Living in the Moment

Hey friends.

My BOOK SALE continues! Ends this Friday. Take advantage by clicking on my post about it before. 

In addition to the book sale, I decided to do a one week only COMMISSION SALE! Basically you get two commissions for the price of one! Sale ends Friday as well. Look at commission info by clicking HEREJust know that when you order, youre getting TWO pieces for the same price. Hurry! It ends this Friday. 

Today I had a great moment I wanted to share. Well, several in fact. I spent this weekend with my boys. They are growing up so fast. They were so well behaved that its unreal. I played cars, Hungry Hippos and tickle fights. And of course, vacuumed with little James. After I dropped them off I spent a few hours on my own. I just vegged out watching FORCE AWAKENS, PEARL JAM TWENTY and IM YOUR SAVIOR (A Jim Florentine stand up thingie). My girl got home and we watched DEMON KNIGHT. We finished it this morning, actually. I had never seen it. 

This morning I was trying to pull the cord to start up my art engine but it didnt take. Instead I spent all morning with my girl. I wont go into details, but it was a nice morning all around. 

Then I go to work. A couple weeks ago I recommended my pal Dean for a position in our department. I knew all along he'd get it. And im glad to say he did! Finally today we were standing together at work... For thr first time in ten years. It was a moment.

Back in 2002, I got a job at the Morning Sun newspaper. He worked there at the time. I kinda already knew him from the comics world and I worked with his wife. But for five years there we worked together. We ate our lunches together and chatted about everything in our lives. He became a close friend of mine. Then he left in 2006 to move to the Lansing area and a new job. I spent another year at the newspaper before doing another move of my own to southwest Michigan. There I worked two different jobs and then relocated back to Lansing. We made it a point to keep in touch. Once back in Lansing, we started monthly drinking and game nights. We drifted through a sea of comic show appearances and personal life ups and downs. He was there for me in very key events during thr breakup of my marriage and his friendship has meant the world to me. 

Cut to this year: Im working at my graphic design job. Ita a great place, great pay, wonderful opportunities and a room full of some of the best people Ive ever known. Some of whom I got real close with. As you know, one of them was Caleb, my friend who passed away on August 6th. After the smoke cleared when that went down, the question did arise: who can come in and join us there at the job? I immediately thought of Dean. 

No one can replace my friend. But the idea of a close friend there in addtion to my new friends at work would really lift my spirits. Its been weird there since Caleb has been gone. And i know Dean has the type of personality that would fit in quite well there. Everyone would feel comfortsble with him, and I know he could learn new skills and do the job well. I pushed hard for him to get it. And he did. 

So today, we stood there. Ten years after the newspaper. Many moves, jobs, relationships and sorrows later. Instantly I felt better. "My friend is here!" I thought. Its going to be okay now. Its going to be great. He's going to grow and learn and earn a wage that he is worth! Screw these jo-jobs that have treated us like shit all our lives. Now we're here together and we're gonna kick some ass. He made me smile again in that room. 

I couldn't help it. I gave him a hug for the first time in our almost fifteen year friendship. The moment wasn't lost on me. Who he is to me. What this new job means to him. What it represented for us to be standing there in the same spot. I felt like crying. I just knew then: I'm going to be ok. 

Life is full of little moments like that. Make sure you mark them in your own life. Its important to know how far you have come in this life, and who you hold dear. I know we're going to have a great time working together again. 

Today was a great moment. The moment I knew Im going to be ok. 

--T