(Guest Intro by Ernie Mejia, No-Fi "Staffwriter")
So let me start by saying that I believe that there is a time and a place for everything. Now i'm not talking about destiny, or faith or any of that other bad bar conversation shit. All I can tell you is that if something is forced then it really isn't going to come out the way it was intended. So the editor and I have been taking about giving Menso a nice chunk of an issue. It so happens that this month is the lucky bunny. Now IÝ knew I would be drawing and paintingÝ a
lot of things for the issue, but I didn't want to do it too far in advanced. If things get done too early then you run into the problem of not being current and all of that. I know what your thinking. " But Menso is so timeless and charming that you could do no wrong, Ernie!"... Well, call me nutty.ÝÝÝÝÝ Anyway, about a month before this issue was to come out me and my lady friend decided to buy a new pad and move into it. That alone kind of put a big ass monkey wrench into my drawin' and thinkin' time. As the deadline crept up we settled into our new abode, I unpacked my art supplies and... my friend Jeff flies in from Arkansas. Now Jeff happens to be the first person to visit me up here in Oregon (in four years), so I really want to just hang out and all that nonsense. So as he leaves to visit relatives in Washington , i'm thinking that as close as the deadline is, I can still pack it all down.ÝÝÝÝÝ Of course I didn't expect a phone call from my brother Carlos telling me that he rode his motorcycle up here and he's downtown... And so he's great and we hang out
for a few days and he just left. And I have time to write this. These words would really be different if I just did my bit for this issue 4 months ago. What i'm getting at is that between moving, guests and work, as I poured coffee into my brain late at night and stopped watching my favorite drug , I wrote and illustrated all the things I wanted to, and I don't think I would have liked the outcome had this all happened another way.ÝÝÝÝÝ I don't envy you, Chris. This stuff is pretty hard on the body and soul, and for you to do this month in and out, well,I love you brother. Everybody on the staff is so great. I give you all permission to feel yourselves up. Oh, and Elrod and Menso hope you enjoy this issue. Shout outs to my horsies, The Stompersons, Toby, Esteban, and to the donut shop lady who doesn't sell porn like her evil money grabbing doppleganger.Yay donuts!
Yr. No-Fi "Pal",
Ernie Mejia (aka "Elrod")
