This past week has been an interesting one for me. I sense changes coming in my future and I’m not entirely certain what to expect. Will it mean a new and fancy job? A change of venue? A new and ridiculously adorable relationship? A new twist in this season’s episodes of Castle?? I just don’t know.

What I can be sure of, is that I’m due for a change, and that the same old stuff just isn’t going to cut it any more. It’s time for something more. What exactly that will mean, I do not know. I’m secretly hoping it will mean that my intake of Yoo-hoo will be drastically increased, but I can’t really be certain. Time will tell.

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Sometimes I am impressed and intimidated by people I know who do amazing things. They wake up early and go out into the world and accomplish so much. They work hard at their jobs, they’re super successful, they work with hundreds of people or for incredible causes. They create amazing art or writing or film and I grow envious of their apparent success. They give blood. Meanwhile, I’m barely scraping by with my stupid little go-nowhere jobs and a website full of talking raccoons. Granted, talking raccoons are pretty flippin’ sweet, but you can understand what I mean.

Sometimes I wish I could be more like those people. I wish I could achieve such success or notoriety. I wish I could walk down the street and people could say, “oh hey, there’s that guy who does flippin’ sweet cartoons.” (Although I DID get recognized at a local student film festival once.) Mostly I just wish I didn’t have to worry about careers and money so I could focus on the things that really matter and the things that are important to me. Like telling stupid little stories, and making flippin’ sweet cartoons.

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I have a creative mind. My apartment is living proof of this matter. I don’t have anything clever or witty to write this week, except to say that if anyone wants to come over and un-creative my mind I wouldn’t object. I can pay you…in empty pizza boxes, old t-shirts, and junk mail. You know you want to.

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I don’t understand the obsession. The passion. The waiting in line. The cult-like devotion. Those crazy Apple fanboys… You annoy the crud out of me.

Brand fanaticism has reached such a level in which the loyalty is so intense, that it’s reached a point of religious fervor.

-knock knock-

“Yes?”

“Hi! Hello! We’re here in the neighborhood and we’d like to share with you a special message about—”

“Oh…hey guys I—”

“about how Apple products can change your life and bring you happiness and salvation.”

“Wait…I thought… What?”

“We’d like to share this special message with you, and tell you more about ‘The Way.’ May we come in?”

“I’m…confused.”

“We understand. In today’s world there are so many brands to believe in. It can be difficult to find out which is the one true computer company. Have you ever felt this way?”

“I’m sorry. I’m still confused. Are you here to sell me something?”

“Oh no. Our message is free. If however you care to purchase one of our products, that will require a lifetime of commitment, increasing loyalty, and some type of pension plan.”

“Right…”

“I see you have an iPhone there! That’s good! How does it make you feel when you’re using it? I bet you like browsing our App Store!”

“Yeah… Actually I’m not as happy with it lately. The new operating system has really slowed it down. It crashes regularly. I can’t even use the Maps function anymore.”

“Did you jailbreak your phone sir?”

“Well yes but—”

“Jailbreaking is a sin, and has consequences. But don’t worry. That’s why we’ve come to share with you a message about repentance and salvation. May we come inside and share with you some pamphlets about our new iPhone 5?”

“I don’t really think—”

“Different. You just need to think different. Have you ever thought about where you’re going? What happens to you after that blue screen of death? It doesn’t have to be like that. The Way can help you just like it helped us.”

“Why are you showing me a picture of Steve Jobs?”

“Most people believe in a supreme being, even though we may call him by different names.”

“Get off my porch.”

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Yes, I am an artist. Yes, I live in Silicon Valley only minutes away from Cupertino, CA. No. I do not use a Mac…I didn’t drink the Kool-aid.

I realize there are a fair amount of my readers who live and breath by their Apple computers. I realize that Apple users can sometimes be a little more…sensitive about their brand loyalty. I’m not writing these things to alienate you. Truthfully. I just…don’t get it.

I don’t understand what’s so amazing about Apple computers. They aren’t as fast as my computer. I can’t swap out parts in them. There are so many programs that won’t run on them. You can’t watch the cartoons on THIS very website when using their smaller devices (and that REALLY ticks me off). I can’t play my really old DOS version of Eco Quest on them.

And don’t give me that same old line about “how much easier they are to use.” My mother STILL calls me every week because she can’t figure out how to read her email on her Mac. She still likes it though. “It looks so pretty.” It had better. It’s only used for email, and it cost twice as much as the computer I built myself.

Things are closed. Too many decisions are made for you. They say “think different” but they really mean “think like us.”

Look, I really don’t have any super brand loyalty one way or another (except when it comes to things that really matter, like baseball). I believe in purchasing the best product to suit one’s needs.

So given the choice between:

A.) a computer that does most daily tasks, but won’t open my older files and programs,

and

B.) a computer that will do all my daily tasks, will open my older files and programs, provide faster video rendering times, allow me to upgrade parts as I see fit,  isn’t afraid of Bluray, AND costs substantially less…

I’m going to choose the latter. It meets my computer needs. Don’t hate me for it.

The post Think Different? appeared first on Raccoon Toons.

I’m late. I know. I’m sorry. But considering how much work I have on my plate right now you should be very happy you get a comic strip this week. You’re so lucky. So special. I must really care about you. Almost as much as my collection of Chili’s coasters. But nowhere near as much as my collection of soda tabs. Somewhere in between. That is how much I love you. Internet hug.

So this comic strip has pretty much been my week. I have a ton of work that came my way, which is great, but it’s been keeping me really, really busy. But no worries. I’m still here. In between my teaching and my huge workloads of video editing and videography I’ll always manage to squeak in a weekly comic strip. I won’t become one of those cartoonists who hook you with decent cartoons, only to ultimately leave you and the cartoon world desolate and comic-less. No. I will remain. I will persevere. I will not make my world empty, barren, and fan-less.

So once again, sorry I’m late. But no worries. I still love you.

The post Eternal Projects appeared first on Raccoon Toons.

I am back from my vacation!! I had a really fun trip. I got home to discover that my baseball song has officially made its way onto iTunes. Pretty sweet! You can find it on iTunes by clicking here.

If you missed the cartoon that features the song, you can view it here: http://www.raccoontoons.com/baseball.html

Good to be back in town. New comic strips coming soon!!

The post “This Is Baseball” on iTunes! appeared first on Raccoon Toons.

Hey readers and fans! Raccoon Toons has been entered into a comic strip contest over at thecartooniststudio.com. The contest is ongoing, and the winner receives a syndication deal to have their comic strips printed in newspapers across the country! There’s some great talent in the contest, and I’m not expecting to win, but I would like to make a decent showing!

You must register with the site to vote, but it is easy, fast, and FREE. You just need an email address. Once registered you can vote EVERY SIX HOURS! You might find some other comic strips that you like while you’re there!

So get out there and vote! I sure appreciate your support! (Especially since the site won’t allow me to vote for myself…)

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Yes! YOU have a chance to be featured in an actual Raccoon Toons comic strip! I’m totally serious! One of you will be drawn into and featured in a comic strip! How cool is that?! Just follow these handy dandy instructions and you’ll be well on your way to bragging rights and internet stardom!

1. If you’re on facebook, be a REAL fan and “like” us on facebook. You can go to the fan page by clicking this link or by hitting the “facebook” button to the right of this post. Don’t be misled by the title of our fan page. It’s still using the old name of the website (www.mattandmichael.com) because facebook is lame and won’t let me change it. Believe me. I’ve tried. It annoys me to no end. And I’ve let them know about it. Repeatedly.

Not a facebook user? There’s also a Twitter button and a YouTube button to the right of this post as well. We like to cover our bases.

2. This is the important part. You need to share your favorite comic strip post with your friends. Doesn’t matter how. You can broadcast it into facebook land, do some tweetage, email it to a friend, or sit your grandmother down in front of the “kuhm-pyoo-ter” and show it to her yourself. But it HAS to be your favorite. I don’t want you to just choose the latest comic strip on the page. Look through the archives. Go way back if you have to. Find your favorite. Something that speaks to your soul. Share it with people you really care about. Boom. That’s it. Easy.

3. Once you have shared your favorite (or favorites) with your friends (I assume you have more than one friend because my readers are all smart, fun, good-looking, and delightful people), let me know how you shared it. Leave a comment on the website, or on the facebook fan page, or send me an email. I don’t care how you let me know, but I can’t enter your name into the drawing if you don’t let me know. So let me know.

4. For those of you who have some strange internet form of Social Anxiety Disorder and can’t fathom the idea of sharing something with some of your friends, you can also be entered into this promotion by making a donation to the website.

5. Eat a cookie. This part is non-negotiable. Seriously. Eat a cookie. You deserve it.

That’s it! That’s all there is to it! You have until the end of January. After that, I will choose a name at random and this person WILL be drawn and featured in an upcoming Raccoon Toons comic strip. What! Good luck to you all. We’re all counting on you.

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