Letters to Holly

Friday, December 16

Breathe A Sigh

As the week comes to a close, so does a very difficult semester, and Your Sister is noticeably sloughing that burden. We're not clear yet; final papers need grades and exams dominate next week. But even that week is easier to handle than the previous weeks' load shoved onto her as the returning workhorse.

She got cranky, to put it mildly, and screechy, to put it bluntly, and Tuesday represented the absolute worst I've ever seen her. She cracked. She's entitled. She got it out of her system and was fine the next day. The upcoming semester promises regular work periods during school hours and a curriculum distributed to all the teachers. She wasn't the only one feeling it these past months, but she had a jarring return to the school after a year's absence. I think she'll drink this weekend. I endorse the notion.

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The deputy made it through a full workweek without a fever or ejection, and I am almost dancing with relief. He's not sleeping through the night though. Sometimes he's hungry, sometimes he's restless. I wonder if we've coddled him through his ailments and back into the pattern of crying for company. We may have to break him of that crutch again.

Missing some sleep is infinitely more preferable to sitting him at home again. If he wakes up in the night, he usually just needs some water, maybe a diaper, and he's out quickly. Five minutes, maybe. 

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I hope to have pictures of my printed t-shirts early next week. I'm told they will try to use all the art I sent them earlier this week. I'm already working on new images too.

Picture of the Day
Andrew Garfield, the likable guy from Social Network, is the new Spider-Man, and new images were released this week. I'm not digging the new costume, but I appreciate them trying to make it look like active wear.


Tuesday, December 13

Contact

After tidying up some t-shirt art, I planned to print out copies and hand deliver them to the t-shirt shop Monday. I sent my first email files to them three weeks ago and heard nothing. I called and left three phone messages with no response from my store contact, and I was getting mad. As I saved the last Photoshop file, I called the store to confirm they would be open during my lunch break. Surprisingly, my contact answered the phone.

I asked if she had gotten my files. She said yes and then rather sheepishly said the political art wouldn't work. They didn't want to polarize the audience, and it was then that I developed a new theory: They worried I would go ballistic. Maybe I was one of those crazy political junkies who took any opportunity to yell fascism.

I understand completely. That's why the Helms/Thurmond shirt I made could be worn ironically or sincerely. But I had made other art and mentioned that. She didn't remember them, probably not noticing them once she saw the art and formulated a panicked plan of no response. I emailed her the files I had just polished, and she said the store might start printing them less than 24 hours later. We'll see. I'm posting shirt designs (and some design history) on heygregory and FaceBook.

Picture of the Day
Blue Spiral had a showing of work by Taiyo La Paix recently. I was surprised to find it among theglass birds and wood vases. Don't know the name, but I appreciate the style.



Monday, December 12

All Better

We knew the boy turned a corner when he woke up hungry in the middle of the night. Like a fever breaking, the Clearance Sale bug dissolved enough that his appetite came back. A day later, so did mine. And then Your Sister's. As the bloat dissipated, our stomachs realized they were empty and yelled for goodies. We ate all weekend. I initially thought the sidekick was starting a growth spurt, but because we all had the same cravings, it seems like he's refueling.

She again dug into her pile of research papers, and I watched the deputy over the weekend. We'll switch roles in a few months when I'm ear-deep in my comic. As long as he has access to a water cup and a handful of snack food, he's mostly OK. I can draw at the kitchen counter as he bounces and crawls and climbs. It's my hope we can go a full week without a doctor visit. Even if he comes down with something now, we'll wait for his Dec. 28 18-month check-up to take him in. I mean, an arm has to fall off for us to see the doctor before then.

Picture of the Day
John Wayne as Neo in The Matrix.