Stereotypes

Based on true events in my life, I was inspired to draw my next comic.

The girl character is based on two my friends, whose names I will not mention.

NO, I am NOT interested in either one of them. Don't get ideas you burning people!

Anyways, the real-life conversation originated while I was talking about body weight with one of them.
The conversation in the comic is obviously changed for dramatic effect.

As always, click on the picture for a larger view.

Which brings me to my newest article: "Stereotypes"

This comic reminds me of how stereotypes permeate our lives and our thinking. Sure, you may not call them stereotypes, but regardless, you cannot deny that we all have self-developed perceptions about those around us.
For example, I appear as a totally typical skinny Asian nerd-geek. There's no way I can possibly have a six-pack right? After all, I look pretty light and thin. This was probably and probably still is your perception of me. Don't worry, I don't care, and I'm not here to condemn anyone.
All of us, give off an image that others see, whether it be the cool dude, or the cute girl, or the outspoken one, or the athletically obsessed. This image we give off is determined by our appearance, but also by the way we carry ourselves and the actions we take. But how does all of that pertain to courting and romantic attraction?
There is generally 4 things that can happen:
1) A person of the opposite sex is initially attracted to the image that you produce. Both of you get to know each other better and that person finds that like your personality as well. Both of you start to develop feelings and dating relationship becomes a reality.
2) A person of the opposite sex is not initially attracted to the image that you produce, but that doesn't mean you can't be friends. However, that person will get to know you better and they will begin to subconsciously change their perceived image of you. The possibility then becomes open that they will grow to perceive you as romantically attractive and it does happen.
3) A person of the opposite sex is initially attracted to the image that you produce. They are subconsciously interested at the mystery and they want to get to know you better. However, as both get to know each other better, one of them decides that a romantic relationship is not possible or not probable. EVERYONE experiences these fleeting attractions. I don't care who you are. It's OK. It's not like it's a bad thing. I personally see courtship as constant process of experiencing fleeting attractions until one day, God willing, you find the person that reciprocates the romantic feelings you have for them and the relationship develops.
4) A person of the opposite sex is not initially attracted to the image that you produce. Even as they get to know you better, it never crosses their mind that you are a potential significant other. And even if it does cross their mind, they quickly dismiss the possibility. They simply see you as a friend.

So my lesson is this, don't be discouraged that you may experience situation 3 or 4. Carry on with your life. And don't just focus your attentions on developing your physical image. Develop your relationship with God. I tell you, if your life permeates of the desire to pursue and worship God, your image will surely be an attractive one. I'm not saying that it will guarantee you a spouse, but people around you will not be able to help but notice you in a positive manner. And maybe, just maybe, someone might grow to be romantically attracted to the attributes of Jesus Christ that they see in you: humble, patient, forgiving, self-sacrificing, and ultimately a loving spouse as Jesus is to the Church.

How To Surive Black Friday

Ah yes, tis' the season to be shopping.

And what better way to kick off the holiday shopping season than Black Friday!!! So for those of you wary about camping out at your favorite electronics store or what not, Jeffo is here to provide you with a Black Friday guide.

First, make sure you have knowledge about the lines at the store you want to go to. Some stores don't have lines and some stores don't have much of a sale. Fry's Electronics is known for its mob-like Black Friday lines while Best Buy's lines have order. In addition, if you are not sure that you would be able to stay up for a whole night camping, trust me, you don't know what you are capable of. Your adrenaline will kick in and keep you awake, I promise.
You don't have to necessarily have to start waiting in line at noon on Thanksgiving to guarantee yourself a deal, but if you want the greatest deals, such as those free items, plan on going early (before 5pm Thursday), especially for those stores where there is order to the line, because you won't be able to cut in line easily for those stores. However, for the stores that have lines known to fall apart, like Fry's, you can go as late as 1 am on Friday and still somehow find yourself near the front if you can run fast and cut.
Also, note that just because it is Black Friday, it does not mean that everything in the store is on sale. You never know if the store might be marking up a few items or put out a few more higher end models of a camera or whatever. They might use the sale to lure desperate shoppers into the doors and then use their highly trained salesman to sell you a camera that costs $100 more than the one you wanted to get on sale. I.e. make sure you have an idea of the price range you want to shop in and stick to it; don't get lured by any sales tactics into paying more than what you were planning to pay.

So without further ado, I have a comic to help demonstrate some things you need to bring when you camp out for Black Friday. Each point corresponds to the same number on the comic. So point 1 corresponds to box 1 in the comic and point 2 corresponds to box 2 in the comic. Got it?
1. Bring a list of all of those great deals, sales, and rebates. Bring a cell phone so you can call your friends when you need to find them in the shopping frenzy. The airwaves will get really busy once the store opens--trust me--so you might have to try calling a few times to get the call through. Finally, bring running shoes so you can run quickly to the counter that has the deal you want. Running shoes also helps when a line falls apart and you want to take advantage and cut.
2. Bring warm clothes, because it's going to be cold outside. Though if you're waiting in a mob type line, it will get warm really fast. If you ever want to find out what it feels like when penguins bunch up together to keep warm, just wait in a mob line and you'll find out real fast (you'll also get sweaty real fast). Kristie and her penguins, let's see you in a mob, cough cough......
3. Bring friends. Often they help liven up the night when you're camping out. You have people to talk to and you won't get bored. Bring games if you want. Also, if you want to get multiple great deals, you can send your friends to different locations of the store so you don't have to wait in line for all of them. Besides, there's no way you're getting all of those deals by yourself. The lines at each sales counter are usually long and slow.
4. If you do find yourself in a human mob/moshpit, there are things you need to know. Firstly, be prepared to lose items that are not secured. Be prepared to be lifted off of your feet a few times and be prepared to be crushed a few times. Injury is a possibility and a reality. However to help prevent injury, there are some things you can do. Place your arms in front of your chest like in the picture and protect your neck also. Doing so will help give you breathing room for your chest. Also, make sure your feet are constantly searching to restore balance in case people start pushing or falling.
5. If you manage to remember everything I told you, you might end up like Henry Li, a champion Black Friday shopper.

click on the picture for a larger view

Merry Christmas folks, and may you have a happy time doing holiday shopping for those special people in your life, you know..... ;)

The Adventures of Jeffo and Stitch 2

Another comic in the series,

More somber tone this time, but it's all so I can practice conveying different moods and emotions in my drawings.

Again, click on the picture for an enlarged view.

The Adventures of Jeffo and Stitch

Enjoy :)
Click on the picture for a larger view.

How Do Know If You're Burning?

You know you're burning when:

1. A speaker, such as a pastor, is having a Q & A section, is the first question that comes up in your mind, "How did you meet your wife?" or something of the sort.

2. You listen to songs about love or romantic songs.

3. When you swoon at the sight of a handsome man or pretty woman in a magazine or on television.

4. People think you're burning.

5. You find yourself talking and spending excessive amounts of time with the opposite sex.

6. You have a crush on someone.

7. You have had your heart broken by someone you were liked or were interested in.

8. You already have an idea of what kind of personality traits or character attributes you are looking for in your future spouse.

9. You consider yourself as currently preparing to be ready for marriage.

10. You read about dating/relationship/marriage from articles at least every once in a while (I think this would kind of count).

If any of these points describe you, you are burning my friend, and you need to consider making an appointment with Dr. Love.

Ha.....just kidding. Tune in for more random posts next time!!!!

Now Listening To

For the romantically savvy

I dug this volume out of my enormous CD shelf. I don't quite remember when I bought this. This CD is a two disc volume that contains selections of romantic music played by an accompaniment between a saxophone and piano.

The list of songs includes
My Heart Will Go On
The Way You Look Tonight
Amazed
Lady In Red

Love, Chemistry, Part 2

The Point System
Mentioned previously, matching personalities is not always enough to bring two people into a romantic relationship. For a relationship to happen, both persons have to perform actions also. And really, it's the little things that count. It's really about showing that you are like-able person, and showing that the other person means a little more to you than just a friend.

Again: People should not base relationships off of a point system. Rather, the point system is to generally quantify how people might grow to be more attractive in another's eyes. And remember, never fake your personality.

Let's give an example. If Bob owns a cute little stuffed animal, and Jane sees it, she might be inclined to think that Bob is just a little more cute. Bob has just earned about 10 points in Jane's eyes. However Bob's guy friends might think Bob is strange for owning a stuffed animal. However, Bob might gain 50 friend admiration points when that stuffed animal contributes to a relationship between Bob and Jane.

So how does the point system explain relationships?
These are the commandments
1. Every little thing you do, every action, portrays something about your character.
2. As mentioned by the wave system, different people appreciate different character traits.
2. It's not about faking your character. It's about letting that person you like know what kind of a person you really are. And hopefully, that person will be interested in a person like you. And if not, then they're not the one.
4. And remember, never actually base any relationship off of how many points they have earned in your eyes. The point system is just to compare certain actions to others and how they might have something to say about your character.

Remember, different people appreciate different things.
But here is a sample point system for an arbitrary person.
The Friend Range
1-10 points: You own items that the other person might be interested in, say a guitar or a stuffed animal or a CD to their favorite band. You might
11-30 points: You say or do something that the other person finds to be charming or funny. For example, singing a love song at the top of your lungs. Though relationships should be about what's on the inside, let's face it, most of us do take looks to be at least a factor. Looking good in the other person's eyes might be worth a few points.
31-50 points: You constantly help that person you like. You are there to lend a helping hand when they are in need.
The More than a Friend Range
51-60 points: You go out of your way to help the other person, at least enough that they start noticing that you don't always go out of your way for other people. Usually, this is enough to make at least one person in the friend relationship start thinking about a possibility of romance.
61-80 points: Both of you can spend time together and have a decent conversation. Both people might have similar interests, or their personalities might compliment each other very well. Take caution though, because one person might consider the relationship to be a best friend relationship at this point. How do you avert such a thing? Show them that you care for them differently from other friends. And remember to keep your actions consistent. IF you like someone, don't just have one decent hangout every week and all of the sudden stop the next week. FOLLOW UP.
81-100 points: You both start spending considerable time together. When you are hanging out with a group of friends. You and that other person are often seen together, you two might even separate from the group. If the relationship doesn't seem to be a possibility at this point, then in most probability, it's not going to happen.

If the relationship is a possibility, it might be time to pop the relationship question. Find a suitable location and time, build up your confidence, and go. One of the saddest things that can happen is that the other person is awaiting the relationship question but you never mustered up the courage to actually ask. In that case, hopefully the other person doesn't just give up on you.

All of the actions in the point system contribute to revealing each other's personalities and interests, and thus compatibility within the wave system.

And remember
Love is like a symphony

In a symphony, there are many possible melodies and harmonies. Some notes make harmonious chords with other notes. Other notes make harsh chords with the same notes.

In the same way, some people will click with certain people. And they might not click with others.

If you want a successful relationship. Portray yourself accurately. Be true to your character. It's alright to change your personality if you really want to change for that one special person. But it should never be a front. Never be two-faced.

The more you do to portray yourself accurately and show that you care about the other person, you will earn more points towards being in tune with the other person.

Wish you luck in forming your relationships.