It’s been a while since we entered a short film competition, this might be just the thing we need to light those creative fires!

I think my dad is probably the most deservedly happy man I know. He’s friendly, gracious, mischievous, and full of love.

Yesterday was the old man’s 59th birthday and his snowy beard was full of grins and chocolate cake.

Dad’s been getting crafty in his old age. I jumped in the car with him a few weeks back and he proudly announced that he’d just finished crocheting a hat. I’ve known him my entire life and he can still surprise me with a lumpy little hat as proof of his efforts.

He’s also knocked together a cluttered painting nook in the basement of his house where he’s imagined some beautiful landscapes, a handful of portraits, some whimsical jellyfish and a babe on a piano.

• Comic - Big Mike

It’s because of my dad’s unwavering support and encouragement that I don’t ever do anything that makes much sense. He’s given me license to be happy.

Kazu posted a new Copper comic today! If you haven’t read Copper, then you’re in for a treat, it’s a pocket out of time, a little eddy in the river.

• Copper #38 - Clockwork

“…this comic taught me to tell a story from beginning to end. It taught me to use colors. It taught me to build a better website. It introduced me to other online artists who became my good friends, and among them I found my loving wife. It provided the foundation for what became Flight, and my first Flight story was appropriately a Copper comic. It essentially began my career in comics, allowing me to travel the world to places like Italy and Japan [and Alaska!!] to promote the medium. And yet, the comic that started all this has been collecting dust for a year now”

- Kazu Kibuishi [from his boltcity blog]

We asked the question “What does it mean to be Alaskan?” to several hundred participants at the Forum of Young Alaskans this past weekend. The resulting word cloud is beautiful and illuminating.

• What does it mean to be Alaskan?

note: I removed the words “Alaska” and “Alaskans” from my data for aesthetic purposes, they were giant and felt repetitive. Thanks again to Wordle.net for this fun tool!

Anyone who went to school up in Fairbanks will remember the siege-proof Gruening building planted in the middle of campus. It was a solid, imposing brick of concrete prepared to defend campus administrators from any student uprisings.

Ty Keltner built an amazing replica out of legos and put together a comic detailing the process. All the final structure needs for atmosphere is some kid chucking watermelons off the roof and a few pale streakers being chased by bike cops.

• Ty Keltner’s Amazing Lego Gruening Project