my dog now.
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Jan 23, 2019 10:07:05 GMT -5
BigPapaJoe, regarding a career as a cartoonist or taking a job that sounds pretty good, I don't believe it's an either/or proposition. I've dreamed of being a cartoonist since primary school, the same way I dreamed of becoming an astronaut, a scientist, a hockey player, a novelist, a martial artist and an archaeologist, or of living abroad. Dreams are what motivate us. Some things we realize early on will never go beyond the very first steps. I naively sent my résumé to the Canadian Space Agency when they opened a competition for new astronauts in the early '90s and never even got a "no thank you" note. But then it's understandable: only truly exceptional individuals with the right skill set would even be considered for the first tiers of selection. Hockey player? Forget it; I was strictly amateur time. Novelist? I did write a lot of stuff but am not particularly gifted, skilled or interesting as an author. Scratch all those dreams. Some things we can achieve, at least partly. I did become a martial artist by going to the dojo for a dew decades. Not a good one, mind you, but at least it's something. Living abroad? I managed to do that in Germany and the U.S., for a little less than a decade all told. You, my friend, are having more success than I at that specific dream! So, good for you! Living in Macau sounds all kinds of cool. Some things, next, we manage to achieve because we have staying power. I started drawing comics in primary schools, as mentioned above, and I never stopped. My material was crappy and derivative at first, with poorly-rendered adventures featuring thinly disguised versions of popular characters. Then I got better, little by little, creating my own things. Then it started to get good enough that other people would be interested in actually reading it. I won a few amateur contests, I made a little money on the side. It was clear, while I was in grad school, that if I was to earn a living I could not make drawing comics my priority. I don't mean that it's a bad plan in and of itself, but there's a bit of advice I got at the time that I took to heart: when considering a career as a cartoonist, look at the professionals and compare yourself to the very best, not to the average Joe. My art wasn't bad, but it wasn't equal to the best in the field. That didn't mean I had to give up that particular dream: just that I had to find some other way to make it work than target Marvel, DC or Dargaud. Today, twenty-five years later, I teach science for a living. It's a good job, a challenging job, that I truly enjoy. I am also a cartoonist. I kept drawing all along, taking odd jobs here and there designing logos, t-shirts, newspaper and magazine ads. I publish cartoons on a website. I also created my own publishing house so that I could publish my stuff (two graphic novels to date, with more to come). Could I provide for my family just by drawing? No, definitely not; but there are very few people who can actually do that for any length of time. Such folks are very talented, or very lucky, or both, but most of all they are few in numbers. That doesn't mean that the rest of us can't enjoy the personal satisfaction of creating our own stuff and getting recognition for it. It's not my place to give you any advice, but if you want it here it is: pursue your dream of being a cartoonist, and don't see it either as a burden (don't regret the time you spent honing your skills; that time is never lost, no matter what you do later on) and don't consider giving it up altogether for other considerations. As long as you're willing to work at it, regularly (regularity is THE thing), you will make it; it doesn't matter if you produce one page a day, a week, a month or a year. Best of luck, friend.
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Post by hondobrode on Jan 23, 2019 10:39:52 GMT -5
Future with CCFOn January 30th, I'll be flying to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to see old friends from College that I've not seen for a very long time and spend a day in that city staying at a friend's place. Then, on the 31st ... we are taking a leisurely drive to Atlanta to see the rest of my college friends and stay there until the 15th of February. I'll be back here from the 18th of February until the 28th. Starting March 1st, my girlfriend and I are heading to London, England for a week there and after that we'll be spending the rest of the month in March before heading back home around the 3rd of April. After the 4th of AprilI'll be very active with my club that I run, and my club have 174 members and my girlfriend and I are a big part of that club and spending more time with it. Of which, I don't have much time spending online here in CCF Land and that's why I'm no longer reading any books and canceled my reading goals in the 2019 thread and deleted my posts there. My future here is not so bright anymore and sometimes along the lines ... that I might delete this account for the 2nd and final time and will not compete in the CLASSIC COMICS COVERS CONTESTS anymore. I may at some point, may not cancel my account and may end up posting a post every so often to reflect on my weight loss, movies, and anything important for all of you here. Right now, my girlfriend and I may get married in the Spring of 2020 and she and I love to travel and that's the reason for not spending any time here in CCF. I'm not changing my avatar anymore and one that you see is the one that remains the same for the duration of my time here in CCF. I don't have a pull list anymore, ... and not investing any monies towards future expenses involving Comics. If you have any concerns ... please send me a private message and you got until January 29th to allow me to answer your questions about my future here. I'm totally burned out here and rightly so. Thanks for the memories ... Respectfully Submitted, MechaGodzilla1974
You have a lot on your plate and it's understandable if you want to back off of the CCF / comic book thing for a little while.
It happens to all of us where we can through peaks and valleys.
Personally, I don't have as much free time as I once did and consequently am not on here as much, and that's ok.
It's always here to come back to. You're not obligated to be here and if you're not enjoying it for whatever reason, then take a little break.
Come back when you're refreshed and ready.
Never been to London. Jealous ! You and your lady have a great time !
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Post by impulse on Jan 23, 2019 11:02:30 GMT -5
Future with CCFOn January 30th, I'll be flying to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to see old friends from College that I've not seen for a very long time and spend a day in that city staying at a friend's place. Then, on the 31st ... we are taking a leisurely drive to Atlanta to see the rest of my college friends and stay there until the 15th of February. I'll be back here from the 18th of February until the 28th. Starting March 1st, my girlfriend and I are heading to London, England for a week there and after that we'll be spending the rest of the month in March before heading back home around the 3rd of April. After the 4th of AprilI'll be very active with my club that I run, and my club have 174 members and my girlfriend and I are a big part of that club and spending more time with it. Of which, I don't have much time spending online here in CCF Land and that's why I'm no longer reading any books and canceled my reading goals in the 2019 thread and deleted my posts there. My future here is not so bright anymore and sometimes along the lines ... that I might delete this account for the 2nd and final time and will not compete in the CLASSIC COMICS COVERS CONTESTS anymore. I may at some point, may not cancel my account and may end up posting a post every so often to reflect on my weight loss, movies, and anything important for all of you here. Right now, my girlfriend and I may get married in the Spring of 2020 and she and I love to travel and that's the reason for not spending any time here in CCF. I'm not changing my avatar anymore and one that you see is the one that remains the same for the duration of my time here in CCF. I don't have a pull list anymore, ... and not investing any monies towards future expenses involving Comics. If you have any concerns ... please send me a private message and you got until January 29th to allow me to answer your questions about my future here. I'm totally burned out here and rightly so. Thanks for the memories ... Respectfully Submitted, MechaGodzilla1974 I don't know you as well as others do, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. If you want to cancel your account, of course do so, but I really don't think you need to. Why not as an alternative just take a hiatus and pop in when you want to share something? It sounds like you have a TON going on, so it makes sense to separate out from any commitments on time like contests. By all means! Also, many us have peaks and valleys with comics. I haven't bought or read one in months if not a couple years what with having small children and it being too low a priority on the budget and free time rankings, but I still like to participate in social and hobby categories as I can. If you just take some time away, you might find the refreshing you need so when you do have a moment or inclination to sign in it doesn't feel like a chore. In any case, good luck! FTL is cool, and Atlanta is cooler. Have fun, and hopefully we see you when you want to say hi.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2019 11:44:59 GMT -5
hondobrode ... I'm a World Traveler ... this will be my 5th trip to London. Covered 50% of the Globe. I appreciate your support here. impulse ... thanks for your heartfelt comments ...
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Post by impulse on Jan 23, 2019 11:51:27 GMT -5
hondobrode ... I'm a World Traveler ... this will be my 5th trip to London. Covered 50% of the Globe. I appreciate your support here. impulse ... thanks for your heartfelt comments ... Sure thing! And this... First, congrats! And second, shoot, you better not cancel your account. Keep us posted and brag about your travels, man!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2019 14:19:57 GMT -5
Okay, impulse ... no problems about cancelling my account and post more selectively ... thanks for the vote of confidence.
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Post by impulse on Jan 23, 2019 15:40:54 GMT -5
Okay, impulse ... no problems about cancelling my account and post more selectively ... thanks for the vote of confidence. LOL, not trying to boss you around! Just hoping to show you a way to still enjoy here without feeling obligated or anything. Quality over quantity and all. It sounds like you have some exciting times coming up in your life.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2019 16:41:42 GMT -5
Wow that makes 3 of us going to England this year. @mechagodzilla and The Captain and me!
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Post by The Captain on Jan 23, 2019 16:58:31 GMT -5
Wow that makes 3 of us going to England this year. @mechagodzilla and The Captain and me! We just booked our last lodging in Wales today (we're staying in three different areas of the country during our time there), so now we're working on the airfare.
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