On the radio, in Chicago, and on a playing card!

Hello!
Last week I was sick as a D-O-G & in Chicago for the Chicago Zine Fest, where I debuted a new, raspy rendition of Sk8er Boi at Karaoke.
Here are some photos from my trip:

I had the weirdest breakfast at a placed called Flying Saucer in Chicago. It was called a sweet potato kale & tofu hash, which technically I guess it was, but let me tell you the weird part- the ingredients were each going it solo, not blending with each-other. It was tiny pieces of half-done sweet potato, half-cooked unspiced kale, and strangest of all, strips of plain Age tofu. Age tofu is that spongey tofu you get from the asian market or in a Vietnamese restaurant. You know what I'm talking about. Anyway, all of those things, but each on its own and each bland in its own way. Very weird breakfast.
The best part of my breakfast? Spiced apples! It felt very old fashioned to get a side of warm, soft, cinnamon-y apples alongside my savories.
I tell you what, I did not speak up or send this breakfast back from whence it came. I was so Cold-begotten by this point in the trip that I felt bad enough sitting in public as a walking Contagion. I didn't want to then croak out some polite but awkward directives to the kitchen, so I used some ketchup and let it lay. I even took it home, fully intending on heating everything up with a few spices or a dash of Braggs.

I'd also like to note that the service was really great.
The waiter was attentive and completely competent and efficient. My coffee cup never wanted for more, as he zipped through and topped it off every few minutes. I love people who are good at their jobs. Any job. Love it. Also, the orange juice was nice. Oh- and we got a vegan brownie that was delightful.

As I was sick this week, I ordered mostly the weirdest things whilst in Chicago. Primarily, plain vegetable soup from every Asian restaurant we visited. Thai, Chinese, Sushi Fusion, all of them.

Here is my table, which was kindly by a window. You may notice I am not in the photo. This is because I am SO independent that I couldn't even ask anyone to take my photo, I had to do it myself. I am also so independent that I didn't think to ask anyone to come and staff my booth so I could walk around the Zine Fest. In fact, I stayed anchored to my table the entire day, straying only to get coffee, do a workshop, and visit a food cart. Speaking of...

Something special about the Chicago Zine Fest (besides everything happening inside the building) was a food cart they coordinated with to pull up out front & sell vegan lunch to everybody. It was not any food cart, it was a SOUL VEG food truck!

Soul Vegetarian is outrageous. OUTRAGEOUS! It is delicious and healthy and I was happy to spend my meager fortune on some macaroni & cheese & wings. They are famous for creating fake chicken wings atop a sugar cane "bone". When you're done eating your wing, you can chew on the bone and it is delicious. Very dog-like, this bone chewing. Okay.
This is the part that you don't care about, but I'm on a roll- I was excited to find that my table neighbor from the Kentucky anarchist table strongly disliked the coconut water she'd purchased from Soul Veg, and gave it to me! Small victories. I had two giant coconut waters, which was a highlight to my trip and yes I'm writing this in lieu of telling you about great zines, performances and human beings or anything related to comics.
Two Coconut waters! Wow! Thanks, table neighbor!

Other things that happened: I ran into Dave Roche, whom I toured with in 2005 when the first Invincible Summer book came out. He has a fantastic travel zine about visiting Australia & Malaysia.

I reunited with my dear friend Cristy Road,

and I got my photo taken in front of "Steak & Egger" with Marissa Falco, who I heard received high honors at the Zinester Olympics the night before.

SPEAKING OF THE ZINESTER OLYMPICS....
I accepted the Long Armed Stapler Award in the place of Dylan Williams and Sparkplug Comics. I was honored to do so.

Dylan was a champion of independent comics, and while his passing has left a huge hole in our hearts, his publishing company Sparkplug is kept alive in the capable hands of Emily Nilsson, Virginia Paine, and Tom Neely.
Which is nice.

Dylan taught with me at the Independent Publishing Resource Center, where I have worked, volunteered & taught for the past twelve years. The IPRC is moving, and Blue from Stumptown Underground held a nice going away party on the last night we still had the space. I'm going to miss climbing the stairs of 917 SW Oak, the smell of Thai food that permeates the space, and the ritual of touching the door before the door handle so I don't get shocked from the carpeted halls of the second floor. Hmm.

Here's a photo from our last night in the space, including the elusive CLUTCH, aka Greg , whom I am standing back to back with in an Amazing Race Team Photo style.

The IPRC has been searching for a larger space for years (like seven?) and found a very grand & massive one in inner Southeast. Come check it out when they reopen.

I was on OPB the other week. Right before I got sick.
I was on Think Out Loud with Sarah Mirk and a lovely lady from the Oregon Historical Society, talking about historical comics.
Here is the link to listen to our talk:Think Out Loud .

I got a free mug out of the deal.



Oh Jeez- here are two more things.

The Bad Roommate Zine is out now. You can get it through my Etsy page, and if you live in Portland and put in the code PORTLANDPRICE at checkout, you can get free shipping because you are going to pick it up somewhere in Portland of my choosing.
This first batch has some typos, for which I apologize.

AND!!!! I have been turned into a playing card by comic genius Liz Prince!
She got to choose a musician for a deck of Feminist Playing Cards that is being created, and she chose me, which was such a nice thing for her to do.

You may not remember this far back, dear reader, but I have been in a couple of bands. I have not played music lately, as I have been gills deep in my book, but I am HONORED to have been chosen for this deck.
If you'd like to support the project and see who else is in there, check out the kickstarter page.

Okay, I think that's it for real.
I will see you soon at CAKE in Chicago, and at Stumptown Comics Festin the meantime.

Take Care!

n.g.

Working For Yourself: A visual tour

My perception is that people think working for yourself is like this:

When actually, it's a bit more like this:

Here I am checking my email.

Saying yes to last minute projects,

and basking in the freedom from a normal 9-5 job.

This has been a public service announcement, paid for by the council of people who never leave the house because they're on a deadline.

Busy Busy. Vanport, Portlandia, Etc.

1.VANPORT

Here are some previews from the comic I did about Vanport for the Dill Pickle Club of Portland, Oregon.

You can pick up your copy a few ways.
From Dill Pickle Club (It's currently part of a box set, but email them for details on individual copies), from Powells tonight at the big release party of their historical comics anthology, or from me in person at next weekend's Chicago Zine Fest!

1.5. I also want you to know I'll be on OPB's Think Out Loud on Monday, March 5th at 9:20 a.m. to talk about the comic. Tune in, please!

2. Secondly, PORTLANDIA***!!!

I could not choose one single winner for the Portlandia blog's "Most Portland Thing Ever" contest, so... I chose five. And even that was difficult! Can I tell you the best late entry I got?
It's this:
My friend Beta said one day she saw a group of hippies sitting outside of the Alberta Co-Op sharing a single tub of Goat Kefir, passing it around and eating it WITH A STICK.
One Long Stick!
I couldn't believe it. IF ONLY I had not already ground my hand tendons into little nubs drawing these other five, I'd have snuck it in. Maybe some day.

In the meantime, I'd love to share the links with you to the five winners and their accompanying stories. If you like the pictures you MUST click on the links to see the original story. It's worth it!

Rugged Urban Breastfeeding *

The Coffeeshop Pony

Kickball vs. Nude Yoga

Getting Shamed for Feeding the Ducks **

Rogue Ren-Faire guys at night.

A little commentary:

* I know, I know, breastfeeding is right on. I GET IT. I imagine if I had a child I'd be breastfeeding it right now instead of blogging, but I also imagine I would have a sense of humor about dashing across NW 23rd with said child suckling whilst old enough to read. And probably would draw a comic of myself doing so.

** The duck situation at Laurelhurst Park was real and pretty dark (the pond was a big mess that had to be manually cleaned out by humans & wasn't great for any of the animals, some of whom may have been put to sleep???), but nothing says "Portland" to me like public shaming, especially when someone's doing something pretty friendly and otherwise benign.

*** Never forget that I worked at the Feminist Bookstore depicted on the show (please imagine me behind that very counter special ordering The Ethical Slut for college students), and also, I support the right of artists to continue adorning things with birds, even if everyone now thinks it's passe because someone on t.v. said it out loud. Also, thirdly, Jeb is an extra in an episode of Portlandia from season 1. It's the episode where the mayor is missing.

Pet Portrait: William

This handsome character was commissioned by Virginia of Milky Boots fame, as a birthday gift.

Click on it, then enlarge for optimum viewing experience.

Happy Birthday Ollie!

Stay tuned for photos of the tattoo version of this fine fellow.

READING March 9 @ Chicago Zine Fest

Hello hello.

I am doing a reading in Chicago as part of the Chicago Zine Fest.

March 9 from 7 - 9pm at 826CHI, (1331 N Milwaukee)
Here is the full list of readers:
Georgi Johnston

Marc Parker

Chicago IRL

Karen Heeringa

Synthia Nicole

Milo Miller

Marian Runk

Rosy Phinick

Christopher Wilde

Artnoose

Sarah Morean

Jim Joyce

Nicole Georges


Be sure to come earlier for the youth reading, which begins at 6.
This event will feature an ASL interpreter.

VD

Jason Wu, & A Surprisingly Feminist Thing

Did you hear what happened on the way to Missoni?
Of course you did. When Missoni released their giant collection for Target, things went crazy. The Target website crashed, almost EVERY item was sold out within two hours of our local store opening, and the pieces showed up on Ebay within minutes, priced at three times their retail value. Those who braved the stores told tales of Ebay sellers swiping racks and racks of merchandise and leaving would-be buyers in the dust.

If I half-heartedly wanted some Missoni tights (the poor man's version of the tights pictured above), I shook it off and moved on with life once I saw the Target carnage & eBay aftermath.

SO. When Jason Wu (who rose to fame after designing Michelle Obama's inauguration dress) released a look book of designs for Target, I was all in.
If I had thousands upon thousands of dollars and you asked me to choose a designer to spend it on, he would be right up top. Here:

See?

I'm not a real "new clothes" kind of person, as you may have seen or smelled (it smells faintly of moth balls)from my mostly polyester 60s 70s wardrobe.
HOWEVER-
I do sometimes have occasion for an outfit free of stains & tears (this occasion would be Teaching In The Suburbs), and Jason Wu had apparently taken a sketch book into my closet and returned with an updated & classy line of pleats and high collars that were calling my name.

WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
Because I'm telling you what happened next! I'll get to it, I'll get to it.
On February 4th, the eve of the clothing line's release, I was steeling myself, preparing to rise at 5 a.m. in order to drive to the far stretches of Clackamas and camp out, alone, outside of their local Target.
As I stepped into pajamas at 7 p.m., I thought I'd sniff around the internet.

Target never said what time their clothing would appear online, only that it would happen on February 5th. Style blogs said that it could happen anytime from midnight eastern time (9 p.m. in Portland) on. I thought I'd give it a try, and at least see what was going on before setting out on my own Clackamas Mission.
I haunted the Target Style Facebook page, and started following them on twitter.

Target was supposed to post on there when the clothes were live on the site. BUT, eager commenters got there first and started posting links for each other as soon as their ever-refreshing Target website showed new things to purchase.

Conversations would be like "There's Dresses!" and someone would say "Link Please!" and the other person would respond with the link and then someone else would go "Aaah The Link Doesn't Work With My Browser I Can't See Any Dresses!" and then more people would give them links and troubleshoot via comment.
Pretty nice of them!


I KNOW this rabid shopping is Target's wet dream, and you are probably imagining one of those pigs smoking a cigar and wearing a top hat, counting money with his cloven hooves as he crushes the proletariat with his porky little butt, but just bear with me, okay?

Long story short, they started posting things pell mell around 9:15 my time, and didn't stop until 11:40 p.m.

I wouldn't have gotten the things that I did without the help of the ladies on Facebook and their generosity. Of all things.

So then there was this thing.

There were all of these women, totally exhausted/excited from this insane, Get-As-Many-Sizes-As-You-Can-This-Shit-Will-Be-Gone-In-Five-Minutes marathon that happened for nearly three hours,
and they were all fond of each other.

The next day, they were trading tales of shopping woe on the wall of the Target page (A couple of A-holes in Miami ran into the store and literally purchased every item in order to sell it on Ebay & had to get escorted out by security after women started shouting at them), when somebody suggested that to spite to "Ebay Vultures" who ruined things in person, we start our own Facebook Group in order to swap & amongst ourselves.


This is where the surprising feminism comes in.

As of today, five days after the launch of the Jason Wu for Target collection, there are 960 members of the group. They have a strict code that the group is for Retail Price sales only. They delete links to high-priced Ebay auctions & talk amongst themselves when a "vulture" comes in.
They've started several spreadsheets in order to keep track of the HUNDREDS of girls who have things to swap, and have things they're looking to buy.
Women have been going to their local Targets, posting on the site what is left, and taking orders for complete strangers.

*Note: This is a photo from the FB Group, not my own stuff!

There is a sizing chart where people are posting the proportions of the clothes as they get them, and a photo gallery where everyone is showing how the clothes look on their real, non-model bodies (complete with "You Go Girl" style comments).

The last time I looked on there, somebody was creating a tshirt design for "The Wu Sisters", as they started to call themselves.

It's pretty crazy, very orderly, very supportive, and I'd call it The Kind Hearted Sisterhood of the High Buttoned Collar.

Anyway, I'm sure if you are wearing a butt flap right now (I'm not sure why I imagine a teenage crusty punk reading my blog and judging me, but I just do) you are rolling your eyes at this most first worldly show of feminism, but I have felt delighted to see something constructive & interesting come out of what could have been just another opportunity for competition and greed.

Anyway, if you're looking for it, it is called
Jason Wu for Target :: Swap, Sell & Buy.