Don’t worry, we’re talking about the good kind of trailer today, the kind that doesn’t give away every good joke and scene, and makes you more anxious to see something instead of feeling like you’ve already seen everything worth seeing. Promise.

• This page has not been shy about the general awesomeness of people that occupy my voluntary tribal affiliation, the Engineers¹; there are a surprisingly large number of engineer-cartoonists in webcomicdom, particularly given the relative stealthiness of engineers in society² compared to other careers and professions.

  What can I say? They don’t make exciting and/or sexy TV shows about my mathematically-inclined, winging-it brethren. This may well be because we aren’t really very good at explaining what we do³, beyond it’s very complicated and it would take too long so don’t worry. Which may go a long way to explaining why my very favorite engineer-cartoonist is the one that does the most to demystify the ways of my people; while never dismissing the hard work and lifelong study that are the hallmarks of engineering, Angela Melick also shows the sheer delight of making something awesome.

  The latest chronicles of Melick’s life as an engineer (and just as importantly, life beyond engineering) is rapidly approaching, and she has graced us with a book trailer for Cubicle Warrior, the third collection of Wasted Talent. Be ready come March to order the crap out of what will be the best collection yet of the best webcomic dealing with engineering, life, change, Canadianess, and the best stuff in life. Nothing will exceed it until the fourth collection of Wasted Talent, because that’s when we’ll get swords.

• I have watched the trailer for STRIPPED more times than I can count. I am full of anticipation for the final film, and have tried to be patient, lo these long months since an ever-optimistic FredDave Kellett-Schroeder thought that they could have the film wrapped and Kickstarter rewards delivered by January 2012, or at least December 2013. Nobody could have known how many outside limiting factors would delay the production of STRIPPED (not the least being licensing and legal clearances from copyright holders), but for a while now the progress on releasing movie has been dependent upon literally the richest corporation in the world. Thus, these tweets yesterday:
  

  Hooray! Good news from iTunes, today, means good news is coming shortly for 5,000 Kickstarter backers. Just sayinnnnnnnn’.

  Kickstarter backers! @strippedfilm email went out asking for your info to send rewards! If you have probs/questions: dave@davekellett.com :)

  I have a feeling that I am shortly going to be toasting Freddave, and Jen and Ben, and everybody else in the production of STRIPPED with a very generous pour of very good scotch⁴. I’ve known in my heart for a long time that y’all have done good; now’s just when we finally get to see it.

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¹ Right-hand rule represent.

² I speak here of actual engineers, those that are trained, examined, eligible for licensing, and have drummed into them the idea that what they do matters because lives and safety depend on doing their work right.

Anybody that mentions fake “engineering” fancifications designed to make a crappy job sound more appealing will be beaten.

³ My preferred elevator pitch is Engineers bend the laws of nature and math to practical use. If it stands up instead of falling down, goes where it’s supposed to instead of stopping, turns on instead of powering down, or generally works instead of breaking, then engineers designed the interesting bits.

⁴ I have it on good authority that that Kellett half of Freddave Kellett-Schroeder will be celebrating with a delightful wine cooler.