It all started last night, I forgot both my keys and phone at work, then I couldn’t sleep, ended up watching a horrible early morning movie.  After I finally got to sleep I woke up to late, realized I didn’t have my keys…and had to ride my bike to work under rain-heavy skies.  When I got there…it was locked…after waiting ten minutes, Bruce let me in and when I found my phone, I had several messages.  Two of which messages hinted toward how I had not shown up for shifts at Fenouil and that my job there was on the line!! Apparently I had misread the schedule and was looking at the wrong week!!! Damn it!! After much phone deliberation I sped over there on my bike to hash it all out and try and keep my job.  Which I did (whew.)  On my way back to Carlyle, however, in the pouring rain, I slipped-out on a street car track and crashed my bike!!! And of course threw out my bad wrist to catch myself!!  So my entire painful shift of new menu prep and dinner desserts was done with one hand, and one severely swollen hand/wrist!! I hope I didn’t re-break the fucker!!  Sheesh!! WWSMD?

  If there’s one good thing that has come out of this broken arm, it has been learning Photoshop.  The past few weeks I’ve spent countless sunny hours sucking up this program like a blood starved creature of the night.  When I wasn’t drawing or compositing, I’ve been reading web comics, which inspired me to start drawing my own.  Now I have another way to express my love of food; by chronicling the misadventures of a hero whose head is made of butter.  I’ve posted the second page here on mrjeffmccarthy.com for my loyal readers to enjoy.  Maybe one day I’ll enough content to start another site exclusively for all my cool drawings.  With this cast coming off on Wedsnesday, and me hopefully going back to work, I’ll only be able to play around with the computer alot less.

I NEED to COOK!!! So what better dish to pull out but my Mom’s Baked Ziti.  Why? Because I can do it with one arm, okay?  I’ve seen this recipe put together so many times I can do it in my sleep.  My mom used to do this on Sundays after church, and it’s probably one of the first things I tried to make on my own after toast.  It’s evolved over the years to include penne instead of ziti, fresh tomatoes melted into the mozzerella on top, and enough cheese to kill a…well…it’s got a retarted amount of cheese.  I also used pre-fab alfredo and marinara sauces to make the meat sauce.  C’mon I got a broken arm, okay? Don’t try and tell me you don’t use that much butter on your bread, either.  Salad and bread purchased at New Seasons.  

Thanks mom, for always being there…and thanks Kate, for always believing in me…and of course the fans, without them this would never have been possible.  But most of all, thank you Lagunitas for making this broken arm possible.

It’s a simple equation: 

Simpsonizeme.com + Google Images + Photoshop=  10 hrs. closer to getting this god forsaken cast off my arm. 

Technology rules.

The level of energy that goes into something like this is just staggering. Burger King and our favorite show ever have teamed up to show everybody just how easy it is to get in your head. A friend of mine told me he had recieved an email with a drawing of himself, as a Simpsons character. He was a little freaked out. Most of us probably mentally or verbally reference The Simpsons two or three times a week. It’s a true cutural icon. And now you can be more American than you ever dreamed! Simpsonize!!

Personally, I was a little dissapointed in my Simpsons doppelganger, but I did come to a stark realization. They will get you. The combination of media that screams at you everywhere, everyday, is futile to ignore. And nothing is sacred. If they wanted you to…you would eat a greasy egg in a dirty ashtray, the whole time thinking about Mickey Mouse. Clearly, when the machines take over, it will be advertising that is used to control us.

Here’s Me Vs. Cast Monster in an epic battle to the death…man I need to get out of the house…