That was fun
Think it’s time to put Scribs on hiatus again. It’s been a long time since I’ve really been inspired to draw anything, and I’m kinda in the process of learning that you can’t just wait around for inspiration, but…well I’m saying it’s time. I started drawing an arc that I haven’t finished, but you’ll see that it even feels like a farewell thing. Or maybe that’s what it turned into, or…I’m not sure. My relationship with characters I draw tends to be a little complex, I forget a little if I’m the chicken or the egg.
I’m…feeling a little fuzzy. I’ve been wanting to write this for the last three weeks now, but haven’t been able to put words together properly. The creative thing is just kinda away from me now…not just the inspiration, but the desire. I’ve mostly been living a just-gettin’-paid life for a while. Actually I suspect that has a lot to do with…well, mid October I got sick, and then went to Singapore, and I feel that in some way the combination uprooted me, which for a guy who doesn’t have deep roots to begin with, is a little disorienting. I was sick, then in a foreign country, then a different kind of sick, then I was coughing so much I hurt a muscle in my chest, and I continue to be congested, and then my chest hurt again, and now it’s a month and a half later. I guess generally I haven’t felt like myself for nearly two months and it’s been weird.
And the memory. Always the memory. I’d like to write more but my brain can’t support it. I was in a mood to write a week ago, but as I’m walking from the bathroom to the kitchen, five different ideas fly through my head, with no warning or notice and no tracks left in their passing. Maybe I have to learn how to write things down quickly in outline or something…but by the time I think of that it’s probably too late.
So, Scribs, yeah. I need to get something together that creates an interactive audience. I hoped Scribs would do that, but it didn’t, at least not at the level of effort I’m willing to sustain. I think i have more chance with that with a podcast, but my first attempt had a fairly predictable downward spiral into navel gazing. But the benefit of talking my thoughts is that I can nearly talk at the speed of my thoughts, so there’s a more fulfilling feeling that what you hear is roughly what’s actually happening in my head. I think I had to do ten right next to each other to get out a lot of daily this-n-that that clogs up my skull. Either I’m taking a rest and I’ll do more of that, or I’m taking a rest and I’ll work out a more interesting format, or I’m taking a rest and won’t do a goddamn thing. Not sure yet.
In any case the point is, Scribs is done for now, again. Except for this last arc I have to finish and put up. But I’m going to let the domain name expire at the end of the month and move the archive to SpinnWebe. Not even sure if the templates will work properly in that context; hopefully the archive will still be available without needing too much work.
December 3rd, 2010 23:31
I’ve really enjoyed the current run of Scribs, but hey, if you worried about loss of quality it is a good time to end it. You’ve got multiple ways to be creative here, so have at it. No need to keep up any pressure on yourself, just put out what you want to put out, on your terms.
December 4th, 2010 02:28
Ah well. So it goes.
December 4th, 2010 04:33
Shame, but can’t say I’m entirely surprised. Get well soon and good luck with the other stuff.
December 4th, 2010 12:42
No!!! I love your comics! Oh well, not everyone can keep it up forever. Thanks for giving us your creative comics!
December 6th, 2010 03:48
Thanks for the laughs. We will miss you.
December 6th, 2010 05:54
That’s a shame. As ever, I’ve enjoyed them, but if you want to do something else (or nothing else, heh), then there’s certainly no stopping you.
Whatever happened to the Q&A Scribs for the question I posed, where you presented a panel of it here because you liked the artwork (dark, but for a lit candle)? I don’t think I noticed it in the site yet, and I’ve been curious about it since you teased us with that glimpse.
December 6th, 2010 10:34
Awww.
Well, this is only fun for us if it’s fun for you. And if it’s stopped being fun for you but you keep trying…
Anyway. Keep going with the doodles whenever you feel like it, okay?
December 6th, 2010 14:01
I came across your comic in a search to see if Abe Vigoda was still alive. He is. What I have enjoyed most about spending this time with you is that you have always taken your characters places I would never have imagined – and that’s what has made it so enjoyable.
Do svidanya Scribs!
p.s. As Speedy Alka Seltzer says, feel better fast!
BW$$
December 6th, 2010 14:22
Oh, yeah, I found your comic from Concerned.
December 6th, 2010 19:38
Life goes in waves and cycles in seasons. I’ve enjoyed this one. Find a rock to stand on and get ready to enjoy the next.
-e
December 7th, 2010 09:18
zwit: yeah I imagine I’ll probably add something to it every so often. I’m just gonna hope people keep Scribs in their rss feeds.
fleeb: ah never got around to it, unfortunately. I got it half written, so I’d hate to waste that, so hopefully I’ll do it sometime.
December 7th, 2010 22:02
Aw Hell.
That says it all really.
December 8th, 2010 05:24
:(
Is that why the question box has not worked for the past month?
December 8th, 2010 05:27
Sorry for the double post, but I can see no edit function.
Anyway.
Hope you don’t misplace or unwittingly remove your archives, because that is getting annoying. For example, just the other day I had a craving for Chris L’s “To The Death” segment, but it seems that it was deleted or something. Sadness.
Anyway, best of luck in your future endeavors.
-Flaillomanz
December 10th, 2010 19:33
Well, I meant “if it’s stopped being fun for you, but you keep trying anyway, then the cartoons you produce will not be as fun to read”.
I’m reminded of what happened when John Ney Rieber realized he hated writing the “Books of Magic” comic but kept writing it anyway.
This is your sillytime, Greg. If you’re not enjoying it, don’t do it.
December 13th, 2010 23:56
That was a rather good run recently. If it’s inspiration you’re looking for, I say rally the Tenenti and fire up A1-AAA again.
…okay, maybe that won’t actually inspire any comics. But damn, I do miss me some good captioning.
December 15th, 2010 03:38
I, too, would enjoy seeing A1-AAA return. ICanHazCheezburger and its myriad siblings just isn’t the same.
I recall you had a brief flirtation with video captioning, hosted on JackPendley.com. Some of those turned out hilarious. Whatever happened to that?
I have very much enjoyed Scribs.
December 15th, 2010 04:10
Just went over a number of A1-AAA entries in the archives. My sweetie two rooms away wants to know what I’m laughing so hard at…
December 16th, 2010 01:19
Doing the same…
http://www.spinnwebe.com/a1/?c39
Now that’s freakin’ comedy.
December 16th, 2010 07:02
Ditto what zwit said. If you aren’t enjoying it, there’s no point in continuing until you do enjoy it again.
Heh… follow your muse!
Which, I guess if you misspelled that, might come out as “follow your moose!”. Which rather falls in line with K’s link, I suppose.
Anyway, if I get to see the one with the candle finished, I’ll consider it a treat! And if not, this was still a great run.
December 21st, 2010 05:52
I shall miss it when it’s gone.
December 21st, 2010 19:54
… and today, I found that spinnoff is gone.
No more SWHC.
I would’ve loved to’ve been around for that stuff, y’know?
Ah well.
January 2nd, 2011 12:17
Oh, yah, I got rid of spinnoff.com, but the swhc stuff is at http://off.spinnwebe.com/swhc/ . I didn’t bother linking it because I didn’t figure there were a lot of people that cared (and the ones who did already knew).
January 3rd, 2011 14:11
And thus it passes — scribs.us is now pointing at a domain parking page.
January 3rd, 2011 19:34
Yah, paid for it, but a little late. I want to move it over to spinnwebe.com, but decided paying ten bucks was worth not having to worry about it for the moment.
January 14th, 2011 13:08
Scribs #349 reminded me of, “That’s One Dysfunctional Dog.” Are those hidden away anywhere?
March 4th, 2011 11:41
An old friend from the past is up to no good. Ben Schumin is following up on old grudges on Wikipedia.
http://www.boingboing.net/2011/03/04/did-an-old-grudge-ge.html
March 7th, 2011 21:16
Another link for anyone still checking in:
http://sheenfamilycircus.blogspot.com/
March 11th, 2011 13:23
I keep meaning to record an over-the-top bombastic rendition of, “BEN SCHUMIN!!”
…And, say, Greg, you’ve been very quiet these last weeks. You doing okay?
March 14th, 2011 21:59
who remembers the zweblo phone line thing
March 15th, 2011 16:28
All I remember at all clearly was the phone number: 1-900-ZWEBLÖ.
March 16th, 2011 01:11
It was 1-900-ZWEBLÖ-7.
(The Mystic 9-Ball reminded me.)
March 25th, 2011 11:00
What the hell is this? December 10th? Hey I pay AOL a lot of money to provide me with internet content. Some of that money goes to you. I’m not getting my money’s worth, here.
And by the way, if Turkey is such a “backward” and “recalcitrant” nation of “mooks” and “beastly little hookah smokers” (I know you never said that, but you probably think it), explain this please:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/24/turkey-backs-joining-nato_n_840171.html
April 19th, 2011 20:26
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/18/family-circus-autograph-book_n_850400.html?ref=fb&src=sp#s265557
Sigh.
Come back, A1-AAA.
April 24th, 2011 00:46
Seconded.
May 16th, 2011 17:46
…do any other old-school regulars still have a daily habit of checking this place, followed by a “Why did I bother?”
May 17th, 2011 10:09
If I count as an old-school regular, then yes. Though “why did I bother” is a little more grumpy than I would characterize my feeling as. More of a sad disappointment than a bitter one.
I still harbour hopes that tomorrow spinn will experience a surge of creative urgency and things will burst into life again, and that the Ruffiani may someday emerge from the shadows in a new forum to inflict their special brand of joyful snark on friend and foe alike.
May 17th, 2011 10:18
I’ll also add that there have been a number of times I would have liked to comment on one of the Facebook posts, but I don’t have (or want) an account myself.
May 17th, 2011 23:48
grumble mutter mumble
May 18th, 2011 00:29
Hey, no pressure, and no offense. As always, just grateful for the good times that were had, and hope you’re content in whatever you’re doing. Our selfish need to be entertained is our own problem.
May 18th, 2011 16:10
Oh, no, that’s not what I mean at all, but thanks for saying that anyway. No, I’m grumbling because I know I had a fan base and an opportunity, but due to various mental issues I kinda pissed it all away.
May 18th, 2011 22:36
In that case, ease up on yourself. No reason at all to think it won’t come back, when the time is right for you. If you post it, they will come.
While we’re at it, see if you can’t prod Lore back into some sort of activity. And for the love of Geraldo, tell Chris Livingston to stop changing domains without leaving a forwarding address! I think this is the third time I’ve stumbled across a new site of his completely by accident, after watching cobwebs grow on his previous one.