i like applejuice!

nick-nick nick nick nick-nick nick nick

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:45:14 GMT

NICKELODEOFF.

I am super-bummed that the plug has been pulled on Nickelodeon Magazine. I don't remember what I ate for lunch today, but I recall every single detail - where I was, who I was with, what I was wearing, what was going on - when I got the word that NickMag was publishing one of my comics. That was almost five years ago, and it is one of the top highlights of my career. It has indirectly opened up a lot of doors for me. Who are you? Pfffft. Wait, what? You're in Nickelodeon? Come on in, sir!

The staff at the magazine is awesome. Chris Duffy and Dave Roman are saints of the comics world, as they have showcased work from loads of crazy good artists in a really cool way - in a magazine for kids. Some of the filthiest, most perverted comic artists in history have done kids' comics for NickMag, and that is too cool. Artists I admire and look up. A lot of great names... and me. Why? WHY? Boy, did I have those guys fooled.

Anyway, the magazine will have issues until October (I think), and I have a comic in the July issue, which should be on stands now. It's my favorite comic I've done for them... and it's the last.

I'm so happy to have been a part of something that I grew up on. NICKELODEON, SON! What a dream come true for a good ol' boy from West Texas.

Urban

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:07:05 GMT

A couple of months ago, my editor told me that Urban Outfitters was going to start carrying my book at some of their stores. Kind of a test run that would hopefully lead to it being carried in all of their stores. We didn't know which stores or when this would happen.

And that's the last I heard about it.

Until today when a gal who I met last year at the Miami Book Fair sent me a message letting me know that she saw my book at Urban Outfitters. So... I guess the plan is in action.

Hooray! So... consider doing me a favor and going to your local UO and seeing if my book (Punk Rock Etiquette) is carried there. If so, pick up a copy, take a step to the side as not to block the books on the shelf, and laugh loudly as you flip through it. Repeat until someone notices, picks up a copy, and takes it to the register. And hey, don't get me wrong. That person taking a copy to the register can definitely be you.

Thank you.
Yours,
Travis

what whaaaaaat?

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 05:18:27 GMT

I haven't blogged in over a month. Crazy.

1) Jessica and I went on vacation. An honest-to-God-ain't-gotta-do-nothin' vacation. We flew to Portland, which was AWESOME (neither of us have ever been). It was super beautiful and a lot like Austin.

Then we took the train to Seattle for one day. We went in December and weren't superfans of the place, but we wanted to go long enough to go to the Space Needle and the Sci-Fi Museum, which was TRIPLE COOL because there was a Jim Henson exhibit. My hero. My ultimate hero.

photo by some dude working there.

Then we took the train to Vancouver. The train ride was old-timey.

photo by jess. old-timiness by me.

We stayed in Vancouver for five days, and totally fell in love with the city. Rented bikes a couple times and rode around. Stayed in a baller-ass hotel for crazy cheap (Priceline negotiater!), plotted becoming Canadian, rode little boats around. It was great. We can't wait to go back.

2) So I'm staring down a deadline. In two weeks, the first draft of my new book is due. I'm about 2/3 finished. And basically, if I pull this off, I'm the greatest writer alive. If I can't, I'm human after all. I'll let you know.

3) I'm in Texas for another week or so. Abilene for a while, and then Austin for a couple days. My mom's dog that I claim as my own had a seizure tonight. He has them every once in a while. Scary. And heart-breaking. But he's healthy and happy otherwise. The vet isn't concerned. I love you, Corbin!

EAT SH*T, FIREFOX!!!!!!!!!!

Mon, 04 May 2009 04:35:01 GMT

For the past few months, Firefox has really been pissing me off. Always crashing on me. And update after no-choice update, I kept hoping the problem would be fixed. But no.

AND NOW...

I noticed that my bookmarks toolbar where I had a few of my favorite websites and webcomics... was gone. Empty. Dang. Oh well, I can add those again. But then... oh no. My bookmarks - all 200 or so of them organized into several folders over the past few years - ALL GONE.

DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT!

SCREW YOU, FIREFOX!!!

I'm done.

------------

Edit: Fixed it. Everyone settle down.

Get yer sea legs

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 07:32:39 GMT

Screw writing, screw drawing, screw rock and roll. I just want to build a houseboat with a bunch of fruit trees and vegetables growing on it. Hell, I don't know. Maybe. I'll sell painted rocks to tourists to buy the expensive products I can't live without. MyChelle Dermaceuticals, JASON PowerSmile toothpaste, Super Nutrition Men's Blend Organic Whole Food Vitamins. I want to find where pampered meets pirate. YAR.

Don't tell my ladyfriend

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:54:43 GMT

But I'm really glad that the guys fixing our broken pipe didn't finish today. I really like hotels. It remains to be seen if we're treated like a couple of wet dogs for booking it on a name-your-own-price website.

Jessica and I really like the pizza dough from Whole Foods. Sometimes we buy a dough, some vegan cheese, sauce, and a bunch of veggies and greens and make pizza at home. It's always AWESOME. Last week, I noticed a little sign at the WF pizza station that said, "Ask us about our vegan pizza!"

So I went last night and said, "I would like to ask you about your vegan pizza."
The pizza chef said, "Sure! Here it is!" and pointed at three slices.
"Alright. I'll take them."
"All of them?"
"Todos, my friend. Let's do it."

So I took them home, and they weren't awesome. Same ingredients. Same brand of vegan cheese. But it Just. Wasn't. Great. We take the same materials and make it amazing at home. Go figure.

Good pizza is more than the sum of its parts.

Go For It!

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:26:52 GMT

1, 2, 3 bend
1, 2, 3 stretch
1, 2, 3 bend
1, 2, 3 stretch

Here's a message that I'm sending to you
You can do what you want to do
A little work never hurt no one
It's the only way to get things done

Put your mind to it, go for it
Get down and break a sweat
Rock and roll, you ain't seen nothin yet
Mind to it, go for it
Get down a break a sweat
Rock and roll, you ain't seen nothin yet

My love is strong whenever you're around
I walk on air, I barely touch the ground
And I'm so happy that you're with me now
You'll never see me in the lost and found

Put your mind to it, go for it
Get down and break a sweat
Rock and roll, you ain't seen nothin yet
Mind to it, go for it
Get down a break a sweat
Rock and roll, you ain't seen nothin yet

My love is set for you
The rest is up to you

Yeah yeah yeah
Oooh oooh oooh
Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah

I feel so good whenever you are near
You make my troubles seem to disappear
You're the one that I've been searching for
Cuz everyday I love you more and more

Put your mind to it, go for it
Get down and break a sweat
Rock and roll, you ain't seen nothin yet
Mind to it, go for it
Get down a break a sweat
Rock and roll, you ain't seen nothin yet

Get down and go for it!!

FRIENDS CLOTHES

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 01:37:22 GMT

so... ross was wearing this red velour sweater. and so was tag. that's why there was a little bit of confusion followed by the big reveal that ross was rachel's baby's daddy.

the red velour sweater was a big deal in the two episodes about the reveal.

but THEN...

in a following episode, phoebe seems to wear a sweater made of the SAME MATERIAL. come on, costume designers.

looking back, the clothes on Friends was totally silly at times. on some episodes, all three boys would be wearing blues and greens, and the girls would be wearing reds and oranges. kinda silly.

just like on tv

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:00:18 GMT

Just as I was getting out of the shower, the doorbell rang. It was Jessica's package. I ran to the door in my towel and got there just in time. And as I was going back up the steps, my towel started falling off. The package required two hands, the steps were steep. I just had to run for it. I only kind of made it.

too old for this?

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:56:42 GMT

Saved by the Bell was written by adults.
It was written for kids.

In general, these are pretty well-off kids in a nice town. They only needed 10k to save The Max. Couldn't Zack's dad just write a check? I find the money logic in that episode ESPECIALLY maddening when all they needed was like $1400, and Slater came in to save the day with his speech. Couldn't, I don't know, HIS dad have written a check for that amount? Or SOMEBODY? Lisa. Get out the credit card! That's freaking nothing! Even back then! And everyone was just ASLEEP at The Max? And were people just zombied-out at home in front of their radios, uninspired to call or move until Slater motivated them to snap out of it? Why... I mean... what?

And was Bayside's radio station operating without a license from the FCC, or did they have one that they just... weren't using?

And in the episode where they find $5000 at the mall and they decide to buy U2 tickets and scalp them, they pay an old lady $200 to get in front of her in line. TWO HUNDRED BUCKS to get ahead one spot in line. The tickets cost $60 each. They pay an old lady more than the cost of THREE tickets to get ahead ONE PLACE. WHAT?! That doesn't even make SENSE!!!

Junior writer: Excuse me, but something about the numbers there don't add up.
Peter Engel: You're fired.

I don't know if I can watch this show anymore.

But I always will.

hired pen

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 04:52:23 GMT

i draw sometimes. this is the inked drawing for a poster i done did for soundcheck magazine's 3rd birthday par-tay during sxsw in beautiful austin, texas. colored and fixed poster forthcoming and whatnot.

i'll be in texas for a week beginning this sunday. austin for a few of those days. yeah, during sxsw. hopefully i'll still be able to get a table at my favorite restaurants. it's usually so stinking crowded everywhere. however, i have a feeling that it won't be as packed as last year. you know, ecomoney and all. or perhaps there will be even more british people there to make up the difference. we shall seeee!

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:36:36 GMT

LANDLORDS. Amiright? Amiright?

hahaha

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:37:41 GMT

Key phrases for Punk Rock Etiquette according to Amazon

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
stage etiquette, band fund, door money, touring bands

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Oven of Destruction, Putting Out, Shaun Chow, Poor Kid

top bar thingy

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 06:43:22 GMT

I got an email recently from a dude who told me that the top navbar thingy on my site was confusing. And now that I look at it, I almost agree. Thoughts? Should I redo the dang thang?

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:37:05 GMT

So I put a couple of square Project Wonderful adboxes back on the front page of ilikeapplejuice.com (also located on megustoapplejuice.blogspot.com). The thing I like most about PW is the awesome traffic tracking you get when you have an adbox. And, yeah, I like this approach to advertising.

So there you have it. If you want some free advertising, jump on it. Better act now before it goes up to, like, two cents a day! HURRY! Hahaha... er... hmm.

I'm getting too close

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 21:57:53 GMT

I was out in the garden, and one of my broccoli plants was leaning over. It has been raining a whole lot, so some plants aren't very secure in their spots. I used a tomato cage to stand it back up, and as I was patting the soil down to make it more firm, I noticed that the heads of broccoli were now crooked because they had angled up when the plant was leaning. I chuckled and said, "you're so silly." Out loud.

And then my smile fell. Someday soon the broccoli will be mature. I will cut that big head off and eat it. And then I will eat the smaller, outlying florets. I am going to kill this broccoli plant.

I have to be careful to remember my place in the chain.

comics!!!

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 23:31:08 GMT

SO ALRIGHT.

I'm doing a new comic for an online magazine called "SB360" that Dell is behind. It's all about small business and technology.

The comic is called "The Ludlows". It's about a pair of brothers who take over the family floor and tile business. I KNOW, RIGHT?!!! There will be two comics every two weeks. And here's the link to the first one! And from there you can see the second. Oh. And it looks like the third one is online as well. Bonus. Hooray!

Here's the first one.

Go to the site to check out the others!
http://sb360.allbusiness.com/11778621-1.html

rebel yell!

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 02:01:37 GMT

I just witnessed the most incredible display of casual scofflaw...ery in my life.

I was walking my bike up a hill, and this dude about twenty feet in front of me dropped something on the ground and kept going. When I got closer, I saw that it was a Whole Foods buffet container. LITTERBUG!!! I started walking faster to catch up and be all DOUBLE-YOU TEE EFF, but he straight walked across the middle of the street amidst a bunch of traffic. JAYWALKING WOAH! So I kept walking parallel to the guy across the street, and he turned down an alley. Then he faced the wall and looked down. PUBLIC URINATION! HOLY WHAAAAT! I just... had to keep going. I mean, this dude didn't give a frick, and I didn't want to, you know, get myself stabbed or something. Coulda been unstable or mentally whackadoodle for all I know.

But this guy, he was basically this normal-looking dude. Kind of nerdy. Pants were too short. Weird jacket. Probably reads hardcover library books. You know the type.

If you see this guy, ask him if he's okay. And then tell him that littering totally sucks.

How's Your News?

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:55:13 GMT

How's Your News? is absolutely wonderful.

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:41:43 GMT

Another day in paradise.

I'm at a super cool coffee shop. I came here to be alone with a bunch of people. After slowly realizing that I'm not very good at getting work done at home, I decided to find some places where I can go work. You know, and treat it like a job (I'm already committing time theft - nice). I'm mostly going to get a studio in a month or so, but for now, I really have to get cracking. So I came here and got one of the crappiest mochas I've ever had, but it's my rent for a couplefew hours. Plus, I was charged almost two dollars less than the price on the board. Maybe because I'm wearing the right uniform? Did I get the cool price? So I'm going to sit here and work on my book, and every five minutes or so I'll take a sip of this thing, make The Gas Face, and get back to work.

Headphones on, everybody! KEEP YOUR EYES ON YOUR SCREENS.

DO NOT watch these videos.

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:14:22 GMT

Please do not.

oh, oh, oprah

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 00:14:32 GMT

Today's Oprah is "Obese Families in Crisis: The Intervention".
During the break, a commercial for KFC.

I'm Lost.

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:22:23 GMT

If one is completely confused by Lost, one shouldn't watch Lost. Sure, there are open questions and elements of uncertainty, but if one can't grasp the broad strokes (such as flash-forwards), well, American Idol is on at the same time.

I mean, come on. It's not... I... I... yeah.

----------------------

Oh! I am practically bursting with this news I want to share, but I CAAAAAAN'T. But here are clues.

It's about a book.
And a place.

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:08:19 GMT

last night i had a dream that joe biden was giving a speech. his nose was black from frost bite, and he was being HILARIOUS. the crowd was flipping out.

-----

watching the inauguration. yes.

-----

punk rock etiquette. comics.

punk rock etiquette ziiiiiiine

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 03:34:17 GMT

if you are a rock and roller and you draw comics, you should draw a comic about rock and roll.

i'm going to be doing a quarterly Punk Rock Etiquette zine. while the book hit the basics and took broad strokes, the zine will get into specifics. more tutorials and fun stuff. interviews with bands. comics. basically, i want to make something rad to stick in your back pocket and carry around while on tour. something to laugh at while you're making poops.

i'll be printing these sumguns with 1984 printing, and that means vegetable inks on recycled paper. whippitidooooooooo! the size will be 5.5" x 4". you know, basically quarter-sized (it's 4" instead of 4.25" because of trim). so if you're planning on drawing something, A) email me and let me know, and B) draw, you know, accordingly. oh. and leave a margin. you know. so stuff doesn't get cut off. AND comics can be 1 or 2 pages.

what kind of comics? show stories, band stories, the first show you went to, the best/worst show you went to. stuff like that. keep it pg-13 at most, and no bashing specific bands. yeeeeeeeeah, keepin' it posi.

black and white. some grays are okay, but the cleaner the better because of the small scale of the zine.

i'm also thinking about adspace for bands, artists, crafters, etc. super cheap. let me know if you're interested in that as well.

i love you so much.