i like applejuice!

SHIFTING, CHANGING, MOVING

2009-12-17T22:32:00.000-08:00

So... I'm not really going to post on blogger anymore. I redid my website with WordPress, so you should go there from now on for this sorta thing. I'll leave this up. You know, to flood the ol' cultural milieu.

www.ilikeapplejuice.com

FINISH THE MONSTER

2009-11-09T07:29:00.000-08:00

I made a doodlin' zine. It's full of pictures of monster heads, torsos, legs, arms, wings, etc. etc. that YOU can finish. I gave out preliminary versions to trick-or-treaters (along with candy, of course), and it went over well.

LINK! LINK! LINK!

at the bank

2009-07-13T17:25:00.001-07:00

teller: How was your weekend?
me: Pretty good. How was yours?
teller: Short.
me: I hear that. (or something)
teller: I have split shifts. It makes the weeks shorter, but it makes the weekends shorter, too.
me: Oh. So life is just flying by.
teller: Yeah, which I guess is nice.
me (to self): Oh... Dear God.

nick-nick nick nick nick-nick nick nick

2009-06-23T23:31:00.000-07:00

NICKELODEOFF.

I am super-bummed that the plug has been pulled on Nickelodeon Magazine. I don't remember what I ate for lunch today, but I recall every single detail - where I was, who I was with, what I was wearing, what was going on - when I got the word that NickMag was publishing one of my comics. That was almost five years ago, and it is one of the top highlights of my career. It has indirectly opened up a lot of doors for me. Who are you? Pfffft. Wait, what? You're in Nickelodeon? Come on in, sir!

The staff at the magazine is awesome. Chris Duffy and Dave Roman are saints of the comics world, as they have showcased work from loads of crazy good artists in a really cool way - in a magazine for kids. Some of the filthiest, most perverted comic artists in history have done kids' comics for NickMag, and that is too cool. Artists I admire and look up. A lot of great names... and me. Why? WHY? Boy, did I have those guys fooled.

Anyway, the magazine will have issues until October (I think), and I have a comic in the July issue, which should be on stands now. It's my favorite comic I've done for them... and it's the last.

I'm so happy to have been a part of something that I grew up on. NICKELODEON, SON! What a dream come true for a good ol' boy from West Texas.

Urban

2009-06-16T13:09:00.001-07:00

A couple of months ago, my editor told me that Urban Outfitters was going to start carrying my book at some of their stores. Kind of a test run that would hopefully lead to it being carried in all of their stores. We didn't know which stores or when this would happen.

And that's the last I heard about it.

Until today when a gal who I met last year at the Miami Book Fair sent me a message letting me know that she saw my book at Urban Outfitters. So... I guess the plan is in action.

Hooray! So... consider doing me a favor and going to your local UO and seeing if my book (Punk Rock Etiquette) is carried there. If so, pick up a copy, take a step to the side as not to block the books on the shelf, and laugh loudly as you flip through it. Repeat until someone notices, picks up a copy, and takes it to the register. And hey, don't get me wrong. That person taking a copy to the register can definitely be you.

Thank you.
Yours,
Travis

what whaaaaaat?

2009-06-07T22:19:00.001-07:00

I haven't blogged in over a month. Crazy.

1) Jessica and I went on vacation. An honest-to-God-ain't-gotta-do-nothin' vacation. We flew to Portland, which was AWESOME (neither of us have ever been). It was super beautiful and a lot like Austin.

Then we took the train to Seattle for one day. We went in December and weren't superfans of the place, but we wanted to go long enough to go to the Space Needle and the Sci-Fi Museum, which was TRIPLE COOL because there was a Jim Henson exhibit. My hero. My ultimate hero.

photo by some dude working there.

Then we took the train to Vancouver. The train ride was old-timey.

photo by jess. old-timiness by me.

We stayed in Vancouver for five days, and totally fell in love with the city. Rented bikes a couple times and rode around. Stayed in a baller-ass hotel for crazy cheap (Priceline negotiater!), plotted becoming Canadian, rode little boats around. It was great. We can't wait to go back.

2) So I'm staring down a deadline. In two weeks, the first draft of my new book is due. I'm about 2/3 finished. And basically, if I pull this off, I'm the greatest writer alive. If I can't, I'm human after all. I'll let you know.

3) I'm in Texas for another week or so. Abilene for a while, and then Austin for a couple days. My mom's dog that I claim as my own had a seizure tonight. He has them every once in a while. Scary. And heart-breaking. But he's healthy and happy otherwise. The vet isn't concerned. I love you, Corbin!

EAT POOP, FIREFOX!!!

2009-05-03T21:36:00.001-07:00

For the past few months, Firefox has really been pissing me off. Always crashing on me. And update after no-choice update, I kept hoping the problem would be fixed. But no.

AND NOW...

I noticed that my bookmarks toolbar where I had a few of my favorite websites and webcomics... was gone. Empty. Dang. Oh well, I can add those again. But then... oh no. My bookmarks - all 200 or so of them organized into several folders over the past few years - ALL GONE.

DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT!

SCREW YOU, FIREFOX!!!

I'm done.

------------

Edit: Fixed it. Everyone settle down.

cliptage. monlip?

2009-04-26T11:16:00.001-07:00

It was The Best Summer of my Life.

Things started heating up with an old flame at a friend's dad's wedding. And at my summer job, I fell in love with the boss's daughter.

-----

A clip show. One clip is a montage. A clip of a montage.
What if there was a montage of clips? And later, in a clip show, they showed that montage of clips? Would that blow your mind?

MORE SBTB

2009-04-08T08:37:00.000-07:00

The conclusion episode of the "Hawaiian Style" 4-parter (or, as originally shown, toward the end of the primetime TV movie) contains such a GREAT Zack line.

The gang discovers that Brian is secretly working for Charles Worthington, who seeks to eliminate The Hideaway because it is a threat to his resort, The Royal Pacific. Lisa overhears Brian talking to Charles, and she tells the gang. They're pissed, but of course, Zack has a plan. And he says one of most awesome thing.

Kelly: I'm gonna kill him!
Zack: You do, and I'll kill you.

WHOA! WTF! That's so hilariously extreme.

P.S. Naturally, the idea involves dressing up in costumes and speaking in phony accents.

ACTING!

2009-03-31T08:57:00.000-07:00

In group scenes, watch how members of the cast of Saved by the Bell look to the person who is about to say the next line. LOVE IT.

Too old for this...

2009-03-24T08:57:00.001-07:00

Saved by the Bell was written by adults.
It was written for kids.

In general, these are pretty well-off kids in a nice town. They only needed 10k to save The Max. Couldn't Zack's dad just write a check? I find the money logic in that episode ESPECIALLY maddening when all they needed was like $1400, and Slater came in to save the day with his speech. Couldn't, I don't know, HIS dad have written a check for that amount? Or SOMEBODY? Lisa. Get out the credit card! That's freaking nothing! Even back then! And everyone was just ASLEEP at The Max? And were people just zombied-out at home in front of their radios, uninspired to call or move until Slater motivated them to snap out of it? Why... I mean... what?

And was Bayside's radio station operating without a license from the FCC, or did they have one that they just... weren't using?

And in the episode where they find $5000 at the mall and they decide to buy U2 tickets and scalp them, they pay an old lady $200 to get in front of her in line. TWO HUNDRED BUCKS to get ahead one spot in line. The tickets cost $60 each. They pay an old lady more than the cost of THREE tickets to get ahead ONE PLACE. WHAT?! That doesn't even make SENSE!!!

Junior writer: Excuse me, but something about the numbers there don't add up.
Peter Engel: You're fired.

I don't know if I can watch this show anymore.

But I always will.

hired pen

2009-03-09T21:34:00.000-07:00

i draw sometimes. this is the inked drawing for a poster i done did for soundcheck magazine's 3rd birthday par-tay during sxsw in beautiful austin, texas. colored and fixed poster forthcoming and whatnot.

i'll be in texas for a week beginning this sunday. austin for a few of those days. yeah, during sxsw. hopefully i'll still be able to get a table at my favorite restaurants. it's usually so stinking crowded everywhere. however, i have a feeling that it won't be as packed as last year. you know, ecomoney and all. or perhaps there will be even more british people there to make up the difference. we shall seeee!

I am getting too close.

2009-02-16T13:58:00.001-08:00

I was out in the garden, and one of my broccoli plants was leaning over. It has been raining a whole lot, so some plants aren't very secure in their spots. I used a tomato cage to stand it back up, and as I was patting the soil down to make it more firm, I noticed that the heads of broccoli were now crooked because they had angled up when the plant was leaning. I chuckled and said, "you're so silly." Out loud.

And then my smile fell. Someday soon the broccoli will be mature. I will cut that big head off and eat it. And then I will eat the smaller, outlying florets. I am going to kill this broccoli plant.

I have to be careful to remember my place in the chain.

The Ludlows

2009-02-14T11:22:00.000-08:00

SO ALRIGHT.

I'm writing/illustrating a new comic for an online magazine called "SB360" that Dell is behind. It's all about small business and technology.

The comic is called "The Ludlows". It's about a pair of brothers who take over the family floor and tile business. I KNOW, RIGHT?!!! There will be two comics every two weeks. And here's the link to the first one! And from there you can see the second. Oh. And it looks like the third one is online as well. Bonus.

Here's the first one.

Go to the site to check out the others!
http://sb360.allbusiness.com/11778621-1.html

rebel yell

2009-02-10T18:01:00.000-08:00

I just witnessed the most incredible display of casual scofflaw...ery in my life.

I was walking my bike up a hill, and this dude about twenty feet in front of me dropped something on the ground and kept going. When I got closer, I saw that it was a Whole Foods buffet container. LITTERBUG!!! I started walking faster to catch up and be all DOUBLE-YOU TEE EFF, but he straight walked across the middle of the street amidst a bunch of traffic. JAYWALKING WOAH! So I kept walking parallel to the guy across the street, and he turned down an alley. Then he faced the wall and looked down. PUBLIC URINATION! HOLY WHAAAAT! I just... had to keep going. I mean, this dude didn't give a frick, and I didn't want to, you know, get myself stabbed or something. Coulda been unstable or mentally whackadoodle for all I know.

But this guy, he was basically this normal-looking dude. Kind of nerdy. Pants were too short. Weird jacket. Probably reads hardcover library books. You know the type.

If you see this guy, ask him if he's okay. And then tell him that littering totally sucks.

punk rock etiquette vidja

2008-12-17T18:24:00.001-08:00

So I made this video slideshow thang for a book festival.

2008, I hardly knew ye.

2008-12-08T20:23:00.000-08:00

Hi, pals 'n gals,

2008 is almost over, and I... don't... know how that happened. This year I mastered the Rubik's cube, moved to San Francisco, started a weekly comic and daily drawing, became obsessed with succulents, went to my sister's wedding, wrestled a phoenix, got a second book deal, neglected my weekly comic and daily drawing, went to some rad book festivals, and had lots of great/rad/tragic/amazing adventures.

I know we're in a recession and all, and that it's ALL YOUR FAULT, so if you're looking for some handmade/personal/fun gifts that won't break the bank, I have some stuff that you might be interested in. A couple of items of interest are the return of the Texicorn shirt and the door hangers that I've had in the past.

http://www.ilikeapplejuice.com/shop/texicornshirt.html
http://www.ilikeapplejuice.com/shop/hanger.html

There are also prints of some of my paintings, as well as greeting cards and other goodies. My prints and cards are printed on 100% recycled paper, and the cards are printed with vegetable-based ink. You're welcome, Earth.

http://www.ilikeapplejuice.com/shop.html

All orders placed by the 17th can get where they need to be by Christmas. You know, most likely. Maybe you should shoot for the 15th or 16th. And hey. I'll toss in extra cards and treats because, well, it's the holidays or whatever.

Now, if you'll excuse me, Jessica is out on a walk and I want to sneak in some video gaming before she gets back. I hope you all have the best holiday season EVER. Be good!

the big city.

2008-11-25T17:25:00.001-08:00

i had this idea a really long time ago. now it is out of my brain. more room for paula abdul lyrics!

there have also been a few daily drawings since last week... so... ILIKEAPPLEJUICE.COM!

A new invention

2008-11-19T00:07:00.001-08:00

site overhaul

2008-11-11T12:17:00.001-08:00

Hey! I just finished fully updating my website.
I am now doing a comic a week and a daily drawing or painting.

GO GO GO!

And let me know if you spot any problems on the site. I updated a ton of pages, and I might have missed something.

Also, I have two Project Wonderful boxes on the main page, so if any of you folks use it, jump on in on the ground floor! America!

Thanks!

Miami New Times

2008-11-10T08:06:00.001-08:00

If you live in the Miami urrea, go NOW NOW NOW and grab a copy of this week's issue. I did the cover for a story about the Comix Galaxy at the Miami Book Fair.

Back to school

2008-10-30T17:45:00.001-07:00

Well, alright!

Apparently, Punk Rock Etiquette is going to be used next semester in a Young Adult Literature class at Illinois State University. Whether it will be used for study or to balance the professor's wobbly lectern, I do not know. At any rate, that's pretty neat! Any Redbirds out there?

TEXAS BOOK FESTIVAL!

2008-10-27T15:58:00.000-07:00

People of Austin! COME SEE ME!

I have an event on Saturday, November 1st from 1 to 1:45.

In Capitol Extension Room E1.016 in the Capitol Building!!! That's right. Every Texan's second home. I will talk for a bit and tell a story with pictures and maybe sing a song or two. And I'll be giving away free bookplates to put in your copy of Punk Rock Etiquette.

I'll also be at "Not for Required Reading" also on the 1st from 8 to 9:30pm at the Austin Bat Cave (1807 W. 11th St.).

you bunch of crybabies

2008-10-02T22:34:00.000-07:00

Orphaned Works, Shmorphaned Shmurks.
Everybody needs to calm down. It's going to be fine.
We're just going to have to change the way we do things so we can protect ourselves.
For example, here's a little sketch.

Now all I have to do is figure out how much it will be to register this copyright.
And to whom I'm going to pay it.
Nothing to worry about.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to organize my 10,000 drawings, photos, stories, songs, comics, paintings, etc. and categorize them so I can register them all when the time comes.

Goodnight!

viewin' and reviewin'

2008-09-26T12:53:00.001-07:00

I finally got a review on amazon. A.

I'd love some more if anyone out there has read Punk Rock Etiquette.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to putter around in the garden (read: procrastinate Many Important Things).

Much obliged,
Travis

2008-09-10T11:51:00.001-07:00

I turn 30 tomorrow.
And... I'm pretty okay with it.

DUDE!

2008-09-05T21:11:00.001-07:00

I TOTALLY JUST FELT A TREMOR!

i was sitting here and the floorboards moved a under me. like a ripple. and my chair moved a teensy bit. nobody else really felt it (two dudes are over and jessica is here). i was like, "wait. did you feel that? was that a tremor?" and jessica said, "no. derrick closed the bathroom door."

but we checked the instant earthquake site thingy, and sure enough, there was a quake outside of berkeley.

I FELT A TREMOR!
MY FIRST TREMOR!

California! Hooray!

Now, if only there wasn't so much crime in my neighborhood. I mean, enough with the robberies and home invasions and shootings already! Sillies!

BLÖRG!

2008-09-03T17:32:00.001-07:00

I created a blog for punkrocketiquette.com

AT SOME POINT, there will be video tutorials and all sorts of fun stuff.

punkrocketiquette.blogspot.com

HUZZAH!

Also, I bought a new Rubik's cube today, and for some reason it's SUPER QUICK. Like it's loosely geared and über-lubed. I was going to use it to do this project I've been dreaming up... but I might just hold on to this one. It's a speed cube at regular price! CHA CHING! ZIP ZIP ZIP!

RELEASE!

2008-09-03T17:31:00.001-07:00

(written yesterday)

So... my book came out today. I don't really know what that means. It's not like they started being sold to the block-wrapped crowds at 12:01am or anything. In fact, my mom went to the Books-A-Million in Abilene, TX, and it wasn't there. They checked with the truck, and there was a publisher's hold on the book. They said that when that happens it's usually because online sales exceeded expectations. Sure enough, Amazon was sold out. So... there you have it. Either that's reeeeeally awesome, or Amazon only had like 20 books.

How am I dealing with my success and glory? Well, I looked at all sorts of Rubik's cubes on ebay for over an hour. And we had veggie burgers and tater tots for dinner. And we ate the strawberry that we grew.

Golden.

2008-08-14T20:18:00.000-07:00

So there's this show called "Battleground Earth". In the show, Tommy Lee and Ludacris are battling to see who can be "more green". There are challenges dealing with waterless car washes and green funerals. Awesome.

But... wait...

It's a ten city tour thing... and I just saw Ludacris charter a private jet to go to the next city. And they're always driving around in these SUVs. Even if they're hybrids... COME ON. How easy would it have been to use biodiesel-powered buses?!

And speaking of biodiesel, in one challenge, they rush to sell as much fried food as they can so the used oil can be converted to biodiesel. Weird. Someone somehow managed to make biodiesel... wasteful? I... I...

I know. It's entertainment. It's supposed to make people think and talk and possibly make realistic changes. It's not supposed to be preachy or far-fetched. But... a few little things could have been done so it doesn't come off as insincere and, well, hypocritical.

It's like a magazine doing a double-sized "green" issue on their regular ol' new tree paper. It's all lip service and bandwagon get-onning. Yeah, get-onning.

POWER SIGH.

YES

2008-08-10T17:05:00.000-07:00

my book comes out in three weeks. woah.
like, woah.

i've been working on punkrocketiquette.com. my computer needs a nap.

as for the garden, i build a cage over two of the 5' planters, and it has worked so far. the third big planter has a bamboo and tarp setup i'm tweaking. it's not perfect, but it made it through the first night okay. the amaranth and greens that were chomped to the stems are coming back slowly. i couldn't bring myself to toss them out. i replanted most of them. the amaranth in the third planter, and the kale and lettuce in the two caged planters. mixed in around the tomatoes and zucchini. we're gonna win this thing! pictures soon.

my new love: pluots. the awesomeness of plums without the mooshiness. thanks, apricots!

Punk Rock Etiquette

2008-08-02T00:59:00.000-07:00

I'm working on the website for the book, which will have fun tutorials and a message board for show help, resources, tip sharing, etc. Aaaaand I mostly have the forum done. Check it out, gimme suggestions, and feel free to, you know, get on there and post if you want!

http://punkrocketiquette.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl

In other news, the rats came back last night and ate all of our kale and lettuce. I'm drawing up plans for big wire mesh boxes for everything to go in. Classy stuff. With a large access doors in the front. More... chicken coop than greenhouse. And I'm not talking chicken wire here. I'm talking 1/2" galvenized steel wire mesh. If the rats can get through that, then GOD HELP US ALL, for we are not long for this earth.

The shot heard 'round the garden

2008-07-31T10:07:00.001-07:00

I have to deal with rats eating my greens today. Bastards ate my ENTIRE amaranth plant today and a chard and lettuce nearby. I was willing to share, but now... IT'S ON. Oh... the rage. It is coursing through my veins. I sat there in the garden and just let my hatred seep for a few minutes out so the vermin could smell the pheromones. The stink of impending, gruesome vengeance. I wouldn't be surprised if they've already fled the scene.

But... now I have a spot for the little bitty pumpkin plant I got. I'm going to have tiny jack-o-lanterns!

I'M BACK.

2008-07-18T18:18:00.001-07:00

yeah, i'm like a rapper. i go away for a while and when i come back, it's aaaaall about BEIN' BACK!
anyway, some... stuff happened, but more on that later.

right now, i wanted to post about a new zine i'm doing called 'undoomed'. it's a free comics/words/drawings zine and i'm seeking submissions and advertisers. so... comics people! writing people! business people! etsy-ers! see this:

http://undoomed.ilikeapplejuice.com

HUZZAH!

magazinie weenie

2008-06-20T13:35:00.001-07:00

hey, pals,
i'm in two magazines out right now-ish. go peek.

VegNews Magazine. I think it's the July/August issue. It's the MUSIC issue, and there's a small piece on OMEGA MONSTER PATROL! BEHOLD!

Nickelodeon Magazine. The July issue (out in a few days or so) features a drawing by me as the cover to the comic book section. Yeah, baby.

So there you have it. It's hot as HELL in San Francisco today. It's gotta be like 78 degrees out. BLARG!

oh.

2008-06-14T08:04:00.001-07:00

By the way, I live in San Francisco now.

Whirlwind. A whirlwind.

2008-06-01T22:38:00.000-07:00

I woke up balls early and got a cab to the airport. The flight to LA from New York is over six hours. GOOD LORD. So I was going to LA for Book Expo America to hustle my book, Punk Rock Etiquette, which comes out in September. I was basically there to meet a lot of booksellers and do a few programs. I did a book signing on Friday, it was pretty cool. I signed 40-50 advanced readers copies, which was 40-50 more than I expected! I sat a few rows down from Henry Winkler signing his book. Yeah, that's right. The next day, I did a "speed dating" program, where I went from table to table of booksellers, librarians, etc. talking for three minutes about the book and me and inspiration and all of that. Colleen, marketing mastermind, came along and helped steer the convo. Got a LOT of positive feedback, and a handful of them talked about doing music-related programs with me at their stores. So basically... I might be doing some book touring. That night, Macmillan had its dessert party, where I (along with five other authors) was introduced and gave a little speechschpeel. More good words, met lots of folks.

All along the while, I ate awesome food and a pretty killer time. Met lots of cool authors. Also - there was a phone in the bathroom of my hotel room. You heard me. And guess who else was at BEA. No. Guess. My pal Jennifer Perkins! Hooray! We walked around together for a bit on Friday, but never got a chance to hang out again. Her book comes out this fall as well.

So yeah. This is all pretty crazy and awesome. My little ol' book is going to be in stores. And it can already be pre-ordered on amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, borders.com, shop.mtv.com, and lots of other places. Whirlwind. A whirlwind.

an idea i had inside my brain

2008-05-19T12:20:00.000-07:00

do a google image search for the month you were born and post the first picture. then do a search for the day you were born and post the first picture. then do a search for the year you were born and post the first picture. and post the little versions!

example:

"september" "11" "1978"

two things.

2008-05-07T16:48:00.000-07:00

1) sent my "author photo" to the pub. this morning. this might be in the book. might be used for other stuff. i dunno. i dunno what they do. long as i get my rent paid on friday, ain't no nevermind to me.

2) WINSLOW STILL NEEDS A NEW HOME! help! help! ask around!

EXCELSIOR!

2008-05-05T21:32:00.000-07:00

it's official. i am moving to san francisco. jessica and i got the apartment we wantwantwanted. the price is good, the neighborhood is good (potrero hill), there's a deck AND a back yard and a supercute kitchen and i am in love with it.

i love the kitchen so much! AAAAAH!!! look at the little nook behind the stove! that's for officing!

here's a link to a photoset:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/definitelyjess/sets/72157604902794032/

other notes:
living! room! loooook! bay windows! wood floors! great light!
bed! room! yippee!
bath! room! look! it's like peeing in greece!
back! yard! YAY! there's an apple tree there!
deck! coming soon: plants galore!

winslow (cutest puppy ever) needs a new home!

2008-05-04T21:13:00.000-07:00

Attention, Austin!!! Winslow is the quintessential happy puppy. He loves to play, is a great snuggler, and needs a new home. Winslow is a shepherd mix with floppy ears and heartbreaking eyes. He is ready to find a friend for life who will devote time and affection and really bond. Someone to go to the park with and puppy school with and hang around the house with. Winslow has a sweet disposition and is sure to grow to be loyal, brilliant and and all around great dog. He is currently 5-6 months and weighs between 40 and 50 pounds. His shots are current and he is due to be fixed. He's not totally stoked about leashes and isn't quite used to riding in cars, but he's still young and untrained (though he is housebroken).

So... if you or someone you know has a big ol' hole in their heart and room in their life for a really amazing dog, let me know. He deserves it!

Thanks, gang!

Oh Oh Oh OMEGA!!!

2008-04-29T07:41:00.000-07:00

i'm going to be in the VegNews music issue, and i needed to send them a photo. so... last night... i made THIS!

too little too late

2008-04-16T13:49:00.000-07:00

i got this rad idea yesterday when this chick on a cell phone cut me off by turning right in front of me while i was in the bike lane on guadalupe. i yelled HEY at her but she just kept yacking away. never noticed. so i had this idea to rig up my mountain bike with mounted water guns so i could blast jerks who mess with me.

but just like with 'chesskers', i wasn't the first person to think of this. i give you... WATER WHEELS!

http://www.water-wheels.com

this dude spent over $300,000 developing this set up. it hasn't been picked up by a manufacturer yet, but he's been to some toy fairs. so yeah. what i want to do isn't going to actually pump the guns by the rotation of the wheel. mine will just be guns mounted to the handlebars with the trigger by the brakes. simple. and i will be using thrifted supersoaker stuff instead of new plastic. DIY, baby! i'll be sure to put photos up when i finally do it. jake is going to help me fix up that bike, and i'm sure he'll get a laugh out of it.

and be sure to watch the amazing cartoon:
http://www.water-wheels.com/video/cartoon_full_mov.htm

the spirit of invention

2008-04-13T09:03:00.001-07:00

last night, i invented something that, well, now seems that has been invented countless times already. i was at bouldin creek with ross and jacob, and jacob brought over the chess/checkers board from the game shelf. i opened it up, and it was FULL of pieces. typical to bouldin creek, there were parts to four or five games in the box to make of for various missing pieces. i set up chess, and then had a thought. i replaced the pawns on the white spaces and replaced them with checkers, leaving us with four pawns and four checkers each. i decided that the checkers would move like standard checkers, and would take out an opponent's piece by jumping it. they could double-jump and get kinged and everything. the rest of the pieces would behave normally as well.

it was way fun. at one point, i double-jumped jacob's bishop and one of his checkers. we were laughing like nerds the whole time. it was REALLY FUN. and i hate chess. and checkers.

so this morning i did a search for "chesskers" and it turns out that tons of people have created the game. makes sense. the pieces often come together in a set, and obviously use the same board. and then names fit together. the problem is, i haven't been able to find a link about chesskers that actually shows a board set up or gameplay happening. it's weird. so many dead links. so many mentions of the game without any explanation.

anyway, it was a good time. makes me want to create... THE ULTIMATE BOARD GAME.

wisdom

2008-04-05T08:27:00.000-07:00

"Jesse, you know everything about the environment except how to enjoy it." - Albert Clifford Slater

Yeah, sometimes I need to lighten up. Thanks for opening my eyes, A.C.

it's a dream come true!

2008-03-20T09:52:00.001-07:00

i'm going to be on nickelodeon!

well, actually... half a page of one of my comics that was in nickelodeon magazine will be shown for half a second on a promo on nickelodeon (tv).

i have unconfirmed reports that donkeylips, sponge and budnick will be fighting over the page as older pete flies by on his track bike and diz goes "AH-EE-YA! AH-EE-YA!" and then everybody gets slimed as clarissa explains it all while holding a piece of the aggro crag. it's a quick half second, but keep your eyes peeled for it.

SXSW stuffs

2008-03-12T08:15:00.001-07:00

Just a quick note to all of you who are in town for SXSW:

QUIT GOING TO MY FAVORITE RESTAURANTS, YA JERKS!! If I can't get a table at Dhaba Joy, Java Noodles, Bouldin Creek or Mr. Natural, I'm gonna FLIP OUT. I'm not even going to TRY to go to Mother's this week. If you see me walk in to a restaurant and scowl, come on, let me sit with you. I won't take up much room, and I'll totally give you bitesies of my food.

If you LIVE in Austin, please, by all means, live your life. But... maybe you should eat at home. Yeah. It's much cheaper to cook your own food. And it's more intimate. Spend some time with your friends and family. Let the Yankees dump their Yankee dollars into our economy for a few days.

Love,
Travis

WAIT! WAIT! WAAAAAAIT! That's not what I meant to write about. I took a wrong turn there. Okay.

I'm sharing a booth with the Austin Craft Mafia from March 13th-16th in the parking lot between Jo's coffee and the Hotel San Jose. Thursday-Saturday it goes from noon until 10pm. On Sunday... I think it's over at 4. Free event, of course. And there will be bands, coffee, weirdos, and more! Come check it out! And say hi to me!

Okay. That's it. Have a great week.

toooooooot

2008-02-22T10:05:00.000-08:00

late last night i finished the poster design for soundcheck magazine's birthday party event during sxsw. i'm 98% happy with it.

still in san francisco. having a great time. only two more weeks, then it's back to austin. i wonder if i'm missing anything awesome.

yay!

2008-01-29T08:50:00.000-08:00

i just added some new stuff to my etsy store.
i FINALLY got my POSTERS IN! HOORAY!!! so those and two doodle books.

http://ilikeapplejuice.etsy.com

2008-01-15T15:56:00.000-08:00

i have an art show up at hardin-simmons RIGHT NOW.
my second-best friend, rhonda turnbough, and i just hung our exhibit, "it's nice here" at the ira m. taylor memorial gallery. it will be up until february 8th.

there will be a closing reception on february 8th from 5:30 to.... 7? 8?
SUPPOSEDLY there will be a talk/Q&A at 5:30... um... we'll probably just show some silly videos and then see if there are any questions.

go check it out!
neat!

oh, and here's something new. i'll probably make posters. after a while.

the original drawing (black and white) is at the show.
yep!

Little Guy

2007-12-31T09:01:00.000-08:00

Jessica and I were walking at Town Lake and saw a little rustling off the side of the trail. A couple of kids noticed as well, and it turned out to be... a raccoon! It was just sitting there in broad daylight, shivering. Two women walked by and said, "Oh... we need to call animal control." I told them I was calling and used Jessica's cell phone to dial Austin Information. I told the operator the deal and she connected me to Wildlife Rescue. A woman named Karen answered and I described what was happening. She said it was most likely _____, a disease that dogs and cats get but are immunized for. She couldn't come pick the raccoon up because she was by herself at the rescue place and said we had a few options.

1) Forget we saw it.
2) Call Animal Control so they could take care of it. And that means they'd, you know...
3) Bring it to the Wildlife Rescue.

"Let me call you back," I said.
I relayed the conversation to Jessica. I guess at first she wasn't entirely stoked about a wild animal in the car, but she was down. The rest of the family of the kids that were there in the beginning were standing there looking, and I told them what I found out. I ran across the street to Taco Cabana and told them I had to catch a... kitten at the lake and asked if they had a box I could use. I was given a box with no lid and ran back to the trail. At first I tried to get the raccoon to walk into the box by gently nudging it with a stick, but it was too weak to move. It got up and moved a couple of steps, but then sort of sat down again. I moved a few branches and scooped it up in my hoodie and put it in the box, thanked the family for waiting and we walked back to the car. Jessica called the Wildlife Rescue back and got the address.

Jessica sat with the box in her lap and we drove across town. She kept saying, "It's okay, little guy," and, "We're almost there, little guy," so I guess she decided his name was Little Guy. He didn't move much other than shivering.

When we got to Austin Wildlife Rescue, Karen came outside. We put the box on a table and she picked Little Guy up. She wrapped him in a towel and dried him off. He started making raccoon sounds and looking around, but was still too weak to move much or freak out. She took him inside to put in an incubator and I filled out a form.

So... it's a virus thing, so there's a slim chance he'll make it. But at least he has a chance, you know, at all.

Look at his little hands!!!

Austin Wildlife Rescue is volunteer-run organization that gets no government funding. They do amazing work, and they really love animals, dangit!

Check out their website at:
http://austinwildliferescue.org/

They have lots of helpful information and a paypal donate button on the bottom left. You know...

2007-12-15T10:27:00.001-08:00

i don't remember the last time i spent so much on a single one thing.
i'm about... 3/5 done with the drawerings of this.

i'll probably get (color) posters of this made when it's done. yep. from greenerprinter.com. or pinballpublishing.com. that's where you should get your prints, business cards, postcards, etc.

wonder boys

2007-11-14T11:09:00.000-08:00

I'd like to be an author like in the movies. Needy and neurotic. I got
this far without an agent or manager, but maybe I need one just to have
someone to pander to my insecurities and treat me like a delicate genius.

"Cynthia, I'm freaking out."
"Oh, Travis. This book is going to be HUGE. You're a revolutionary."
"But the stress is killing me in the meantime."
(beat)
"Okay, I've scheduled a spa visit for you. And here's $500. Go buy some
jeans and a nice blazer. That will make you feel better."
"Sometimes I think YOU'RE the genius, Cynthia."
"You're so sweet, Travis. But you are. YOU ARE."

austinist interview

2007-10-31T11:09:00.000-07:00

i was interviewed by the austinist about Stitch (fashion show). you can read it here:

http://austinist.com/2007/10/31/stitch_preview_1.php

also..... i turned in the first draft of my book at 2 this morning! hooray! i did it! now i'm going to treat myself to a nice lunch.

happy halloween!

nick-nick nick nick nick-nick nick nick

2007-10-30T20:20:00.000-07:00

Nickelodeowwwwn!!!

Go grab November's Nickelodeon Magazine for a comic by yours ever-so-truly. It's another food-related one. I... guess I like food? And the characters are named after my dad and uncle, Rusty and Dusty (their real names are Roger and Noel, so... the nicknames are obvious). Incidentally, my uncle accidentally got a copy of NickMag in the mail, and as he was walking down the street to deliver it to the kid it was supposed to go to, he flipped through it and stumbled upon the comic. He called my grandmother and said, "Um... Rusty and I are in a comic."

Fortuitous.
Serendipitous.
Felicitous.
Providential?

In other news, tomorrow is the day I turn in the first draft of my book. So today is the day I freak out about it. All day.

Oh. And here's a big colored drawing. Yep! I'll have prints made of a few of these dudes in a couple weeks. Hopefully.

art art art-art art art!

2007-10-19T09:15:00.000-07:00

i put a bunch of recent stuff on etsy!

as/if they sell, those images might die. that's exciting.

CLICK ME! CLICK ME!

well you know my name is simon, and i like to do drawrings.

2007-10-09T18:49:00.000-07:00

so i've been doing these... weird neighborhood drawings.
please tell me what you think-a think!

here's one, and links to others:

http://www.ilikeapplejuice.com/art/work/SMALLgrsh.html
http://www.ilikeapplejuice.com/art/work/SMALLjaas.html
http://www.ilikeapplejuice.com/art/work/SMALLsmoo.html

television

2007-09-19T18:09:00.000-07:00

i just watched 'kid nation'.
and cried about ten times. it's really good!

am i having hormonal problems? i think so.
help.

a song from the show a few days ago.

2007-09-03T23:01:00.001-07:00

padlocked underwear club!

2007-08-25T23:31:00.000-07:00

BEHOLD! I'm starting a new comic. For now, it'll be in the austinist (austinist.com) and in herbivore magazine. herbivore is only monthly, and the austinist is twice a month, so i'll be doing the comic bi-weekly until/unless it gets picked up in a weekly publication. I give you...

Dear America,

2007-08-19T08:24:00.001-07:00

If you're against the war, you should really look at which '08 candidate you're supporting and how they've voted through these past seven years. You should see if they've repeatedly voted to fund war. You should also look how "your" candidate feels and votes about important issues such as gay rights, the environment, education, abortion, health care, etc.

Here's a link. And I left someone on the link for you to look at, because he has never voted for war and has never voted to fund war. He has voted against the Patriot Act repeatedly.

http://www.ontheissues.org/Dennis_Kucinich.htm

Pardon me for throwing in my opinion there. Wait. Don't pardon me. This is MY journal, punk! Anyway, perhaps you should check out the link below to find out who you should vote for by the issues. You go through and select your stance on a variety of issues, and then it shows which candidates feel most similarly. You may be surprised. I think many many many Ron Paul supporters would be surprised at how low he ranks on their list. Same goes for Sen. Clinton and Sen Obama.

http://www.dehp.net/candidate/index.php

Sincerely,
Travis

To my Darling Crystal

2007-08-15T21:36:00.001-07:00

Dear Crystal,
You and I met in 2004, and from the beginning, we were great together. We travelled across the country together three times, and also made dozens of trips to New York, California, Ohio, Arkansas, New Mexico, Colorado, and no matter what, we were together. I really cherished those times.

Last year, we had a break, but we were able to mend things and it was almost like it was before. It was just... delicate. But still good! Really good, Crystal.

But things haven't been the same lately. It's just not working anymore. It's been a rough summer. You know it. I know it. And we've always been honest with each other, so I feel that I owe it to you to let you know that... I've met someone. Yes. You probably guessed. Jason.

I'm really sorry, Crystal. I'll never forget you and our amazing adventures, but I think it's best that we both move on. I just can't go on with my needs unfulfilled. It's been a long time coming. I'll always have a place for you in my heart.

Love,
Travis

P.S. Please feel free to take your time moving out.

travis simpson, dirty lubbock dudes, trash tattoos

2007-08-04T21:23:00.000-07:00

made one of those simpson avatar dealies. they didn't have a giant enough nose or hair that is similar to what i chose but dangerously almost mullety. anyway...

michael and i went to see two good ol' boys from lubbock playing in austin. dirty charlie played some sweet songs about killin', prison, heaven and hell, and other good stuff, and then andy martinez broke some bearded hearts with some of his raspy magic as well as some 'burn the wagon' songs. it was a good time. lots of blackshirts reppin' the 806.

charlie told me that some kid went into inkfluence (tattoo shop in lubbock) with a dirty, torn scrap of paper and wanted to get it tattooed. he said he found it in a parking lot. it was identified by the folks at the shop as something i drew. i'm not sure if it's out of a comic or what, but... someone found a drawing of mine (unbeknownst) on a piece of trash in the street and liked it enough to get it permanently put on their body. i want to meet that person. and i want to know what the drawing is. they still have the stencil at inkfluence. maybe i can get someone to email a picture to me...

forgot to post this!

2007-07-27T08:22:00.001-07:00

I was in an analog slide show art thing a couplefew weeks ago, and I made a video version of my contribution. My final slides had more texture, but I tweaked them after I made the video... and haven't redone it yet. But here's the original version.

new!

2007-07-25T13:16:00.001-07:00

I added some recent paintings to the website.

Click that tish!

This lady asked Rachel Ray to streamline her stuffing that takes a whole day to make... into 30 minutes. And she did it. That might not be interesting if I wasn't so hungry.

I'm going to San Francisco this weekend! Jess is running her marathon. What a champion!

one little, two little, three little paintings

2007-07-20T10:37:00.001-07:00

I just put three small paintings up on my Etsy page. click!

(objects are slightly larger than they appear)

day before/yesterday/today

2007-07-12T15:23:00.000-07:00

* ate delicious vegan donuts that jessica mailed me from san francisco. we had to track down the package because it was delivered to the wrong address. thanks, mister postman. anyway, totally worth it. so good. so good. i like that girl.

* worked on my book. probably 2/3 done with the main writing part. wow.

* i ate a falafel from a sketchy place. afterwards, i felt violated.

* saw "sicko". let me angry and sad. came home and looked up what it takes to move to france. or canada.

* rode bikes with brian at 1am. to the capitol and back. downtown, we saw a bunch of drunk people in nice, ironed clothes. dudes with gelled hair and girls with big earrings and small handbags.

* watch the ethan hawke / gweneth paltrow "great expectations" while making jewelry at jen and chris's. made me want to paint. made me a little sad.

* got some new buckles at new bohomia. a brass sheep, a deer on a wood slice, and a brass banjo.

* picked up my slides for the slide show thing this weekend. image below. fun!

images galores

2007-07-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

That is IT. Now they've gone TOO FAR! I just saw Transformers toys that DON'T TRANSFORM. They talk and do other nonsense, but... no transforming. What?

OH! "CHIRP! (a celebration)" was AWESOME! The place was packed packed packed! I really think it looked great in there. All of our stuff goes really well together. I sold four pieces (including two of my new planets paintings) and a bunch of stuffs. Here are some pictographs:

And there was an interview about the show in Austin's edition of The Onion's AV section a few days before the show. HERE!

Thank you so much to everyone who made it out to the show, super thank you to Cherie, Rhonda, Glade, Jen, Matthew, Rell, and Corkey for being in the show and to the gang at Pump Project for having the show in their great space, and a super duper thank you to Cherie and Rhonda for helping me hang and keep stuff organized. Couldn't have done it without you! Hooray!

Saturday! Austin! Art! Show!

2007-07-06T09:19:00.001-07:00

are you coming?

vegnews

2007-06-25T17:40:00.001-07:00

Sooooo.... if you pick up the July/August issue of VegNews magazine (which I'm sure you would be doing anyway), you'll find me in a piece called "The 25 Most Fascinating Vegetarians". I share a page with my dear friend, Stella McCartney. Others in the article include (my yoga buddy) Russell Simmons, Dennis Kucinich (my squash partner), Forest Whitaker (one hell of a cook, but I think he uses a bit too much pepper), and Emily Deschanel (who I keep having to remind that I'm seeing someone).

Anyway, you'll find me in the middle of the piece standing in my jungle of a back yard. My mom took the photo. When they asked me for a photo to use, I also sent one where i'm in mid-jump. I photoshopped a beam of light coming down on me like I'm being sucked into an alien ship. I'm glad they picked the less nerdy one. Dork-factor was achieved when they ended my part with a quote where I ended up saying "Nuff said."

My friend Veronica Ibarra is in the piece. She's an artist in Spain, and she put the group show that I was in recently together.

picture pages, picture pages

2007-06-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

My email has been down for almost three full days now. I am PISSED. But.....
I got my camera back! So I took a few pictures.

here's my bike! a yellow schwinn continental. i love it. ever gear-slipping inch of it.

i got a michael's gift card when i was in a focus group yesterday. i already spent it. a set of gouache paint, some niiiice brushes, a tube of my favorite white acrylic paint, and some drawing pins (new comics in the works?!?!). oh, oh, oh, i love new supplies.

today's find at a thrift store. that's right. it's a TALKING LIGHT-UP LAST SUPPER (RIP OFF) CLOCK! it has a freakin' tape deck on the side! i haven't messed with that yet, because there's a tape jammed deeeep inside it, and i have to get it out first. YES.

2007-06-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

neeeeeeew(ish) stuff!

Vicky's niece, Anna, dances to OMEGA MONSTER PATROL!

curds

2007-06-07T08:12:00.000-07:00

just got back from a morning bike ride. yes. got my rad schwinn continental fixed up, and it's awesome. pictures soon, but my camcorder is on loan.

ANYWAY, i was in the kitchen just now, and i discovered that i accidentally left half a brick of tofu out on the counter. it was up on its side in the container. the kitchen was probably about 74-77 degrees during the night. it smells okay, it looks okay, it feels okay. is it okay?

throw it away or rinse it off and put it in the fridge?

vision riot!

2007-06-06T16:11:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, I participated in a collaborative art project/show called Vision Riot! It was held at Pump Project here in Austin. Tons o' fun.

Here's me doodlin' Cassidy, a character from an upcoming comic book. This is early on in the evening.

Aaaaand here's what that panel looked like at the end after everybody worked on it.

There are tons of rad images HERE. CLICK!

Art people: Gerardo Arellano, Ed Galvan, Bonnie Gammill, Rene Z. Garza, Mason McFee, Travis Nichols, Aldo Ramos, others.

Video/Film people: Jesse Beaman, Sean Gaulager, Logan McFee, others

Music people: It Was Divine Justice, My Empty Phantom

upcoming and currentcoming!

2007-06-02T22:09:00.000-07:00

hey, friends. several showses going on.

"nimusculos nisecreciones", a group show i was in over yonder in spain, just ended. pictures soon? probably!

i participated in a group show tonight at pump project called "vision riot". collaborative painting, experimental music and video. it'll be up for a bit, and there's a reception on sunday (tomorrow) to see all of the work from tonight. it was pretty fun.

i just hung a show at "the hideout" (617 congress ave.) here in beautiful austin. it'll be up all month. go see it! i miiiiiight have a reception at some point. not sure.

oh! oh! and next month is a group show i'm curating called "CHIRP! (a celebration)". fun, fun stuff by me, cherie, rhonda, glade, rell, matthew, and maybe another one or two. cool music? probably (still working it out). delicious snacks? of course. the reception will be on july 7th at pump project, and if you can't make it then (but... you HAVE TO), you can check it out by appointment for a week or so. trust me. it is going to be FUN. bring the whole family.

in personal news, jessica is packing up for san francisco. she'll be gone for (at least) the summer. i will miss her, the lousy jerk. leaving me in sweaty butt austin. punk.

oh. really?

2007-06-02T21:54:00.000-07:00

testing. testing. so i got this blog for my website. i had a livejournal, but that's SO 2001. and awaaaaaaay we go.