Facebook All on its Own

I’m on Facebook. I’m not what you’d call a “social internet user,” but when I was starting to advertise for Tiny Life, most people I contacted said “get a Myspace and a Facebook page. After that, it’s all word or mouth.”

Well, I got those things. I don’t think I’ve been to the MySpace page since I set it up, and for some reason people want to add me to their “friends list” on Facebook (just to let you know, “virtual friends” are not “real friends” A virtual friend will not attend your funeral; although I guess they might set up a virtual funeral where people can send virtual flowers, get virtually drunk at the virtual wake, and virtually hit on your sister). I’m getting requests from people I haven’t talked to since high school graduation; I’m getting requests from people I’ve never met. It’s kind of neat to feel popular, but at the same time, It’s eerie to think where these people are finding me.

If you’re not familiar with Facebook, there’s this little widget on the side that says something like “people you may know” and it just runs down stuff about you – your hometown, your job, your graduating class, etc. – and finds people with the same histories. I imagine it does this automatically. I was shocked to find out just how many people form high school actually knew me. I was also shocked to find out that there is another Facebook page dedicated to Tiny Life.

If you go here, you’ll see a page about Tiny Life that I did not make. Again, it’s probably automatic, but it’s neat to see nonetheless.

Anyone out there know how I might be able to add some stuff to it? Like a cover image or a link to the website?

Interview at Comic Book Outsiders!

I was told that there’s a new podcast from the ComicBookOutsiders that is 100% Tiny Life.  I haven’t heard it yet, but I remember doing it and I am not a complete ass in it. 

Download it here or at the Downloads page.

cIndyCenter Interview Available

I had an interview quite a while ago with Chris from cIndyCenter.com.

It was my first one.

I rambled a lot.

Much like I am now.

It’s finally available for your pleasure. Take a listen here or from the downloads page.

Meebo Me!

A few people have emailed me about the big grey (or is it gray?) box on the right hand side of the blog screen.  That is an Instant Message box.  You can talk to me at any time.  Or at least any time I’m on. 

Like I’ve said in various places (most famously in a  podcast), I think given the current technology, there should be more creators and artists making their work – and behind-the-scenes making-of their work – available to everyone.  I know it takes some time, but I think I use a total of 30 minutes a day doing something to connect with fans.  Sometimes it’s a podcast, sometimes it’s an interview, and sometimes it’s an instant messenger. 

Meebo is a pretty cool idea.  I never heard of it until some of the students I teach starting talking about ways around the school’s extensive firewall.  They talked about various ways around the proxy servers, but mostly they talked about variations on a theme: that is, they talked about the websites available that most people aren’t as aware of.  Websites like Meebo. 

Meebo takes all the major IM programs and puts them together into one website; no downloading needed.  I’ve signed up using my MSN account, my AIM account, my Yahoo account, etc. and put them all together without using any more RAM than it normally takes to run a website with java.  I’ve also imbedded it into the blog site. 

So if you ever want to chat or if you ever want to bitch, I’ll be available. 

Unless you bother me.  Then I’ll block you. 

Punk.

Coding or eBay Store?

If you don’t already know, I do EVERYTHING at Sliver Ltd. except the majority of the pencils.  This means I do the writing, the inking, the lettering, and even the website.  The only problem is that – like with most other things else – I’m not terrific at it; I’m just better than most people I know. 

So right now I have a dilema: should I simply set up a store using the dozens of free online programs (like eBay, for instance) for people to buy Tiny Life: l(a, or should I try to make my own little shopping cart complete with Paypal and credit card receipts? 

I can make a form (although it might not be the most secure thing, so credit cards might be abolished simply because I couldn’t garuntee the safety of the costumers), but I couldn’t make a shopping cart.  I simply don’t know how.  And frankly, the only thing that would be available on it is the Tiny Life: l(a first printing.  The second printing (due in January) will be available on ka-blam’s website. 

So, I guess here’s the ups and downs:  If I make my own form I will only be able to accept paypal or check, but it’ll fit right into the design of the website.  If I use something like eBay, it won’t look like the rest of the site, but I’ll be able to accept all kinds of payment (I’ll also be on one more place if someone were to search for “sliver ltd.” or “tiny life”). 

Maybe I’ll talk to the web design class at school.  See what the teacher has to say…

Bathroom Break

A few days ago I was stuck at Wendy’s for several hours (see the article titled “Bad Day”).  I just wanted to let everyone know that they are the best fast food chain around. 

Not only was I allowed to be there for about four hours without be harrassed to buy anything except a chili and a soda, I was welcomed.  I was asked several times if I needed a refill, I was asked several times if they could clear my tray, and I conversed with two seperate people about various car accidents they had been in (I was there because I was waiting for the local mechanic to finish replacing a broken wheel).  But here’s the best part: their bathroom was spectacular! 

First listen: worst album ever.

It was warm, roomy, and spotless.  I think I could defecate there all day long.  If it wasn’t for the constant bombardment of A Mariah Carey Christmas on the loudspeakers, it would’ve been an absolute pleasure.  Instead, it was just something to blog about. 

So, to summarize: if you gotta go poo, go to Wendy’s.

Bad Day (so far)

It’s been a fairly bad day.

As you know, I’m a high school teacher, and as you may remember from high school, there are about 5 days every year where schools call off the day.  Around here, it’s called a Snow Day; when I was in California, it was called a Black Flag day (meaning the air was so polluted that authorities recommended everyone stay inside and use their air conditioners).  Today should have been a Snow Day.

On my way in, I passed by a car in a ditch.  So, being the conscientious driver that I am (zero accidents), I slowed to about 30-35 mph.  About a half mile later – or as my Crazy Uncle “Vietnam” Ron calls it: a half click – my car decides it wants to join the fun and heads for the ditch.

Two pounds of reliability!

Once there, I decide to call AAA.  Unfortunately, due to the cold, my KickAss Cell was dead.  I plugged it in, waited for a few minutes (because it’s not one of those cool phones that can do two things at once; say charge and be powered on).  Once I got a hold of AAA, they said it’d be about a 20-minute wait on the phone.  Since it was cold and I was about two miles from my house, I called The Wife and had her come pick me up.

She came and got me, told me it wasn’t a big deal if she was a little late today, and then proceeded to get stuck in our driveway.  As she was calling her work, (I’d called mine while waiting for her to dry her hair because if she didn’t, “it’d get all frozen”) I was shoveling out her car. 

Too big to fail. Or help.

AAA finally came and pulled my car from the Ditch Party.  The tow-truck driver said he didn’t need my AAA information because he had already gotten it over the phone.  For some reason, I suspect that the wrecker will bill me for the entire tow because they “never saw the AAA card.”  This will yet again prove that insurance – in most cases – is useless. 

The car’s now a little wobbly from hitting a ditch at about 30 mph, so I have to take that into the mechanic (Geldhof’s Tire.  I highly recommend it.  They’ve never tried to take advantage of me, and have always been 100% honest) and hope that it’s just the wheel and not the tire or the axle. 

Have you played this? It's awesome!

Plus I’ve been gone all day from the classroom and have had no time to prepare lessons for whatever poor soul has to substitute for me.

On the upside, I get to spend a day doing other stuff: like this blog, like ordering a second print run, like rewriting (a little) book four, and like playing Rock Band.

Another Review!

Greg Burgas, a reviewer for Comic Book Resources (under a nice little subheading of “Comics Should Be Good!”), said that Tiny Life: l(a  is “a far more complex work than we might think, and Jones does a fine job establishing the premise without giving too much away.”

For his complete article, click here. 

T-Shirts

Yesterday I went to my Mom’s for Thanksgiving.  It was a good time had by all (especially since our entire family is screwed it up in major ways, there were only about 6 people present; no fighting).

I brought along a few poster ideas to see what my family thought – I’m planning on giving them away to stores who buy more than just one or two copies – and my mom surprised me.

A few weeks back I got some advanced copies of Tiny Life: l(a and gave them away to people who’ve supported me in some way over the last 15 years (coincidentally, the day I got them, two old friends found me on Facebook and were given a free copy.  I also now have their addresses and a suspicious amount of knowledge about their credit histories).  Of course, I gave one to my mom. 

As I was showing her my ideas for the poster, she gave me this shirt.  I appreciate it, and I’m sure I will wear it.  But it gave me an idea:

Why couldn’t I have shirts available?  And hats and buttons and mugs and whatever else they make on CafePress?

My mom’s so smart.

New Interview

Last night I had a fairly in-depth and lengthy interview with Scott from Comic Book Outsiders.  It was very pleasant and I was a bit impressed by Scott’s knowledge of comic books and regular ole canonized literature.  He compared Tiny Life to Atlas Shrugged, The Bell Jar, and Fight Club!

Hopefully, my fate is better than the fates of these authors (Plath killed herself, Rand had cancer for years, and Palahniuk was outted).  Hopefully I get rich, become well respected, and live happily with both of those facts.

I’ll let you know when the interview is available for download.