Frozen In Place

Hey friends. Well Ive made it into the new year somewhat safely. I'm slowly adjusting my health habits and it is going to be a long process. I'm really trying to avoid failure. I gotta brave the ice and snow for some more fruits and chicken sometime this week. Its about 2 degrees outside right now. I will be wearing my long johns today at work, that is assured. I am still on OT at the day job and it will likely be that way until March. On one hand that is great because it gives me a leg up on saving for the things I want to do this year (vacation, move, stay ahead on bills, etc). On the downside it really allows me about an hour or two before work, and maybe half that after work. I do not get much production time on art stuff unless I want to get up super early or stay up super late. I will try to get some stuff in on this weekend when the boys are here, but even that is limited.

Things like this have me scared to attempt a Patreon page. I know I want to do it, I am just scared of getting stuck on deadlines and expectations. I really could use one week of solid production and bang some shit out. Starslam 3 is behind. Patreon stuff is behind. Pleasant Life 2 stuff is behind. I haven't even been able to begin to start looking at the Wise Intelligence files. I really should just hunker down and just spend a whole month getting no sleep and just get caught up on this stuff. I really should. I shall consider doing that. I got these scenes and drawings dancing in my head and I gotta get them done and out.

Bottom line is that I do not want to disappoint you folks. Nor myself, anymore. New years resolution, I guess. Im working hard to make things happen.

..........Cut to my knee hurting, my eyes straining and I peed out a kidney stone this last week! heh... all true! I do have a shelf life after all.

Anyway, off to bundle up and brave the cold once again. Stay warm and sane, my friends!!

~T

Wrapping it Up... In More Ways Than One

Here we are my friends! My big annual year end wrap up!! This is going to be a big blog full of info and one that will stick with you. Some big announcements and reveals at the end. Let’s just get to it.

2017 sucked. Not as bad as 2016 did, but it still had the feel of a pants full of angry, hungry sea urchins, covered in Tabasco and rubbing alcohol. Politics sucked. Drama sucked. Celebrity deaths sucked... but we also gotta remember the good things that happened. Here are my personal lists for the year:

BEST ALBUMS:
Sons of Apollo
Spocks Beard: Snow Live
NIN: Add Violence/Not the Actual Events
U2: Songs of Experience
Roger Waters: Is this the life we really want

BEST MOVIES:
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Snatched
Trainspotting 2
The Founder

BEST TV SHOWS:
The Orville
Doctor Who

BEST BOOKS:
Doug Stanhope: Digging Up Mother
Invincible (ending early 2018. Rip)
Slots

BEST NEW DISCOVERIES:
The IT Crowd
Nightmare Before Xmas/Its a Wonderful Life (yes I finally saw them)
Mongolian BBQ
Fateful Findings/Neil Breen movies!!

WORST EVENTS OF THE YEAR:
Star Trek Discovery
Trump (nuff said)
Bat Blazer: RIP
Depression issues/therapy
Coworker’s baby health issues
Weight/health decline

BEST EVENTS OF THE YEAR:
Anna’s Kidney Transplant success
Tool/Roger Waters live!
Horrorhound in March
500th episode of Idiothead Morning Show
Two successful Kickstarter campaigns
Snes Classic release (I scored one! Fuck you, scalpers!)
Gumroad launch/success
New Idiothead music
New Car (aka The Pony)
Burlesque Show visit
Video Game parties with friends
Seeing Doug Stanhope live and getting a hug from him

IN MEMORIUM: Chris Cornell, Tom Petty, Hugh Hefner, Harry Dean Stanton, June Foray, Nichole Bass, Gregg Allman, Adam West, Martin Landau, Bernie Wrightson, Sonny Landham, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, George Romero, Daisy Berkowitz, John Hurt, Shyla Stylez, Lawrence Montangne, Stewart Moss, Bernie Casey, Skip Homeier, Miguel Ferrer, Don Marshall, Len Wein, Tommy Castillo, Henry Deutschendorf and probably more I am forgetting at the moment.

IN REVIEW:

2017 was a bummer of a year. I started it out with goals and dreams and one by one they fell by the wayside. I spent a lot of time digging myself out of a lot of emotional windfall that remained from the previous year of events, so much so that I tried a therapist. Some things we did together worked, others did not. I let my health decline, sharply. I had a major scare of hand and wrist trouble. I thought the art part of me was over. I got into drinking heavily. I kept my feelings inside and didn't express myself well. Instead I ate and bought my feelings. Oh, how I did! It got bad. We had to cancel grand plans and vacations we wanted to do. We dealt with a car that was dying on us and let the stress of the outside world get to us. We spiraled... but importantly, we also healed.

I made progress on some new things. I made two new books and launched them via Kickstarter. The first was TALES FROM THE GORE... a horror comic tribute to my friend, Caleb. Then I took a bunch of short stories I had around, plus pinup and sketch art and released THE EROTIC ZONE graphic novel. Both were well funded and rated highly among those who supported them. I kept the podcast up, while attempting a vlog channel that sadly fizzled. I learned new skills at the day job that allows for better job security and personal growth.

My personal time was very limited. I barely could venture out to see friends. I couldn't take the time to see and absorb new media as much as I wanted to. I tried to play video games and watch new things when I could. But the whirlwind life that we live led to great periods of exhaustion, frustration and ultimately, unproductive habits.

————————————————————

So now is the part where we discuss the goals of 2018. Before I go into this and finally cement the thoughts in stone, I will admit that moments ago, I took a long break in writing this and listened to the music that inspired some of what is to come... Just to play with the thoughts that have been in my head about all of this. I had to be sure that what I am about to say is really what I want. And after the last track ended, I still know... it is. Here we go.

Goals and resolutions are essentially embracing change. As I write this, I am a few days away from turning forty years old. I cannot keep doing what I always have. I can feel my body breaking. I must change what I do to it. I can feel my attitude sinking. I must change who I allow to effect it. I can feel my dreams fading... I must rekindle the love for them and daydream it all up again.

All of this is essentially, redefinition. Redefinition is changing who you are and that is nothing to be scared of. It is a major part of growth. Your values, goals, dreams... all of it changes. You learn to find what you really want and go after it. You finally look at the past and just let it go. Fucking goddammit already... LET IT GO!

So I am. Ive thought long and hard about this. My approach to things. My goals. The next phase. How I accomplish what I want. All of it.

Some of this is personal and I am not going to go into it here. But it involves better living, healthier living, sane living. But the other stuff, the big stuff, effects you here. So here it is.

In early 2018, the IDIOTHEAD MORNING SHOW PODCAST is ending. This BLOG that you are reading now, is ending. My physical online book STORE, is closing. And eventually, Idiothead.com as a website will likely shut down.

Um, what?? Yes, I said it.

Am I quitting? No. Fuck no. I couldn't if I wanted to. Art is how I chose to express myself and my life here on this ball of mud. You are stuck with me. That is, if you want to come along for the ride.

So I'm happy to officially announce that in early 2018, everything will transition over to my own personal PATREON PAGE. A new blog, new podcast, new music, monthly comics, other art stuff, writing.... all of it... is going there.

Idiothead.com as a site has been open for over 12 years. I have given out tons of free content during this time. Podcasts, 1,700 blog posts, pics, sketches, comics, audio, etc. All of which will remain and archived here for the time being. But NEW content will all go to the Patreon page. Yes, it will be behind a paywall, of sorts. But there are good reasons for this.

1~ It will allow me to fund my efforts and keep doing them, as well as contributing money toward my future and the future of my family.
2~ It helps me police who can see my stuff and what stuff can be seen. Ive had to keep stuff here at idiothead.com very SFW and I could not fully show progress stuff of my erotica I have been doing the last few years that seems to pay the bills way more than anything else I have attempted.
3~To finally and fully embrace my erotica work and put it more at the forefront of my business model.

This is a maturing, really. While I will miss the old ways of doing things, I have to be honest with myself and say it is not working. I get a nice amount of hits and downloads of the blog and podcast but it has not transitioned to many sales of physical media. My digital downloads and commissions have increased big time. Conventions are not an option because of the expense of them and very little payback. Its time to evolve and go to the big convention in the sky and be paid to do it. I will talk more about the Patreon breakdown in a later blogpost but it most likely will be $1 monthly access to blogs, $10 access to monthly erotica stories, downloads, podcasts, stories, commission shares, book sketches, BTS sketches and tutorials, etc. A LOT of the work will be erotica based but other things will find homes there. PLEASANT LIFE 2 will likely be dolled out in sections on the site... as well as other comics I have promised in the past but have been unable to finish. ANNA POCALYPSE 2, LINGERIE PARTY MASSACRE and others, for example. All will go on there. I will do a physical book run for those that want it, probably via Kickstarter or something. But I will not order many beyond those initial orders to stock a physical book store anymore. I will have to keep one available in some capacity to house the novels I have coming up... those long long long long long long long promised novels I have in various stages. I will clear my plate and get those out there. Promise.

The Patreon is the next step for me. To be honest, I am scared to do it. Its entirely possible I could close shop here, launch it and be doing all that work for like 3 to 5 people. Or maybe I could find many more that want my content. But I gotta chase the whimsies. I have to take the shot. I am inviting you guys to join me there for the ride. For less than the cost of a 20 oz soda, you can get all the content Ive always offered here and more. I think it is okay to ask people if they want to pay for what I do. After almost 25 years in self publishing, I think I am able to do that, finally. Ive paid the dues and then some.

So look for all of that early in the new year.

On the health front, at one point this year I was at the heaviest I had ever been at 415 pounds. I am proud to say that today I weigh 366 pounds. I know, its like throwing a chair off the Titanic, but hey, its a start! When I actually start walking again and kicking the soda demon once again, the pounds will start dripping off again like they did before. Id be happy to be around 250. Just being a fat guy would be fine enough. Raise the stats a bit. Get out of 4X shirts. It is doable.

I have so much to save and plan for. These first few months are going to be difficult. With dieting, saving money, working lots of overtime and drawing in every spare moment I got to launch this Patreon thing... its going to be a challenge. But it is one I am ready for. I cannot look to outside sources to make myself happy, it starts right here. Change comes from within. And to turn 40 is a life change. One I am ready to embrace and kick some ass with. I look forward to all that is to come. Good or bad, tough or easy.. I'm ready to face it.


I wish everyone a safe and happy new year. I wish everyone to follow their own personal goals of change and growth. We can change and be the better version of ourselves. Tell the world to eat your ass and balls and go out and make it happen. We get one shot at this life, folks. Time to step to the line and take the fucking shot. Get it done.

Onward and upward! ~~T

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Gobble Gobble my friends.

This year for Thanksgiving we are spending the day at my GFs parents, eating hearty, watching the Lions lose, and being merry. Then Fri through Saturday its back home for busy time. Except I have to work. I also gotta finish these cards like THIS WEEKEND in order to meet deadline. I got about 25 left to pencil/ink and about 60 to color. Ill make it, no problem. There is so many other things to do. I got a TO DO list a mile and 3/4ths long. I got some anger about some things going on, but also a lot of excitement as well. Nothing I want to spoil quite yet but things are about to get crazy here in Talleyland.

Its been a busy few weeks and last night, mentally, I kinda went to the zoo. I lost my mind about some stuff going on. I just simply lost it with anger and the stress of everything Ive been drifting through lately boiled over. But I did not drink, I did not cry. I just rolled through it. I got home and watched some Curb Your Enthusiasm and went to sleep. This morning I am better and ready to let it roll off my shoulders.

All I can have this morning is gratitude. Things I am thankful for. Like having a good job, my bills are all paid thanks to my hard work, loving and supportive fans around the world, a great relationship, great kids, any toy or cd/dvd/record I could want, etc. I could list them all but Ill just keep the good thoughts internal so they fight off all the bad think pain thoughts. So much great stuff is coming. So much... I truly feel like its going to be okay and everything I am working so damn hard for is going to come to fruition. Some major hurdles are about to be jumped over and kicked to the ground. Positive things are happening. Stuff that makes me excited to make it happen and enjoy the experience while it lasts!

And that is just in my personal life. In my professional life, at the day job Im about a NOIINE (Stern show reference) and in my second job, Im quickly approaching a personal TEN! I pencilled and inked two short stories for the Patreon page. I am getting these new sketch cards out the door. I am finally ramped up and better at consistency at getting things done. I ordered the books for the new Kickstarter and I am doing commissions and sketches for it. Everything Ive had on hold is now starting to come together. Its an exciting time.

When I think of these things, this greatness to come (personally and professionally), it is hard to dwell in the anger that derailed me last night. I am ashamed I let it get to me. Because in the end, it really does not matter. The only thing that matters is how I feel about things and my efforts to make things in my life happen. And right now, things are going great. You will see some of the positive stuff coming my way very soon.

Anyway, how about some pics?

We started XMAS shopping early. Lily Munster always likes the boxes we bring in.

Lilly and Luna Butt, sitting in a tree....

My one relaxing time the last few weeks was another Nintendo get together. I got to beat Kung Fu, TMNT 4 and played a few others. Always important to let loose and party like the old, old men that we are... Do we slay hookers and slam some blow and booze? No... we slam simple beers and play 30 year old video games. Look out ladies, HOT!!!

I am putting it all together. I am keeping it all together. In 2018, we shall all reap the results!

Happy Holiday to those who celebrate. May your turkeys be tasty and your taters be fluffy. I know mine will be.

~~T

Getting Through

Hello friends!

Im busy. No doubt about it. I shouldnt even be taking time to write this blog but I am. I like to touch base with everyone. Plus the readers are increasing. Ive noticed a definate spike in readership of the blog and downloads of the podcast. Really gets me charged up for the upcoming Patreon thingie I am doing next year. Yeah, next year. Im not going to hit you with a new thing by Christmas! You got too many other things to shop for. So when the time is right, early next year you will see the PATREON.

The Patreon will be the next step forward in my business model. I am releasing lots of exclusive content on it. A whole new blog and podcast, exclusive erotica comics, unfinished business (namely exclusive comics I started but never finished... but now WILL finish via the Patreon... like ANNA POCALYPSE 2, LINGERIE PARTY MASSACRE and more!) Also  you will get exclusive first looks at STARSLAM 3, PLEASANT LIFE 2 and anything else to come. It really is going to be a major happening. I hope you will consider coming along for the ride.

For those who dont want to be a part of things on the Patreon, dont worry... blogs and podcasts will continue here at idiothead.com.... but not the exclusive stuff on the Patreon. Im talking sketches, NSFW content and way more. I pulled a bunch of reference today for stories I am doing on there. Stuff to finish STARSLAM 3 as well. Its gonna kick ass, man. So much to look forward to in the future!!

But before we get there, I gotta slog through everything I got going now. Including a MASSIVE card set. Im about 1/2 way done with that now. Also a bunch of commissions from the recent Kickstarter for THE EROTIC ZONE book. BTW, lets check the numbers on that: 

HOLY CRAP! THANK YOU!!!!!!!

The majority of those who got the book are NEW readers. Always great to see new people come on board what we are doing here. THANK YOU for ordering! I should get the funds this weekend or early next week and the books will be ordered from the printer. Meanwhile I am doing up the commissions, getting mailers, etc. So much to do to make sure they go out on time!

All of this, and I started the OVERTIME at the day job this week! My dayjob is that I am an output graphic artist at a major printing company here in town. And the months of November to March are typically the busiest time of the year. I usually have constant overtime during this period. Great for paychecks, but I virtually have no free time. Its okay in a way, because in Michigan, those are the snow months. Im going nowhere. And I got a lot to save up for next year. First of all I need a new vehicle. The transmission is going out on my Bat Blazer and so I limit the driving on it when I can. I also will be moving into a new apartment next year so I need funds for security deposit and moving expenses. Plus some new furniture for the place. Ill FINALLY be able to give my boys their own room/my office! Also Id like to plan some sort of trip for me and the misses. So much to plan for.

So anyway, the added overtime will help with all that but will limit my free time considerably. Its going to be a juggle. But hey, thats the gig, right? Ill get through!

I'm trying to be a better person. I'm trying to make healthier choices and get plenty of sleep when I can. I'm cutting down on my drinking... which has gotten a bit out of hand sometimes. Im trying to do something everyday to push me closer to my personal and professional goals, while also taking the time to stop and smell the roses a bit. I'm getting through.

There is so much bullshit going on today. You turn on the news its all Trumpism, whataboutism and other such nonsense. Then you hear that some of your pop culture heroes are indeed deeply troubled, sick motherfuckers. Its easy to feel despair when this stuff happens. You have just enough energy and focus to get your coffee, get to work and get home. You dodge all the arrows of craziness that fly at you constantly. You yield to the stress busses that cut you off on your way. But its okay, folks. You get through.We will get through!! Keep on the path of resistance and move forward!!

Nothing will make me happier than to emerge into early 2018 with my artworking caught up, next book almost ready to be released, Patreon launched, newer and safer vehicle, great holiday memories, weight loss is working, the news doesn't bother me and a smile rests upon my face. We GOT through!!!

Heres to those days that are to come!

~~T

If the Right (FOOT) Don't Get You.... PLUS: A Timeline to Come!

Hey friends!

Remember that tomorrow is the final day to put in your commission order and then my list closes again. I don't see it opening back up until probably next year sometime. I am just way too busy and limited in my working time allotted, health-wise. So this is your best chance. Already got some sweet takers on some things. I got a couple done and digitally sent already. One BIG one to do: An 18x24 custom made job, but one that will be really cool to do. Then a couple more. But there is room for more. Tomorrow is the LAST DAY to get one in before I close the list. Anything after Saturday will be turned away. I say this with peace and love, peace and loooovvve!

I swear man, if it ain't one thing its another. I've had a couple weeks of hell. From personal woes to financial woes, then to dreams broken, to fighting a head cold for almost two weeks... and now this:

I had to call off work yesterday due to this severe pain in my foot. I didn't want to. It took my last vacation day away. Plus its close to a holiday weekend and I am needed. But I literally couldn't walk at all yesterday. I started off the day before. I just had a pain in my foot and I was limping around. No idea what it was or how it happened. Felt like a strain of some sort. But I did my duty and went to work and limped through it. No big deal. Cut to yesterday morning. I am woken up by the severe pain in my foot. I tried to get out of bed to go to the bathroom and holy shit... I'm practically crying through the pain. I couldn't stand up! My girlfriend had to almost carry me into the bathroom. It felt like a severe charlie horse in my upper foot. I wrapped it in ice packs and downed Advil all day. I stayed off it and just laid in bed, praying that I would be better by Friday, because of several factors. 

This morning, it is better. I am able to scoot it around on the floor. I can shift my weight to and fro on it. But driving? Long repeated walking through the factory to my office where I work? Not likely. But I can get by. I'm going to keep ice on it all morning and down pills as I can before work and hopefully get through the day. Then Saturday I got my kids. No idea how I will be able to drive and get them, but I will find a way.

Dammit, its always SOMETHING, isn't it?

Oh well. Its not all doom and gloom. This week I've been able to color a lot on newer pages for this side project I am trying to get done. And I finished three more pages on it for a mini story for it. Just a few more things, maybe 10 pages of work on it and then I gotta assemble it all together. The plan is to get the Kickstarter for it up and running by sometime in July/August. Its a collection of erotica stories, pinups and written stories. Stuff I have had around for years and have never released. Stuff I planned for the ill fated Patreon page that I know I can now never get to. And other stuff I have done and has no home. But for those that like my unique humor and drawing of naughty bits, this will be a fun book.

After that, its full speed ahead on Starslam 3 and this:

WISE INTELLIGENCE was a comic I illustrated for Ryan McLelland back in the mid-2000s. We did three issues and a couple side stories together on it. He also did a few other stories with other artists. I suggested that he collect everything together in one big anthology book. So we have been scouring old discs and files and things we'd need to scan to make a complete collection. It will have many pages of art by me and other artists like Dave Lafuente (SPIDERMAN) and Terry Moore (SIP, RACHEL RISING). I might do a new pinup or cover for it, but we'll see on that. Most of my work this time will be assembling it into one cohesive collection and then Ryan will run the Kickstarter for it. But for those that are Adam completionists, you'll want to jump in on that! But more on this book later. I just wanted to let you know what is up with it.

Now, STARSLAM 3 will be Kickstarted before the end of the year. Likely in October/November if all goes well. I am really trying to take my time with this thing and work around the carpal tunnel stuff and deliver the best book I can do to send these characters out to pasture in this final part of the trilogy.

And lastly, looking at 2018:

I will be working to finish PLEASANT LIFE 2 for a summer release. And I got one final comic related project after that to finish it all up. A final, "CAPTAIN'S LOG" book to collect the last few years of pinups, uncompleted projects and one special comic idea that will wrap up the "Adam-verse" in a nice, fun way. I don't want to spoil the surprise but I know it will be fun to do. And a PERFECT way to end my comics' career.

... and then FINALLY on to the novels I've been talking about forever! My porn store tell all book should come out early 2018. End of 2018 will see my short story/poem anthology thingie. And then in 2019, will be my first full fiction novel that I have been working off and on with. The title and premise, I'll save for then. Also in 2019, I decided I will do a final run of 3-4 comic cons one last time to say "goodbye." 2019 will be the 25th anniversary of me doing comics, so it seems like the perfect time do it. A celebration and a goodbye before I hang up the microns, bristol board and wacom pens for good.

WHEW! So yeah... barring any more goddamn health issues, that is my timeline for things to come. Home stretch, folks. Mountains to climb. Things I've promised for years to you and to myself are finally in view on the horizon. We're going to get this done!

... and then figure out what the fuck to do with the rest of my life! HEH. But hopefully, less painful than it has been lately!

Cheers, T