Web comics

I'm a big fan of web comics. In the past years, they've gained popularity, growing larger and larger fan bases, all over the internet. What I think makes web comics different than, say, the comics you read in the newspaper, is that (at least to begin with) they are made completely independently of editors, publishers, etc. Pretty much any web comic was started because the author(s) wanted to share their work, not because they were looking to make money. Sure, some web comics evolve into full time jobs, but it's a slow process, something that comes after a lot of hard work, effort, and patience. The beauty of the internet, however, makes it possible for anyone to publish their work, by themselves, for free, and share it with the world. This gives the creator a certain type of freedom and anonymity that just doesn't exist in print media. There are literally countless different web comics out there, but here are a few of my favorites:

XKCD
Stick figure + nerdy jokes = lulz. My all time favorite xkcd strip? This one right here:

-If you've ever taken a physics class, you'll understand why.

Cyanide and Happiness
Where no subject is taboo, no offensive act left untouched, and no crude act left behind.... there is Cyanide and Happiness. As Wikipedia says, "Frequent topics of humor include disabilities, terrorism, rape, cancer, murder, necrophilia, pedophilia, sexual deviancy, sexually transmitted diseases, suicide, eating disorders, abortion and vehicular manslaughter." You feel kinda bad laughing, but usually it's just weirdly funny. Here's a not-so-crude one:

Poorly Drawn Lines
I just found out about this one a few days ago. Here's the comic that introduced me:

Ain't. No. One.

Three Word Phrase
When this one is funny, it's really funny. When it's not... it's okay.

Psychology jokes, hehehe.

And finally...
Hyperbole and a Half
This is more of a blog-web comic type thing, with illustrated stories and things. The first comic/story (at this time) is not the happiest one, but it still manages to tell a solid story, while illustrating it awesomely, with essentially microsoft paint. Last year, I plowed through every single post in the span of a few days, and probably at least 50% of them made me laugh out loud. While she hasn't been posting much lately, I highly suggest checking this blog out. It is hilarious. Here's one of her older ones, which tells the tale of how she accidentally poisoned herself while running:
http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2009/07/i-finally-got-to-call-poison-control.html 
 

Dammit Telus

I still don't have internet at home. For the past month or so, the internet has been patchy at best, but for the past two weeks it's been just about out solid. While in this day and age the difference between having internet and not having internet is massive, I'm still kind of torn about how I feel about it. On one hand, it's a lot easier to focus on my work without the constant distractions of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. On the other hand, I do have course work to do online, and somethings, such as e-mail, I like to be able to check whenever I like. And, like any other student, I enjoy the wonderful, mindless, entertainment the internet can provide me. (Also, I do like blogging, but don't particularly enjoy doing it while at school.)

That being said, thank god for free UVic wifi.

Also, three guys in banana suits just ran past me. In the library. Hmmmm.

Anyways, this is kind of a roundabout explanation as to why I haven't been posting things too much recently.... sorta. For your trouble, check out this link. Anyone who has ever played The Sims I think will agree with the fact that it is hilarious. Because it is so true.

Garfield Minus Garfield

At the moment, I'm sitting among my textbooks and notebooks, eyes bleary from reading countless pages of power points, head reeling from hours of thinking about biology (mitosis and meiosis- I don't wanna talk about it), and just wanting to sleep. My poor time management and unfortunate midterm schedule means that I have trouble studying for more than one exam at once and, seeing as I have four exams this week, this makes for many late nights, as I can rarely bring myself to study for an exam when I have a different exam coming up before it. Can you tell I'm tired? I feel like that last sentence was barely coherent. But maybe it was. I'm not sure. And I can't bothered to go back and re-write it. The point is, my procrastination habits are just as bad as my study habits. And through these habits, I have found many small "study break" sites. One such gem that I stumbled upon recently is Garfield Minus Garfield. The site consists solely of Garfield comic strips, with Garfield carefully edited out. This results in a depiction of the "existential angst of a certain young Mr. Jon Arbuckle. It is a journey deep into the mind of an isolated young everyman as he fights a losing battle against loneliness and depression in a quiet American suburb." Basically, it turns a mildly-amusing comic strip into fucking comical gold to the sleep deprived brain, as it shows strip after strip of poor John, whose lonely existence is only made funnier/depicts him as anywhere between mildly insane and bat-shit crazy in the absence of his cat.  Here are a few of my favorites:

The ones where he says nothing are the funniest.

Ahahahha ohgod now I can't stop laughing. I need to go study. Or sleep. Or drink more tea.

Go The F*ck To Sleep

I'm sure a lot of people have heard of this "children's" book parodying night-time stories, but did you know that Samuel L. Jackson does narrates the audio version?? It's hilarious. LISTEN NOW.



Two words: FUCKING SLEEP.

My favorite part is the last few lines.

That Can Be My Next Tweet

So, in the exciting news of my life today, I found this site called That Can Be My Next Tweet. As far as I can tell, it gets random bits of all your previous tweets, and spits out an endless supply of tweets that it thinks you might, in some far-off alternate dimension, be likely to tweet. Or, you know... tweet in a drunken haze one night. Mostly, it succeeds at producing hilarious, semi-coherent tweets that could put even the drunkest tweeter to shame. So, without further adieu, here it is... My Top 10 15 Possible Tweets (with possible explanations).


1. 2011 ... sometimes I have a double high-five? 
Because sometimes, all you need to do is ask life politely. 

2. The scary tragedy- Norway gunman kills 80 at an alarming rate.... can enjoy this... I get involved?
And in this alternate twitter dimension, not only do I take pleasure in public shootings, but I want... to join it? Um....

3. Shark Week: River Monsters- NO WHERE IS SAFE. I CAN SMELL IT. Chairman Meow is pregnant.
My keen sense of smell might keep me safe from the fresh water sharks, but nothing will protect me from the spawn of Chairman Meow*.

4 a. !
Because apparently I am enthusiastic about life.
   b. ?
But also confused.


5. PADDLEBOARDINGPADDLEBOARDINGPADDLEBOARDING YAY RIP Jack Layton.
 In the midst of my excitement over paddleboarding, I'm suddenly overcome with the news/reality that Jack Layton has died. And immediately feel the need to pay my respects.

6. Just Announced: Jay-Z and his passion, ability to fight Cystic Fibrosis. Good job UVIC! I have a pic.
I would so very much like to see this picture. Good job supporting the good cause though, Jay-Z.

7. When my best cure is that YOUR STALKING LEVELS ARE NOW UP 200% Congratulations.
 My best cure for  what? My intense lack of creepy friends? But good job... I guess.

8. Right now there are few things freakier in politics in has 100 problems.
This one almost makes sense. In a dramatic, politics-so-twisted-it-scary-but-my-English-no-good-to-express-it kind of way.

9. THESE BEYONCE BABY JOKES ARE TOO EASY. And I KNOW HOW MUCH YOU MISS PHYSICS 12 flying high five.
They are easy! But I don't remember this Physics 12 flying high five. It sounds awesome.

10. I jumped out of strictly sandwiches. EXCELLENT PRACTICE FOR MYSELF NEXT YEAR.
What are strictly sandwiches? And why the hell must I practice jumping out of them? Is this that new sport coming to the 2012 Olympics?

11. One week left in life than giant fish. Seriously, wtf!
Wtf indeed. Perhaps I've solved the mystery of the afterlife? It sounds scary.

12. Flying high five. Playlists get involved? From afar, it really scared me.
Because when playlists start high-fiving, you know shit's gotten real.

13. Still get a good day, and hilarious. Beyonce is pregnant. Now Jay-Z and bitch ain't one.
Au contraire, I think this is solid evidence that they will be one? You know, in the form of the child sharing both of their genes? To be fair, I wouldn't have called Beyonce a bitch.

14. PADDLEBOARDINGPADDLEBOARDINGPADDLEBOARDING YAY RIP Rick Rypien, sad to me so far Today my dresser drawers!
Again, my paddleboarding joy is cut short by a celebrity death. However, I get distracted by my bedroom furniture.

15. JAKE JAKE JAKE JAKE JAKE JAKE JAKE JAKE JAKE JAKE JAKE JAKE JAKE JAKE JAKE JAKE!
Because sometimes, you just like repeating your friend's names. In cap locks.

Anyways, I suggest (if you have twitter) you give this site a try. Hell, even if you don't have twitter, find a friend/celebrity who has it and use their username (although this will likely be less funny). It is hilarious, and make you appreciate drunk-you's ability to at least make sense online most of the time. If you fit the criteria of both having twitter and reading this blog (cough cough Chelsea and Hilary), you should share you best ones via the comment section. Go on... make me laugh!

*Chairman Meow is the name bestowed upon a neighborhood cat who is known for his incredible stalking/lurking abilities. Not only is he a boy (and therefore should NOT be pregnant), but I'm fairly certain he watches my family while we sleep. And likely takes notes. Unless you have experienced it, it is hard to imagine the utterly weird lurking habits of this cat. This is him, savoring his last moments of stalking me before I move:

Whatever you do, do NOT make eye contact.

Tricky Cat

Ahahaha. This cat is such a tricky little guy.

Alex Reads Twilight

Hahahahahahha. If you haven't seen this yet, spare a few minutes and watch at least the first video. If you like it (and you will), and have a while more to spare (after all, there are 24 chapters), watch them all! I actually laughed out loud at least once in every single video.

The premise of these videos are simple: our vlogger, a 20 year old Brit named Alex,  over the span of just over a year, reads Stephanie Meyer's Twilight, and supplies an abridged version, with hilarious commentary, to the viewers. I realize this is the second Twilight-related video I've posted recently, but I couldn't help myself. It's just too funny not to share.

Alex Reads Twilight
Chapter 1 
Chapter 2
Chapter 3 & 4
Chapter 5 & 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8 & 9
Chapter 10 & 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16 (with a guest reader!)
Chapter 17 & 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20-22
Chapter 23 & 24

The end! He has some really brilliant facial expressions/comments.

Mini Warbler

Before I tell exactly how I experienced the atrocity that was the Canucks 8-1 loss to Boston, I thought you could use some cute videos. You know, to help you forget the embarrassment of last night. So here they are; the cutest video I have ever seem, and then the most random editing job as well.



SO CUTE. CANNOT EVEN HANDLE IT. And then there's this...


I don't even know what to say? I like it?

Literal Trailer

Anyone excited to see the new Pirates movie?



What about now?

This guy actually does a bunch of these "literal trailers," including a whole bunch for video games. They are hilarious. I suggest checking out the ones for My Soul To Take, Twilight Eclipse, and World of Warcraft.

Anyways, that's all for now. Enjoy!

Lion King... sort of.

OKAY. So disappointing. For a while there, The Lion King, IN ITS ENTIRETY, was on Youtube. Like, in one big long video, not broken up into 10 different parts or anything. Alas, "the account associated with [that] video has been terminated." So sad. How am I suppose to watch my disney movies from the comfort of my own room? So instead, I will provide you with this (hilarious) abridged version:



Enjoy!

Study-break

Study-break! I like how this little kid pay NO attention whatsoever to the fact that he is soaking himself with the hose. And when he finally get's it, he's just like HELL YEAH.


Sorry for the especially lame post, I'm pretty tired.

Study-break

Study break for today: I can't tell if this is awesome, adorable, or just plain weird. In other news, I still find geese scary.

click HERE to check it out!