Sometimes you find a deal you can't pass up. This happened to me recently when I was picking up my comic pull from our local shop, Paper Heroes.

Every now and then Kevin (the owner) will by a bunch of old comics off of someone. Most of the time it's things that I bought back in the 80's, around the time of Crisis on Infinite Earths. But sometimes he'll get a batch of older stuff in, and I like to pick through those boxes when he gets 'em.

On this particular trip he had a stack of old Thor comics, about 6 or 7 of them, and they were in decent shape  (and by that I mean that they weren't coming apart in my hands). I would loved to have had them all, but they were all around $6 bucks a piece and I'd already spent close to my weekly comic book budget (self imposed, mind you). That all being the case, I picked the one with the coolest cover and interiors.

I don't get an opportunity to look through old books like this very often. It's a rare treat, and I thought I'd share a few pages with you.

What's an "Oran?" It's easy to find out. I'm all over the place! See where... Why not share this with your network? Share | "Social Media 2.0" is almost here! Have you sent in your RSVP? Fusion Five, a professional organization in Lake Charles, Louisiana, is hosting a Social Media Summit for Southwest Louisiana professionals. The event, titled "Social Media 2.0" is this Friday, August 27th at the Willis Noland Resource Center (The Chamber) from 2-4 pm. There was a great turn-out for last year's Social Media Summit, and it appears that Fusion Five is preparing for this to be a "standing room only" event, so please make sure you take a moment to RSVP. It was my pleasure to share "My Tweet Story" presentation with the attendees from last year's Social Media Summit. This year I'm really "egg"cited (I know, I know) to share my thoughts on using social media to develop your personal brand in my new presentation, "ID Thy Self: Using Social Media to Build the Brand of You." This is an "egg"cellent (Sorry!) presentation for those who are well versed in using social networks, and it's even better suited for a beginner who is interested in using the tools to step into the spotlight. After this presentation you'll have a better handle on how to identify the things that make you who you are, and learn how to use them to build and manage a strong personal brand... even if you have to break a few eggs in the process. So, what the heck should you be using Linked In for? Make sure you RSVP for the Fusion Five: Social Media 2.0 event to see Becky Girola's presentation, where she'll give us the Linked In low-down! This is sure to be an eye-opener for those of you who have a Linked In profile, but haven't quite put it to work just yet. I'm really looking forward to sharing what I've learned by putting Social Media to work for my personal brand over the past few years, and I know that Becky is pretty pumped as well. This should be a lot of fun for everyone, and a great professional networking opportunity. See you at the social! -Oran

I'm driving my kids to work this morning, taking our usual route past the scenic refineries (pretty much exhaust, trains and big trucks), and my daughter shouts out, "Look, Dad!" I whip my head over and what a treat for the eyes!

There, painted on the side of a box-car, in super-bright colors, was the Incredible Hulk about to throw down with the ever-lovin' Thing! I thought you folks might dig on it, so I pulled over and snapped a few pics.

Over the past few weeks I've been digging around in some old sketch books from the '90s. If you've been following along then you've probably seen many drawings that depict symbols, or totems that was very fixated on during that time.

That was a time of great discovery for me, and most that personal journey was set in motion by a series of subtle yet powerful events that took place in the Summer of 1995, specifically August 1st. I don't share the story with many people these days, as there are religious, meta-physical and supernatural elements involved. I find that the details unnerve many, and spark discussions that challenge the typical bible-belt view of religion that permeates the region in which I live.

I can say that as I trace back the moments of my life, I always come back to this specific day as a nexus point for great change. While I've reflected on all the moments of my life, those that I can recall with some clarity, this singular day instilled an openness, determination, balance and resolve that I still call on to this very day. It defines a large part of me and I apply the things I learned from that time period quite often.

I will spare you the details of the event, but I would like to share with you a series of sketches that I developed in the year 1996 as I reflected on the details of that August day in 1995.

"It Is All Okay"

"Eternal Rose"

"Face The Sun"

"Winter Fire"

"Calm"

"Morning Light"

I think this will be the last of my '90s sketches that I share, as I believe it to be the best place to stop. Nearly five years after the Summer of 1995 I slowly started to get away from drawing. There was almost a decade where I simply did not sketch. In the past two years that has changed and I am very happy about it. I bring this up to make a point. Often we learn lessons in life, important ones, and we vow that we'll never forget them. Somehow it's hard to do that, to be committed to a solemn personal vow.

So my Wife went on a little trip with her Mom this past weekend. They take make sure to have a bit of Mother/Daughter time every Summer. Well, my sweet lady always gets me some sort of gift when she travels, even though I insist that she not.

Last year she got me an old Green Lantern comic, which was really cool, but this year she wins the award of sweetest little miss of the year! Lookit what she grabbed for me...

More thoughts from the '90s. I was definitely looking for something back then. It was something elusive. I had questions and the answers to the question where indirect. The harder I looked the more I realized that the answer didn't exist. Meaning didn't exist.


My personal discovery that there wasn't an answer actually ended up resolving a great deal for me. Once I accepted that I couldn't find it, and that most things only echoed of this truth I was looking for, then a sense of peace started to emerge.


In giving up and saying "I don't know" I found a great deal of stability on the matter. It helped me see the world, the ebb and flow, as it is only. When I stopped applying my own desire for meaning and understanding to everything, true meaning and understanding began to emerge. I feel I carry that same "not knowing" with me today.