New Years' Misc.

"Sometimes I feel bad about things that happen in the comics industry, and then every year I get to read this survey and its exercise in myopia and self-absorption and suddenly I don’t feel as bad. Thanks, Heidi!"

-Tom Spurgeon, commenting on The Beat's Year-End survey.

Tom's site, The Comics Reporter,  has been down a while. I guess it's getting to him. When it's up again, please visit. It's a totally different take on comics, and I like it.

I am the first myopic, self-absorbed respondent at The Beat, so, by all means, go see my myopic, self-absorbed answers.
I want to think Tom didn't mean me, but my answers were pretty self-absorbed. One rarely gets a chance outside one's own blog to take the mike. I could've said, "World peace and a pony," but I wouldn't mean it.
My self-absorption is unremarkable and sincere.

We went to San Antonio's New Year's celebration. We took a pass on walking through crowds of drunks and underdressed women. Instead, we parked about a half-mile away from one of the three event stages and walked. After a huffy few moments convincing King that a park bench was a good watching spot, but not the best watching spot, we got to a stage.
In about twenty minutes, we witnessed the lamest New Year's Countdown Ever. I'm not sure if it's the fault of the taffy-headed woman counting down, or someone who was supposed to keep her on task, but as the elevator neared the top of the Tower of the Americas, she was still shouting into her mike.
"Countdown--"
And the elevator hit the top, and fireworks started.
"uh, ONE!"
That's something you really want to fuck up for a quarter-million people (which is just slightly less than the entire population of San Antonio). It does make a great story, which is why I shared it.

There's lots more simmering, but posting about it will have to wait.

Slate, Wiped

I have been stalling on confronting someone for five+ years. I wish now I'd faced them head on the first time they indulged themselves in a damaging and untrue story about me (one of several, and knowing their penchant for gossip, probably repeated in email and in person). But I didn't. Others have, with the happy result that the prevaricating stopped.

Perhaps when the person who is lying reads  this, they'd consider not continuing to repeat something that wasn't true the first time they said it, and has gotten considerably bigger and uglier as they tell and retell it.

Even if you weren't lying (and you know you are, and you have often conflated stories about other pros, or shared nasty gossip about their money-handling skills and manners), don't you think it's time to focus on current issues and stop whaling on someone (and their family) who never hurt you?
The only reason you're in my mind is because I keep hearing (and have confirmed and have screen caps) that you keep telling this story (and a few others that are also horseshit). Stop trying to fuck me over. Stop lying. Move on.
 
Consequences are on your horizon if you don't.