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26 August, 2006
-------------------------------------
In this issue:
A STATE-OF-THE-COMICS ADDRESS ;P
*************************************
Howdy!
Just an update on how things are going for me, personally, and when more comics and the new MP3s can be expected.
Sorry about sending this through my gmail account, but my newsletter script seems to have gone mad after the server move. I'll try to get that fixed, asap. But for now, I'll just do the newsletter by hand, since I'm not sending them out all that often.
Things are finally starting to turn around for the better, for me! I managed to get a new job, which looks like it will last at least through the end of the year, as long as I don't somehow manage to screw up. It's just a data entry job, but it pays pretty well, and it's easy to do (though very tiring, as typing at one's top speed all day long is rough on the hands). They seem to be impressed with my speed, accuracy and work ethic, so they may offer me a more permanent position, at some point. I was told by my temp agency that the company was looking for someone to eventually train as a payroll clerk, so maybe that will come through for me. I don't really like having to work for someone else, but until I can figure out how to make my own businesses more profitable, it's my only choice. At least, it pays the bills, and it keeps me out of trouble. ;P
I'm still trying to adjust to the new schedule, and trying to get all the outstanding bills caught up (like the electric bill...which is $750. *grunt, groan, whine*), but as soon as everything starts to settle down, I can seriously think about returning to making my comics. I'm just too stressed out and have my attention pulled in too many different directions, right now, to even casually think about working on comics in a major way. I may find the time to draw a page or two, but I won't be able to make any large time commitments to it, for at least a few more weeks.
The same applies to the MP3s of the music. While I must continue to practice guitar, so as to not lose the ability I already have, I can't spend too much time trying to record things. I also need to get my hands on either a drum machine or an electronic kit, so I can lay down a beat and keep myself on rhythm. Without drums to follow, I tend to progressively speed up on guitar until I'm shredding. I had wanted an acoustic drum kit, but after thinking about it, realized I'd be better off with a machine or electronic set, as I have no room for a full kit. I also haven't got the money for the large set of mics I'd need to record an acoustic set with. Electronic drums or a machine can be plugged straight into the computer, and while they will not sound as nice as acoustic drums, they'll do well enough to make the first round of MP3s. Later on, when I have more money and/or more space to work with, I can think about finding a nice acoustic set and re-doing the rhythm tracks. For now, I have to think about what is possible and what is not. I'd like to have at least one MP3 ready by Christmas, but I don't know for sure how reasonable that is. Since I have to do all the instrument tracks, myself, plus all the vocals and the actual recording, mixing and editing, I may be seriously underestimating the time needed to do even one song. My preliminary test recordings of a single guitar track and vocal have taken a full day to even approach decent quality, so I'm likely looking at a couple of weeks or more for each song, and that's assuming I've practiced enough on the individual instruments to not have to spend a lot of time fixing mistakes. I'm going to give it a shot, though, whenever I manage to get hold of something to use for drums. That's my major sticking point, right now.
Anyway, I want to take a moment to thank all of you who have stood by me through my horrible times, and who have done whatever you could to help me out, whether it was through a donation or prayers or words of encouragement. It all helps, and I'm very grateful for it. I feel blessed to have so many wonderful people who care about me and are kind enough to show it! I love you all, and I want to do my best to get back to sharing my stories and art and music with you, as soon as possible.
Oh, I'm going to be changing the Angels page design, soon, as I want to remove the section with text ads in it. I've been very disappointed in them, so far. I've made a whole 97 cents in the months and months that they've been on the site, and frankly, I'm tired of devoting that internet real estate to ads for cheating at poker or online dating or free ringtones. I had hoped to get some better ads, but apparently, those are the best ones I'm going to get. I'll leave the pic of Jax on the sidewalk and the PayPal stuff, as well as a slimmed-down "how to help" section, but the ads are going. The Musicians' Friend affiliate banner will stay, as well, because I like that company and have purchased from them, myself. I've made about $11 in commissions from them, though I won't get it until it reaches $25. Still, there is more potential for income there, than in any of the other ad- and affiliate programs I've tried. A couple of guitar purchases, or a drum kit purchase would bring in a nice commission, and since I'm aiming this comic mainly at other musicians (the MySpace site has nabbed quite a few of them, too!), one or two of those sales could actually happen. I'd like to buy some instruments through them, myself, though I couldn't get commission on things I bought. ;P
I'm also working up some new ideas for t-shirt designs, since I currently only have two in the Spreadshirt shop. Maybe later, when I've levelled out financially, I can think about having some special black shirts screenprinted in full color. I could probably get a good deal on them from some local print shop, but I might have to take pre-orders to make sure I could sell them. Some of the ideas I have are really cool designs that I'd like to have on my own shirts, so I'm looking forward to finding the time to draw them out, scan them and color them. I'll let you all know whenever I have the new designs done.
For now, I'm going to say look for another comics update possibly by the middle or end of October. I've got a few of the pages from the next scene completed, but I've had no time at all to devote to drawing, lately. Things are already beginning to settle down for me, though, so I don't think it would be naive to say I could do another 8 pages over the next 60 days. I'm going to give it a shot, anyway. If I can manage to pull off a miracle and get it done sooner than that, I certainly will. And you folks on my little mailing list will be the first to know, as always. (^-^)
***KAICHI'S COOL QUOTE***
"It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer."
--Albert Einstein
And that's it, for this time. Hope you're all having a lovely weekend!
(^-^)
Kaichi Satake
Kyoki Press Comics
http://www.kyokipress.com/
kaisatake@gmail.com
-------------------------------------
In this issue:
A STATE-OF-THE-COMICS ADDRESS ;P
*************************************
Howdy!
Just an update on how things are going for me, personally, and when more comics and the new MP3s can be expected.
Sorry about sending this through my gmail account, but my newsletter script seems to have gone mad after the server move. I'll try to get that fixed, asap. But for now, I'll just do the newsletter by hand, since I'm not sending them out all that often.
Things are finally starting to turn around for the better, for me! I managed to get a new job, which looks like it will last at least through the end of the year, as long as I don't somehow manage to screw up. It's just a data entry job, but it pays pretty well, and it's easy to do (though very tiring, as typing at one's top speed all day long is rough on the hands). They seem to be impressed with my speed, accuracy and work ethic, so they may offer me a more permanent position, at some point. I was told by my temp agency that the company was looking for someone to eventually train as a payroll clerk, so maybe that will come through for me. I don't really like having to work for someone else, but until I can figure out how to make my own businesses more profitable, it's my only choice. At least, it pays the bills, and it keeps me out of trouble. ;P
I'm still trying to adjust to the new schedule, and trying to get all the outstanding bills caught up (like the electric bill...which is $750. *grunt, groan, whine*), but as soon as everything starts to settle down, I can seriously think about returning to making my comics. I'm just too stressed out and have my attention pulled in too many different directions, right now, to even casually think about working on comics in a major way. I may find the time to draw a page or two, but I won't be able to make any large time commitments to it, for at least a few more weeks.
The same applies to the MP3s of the music. While I must continue to practice guitar, so as to not lose the ability I already have, I can't spend too much time trying to record things. I also need to get my hands on either a drum machine or an electronic kit, so I can lay down a beat and keep myself on rhythm. Without drums to follow, I tend to progressively speed up on guitar until I'm shredding. I had wanted an acoustic drum kit, but after thinking about it, realized I'd be better off with a machine or electronic set, as I have no room for a full kit. I also haven't got the money for the large set of mics I'd need to record an acoustic set with. Electronic drums or a machine can be plugged straight into the computer, and while they will not sound as nice as acoustic drums, they'll do well enough to make the first round of MP3s. Later on, when I have more money and/or more space to work with, I can think about finding a nice acoustic set and re-doing the rhythm tracks. For now, I have to think about what is possible and what is not. I'd like to have at least one MP3 ready by Christmas, but I don't know for sure how reasonable that is. Since I have to do all the instrument tracks, myself, plus all the vocals and the actual recording, mixing and editing, I may be seriously underestimating the time needed to do even one song. My preliminary test recordings of a single guitar track and vocal have taken a full day to even approach decent quality, so I'm likely looking at a couple of weeks or more for each song, and that's assuming I've practiced enough on the individual instruments to not have to spend a lot of time fixing mistakes. I'm going to give it a shot, though, whenever I manage to get hold of something to use for drums. That's my major sticking point, right now.
Anyway, I want to take a moment to thank all of you who have stood by me through my horrible times, and who have done whatever you could to help me out, whether it was through a donation or prayers or words of encouragement. It all helps, and I'm very grateful for it. I feel blessed to have so many wonderful people who care about me and are kind enough to show it! I love you all, and I want to do my best to get back to sharing my stories and art and music with you, as soon as possible.
Oh, I'm going to be changing the Angels page design, soon, as I want to remove the section with text ads in it. I've been very disappointed in them, so far. I've made a whole 97 cents in the months and months that they've been on the site, and frankly, I'm tired of devoting that internet real estate to ads for cheating at poker or online dating or free ringtones. I had hoped to get some better ads, but apparently, those are the best ones I'm going to get. I'll leave the pic of Jax on the sidewalk and the PayPal stuff, as well as a slimmed-down "how to help" section, but the ads are going. The Musicians' Friend affiliate banner will stay, as well, because I like that company and have purchased from them, myself. I've made about $11 in commissions from them, though I won't get it until it reaches $25. Still, there is more potential for income there, than in any of the other ad- and affiliate programs I've tried. A couple of guitar purchases, or a drum kit purchase would bring in a nice commission, and since I'm aiming this comic mainly at other musicians (the MySpace site has nabbed quite a few of them, too!), one or two of those sales could actually happen. I'd like to buy some instruments through them, myself, though I couldn't get commission on things I bought. ;P
I'm also working up some new ideas for t-shirt designs, since I currently only have two in the Spreadshirt shop. Maybe later, when I've levelled out financially, I can think about having some special black shirts screenprinted in full color. I could probably get a good deal on them from some local print shop, but I might have to take pre-orders to make sure I could sell them. Some of the ideas I have are really cool designs that I'd like to have on my own shirts, so I'm looking forward to finding the time to draw them out, scan them and color them. I'll let you all know whenever I have the new designs done.
For now, I'm going to say look for another comics update possibly by the middle or end of October. I've got a few of the pages from the next scene completed, but I've had no time at all to devote to drawing, lately. Things are already beginning to settle down for me, though, so I don't think it would be naive to say I could do another 8 pages over the next 60 days. I'm going to give it a shot, anyway. If I can manage to pull off a miracle and get it done sooner than that, I certainly will. And you folks on my little mailing list will be the first to know, as always. (^-^)
***KAICHI'S COOL QUOTE***
"It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer."
--Albert Einstein
And that's it, for this time. Hope you're all having a lovely weekend!
(^-^)
Kaichi Satake
Kyoki Press Comics
http://www.kyokipress.com/
kaisatake@gmail.com
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