Well, hey there! It's been a while hasn't it? I know I've neglected my DA page for quite a while. For that I apologize.

I'm currently deployed in Iraq as a military broadcast journalist (radio/tv) for my second time. We left in August and we'll return in August 2010 as far as we know anyway.

I've got a blog at [link] where I share my experiences as a military journalist in Iraq, including photos, videos, and more.

So be sure to check that out if ya want.

As far as what I've got going on for the coming year, I'm finally sitting down and doing a major-rewrite on a few very short stories I've had in the hopper for a while. The first being, F.O.G. V.S. F.O.E., a story about a filing clerk in Heaven who discovers a demonic plot to bring down Heaven and Earth and must defy Heaven and Hell to put a stop to Satan's plans. It's sort of a mix between fantasy and sci-fi, intermixed with a healthy bit of humor. I'm pretty excited about this and looking to finish it early or mid-2010 and then start hunting down a decent publisher.

I've been working on making some posters out here for work but, in my spare time I also brought along my Wacom Bamboo Tablet (the big one), and I'm going see if I can't manage to do some 'Art' out here! I've also fired up the ole' 3D Max once again and am going to stretch my 3D skills out here. I've already made a few cool pieces but haven't had time to post them as of yet.

I'm also working on an album of Electronic Breakbeats called 'Electric Dream'.
I just finished laying my first track and it is awesome. I immediately got the urge to pop and lock to my own tune so I know it's good stuff.

When I get a chance I post tunes and other stuff to my YouTube at [link]

I also post all of the videos I make for work at [link]
or you can keep up at our Brigade's facebook fan page at:
[link]

So, that's about that. If you check out my blog, there's a link to my Dragoncam facebook fan page as well, so you can subscribe there and keep up with my madness if you're into that whole facebooking thing.

The wife and kids are alive and still driving me crazy (and visa versa, me with them). That's about all really. If anything exciting happens I'll be sure to report it on my blog!

Cheers!
~Panda

Hey, look whose back! ^_^

I haven't been incredibly active lately although I did recently make a great little piece called Rubiks Robot (check out my recent gallery!)

I'll be working on a new series of pieces featuring steampunk inspired artwork and also classic video game inspired artwork (think cover art for Atari game cartridges)

I'm currently using Gimp 2.7 and a Wacom Bamboo Fun (medium) Tablet. I know Bamboo Fun sounds kinda kiddy-ish but it's a very sleek looking tablet and works awesomely. Rubiks Robot was made with the Bamboo Fun.

I've also been creating a lot of virtual content for a 3D virtual world called Second Life. If you're a Second Lifer send me a message, and I'll hook you up inworld! You can see my Second Life Flickr reel here:
[link]

I'm gonna start posting some SL pics on here as well.

I'm still a TV and Radio Broadcaster. And I'm still broadcasting. No Emmy yet

I also have started keeping a dream blog. Check it out at:
[link]

Well, that's about it for now. Check out my dream blog for some interesting reads! Drop me a line sometime! ^_^

I'm currently working for the Army and a local TV channel.

We finally had our daughter Gabriella late night on October 29th. That's it. She's our 4th and final child! We've got plenty of love but we're starting to run out of cash!

I'm still having fun with my new PC, working with Vista frustrating sometimes but, rewarding once you know what you're doing, and my new Graphire drawing tablet as well which I put to use tonight and made my latest deviation Whale (available as a print).

I'm also taking up my 3D work again. I'm a bit rusty so I'm starting with some basic projects but, at the same time I'm refining my skills once again. My latest 3D is here: [link]

I'm also working on a Collection of Short Stories titled 'Zombocalypse'. If you remember my 'I Hate Zombies' short story deviation: [link]

This will be a continuation of that, in about 5 or more short stories that will sort of inter-mingle with each other. As an added bonus here's a little preview of my rewrite of 'I Hate Zombies' thus far:

I Hate Zombies (re-write)

If there is one thing I can't stand...it's Zombies. And the only thing in my book worse than a Zombie was a whole lot of Zombies. The once bustling streets of this perky suburban neighborhood were eerily silent now but, through the dead of the night you could hear them...moaning and shuffling along, awkwardly knocking over anything in their way, trying to sniff out a meal of fresh, juicy brains. They had no qualms about eating the rest of you of course but, they would have nothing to do with decayed and rotting flesh. But, God help us that meant they wouldn't eat each other. No easy breaks for the living.

Strewn about the streets were remnants of the military's failed attempts to quell the Zombie revolution. Their stand didn't last very long. Many of the Zombies in this area wore tattered National Gaurd uniforms, undead and grim testaments of the Zombie horrors. I had been hoping to find survivors but, this town was as dead as the last one and there was little left to scavenge that was worth risking my life for.

In the cold black of the night, a dank smell permeated the air. I was a swift and silent mover but, their senses were highly trained and attuned to even the tiniest sound of human movement. They knew fresh fish was on the menu but, I wasn't keen on being reeled in. I could outrun a few zombies no problem but, I soon realized there were more than a few zombies around here. The stench was nearly overpowering, they were everywhere, practically surrounding me and I couldn't even see a single one.

Hiding would do me little good. In a situation like this, you never want to work yourself into a corner. I made a run for it, got off the dangerous streets, and made a nimble hop over a backyard fence. I chuckled for half a moment at the irony of an old, worn sign hanging from the chain-links that proclaimed 'Beware of Dog'.

There was a warehouse just up the road running into the heart of the town. I beat a brisk jog to it, in hopes that I might find something useful inside. I was pretty sure Scavengers had already beaten me here but, when life gives you lemons...well, you know...you gotta find something better than that to kill Zombies with, that's for sure!

...lemme know what ya think!

That's about all for now, thanks for reading!

Well, I'm back again! I've been making a lot of stories and videos lately, I'm in the Army and I work for local channel 2 (Kansas), my stories also show on the Pentagon Channel, AFN, and are picked up by a wide variety of major network affiliates.

We found out last month we're having a girl, sometime in November. That will be child #4, boy, girl, boy, and finally girl. When I say finally, I mean finally!

I recently got a new computer as well, AMD 64, duel hyperthreading processor, mucho ram, nice nvedia graphics card, huge harddrive, etc, etc, etc.

To compliment it, I also just picked up a Graphire 4 Wacom tablet. Only 100 bucks and I highly recommend it. Works great.

I just uploaded a crappy sketch of Wolverine I did on it, I don't know how to draw hair, so leave me alone!

Oh yeah, I've also made a few videos on youtube, you can check out, just look up LaptopNinja.
I made one called Ninjas Are Awesome which is particularly funny, that I made in Photoshop, and that's me talking.

Also, I'm currently working on a short anime parody, using a program called Toon Boom.

Shout out to my pal DoomBlade64!

Peace.

Well, me and the family are all together now. The baby is lots of fun. He can scoot around a little bit in a walker and he can sit up a bit now too. He's so fat, chubby, and cute.

I've been a little lax on the art projects lately.

So, I'm at Fort Riley, I'm working as a Broadcast Journalist. I helped out with the new Army Ad Campaign 'Army Strong' and also covered a huge foreign press visit to the United States recently, a story I shot, edited, and produced which had distribution to pretty much all the major tv networks, local channels, and even radio. In the process I also got a chance to interview a producer for Al Jazeera.

Also, if you read my last newsletter, I got Battlefield 2142 and it is freaking awesome.

Feel free to drop a note. Comments, Questions, Suggestions, Cheese, etc. welcome.