Monthly Archives: December 2010

Those Freakin’ Holidays

by in Personal | Permalink

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m having a lot of trouble getting on top of things this Christmas.  In the past week I’ve received some very thoughtful Christmas cards and presents from friends and I’m ashamed to say I didn’t have anything to give to them in return.  It’s due to money issues, but I don’t like giving myself that excuse, you know?

So before I continue I would like to get an apology out of the way to all the people I didn’t send anything to who sent me stuff. It’s not a selfish thing and it damn well isn’t a reflection on you.  I just suck this year at doing that stuff.

At least there’s some eggnog at the end of the tunnel.

The year is looking like it’s already wrapping things up.  Changes are already happening that elude to an interesting year ahead.  My best friend Cheryl got me a camera flash for my birthday which will allow me to pursue event photography as work, I’ve started classes at Toronto Newsgirls Boxing Club, an all-female gym that has left me really damn sore (I have to come up with a boxing name. I’m open to suggestions!) and filled with endorphins. I’ve started brewing my own beer, which I expect to go to weird and interesting places. And finally I’m talking with potential clients. They seem to be piling up ever so slowly now.

I’m not going to lie, I’m EXCITED for 2011.  2010 was such a good year for me in terms of becoming closer to the person I want to be and figuring out that a hobby might be something I’d like to do with my life.  I grew as a person, became more independent, made new friends and developed tastes that are very distinctive to my own.  I’ve still got some more development ahead of me, but I’m closer than I’ve ever been.

I have many MANY people to thank for being playing such a key role this year, as I’m sure you have people to thank as well.  My advice is to do what I plan on doing. E-mailing each of them a thank you.

So to those who have been following me around on the internet and in real life, to old friends and new, to enemies and madmen, have a wonderful holiday and a very merry new year.

See you in 2011.

Birthday Presents by Paul Sizer, Will Ellwood & Brittney Wagner

by in People I Know, Personal | Permalink

Three amazing Birthday prezzies from three amazing folks!  The first being a BRILLIANT drawing by the equally brilliant Paul Sizer (BUY HIS BOOK!) of me inspired by this photo:

Also slightly inspired by the photo, the incredibly talented Will Ellwood wrote a bit of Flash Fiction in which I’m interviewed by Richard Nixon’s head.  Here ‘s “Suave Robin’s Birthday Surprise”

Suave Robin’s Birthday Surprise

A jar with Richard Nixon’s head floating in it was wheeled onto a stage, dressed as the Oval Office, by a male nurse to the applause of hundreds of audience members. The cameras around the stage captured every moment for broadcast around the universe. The nurse lifted the jar from its trolley and placed it on a heavy wooden desk. After sticking a contact microphone to Richard Nixon’s home the nurse left with the trolley. “Good evening,” Richard Nixon said, when the producer had managed to coax the audience into silence.

“Welcome to Richard Nixon Interviews. The atemporal chat show where I, the mind of Richard Nixon mixed with the personality of a light entertainment presenter and stored in a robotic head, talk to ghosts from past, present and future.

“Tonight we have only one guest and one band. Our guest tonight is the very wonderful and suave Robin LeBlanc.”

A ray of white light projected from the rafters focused on the sofa next to Richard Nixon’s desk. A shadow formed of a figure wearing a worn old beret and holding a burning cigarette. The light faded and Robin sat on the sofa half dressed and her long curly hair uncombed. She looked around at her situation and shrugged, mostly accepting it.

Richard Nixon blushed when he looked up. Robin’s black shirt was half unbuttoned. “Where the hell is my beer?” she shouted.

A light materialised and a pint glass with beer in it appeared next to the sofa on the floor. “Welcome to the show,” Richard Nixon said. “Sorry we forgot the beer.”

“Not a problem Dick. It’s good to be here,” Robin said. She put her cigarette out in a jade ashtray that balanced on the sofa’s armrest.

“I want to start by wishing you happy birthday.”

“Thank you.”

“Now I want to ask you about the beer.”

“What about it”? Robin asked.

“Well, I’ve been told that you brew your own.”

“I do. The brew I’ve got here I made myself,” Robin said.

“Could you describe it for me?”

Robin picked the pint glass up, smiled and then drank the pale brown liquid. “This is a new recipe that I’ve been experimenting with that I call ‘A Photographer’s Flash of Insight’ and it is in the style of a classic English bitter. Would you like to try some?”

In his tank and without a neck to articulate his head Richard Nixon did his best to nod by bobbing up and down in the suspension liquid which supported his head. “Please.”

She rose from her seat and stood over a smiling Richard Nixon and carefully tipped a small measure of beer into his tank. The liquid sank into the open mouth of Richard Nixon. His eyes rolled back in their carbon fibre sockets. “Oh that’s the best beer I’ve had in a thousand years,” Richard Nixon said when he regained his senses. “Damn the questions. Bring on the musical act. Just for you Robin we’ve got Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner and Patrick Stewart with the Red Shirt Barbershop Choir to perform Happy Birthday just for you.”

End.

Have to say, I personally love the ending. *cough*

And finally, a bit of amazing pixel art from Brittney Wagner of a Robin Cabinet of Awesome Stuff!

The Birthday

by in Uncategorized | Permalink

 

My lovely heroes, villains and anti-heroes of the internet,

Saturday December 4th is my birthday.

Now, there might be some of you wondering how best to celebrate the day where, 26 years ago, I arrived in this world naked, covered in blood and screaming.  If I may, I have a suggestion.

Create something for me.

You can do this any number of ways.  a comic, a story, a song, a video, a D&D campaign setting, a dance, a beer…whatever you want.

So long as it connects to me somehow.  However you want to interpret that, be it by appearance, my photos, my personality or my interests.  I’m leaving it entirely up to you.  And starting December 4th I will post my lovely gifts up here.

I know this is short notice, so gifts are welcome for the next two weeks.

my e-mail is robin@therobinleblanc.com

Have fun.