Cocktail Hour, a webcomic by Scraps

So, this month I’ll hold my first book in my hands, post my 200th comic, attend my first Con as a vendor and 2 months after that Random Acts… will turn 2 years old. Wow. A lot has happened in the last 2 years and I’m still committed to taking Random Acts… as far as I can.

Also on the horizon are the launch of Where the Geeks Are and Gamma Girl. While secondary projects, they are no less important to me and to Random Acts… as a brand. So this leads me to think, again, about changing things up a bit.

Change? No! Scary!!!

Yeah, I know, but the change I’m thinking of making I think will be in the best interest of this strip and merely involves changing the name. Random Acts Comics is a name I like and a domain I “own” so I’m not going to be getting rid of it any time soon. BUT! Does it really describe this strip? This past year I’ve started using themes for the month, even telling a couple of actual stories along the way and, I have to admit, I liked that lessening of the “random” nature. So we’re a little less random. Instead, I keep thinking of another thing Jen has said about me: [I] really [am] the heroine of [my] own chick-lit novel (paraphrasing because I can’t remember the exact quote). And, not for the first time, it’s got me thinking that maybe “My Chick-Lit Life” would be a more appropriate name for this strip, keeping Random Acts Comics as an umbrella name for my various projects.

There are other reasons to consider the change. First of all, I’m not getting a lot of mileage from having a common phrase as a name–my search engine results aren’t so high and it’s not exactly what people think of when they say random acts of kindness. I’m not always kind here, ya know? Plus, even though I did what I thought was a thorough search before launching in 2007, Random Acts of (fill in the blank) has actually been used for a number of comics, even if most are no longer updating, and blogs and the like. Basically, the name is too common to do me much good.

Secondly, Random Acts… doesn’t really do a good job of explaining the comic’s premise. I’ve developed an “elevator pitch” of sorts but try as I might it’s still pretty clunky and, even then, it still doesn’t pique enough interest. At least with a name like “my chick-lit life” or “this chick’s life” or “the chic[k] life” there’s a definite recognition with chick-lit, chick-flicks, chicks in general that says “about a girl” and, hopefully, “funny.”

Finally, it’s fits in better with the type of branding and merchandise I want to do. Ah, yes, the monetary reasons do weigh in considerably. But the sort of items I want to carry and affiliate with make more sense if I take advantage of some of those stereotypical ideas affiliated with chick-lit and so forth.

Of course, there’s just as much reason NOT to change things at all, and just work with what I’ve got. After all, I do have a readership with this name and, maybe, I’d lose some if the name were more targeted towards women. Guys? What do you think? Would you still read me if the site had some pink on it and had a “chick” title? I need to know these things. Of course, when I think about it I remember a roommate of mine, a former Marine, who freely admitted to reading ‘Cosmo’ magazine and considered it “reading the other team’s playbook.” So there ya go…

Anyway, I’d like to hear your thoughts on this, if you have any, and also if you have suggestions on the name I’m willing to take ideas for consideration. If a change happens, the comic will still be available on this site, as the “flagship” of Random Acts Comics and nothing much else would be changing except for a little more focus, a little more cohesion. But sound off in the comments, please!

Aphrodisiacs are one of those things you either believe in or you don’t because there’s no real scientific evidence that any of them work. Superstitious in origin, they build on various forms of sympathetic magic (the idea that if an animal, for instance, possesses a lot of one quality, then the ingesting of the animal will give you some measure of it) or simple vitamin-boosts from what would have otherwise been lacking.

Named for Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, who was supposedly born from the sea, many seafood and shellfish varieties fall under the heading of aphrodisiacs; sort of a “gulit” by association thing (not to mention the similarity of certain foods to certain items to be affected by the aphrodisiac). Many people can’t quite stomach the thought of oysters on the half-shell and fried foods don’t always put one in the mood for love. Still, if you want to serve oysters and see how much of a spark they give, try my favorite way…

Oyster Stew

2-3 dozen small oysters, with liquor
6 green onions, chopped
1 rib of celery, chopped
2 Tbsp minced parsley (fresh)
1 quart milk
1 stick butter
Salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce to taste

Saute the green onions, celery and parsley in a little bit of the butter while you heat the rest of the butter and milk in a separate pot–heat, don’t boil! Add the oysters and liquor to the vegetables and cook until the oysters are almost cooked and then add them to the milk and butter mixture. Let the oysters cook through and season the soup with the salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Garnish with a few oyster crackers or some homemade croutons.

Often, though, it’s less about the foods you eat and more about how you eat them. Notice that many of the foods found on lists of aphrodisiacs are able, and common, to be eaten as finger foods? Set up a romantic buffet of carrot sticks, steamed artichokes (the scraping of the leaves via the teeth is remeniscent of certain romantic biting techniques from the Kama Sutra), honey-glazed figs, asparagus spears, peeled shrimp and oysters and feed them to each other in a comfortable setting. Feel free to add your own preferred foods and not stick too closely to the recommendations of this or any site: the important thing is your perception of the food and the event, not what you’re eating.

Though I would caution against overly heavy foodstuffs. Have you ever noticed that there are are no red meats listed as aphrodisiacs? I think it’s because red meat in any quantity (while undeniably satisfying from time to time) tends to weight the body down and tie up the digestive system for so long that the point, generally the immediate one, of aphrodisiacs is lost. So, if you must include some heavier proteins, keep them then, small, not overcooked and without heavy sauces.

And, no, I’m not forgetting about one major aphrodisiac. Once prized for it’s scarcity but now widely available in all manner of concoctions, a good chocolate will almost always be welcome at the end of a romantic meal (or the beginning, for that matter). And what better way to feed each other chocolate than by the very convivial means of fondue.

Chocolate Fondue for 2

4 oz plain chocolate, chopped
2/3 c heavy cream
1 Tbsp Grand Marnier or other fruit or citrus liqueur
1 Tbsp butter, diced
Bananas, strawberries, sponge cake and other foods for dipping

Melt together the chocolate, cream and liqueur in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or double-boiler, stirring constantly and without overheating. Alternately, place the mixture into a fondue pot over sterno or a tea light (depending on the fondue set). Once smooth, dip the fruit or cake into the chocolate and enjoy.

Now go start those plans for Valentine’s Day; it’s right around the corner!

Oh, y’all, I’ve been waiting for months, until I had a copy in my chilly little fingers (cold hands, warm heart… or something like that), and I’m proud to announce my first ever print credit:

Satyr #8 by Main Enterprises features an exclusive 8-page story (no, it’s not online anywhere and no, it won’t be in the Year 1 book, so this is the only place you’ll see it) from yours truly! “of Autos” (aka Racing Cars) offers some insight into my relationships with automobiles. And even though I serious despise drawing vehicles, it was a fun project to do and I look forward to doing more stories for Satyr.

Satyr #8, Cover by Dan Taylor

Now, I have a few copies that I plan to make available for sale at MegaCon and any that are left over I’ll offer here, but if you’re not planning on being at MegaCon or you want your copy sooner, Jim and Main Enterprises will be happy to sell you one (or more!). There’s also some other really fun strips in there but keep in mind it does tend toward the more mature comics reader–there really are naked boobs!

My Small Press Idol aspirations are over for this year, at least. I had really high hopes for the cover and pitch I turned in this weekend but apparently they were too high: 2 “no” votes and I don’t move on to Round 2. For my part, I obviously failed to convey the right tone of the project, the humor inherent in the situation and the potential I saw there. Also on me is the very real possibility that I brought the wrong project to the wrong audience. Oh, well, it happens. And this project, which originally started life as an offshoot of “Random Acts…” and then took on a life of it’s own, was originally intended for the web and I have no problem continuing in that vein. So Gamma Girl, the Hospitality Heroine will see web-production at some point this year (at least the first episode) as a “Random Acts Comics presents” feature and we’ll go from there.

Had a bad day? A rough year? Or maybe you don’t have a Valentine of your own. There’s nothing that says you can’t be your own cheerleader, champion or sweetheart. After all–who knows you better than you do?

Whatever the reason, pick-me-ups are one of those staples of life that we all need from time to time. They come in all shapes and sizes–from fluffy reads to high-carb treats–with the acquisition sometimes part of the fun (aka retail therapy).

Here are some of my indulgences when I want to boost my mood, lift my spirits or just treat myself.

• Flowers. I used to buy myself flowers every week at the grocery store. They didn’t cost a lot and I would spread them throughout my little apartment to brighten up the place. My second husband took the stance that killing flowers for the enjoyment of one person was wrong, that everyone got to enjoy them as they grew in the wild. Another ex- considered the giving of flowers even more intimate than saying “I love you” so I learned a long time about to get them when I wanted them and not to expect someone else to. Because cutting them does kill them, it’d be lovely to be able to grow my own but I’ve got a horrid black thumb so I’ll have to settle for the cut variety when the mood strikes.
• TV on DVD. Perfect veg-out fodder: immersing myself in a season or two of a favorite television show. Even though most of my favorites (Charmed, Friends, Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, ST:The Next Generation, Gilmore Girls and Sex and the City) are now off-the-air, it makes them all the easier to find on DVD and stock up for that emotionally rainy day. Best for weekend indulgences, weeknights still work (especially during reruns or those blank slate nights where nothing I like is on) just in smaller doses.
• Chocolate. This certainly should have been obvious. Hershey’s and Dove are all right for day-to-day consumption but when I want decadent, I want Godiva. Of course, that means a trek out to the Mall most times, so I settle for second best (but still not shabby) Lindt.

Those are my preferred pick-me-ups but no matter what form yours take, treat yourself often and in a preemptive manner and you might find the need for the emergency mood lifters decreases.