Kamis, 28 Juni 2012
Look Ma, I'm on the Teevee!
I was contacted last fall by the fine folks at PopMark Media on behalf of Ameri-Dry, a leading basement waterproofing company based in Maryland, about creating a super-hero-type character/pitchman for use in all aspects of their identity, from their website, to their service vehicles, to television commercials.
Right away, I felt like "grim and gritty" would be the wrong direction to go with this character, envisioning more of a 1950's type, working-man super guy... more All-Star Squadron than Image Comics... almost corny, to some extent. I did a few sketches, and ultimately came up with this:
Right away, I felt like "grim and gritty" would be the wrong direction to go with this character, envisioning more of a 1950's type, working-man super guy... more All-Star Squadron than Image Comics... almost corny, to some extent. I did a few sketches, and ultimately came up with this:
I know, right? A few tweaks (and proprietary conversations) later, and we have a corporate mascot!
I then designed a few more characters and illustrated some keyframes, before sending them off to be animated by the guys at Resolution Post, resulting in these two commercials, which are now running in Baltimore and Knoxville, TN!
Look ma, I'm on the teevee!
Rabu, 27 Juni 2012
2-4 Limit Hold 'Em In Las Vegas - August 2012
Good afternoon everyone and welcome to my 125th post at 'Bikini Hill'. I have said here before that one of the many things that will be good about returning to the desert is that I will have fresh poker material to post about. Even if I'm busy and have to go find a 2-4 limit table where I play for 5 minutes so that I have something to write about, it will be available to me. This is what that post might look like in just over a month from now:
'Good afternoon everyone. Last night I stopped by Big Strip Casino (BSC) to play a few hands of 2-4 limit hold 'em so that I could give you a blog entry today. I was at a full 10-seat table, and I knew that it was a tight 2-4 table when only 8 of us saw the flop. I came into the game in the big blind, sitting in the 3-seat, and only the 5 and 10-seats folded their hands. Actually, I think that the 10-seat was away from the table when the hand was dealt, and the 5-seat was too distracted by the cocktail waitress taking his order to participate in the hand. Either way, I went to the flop with the seven other players who limped into the pot, who surely limping in an attempt to conceal the strength of their hands. I was dealt Q 10 offsuit (a.k.a. the 'evil hand', so I wasn't feeling very good about my prospects from the get-go)... The flop came As 4c 9s, so I immediately knew that this flop would succeed in thinning the field since no one ever plays a ragged ace or suited cards in 2-4 limit hold 'em... Players tend to shy away from chasing draws in 2-4 also... After the flop, the guy in the small-blind folds his hand. At this point, the dealer pushes his cards back to him and tells him that he doesn't have to fold because no one has bet yet (by the way, THIS IS one of my MAJOR pet peeves at a poker table - I have lost before to hands that have been pushed back to players when they made miraculous catches. Dealers, if a player, however inexperienced, wants to fold, TAKE THEIR HAND!). The small blind insists on folding, so I go ahead and check. The 4-seat then exclaims "Raise" - the dealer tells them that they can't raise because no one has bet - disappointed, they put 2 chips into the pot. Being a strong 2-4 game, every ensuing player to act just calls the 2-dollar bet until the action returns to me, at which point I fold, JUST IN CASE a player at THIS 2-4 table actually has an ace. There are now 6 players going to the turn (for those of you new to limit poker, the hint that this story has some fabrications is that NO ONE ever folds for 2 bucks in a limit game)... The turn card is the 5h, and immediately the 4-seat says, "RAISE" - the dealer informs them again that they mean 'bet', and 4 chips go into the pot. The 6 and 7 seats call, and then we wait on the 8-seat, who is staring at the board... After a pause, the 8-seat asks the dealer, "whose turn is it?, and then calls the 4 dollars after being apprised of the situation. The remaining 2 players call, so 6 players go to the river. The river card is the 3d, giving us a final board of As 4c 9s 5h 3d. The 4-seat now decides to check their hand, the 6-seat bets 4 dollars, and then the 7-seat, with about 70 dollars of chips in front of them, announces, "ALL-IN!" After being informed that they can only raise 4 dollars, the 7-seat just calls, naturally... The 8-seat then goes into the tank for like 2 minutes, and then finally decides to fold their hand, which is totally understandable, seeing that they surely had an excruciating 4-dollar decision to make. This was followed by calls from the 9 and 1 seats, and then the 4-seat, who had been betting-out and trying to raise throughout the hand, proceeds to fold, naturally. Then at showdown, the 6-seat tables A 7. The 7-seat, who had tried to shove, now folds without showing, seeing that the pair of aces has him beat... The 9-seat says, "I've got that beat" before proudly tabling A K. And then the 1-seat shows the winning hand, 7 2, for the 5-high straight. At this point, the 9-seat is INCREDULOUS, and asks how the 1-seat could play 7 2. "Well, I'm 27 years old, so it seemed like a lucky hand..." The 9-seat responds with, "but how could you stay in after the flop?" While raking in the pot, the 1-seat answers, "well, I only needed a 5 and a 3 to make a straight after the flop..."
I hope that you read the summary above with a grain of salt, because none of the scenario mentioned above would EVER HAPPEN in a 2-4 limit game... ;) Have a great day and I'll see you on Friday.
'Good afternoon everyone. Last night I stopped by Big Strip Casino (BSC) to play a few hands of 2-4 limit hold 'em so that I could give you a blog entry today. I was at a full 10-seat table, and I knew that it was a tight 2-4 table when only 8 of us saw the flop. I came into the game in the big blind, sitting in the 3-seat, and only the 5 and 10-seats folded their hands. Actually, I think that the 10-seat was away from the table when the hand was dealt, and the 5-seat was too distracted by the cocktail waitress taking his order to participate in the hand. Either way, I went to the flop with the seven other players who limped into the pot, who surely limping in an attempt to conceal the strength of their hands. I was dealt Q 10 offsuit (a.k.a. the 'evil hand', so I wasn't feeling very good about my prospects from the get-go)... The flop came As 4c 9s, so I immediately knew that this flop would succeed in thinning the field since no one ever plays a ragged ace or suited cards in 2-4 limit hold 'em... Players tend to shy away from chasing draws in 2-4 also... After the flop, the guy in the small-blind folds his hand. At this point, the dealer pushes his cards back to him and tells him that he doesn't have to fold because no one has bet yet (by the way, THIS IS one of my MAJOR pet peeves at a poker table - I have lost before to hands that have been pushed back to players when they made miraculous catches. Dealers, if a player, however inexperienced, wants to fold, TAKE THEIR HAND!). The small blind insists on folding, so I go ahead and check. The 4-seat then exclaims "Raise" - the dealer tells them that they can't raise because no one has bet - disappointed, they put 2 chips into the pot. Being a strong 2-4 game, every ensuing player to act just calls the 2-dollar bet until the action returns to me, at which point I fold, JUST IN CASE a player at THIS 2-4 table actually has an ace. There are now 6 players going to the turn (for those of you new to limit poker, the hint that this story has some fabrications is that NO ONE ever folds for 2 bucks in a limit game)... The turn card is the 5h, and immediately the 4-seat says, "RAISE" - the dealer informs them again that they mean 'bet', and 4 chips go into the pot. The 6 and 7 seats call, and then we wait on the 8-seat, who is staring at the board... After a pause, the 8-seat asks the dealer, "whose turn is it?, and then calls the 4 dollars after being apprised of the situation. The remaining 2 players call, so 6 players go to the river. The river card is the 3d, giving us a final board of As 4c 9s 5h 3d. The 4-seat now decides to check their hand, the 6-seat bets 4 dollars, and then the 7-seat, with about 70 dollars of chips in front of them, announces, "ALL-IN!" After being informed that they can only raise 4 dollars, the 7-seat just calls, naturally... The 8-seat then goes into the tank for like 2 minutes, and then finally decides to fold their hand, which is totally understandable, seeing that they surely had an excruciating 4-dollar decision to make. This was followed by calls from the 9 and 1 seats, and then the 4-seat, who had been betting-out and trying to raise throughout the hand, proceeds to fold, naturally. Then at showdown, the 6-seat tables A 7. The 7-seat, who had tried to shove, now folds without showing, seeing that the pair of aces has him beat... The 9-seat says, "I've got that beat" before proudly tabling A K. And then the 1-seat shows the winning hand, 7 2, for the 5-high straight. At this point, the 9-seat is INCREDULOUS, and asks how the 1-seat could play 7 2. "Well, I'm 27 years old, so it seemed like a lucky hand..." The 9-seat responds with, "but how could you stay in after the flop?" While raking in the pot, the 1-seat answers, "well, I only needed a 5 and a 3 to make a straight after the flop..."
I hope that you read the summary above with a grain of salt, because none of the scenario mentioned above would EVER HAPPEN in a 2-4 limit game... ;) Have a great day and I'll see you on Friday.
Senin, 25 Juni 2012
Pray For The Teachers
Good morning everyone. I was sitting in my apartment Saturday afternoon, having already taken my short post-work nap, killing the few hours before I went back to sleep, when I for some reason decided to open a twitter account right then... I think that the twitter account will come in handy when I return to the desert, helping to notify people far and wide that I can be on the wrong side of a sports prediction... :) The bad thing about my timing is that my poker blogging friends (most of whom I have never met) are tweeting like a bunch of little baby birds about where they're going to meet up and play, who is going to treat who to dinner with their comps, and I'm NOT in Las Vegas... #badbeat Hopefully I put it in a place that you can't miss it, but my twitter handle is @desertcoach if any of you want to follow me. I already have eleven followers, so you can see that I'm extremely popular... :P For any of you that do not already have a twitter account, you should check it out. Getting an account opens up a whole new world to you, very similar to when you opened your facebook account (assuming that you're on facebook that is)... :) Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter... I was watching this movie preview again last week when it struck me... We are about to have a whole generation of children who believes that 'Honest Abe' hunted down and killed vampires... "Johnny, who was Abraham Lincoln?" Johnny doesn't even have to ponder this... "Mr. Davis, he was the President who freed the slaves and killed the vampires!" Outstanding... Pray for the teachers... Penn State... What did you just think when you read the words 'Penn State'? I think that negative legacy is going to stick with that university for a LONG TIME... I'm seeing the rumor headlines on Yahoo! where Jerry Sandusky is thinking about appealing his conviction - guilty on 45 of 48 counts of child sex abuse... Mr. Sandusky, just GO AWAY where you belong... Being a Red Sox fan, I have never been a big fan of Joe Maddon, the head coach of the Tampa Bay Rays. Now I know why I had that read on him... He had a pitcher who was tossed from a game last week for illegally using pine tar on his glove, and MADDON'S ISSUE was that the opposing manager had the umpires check the glove. Never mind that Maddon's pitcher was CHEATING - that didn't phase Maddon... It was reported that Maddon even went so far as to have the glove of the opposing team's pitcher checked later in the game (just for the sake of gamesmanship - his glove was legal). Joe Maddon, one class act... Brace yourselves - as the summer goes on, the next annoying issue with the NFL is going to be the chatter about this multi-BILLION dollar monster being unable to reach an agreement with its officials... Yes, my fantasy baseball team is still sitting in 10th place in its 10-team league... At this point I'm really thrilled that I dedicated a whole blog post to my fantasy baseball draft strategy... :) Just over one month until I move back to the desert. In totally unrelated news, I have A LOT TO DO in the next month... If any of you happen to be reading my blog for the first time today, this is my 'Monday ramble' - I do actually make use of paragraphs on Wednesdays and Fridays... Sad day yesterday, as the Red Sox traded away Kevin Youkilis... Have a great day and I will see you again on Wednesday with my 125th post at 'Bikini Hill'... ;)
Jumat, 22 Juni 2012
I Should Move To Las Vegas...
Good morning everyone. I am awake thanks to the guy who is chipping away (literally) at the swimming pool at my complex that has been out of commission since the start of June, so it seems like now would be a good time to gloat... As the pool is drained of the green water that has filled it for the past few weeks, I can drain the champagne bottles (imaginary) that I had on ice (also imaginary) after the Miami Heat downed the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games to win the NBA Title last night. The many, many readers of this blog (two) probably thought that I was crazy when I predicted that the Heat would beat the Thunder in five games to win the trophy. This is probably the proudest moment of the blog sportswise since I predicted that the Giants would beat the Patriots 24-21 in the most recent Super Bowl - Final Score: Giants 21 Patriots 17. My phone has literally been ringing off the hook this morning with calls from ESPN, Fox Sports, Sports Illustrated (actually, no one has called). I have mentioned here in the past that one of the reasons that I started this blog (sportswise) was to give me a place to keep track of my predictions in case I did decide to move back to the desert - it gives me a good place to track my results (now a dog is barking at the guy chipping away at the pool)... I honestly hope that I have a comparable rate of success betting sporting events in the upcoming year to match the frequency that I have had in calling games and series with success this year. Sorry, maintenance just stopped by to change my air conditioning filter - I swear that it's like Grand Central Station around here this morning (okay, without the masses of humanity, and the smells, and the trains obviously, but otherwise, just like it)...
Where 'Bikini Hill' is sitting right now in relation to sports and Fridays is that you will be reading a little bit about baseball, and A LOT about FOOTBALL in the NEXT SEVEN MONTHS!!! :) During the month of July, one of my many projects in preparing for my move will be an IN-DEPTH STUDY of college and NFL football. I will predict right now that I will be one of the most knowledgeable people that you know when it comes to the 124 FBS and 32 NFL teams for the 2012 season (at least I freakin hope so)... ;) Let me thank you again for stopping by my little piece of the internet. The pageview counter to the right of my drivel is telling me that 'Bikini Hill' will very likely go over the 9,000 view mark this weekend, so to the two of you who have clicked on this website almost 4,500 times, keep up the good work! When I get the chance to start exercising more next month, I may start posting my weight-loss results here on Fridays also. I weighed 233 pounds on May 28th, and I'm trying to get that down to 215 by the end of July. I stopped eating bread about ten days ago (but who is counting?), and I have not been a scale again because I want to get a chance to work out regularly first. August is likely to go much more smoothly if I am in shape, and physical fitness seems like it should have something to do with sports, so you'll probably start seeing those updates here on Fridays in a couple of weeks.
I hope that you have a great weekend and I'll see you again on Monday.
Where 'Bikini Hill' is sitting right now in relation to sports and Fridays is that you will be reading a little bit about baseball, and A LOT about FOOTBALL in the NEXT SEVEN MONTHS!!! :) During the month of July, one of my many projects in preparing for my move will be an IN-DEPTH STUDY of college and NFL football. I will predict right now that I will be one of the most knowledgeable people that you know when it comes to the 124 FBS and 32 NFL teams for the 2012 season (at least I freakin hope so)... ;) Let me thank you again for stopping by my little piece of the internet. The pageview counter to the right of my drivel is telling me that 'Bikini Hill' will very likely go over the 9,000 view mark this weekend, so to the two of you who have clicked on this website almost 4,500 times, keep up the good work! When I get the chance to start exercising more next month, I may start posting my weight-loss results here on Fridays also. I weighed 233 pounds on May 28th, and I'm trying to get that down to 215 by the end of July. I stopped eating bread about ten days ago (but who is counting?), and I have not been a scale again because I want to get a chance to work out regularly first. August is likely to go much more smoothly if I am in shape, and physical fitness seems like it should have something to do with sports, so you'll probably start seeing those updates here on Fridays in a couple of weeks.
I hope that you have a great weekend and I'll see you again on Monday.
Kamis, 21 Juni 2012
Heroes Con 2012
Wow, how is it that something you've been looking forward to for over two years can sneak up on you? Still, that's what I'm looking at. I'm talking, of course about Heroes Con, which'll be kicking off right around this time tomorrow morning in loverly Charlotte, NC. I missed last year's show, thanks to this handsome little bastard, which means I'm more anxious than usual to see all my fans and comics pals, do a crapload of commissions, and get some con deals!
This year's show is extra special, too, as I was honored...HONORED...to provide the artwork for the official Indie Island t-shirt. I'm really stoked about how it turned out, I hope you like it too. You can get 'em at the show, in both men's and ladies' versions, and who knows, I might be able to make a few available on the blog next week. Also, I'm submitting the original art for the shirt to the must-attend Heroes Con Art Auction Saturday night, so you can take this little comics-lovin' gal home with you in all kinds 'a different ways!
Anyway, I'll be there all weekend in a J Chris Campbell/Brad McGinty sandwich at AA-546 on Indie Island. There'll be a bunch of new to Heroes books like Old-Timey Hockey Tales and Teeny Bikini #7 and some just plain old new for real books like Bluelines and Ghost Story. Lots of new prints, too, and the second set of Legion Ladies prints. Honestly, I'm bringing the whole damn store, so if there's something you want, it's for sale. If you want to give me a heads up on a sketch or commission you might like to have done, drop me a line in the comments as well!
And finally, if you have a few minutes, check out this piece from Rob over at Panel Patter, talking to a bunch of Heroes Con vets about why they love it so. Also, if you happen to be going to the show, then for god's sake check out this list of dining recommendations Heather Peagler has put together...it's a must read!
So I'll see you this weekend, right? Awesome.
This year's show is extra special, too, as I was honored...HONORED...to provide the artwork for the official Indie Island t-shirt. I'm really stoked about how it turned out, I hope you like it too. You can get 'em at the show, in both men's and ladies' versions, and who knows, I might be able to make a few available on the blog next week. Also, I'm submitting the original art for the shirt to the must-attend Heroes Con Art Auction Saturday night, so you can take this little comics-lovin' gal home with you in all kinds 'a different ways!
Anyway, I'll be there all weekend in a J Chris Campbell/Brad McGinty sandwich at AA-546 on Indie Island. There'll be a bunch of new to Heroes books like Old-Timey Hockey Tales and Teeny Bikini #7 and some just plain old new for real books like Bluelines and Ghost Story. Lots of new prints, too, and the second set of Legion Ladies prints. Honestly, I'm bringing the whole damn store, so if there's something you want, it's for sale. If you want to give me a heads up on a sketch or commission you might like to have done, drop me a line in the comments as well!
And finally, if you have a few minutes, check out this piece from Rob over at Panel Patter, talking to a bunch of Heroes Con vets about why they love it so. Also, if you happen to be going to the show, then for god's sake check out this list of dining recommendations Heather Peagler has put together...it's a must read!
So I'll see you this weekend, right? Awesome.
Rabu, 20 Juni 2012
I Will Be Happy Just To Get To Bossier City...
Good afternoon everyone. I think that it's a positive when other people are able to help you put things in perspective. I ran into my brother in the facebook chat just a little while ago, and he let me know that he was monitoring the results of the WSOP online. I told him that at that very moment I was trying to come up with something poker-related to post in my blog today. I also mentioned that I can't go to the WSOP website too often because it just makes me wish that I was already back in the desert, and that I happen to have a lot of blogging friends who are making a trip out to Vegas this week (punks)... Then my brother says, "I will be happy just to get to Bossier City..." Checkmate! You see, my brother and his family are also moving in a few months, and as I wrote here earlier, he is the one who brought me into a poker room for the first time. It's hard for me to complain about the tick, tock, tick, tock of my own countdown when comparing the poker destinations that we will be moving to...
As I mentioned to my brother and have stated here before, it will be much easier for me to do my poker entries when I get back to Las Vegas, but I think (HOPE) that I have a few fresh topics to write about today. If not, then just consider me in reruns...
I honestly don't remember if I posted about this hand before, but even if I did, retelling the story wouldn't be a crime because this is a story that I have told often when conversing with others. I was playing at a 3/6 table at 'The Mirage' (shocker), and I was dealt pocket tens. I don't remember if this hand was raised preflop, but I do remember that the flop came J 10 6. And then I remember everyone at the table suddenly going NUTS with their betting and raising. Let me mention right here that this table WAS NOT one of those tables where pots were bet and raised by maniacs at every opportunity. However, everyone suddenly decided to go crazy on this hand. Of all of the poker that I have ever played, live or online, for money or for free, and of all of the hands that I have seen on t.v., this is 1 of only 2 times that I can recall this happening. I had flopped a set of tens. Another player flopped a set of jacks, and YES, the third player flopped a set of 6's. Set, over set, over set... Guess who won the hand... The guy who hit his open-ended straight draw... Go figure... :)
In another 3/6 game from 'The Mirage', I got involved in a hand with a female player who I had played with before. She was a very solid player, a cocktail waitress at another casino if I remember correctly. The last time that I saw her playing, she had actually graduated to 6/12 limit, which is a limit game that I have not ventured into (4/8 has been my highest limit action)... We both raised preflop and ended up going against each other heads-up for the remainder of the hand. As we proceeded through the hand, a king hit the board, and some other cards were flipped which in combination were scary for my hand. By the river we were both CHECKING our hands, and I flipped over my pocket aces. And then she flipper over..., HER POCKET ACES... :) In no-limit games the chips find their way to the middle pretty fast when aces meet aces, but it is a very interesting matchup in a limit game.
I think that I may have posted this piece of poker advice before, and if not, shame on me! If there is one nugget of wisdom that I could pass on from all of my poker experience, this is it. Whatever you do when you are seated at a poker table, DO NOT PLAY TIRED!!! Going through my poker notes from previous sessions, this is REPEATEDLY the one notation written by my losing sessions. You get ancy, you get irritated, you get impatient, and you make bad decisions when you are tired. DO NOT PLAY TIRED!!!
I wish the best of luck to all of the poker bloggers who will be in the desert over the next few weeks - I hope that you CRUSH your games and tournaments. For all of you who will not be too busy playing poker to stop by later this week, I will see you again on Friday. Have a good one!
As I mentioned to my brother and have stated here before, it will be much easier for me to do my poker entries when I get back to Las Vegas, but I think (HOPE) that I have a few fresh topics to write about today. If not, then just consider me in reruns...
I honestly don't remember if I posted about this hand before, but even if I did, retelling the story wouldn't be a crime because this is a story that I have told often when conversing with others. I was playing at a 3/6 table at 'The Mirage' (shocker), and I was dealt pocket tens. I don't remember if this hand was raised preflop, but I do remember that the flop came J 10 6. And then I remember everyone at the table suddenly going NUTS with their betting and raising. Let me mention right here that this table WAS NOT one of those tables where pots were bet and raised by maniacs at every opportunity. However, everyone suddenly decided to go crazy on this hand. Of all of the poker that I have ever played, live or online, for money or for free, and of all of the hands that I have seen on t.v., this is 1 of only 2 times that I can recall this happening. I had flopped a set of tens. Another player flopped a set of jacks, and YES, the third player flopped a set of 6's. Set, over set, over set... Guess who won the hand... The guy who hit his open-ended straight draw... Go figure... :)
In another 3/6 game from 'The Mirage', I got involved in a hand with a female player who I had played with before. She was a very solid player, a cocktail waitress at another casino if I remember correctly. The last time that I saw her playing, she had actually graduated to 6/12 limit, which is a limit game that I have not ventured into (4/8 has been my highest limit action)... We both raised preflop and ended up going against each other heads-up for the remainder of the hand. As we proceeded through the hand, a king hit the board, and some other cards were flipped which in combination were scary for my hand. By the river we were both CHECKING our hands, and I flipped over my pocket aces. And then she flipper over..., HER POCKET ACES... :) In no-limit games the chips find their way to the middle pretty fast when aces meet aces, but it is a very interesting matchup in a limit game.
I think that I may have posted this piece of poker advice before, and if not, shame on me! If there is one nugget of wisdom that I could pass on from all of my poker experience, this is it. Whatever you do when you are seated at a poker table, DO NOT PLAY TIRED!!! Going through my poker notes from previous sessions, this is REPEATEDLY the one notation written by my losing sessions. You get ancy, you get irritated, you get impatient, and you make bad decisions when you are tired. DO NOT PLAY TIRED!!!
I wish the best of luck to all of the poker bloggers who will be in the desert over the next few weeks - I hope that you CRUSH your games and tournaments. For all of you who will not be too busy playing poker to stop by later this week, I will see you again on Friday. Have a good one!
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