I’m Still Alive, It’s True

Monday November 22, 2021 • Howard Tayler

If your only method for taking my pulse is asking “how often does this site update?” I probably seem kind of dead. Whoever it was who said “the rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated,” they nailed it.

Of late I’ve been focused almost entirely on the XDM2e project. Here’s a fun picture I drew for that book.

Once that project is complete, I’ll dive back into more Schlock Mercenary print editions. In the meantime, I’m still role-playing on Tuesdays with TypeCastRPG, and quietly developing the worldbook and back-stories for a completely new project which I’m not ready to announce yet.

The salient point here is that I’m still alive, and “alive” appears to be a stable, persistent sort of condition. Yay!

Streaming the Possible Stream

Monday May 31, 2021 • Howard Tayler

Every weekday at noon my time¹, from now until the sketch editions are complete, I will be live-streaming the sketching.

I don’t know how long each stream will run, so be sure to click “follow” over at twitch.tv/howardtayler to get notified the moment my cameras go live.

You can view previous streams via this link, but they expire after fourteen days, so don’t wait too long before clicking through.

The chatroom has been a friendly place, and you’re welcome to join us. Ask me questions, even! I can absolutely talk while I draw².

¹ 12:00 noon Mountain time. That’s 2pm in New York City, 7pm in London, and 3am in Tokyo.
² It’s exactly like talking while walking. Sometimes it’s like talking while walking a familiar path. Sometimes it’s like talking while walking in traffic. Yes, complications have arisen from this.

Memorial Day 2021

Monday May 31, 2021 • Howard Tayler

This Memorial Day I wish to acknowledge those who continue to fight on the front lines of the pandemic. Their service has saved millions of lives, often at the expense of their own.

This Sunday I met a young woman who has been working as a nurse in rural parts of Utah. Our conversation was brief, but I could tell she was carrying a very heavy burden. To her, and to uncounted tens of thousands of people like her, I say thank you.

My household and I—all five of us—got vaccinated as much for them as for our own selves. For my own part, I view my body as a temple, and now it’s a temple where certain coronaviruses can come to die. SARS-COV-19 won’t amplify itself on my premises, and I won’t be darkening any hospital doors with a load of it in my lungs.

This Memorial Day, as we pause to reflect on those who have passed, especially those who have done so in service to us, let’s ask how we might pay their service forward. Like the Minutemen of the 18th century, we can arm ourselves, not with muskets, but with antibodies. The pandemic continues to rage, but we can eradicate this particular enemy from our shores. From every shore.

Gird up, get vaccinated, and soldier on my friends. It’s never been easier to save lives in the service of others.