Resolutions and stuff

I had a very nice Christmas with family. We also car shopped and helped our daughter get a new one. She ran into a deer, on her birthday. She was driving from Bloomington Indiana with her son, where she lives, to our house in Evansville. The deer totaled her car and she has been car-less for several weeks.
My 11 year old son's best friend in school lost his 20year old brother on Christmas day. My son had just spent the night at their house four weeks ago. It was very tragic. The boy was driving his family home Christmas evening and a drunk driver, fleeing the police, plowed into him. The guy was speeding on the wrong side of the road with his lights off at night. It was on the same stretch of road we had just traveled that evening. He was killed instantly. His mother was hospitalized and had hip surgery from the accident. His other brother and sister had minor injuries. There was also a baby in the car. The drunk driver had 6 previous DUI's and, due to an error, had a valid license. The county clerk failed to file his lifetime suspension with the BMV. We had to go to the visitation last evening. The line was all the way out of the building. The mother was allowed to leave the hospital to be at the visitation and funeral. What do you say to someone who lost a son? Over the years I've been to two other similar situations and it is never easy. People take the whole drinking and driving thing way to lightly. I've seen friends over the years who drive because they think they are ok. In this situation, the guy was way over the legal limit. What would posses someone to flee the police? Things like this really make me appreciate what I have.
Here's to a wonderful new year full of happy surprises and good times!

Book Event

I had a wonderful book signing at the Blue Moon Gallery in Vincennes Indiana. The ladies who own the place are artists and very nice people. I met many interesting people and gave a reading from my book. My son took pictures and helped out. We ended up buying things there. I couldn't believe that Vincennes does not have a book store, yet they have a college. That is why the owners decided to add authors and their books to their eclectic shop. I enjoyed signing books and its always nice when someone finds your work interesting. Unlike a regular book store, this signing was more of a gathering of like minded people. It was very laid back. I must make a point to go back and visit the gallery. Its an hour away, but worth it.

In honor of A Christmas Story

Thirty second movie parodies, performed by animated bunnies.

Writing and traveling

I'll be in Vincennes, December 5th at the Blue Moon Gallery. I like the idea of a small art gallery for local artists. With my sister being a professional artist in New York, I know how important it is to support the arts. It's all about exposure.
Also, anyone in the New York area...the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is hosting a party for their patrons or those who want to start. The CBLDF was founded in 1986 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community. Comic books are a legitimate art form written by legitimate writers and illustrators. Sometimes they are over looked. If you can get your child to start reading, even comic books, you are contributing to keeping their minds active and away from the television. Of course TV is ok, it's what you watch that matters. Too many people are quick to categorize comic books as bad. I've enjoyed many hours reading and researching old comic such as Krazy Kat, Blondie, Pogo, Peanuts and much more. I still love Garfield, For Better Or Worse, Sally Forth, etc. I realize there are bad types of graphic novels but that's where the law comes into play. Defining what is bad, protected or restricted is an important aspect of the printed word. Let us not forget the stacks of classic novels which the Nazis burned and American Libraries banned. One of the greatest things about this country, which many countries do not enjoy, is the freedom of speech. United we can do wonderful things.