Congratulations! And... phooey.

A longtime friend of mine has been writing a webcomic (Thunderstruck) for the past five years. He drew this icon for me. I was a beta reader of the first comic book-style version (photocopies of which I still have).

He's stopping the comic. For very good reasons - he's been writing a novel and it's getting some interest, so he needs the time and energy to devote to pro writing. I'm very happy for him and I wish his career well. I'll probably pick up his novel when it gets published, just 'cause.

But selfishly, I will miss his comic.

I promise next week will not involve meat.

This week's Resolution Recipe: Slow-Roasted Pork Belly with Fennel and Rosemary.

"Pork belly is a perfect mixture of meat and fat. The fat bastes the meat, making this a forgiving roast that is hard to overcook. I find that an initial hot blast in the oven is never quite enough to make very crisp crackling, so I give the cooked roast a quick spell under the broiler. Watch carefully, however, because the skin burns easily.
The kale in this dish adds color, but it also adds a little bitterness that sharpens the taste of the sweet fennel and onions. Serve with crusty bread or mashed potatoes, or with some soft polenta if you want to keep the Italian theme going."

( Jump in mah belly! )

What I'm reading: Mark Van Name, Overthrowing Heaven