… you Google yourself and Google offers up a couple of “related searches”?
Every now and then I “Google” myself (I know, I know – doing so can make you go blind and grow hair on the palms of your hands) for a couple of reasons. One is curiosity and vanity (is that two?) and the other is to see if anyone’s talking about any of the comic projects I’m involved in.
Oh, come on – like YOU never Google yourself!
Anyway, when I looked tonight, Google had related searches at the bottom. My vast and deep knowledge of all things search engine related tells me that this means OTHER people have searched for Mike Imboden along with other keywords.
And what were the searches?
Mike Imboden Twitter
and
Mike Imboden cartoons
Sure, it could be on the few impostor Mike Imbodens out there that was being looked up, but remember – reason #1 for doing a search on myself is partially for vanity reasons, so it HAS to be me that was being looked up, right?
Anyway, I thought it was kind of neat.
Tag: Me
Is it a Sign of Success When…
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Imbodens
Mr. and Mrs. Clause celebrated 20 years of wedded bliss September 8, 2009
(so did Mike and Kim)
The 2009 Imbodens in a Snapshot
Mike is now working as a temp at Wells Fargo (hates) and part time at Beyond Comics (loves) in Frederick. He continues to write his comic book, “The Fist of Justice”. You can find more information at http://www.fistofjustice.com
Kim is in her fifth year of teaching at Green Valley Elementary School in Frederick County. She teaches Language Arts and Social Studies and loves it. Of course, she still works Saturday morning at Stup’s Market to stay connected with the neighborhood and for the extra money!
David just finished his first semester of college at Frederick Community College. He likes to refer to it as 13th grade. His plan is to transfer to a four college to study film.
James is now 12 and in 7th grade. He’s a terrific honors student and plays a few sports throughout the year. He still continues to battle his mother daily over emptying the dishwasher.
The Imbodens celebrate David’s High School Graduation June 2009
Sorry It’s Been So Slow
I’ve been pretty busy the past few weeks; getting ready for and attending the Baltimore Comic-Con, trying to get some things together for our annual Halloween party, work, work and work, various odds and ends, working on comic scripts and trying to fit some “Me” time in there wherever possible. Add to that the fact that I have been sick pretty much all of this last week and you have a recipe for neglecting things like websites and what not.
I also wanted to make sure I posted something here that thanked everyone for coming out to the Baltimore show and for stopping by the table. I got to see some old faces as well as some new ones and that’s always cool. Nothing feels better at a con than having someone flip through one of your books and then buy them all! So, “Thank you, everyone”.
I promise I’ll try and be a little more active in the coming weeks. In fact, I’ll be posting the photos I took of the Halloween coffin as I built it, if for no reason other than to serve as a “How NOT To Do It” primer.
Until then – be excellent to one another.
Happy 20th Anniversary!
Twenty years ago today, Kim and I walked out of the Frederick County Courthouse as husband and wife. I have a feeling there were more than a couple of people who didn’t expect it to last. Guess the jokes on them.
Thank you for being my wife and best friend, Kim. As a wise man once said, reality is my love for you.
This is Encouraging
“Ten Comicbook Creators to Watch Out For” by Marc J. Fletcher
A guide to the newest and most promising forces in the comics world (and, later, the movie world…?)
The comic book world is bulging with unique and deserving talent. Here are just a few of the creators to keep your eyes on in the coming years. Each is a tremendous talent with unique vision; you’re missing out if you haven’t checked out their work. Let’s get to it…
READ THE ARTICLE HERE (and pay close attention to #6)
Mike is Inteviewed by Jen Contino at “The Pulse”
Hey, look at me all getting interviewed and what not!
MIKE IMBODEN RAISING THE FIST OF JUSTICE
BY JENNIFER M. CONTINO
Mike Imboden is one of the folks making good old-fashioned comics that readers of every generation can appreciate. His defender of Charm City, The Fist of Justice might remind people of a classic stars-and-stripes hero, but Imboden said that legend wasn’t “an influence at all.” He tells us how The Fist of Justice was created and what makes Marc Mason such a stoic defender of the innocent…
(Cr)(H)appy New Year
Take your pick. Crappy or Happy. It could be either, or… both.
One thing I know is that it’s GOTTA be better than last year ended.
I feel really bad these days. Not like I’m sick, or naughty, just… bad.
I hate bitching and complaining about the same shit over and over and over, but sometimes it helps to “put it down on paper”, as it were. It gives me something to look at and a way to purge it all from my mind.
So far, 2009 has been sort of… just… sort of here. It feels like everyone is holding their breath and waiting to see what happens when Obama takes office, despite the fact that that isn’t going to cast a magical spell on everything and bring back the glory days of the late 90s. But, I hope, it will be a step in the right direction. Everyone will look around, see that shit isn’t all that different, give one giant exhale and get back to what it was we were doing before everything started going to shit.
Me, I just want a FT job that pays what we need to get by. Outrageous property taxes are pounding us – it’s like Frederick County is just saying “Ahahahahah! Fuck you all!” to everyone that doesn’t work in the Technology or Medical fields. I mean, really – how can your average Joe make ends meet when his mortgage goes up nearly 19% because of increases in taxes which results in an escrow shortage?
I kind of feel like George Bailey these days.
Where’s my Clarence when I need him?
You Know You Suck When…
Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:45:06 -0500 (GMT-05:00)
From: DoNotReply@kenexa.com
To: mike@imboden.org
Subject: Resume Status Update
Content-Type: text/plainDear Michael,
You recently applied for the Entry Level Manager (49277) position with CEC Entertainment. At this stage in the selection process, we have determined that your qualifications do not identify you as an eligible candidate for this position.
Really? Chuck E. Mother-Fuckin’ Cheese?!? Entry Level?!?!? Damn…. Fucking poor man’s Mickey Mouse, anyway…
The Shape of Things
Well, still no luck on the job front and with the way things are looking, it may be a while.
It seems that I’m in an odd spot; too qualified for blue collar work and not quite qualified for the white collar stuff. Plus, it being a “Seller’s Market” and all when it comes to jobs, employers can pretty much cherry pick who they want. I seriously think that, at this time, more so than ever it’s WHO you know and not what you know. So, if anyone reading this knows of anyone looking for someone like me to work, don’t hesitate to give them my number or e-mail.
The lack of FT work and, thus, lack of money, has really put a crimp on my creative side. It’s hard to sit and write when I should be busting my balls to find a job. It’s like I’ve got a little devil on one shoulder tapping the side of my head and reminding me of all the things I need to get done and/or caught up on while, on the other shoulder, a little angel is telling me that time spent in front of the computer should be time spent sending out resumes. So, I try and find a happy middle. I’ve set times for when I allow myself to write and times for when I dig through every site I can find for employers in the area. I don’t know how well that’s working out yet, but considering I’m still not employed FT and I still have a couple of scripts that need to be done, I’d say not too well.
Anyway, enough of the depressing shit. I’ll be back soon with something more lighthearted, I promise. And hey, maybe even a special sneak peek at some Fist of Justice stuff that we haven’t unveiled anywhere else yet. That’d be cool, yeah?
People I Hate
Time to rant a little, this time about people I hate. Not specific people, mind you, though there are a few out there. Just in a general kind of way.
For the past 10 to 12 years my jobs have hinged on my ability to connect to a customer. Back then it was over a phone, nowadays it is in person. I’ve always prided myself on my ability to get along with vastly different types of people. Not 100% of the time mind you, I don’t think that’s possible. However, a great deal of the time, I am able to. And that is because I am good at developing a fairly quick and personal relationship with the customer. I rely on this ability to make sure each customer leaves the store and feels good about having spent some money.
But there are two types of people who make this impossible.
The Cell Phone Talker and the MP3 Player Listener.
Both of these types walk in and are already in their own little world. Maybe it’s that important call to Ralph about the files that were left on Pete’s desk. Or maybe it’s really important to listen to some depressed emo dickweed sing about how shitty his life is. Whatever the case may be, these people are cut off from me and I can’t do my job to the best of my ability.
And it pisses me off.
Look, don’t come into “my” store and then make me feel like a fucktard because I am interrupting you to tell you I need $8.19 for your comics. Hang up the phone when you walk in; turn the music off when you walk in. We have music and I’ll gladly change the staton for your visit if you ask (nicely). And to be honest, the MP3 player people aren’t THAT bad. If they’ve mastered the use of their opposable thumb they can usually hit “Pause” and interact with me for a few seconds. It’s those goddamn cell phone users that make me mad enough to punch a kitten.
1) I don’t give a flying shit what your business is, so don’t talk on your phone loud enough for me to hear it. If I make a comment about your conversation, such as answering a question you just loudly asked (“I want motherfuckin’ spaghetti for dinner!”) , don’t shoot me an evil look. Christ, as loud as you were talking I thought you were talking to me.
2) Don’t try to settle up with me while still on the phone. Blindly handing me a credit card without lsitening to your total makes it tempting for me to go ahead and ring up the NEXT guy’s purchase on YOUR card. I mean, you obviously don’t give a shit or you’d be watching what I’m doing with your plastic, right?
3) Don’t say “Sorry about that” when (if!) you do hang up. Apology not accepted because you aren’t sorry. If you were, you wouldn’t take/make the call while walking into the store.
Look, if you don’t give a shit about getting the best of me and my ability to make your shopping experience a nice one, then at least consider what a rude fuck you are being and realize that if there were less jackasses like you we’d all be a little happier.
