In February, I made arrangements with my friend Tina and about 3-4 of her friends to go in together on a table at SPX (Small Press Expo) in Maryland. And, on March 30th, after a series of techinical difficulties, I learned that we got the table!!
That means I’ll be exhibiting at SPX later this year on September 14th and 15th selling copies of my upcoming zines, plush toys, and whatnots with some wonderful company. Can’t wait!
＊If anyone has helpful advice about SPX, I would be eager to hear it. I’m trying to figure out how many zine copies, plush toys, and whatnots I’ll need to bring with me or ship by mail. What to do? ╰( ´◔ ω ◔ `)╯
Disclaimer: I do not own this image!!
In the meantime, I’m compiling a list of zine fests/expos I hope to attend and possibly exhibit at this year.
As you may know, I attended APE last year — so I think I have a pretty good idea what it will be like. I have absolutely no idea about my chances of nabbing a half-table, but I did send in a form that apparently means they’ll inform me when tables go on sale. We’ll see what happens!!
Spoke with my high school friend Tina L. about SPX (Small Press Expo) in Maryland. We (Tina, some of her friends, and I) are going to try to get a table there this September! Also, Tina may share a table with me for this year’s APE!
Wednesday, February 20th
Zest Books Internship, Day #7: Super busy with some editing/fact-checking work! Also, sat in on a Teen Advisory Board meeting, which was interesting. Going in again tomorrow instead of Friday to sit in on a meeting and meet a tight deadline!
Thursday, February 21st
Sent Hannah some follow-up answers.
Zest Books Internship, Day #8: Came in Thursday instead of Friday. Managed to complete a big project before the deadline. Finally met Dan in person (had only talked on phone before). Going to help Hallie with a photoshop project on Wednesday. Busy, busy, busy!
First skype meeting with film director Josh! He’s interested in my short script The Man Who Never Smiled. Soon, he’ll be scouting locations and creating a shot list. Wants me to write detailed notes about the script and eventually create a simple storyboard. Set filming date for July. Extremely excited!!!
Zest Books Internship, Day #11: Worked on a graphic-novel-related marketing research project.
Thursday, March 7th
Meeting with Gabe! Hoping I can finished illustrations for Elias in a few weeks, scan them, then meet with Gabe to get everything prepared to send out to publishers!
Zest Books Internship, Day #12: Continued to work on a graphic-novel-related marketing research project. Received some very interesting advice about publishing.
Zest Books Internship, Day #15: Worked on research for London Book Fair and literary agents. Put together a bunch of packages to be mailed. Image research for computer/internet-related ebook.
Saturday, March 23rd
E-mails, e-mails, e-mails…!
Date night with Wes. Saw The Incredible Burt Wonderstone — actually much more entertaining than we were expecting. Bought David Bowie’s new album!
Yay!
Sunday, March 24th
E-mails, e-mails, e-mails…!
Received reply from a potential job — interview on Thursday.
Passover trip — had Passover and stayed overnight at cousin’s house outside of Sacramento. Would be perfect location for filming Death Is No Bad Friend.
Received e-mail from local production company. Interview scheduled for April 11th!
Tuesday, March 26th
Return drive from Passover trip.
Wednesday, March 27th
Zest Books Internship, Day #16: Worked on image research and fact checking! Fact checking is definitely one of my strong suits — I have so much random knowledge stuffed away in my brain that I can immediately sense when something is off.
Beautiful but deadly pollen!
Thursday, March 28th
Interview with potential job unsuccessful, but that’s fine by me. Looking forward to next interview on the 11th!
The Poet and the Flea: 63 pages of written script (1 page of script = 4-6 illustrated pages), and about 36 pages (1-30 completed, and 31-36 in progress) of illustrated work.
The First Reich: about 1-10 pages of illustrated work in progress.
First Zine: about 6-8 pages of illustrated work in progress.
On behalf of my humble keeper Miss G. E. Gallas — I, Mr. Edgar Lawrence Fluffernutter™, would like to graciously thank you for your generous patronage.
Miss Gallas is flabbergasted that our supporters have doubled in a matter of two or three months, and is unwavering in her determination to sustain the quality of this enterprise.
Although I have little knowledge of these newfangled contraptions, it is to my understanding that there are additional entities (thepoetandtheflea.wordpress.com) where one might extend one’s support, and I would be much obliged if you were to kindly do so.
I started this blog in March of last year, not knowing where it would take me. It’s quite incredible how many amazing people are here on WordPress and that they have and continue to visit my humble blog.
For my 100th post, I’d like to share a drawing I’ve been meaning to squeeze in somewhere for a long time. This drawing is from August 2011, but really marks the point at which I discovered, after a long hiatus due to college, that I could enjoy drawing again.
For my 100th post, I’d like to ask two important but simple favors from my readers:
If you’d like to receive notifications on Facebook about my new WordPress posts, please follow/like me at www.facebook.com/gegallas!
By the way, if you’re interested in checking out my 99 previous posts, head over to the contents page by either clicking on “contents” at the top of this blog or by clicking the following link: gegallas.wordpress.com/contents.
Thank you very much and I look forward to writing the next hundred posts of this blog!!!
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Disclaimer: I do not own any of the following images or video!!
One of my favorite operas is Jacques Offenbach‘s The Tales of Hoffmann(Les contes d’Hoffmann). This opera is a fantastical retelling of the life of the German Romantic author E. T. A. Hoffmann, casting Hoffmann as the protagonist of his own stories.
Placido Domingo performing the “Chanson de Kleinzach” aria.
Désirée Rancatore performing ”Les oiseaux dans la charmille.”
Through The Tales of Hoffmann, I developed an interest in Hoffmann and his stories, quickly leading me to Sigmund Freud’s The Uncanny. In Freud’s essay, he uses many of the same Hoffmann stories as Offenbach, but in this case to prove a psychological point (not that Offenbach’s opera isn’t deeply psychological). If I remember correctly, Freud even mentions Offenbach’s opera.
Portrait of E. T. A. Hoffmann
I’m sure you are all wondering, “What does all this have to do with The Nutcracker?” Well, little do most people know, E. T. A. Hoffmann wrote in 1816 one of the earliest versions of The Nutcracker story, entitled The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (Nussknacker und Mausekönig).
Alexandre Dumas was also a fan of Hoffmann, employing allusions to Hoffmann’s stories in The Count of Monte Cristo. Dumas even went as far as creating a revision to Hoffmann’s Nutcracker in 1844 called History of The Nutcracker (Histoire d’un casse-noisette), or The Tale of the Nutcracker.
Towards the end of the 19th Century, Hoffmann’s Nutcracker was adapted to ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, perhaps the most famous incarnation of the tale. I write this post because my dad purchased tickets to the San Francisco Ballet to see The Nutcracker at the end of the month. Perhaps later I’ll add my thoughts on the production to this post.
Tchaikovsky’s music is always wonderful, if not a little too overplayed for the holidays. A lot of people tend to associate The March from The Nutcracker or The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy not with Tchaikovsky, but with the thousands of Christmas commercials that use these pieces. This also happens with The Chinese Tea Dance from The Nutcracker with Disney’s Fantasia and The Sleeping Beauty Waltz with Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.
I believe the most creative and exciting production of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker is Mark Morris’s The Hard Nut. The Hard Nut is set in 1950s America with a very retro feel inspired by the comic artist Charles Burns — a strange but brilliant compliment to the classical music. I hope to one day be able to attend a live performance.
Advertisement for The Hard Nut.
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Being forced to sit out in the sun for 6 hours for the next few days. Hope I don't get a sunburn. Using my umbrella as a parasol. 110 SPF!! 11 hours ago
Portrait of E. T. A. Hoffmann
