Story Time

7.9.09

The monsters are very high energy creatures. They need to be almost constantly moving, which I have to admit can get a little stressful at times.

Luckily we have a few motivated monsters that have begun organizing games. I think the only one that they all agree on the rules is tag, and then it usually devolves into a free-for-all wrestling match anyway. Besides I think they secretly like arguing about the rules more than actually playing the games.

But now my workspace occasionally gets taken over by ball-playing, running, and general romping. I've learned my lesson though. Do not send them outside. If it's bad enough having to deal with them when I saw what happened, trying to decipher what could have happened to that monster now stuck up in a tree from their incoherent stories is just too much.

6.5.09

After this crazy weekend in Ithaca when so many monsters found new homes, the monsters still with me asked me if they could write a letter to everyone. So this is to all the monsters that have ever gone out into the world.

Dear Brothers, Sisters, Cousins, and Whatevers,
How are you? We're good. We hope you like your new home. We're jealous happy that you get to travel and make new friends. Please write back and send pictures. We miss you.
love,
All of us

[Editor's Note: I'd love to post letters and photos on my blog from/of monsters in their new homes. I've also set up a Flickr group for photos of monsters out in the world. Please join and post!]

5.6.09

We recently did a whole lot of spring cleaning around the apartment. Usually the monsters are content to just get out my way. But somehow they got swept up into the procedure this year.

Heidi, the shark monster asked what she could do to help. She had a whole line of monsters behind her looking at me with pleading eyes. I don't know if she shamed them into helping or if there was something else they really didn't want to do. But I gave them the broom and mop and told them to start in the kitchen.

Balanced on top of shoulders they somehow managed to sweep, but the mopping proved beyond them. They did get the floor wet, but everything else besides.

In the meantime, I managed to get the rest of place looking respectable, so it worked out in the end.

4.15.09

Mr. Dibb considers himself to be somewhat of a scientist. He keeps a journal of observations and will debate the finer points of scientic philosophy with anyone willing to listen, which the monsters will admit is not many and certainly not twice.

However when the monsters got together and decided they wanted a garden, they went first to Mr. Dibb. Who else would know what they needed or even how to begin?

As with any endeavor, Mr. Dibb first thought long and hard about the subject of botany. He filled many pages in his notebook with illustrations and ideas.

The other monsters became bored watching him and soon drifted off to other pursuits. But Bessimina, who had been the instigator for the garden idea in the first place, watched these notes appear and had an idea of where to start. She slowly started gathering a monster here or there to drag pots and dig soil.

By the time Mr. Dibb was ready to expound on horticulture with the other monsters, Bessimina had already put his ideas into action. Mr. Dibb found himself suddenly surrounded by a gaggle of proud monsters showing his ideas come to life.

2.2.09

The Bunny Gang approached me one day with a very serious questions.

"Why aren't we allowed in the kitchen?"

Casi seemed to be their ring leader, though they all looked expectant.

Scenes of carnage raced through my mind, imagining all of the mischief and mayhem that could be caused by monsters in the kitchen. Eventually their pleading eyes won me over.

"Because you don't know how to cook."

And thus began Bunny Monster cooking lessons.

1.15.09

Between Christmas and New Year's is a quiet time for monsters. No new ones are being born. The sound of creation is silenced. The whole community takes a moment to remember those that have found a new home.

But they can't stay quiet forever, or even for long. On New Year's Eve they throw a giant party. Moustacheo, the pirate Zap Monster, and Hugh Bris, the first ever Love Monster, team up to get the place moving and shaking. They convince the rest that while the creator (I guess that's me) is away, the monsters will play.

Someone gets out a kazoo and they rig up a disco ball (from who knows where) and dance on the tables.

By the end of the night (or morning), Moustacheo has saddled the cat and prods him with a chopstick to gallop around. Hugh keeps giving everyone big hugs and saying: "I love you maaaan!"

11.11.08

Que the Bunny Monster was sitting reading his favorite book, the dictionary, upside down of course. The fact that he'd never learned to read didn't stop the rest of the monsters from revering his special reading time. He is considered by most of the local monster population to be the smartest monster in town.

Occasionally Que will take a pencil and make a few marks on the page next to a particularly interesting word. All of the other monsters crowd around and whisper about what it could mean.

Last week, they were all in a tizzy because half way through a normal reading session, Que slammed the dictionary closed, tossed it to the ground and went to the roof for some air. No one has touched the book since and they all cast suspicious glances in its general direction.

10.10.08

The monsters that live in the studio have a peculiar ecological balance to maintain. As their creator is so close by and watchful they are both more timid and more brave, ever fearful of the wrath of the their creator and yet with a special need to prove themselves. Thus the mischief and the pranks spiral ever higher until inevitably the bookshelf is knocked over or the irreplaceable knick-knacks are forever gone.

Just recently, I came in the door to find the whole place in disarray . As I stood with my mouth hanging open taking in the destruction, several of the monsters pointed at each other laying the blame on someone else. Hera the Shark Monster just said, "Yeah, but if it had worked, it would have been amazing."