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

MSU COMICS FORUM recap and tons of DICKS! NSFW!

Hey friends! MSU Comics Forum was a blast to be at as always. Thanks to all who came out. Sold a couple books and prints and that's always great! Even greater is the chance to hang out with my local Michigan artist pals and see what they have been up to. Perfect warm up to the con season for me! Thanks to Jay and all those who put on the MSU COMICS FORUM every year! Here's some pics and recap:

Keynote speaker and guest: Sergio Aragonies. He was such a nice dude to all of us. Complimented my work even! I about died. Got him to sign my poster. Super super super nice dude.

A PLEASANT LIFE pinup I did for an upcoming book... Hmmmm.....

Everybody is participating in the drink and draw. LOTS of DICKS being drawn! Enjoy....

Here's most of the ones I am responsible for... Starslam herself is representing there.

Ut oh...

Some of Dean's offensive doodles....

More Dean goodies. Like an R2Dick2.

What a frustration his life must be!

Some of Jay's fun doodles.

Ouch.

 All in all, it was a great weekend. Went out to post-work food with my co-workers on Friday, comics and dick drawings on Saturday, kids on Sunday. Fun weekend. Now my eyes are set on FANTASTICON next weekend. Saturday-Sunday in South Lansing. Come out and see me!

Cheers, T

Riding the Waves

Hey all. Been about the same all week. Not much has changed with my dad. Ups and then downs. We're still waiting on the eventual change for the better. I'm confident it will come soon.

At home, I'm doing commissions and keeping the house clean. The wife and I got to go on a date night last night, which is a rarity for me. We met new friends at a party and had a great time. Feels good to have some time for just US once in a while. I really needed a nice night out with everything going on lately. Everyone needs to get away once in a while.

My buddy Dean Stahl tossed me some Anna Pocalypse fan art this week. Check it out:

Thanks buddy! If and when the second book gets done, it will make its way in there with the others I have for it.

I got one card set done this week and I am finishing up another. And then I think (barring some unforseen invites with some companies and properties I still trust) I am pretty much sticking with my own stuff for a while. I need to finish all my own projects and get the online store restocked and back up. It will take time, bare with me. But it will be worth it.

Watched all the Playoff games and I am excited for Superbowl 48. Broncos and Seahawks. Both of em I like. Should be a great game.

All in all, its been a week of just keeping my head above the water. One day at a time. The wife and I have quit eating fast food for a couple weeks now and she's been doing great eating veggies, rice and taking some new supplements. I started taking Vitamin B pills too. And today, I joined a gym for the first time. Now I just have to commit to keep going. I'm not going to type a big speech now about how this time its for real and all that, I am just gonna do what comes. Something new to keep my mind going. Right now all I can think about is my dad and the image in my head of him in that ICU with all those tubes and things and the suffering of a heart attack. I don't want to go through that and put my family through that either. I've had plenty of chances to cheat this week and eat fast food and I didn't. I just want to change. Thats all.

Okay, I suppose thats enough for now. Thanks for checking back folks. Despite this early hiccup of a month, its going to be a great year. And in a short 5 days, it will be my birthday. Time to start celebrating!

Cheers, T