Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Episode 35 - I Can Haz Karate Skillz!!


Ya know, I think this is the best Cynical Woman cartoon I've drawn yet. Lettering still needs work, but it's getting better.


Yes, I am really and truly a black belt, which means I know the basics of karate and am most deadly to myself. I do train with various kobudo weapons, including the nunchaku, and I'm testing for my 2nd degree black belt in weapons this coming September (I'm already a 2nd degree black belt in open-hand karate).


I'm going to two classes a week right now, and those usually last 2 1/2 hours (thus the reason why I'm only doing two classes a week; I think more would kill me). I have on occasion hit myself - in the elbow, the leg, the back, and yes, the head. Others have hit me as well. In fact, the Hubster once mistook me for a 6 foot tall, 1200 lb gorilla during a sparring drill and to this day my right knee still has not recovered. Somebody else took out the left knee a few months later, so if I walk funny, you know why.


I'm heading to Chicago this weekend, and I'm taking a small drawing pad with me. Don't know what I'll draw, but it will probably show up here. Meanwhile, if you must see more of my work, I have set up a Deviant Art page. It's at www.cynicalwoman.deviantart.com. There's various things there, including a few odd cartoons that have nothing to do with Cynical Woman beyond the fact that I drew them.


One final note, if you love me, if you really really love me, take a few moments to visit my podcast and enter my contest!!! I'm running a listener appreciation contest over at www.heatflash.libsyn.com. I'll be giving away t-shirts, boxers and thongs, and print copies of my fabulous short story collection, Future Perfect. It's all naughty stuff, and it's good fun. To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment on the Heat Flash blog at www.heatflash.libsyn.com or send me an e-mail at heatflash.podcast@gmail.com. Contest runs between now and midnight EST, 26 August. Go here for specific details.


That's it for now. I'll see if I can't get some funky doodling done while in Chicago. Hubster's at a conference so I will be schlepping the kids around the city on my ownsome. Something painfully funny is bound to happen, I'm sure. Keep your fingers crossed that I survive.

4 comments:

Margaret Yang said...

Hooray, new cartoon!

Helen said...

I am working on it! I swear, I thought I'd have more time this summer, but it hasn't worked out that way. So I keep chugging along as best I can. Glad you like the latest installment ;)

Beth said...

hahaha - classic! As a ni-dan in karate myself, and having only recently started learning nanchauku, I find this comic absolutely hilarious. Love your work.

Helen said...

Beth,

Oh, a fellow ni-dan! Nunchaku are lots of fun, let me tell ya. And I've been promised I will learn a kata using **2** nunchaku at once. I live in fear of the day I start on that!

Thank you for the kind remarks, and watch your head!