The things we do for love

Confession time.

Throughout most of my life, I've been anti-Valentine's Day (I just don't understand it, and as I told a friend earlier this week, it's not like I NEED an excuse to eat chocolate.)

In fact, V-Day kinda sorta pisses me off. In elementary school, it's great. Everyone has to make valentines for each other -- happy day. Then in junior high and high school, it's a big giant heart-wrenching spectacle to see who gets flowers, or balloons, or candy, or other sugary, sappy, lace-covered gifts that scream "I LOVE YOU SO MUCH I SPENT $40 AT THE GERBES FLOWER DEPT!" (Anyone else grow up with Gerbes grocery stores? No? Never mind.) Suffice it to say that for all but one year in high school, I was a member of the forlorn group that scuttled quickly through the halls, our lockers free of pink and red adornments, our hands sweatily clutching our books instead of a drooping bouquet of half-closed roses.

Anyways. I digress. For the last two Valentine's Days, Rob and I have celebrated with handmade gifts. Through my rose-colored glasses (har, har, pun intended!), it's a fitting compromise. "I love you, but I don't have to spend a bunch of money to tell you that, so I'm sort of protesting the commercialism of this odd holiday."

This year, I've been given the Ultimate Challenge. I'm creating a comic for Rob, based on . . . well, I don't know what it's about yet. Probably us. But I'm freaking out a little. This will be a huge test for my writing repertoire, and you don't want to even know about my draw-ring skills. It ain't gonna be pretty, folks. Two words: Stick people! But it's the thought that counts, right?

Time to go cram with the help of this handy-dandy tutorial. And by the way, if any respectable comic creators or illustrators happen by this blog, please don't judge. I have no hopes of injecting myself into the comic industry, unless it's in the form of a collabo w/ my beloved. And even then, I'll make him do most of the work! Now THAT'S true love!