Now that Obama's going to be president there's been a lot of talk about who the next major discriminated race is going to be in Asians. A lot of people are saying Asians. Frankly, when people were telling me this I was skeptical: what about Latinos or Middle Easteners, for instance?

But then I got to thinking- people make racist jokes about Asians ALL THE TIME and for some reason it's much more acceptable and not nearly as taboo. People come up to me after I'm tell them I'm half Japanese and do the whole "slanty" eyed routine, make bad driving jokes, or start talking in ridiculous "Asian accents."

Only my closest friends, who know I have a sense of humor, are allowed to do that to me (in turn, I'm allowed to make rude jokes to them). But I can't believe that people I don't know are rude enough to just assume that I'm ok with them calling me slanty eyes.

A lot of people- even in progressive/ politically correct places like Los Angeles and New York City- also often ask me ignorant questions such as "Do you know how to play the koto?" "Is sushi your favorite food?" "Do you wear a kimono often?" Just b/c I'm half Japanese doesn't mean I do any of these things or that sushi is my favorite food (it's up there, but not my favorite). My mom is full Japanese from Japan and she definitely doesn't play a koto or wear kimonos. She doesn't even wear skirts.

If any of you think these questions aren't racist at all, just think about how it looks if you went up to a Mexican person and asked him "Do you wear sombreros?" "Are tacos your favorite food?" "Are you in a mariachi band?"

Apologies for today's comic- earlier today a comic from last year showed up instead of the one that's supposed to run today. I'm not sure what happened but it's fixed now.

It's crunch time for school. I'm trying to do as much as I can before Thanksgiving when I fly back home to L.A. for about a week. As soon as I get back I have presentations and papers to work on.

Since I'm here writing I might as well recommend to you all one of my favorite TV shows as of late: Dexter (airing on Showtime every Sunday). Dexter is the serial killer you can love and count on.

WiiFit!

About a month ago Edouard bought me a WiiFit- and no, it wasn't his way of saying "B****... you are FAT!" but b/c my shrink and I were talking about how perhaps I can help improve my mood (particularly when I'm surfing the crimson wave) if I exercised. We talked about how maybe I could go to the NYU gym, which is supposedly fantastic (much like how UCLA's gym is fantastic- not that I would know from personal experience) but I wasn't sure if I was willing to sacrficie an hour of commuting back and forth for only 40-60 minutes of exercise. I also told him that maybe I would go to the gym for about a week but then stop b/c the idea of getting myself there and lugging clothes would become daunting. Tennis was an option but I don't have any partners to play with right now (plus it's starting to get cold here), and jogging I didn't want to do b/c I'm embarrassed by my sneakers (yayaya, I know I'm shallow) and didn't want tons of people to see them on my jogging route. We agreed that maybe I should get a yoga mat and start doing pilates and I promised him that I would buy one within a month.

I talked about this yoga mat thing with Edouard and the next day he surprised me with a WiiFit. Not a bad upgrade.

I know people are skeptical about the WiiFit but it actually does work. Yeah, maybe it's not the same as going to the gym with a personal trainer but for people who live a relatively sedentary lifestyle (I spend most of my time sitting in libraries) or can't afford a gym/personal trainer/commute time, it's great. After a month, I've lost some weight, gained muscle, and have gotten more toned- I've never been toned. I've either been flabby or unhealthily skinny and waifish. My posture has also improved immensely (which the WiiFit balance board helps you keep track of).

I've been using it for almost every day, the past 40 days, for 30-50 min. I just love how I can use it whenever I please and don't have to go further than the next room.

And my mood has improved a little, overall- I guess it's b/c my endorphins are running but I think it's also rewarding to see my physical accomplishments (I can reach my toes again!).

My friend told me that I should write in my blog more often. I told him that I didn't feel that most people would care about my random musings but according to him I'm wrong. So I'm going to write more frequently here even if I don't have anything in particular to say.

This past week was busy but I have good news: My professor ok'd my dissertation topic. I would let you know what it's going to be about but I don't want any other budding Egyptologists from other universities beating me to it (hey, they might be reading this!) Once my topic is approved by the faculty and my department, however, I will let you know about the obscure topic that I will be dedicating an unheatlhy amount of time studying for the next few years.

I have a boring job at my department where I catalogue and rename images from our Abydos expedition (Abydos is a 1st Dynasty funerary site in Southern Egypt). This job doesn't require a lot of attention so I often do it while watching a movie from my instant NetFlix queue. As a result, I've seen tons of movies these past few months. I find that I often lean toward drama, psychological thrillers, and downright depressing movies. I watch some comedies I guess, but I find light hearted stuff not nearly as satisfying- esp when I'm working late at night. I want to talk about two movies here: A Certain Kind of Death and The Whisperers.

Both movies are depressing and thought provoking.

A Certain Kind of Death is a documentary shot by two dudes (one of them is named Babcock, which admittingly is one of the reasons why I watched it) in Los Angeles and it's about what the coroner's office does with the deceased who have no next of kin. It was very informative- now I know I better have kids or at least make sure I leave behind very detailed plans of where I'm supposed to go (one person in the movie had gone so far as drawing the graveyward with an arrow pointing down to his plot). The movie was also incredibly graphic, showing lots of shots of corpses- some of them had been decaying for weeks. I'm not usually very squeemish about things like this but it disturbed me... but not as much as hearing how nonchalant the coroners and forensics people are when dealing with death. I guess you get used to it, but it's depressing to see people treat other people like meat bags- even if they're dead.

The Whisperers is a 1960s British film and is about an old delusional woman living alone in the slums of London. Lots of bad stuff happens to her and in the end she's pretty much at the same place as she was in the beginning of the movie.

The Whisperers and A Certain Kind of Death are two films that address one of my biggest fears: dying alone without family or friends. This fear is probably why I've often bent over backwards for a lot of fruitless relationships and why I end up caring too much for people who are alone for good reason (sociopathic jerks). But I can't help it! I just feel sorry for lonely people. Nothing depresses me more than seeing someone who is alone. Especially on public transportation. Specifically, busses.

I'll never forget the time when I was at the In-n-Out Burger on Gayley Blvd. in Los Angeles. I was with my roommate at the time and finishing up whatever we were eating when I saw this plain, rather dorky, looking Asian girl in her mid 30s going up to random late 20s- early 30s yuppie guys, trying to initiate a conversation. She was completely awkward and trying very hard to get them interested, but they did everything they could to ignore her. Every time one guy left, her eager smile just melted into complete disappointment... until someone else showed up. I left before she did, but I wonder how long she stayed there and if her walk home was a sad and lonely one.

When I felt really alone- this mainly taking place in 2007- I would often find myself striking up conversations with random people in New York. Sometimes people were unresponsive, which greatly disappointed me, but there were others who happily continued the conversation. At the time, it really meant a lot to me. I think I needed to know that I could connect to people without putting them in a funk.

Anyway, that's what was on my mind today. Sorry to be a "Debbie Downer." But before I go I want to make it clear that my sympathy goes out to LONELY people- not to people who are alone and happy about it ("you go girl!" or something like that...).

My thoughts on this election:

I was in Times Square when it became official that Obama was going to be president-elect. Everyone in the crowd was energerized and it was definitely an exciting and memorable time.

I've seen a lot of people protest that Obama is going to fail- that he is going to be the next Jimmy Carter. I suppose only time will tell, but I hope that he will be the next FDR or Kennedy instead. This change that we've been hearing a lot about lately isn't going to happen the minute Obama is sworn in. Our economy is going to suck for a while but hopefully the plans that our new president is going to set in motion is going to gradually turn this around.

I've also heard a lot of people say that Obama's plan to pull out of Iraq is going to send a message to other countries that we're a bunch of wimps. I'm not sure why this macho sensibility exists. There's no point in beating a dead horse. I think by pulling out responsibly and in phases while also putting together a plan for the countries we're leaving behind (something that Obama and Biden plan to do) is better for all parties directly involved and is going to make the U.S. a lot more respected in the eyes of numerous countries around the world.

You know,I'm not even that concerned about the money that was spent to finance this war. I'm more concerned about the lives lost as a result. People say that by pulling out the lives that have been lost were in vain. But how many more lives have to be lost and ruined because we're too macho and proud to admit that the U.S.'s previous plan of action is not working?

Admittingly, I probably have as much knowledge and experience in foreign relations as Sarah Palin so what do I know?

Speaking of which, I want to make it clear that I never thought McCain was evil or crazy. In fact, I kind of respected him for his centrist views (I was skeptical that Obama may be too left when it came to economic issues). I respect him for what he's done for this country and his experience in the political arena. However, I became a wary the minute he started veering way to the right and even more so when he chose Palin as his running mate. In the end it seemed that McCain/Palin was going to continue along the path that the previous administration paved for us and well, look where that's got us now.

Back to Palin- I want to say something defending her (I feel slightly bad for being so harsh on her): I think it's shameful that Democrats were yelling about how she's an unfit mother b/c her position as VP would've meant that she wouldn't have had much time with her children. Last I checked her family is a two parent household- what's wrong with dad taking care of the kids? Sometimes I think this country is more sexist than racist.

I voted via absentee ballot in CA and saw that Prop 8- the proposition that would ban gay marriage again- went through. I'm not really sure why people are so afraid of gay marriage. I hear stuff about how it ruins family values but personally, I think the divorce rate is a bigger "threat." People just walk into matrimony like it's no big deal- more concerned with the wedding (the average wedding in the US costs about $100,000) than the relationship. Furthermore, pregnant teens from puritanical households are urged to marry before most are probably ready and egotistical women and men too concerned with themselves than the other person. Maybe we heterosexual folk should be more concerned with our relationships instead.

I also hear that people are afraid that if gay marriage is allowed, it will teach children that it's ok to be gay and/or that it will MAKE their children gay. First of all, I'm in the camp that believes it's ok to be gay- if you don't agree with me, that's fine. I respect that you don't agree with the homosexual lifestyle but I don't see why we can't allow homosexuals the same rights as happy heterosexual couples. Secondly, if being around gay people makes you gay, I don't know what's wrong with me b/c I'm definitely straight. Trust me. I have gay relatives that I've been around with my entire life and I study art history for god's sake. Almost all the guys in my department are gay and if they could make some of the straight guys that are there gay too, I'm sure they would take more advantage of their "gay magic."

Anyway, all in all I'm excited for the next four years and for future generations. Whether you're for McCain or Obama, I think you can appreciate the fact that so many Americans were inspired enough by this election to be shaken out of their apathy to vote and to be vocal about where they want their country to be heading.

Being a cartoonist/Egyptologist is hard work, fer reals.

Ok, enough about politics- I've still been busy with my dissertation stuff and my last year of coursework. I'm sorry about the horribly embarassing delay on my rabbit voice. I've also been meaning to post pictures of prints I'm going to sell, but clearly I can't be bothered by it right now.

If you're a US citizen and are registered to vote, don't forget to do it today. It's important!

My CA absentee ballot made it through so I'm relieved.

It's been a while since my last news post because I've been busy this semester doing research on my dissertation topic. I'm planning on going over my ideas with my adviser next week. Hopefully it will go well- next semester I'll be writing my proposal.

It's really hard to come up with a dissertation topic- not only is it hard to come up with an idea that hasn't really been talked about it, it's hard to come up with an idea that's going to be specific enough to fit into 250 pages.

Anyway, the main purpose for writing today's post is to thank whomever sent me The Egyptologist, a novel that was put on my Amazon wish list. Normally my wish list is empty and I didn't bother advertising that I had put the book up there because it's not related to my comic/comic production but someone took the time to check anyway.

I went to check my mail box at school today and found a package in the "B" box, which made me excited since I hardly ever get mail! Maybe this says I'm easy to please, but finding the book really made my day. Not only do I have something to read on the train but I can walk around knowing that people are appreciating the comic enough to send me nice gifts from my wish list.

Today I've been walking around to all of the Egyptologists being like "Look what I got in the mail today! (Aren't you soooo jealous??)"

So, thank you!

No, I don't have a rabbit voice up yet- much to my annoyance and frustration.

I'm posting MY PSA about the upcoming elections:

Please vote.

Please.

The last day to register to vote (I believe) is October 6th, so if you're not registered already, please go and do it. I don't care if you don't feel your vote matters. I think you should do it anyway.(NOTE: Your last day to register to vote is dependent on what State you live in. Check here to find out when your last day to register is.)

If you are able to vote in a swing state, please cast your vote there.

I wouldn't normally endorse any candidates or really make it clear who I'm voting for, but I've been so ticked off during this campaign that I have to say something. If I lose some readers, oh well (though I'd be surprised given the content of my comic and my demographic).

Here I go:

I am absolutely DUMBFOUNDED that people are still so supportive of Sarah Palin. The fact that she was chosen as a running mate is insulting- for me, it was an obvious attempt to pander to women voters despite the fact that she has limited experience and is completely opposed to many of the issues that women care about.

I mean GOD she didn't even KNOW what the Vice President does back in July, 2008! I KNEW THAT and I HATE talking/learning about politics.

It's mind boggling that people claim that she'll be good at foreign policy b/c of her proxmity to Russia. I mean... WHAT?! Does that mean that EVERY Alaskan has a diplomat living inside of them, waiting to burst out?

However, the most IRRITATING quality about Palin is her unabashed hypocrisy. As someone who claims to love the United States as a country that values individual rights and freedoms she sure doesn't do a whole lot to ensure them. If she really believed that everyone has the right to pursue life, liberty, and happiness then why is it that she has made sure that same-sex couples are denied health care in Alaska? I'm sorry, but the last time I checked, homosexuals are people too- whether you agree with their lifestyle or not. Are you not, Gov. Palin, denying certain inalienable rights?

I'm not even going to go too deep into the pro-life/pro-choice issue because it gets too complicated, but I will say this: I find it appaling that she will not allow abortions even in the case of rape or incest.

Speaking of rape, did you know that when she was the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, rape victims had to pay for their own rape kits in order to gather forensic evidence? Is this just another way of saying "Well, you got into this mess, you better pay for it?"

How can people possibly think she cares about women's rights?

On top of all that she made attempts to ban certain books at the Wasilla library b/c of offensive language- BANNING BOOKS?! What decade are we in? What country again?

Is Palin really going to uphold our Constitutional Rights? Does she even know what the 1st ammendment is?

The scariest thing about all of this is that if the McCain/Palin ticket wins, Palin is only a heartbeat away from the presidency. McCain is 72. When I first got to NYU, half of the professors were that age and took on more students to advise through their dissertation. Now, three years later, a good number of those professors have keeled over and a lot of students were left screwed.

WHAT IF MCCAIN KICKS IT?! Then we'll have this completely incompetent woman, who has limited (or maybe conditional) respect for the ideals on which this country was based, in charge.

This post is getting too long, but let me tell you a couple of other things:

She has said and actually believes that it is GOD'S WILL that we are fighting in Iraq and that it is GOD'S WILL that we build a pipeline to Russia. What is this? I thought the days of Manfiest Destiny and imperialism were over.

Religious fanatasicm of ANY KIND is a bad thing (esp when you're using religion to justify your own goals).

Oh and while Obama was out there working as a community leader (which Palin loves to spit on- yeah, you community leaders are all do-nothing bums), Palin was traipsing around in swimsuits doing beauty competitions.

Anyway, I'm not here to change anyone's minds about anything- but I really just don't understand how someone could support someone like Palin.

I mean... I really don't.

Ok- getting off my soap box now...

Quick Public Service Announcement!

Reminds me of an old axion understood the world over, decried by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 11 and put succinctly by Mark Millar --- The Rich Eat First.

I'M A BIG MORON!

I accidently uploaded today's cartoon yesterday (due to an error in the way I named one of my comics)- I was so confused when I saw the same comic up today.

Please go back a day if you want to see the missing comic. It's up now.

Today's strip is in honor of my friend, Justin, who moved back to Seattle a few weeks ago. Justin has a comic called Sub-Human, which is about the horrible world of substitute teaching- it also has geeky and sometimes naughty humor. For those of you who don't know who Justin is... I don't know how to put it... but he's kind of a big deal. He's also master artist of the world.

Anyway, his comic is very funny if you can handle it. Please check it out.

I also did a last minute guest comic strip for the Make- A- Wish Foundation. Please donate there if you can and make someone's wish come true. Many other comic artists participated and they're all very talented. One of them in particular, is my friend Wes Molbash who writes a great web comic called You'll Have That.

Ok, so hopefully I'll have some time and space to do my rabbit voice tonight. I've been busy b/c it's registration/interview for classes week at the IFA (Institute of Fine Arts, NYU)!

The IFA has an exciting yet uncomfortable buzz the week before classes- there are about 40 or so new students who look very eager and ambitious. Some of them already joke about how this place is miserable even though they have no idea what they've got themselves into quite yet.

I'm like "Hey man... don't tell ME that this place is stuffy and demanding. Have you been to the toilet of tears yet?... I didn't think so."

Of course, that's not what I said- I just politely chuckled in agreement.

A lot of my friends are studying for their oral examinations and turning in dissertation proposals. I don't have to look forward to that stuff until this summer, but I was thinking about dissertation topics as I read through the list of dissertations in progress. Then I wondered what my dissertation title would be.

I'm not very good at titles. The title for one of my MA theses was called "The Tombs of Ibi, Djau, and Ankhmahor." One has no idea what the paper is about other than it involves some dudes and their tombs. I bet my dissertation title would be something lame like "Ancient Egypt" or "Ancient Egyptian Art." That's how bad I am at thinking of titles.

Anyway, my mind meandered a while more and I thought about how cool it would be to write a dissertation about rabbits and why they're awesome. I came up with a title based on some of the titles of papers/dissertations/articles I've run into during my academic career.

"Rabbits: Too Cute for their Own Good? An Exploration of Conceptions of Fuzziness"

Aw yeah.

Well, as you can see CLV is back on track.

Sorry about the delay for Rabbit Voice II- as you saw from David's post I had made one a couple of weeks ago but it was unfortunately unusable. I have not had the opportunity to make a new one since I have yet to find a time and a place when/where it is quiet enough to do a second take.

Anyway, I haven't been able to sleep for the last couple of days because I've been too angry. (Don't worry, it's not Edouard related at all).

You see, a friend of mine told me a story about someone I was close to for a signficant period of my adult life- it's a story that made this person sound like they are completely bat$#*% crazy. I can't really go into details about it for personal reasons and because I don't want other people's lives to possibly be affected by me retelling what happened in a virtual public space, but I just felt so effing pissed about it that the only way I'm going to sleep tonight is if I write down my feelings here. It's my domain after all. I pay for it.

Anyway, this person makes me FRUSTRATED to the point where I am so full of RAGE that it feels like all my anger is welling up inside of me, wanting to violently burst out in a disgusting (and probably chunky) spew of projectile vomit.

The reason why I'm so pissed is because this person constantly invalidated whatever angry feelings I had toward them. I have a problem processing this emotion anyway (with the exception of my parents and David), so imagine how hard it was to try to communicate with someone who just wouldn't listen.

There are probably some people who are going to read this enigmatic post and wonder if I could be talking about them, but rest assured that it's probably not you.

P.S. Justin M. of Seattle- we all miss you in New York. When you left my stomach hurt and I swear I didn't eat anything funky.

Hello David here! Since Jen has been busy managing her affaires in New York, I figure I ought to regale everybody with details of my empty vacuous life.

---- David

David- I heard a rumor that they are getting rid of bike messengers in New York City.

Anyway, as promised I'm posting a picture of me with the Rosetta Stone. I decided not to lug my hieroglyphics textbook with me to the British Museum but I think you can tell I'm still happy to see it:

Also when I was on my way to Charles de Gaulle in Paris look at the name of the train I caught:

Bicycle messengers have been in their death throes for over a decade, first it was the fax machine, then email/digital reprographics et al... Do tell Jen...

---- David

Carlos Sastre in Yellow at the Tour De France! WOOT!

Sorry for the outburst, Jen. Since I no longer run into that roadie with the Team CSC-Saxo Bank kit, I figure I'll announce this fact to the one person in this captive audience who may care... Yes I happen to like Carlos Sastre... Get over it.

UPDATE: Carlos Sastre keeps his jersey though Paris!! Team CSC Saxo-Bank FTW!

As you can see from my updates I have returned from my trip abroad. I will post some pictures soon but not until I do my rabbit voice for all the people that helped me raise money a few months ago.

Some of you sent me some e-mails while I'm gone and I'll try to get to them soon.

I'm still in Europe but I'm leaving in a couple of days, which means that bulk updates will start early next week when I get a more reliable internet connection. In the meantime, enjoy this comic.

I'm sad to be leaving Europe but my wallet isn't. Even though this trip was funded for me I still of course had to spend a lot of my own money once I was here- the dollar has become so weak it's ridiculous. Even when I was here last a couple of years ago I don't think the exchange rate was this horrible.

That said, I think every penny spent was worth it. The Agyptisches Museum in Berlin was very impressive and had a lot of interesting objects that I have never seen before. Even though I teared up a bit at the British Museum, I think the Agyptisches Museum's collection is the one that has given me at least beginnings of dissertation topic ideas- and that is priceless (as are the memories).

I've been busy going on and off trains this month which is why I haven't given anyone an ArtFest update.

I would do it now but I have to catch the EuroStar to London right now.

As I mentioned I'm abroad for about 2 weeks looking at Egyptian collections at big museums (yesterday I was at the Louvre, tomorrow I'm going to the British Museum) as well as some aside fun stuff (the day before yesterday I visited Disneyland Paris, which I'm sorry to say pales in comparison to the original).

Have to go, but I wanted to let people know that I've been having a hard time finding a way to connect this laptop to the internet. That said, updates will once again be spotty (I'm sorry this has been happening so frequently as of late).

I promise that as soon as I get back to New York not only will there be bulk updates but you won't see another spotty update schedule for at least another few months if that.

Hey all! This is David

Thanks for your patience! ---David

Tomorrow is MoCCA Art Fest! Thank you to everyone that donated so that CLV can be present at this wonderful indie/alt comics fair. Please check me out if you can at Table C29 (I'm going to be near Dumbrella!) on the first floor.

Come help jumpstart the US economy by buying original art, comic strips, M. Smokey pins, and more! (Also say hello to me).

You know... I can think of no better place to spend a portion of your economic stimulus check... ---David

Living with Toys- I should make it clear that by bukakke I mean "awesome" (it's how Dan and I say "awesome") not actual bukakke. However, it didn't matter b/c Dan told me that his hit count doubled the day I posted his comic.

Either none of you know what bukakke is or ya'll are perverts. (or both)

I was having troubles with my FTP client earlier but I have the problem fixed for now.

Anyway, I'm sending out thank you postcards this week- look out for yours.