ZCB Industries - an exciting new direction in tl;dr

This long weekend has given ol' ZCB plenty of time for reflection, contemplation and experimental hangover cures (I still prefer a Bloody Mary). I thought long and hard about where to take this blogging effort next, now that the Collection has been sent to a better place (Ann Arbor, MI).

I have many interests and pursue quite a few side projects while keeping the airwaves safe entertaining for kith and kin. And I've dropped vague and cryptic hints along the way since March about a couple of these (Comicro? Pulpwear? SnackyPOP?!). While sitting on the back deck on a beautiful Saturday morning, it hit me: why not try to accomplish everything at once, while maintaining a full-time job and supporting a gorgeous wife and two wonderful, crazy kids (first day of school tomorrow...more excited than I should be)?

So here goes everything. Effective immediately, you'll start seeing new daily activity here on ZCB, and during the week, you'll be shown a pathway to a new different adventure. Your majestic ship awaits...

Monday - SnackyPOP: I'll be trying out a venture with a few craft soda purveyors and alternative snackmakers. Ya see, kids, the ZCB clan prefers to avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) whenever possible. The stuff is in everything, it seems, and while the jury may still be out on the effects of HFCS in the diets of the citizenry, I just think it's best to stay away from it if you can. And I like me some pop'n'snacks. So I'll point out a few nifty things you might be able to find on the shelf at your local groceteria or at least feature an online ordering option. If you enjoy eating and drinking things, then tasty treats are to be found within!

Tuesday - Pulpwear: Not just the finest t-shirt emporium this side of Steve & Berry's (wait, what?), but also a home for an overview of modern art. I said modern art. Over the past two to three decades, my love of comics has led to an appreciation for many styles of illustration from the past 100-150 years. And Pulpwear is my crass, overtly commercial way of celebrating that. We'll look at some fascinating examples of art nouveau, art deco, early 20th century advertising, cigar box art, produce crate art (!) and much much more. Seriously, this stuff is beautiful. You'll see.

Wednesday - The Comicro: This is where the comic book talky talk will reside. The Comicro will still feature my erudite musings on collectin' stuff, and we'll get back to the Indiestarter updates too. I have been enjoying the wonders of mini-comics and the small press much more as Marvel leaves me behind with it's rebootin' and renumberin' and what not. WAY back, I worked for Geppi's Comic World, and I've always been interested in the funny book biz too, so we'll touch on that. I still do have plenty of comics, so I might point out a few gems to faithful readers as well. And it all happens on Wednesday, cuz you know, it's Wednesday.

Thursday - The United States of Whiskey: Cheers! You've made it this far in the post; it's time for a drink or two. As we stagger towards to the weekend, we'll look at the amazing craft spirit industry. I don't drink the demon liquor too often, but I do enjoy bourbon (to be more specific, George Dickel #8), and rum, wine, beer, cider, vodka, gin, a growing selection of cocktails, and various new concoctions that can occasionally be found in the great state of Wisconsin. I've heard there might be a couple of drinking establishments nearby (I live near Lambeau) so access to booze is likely certain.

Friday - BBQHoney: I grill. A lot. The charred flesh of unlucky animals has always been a favorite among my tribe, and I've grown fond of developing my own sauces and marinades. Two things happened recently: I discovered all but one brand (Stubb's) of BBQ sauce at the local supermarket have HFCS as a prime ingredient. I also found out that Wisconsin frowns on people selling their own stuff unless made in a commercial kitchen. I don't have time for that, but I do make a kick ass chipotle sauce that, for now, will only be enjoyed on the grounds of the ZCB compound. Did I mention bees? They seem to be disappearing and that's bad. Very bad. Peanut butter and honey sandwiches rule! So I have a vested interest in bees proliferating. As do we all, really. See you Friday, TGIF and all that.

Saturday - Travelocirapture Voyage of the Darned: More of a personal sidelight, where I'll be looking back at my travels and looking ahead to places I've yet to visit. Over the past 25 years, I've been fortunate to live and travel throughout North America (with a few stops in the Caribbean and South America), and I have experienced some amazing, and some harrowing, events. Grab a cup o'joe, find your cozy place and then troll the living shit outta me in allcaps with all the cool/hip things I missed when I was in your town. Also, I couldn't think of a better name than Travelocirapture. I made a slight improvement. Suggestions are still encouraged.

Sunday - Zombie Cat Bacon: - Hey, that's right here! Yup, we end up back at the beginning to prepare for a new week of yammering on and on about things I find interesting. But as a treat for those of you that stuck with me, I tell you what movies, TV, and sports you should be watching. Music and games too. If you're well behaved, I'll share the tale about the time I saw Devo and Black Sabbath in the same week back in the 80's.

Can I pull this off? Can I blog every day? Do I have enough material? I think so.

Alright, I'll give it a try...