The Days Slip By...

Its been a while since I posted a non-business-y blog here so I thought I'd write to everyone a bit.

First of all, the looks at the site and the downloads of the Morning Show podcast have been steadly increasing. I thank all of you for coming out and also staying interested. Even in the downtime of me not releasing anything new, I try to keep good content coming like podcasts, blogs, daily FB and Twitter posts. So thanks. I will be retooling the sit a bit soon and making an all new COMMISSIONS and ORIGINAL ART SALES section. Also promoting my FB and Twitter links more. Give me some time on that. But I appreciate the attention. So much on the net is trying to gain your interest but you keep coming back. I thank you. I'll always continue to keep up my end of the bargain.

Today we went and picked up our cat Jake's ashes. I couldn't help but get a big lump in my throat upon seeing the tin its in, which finally developed into a bit of tears when I got home. I guess it sort of cements the reality a bit more in my head. See, I wasn't here the day we had to put him down. So its always sorta felt like he was simply upstairs sleeping somewhere. Other than the little reminders of him not coming down at 7pm on the dot asking for food or rubbing on my legs when I did put the food down, it just felt like he was here. But now its more of a "reality" that he's not. That sucks. Its one week now, to the day that he's been gone.

Mostly its been out of my mind. I've been keeping busy with laundry, deep cleaning things around the house, rearranging my office a bit. I haven't got much work done beyond some small commission stuff. I am hoping to get into a rhythm this weekend of solid production on my own stuff. I got a list growing a mile long and I am tired of the distractions.

I've taken some slow personal time to listen to podcasts to keep me laughing. I watched some Tom Baker Doctor Who and finally sat down to watch Iron Man 3. I missed it in the theater. I still haven't seen Godzilla (2014) and don't really have the drive to go to the theater to go see a flick. I've just been on autopilot really. The thoughts on my mind about the things I need to work on that I learned at C4 have got my brain in a good place. I know what I got to do, now its just a matter of doing it.

Things are on the rise. My step-mom's cancer is shrinking, so that is great news. I'm almost sold out of my new print run of Pleasant Life books. Those commissions I have done have come out quite satisfactory and I apply for new gigs daily. My head is in the game and I am doing it. I got my goals set and a plan in motion. I simply just have to put the car into gear and hit the gas pedal. It will happen. It always does.

One thing I want to do immediately is do a quick kids' book about Jake. I already got the style and plot laid out. A simple 12 page thing resembling a kids' book. Maybe put it together and sell it as an all ages book at the shows. All my life I dealt with my problems through my comics. Mom's death was in Pleasant Life, Milo was in Anna Pocalypse... and certainly Jake will be no different. Its theraputic for me to do so. So I hope you enjoy it when its done. Soon. Very soon. It will be good for me to do that, I think.

As we approach mid-year, I reflect back on 2014 and what a bummer of a year its been. From the very beginning of January with my dad's heart attack, crap winter, step mom's cancer, James' surgery, money woes, freelance struggles, lack of shows, lack of sales, Jake's death and other stuff... its just been a weird 6 months. But there's also been some great times. The wife and I get to get out of the house once in a while now. We've made some great new friends. We spend time together now and I still am improving on my work. Plus I got all my books back in print and our Kickstarter was funded. Its been equally as good. I don't focus on the negative all the time. I am fully aware of what is going right for me too. And we've got nowhere to go but up. Onward and Upward as I always say.

Thanks all for caring and the emails/messages you all have sent. They mean the world to me. But we're okay. We're rockin'. Pedal to the metal. You'll get a lot from me very soon. You haven't seen anything yet.

Cheers, T

Various Goingzzz On!

I thought I'd do a non-business/pluggy type of blog. Don't want to be all businessy around here all the time!

Well, this week our house got a bit more interesting...

Yes we adopted a little 3 month old Chihuahua. We've been combing the animal shelters for a smaller dog. I was hoping for a wiener dog, but we found this girl. She's pure bred from what we were told. VERY well mannered. We're working on potty training now. She's a tiny little thing and she sleeps with us. She certainly loooooves me. She's always laying on me.

We toyed with calling her Gabby, Minnie or Baby. But I used to have a terrier/chihuahua mix named that and its sorta weird memories cause she got hit by a car when I was like 10. So we were trying to figure out what to name her, when I started this little voice of what she would say to me if she could talk. I'd say "Do you love me puppy?" She'd say "Si Papi!" So I started calling her Si Papi. But she's a girl, so I thought POPPY. Cause she resembles a little poppy seed due to her size.  Plus the kids have taken to calling her "puppy," so it just makes sense all around.

To be honest, I'm more of a cat person than a dog person. But I wanted  a dog for several reasons. To get a more active animal in the house so the kids could play with it and keep active. Someone for me to take on walks. A buddy who shows me affection. (the cats always hide upstairs all day and are more like roommates than pets) Also a bit of a watch dog if someone is messing with the doors trying to get in. And I wanted something smaller that reminded me of my childhood dog. Poppy certainly is all those things. I never really wanted one of those ritzy Paris Hilton type of dogs, but this one, I fell in love with. And yes, we've bought her little sweaters and things. We're head over heels with her right now. Very pleased we met her!

I've been watching a bunch of classic Doctor Who lately. Trying to go in order with all the Tom Baker episodes. I am really enjoying them so now I want to watch them in order.

Okay, one plug: This Friday at 8pm at Connxtions Comedy Club in North Lansing, they are having a fundraising night for my pal Lindy. I worked with her at the strip club last year and she was one of the only people where were nice to me on the club side of things. Anyway, this December she was hit by a drunk driver and had to have major surgery and is still in therapy. She really went close to the edge. She has no insurance and things are getting expensive. So while I won't be there doing comedy, I will be auctioning off some artwork and a coupon for a free exclusive 11x17 original art piece done for you or your family. Perhaps a portrait or a parody of a movie poster featuring you? Who knows! All proceeds benefit Lindy and her recovery costs. If you are in the Lansing, MI area, come out to Connxtions Comedy Club this Friday starting at 8pm. Comedy for a good cause.

The wife and I are excited because at the same club later this month, Steve-O from Jackass is coming to perform. We're big Jackass fans in this house! So definitely we'll be going to that.

I keep seeing the previews for the new Godzilla flick coming out and man does it give me wood. I can't wait for it.

Okay, thats enough randomness. Thanks for reading!

T

P.s. I got ARTBOOKS coming this week from the printer. Now is the time to order one! Visit our ONLINE STORE to order. Thanks!

First Post of 2014!

Hey all! I survived the New Year and we're into the new clean slate of 2014. I threw a party here at the house and my friends Robert, Erin, Matt and Michelle all came to drink tons of booze, listen to records and tell dirty stories. Lots of fun!

Pics from our New Years celebration:

A great improvement from last year where the wife worked till 11:45 and we watched the ball drop and then went to bed, bored. We were having so much fun that we even missed the clock change-over. We noticed the clock at 12:01. Oops! Heh. But it was great to hang with everyone and I hope it happens again soon.

I have made a time plot for things I am working on and plans I have for 2014 for my workload. This first quarter is a VERY busy time, so I might not get to blog or podcast as much as usual. I want to stay busy and focused and ride this wave of momentum I seem to have found. A tease:

This is a shirt idea I drew last year and had planned for a while. I think I am gonna do a few for the 20th Anniversary! What do you think? Sometime in April, I'll look into getting them printed and in the online store and take em with me to the conventions. Details at a later time. I just wanted you to see a smidgeon of the stuff in the kitchen.

Finally, FINALLY I saw Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug. I quite liked it, despite the abrupt and maddening ending. I can't believe I have to wait a whole year again to see the conclusion! Oh well. It will be worth it I am sure. I know people are dogging on Peter Jackson's take on the Hobbit, but I don't care. I'm entertained and am enjoying the ride. In the end, thats all I ask for.

Lots of great movies are coming in 2014. Here's a list of ones that are on my radar:

GODZILLA - Holy crap are the trailers looking awesome! Plus Bryan Cranston.

NOAH - Call me a sucker, but I've always been interested in the story of Noah and the ark. Even the Epic of Gilgamesh. And it looks beyond cool. I love a well done biblical epic. Don't have to be religious to enjoy a tale of legend.

HOBBIT 3 - Duh.

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 - I loved the first one. Really excited about the sequel.

SIN CITY 2 - Ditto, and it covers my favorite of the Frank Miller novels: A Dame to Kill For. Should be good fun.

XMEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST - I kind of lost interest in the Xmen flicks after X2. Although FIRST CLASS was good. I never saw the wolverine movies, except for a bit of the first one on TV once. But this one has great potential. Both casts converging and making a huge epic flick that might lead into another one. We'll see. I'll probably wait till disc for it, unless the reviews say its a MUST SEE.

POMPEII - I love ancient Roman/Greek stories. And the story of Pompeii is always a fascinating one. In college I studied a lot of the found ruins and artworks from there. I know the story well. It will be great to see another take on it. (and yes, I saw the Doctor Who one...)

NYMPHOMANIAC - The trailers are interesting. It looks bold and artsy. Why not.

DUMB AND DUMBER TO - Finally, a real sequel to one of my favorite stupid 90's movies. Should be great to see them on the screen again, and Carrey back to his roots.

INTERSTELLER - Everything I read interests me about this. Nolan's bold 2001ish movie? Color me extremely curious.

So: LOTS to look forward to in the coming year. I'll probably do a list of albums I am looking forward to in 2014 sometime soon. But for now, back to work!

Cheers, T