World Cocoon

Hey Feb 1st was Hourly Comic Day (a comic for every hour you’re awake) and I actually remembered this year, AND I had off. Both of these things do not mean I will actually accomplish anything, but the moon and the stars and the outer space aligned, causing many predictions and horrible things to happen, including me doing an hourly comic of my day.

Stuff like this is hard for me for lots of annoying self deprecating imposter syndrome reasons. The number of these done by existing and new artists grows every year and all of them are awesome; the color, the ideas, the lines.

Then that ego killer kicks in. Who the hell wants to read about what I did during the day? I’m boring as shit. I’m not going to plan anything exciting and force it, and the interesting things in my life I am still working on stuff for. But doing something is better than doing nothing, so here is my hourly comic for this year.

OOh baby smell that wrapper and dust that white stuff off the gum stick its the official SLOPS 2022 Jab trading card with brand new stats!!!

Well look at that – 2023 arrived. I’m calling it 2022-2. It doesn’t feel that removed from the first 2022, or 2021. Or 2020. Or 2017. Things happen, things don’t happen. We learn, we don’t learn. Look at that horizon and don’t do anything today you can do tomorrow. Better start this my damn jerk brain is listening.

1.What did you do in 2022 that you’d never done before?
Got two big ailments! Oh fun.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Not so much this year – I started off with goals and some were easy (reading) some not so (creating, making local friends).
This year the goals are similar; draw more. Try and finish my book. Create more than I consume. Lose weight in time for going home.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I think so.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yup!

5. What countries did you visit?
Glasgow is like 5 countries in one but I barely left the flat so I guess the answer is 2.

6. What would you like to have in 2023 that you lacked in 2022?
A diploma, a UK driver’s license. A saxophone. Home stuff.

7. What date from 2022 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The day I passed my remain in the UK test, had 30 minutes of happiness and then found out my cat died.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting a job I actually like.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I could cut and paste last year’s answer and chart the course.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
OH DID I

11. What was the best thing you bought?
An air fryer. I think that was last year. (editor’s note. It was fucking 2020.)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Everyone not a selfish asshole.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Every selfish asshole.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Chinese food, records.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Passing my remain in the UK test was huge.

16. What songs will always remind you of 2022?
well, once again, here are my top ten listened to songs of 2022 as determined by my ever-malfunctioning last.fm scrobbler.
Also once again (once again again) I was in the realm of going through the itunes A-Z BUT this is not as reflective of it this time around. It more centers on the tracks I listened to over and over in my work mixes, with at least one returning track.

1. Amerie – 1 Thing (radio vr feat. Eve)
2. The Game – Born in the trap
3. King’s X – Black the sky
4. Tyler, the creator – 435
5. Kelly Rowland – Work (radio edit)
6. Wet Leg – Chaise Lounge
7. Kendrick Lamar – King Kunta
8. Kendrick Lamar – Alright
9. Robyn – Dancing on my own
10. Kendrick Lamar – HUMBLE.

Punk/Alt jab still exists I swear

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
Happier to a point?

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Still be more social. I’ve done ok the few times I have I guess. Make art.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Put shit off. I really try but also really look at how I’ve always done this.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
FAM FAM XMAS hopefully, was a good one this year.

21. I am now four years removed from being twice as old as 21 and that’s fucking SCARY.

22. Did you fall in love in 2021?
nahhhh

23. How many one night stands?
On new years I stayed up until 11:45.

24. What were your favorite TV programmes?
Reservation Dogs. Yellowjackets (wedren/Waronker theme song come on now), Always Taskmaster. Our Flag Means Death, only murders in the building, Marvelous Mrs Maisel.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didnt hate this time last year?
SO many jerks have surfaced in the world now that the light is brighter.

26. What was the best book you read?
Bob Mortimer’s biography ‘and away…’ was such a great easy read, but I think what stuck with me most is Michaela Cole’s ‘Misifts: a personal manifesto’ was just an incredibly moving read that I think I need to go back to. She is inspirational.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Wet Leg, but I mean everyone discovered them this year so.

28. What did you want and get?
A job I like! I got a job I like. I think I’ve had 5 of those in my many jobs.

29. What did you want and not get?
copy, paste – COPY/PASTE – THOSE DAMN FISHBONE SNEAKERS! A saxamaphone. Energy.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
If it’s a movie from another year I haven’t seen before, its Tick Tick Boom, if it’s from this year its Kids in the Hall: Comedy punks as a Doc, and Everything everywhere all at once as a Move.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
46. I think I worked.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Def a drivers license. Getting home smoothly.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2022?
As little as possible.

34. What kept you sane?
Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse gone fishing. Music.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Shrug.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Double the countries double the idiots

37. Who did you miss?
Friends. Family. Claude.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
New work peeps

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2022.
Even with moderation shit is still gonna happen to you.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
‘Oh, been trying to let it go/trying to keep my eyes close/trying to keep it just like before’
-Amerie – 1 thing

Hey look its my official SLOPS 2021 Team World Cocoon trading Card for 2021. Apologies, no gum.

Its 2022. For those of us from the before times (pre-2000), did you ever think there would be a 2022? it seemed like the horizon. 2000 hit like a speedometer rolling over and all bets were off; passing inspection/mot seemed impossible at this point.

I write for both continents now.

Anyway, I hope whatever potholes you hit this year don’t blow your tires (tyres?) too badly. Just remember, you’ll always have a spare in the trunk. Boot. Whatever.

1.What did you do in 2021 that you’d never done before?

Gotten three vaccinations in a year? Willingly (and successfully) cut out sugar?

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I did, in a sense. Health forced me to exercise, and it made me lose weight whether I wanted to or not lol. I made more art than I had in some time; at least one minicomic, and while most of the sketches I did were left-handed due to an injury, some of them came out ok!

Goals for this year are sort of the same: more art, writing. Finish some books. Lose more weight, gain back muscle. Drive again. Make local friends. Keep old ones.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Its nice to know that babies and children keep on coming. 99% of them are adorable.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

It wasn’t as bad as last year but it’s still shite.

5. What countries did you visit?

Hyrule, Mushroom Kingdom. Whatever weird ass country Sonic is from.

6. What would you like to have in 2022 that you lacked in 2021?

A better job. More recognition, which would come from more motivation. People. I miss people that I know.

7. What date from 2021 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

The day I could hug my niece and nephew again after not being within 6 feet of them for a year or so.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Staying alive. Getting art done. Going back to school. Impressing Doctors with improvement.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I still think not enough art and not enough exercise. I still need to eat healthier.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
HAHAHAHAHA oh boy yes and yes.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
College courses. A vinyl copy of the original mix of Bad Brains’ Rock for light. An Xbox series x lol

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Same as last year: Everyone that acted like an adult and wore a fucking mask and stayed distant. All of my nurse and care worker friends that I fear for constantly.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Again: Every fucking selfish piece of garbage that doesn’t believe in wearing a mask in public or take distance. There are so many and they’re so despicable. Let’s pop back a month before and say more of these racist ignorant fucks. Just the usual idiots, right? People without compassion.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Food. Music. Savings?

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Ugh well the new ghostbusters but I never got to see it in the theatre cause of c19. Spiderman which I did get to see. Honestly the high point was being able to hang with the kiddies.

16. What songs will always remind you of 2021?

well, here are my top ten listened to songs of 2021 as determined by my ever-malfunctioning last.fm scrobbler.

Keep in mind, as lockdown began, I decided to do the ol’ listen to my itunes from start to bottom. As of right now I am headed towards the end of the letter T (for reference last year this time I was in the middle of Miles Davis). My Prediction from last year (‘I predict new year saint etienne or prince will make this list) was true of the top listened to artists for sure, but not for the top songs:

1. Rihanna – James Joint
2. System of a down – Thetawaves
3. Seal – Kiss from a rose
4. Rihanna – Don’t stop the music
5. Tyler, the creator – 435
6. R.E.M – The sidewinder sleeps tonite
7. Rihanna – Sex with me
8. Rihanna – Work
9. Rufus Wainwright – Damsel in distress
10. Fiona Apple – Shameika

So while I was doing an A-Z, these were all songs I broke protocol for on Friday afternoons when I would play Rihanna and a Friday mix. The last two were end of the year finds that really caught my ear.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
You know, I think I’m slightly happier.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Been social. Its hard normally, its extra hard now!

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Ate crap! But crap is soooo good yum yum.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
It was gonna be Christmas with the fam finally but sadly it had to be postponed due to the virus. As long as everyone is ok.

21. Years ago I started a livejournal?

22. Did you fall in love in 2021?
With ideas.

23. How many one night stands?
I have built no nightstands this year.

24. What were your favorite TV programmes?

Fleabag. I may destroy you. Atlanta. Hawkeye. Whitehouse and Mortimer Gone Fishing.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Sure there is always enough to go around.

26. What was the best book you read?
I re-read Stephen King’s ‘on writing’, one of my favorite books. I’ve done more reading this year than in at least 10 years I think.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Kendrick Lamar.

28. What did you want and get?
A new job, a new path.

29. What did you want and not get?
COPY/PASTE – THOSE DAMN FISHBONE SNEAKERS! A saxamaphone. Energy.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I have four but I don’t think any of them are from this year, they’re just new to me this year. Parasite, Psycho Goreman, Heredity and Midsommar.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
45. 45!!!!!! Hung with wifey.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Def a drivers license. A job that gave a crap about covid protocols. A working pancreas. A shoulder that did not emanate pain 24/7.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2021?
New shirts, old socks.

34. What kept you sane?
Bob Mortimer.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Anyone that stood up to stupidity was a celebrity in my eyes.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
UK politics is just as awful as US politics so now I get to be twice as frustrated.

37. Who did you miss?
Friends. Family. Claude.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
The nurse that pushed for me to come in for a random check-up even tho I was nervous to because of the virus, and changed my life.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2021.
Moderation.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

“How you live and love like ‘fuck rules’?
Don’t care why, just know I love you.”

– Rihanna – ’James Joint’

Prepare to see the word ‘lockdown’ a lot.

1. What did you do in 2020 that you’d never done before?

Wore a mask to try and save my life. Bought an air fryer. Got gifts from a neighbor.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I didnt have any. I have made some goals for this year tho so ill share them here: Make art. Lose weight. Exercize more. Hope to be here next year (not my choice but do my best to help it along.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Some lovely babies were born this year – little tea lights in the fog. I wonder if this will be their normal.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

I can’t even get into it. Ive lost a handful of people I love to this shit and a bunch other have been fucked by it.

5. What countries did you visit?

Only video game ones.

6. What would you like to have in 2021 that you lacked in 2020?

Well it would be a joke to say creativity since the well has been dry for a bit. Trying to jumpstart it. Im getting there. Honestly a vaccine that keeps me alive.

7. What date from 2020 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

The day I found out I lost 2 people I cared about.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Staying alive.

9. What was your biggest failure?
The usual. Not enough art, not enough exercize. A blobby lump from office chair to couch to bin and back again. A human potato with all its eyes closed.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Thank fuck no. Truly because of lockdown I didnt really have any sicknesses. The only year I never called in sick (tho wait did I call in sick before lockdown? That feels like a year before the year)

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A vinyl copy of Fishbone’s Reality of my surroundings. Bag a lazy sunday coffee. An ipad. A giant ass tv.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Everyone that acted like an adult and wore a fucking mask and stayed distant. All of my nurse and care worker friends that I fear for constantly.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Every fucking selfish piece of garbage that doesn’t believe in wearing a mask in public or take distance. There are so many and theyre so dispicable. Lets pop back a month before and say more of these racist fucks. Just the usual idiots right?

14. Where did most of your money go?
With the lockdown effectively saving me buspass money, ive bought a few more records and cds and takeaways. Money well spent.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Oh man, right before lockdown I got to see elvis costello, the orielles and Sleater-kinney (at the barrowlands!) Elvis was ok – but I checked him off the list. The orielles are prob my favorite new band in years (tho I found out about them a few years back) and they never disspoint. And sleater kinney? Good lord a long time coming. But they were one of the best shows ive ever seen and thats saying a lot. They played stuff across their entire calalogue and while Janet had already left at that point it was still just power on every level. (thankfully I got to see Janet play drums for elliot smith back in like 98/99? I miss going to shows. I dont have the stamina anymore but damn living 5/10 min aways from all the venues just forces you.

I should have also seen Parliment Funkadelic, Rufus Wainwright, and a reunited Faith No More. Ah well.

16. What songs will always remind you of 2020?

well, here are my top ten listened to songs of 2020 as determined by my (malfunctioning) last.fm scrobbler.

Keep in mind, as lockdown began I decided to do the ol listen to my itunes from start to bottom. As of right now I am halfway through 49 Miles Davis albums (so im in the M’s). So this year is gonna look a little different as I also have a LOT of fishbone. I predict new year saint etienne or prince will make this list.

1. Fishbone – Sunless Saturday
2. Fishbone – Freddy’s dead
3. Fishbone – Bonin in the boneyard
4. Fishbone – Lyin’ ass bitch
5. Fishbone – Party at ground zero
6. Fishbone – Skankin to the beat
7. The Aquabats – Look at me, im a winner!
8. The Aquabats – Mechanical Ape
9. The Aquabats – Meltdown
10. Fishbone – Alchoholic

So not really a surprising list if im going through all my stuff. Fishbone was prob destined to overwhelm this list esp with all the live shows included which were MANY. Happy to see the aquabats squeeze their way in cause really they were my happy place when things were down.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
Fucking hell what do you think

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Gone out? Explored my new neighborhood. Written.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Listened to my brain.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Well since last years family all together didnt pan out, hopefully this year. If not, with my wife.

21. How many times I think about pizza a day.

22. Did you fall in love in 2020?
nahhhh

23. How many one night stands?
I have like 2 nightstands now by the bed im so extra

24. What were your favorite TV programmes?

Watched way too much tv this year right? Again jokers keeps me happy. Mandalorin, clone wars, rebels, discovery – the idea I could wantch amazingly well done star wars and star trek shows back to back everyweek is insane. Taskmaster. The og match game.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Its expenential.

26. What was the best book you read?
The book I got for xmas about the origins of gangsta rap. Really informative. (currently reading a book on the origins of pop music).

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The aquabats I think. Obv they have been around forever but only dipped in this year and so glad I did. There is always great new music and art to discover.

28. What did you want and get?
A lot of physical things. Not a lot of things for my soul.

29. What did you want and not get?
THOSE DAMN FISHBONE SNEAKERS! A saxamaphone. A new job. Energy.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Really a struggle to even know what I watched new this year – watched a lot of old stuff. An older movie I saw for the first time a few weeks ago – the night before, kept me laughing. Bill and ted was ok. Happy nostalga. Watched the original suspiria in full for the first time and that was a beauitful giallo.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I got it wrong last year’s surv cause im 44 now im pretty sure. 45 this year WHAT. Didnt do much on my birf cause you know lockdown. I think I had a pizza?

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
a fucking drivers licence. Again. A vaccine.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2020?
I havent put on real clothes since march. Ive had a shirt on mybe 15% of the time.

34. What kept you sane?
Funny, I put solitude for the last year. I still love solitude but not so much being trapped lol. Anyway, music kept me sane. Music.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Bernie. AOC. Nicola. Allison. Nina.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The obvious. Dumb bye bye president man. His followers. Race. Ignorance.

37. Who did you miss?
Never changing only growing. Besides last year’s answers of all my friends and fam. my cat. my guys from my old job. pizza. chinese food. burritoes. my old comic store, now im including everyone in my new home area. Those new comic book guys and other shopworkers id see on a constant basis. Even (some) co workers. I miss myself.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Straight up pretty sure I didnt meet any new people this year its a damn shame. Oh new neighbors but still cause of lockdown from far away.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2020.
even smart people are idiots.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

‘Perhaps the charcoal gray and brown around me
Is just the mirror image of my tainted soul
I think the sun will never visit my sky
Until the truth is seen by each and every eye.

– Fishbone – ’sunless saturday’

soon

something

i hear something

behind the door

under the light

out back where the shadows never move

skritch scratch from the garden floor

a hand a paw and something more.

i think, just hear me out, the pills destroyed my brain.

1. What did you do in 2019 that you’d never done before?

wore dentures?

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

As i never make them i’m going to say this counts for a yes.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

UH…i think so? i think so. i’m not sure really. i think so.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Not close close but close enough to where i was upset they did

5. What countries did you visit?

Just the multi-insane Glasgow, where i live. So while i didn’t visit a different country glasga has multiple personalities so all of those count.

6. What would you like to have in 2020 that you lacked in 2019?
same as last year and the year before that – energy. a sense of goals. I’m creatively empty. i don’t know how the fuck to get my mojo back beyond the occasional energetic squirt

7. What date from 2019 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Oh goodness. The day i took the power back. The day my front tooth decided to give up. The day i realized i didn’t have much left in the tank.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
ehhhhhh? Probably finally starting to get my teeth in order.

9. What was your biggest failure?
oh the same the same – still eating too much, not trying to lose weight enough, not doing positive things. its a copy paste but its also a forward echo

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
hahahahah – probably had the worst case of flu-stuff ever. if there was a hole to be had there were MULTIPLE fluids shooting from it. It was 2 weeks of hell that i don’t think i’ve fully recovered from.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
a front tooth! coffee.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Family always. Friends and cohorts.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
oh you know – the dummy in charge. (ALL dummies in charge)

14. Where did most of your money go?
very similar again to last year – coffee coffee coffee – comics and cabs and taco bell YAY and yea bills bills bills

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
seeing the new star wars (hahah how’d that turn out) – seeing juliana hatfield and living colour – all my vacations. oh we got it so good here.

16. What songs will always remind you of 2019?
well, here are my top ten listened to songs of 2019 as determined by my (malfunctioning) last.fm scrobbler.

1. Kanye West – Famous
2. Kanye West – On Sight
3. Drake – Started from the Bottom
4. Radiohead – Bodysnatchers
5. Body Count – Talk Shit, Get Shot
6. Blowfly – Drenched In Cum
7. Drake – All Me (Feat. Big Sean, 2 Chainz) (Bonus Track)
8. The Orielles – I Only Bought It For the Bottle
9. The Orielles – Let Your Dog Tooth Grow
10. Funkadelic – Super Stupid

So really not too different from last year – HOWEVER – the last fm app on my phone went batshit crazy this year deciding to multiscrob tracks i’ve listened to once up to 30 or 40 times per play, massively ruining the stats. its very disappointing. I wouldn’t say i didn’t listen to a lot of the songs a bunch of times, just not as many as it may seem.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
steady decline

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
always pushing the rock i bought instead of making up the giant hill, ah fuck it ill just let the rock roll on top of me. where do i start, looking into this mirror to remind myself i’ve done nothing i’ve planned? i just wish i did something. anything.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
all the stuff that causes the stuff i wont do

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
with fam in one place or another hopefully. how i wish it were everyone together.

21. was a long long time ago.

22. Did you fall in love in 2019?
no no i did not

23. How many one night stands?
one on the left side of the bed one on the other but they’re there every night and covered with nonsense

24. What were your favorite TV programmes?

jokers continues to make me happy as always. watchmen was an incredible surprise. when i was sick i found this game show but i forgot what it was called but it was amazing.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
yes of course!

26. What was the best book you read?
That kids in the hall book i read last january! (currently i’m reading a book about the origins of gangsta rap)

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
not really a discovery cause she was in my pod but i really got into rihanna this year.

28. What did you want and get?
things. nothing meaningful.

29. What did you want and not get?
those damn fishbone sneakers lol weight lose. a sense of self. a saxamaphone

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
yikes. seriously i don’t even remember what i saw this year – i think everything i saw was owned by disney? prob endgame. i think. i cant remember.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
christ am i 42? i think i had off. prob just relaxed with fam.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
a fucking drivers licence.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2019?
sausage skin

34. What kept you sane?
solitude.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
still bernie

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
the tweeting doofus. still

37. Who did you miss?
this has not changed again. all my friends and fam. my cat. my guys from my old job. pizza. chinese food. burritoes. my old comic store.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
i don’t think i met anyone new worth getting excited about this year.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2019.
do something

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

‘I be Puerto Rican day parade floatin’
That Benz Marina Del Rey coastinՉ۪

– Kanye West ‘Famous’

2018 – a year in a void. what happened? there was a year? where was that? that was it? i remember that.