I tend to be the type of person who is always thinking of some sort of bold idea, but the catch is that a lot of them are terrible (Note to our online comment section trolls: here’s a free opening for you this week). My wife has to hear most of these harebrained schemes on a daily basis, for which you should probably console her if you ever run into her.
Once, when I worked somewhere else, I wanted to start a ‘zine (remember the 90’s?) called Company Time, wholly composed and produced while on the clock at a day job. Another: the week when I was convinced we should open a high-end slushie store or kiosk downtown. Actually, that isn’t such a bad idea. Could someone get on that?
The catch is that I also have the power to make my flights of wonder happen when it comes to the paper I edit. So, for months, I’ve been looking for an excuse to do a coloring book-styled page as the front cover. So, no, we weren’t too cheap to use much color on the front of the paper this week, it was a deliberate style choice. I thought if anyone was a fitting subject for that treatment, it would be legendary Tap Room bartender Tiger, so I swindled artist Arnie Bermudez to give us a cover image that could be given the Crayola treatment (or colored pencils, if that’s your thing).
Based on some of the looks I got around here when I was explaining the concept, maybe this wasn’t my best idea, but hey, we’re doing another issue next week, so why not try something different, even if it only amuses me. I still think it’s cool, so I’m going to ride that out until convinced otherwise.
Since I’m fully committed to this idea, let’s have a coloring contest. Yes, I’m serious. Send a scan or photo of your colored in version of the cover to dgibson@tucsonweekly.com, I’ll put the best ones on The Range, and pick a winner. This, of course, assumes someone will actually enter, but to make it sort of worth your while, I’ll give the best colorist a $50 Congress gift certificate. Next week, however, we’ll probably go back to the standard full-color cover aesthetic. Still, this week will be fun for me while it lasts.
This article appears in Nov 7-13, 2013.
I love coloring contests! I think its a brilliant idea, however I also think the high end slushie place would be awesome so…
It must be immaturity month at the Weekly. But I can only speak for the Editor, the Editor’s wife, and the Editor’s friends.
The “trolls” you refer to are insightful and non-judgmental readers. Non-judgmental because you don’t know the difference between that and simple observation.
The trolls are your bread and butter.
Jerk.
Delete away. That’s the punctuation to immaturity.
Yes Bob: I’ve never deleted anything of yours, have I? Do you double-dog dare me to ban you?
Actually, I feel pretty safe in saying you’re just a troll, and while I guess I do profit from your binge of comments each week in the most minor way, for the two or three clowns who engage in this shitty behavior, there are thousands of people who visit our site each day without resorting to trying to get attention in the most pathetic manner.
Do you know my wife or my friends? Say what you will about me, that’s fine, but to pretend that you have any sense of what my wife is like from a few remarks I’ve made? That’s what I call trolling, especially when you hide behind a screen name and that dumb giraffe profile photo from Facebook.
Remember when you emailed me to bring my attention to one of your insults? That was cool.
Salty.
Especially the part about the importance of having a “meaningful” Facebook profile photo.
Yes, Yes Dan. All that and more.
But the next time you’re pimping out your made-up aggregate hits, clicks and comment metrics to advertisers, include all the insulting pricks you depend on.
Bob: If you want to continue this discussion, feel free to stop by the office sometime.
So um, have you picked a winner yet?