Hello, Lockpicks!
What locks have you foiled lately?
some wait for a key
to unlock life’s mysteries
she became the key
I’m still experimenting with different formats for these comics. I’m going to start sending some pitches to place some of my haiku comics as editorial illustrations. I think the second format, with the four panels side-by-side, will be easier for a publication to use. If you have any thoughts or connections related to this hair-brained scheme, I’d love to hear them.
Keys and Locks
I’ve often been tagged as a patient person. And while I am patient when it comes to my children, I do not see patience as one of my primary virtues. I am persistent, and while persistence and patience may look similar to outside observers, they are quite different.
When I’m faced with a problem, I don’t wait for someone else to fix it. I get to work and start trying to figure out a solution. Many times, I could have benefited from a little more forethought, but I’m very much a ready, fire, aim kind of person, at least professionally. When I’ve set my mind to something, I become tenacious. I’m willing to invest a lot of time and energy in learning everything I need to overcome an obstacle.
This means over the years, I’ve developed a motley skill set, and I’ve learned the hard way how to be more efficient with my time.
Once when we were on vacation, one1 of my dear, sweet children managed to lock the open door to the bathroom in the hotel room and close the door, with nobody inside the bathroom. As this was the only bathroom, and several people needed to use it before we went to bed, we had a problem.
I called down to the front desk, it was after nine at night, and the staff seemed baffled as to what they needed to do. I suggested they call their manager. Then I went out to our van, got my tools, and began to try and pick the lock with the help of YouTube.
I managed to get the door open, and we called the desk to tell them we had fixed the problem. They were nonplussed. They had already paged the handyman. I politely suggested they cancel him, and we went to bed.
When we checked out the next morning, we had an item on our bill for the handyman services we did not use. After I explained to the manager that I was an attorney2, the charge was dropped.
When faced with a locked door, I’m literally the kind of person that will figure out a way to pick the lock rather than wait an uncertain amount of time for the key to arrive.
I know patience is an important attribute, but everything I’ve achieved in my life was through persistence, not patience.
Weirdoku
In case you missed it, the ebook version of the first issue of Wierdoku is now available in the Weirdo Poetry store for just $3. The paperback version is also now live on Amazon in most markets.
What is Weirdoku? Is a haiku comic zine, where each month is organized around a specific theme. This month’s theme is the ocean, this issue is called, Disciple of the Sea, and it features 36 haiku comics, more than half of which have never been published anywhere else. This zine is the only place to read them.
You can get your digital copy by using this link.
Here are the links for the paperback, based on different countries:
Be the weird you want to see in the world!
Cheers,
Jason
P.S. I really would like any feedback you have about my idea to pitch my haiku comics as editorial illustrations.
This was more than ten years ago, and we still do not know for sure which child did this. I doubt they even know, they were all such innocent menaces in their own ways. :)
I rarely played the “lawyer card” when I was practicing, but it was effective when I needed it.
I don't know anything about editorial illustration pitches or preferences of those who need editorial illustrators. But I personally do like the new format, I think it works well (too - the other works well too) and the narrower shape may make it an easier fit next to text. Also could it be advantageous that your illustrations are flexible in format? you can configure the same comic a few ways.
Today’s haiku was marvelous and profound, all at once. I’m enjoying learning your backstory, too.