10 THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR BESIDES THE OBVIOUS #5

I love books. I like reading books but those kind I usually borrow or get from the library or possibly buy and then lend/give to someone else. But as far as buying, collecting, and stocking my shelves to their weight limits, I love books with lots of great pictures to look at.

I had a very modest, easily moved collection of books before discovering the greatest store ever. Ever since I discovered this store and gave myself the (mostly justified) reason to build a vast library of reference material, my collection has exploded. I don't know if I can estimate how many books I have purchased from the greatest store ever - but it's a lot. I recently just moved and believe me, there is a lot - and books are heavy (in case you didn't know).

Books of art from Klimt, Homer, Wyeth, Rockwell, Lockwood, Whelan, Berkey, Hildenbrandts, Gurney, Brom, Remington, Poortveilt, Alan Lee, Howe, Ian McCaig, etc - all for dirt-ass cheap. Books of photography - I scoop them up and devour them, too. The greatest store ever's a phenomenal trove of reference books and inspiration - and a dangerous place to be if you're trying to curb spending money!

So, what is this glorious place? Why, Half Price Books, friendo. If you didn't know that already, you have problems with your cerebrum.

Oh how I am thankful for Half Price Books!

10 THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR BESIDES THE OBVIOUS #4

Speaking of piping hot liquids (as per my previous post):

In the last four or five years, I have become a hot tea junkie - and not because I'm addicted to caffeine - because I'm drinking no-caf stuff most of the time. No, I just really like drinking hot tea. I like iced tea, too - but the hot stuff is where it's at. I even drink it all through the Summer (though I don't come in from a sweaty lawnmowing session and toss back a cup o' steaming chamomile!). But certainly during the cold and dark months, my hot tea consumption goes way up - with green tea being my fave.

I might not ever have another reason to draw something as simple and unremarkable as a teapot ever again so, with that, as I sit here sipping yet another cup of green and staining my teeth, I'm thankful for HOT TEA!

10 THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR BESIDES THE OBVIOUS #3

I'm no fan of modern technological advancement. Because most of it these days is thrown out there way too soon and was created just to get people to buy shit - and/or replace something they already have even though it works perfectly fine. That's our abominated version of capitalism for ya.

There was a time before this suffocating tide of money-worshipping when inventions and innovations were actually benefitting quality of life - instead of unnecessarily complicating it and thus making us undoubtedly the most annoying organisms in the entire universe. Inventions like the telescope, the screw, the toothbrush, the radio, scissors - all very good and useful. My vote for one of the greatest inventions of all time? The Water Heater - specifically for HOT showers.

So this day I am thankful for HOT SHOWERS. Not showers made hot by hot naked ladies taking a shower (though that makes a more captivating sketch than just a shower head). No, I'm talkin' about temperature hot - as in a degree less than scalding hot. I loves me a nice, near-boiling hot shower. You didn't think I bathed at all, did you? Well, I probably never would if the hot shower was never invented. Aw yeah. In fact, I'm going to go take one right now.

10 THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR BESIDES THE OBVIOUS #2

There's only a small handful of singers that can give me goosebumps when their pipes go into action. At the top of that list is Mike Patton. And on top of the top of that list is Chris Cornell.

I'm not going to break down every song and album and all that - just suffice it to say when Cornell lets loose with the larynx and lungs, I lean homosexual. Just a tad. Soundgarden was on Conan just the other night - Cornell sounded like he was 20 again and singing with Badmotorfinger abandon!

I was sitting at my booth at IlluxCon with "Like Suicide" in my head and doodled out this little portrait from memory. Such whims as drawing likenesses from memory usually end up a crappy mess - but this one came out well enough.

So, in honor of Soundgarden reforming and the upcoming holiday, I give thanks for Chris Cornell. Well, specifically his voice I guess - but you get what I'm saying.

Appropriate to Thanksgiving and this post, check this: Thank you!

10 THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR BESIDES THE OBVIOUS - #1

It's too easy to be thankful for good health and great family and friends and that I am able to somehow make money painting pictures of dragons and guys with convoluted armor schemes. I take none of that for granted and am thankful daily for it - hourly even!

But way off to the side is that little pocket of minutia that doesn't often get any thanks come November - or any other time of year. I'm here to spread the thanks to those too often unthanked things.

25 days to Thanksgiving. What's one of the things I'm thankful for? Predators. Not the recent movie Predators - that movie was ho-hum at best. I'm talkin' in general. Predators are like, totally awesome to the max.