So many things to do, but barely enough time to do it.

My parents are down visiting me here in Halifax. It’s weird because I don’t see them very often, and I forget their habits… my Dad wants to fix every little thing in my apartment to make it work perfectly; my Mom wants to cook every meal and iron my shirts. It’s cute and funny and a little odd. I want them to just sit back and relax, but they’re in full bore parental mode. I’ve been able to kick Mom out of the kitchen for all the meals, but when I go to work during the day, the go nuts on housework that didn’t have to be done.

We went up to Peggy’s Cove and Lunenburg on Sunday. It was a great day trip, seeing more of the province and being able to head out beyond walking distances. Nova Scotia’s a beautiful place and I’ve got to remember to see more of it and not let myself get tethered to downtown Halifax.

The work schedule is intense, but I’m in a good groove for it now. We received a new show on Friday and I’ll be done 30 scenes by tomorrow (Wednesday), so that’s a marked improvement. It will always fluctuate depending on the difficulty of the episodes I get, but it’s nice to know that I’m meeting expectations. This is the first episode that I’ve felt really confident to head into it and get it done right. I guess I can call myself a professional layout artist now…

…But not a comic book pro. I’ve lucked out on a cheap flight and the back-and-forthness of heading to the San Diego Comic Con has become: I AM going. I may not get another chance, I’ve been meaning to do it for years, I have all the reasons to do it and make it memorable. Even though I’ve registered as a pro (thanks to Modern Tales) and get free entrance to the Con, I still don’t feel like a comic pro. If I can free up even more time in the next week, I may try organizing my portfolio to take down there. Part of me really wants to show it to editors, get feedback and see what happens. The other part just wants to go down to be social and meet other people in the industry. I’m not sure which part will win outright.

So between work, the parental visit and getting ready for my trip (which is a week tomorrow), I’m busy as hell. At least I don’t have to worry about being bored.

I’ll try to send another Newslettery e-mail just before I leave for San Diego. In the meantime, take care.

Time flies when you’re having fun. Or, when you’re busy as can be… or both 🙂

It’s already July. Unbelievable. I know it seems like I do this a lot. I wait a long time to write up a Newsletter e-mail for everyone and then I comment on how much time has gone by. Well, I guess I’m at it again.

In some ways, Gal and I are settling in to Halifax quite well, in other ways it’s still stressful. I never imagined that the transition would be so difficult, but I’m rolling with it as best as I can. I am enjoying the city, the job and the people, but all of them changing at once has definitely been a real whirlwind for us to get used to.

Work at the animation studio has taught me a hell of a lot, including the stresses that it brings. I had always explained to students about how crazy production work could be and what was expected of them, but I had forgotten it myself while preaching away. After several weeks of solid production, I’m still fighting to get up to the studio norm for scenes per week completed. That’s pretty common apparently, but it makes me feel a bit behind. I can see myself getting better each week, but I wish I was doing a full 30+ backgrounds a week. Not only would the pay be even better (I’m currently getting about 20 scenes a week done), but it would help my confidence too. Oh well, all in time I suppose. The strides I’ve made in my cleaned up finished artwork have been a real booster anyways.

If I get a chance, I’ll scan some of my background art and send them off with an e-mail. Some of the ones I’ve done have worked out really well…it’s too bad the show we’re working on isn’t going to air until September 2003.

The studio work has made getting my online comic done on time a little crazy. The last bunch of pages have been done the night before they go up, keeping me up damn late and not allowing me to put as much time into them as I’d like to. I’m hoping to get on top of that soon, and get ahead again before I miss a regular update on it.

I’ve been wondering if I should try some new styles and artwork as well. I thought of doing 2 Makeshift Miracle pages a week and 1 page of a short story with a vastly different style. Might help me expand my skills a bit. I’ll have to decide that after the latest chapter is completed.

A lot of the studio guys have been getting computers lately. Between that and fixing up Gal’s machine, I’m feeling like a bit of a computer guru (even though I know I’m not). I thought about how much I’ve learned about computers in the last two years and it’s pretty incredible. Jean put together my first computer and now I’m building machines from the ground up for Gala. It’s a good feeling, sort of like a driver knowing exactly how to work on their car.

I’m not used to the extra humidity out here. Calgary was a real dry heat, while this is more like Ontario with the humid hot weather. It can be deceptive. You head out for a sunny walk and soon you’re sweating like crazy. Guess we’ll have to stock up on more ice cream 🙂

Gal and I have been trying to spend time one on one when we can. With all her school prep, job search and my schedule, it’s not easy. Especially when there’s also a studio full of guys who want to hang out and do things too. A bunch of the studio boys have headed off this weekend for a friend’s wedding, so it’s giving me a breather and a chance to relax with her. By the time the weekend hits, we’re usually backed up on cleaning, paying bills, laundry and grocery shopping.

We woke up early and went to the big Farmer’s Market that they have each weekend. I’d heard how good it was, but I had no idea how extensive it really is. Huge, and bustling. The streets downtown are almost empty because EVERYBODY’s in there. Music, amazing food and wine, art and animals…it’s pretty insane. I think Gal and I are going to make it a semi-regular visit.

My parents are coming in about a week. That should be entertaining. I’ll be sure to take lots photos and show them interesting places.

I hope you’re all doing well. My e-mail has been super quiet (except for the usual mess of ad e-mails), so feel free to drop me a line.

Two birthdays whiz-by and May is almost over. I can’t believe I’ve been in Halifax for over a month. Of course, that may be because there’s still boxes unpacked. Now that we’ve gotten the main stuff out, it’s tough to get motivated to finish off and get out all the odds and ends.

I went to see both Spider-Man and Star Wars on opening day with the studio guys. Spider-Man was fun…I know if I was a 12 year-old Jimbo, I’d have freaked out with joy. I was such a Spider-Man nut when I was younger. The movie wasn’t perfect, but it was fun and I liked it. I think it’s all a matter of expectations, because Star Wars was visually way more impressive than Spider-Man, but I left the theatre unimpressed with George Lucas’ latest toy-making epic. The dialogue was uninspired and horribly horribly lame, and the acting really hurt my ability to like the characters or get into the film. I was amazed by some of the special effects, but it always felt like the film was dragging for me. And no, Yoda fighting with a lightsaber was not cool in any way, shape or form. It looked stupid. I thought the point of being super-kick ass with the force was that he’d gone beyond the need for a lightsaber? Oh well…

My birthday was actually quiet this year. I’d been spending a lot of time out doing things, so taking a break seemed like a good plan. Of course, the fact that it was raining made the decision even easier. Gala’s birthday was quieter still, as she and I spent a nice day alone relaxing and going out for dinner. There will be lots of time for pubs and partying during the summer, so I’m not too worried about “missing out”.

Gal and I have been trying hard to stick to our budget until she’s nailed down a job and I’m on a good roll with the pay checks. It’s hard because the weather’s been nice and it would be easy to go out to restaurant patios or buy little things. We’ve been keeping each other in check and doing things which aren’t cash intensive, which is helping us stay the course.

Things at the studio are not hectic now, but will be building to a feverish pitch as we head into June. It’s much nicer this way, easing me into production and getting my brain back into that mode. Everyone there is friendly, fun and keeps things entertaining.

A webcomic artist who’s living in New Brunswick is in Halifax today and we’re going to hook up for lunch and a pint. I’ve talked with him on the phone before, so it should be pretty cool meeting him face to face and blabbing about the industry.

Otherwise, I’ve been drawing, relaxing and enjoying the weather. No problems, just looking forward to the months ahead.

Hi Everyone,

If you’ve e-mailed me in the last month and wondered why the heck I hadn’t gotten back to you, then let me get you up to date. I’m finally getting settled in to Halifax and FINALLY have my new place and internet connection. *whew* it took longer than I had hoped, but at least it’s all working now…

New place, new job, new surroundings, it’s a whirlwind of things to do. There’s still tons of boxes we haven’t unpacked and lots still to do. But it’s starting to feel a little more like a home here.

The city is beautiful, that’s for sure. I’ll send a separate e-mail with a swack of photos attached to show you just how nice it really is. I’m pretty shocked at the European-esque architecture and the ocean about 15 minutes walking from my apartment. It’s quite a change indeed.

Downtown Halifax feels sort of like Kensington in Calgary, but it’s a lot bigger. There’s few chain-stores downtown, mostly shops and neat little places to explore. Every few days, Gala and choose a new street and just wander it so that we can get a feel for where we are and what’s around us.

This e-mail should be a hell of a lot longer, to be honest. The unfortunate part is that I’ve got e-mail piled up to my eyeballs that needs responding to. So, I’ll cut this a little short and fill in more details hopefully in a few days. Until then, take care and know that I’m doing really well.

Well, the difference that 3 weeks makes…

In my last Newsletter, I was getting everyone caught up on Gala and I being a couple, her choices about heading off to University in the fall and the wanderlust I’ve been getting to do something other than teaching.

So, here’s the mighty update:

No long distance relationship for me! Gala’s decided to go to Dalhousie and I’ve gotten a job at an animation studio in Halifax! I can’t believe how incredibly fast it’s coming together, but the momentum is on and it’s looking pretty amazing.

I sent a portfolio off to an animation studio called Helix where a few of my old Rez buddies are working. The director there loved my stuff and I got confirmation today that I’m in on their next project starting in April/May doing backgrounds.

Before I sent the portfolio off, I was really worried. I hadn’t had to get critique from other people in so long, and wondered if I could produce up to snuff and get my portfolio spiffed up under a quick deadline. Getting the positive feedback was a real booster, and has given me a lot of drive.

Cornflake (Greg) was a real help getting my confidence behind it and keeping me motivated. That guy has been such a fantastic friend, I can’t even explain it. I’m stunned to be surrounded or still in touch with so many cool people.

I gave my 2 weeks late last week at the school and am in full countdown mode, waiting to get my stuff moved and the next Chapter of the ol’ Zub Tales going. I’m giddy, nervous, excited and scared all at the same time. There’s so much to do and another adventure to tackle on the horizon.

That, and Gala’s coming with me! That’s the best part, by far. It’s hard to explain how amazing she really is. I was really worried about doing the long distance bit and struggling through that barrier so soon after getting this relationship going. Now though, it’s so much clearer and we’re both just electric. Having a fellow traveler along for this journey makes it even more memorable.

I’m going to miss teaching. I’ve really enjoyed interacting with the students and watching the hard working ones grow and achieve their goals. I know I’m doing the right thing, but I’m hoping I get a chance to teach even something small or part-time down the road. It gave me a lot of confidence and helped me a lot as an artist.

Changes, changes…I’m grabbing the bull by the horns and enjoying the mad ride ahead.

More info in the days to come. I just wanted to let you all know where things were at and what’s in store for me. Wish me luck!

I haven’t e-mailed you guys a Newsletter since New Year’s Eve. What kind of crap is that?

“Way to ‘stay in touch’, Zubkavich… now you’ll have to type out pages worth of stuff to get everyone up to date.”

Okay, get ready for some crazy reading.

2002 has been good to me so far. Busy, busy, busy, but good too. Forgive me as this e-mail rambles in many directions at once.

Okay, bad stuff first. Work’s been especially frustrating since I came back from the holidays. Management changes again, tech and equipment problems mixed with a class with several really unskilled students that were let in because of a money-grubbing registration system. It’s not fair to them, the capable students who got in with good portfolios or me as their instructor. It’s made this one of the toughest semesters I’ve had for teaching. It’s wearing me down, and raging against the machine for changes haven’t helped a lot. I love teaching, but have definitely been entertaining thoughts of change.

Which leads to some good stuff. Gala and I are a couple. To some of you, this probably isn’t a shock to the system. To others, this will come as a surprise. We’re great friends, great roommates and doing just as well as boyfriend/girlfriend. Needless to say, I’m damn happy with that. It hasn’t changed the way we deal with each other as friends and we’ve been rolling along without any problems since we figured out, “Hey, I think I’m in love with you” on both sides.

Gala’s got plans to head off to university in the fall. Well, they’re not just plans, they’re very much a reality now. She’s been accepted to University of Manitoba (in Winnipeg) and Delhousie (in Halifax). Which is great and a real booster for her. It also means she’s moving to one of those two cities this summer. Which means that I have to decide if I’m going to move too.

It’s given me a lot of food for thought. How long should I keep teaching for? Am I teacher or an animator? Is this gravy train too good to leave or should I pursue other jobs, even if it may mean a pay cut?

If Gala goes to Winnipeg, there’s no animation or teaching jobs currently out there. If she goes to Halifax, there’s a few leads I could pick up on. Or, I could get a job somewhere else entirely. If I’m going to do the long distance relationship thing anyways, I might as well be somewhere that’s going to make me happy, maybe closer to home. Calgary’s been good to me, but I’m getting that wanderlust and think it’s time to pull up the roots.

Choices, choices…

On other fronts, those of you who have been stopping by my webpage know that it’s doing incredibly well. I’ve been invited to join a collective of web comics under a banner called Modern Tales that will allow me a huge amount of increased exposure as well as making serious contacts in the comic book industry. There’s over 25 artists on board, some already with online audiences of 40,000+ people. Some of the print comic artists on board have won fistfuls of awards, including two who have won the Eisner (like the Pulitzer or Oscar, but for comics instead of print or movies). The fact that I’m in the mix is flattering, scary and wonderful all at the same time. It’s also a paying gig. Not a lot of money at first, but it has the potential to grow pretty decently. Even if it doesn’t, the exposure alone is worth my time and effort. Considering that I started Makeshift Miracle to get myself into a better frame of mind and draw more regularly, it’s already a success as far as I’m concerned.

Modern Tales is a subscription based site that launches March 1st. The cost is really low (pre-launch subscriptions are $20 US a year) and you get access to 25+ stories crossing all sorts of styles and genres. Many people have said that people won’t pay for on-line content, but the site already has 400+ subscribers and it hasn’t even started yet. We’ll be cross-pollinating our audiences, increasing our exposure and proving that quality content on the web is worth something.

The Makeshift Miracle website’s grown really fast. I’ve got 2000+ readers checking the site out and wracking up over 100,000 page views for the month of February.

I’m determined to attend the San Diego Comic Con on the first weekend of August. As part of Modern Tales, I won’t have to pay an entrance fee to the con, and I’ll get a chance to meet pros, interact with fans and party with a pile of other artists. Even if I’ve just finished moving, I’m committed to going to this thing. I really want to be there and join in the fun, as well as pursue possible future possibilities.

The comic thing has obviously kept me busy. It’s also helped me to feel productive even when work’s been shitty. It’s something I’ve got control over that I can plug away at. I can’t believe I’ve done more than 60 pages of story for it. I’m not pleased with every page I’ve done, but there’s definitely more strong ones than weak ones. I’ve learned a lot and improved my work ethic pretty substantially.

Other things…

The weather’s been freezing for the past few days. I wish I didn’t have to leave the apartment. Cutting wind and a bad flu bug going around have made it hard to get out. Gal and I went to the restaurant where her sister works last Friday and had a really nice time. It was a good change of pace and a way to take a break with all the chaos going on around us.

I threw my back out again earlier this month and have been seeing a chiropractor quite a bit. Everyone’s got an extreme opinion about chiropractors, but mine’s worked out well so far and really improved my mobility. At 25, I don’t need to be laid up in bed or out of commission. I’ve been trying to do more stretching and exercising when I get a chance to strengthen the muscles and improve my posture. No hunchback Jimbo here.

Valentine’s Day went really well and I surprised Gala with a dinner out and some little gifts. I’d said earlier that I wouldn’t really have time to do much, and she wouldn’t have minded. But when the day came, I got hit by the love bug pretty good and thought I’d do something a bit more extravagant. I’m trying to save money in case I have to move this summer, but the odd splurge still creeps up.

Drawing like crazy has been good. Between class demos, life drawing, Makeshift Miracle and brushing up my portfolio, I’ve been really cooking along. I definitely haven’t done this much drawing since Sheridan. It’s been sort of neat seeing what I can produce with what I’ve learned since then. It’s not perfect, and I wish I had more time to spend on it, but overall, it’s pretty decent.

Busy, busy. Love life, work, artwork, sleeping and eating and keeping the apartment clean. The weekends are usually a blur of sleep, cleaning and running errands. When I start to see a clearer path for me to take this summer, I think things will calm down. Of course, the possibility of moving and resettling creates a whole new amount of chaos…

Oh well…

Just flying by the seat of pants. Zub Tales continue.

I miss you guys. I hope everyone is well and that 2002 has been prosperous so far.

And that’s all she wrote for 2001!

I saw Fellowship of the Rings on opening day and loved it. It’s an amazing film that actually delivers fantasy with some dignity. I wasn’t even sure it was possible to make a decent fantasy film with all the crap that’s come out over the years. Fellowship does it right. If you haven’t seen it yet, get in the theatre and check it out! The big screen experience makes all the difference when it comes to visuals this grand.

Gala’s hours changed so we were able to head up to her mother’s place at the last minute for Christmas. It was a bit hectic renting a car on short notice, but when we finally got up there, I was glad we had went. Spending Christmas without people around would have been too strange. At the farmhouse they’d gotten their pool table all finished, so we spent Christmas Eve playing pool and socializing.

Christmas Day was really informal. We slept in and didn’t even open our gifts until around 11:00-ish. It was a nice break from all the stress and work stuff I’ve had to deal with.

And then, Boxing Day became a Zub Tale…

(Zub Tale: One of Jimbo’s infamous stories, usually involving a stupid series of coincidences, unbelievable situations or other memorable stuff.)

Gala and I decided to drive back in the evening so we could return the rental car the next day and relax in Calgary before she had to go back to work. What should have been a simple trip became far more annoying than I can describe.

First, we missed our turn off that would have led us to the major highway because of the badly placed signs and a thick fog that swept up. This wasn’t a minor directional screw up either, by the time we got back on track we’d wasted over an hour on dirt country roads.

Second, we got on the major highway, which should have led to a simple ride back to Calgary. Instead though, we ended up parked on the highway in a massive traffic jam caused by a 12-13 car pile up that had occured up the road. When the traffic didn’t budge for over half an hour, I stepped out to discover our next problem.

Thirdly, someone else who was walking around outside his car trying to see what was up ahead noticed that our car was leaking anti-freeze. Not a dribble, but a massive puddle that was flowing freely into the ditch by the road. At this rate, we’d be out in a few minutes. Running from parked car to parked car in the traffic jam, I finally found a kind person who gave us a bottle of anti-freeze so we could attempt to turn around on the shoulder of the road and make it to the nearest town before our car overheated. The temperature outside was bitterly cold and popping the hood of the car became an excercise in aching fingers and a frozen face.

Fourth, we started to drive back only to have the car konk out 15 minutes after we had started. Now stuck a good 30 km from any sort of civilization, I popped on the hazard lights and attempted to flag down passing vehicles for help. After 15-20 minutes of freezing my ass off, a nice family in a van gave us a lift to the town of Leduc, Alberta and we abandoned our rental car. Staying in a hotel wasn’t exactly where I had planned to be on Boxing Day, but I guess it could have been much worse.

The next day, Gala’s family picked us up and drove us the 3+ hours home. Without them, getting back would have been even more difficult. The rental place refunded the money for the car, but not for the hotel because we didn’t have their extra insurance plan. Ugh. We ended up breaking pretty much even and losing a half day in frozen frustration. Needless to say, I was very very happy to get back to the apartment here.

These last couple days have been far more relaxed. I’ve been drawing, geeking out on video games and just generally being lazy.

Tonight’s going to be a quiet night in, watching New Year’s festivities on TV and sleeping in tomorrow. My holiday’s been a mixture of business and relaxation, but now that it’s almost over, I must admit that I could handle even more time off. I know it’s always this way, but hey, it’s the truth too.

I was going through old files and what-not here when I saw a bunch of people’s phone numbers in an old text document. I tried to call a lot of them, but nearly all were old or wrong numbers now. If any of you get a chance, please send me an e-mail with updated info on yourselves. Phone number, address, birthday date, stuff like that. I’d greatly appreciate it.

I hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas and have a wonderful New Year’s Eve. Here’s hoping 2002 is prosperous and entertaining.

The weeks are zipping past. I can’t believe that Christmas will be coming up in a few weeks.

On Friday, Gala and I checked out Harry Potter. It was a very literal adaptation of the novel and I enjoyed it overall. It didn’t blow me away, but I understand why the hardcore fans of the books are pleased with it.

Last night was the staff Christmas party and it was a damn good time. It’s kind of fun getting dressed up and heading out. Unlike most staff parties, it wasn’t a boring affair. Drinking, dancing and silliness were the rule of the evening.

It actually went by far too fast and I was surprised at how quickly it wore me out. Mind you, I haven’t been sleeping as much as I should, so that probably contributed to me feeling tired early on.

Between work, Christmas shopping, the webpage and everything else, I’ve been run off my feet lately. There are so many little things to get done before the holidays. It’s craziness. I’m making little lists for myself to try and keep track of it all. Of course, then I lose track of where all the scraps of paper are with the things I need to do…

All in all, things are good, if a little too busy. Not much else to report, so I’ll keep it short this time.

Hope you’re all well and enjoying the season.

Jim

PS: Thanks everyone for adding votes at The Makeshift Miracle site. You guys helped Makeshift secure third place against some tough competition! Keep it up! You guys kick ass!

You may be wondering where the heck I’ve been for a month. No updates, no e-mail no nothing. Of course, maybe you just sighed with relief that your Inbox wasn’t being pelted by Jimbo-propaganda. Well, in either case, here’s the much-delayed newsletter.

Gala was here early to write SATs. November’s been a very, very busy month and it’s been hectic but adventurous as always. Gala and I took another weekend trip to her mother’s early in the month and while she wrote her SAT’s I wandered the University campus taking photos and sketching. It was strangely relaxing.

Afterwards, we went to the West Edmonton Mall and wandered the vastness of it. If you haven’t been there, the sheer size and scope of this place is insane. It’s part theme park, part shopping whiz bang and all very strange. Worth seeing, that’s for sure. While I was there I picked up the new Terry Pratchett book called ‘The Last Hero’, but haven’t even had time to start it.

A Chinook blew into Calgary two weeks ago with sun and warmth. This week is snowy, blowy and –15. Ugh.

Work is busy as all hell and the larger class is fun, but exhausting at the same time. They had their instructor review last week and I had probably the highest marks I’ve ever scored in a review, but that’s happened because the frenzied energetic pace with which I’ve run this class. It’s a blast, but I can feel my body fighting back and will have to slow down a bit. Too much time drawing and at the computer has left my arm and eyes a bit sore.

As I had foreshadowed in my last Newsletter, I won’t be in Ontario for Christmas/New Years. It’s just not in the cards this time, I’m afraid. Too much to do here, not enough time or funds to make the trip back home. It’ll be the first Christmas away from home, and I know it’ll be strange. I still have massive amounts of Christmas shopping to do and now I’ll have to pack the gifts up and mail them to boot. Should be entertaining.

After overhauling Gala’s computer, I think I’m now official tech-savvy. I couldn’t do tech support for a living or anything, but most standard install, rearrange fix-ups are within my scope now. Compared to last year when I couldn’t even hook up a hard drive, it’s a nice leap in skills.

Saw Monsters Inc. and was pretty impressed with it. Pixar comes through as always. I saw a studio tour on the internet and had daydreams of working their in the story department again. It would definitely be an ideal…wacky, creative storytelling…my gig completely.

Picked up a pre-order ticket for Lord of the Rings today. I’m giddy about the possibility of having a decent fantasy film actually exist. When you consider that ‘classics’ of the fantasy genre have included stuff like Willow and The Beastmaster, it shouldn’t be hard for Lord of the Rings to leave this stuff in the dust. Considering how badly people want to escape reality (check the Harry Potter box office numbers), I’m hoping Lord of the Rings can light up a bit of a fantasy renaissance. Of course, that could mean lots of copycats, but hopefully also some fresh material too.

I bought Civilization 3 and have barely done anything beyond play the tutorial. Like the Pratchett book, I’ve just been too busy to spend time on it. Oh well, it’ll keep.

The website’s going well. I’m not as far ahead on pages as I was when the site started, but I still have enough of a buffer to keep the site updated on time. I’ll be breaking during the holidays to get more advance pages done and get a breather. It’s been a blast so far and the site ripped past the 100,000 page view barrier a few weeks ago. If you get a chance, stop by and get caught up on the story and let me know what you think.

While you’re there, click the Vote button on the main page. Heck, stop by the Forum and say ‘Hi’. I’m actually surprised more of my friends haven’t jumped on the message boards to antagonize me. Cornflake’s been there jabbing away and the banter’s been quite amusing.

Okay, that’s the blurb for now. I’ll do my best to send another one next week and be more regular about this stuff.