The start of school and decisions that need to be made…

After a wonderful (yet stressful) time at MINI Takes the States 2010 and a nice quick drive from Denver after being home less than 24 hours I started teaching. Now one of the things I like about teaching is that every year is different. If one year was great, the next year could be a nightmare… you never know and that makes the job interesting. So for the past two weeks (We had “Back to School Night” eight days after the kids showed up) it has been a rush and I know that My Geek Odyssey has suffered because of it. For that I apologize. But I also look at everything else that is going on and it is time to make some hard decisions.

First- do I continue the comic? That is a no brainer- yes, even with a small readership (compared to many) I still have stories to tell and I haven’t saved Cecil from the clutches of Ooktron… yet.  Plus, I really like doing this- it is a lifelong dream come true.  If you don’t like it- pfffft! to you. Heck, my own parents don’t read it, so why should anyone else? I do it for me (as Sue reminds me so often, its all about me).  I have completed over 250 strips in a little over a year, something I am proud of.  But, if I want to take this to the next level, there are things I need to do… and time (as a teacher) makes some of those options impossible.

For those who might be new to the comic My Geek Odyssey (my life) is divided into a couple different interests – MINI Coopers, Geocaching, teaching, family, and geeky stuff (Science Fiction, Comics, Tech, etc…).  To have the time I may need to decide what I can give up…

“One-half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it.” – Sidney Howard
This quote has adorned my email signature for years partially as a jab to members of my family who don’t get it.  In economics it would be “Opportunity cost” every decision comes with a cost.  So what do I give up to make My Geek Odyssey move from silly dream, and pastime to something more?  24 hour Comic Day- Same weekend as Mickey & MINI, New England WebComics Weekend  same weekend as a teaching conference I just said I would speak at, Baltimore Comic-Con today and tomorrow (Sue’s major fundraising event is tomorrow), Intervention (a webcomics convention) Same weekend as the Indiana Geocacher’s Fall Picnic… It’s like either I take some time to learn how to do webcomics better, or go to events that will give me stories to tell in my webcomic!  I am heading to NY Comic-Con, but I’m not even sure what that will be like having never attended.

So I keep rambling… and try to decide what to do.  I know many cartoonists have hit this wall before-  having followed some strips as the creator’s output dwindles and then as if by magic something happens and its back better than ever.  250 comics, that a lot of work… then again its just a drop in the bucket compared to others…  SO I can’t quit teaching (need to eat and I like my job), don’t want to give up anything so I guess I better just buck up, quit whining, and get to drawing. Stiff upper lip and all that.

For the present at least for a while My Geek Odyssey will still come out, but as I get a handle on my classroom and responsibilities for this school year I may end up missing a day here and there.  Ben will be back on color duties once I have paid him for taking care of Hemi over MTTS and actually get a comic strip to him.  So to quote a pair of wise sages: “Patience, young Skywalker” -Yoda “and thank you for your support” – Frank Bartles