Daily Transmission #35: Fairy Warrior

It’s a lazy Saturday, so why not color something!

This is the Fairy Warrior, a character I created for Power Pencils and originally intended to be part of the Pencil of Stories ornament set, but I ran out of time to make the ornament. He has a backstory that I may get to at some other time. Or maybe you can tell me his story.

Want to color your own? Here’s a black and white version.

Click to make it big, print it out and color as you wish. I’d love to see your finished product. Send me the results: Dan@PowerPencils.com.

Happy Saturday!

Daily Transmission #34: Super Bowl Facts

You may find yourself at a Super Bowl party this Sunday, and you may feel the need to talk about sports. If you don’t know anything about sports, relax. I’ve got your covered. Become a conversation all-star with any of these sport facts!

“Touchdown” is short for “To Touch the Crown” taken from the poem “League of Kings” published in 1802. It originally referred only to horse racing.

Each black stripe on an official’s uniform represents an unjust murder.

One player on each team spends the entire game in the temple, praying for peace.

The shape of the football is the exact orbital arc of Earth around the sun.

The left goalpost is called “The Joseph” and the right post is called “Yella’ Tommy.” The bar connecting the two is known as “Cat’s Trough.”

The extra point was introduced in 1972 after a Green Bay player did a very good job and the officials felt the entire team should be rewarded for his bravery.

There are 100 yards on a football field — ten yards for every letter in the word “football” plus twenty yards for good luck.

The average American will spend 45-seconds of the Super Bowl saying the word “Holding!”

Whichever player picks up a yellow flag tossed by an official receives three secret bonus tokens that can be used to buy snacks and goodies from the cart in the locker room.

The 1982 Super Bowl ended in a 0 to 0 tie after both teams agreed to share the trophy.

If the quarterback throws the ball, and the ball hits a bird, the bird (if it survives) is technically part of the team and must be paid the league minimum salary.

No one in the NFL is currently named Meredith, but it can be a boy’s name.

Coaches often cover their mouths when giving instructions because they worry about spreading germs and getting their key players sick.

More people will watch the Super Bowl than were stung by a bee this year. And it’s only getting worse.

Daily Transmission #33: Five Random Things On My Desk

My desk is an ever-evolving collection of things. It operates like a museum, with temporary exhibits and a few permanent showstoppers. I tend to clean off the entire desk every December when it’s time to decorate for the holidays, and then in January items and nick-nacks find their way on the desk.

Because the day is getting away from me and I refuse to let a day pass without posting anything, today’s Daily Transmission is the first in a series. Here are five things I look at when I can’t think of anything else to write.

Belvedere Zippo Lighters
In 10th grade, my history teacher gave us an assignment to write a paper explaining our own thoughts on the Kennedy assassination. I wrote a detailed, though silly, explanation on how Mr. Belvedere was involved. (Of all the old TV shows about butlers/housekeepers, Mr. Belvedere was one of the very worst.) My gruff and grumpy teacher gave me an A on the paper, laughed and said I should be writer. So I became a writer, because I’m easily influenced. When I received my very first paycheck as a very real writer ($200 for a magazine article in 2001), I used most of the money to buy myself a lighter with the word “Belvedere” engraved on it to remind me of how it all started. Years later, I thought I lost the original lighter, and had another made with “Belvedere II” engraved on it. I’m not a smoker. I just like having a lighter as a small, lucky trophy. Continue reading

Daily Transmission #32: Calvin and Hobbes Pitch

Dear Mr. Bill Waterson:

This letter is to inform you that we here at Imagination Productions are very interested in transforming your Calvin and Hobbes comic strip into a big budget film series. While you may scoff, we ask that you hear us out. We know what we’re doing. You can trust us.

If the success of recent films such as Smurfs and the upcoming Smurfs: The Lost Village are any indication, audiences are mildly eager to see beloved characters from the 80s and 90s on the big screen! Now it can finally be your turn for the Hollywood spotlight!

We have already worked out a treatment for the Calvin and Hobbes movie. Continue reading