Food for the Spirits in the Wires

I'm really starting to believe that my liking a comic is the kiss of death for it. For the first time since Valiant went belly-up, I got into a comic "universe": Crossgen Comics. Not that I read all their titles. Just Ruse (my favorite - a warped take-off fantasy steampunk Sherlock Holmes sort of thing), Sojourn (weakness for strong female archers), The Path, Way of the Rat, Brath, The Crossovers, and most recently El Cazador (pirates). Well, I just recently finished the "final" issue of Ruse (definitely room to take it up again, from the last page), and notice The Path is about to go, and all the story lines are winding up... But Sojourn still has a LOT of quest left to finish... So I asked my comic store guy. Crossgen is about to file bankruptcy. Well, so much for that comics company. Yes, smart, fun, original, intriguing story lines that win awards -- kiss of death, definitely.

And of course, there's Alan Moore's "retirement." Of course, considering that the man has been a one-man comics factory, what with everything from Promethea, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Tom Strong and all its spin-offs, Top Ten, etc. etc. I can follow his withdrawal from the field. And lately, it's been like he's been dropping too much acid, in some of his titles, anyway.

I'm also suffering from Rumiko Takahashi withdrawal. I've tried searching the web, but haven't been able to find out what's up with her. No new manga, sigh. I heard a rumor that she's got carpal tunnel, and is on hiatus from drawing manga because of it. No word on the web, that I can find, though.

Not a good time for those of us who read unconventional (non-superhero) comics. Oh well, my budget will benefit...

Our division eats senior VPs for lunch. We just got a notice that the latest is being replaced. Funny, she said something, at her first talk to us, about "You're probably thinking why you should pay any attention to me, because the track record says that in 6 months, I'll be gone, too." Bingo. I think we got 5 months out of this one. Sylvia thinks it's closer to 4.

I'm now playing Jimmy the Greek and saying odds are that the replacement is gone by June...

Now that the year is winding down, it's time to take stock again. I'm in a way different place than I would have imagined, this time, last year.

Who are you?
I'm a work in progress. I've given up trying to figure it out, since my mirrors are gone, and I'm not sure if they were accurate, anyway. Having given up a quest for identity, I'm now just a galactic-explorer-at-large, at least this week...

What do you want?
Good question. I've given up most of the answers to that one. I think that the answer used to be "more time" but now, I think it's "wisely using the time I have," in the LOTR mode. There is a point where you realize that if you keep trying to outrun that ticking watch, mostly you spend your time running. If you were going to be running anyway, that's fine. But if you want to be stopping to enjoy that lovely herb garden you'd like to stroll through...well...

Where are you going?
No destination. I'm along for the ride. I might decide to check out this garden, here. Having a destination limits your options. Besides, a landslide closed off the road I was going on, anyway.

Reminders:
Take Self time.
Eat real food when able to
Enjoy friends, but don't let them impose
Don't look too far into the future, except when planning vacations!