Over the past couple of months, I've been inundated with questions:
"Are you retiring too?" "Is everything OK?" "Where the hell are you?" "Where's my money?" "What makes you think I would ever touch you there?"
Many of these questions have been sparked by the lack of updates on TheFourthRail.com, and the fact that the dead air comes in the wake of Randy Lander's announcement pseudo-retirement, the timing couldn't have been worse.
Bad timing has been a recurring theme in my life these days. Good things have been happening -- my longtime girlfriend finally got a job in the same city as yours truly, and we've moved in together in a new, larger apartment -- but those good things have required disruptions in my life.
In other words, I moved. In the process, comics came to be something of a bane in my life, as I was struck by the sheer volume of what I've got lying around. The move -- conducted while my girlfriend and I still had to go to work everyday -- was a staggered process, in part by design, in part by screwup and in part due to illness. It was an exhausting process, but it would have been a million times worse had I not found some friendly and affordable professional movers.
Now if the move wasn't bad enough, I started having some problems with my PC in mid-January. I attributed it to a virus, but remedies didn't seem to help. In fact, the problem was worsening, and I found myself not only deprived of online access, but my chief writing implement and my files. Soon, I discovered that my computer was in the habit of not recognizing it had a hard drive. Yep, the PC is screwed, the hard drive is on its last legs. It's not a great tragedy; I've been on this desktop for six years now. It's time for a new one.
But again, that brings us back to bad timing. Moving is expensive. And on top of that, I'm finding it difficult to lay out the cash when there's a chance that my employer might provide a refurbished PC that would suit my needs for next to nothing. I'm torn... do I wait, or do I spend?
I ended up spending to get a brand-new PC. Of course, days later, the afore-mentioned refurbished computer turned up on my desk at work. So I now I have too much technology cluttering my already-cluttered apartment.
I can hear my readership's collective eye-rolling all the way over here in Atlantic Canada. I know... I don't blame you. I wouldn't care either. I only share my tales of woe to explain my online absence. I assure you -- the absence wasn't by design, and it is my mission to ensure it doesn't happen again (save for the occasional vacation).
I offer this week's update -- complete with new reviews -- to allay readers' fears and to serve as a sign of my forthcoming full-time return. My technical difficulties might result on continued inconsistency of updating schedules, but now that I'm back on my information-technology feet, regularity will return to the Rail. (This promise is brought to you by the good people at Metamucil. Metamucil -- don't forget to flush.)
I've also received a lot -- and I mean a lot -- of offers from readers and comics reviewers from other sites to "replace" Randy. I haven't been in touch with most of those who offered, so allow me to answer here: much appreciated, but no thanks. TheFourthRail.com is something Randy and I built together, not just a site featuring two regular critics. Besides, Randy's not gone altogether. He'll be contributing features from time to time. And I plan on upping the content I generate, with plans for the return of "Letter Bugs" and more.
Reminder for publishers and creators: If you send me review material regularly or want to send something new, touch base with me to ensure you have my new address.
And to readers, I hope you're willing to stick with me in light of recent delays and changes. Feel free to e-mail me (link below) with thoughts, suggestions and more.
Don MacPherson wears pants in public begrudgingly.
