Horrorhound Recap (tons of pics)

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HEYO! I'm back from a long (and very much welcome) vacation weekend to Horrorhound Cincinnati. I'm glad to report that it was a very relaxing and fun weekend. Surely what the doctor ordered. Here is a daily recap and tons of pics! Enjoy:

Wednesday, March, 15^th, 2017 – Up at 0900 hours. I write a letter to dad and then start painting on my biker jacket. I put the first coat on and it comes out looking pretty good. I drop off D and head into work for a 3-11shift that seems to drag and drag and drag! After work, Zillins, JD and I hit the BW3 for early Vacation celebration drinks and a burger. D joins us just as we are finishing up. We drive home and pass out around 2am. 

A VERY pregnant Belle, relaxing.

A nice post-work pre-vacation drink with the boys.

Thursday, March, 16^th, 2017 – I wake up around 10am, a first for me for a while!! Actually being able to sleep in for once? Can’t put a price on that! I get up and put on a second coat of paint on the biker jacket. I finish coloring a commission for a client and send it to him. He replies with his approval. I do a bunch of last minute things around the house and start packing for the weekend. D gets up and we go to stock up on the rest of our booze, food and last minute costume stuff. We get back around 5pm and finish packing up. Then around 8pm we head to Crunchies for some eats. We get right in and out, beating the crowd. We come home and I finish up the jacket, sewing on the patches and last minute paint touch ups. It came out great! I put on all the pins as well. I attempt to fall asleep at 11pm, but it doesn’t take. So I end up showering, then watching Jackass 2.5 and I finally pass out around 2am.

Lily is worried about our alcoholism.

My hand-painted biker jacket back. Painted by me! First time I've touched paints in years!

Smiley Crunchy's Burger!

Friday, March, 17^th, 2017 – Alarm blazes at 0600 hours. We brew coffee, load up the Bat Blazer and head to Mcds for breakfast. Then we hit I-96 around 7:20. We stop off in Findley, OH to use the Wifi at a Mcds to order TOOL tickets around 10am. After several attempts to refresh and score tickets, we are finally successful! We score lawn tickets for TOOL in June. Word is they sold out immediately, so we were very lucky!

We arrive at Franklin, OH around 12:30 and stop off for gas and White Castle (necessary). Then we trek another 25 miles to our hotel in Cincinnati. We wait for Jynel and Coleen to get ahold of us and they do. We end up standing right at check-in for about an hour, due to their system being down. Meanwhile, I have to poo really bad. Wonderful start to the day! All I want to do is get into my room and unwind from the 5 hour drive! I answer some texts and emails from earlier while I’m waiting. Finally their system goes back online and we check in. Our room is #703. Funny enough, last year my room was #704! Right next door to where I was last year. Unfortunately, the rooms are prearranged this year and Joe, Jynel and Coleen are stuck in the east wing. (sigh)

We get our keys and scope out our room. I finally take a nice shit and relax a little bit in the room. We then head over to the con and find 12 Gauge’s set up. We say hi to Joe and during load in I run into Raphael. Later on I run into Ron B about 10 different times. Seems he was all over the show! D and I buy a few bootleg DVDs and magnets and call it a day. We hit the con cafeteria where I opt for the personal pizza, which sucks. D gets ribs, which are awesome! I declare I will eat them the following day. We head back  and take a nap in the room, passing out to a nice Star Trek marathon on BBC America. We’re back up around 10, and the gang all come up to our room to partake of some drinks. After loading up and doing some shots, we head downstairs. Outside I finally get the face time with Coleen about everything that has happened in the past 7 months. There were plenty of hugs and tears as we all group hugged several times. We smoked cigs and cigars and just kept chugging the beers and eating several gummi bears and worms soaked in vodka. It was a therapeutic night.

After our deep discussion, I headed to the bathroom. Which I quickly realized being on my feet now, I was severely drunk! I ran into several people and chatted with them and random others, which I am sure I made an ass of myself a few times. I run into D and announce that I have to go up to the room immediately. We do and I throw up violently into the toilet and the sink. It was extreme and scary for me! I then lay my head down and pass out instantly, with Star Trek playing in the background. I don’t remember what time that was.

Lovely White Castle!

When the party hat goes on, its time to get crazy!

My girls.

The gang!

We offer thee, vodka soaked gummies and cigars!

We're all okay!

Saturday, March, 18^th, 2017 – I wake up around 0900 hours, severe hangover and dehydration going on. I chug a water that D lovingly left by my fan for me the night before. I then wandered downstairs, hungry as fuck and ate TWO plates full of hotel breakfast. Indeed, hungry as fuck. D joins me and we eat hearty. We go back up to the room and pass out for more napping in the comfy king size bed and new pillows.

We wake up around noonish and hit the hotel pool. Its empty so we got a whole hour to ourselves just to relax and swim around. The water is nice and warm and I definitely needed that relaxing dip! We get out and dry off back in the room. We relax a bit and then head over to the show. First we stop off at the food court, which is wall to wall busy as fuck! But we get our food and find an open space of real estate to eat at against the wall. We’re all then yelled at by security to not sit in the halls. But what else is an oversold crowd supposed to do when the café chairs are all full? No matter, I scarf down my ribs and potatoes and we head to the show itself. It is annoyingly busy and crowded. I end up grabbing a couple indie horror flicks, some horror comics and then hitting the Troma booth and getting a couple movies. I get Lloyd Kaufman to sign the one he directed and then get a photo with him and Toxie. Then I’m interviewed by Troma team about why I love Troma movies. I ham up the jokes and say that Lloyd and I had an affair years ago. The camera guy seemed to like my inprov.

We head back to the hotel and order some chili fries in the café which take FOREVER to arrive. Can’t say the hotel restaurant’s service is good at all. In fact, it sucked ass. I tracked the waitress down and paid our bill, then headed back to the room. We relaxed some more, watching some Riddick movie while checking out our buys. Coleen and Joe come up for their stuff at 7ish and D takes a mini nap. Then she gets up and we get ready with our costumes. She paints on my Eddie scar and I experiment with the blood needed on it. We get all dressed up, snap some pics and then head downstairs. We watch the Pickled Circus show and a bit of Hamilton’s Chump Change Variety show. We head back and refill our drinks and meet up with the gang farther down the hall. We chat with everyone and then head back outside to smoke with Coleen. After chatting out there for thirty minutes we retire back to our room to get into our PJs and order some pizza. We stay sober and just chat into the night about music, movies and memories. Then Coleen heads to bed. I hit the pillow around 1am and pass out immediately. 

 

Lloyd Kaufman and Toxie with some bum.

Not quite EDDIE, but close enough.

Costumes complete!

The gang is all here!

Lovely peach ringz!

Sunday, March, 19^th, 2017 – My alarm goes off at 0900 hours. We hit the hotel breakfast and then come back to the room to pack. I read online that Bernie Wrightson had died. I email Walters to offer condolences on his friend. We load up the car and find a close parking spot to the show. I check us out and then we walk back over to the show for my tattoo appointment. I get there and she isn’t there. She ends up showing up 30 minutes after showtime and I walk up and introduce myself. She somehow confused our scheduled time we emailed each other about and so she cannot get to me until like 3-4pm. I say that we scheduled for early Sunday and we’re taking off after that. So we talk it out and I say its fine if we wait until next year. She feels bad but it happens, I understand. Plus now I got the peace of mind knowing that if my skin shrinks during my upcoming lifestyle change, that it will look okay. I tell her to keep my deposit and she offers to do my tat for free the following year. We shake hands and agree, no harm no foul.

Off the hook from the tattoo, we head to the 12 Gauge booth to say goodbye. Joe and Jynel aren’t there, so we just chat with Coleen and D shows off her new taxidermy Bat in a Cage. We donate some money to the cancer fund for Syd, Hamilton’s girlfriend and he graciously gives us some buttons. Perfect for my new vest! We take off shortly after that to head home. We stop off for White Castle again, our last fast food meal before the big change and then drive the rest of the way home.

We get home around 6pm and the kitties great us at the door. Belle still hasn’t given birth, so we are relieved. We unpack and D plays with the cats. I update the blog and upload photos. I watch some of my new movies (Dickshark … not good. And part of Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers… so far, good!) and then pass out around 8:30. D wakes me back up around 11:30 and we watch Hush together. Then I update the online blog and end up passing back out around 2:30am. 

--T

BE HERE NOW

Its been a bit since I posted a blog. I don't even know what to say. I don't even know where this one is going to go. But I'm reporting for duty with another post, as I don't let a week go by without a new one for you. My brain and heart are screaming out so much, but the words are not forming. Too much to say and too much going on, with no filter in-between.

To start with the positives: I got my small order of TALES FROM THE GORE back from the printer. It will still be another week and a half before I get the Kickstarter funds deposited into my account for me to place the big order and get mailing supplies. I've contacted the donors to get info on what they want drawn on their commissions. I will be getting with Olya this weekend to give her the assignments and getting things rolling on her end. Again, I cannot thank those who supported the project enough.

I'm looking forward to my vacation to Horrorhound this month. It is sorely needed. I'm working hard and saving funds for the trip. We're all going for fun times and therapy.

Speaking of therapy, mine continues. I learned some facts during my session this week that I guess I am farther along the spectrum on some things than I thought. Like how bad I am when I get down. Its bad, folks. And the stats are scary. I was floored when I heard them. I honestly don't know what to think. I knew I was bad but I didn't think I was THAT bad. I had a couple good cries yesterday as I tried to process what it meant. Basically I'm a walking time bomb. For as much as I think I have it together, I don't. I tried to think "well maybe he fudged the numbers to keep me as a client." But I don't think so. Other therapists I know say "You are not the test." That it simply talks about the things in that stat spectrum.

I'm trying to think that way but honestly I'm scared of it.

And Myself. I'm scared of myself.

Any simple thing makes me spiral anymore. I'm not productive like I used to be. I've gained 75 pounds over the course of a year. Everyone is fighting and not convincing anyone for change. Nothing seems positive and all around is pain. Everything sounds like a fucking Cure song. And inside I sound like a Pantera album. I just want to run, scream and cry and smile all at once. There is a war inside my head 24/7. Its bad, folks.

BUT- I've tried to adopt a new philosphy this past week: "BE HERE NOW." Its the title of an Oasis album, so its easy for me to remember. BE HERE NOW. So whenever my mind drifts to stupid shit I did in kindergarten, all the way to the dumb thing I forgot to do yesterday and my mind starts to punch itself, I say BE HERE NOW. Sometimes it works. Sometimes the tornado takes off too fast and I spiral and the tears come. But its a place to start. This last weekend I had my boys and I had a great visit with them. I played with James constantly instead of needing a break and some quiet to calm my mind. (which is when he gets into mischief) We laid together and watched cartoons. I was just THERE. NOW.

When my mind drifts to the anger, I say it: BE HERE NOW.  I'm working it into my life, slowly. I also making some time for things to bring happiness. Things to look forward to. I'm going to two concerts this year. Roger Waters and the Neal Morse Band. I made plans to visit my best friend, whom I haven't hung out with like we used to in years. Its overdue. I'm making plans to see my dad down south. Minor plans to just go and do things that help me get away and focus. My own private therapy.

There are certain triggers and things that I will need to get through and wrestle down. It will be a lifelong journey. But I promise you guys that despite all this, the work will continue. I will finish Starslam 3 and Pleasant Life 2. I will post podcasts, blogs and vlogs. I will finish my novels and get them out into the world. I'm not romantic about the "tortured artist" personae. But I guess that is what I am, for now. Maybe forever. But I don't want my story to end in such a way where I am pitied, in that I couldn't silence my demons. I cannot let these things take me over. I will stand. I will prevail. Every day. Every second. I am HERE, NOW...

...And you can't get rid of me.

--T

Refining

Oi fellow Mac N Cheese eaters and those who don't eat Mac N Cheese. I think that covers everyone, right?

Busy, is an understatement. I've got a lot going and man, I need a vacation. Its getting fucking brutal. Starting off with everything Kickstarter related. Right now, it stands at over $1,200. Almost TRIPLE what we asked for! Only a handful of days left so act quick! Note: The TALES FROM THE GORE book WILL NOT be available in my online store after the Kickstarter ends. So this is pretty much the only way to get it from me. I will not have any copies to sell you. If you track down 12 Gauge Gore at a horror show, you could find one. But from me? Nope. This is the only way. Don't be left out in the cold! Pledge and support the Kickstarter for my new book right HERE - Only Three days left!!

I got the proof copy of the book from the printer this weekend. It looks great! Check it out:

Where I won't have this book in my online store, I still have my other books. I sold a Pleasant Life today even! Here's a sketch the lucky person got when they ordered the book. Thanks a lot to all who continue to support my stuff! 

I always love drawin' the boys. I miss them. Hopefully I can get STARSLAM 3 done so I can continue their adventures!

After the Kickstarter ends, Olya and I will be busy with your commissions and then once the books are here, we got books to do sketches in! So we will be busy all March and part of April getting these things done. I haven't spoken to her but we are all thrilled with how well the Kickstarter for Caleb's book is doing. Thanks everyone who has pledged and supported! It means more than you know. This is not just any other book I've done. It represents so much more.

Well, I registered my hotel so now I am 100% locked in for Chicago Exxxotica in June. More on that later. I am also sooooooo ready for a vacation!!! I'll be taking next month to Horrorhound Cincinnati. We will have limited copies of the TALES FROM THE GORE at the 12 Gauge Gore booth but mostly its time for me to walk around and enjoy myself. Its also my girlfriend and I's one year anniversary at the show! Interestingly enough, I put my deposit down for my first tattoo that I will be getting at the show! Its a Caleb tribute piece I've been talking about doing for months now and I chose the right person and place to do it, I think. Its about time I get some ink on this old body. Looking forward to the trip. I'll have plenty of pics and video to share when I come back. Less than a month away! I need it!!!

I really have been running around ragged lately. Overtime, job, artworking, kids, cats, etc. Its been crazy. Right now, one of our fur babies, Belle, is severely sick and we gotta take her in tomorrow to get looked at. I hope its nothing too serious. Even though they fight, I think Lily is a bit upset at her friend being sick:

This weekend I was able to do some inking on Starslam 3 pages. I also refined the script a bit, adding some new elements and deleting some others. I basically streamlined it and got rid of some stuff that I didn't think was working. I think now its much tighter and makes way more sense. I'm still 50 pages in but I got my next 30 plotted out. I'll pull reference and start pencils this week. I should have a batch this week to toss to Andy for coloring as well. Might as well get this baby out the door while I got the fire to get to rolling.

I also have commissions to work on and a few other things on the TO DO list. But I'm still rockin' it. Not much else to say. Just get it done. Do what I can. Make it happen. The nice weather this week has been a welcome bonus to my day too. Helps remind me that the sun is still willing to welcome me to a new day of trying. I'm busy refining my work and my life approach. Its not an overnight thing. More a lifelong thing.

Cheers, T

Pre-Holiday Thoughts

Hey friends!

My commission sale drive continues until next week Thanksgiving! Details HERE - We've already raised an additional $250 for the Arlee Rodgers fund for her surgery and I appreciate it. Let's keep it going!

Arlee's family is on my mind this weekend. This weekend is the Days of the Dead con in Chicago. Last year this time, Arlee's dad Joe, myself, Caleb and his wife Colleen drove through the two day blizzard to get to the show for one night only. It was scary as hell but we made it. I had a great time at the show itself. You can see pics and a recap right HERE - We got drunk off our ass, danced and partied. I met some new celebs and bought some cool shit. But it was my first horror con and I was loving every second we were there. This year Joe, his wife and Colleen are going. I wish I could but I have my kids this weekend and no days off left in which to head out there as well. I wanted to go out if only to toast to my friend Caleb and celebrate his life with my friends, his friends and family. I called for a rain check on that event until March Horrorhound in Cincinnati. Still, I wish I could have gone. I've been thinking about the trip from last year a lot and how much fun it was, despite the scary snow drive. I hope to make it to many more horror shows and bring Caleb's spirit with us every time we go. I guess that makes these things even more special than they were before. So that's a good thing. I certainly will never forget that weekend last year... or him.

This weekend I have my boys and next week is Thanksgiving! We've already bought our turkey and have made plans on what we are going to do. I'll have the boys for three hours that day and a friend might be joining us. Other than that, I plan to just take it easy for a couple days. I REALLY need to relax and have some quiet time. I never get to do that and I desperately need it. We got some things to do on Saturday that will be fun, other than that, I am just going to focus on the therapy I need of relaxing. I might get productive on some artwork, but I'm not promising myself anything other than some much needed rest/relaxation... whatever form that takes.

I plotted out some new pages for Starslam 3 and scanned a bunch of new things for the Patreon.. whenever that is going to launch. I might do some inking on the pages this weekend if the kids let me. We shall see.

I'm addicted to the new Neal Morse album, THE SIMILITUDE OF A DREAM. It might dethrone Anthrax's FOR ALL KINGS as my album of the year. Its a big musical journey, for sure. Ranks up there with some of his best. You can check out the album yourself on Itunes or order it through his website HERE - If you like prog rock, stuff like early Genesis, Yes, Floyd and other stuff, you'll certainly dig this.

I wrote a song at work the other night. Some great lyrics that I need to hone down and put music to. I know early on this year I got a new bass and wanted to do some recording. Those plans never happened. But I still desire to get something going with it. Perhaps after the holidays and I get a couple of these comic/book projects out the door, I might focus some creative energy that way. I'd like to. I got a ton of good personal songs I'd like to get done and out into the world in some form. Maybe the Patreon? Who knows! We'll figure it out.

Thanksgiving is the precursor to the big Xmas season. I've already started buying presents for the kids and Kitty D. I have a lot to be thankful for this year. Yes, even after this year of absolute shit. Right now I'm just thankful I'm awake and still here. Its all I need at the moment. And next week I'm going to cook the fuck out of a large 22 pound Turkey, Taters, Dumplings, Stuffing, Biscuits, Asparagus, Beans and more. To celebrate life and love. To think to the good days ahead.

Yeah, sometimes we're all deep in the shit. But we know the light keeps us safe and sane. We can be each others light. Let's keep striving for that.

--T

Horrorhound Recap (TONS OF PICS!)

Hey friends! I'm back from a whirlwind weekend at Horrorhound Indianapolis. I had a complete blast and it was exactly what the doctor ordered. I partied hard, drew like mad, and relaxed as much as possible. But I spent lots of time around the things I love and with people (old and new) that I love as well. Of course, it was all in honor to my friend Caleb and he was heavy on my mind all weekend. It was strange being at a horror show without him. Sometimes it felt like "eh, he just took a bathroom break and he'll be back here in a minute." But I really tried to enjoy myself and have a good time like I think he would want me to.

Day one I had only like 5 hours of sleep and my alarm didn't go off so I was late for work! But I got through my shift and headed out and got Kitty D and Jynel and we headed down to Indy. We arrived around 9:00pm and dropped her off and we checked into our hotel. It was a little ways away from the show and through a dark shady area. We called a taxi to come get us but after a 45 minute wait, he didn't arrive. So we took the chance and walked it, passing our Taxi on the way! We arrived shortly before the show was ending and got our wristbands and checked out the booth. Then we went to Joe's hotel and drank some and I met Alfonzo and Sonya, nice people! So all of us then headed back to the Marriot and got wasted. Severely wasted. We ended up taking an Uber back to the hotel and then passed out. What a fun night! 

I took a ton of photos so lets share and recap em all! Here we go:

Any trip to Indianapolis from Michigan means a stop in ANDERSON for some White Castle!!

Once in Joe's room we all did shots to Caleb.

I'm friggin' jealous of the room they had! A FULL fridge, stove and a fucking dishwasher for only $89 a night. What did I get in my hotel? Ants and non-working jets in the tub for $169. Fuck!!

Joe's wife Jynel rode down with us. Great to finally get to know her a little bit.

Rafael and I mean muggin'...

...Jynel joins in.

The party scene outside every horror con I go to. My people!!

Must... Get... Drunker!!!

Us with Alfonzo and Sonya.

Our crew getting drunk. Ya Boobay!! (Eric Andre Show reference)

Day two:  I got up at 9:30 and took in some hotel breakfast. Then we piddled around the room a bit before heading over to the show early. I wasn't due there til 2pm but we wanted to get some shopping in. Kitty D bought art and I got some more fridge magnets and some Troma movies for my collection. Around 1pm I set up at the table early and starting drawing for people and helping with the raffle fundraiser for Caleb.

When you're hungover, ANY food is good food.

I made this sign for the table to advertise what I was doing.

A "THE RING" sketch.

A Vampyra.

Karloff Frankie.

One person wanted a penis commission. So once I did one, that opened the floodgates for some penis artwork! Fellow table helper and Con Jesus' girl wanted this one: A penis shooting a penis gun, shooting penises at some penises. Penis.

Creature From the Black Lagoon for our friend!

Across from my table was "CHAINSAW" from SUMMER SCHOOL. Seemed like a nice dude.

Directly across from me was Jeff Daniel Phillips, known for some Rob Zombie stuff and a Geico Caveman. People dug him. Nearby was the Bradster and Tom Atkins from NIGHT OF THE CREEPS.

Colleen's sister getting a drawing for herself!

This is the girl who opened the penis commission work I was doing. She wanted mini penises in a big penis. Hey, I'm happy to oblige!

This is the raffle for the Fundraiser benefit for Caleb's family. Some GREAT items! I actually won one of them! Caleb's favorite movie releasing company was SEVERIN. So I put some raffle tickets I bought into the Severin bowl and I won a pile of their movies! I was really excited. It meant even more to me to win them since they were Caleb's favorites.

My loot from the show. Not pictured: some STAR TREK TMP card packs I got from a friend.  TONS of movies to watch now and a lot of them are some soft core goodies! NICE!

Joe ended up raising over $1,500 for the fundraiser, which is fucking awesome! There were other items donated that he will auction off at a later date, so the work will always continue!!!!

After the drawing, Kitty D and I took off to relax in the room. Only so much overstimulation can I take in one day! So we ordered pizza, watched some STAR TREK on BBC and got liquored up. Mine didn't take so much because my tummy was full of food. But I still kept sipping on beers and had a good time. We got back to the show and caught the tail end of THE JASONS' set. Then we partied outside until we went back into the party and saw the end of ARGYLE GOOLSBY's set and then the CHUMP CHANGE VARIETY SHOW. Some carnival style burlesque stuff. Entertaining! 

Punk band: The Jasons!

Kitty D and me. Rockin' out with our Tongues out.

Joe stole Kitty D's robe for the PJ party and did a "Goodbye Horses" routine for everyone.

... and so did Jynel!

Leaf Umbrella.

Burlesque show.

Burlesque performer asking Con Jesus to squeal like a pig. His reply: "You better MAKE me squeal!" So he got out the flogger and flogged Con Jesus. Sacrilicious!!!

Floggin' Jesus!

After not catching that much of a buzz, we decided to call it a night and walk back on our own. We finished off our pizza and opened our stuff from the weekend, watching more TREK in the room. We finally passed out at 3am.

Sunday morning, I am a little worse for wear: 

UGH.

But we made it home safe. All in all, a great weekend. The spirit of Caleb was for sure with us as we just celebrated life and our love of all things weird and spooky. I can't wait to do Horrorhound Weekend again! My thanks to Joe, Jynell, Severin, Con Jesus and wife, Gonzo, the other Joe, Shane, Rafael for the drinks, Alfonzo and Sonya for great company, those who supported the fundraiser for our friend and anyone else I have forgot. Make mine HORRORHOUND 4 LIFE!

Next time, MORE booze. BIGGER buzz!!!!!