Because I rarely post any photography, here are some snapshots Meg and I took this year:

KEY:

1. Southern Ohio Sunset snapped from the back seat of a Honda moving at 60mph
2. Rainbow and powerwashing equipment in Montreal
3. The Mueller control tower at Christmas
4. Playground in our neighborhood
5. My teeth x-rays: taken during a tortuous dental appointment
6. Jonathan Meiburg, Thor Harris, and Bill Callahan (smog) rehearsing at The Mohawk
7. A chair at Clementine coffee shop
8. Automusik at Maker Faire
9. Pimp Mon Char – seen on TV in Montreal
10. Me at Maker Faire

What a nutty year. The pages of my paper 2008 diary are full—right up until the end of June, when things got crazy, and I lost six months of my life to writing a book, buying a house, and watching Obama get elected. Phew! About the same happened with this blog: July came around…and poof! I blogged about half as much for the second half of the year. (Check out the infographic above and the 2008 Visual Archive.)

So what now, 2009? The only thing I have planned is the book release in September. I’m going to take a break in January and February, curl up on my office couch, and read some really big books. Hopefully start blogging some more. Around March, I’m going to try to start on another book. Maybe a graphic novel. I’ll be posting whatever I come up with here, along with a bunch of blackout poems that didn’t make the book.

Thanks for reading. It was a great year for me, and everybody who visited the site, left comments, linked to the poems…y’all made it so.

My very best to you. Warm wishes for a great 2009!

Eleven good books I read this year:

	What It Is by Lynda Barry What more can I say about this book? It’s collage, it’s a writing textbook, it’s a memoir…it’s everything. It’s big. It’s hardcover. It’s awesome.
	Ways of Seeing by John Berger Fantastic book based on a 1972 BBC miniseries. Amazing how much the contents remain valid in the age of the internet. My map of the book.
	Thoreau At Walden By John Porcellino Porcellino’s simple, zen lines are perfect for adapting Thoreau into comics.
	Born Standing Up By Steve Martin A book that moved quick and didn’t bullshit. Great writing, very subtle and smart jokes. My map of the book
	Don’t Make Me Think By Steve Krug A classic book about web design. My notes on the book.
	Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience By Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi A wonderful book about the psychology behind creativity. My notes.
	The Power of Myth By Joseph Campbell A series of interview with Campbell, accompanied by lots of images. My map of the book.
	And Then There Were None By Agatha Christie My wife’s favorite author. Great, classic read.
	The Gift By Lewis Hyde On art and commerce. Terrific read. My map of the book
	Moneyball by Michael Lewis My review of the book.
	The Cheese Monkeys By Chip Kidd A very funny and quick read. Since so much of the action takes place in the classroom, it sort of functions as a wacky introduction to graphic design.