In September I turn 40 years old. 40 years on this earth. 40 years of eating too many sweets. 40 years of mental wandering.

And my life is changing. Always changing. What will you do as you approach 40? What will you be thinking?

Mark

On the night of May 2nd, 2008...an F-3 Tornado passed over our neighborhood, and more specifically right over our house. It took a bunch of our shingles and some tar-paper off our roof, broke windows, scuffed up the outside our home, bent our garage door, and shifted our house enough that the front door doesn't close quite right. We're going to need a whole new roof and the garage door replaced...plus a variety of other repairs. (Our satellite television isn't working, for goodness sakes!)

But, our next door neighbor's house is condemned, as in our neighbor's house across the street. Both of their houses had significant portions of their roofs torn off and the interiors/belongings soaked with rain. There is damage to hundreds of homes...two were completely destroyed (just gone), and several were knocked off of their foundations. There were shingles, insulation, pieces of siding and lawn furniture every where...tons of sight-seers for two day, and our power was out for a day and a half.

But, amazingly...no one was killed. There were no serious injures. Some folks were cut with flying glass, but everyone is going to be O.K. No one in my family was hurt. When my wife Jennifer heard the "Freight Train" sound, she gathered our three children up and they all ran to the basement. The sirens did not go off. I was at the police station at the time...and couldn't be home with them.

Its hard not to picture AsaThor battling the destructive forces of this Thurse as it descended on our community...strking it repeatedly with his hammer...rolling in conflict with it as it crashed from the sky to the ground...diverting its path to ensure that the only two homes completely destroyed were empty of people that night. And though the damage was done...the people remain, and we will rebuild. That next day I shared a beer with Thor...and congratulated him on his victory in battle.

CLICK FOR 42 PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE AND CLEANUP EFFORTS

Mark

Someone sent this to me today...Mark

When I Was Your Age

When I was a kid adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were when they were growing up, what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning uphill both ways through year 'round blizzards carrying their younger siblings on their backs to their one-room schoolhouse where they maintained a straight-A average despite their full-time after-school job at the local textile mill where they worked for 35 cents an hour just to help keep their family from starving to death.

And I remember promising myself that when I grew up there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it!

But...

Now that I've reached the ripe old age of 40-something, I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today. You've got it so damned easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in Utopia.

And I hate to say it, but you kids today, you don't even know how good you've got it. I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have the Internet -- we wanted to know something, we had to go to the library and look it up ourselves!

And there was no e-mail! We had to actually write somebody a letter with a pen. And then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in a mailbox and it would take like a week to get there!

And there were no MP3s! You wanted to steal music, you had to go to the record store and shoplift it yourself. Try sticking an LP album under your jacket, buddy. Or we had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio and the DJ'd usually talk over the beginning and screw it all up!

We didn't have fancy stuff like Call Waiting. If you were on the phone and somebody else called they got a busy signal. And we didn't have fancy Caller ID Boxes, either. When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was -- it could be your boss, your mom, a collections agent -- you didn't know! You just had to pick it up and take your chances.

And we didn't have any fancy Sony Playstation videogames with high-resolution 3-D graphics, we had the Atari 2600. With games like Space Invaders and Asteroids, and the graphics sucked! Your guy was a little square! You had to use your imagination! And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen forever. And you could never win the game, the game just kept getting harder and faster until you died. Just like life.

Sure, we had cable television, but back then that was only like 20 channels and there was no onscreen menu! You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on. And there was no Cartoon Network! You could only get cartoons on Saturday morning. D'ya hear what the hell I'm saying? We had to wait ALL WEEK for a cartoon, you spoiled little bastards.

That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy! You wouldn't last five minutes back in 1977.

Perhaps some of you have not read an H.P. Lovecraft story. Or maybe you haven't read one in a few years. If you haven't read Lovecraft...or very much Lovecraft...its easy to disregard him as just another "horror author."

But he was heavily influenced by Lord Dunsany...a writer/poet who heavily influenced Tolkien as well. And while Lovecraft did write tales of weird horror, featuring old gods and cosmic threats that dwarf the wisdom of mankind...he was a wonderful fantasy author as well. There's a sense of wonder even in Lovecraft's darkest stories.

I read a wonderful Lovecraft story to my kids tonight, as a bedtime story. Its called "The White Ship." Its about a lonely lighthouse keeper...and his journey upon the White Ship...a magical ship that takes him to worlds of dream. There are only a few dark moments in the story, which I was able to change as I read it. I don't want to give the kids nightmares! I told Elizabeth, I hoped she dreamed of travels aboard the White Ship tonight...

Read the story if you are interested. It will take you 10 or 15 minutes, and it will leave a bitter-sweet smile on your face.

THE WHITE SHIP

Mark

Ambigrams are words or phrases that can be read in more than one way or from more than a single vantage point, most commonly right-side-up and upside-down. The Ambigram.Matic Website is the world's first and only online Ambigram Generator! Flip any word, different words of the same length, or even an entire (symmetrically spaced) sentence on its head, and read it both ways!

These were a few words I typed in...putting only one word in the top space and hitting "Go." Can you read all of them? You can also put two different words of the same length in the two spaces, and get a combined Ambigram. See what you can come up with!

Mark

2008. Its 2008 already? I turn 40-years-old in 2008. That'a s pretty big benchmark in my life. 40. Hmmm....

I am still a police sergeant for the KCMO Police Department. I have a wife and three wonderful kids.

For over two years now, I've been involved in paranormal investigations. I founded Ghost Vigil Investigations two years ago...and GVI is a successful group and part of the TAPS Family. A few months ago we started the Ghost Vigil Youths program.

Over a year ago I became interested in Heathenry...or the Asatru religion. It is the religion of my Northern European ancestors prior to the Christian Missionaries showing up. We're talking about Odin, Thor, Tyr, Frey, Frigg, and our other Elder Kin. A group of us are building what is called a Kindred here in Kansas City. This is our website, in case you are curious regarding what I'm talking about!

While I haven't been drawing very much, much of my Killers Gallery artwork was included in a serial killer trading card set and a 2008 serial killer calendar. This has inspired me to add some artwork to my Killers Gallery, but I have not gotten off my arse and begun yet. Not yet...

I've also built a website dedicated to the Historic Elmwood Cemetery and I administer a Role-Playing Game message board. And don't forget the Comic Creators Network message board. Up until recently, I was the Co-Manager of the TAPS Family. That got to be a bit much, with all the other stuff I have going on...and I wasn't 100% happy with the management folks I was working with. So I bowed out gracefully.

O.K. Most of that had nothing to do with drawing or comics. And I know that. Its why I've been away from this blog...and not posting very often this past year. It just seemed like all my non-comicbook hobbies really took off. But, since it appears I'm the only one posting on this blog anyway...it might have to undergo a transformation in the coming months...

Mark

Enjoy this big Stinson Dance Party, and watch my little ones dance their hearts out!

Mark

(If youtube.com is blocked at your workplace, click here to see the video)

Thought I'd post a few pictures and let folks know what's going on in my life...

The photo above was taken inside the "Link" at Crown Center/Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri. Left to right, we have Joshua, Elizabeth, Nathan, and Megan (the one kid that isn't ours in this bunch!

This picture was taken at John and Laura Fischer's house...and its an action shot of me jumping in the pool...I was so freakin' sore after swimming all that day. When I woke up the next day I was hobbling around like an old man!

I haven't quite trained Joshua to retrieve me beers out of the fridge, but he does try to sneak one out for himself now and again. I thought this photo was fun...catching him in the act.

I take the kids to historic locations all the time,and the photo above is from Union Hill Cemetery in Kansas City. Nathan and Elizabeth peeked into a tomb, and ran away screaming that they had seen a "mummy" in there. They have quite the imagination...

Well that's it. Everything is going well. Keep up with me over at the Ghost Vigil website...

-Mark

Ghost Vigil Investigations is the name of the paranormal investigation group that I founded in November of 2005, with Shawn Geabhart, Dave Bryant, and others. The group is going strong and was recently welcomed into the TAPS Family. The symbol or logo for Ghost Vigil is the Ghost Vigil Key. Click here to read the symbolism behind the key.

The image above is sort of a digital test-shot I created to see how the Ghost Vigil Key would look as a tattoo on the inside of my right forearm. A tattoo is a big deal for me. I have two of them, and both of them mean a lot to me. So adding a third is a big committment to what I'm doing in the paranormal field. I liked the look of this enough that I decided to go for it.

The image above gives you an idea of the size of the tattoo and its placement on my arm. You can see my arm is pretty red and sore from the process, as this tattoo is only about 4 or 5 hours old. Creating the basic linework, adding the different line thicknesses, and then the eventual shading was a painful process...but not near as painful as my 2nd tattoo!

And this image gives you an idea of the amount of detail that Brian put into the image. The shading, the white highlights, and even the color of the iris of the eyeball are perfect. I'm really happy with it! Brian Holton is co-owner of Bleeding Heart Tattoo in Lee's Summit, Missouri. Ghost Vigil's case manager Jamie King recommended the place to me. I'm glad she did!

-Mark Stinson

You may go nuts trying to decide on the right answer to this one.

ONE QUESTION TEST

This test only has one question, but it's a very important one. By giving an honest answer, you will discover where you stand morally in this unlikely, fictional situation in which you will have to make decision. Remember that your answer needs to be honest, and spontaneous. Please scroll down slowly and give due consideration to each line.

THE SITUATION

You are in New Orleans. There is chaos all around you caused by a hurricane with severe flooding.

You are photo journalist working for a major newspaper, and you're caught in the middle of this epic disaster. You're trying to shoot career-making photos.

There are houses and people swirling around you, and disappearing under the water.

THE TEST

Suddenly you see a woman in the water. She is fighting for her life, trying not to be taken down with the debris.

You move closer. Somehow the woman looks familiar. You suddenly realize who it is.

It's Hillary Clinton.

At the same time you notice that the raging waters are about to take her under forever.

You have two options; you can save the life of the "Congress Woman" or...

...you can shoot a dramatic Pulitzer Prize winning photo, documenting the death of one of the world's most famous women.

THE QUESTION

Here's the question, and please give an honest answer.......

Would you select high contrast color film, or would you go with the classic simplicity of black and white?

Never underestimate the power of comicbook storytelling, or the fusion of comicbook storytelling with moviemaking. This little movie is really well made. Here is a description of it:

Haunting Depiction of Firefight in Iraq - Amazing animated sequence portraying a firefight through the eyes of U.S. Army Specialist Colby Buzzell. This segment is from Buzzell's story entitled "Men in Black."

-Mark Stinson

Had another Dad dream...it was last night, or maybe the night before. I seem to have these dreams when I'm under a lot of stress. In the dream, Dad was sitting in a chair in front of me. Sitting very casually, but dressed in a black suit...sort of an old-fashioned suit. Dad sometimes wore clothes that were a little out of date, so this wasn't too unusual to me....

He was just sitting there smiling at me. The details of his face, and the folds of his clothing were just amazing. I was doubting the reality of the dream while in the dream, but I remember thinking...this is so detailed it must be real.

He didn't say anything. He just smiled...and we looked at each other for maybe 30 seconds and then I woke up. I know I have no basis for saying this. Absolutely none. But when I dream of Dad, the dreams are so visually detailed and real...that I have a hard time dismissing them as simply night-time-brain-processes. Do you know what I mean?

Its weird. But I definitely welcome these dreams. I wish I had more of them, actually.

Mark

You want to read about me getting hurt at work? Do you want to hear about the screaming pain, the prescription drugs, the walking with a cane? I didn't think you did. Admit it...you don't want to hear about that. But you can watch this fiery video that shows what I do at work when chemical plants catch on fire and blow up....click the image:

It was at this event that I hurt myself pulling some heavy equipment from a van. I took most of the photos and all of the videos included in this piece, and put the movie together. Pat, Bobby, and Lee are my fellow Technology Support Managers...

I'll see you all at the Sketchbook Party this Sunday, at 3:00 PM, at Fric & Frac! (1700 W. 39th Street, KCMO)

-Mark Stinson

Well, James Gilks over at Serial Killer Calendar created this clock from my artwork at my Killers Gallery. When you click over, scroll down to the "Mark Stinson Clock." The clock is available for sale on their site...so if you have an empty space on your wall that is just screaming put a serial killer clock here, then get your credit card out!

-Mark Stinson

This is an image from my Killers Gallery that I altered for this Illustration Friday theme...hope you enjoy! This killer is Andrei Chikatilo...click on his name to read about him...

-Mark Stinson

This was just a warm-up drawing at the January CCN Sketchbook Party. I haven't actively drawn for awhile, so I'm just trying to jog my memory about how I draw things! There's a million flaws here, but its just sort of a warm-up...

-Mark Stinson

Well, this quick sketch is one of four I did tonight on my laptop with my wacom. I thought the shading turned out interesting, so I thought I'd post it. I'm just trying to loosen up a bit (from a long period of not drawing), and get in the habit of sketching.

I also doodled about 5 sketches at work today. Mostly figures...

-Mark Stinson

Messin' with my wacom. Just trying to sketch everyday...and loosen up a bit. At the Sketchbook Party last night, I just felt so tight and anxious when I was drawing...

-Mark Stinson

This is now one of my top 10 movies. It might be in the top 5...that's how much I liked it. Watched it last night for the first time on DVD. The writing was great...with a twisty-turny storyline that was great. The dialogue and word-play between the characters was very intelligent. And the acting was top-notch.

The way the film was shot was beautiful...and I could (and will) watch this movie many times. Have you seen it yet?

-Mark Stinson

O.K. This video is another installment of "At My Day Job." In this one we are testing a tracked vehicle outfitted with a camera. Mike Haun built the vehicle by completely rebuilding a RC toy called a Tarantula. Mike redid the radio, the controls, the batteries, and added a camera. In the end, this vehicle will be used to explore dangerous locations and to check on the condition of barricaded subjects inside a house, when we believe they may have already killed themselves.

It has not been tested in an actual operation yet, and the final decision on whether to actual use the vehicle has not been made. But vehicles much more expensive than this one are used regularly by the military and other police departments.

-Mark Stinson