Update and a bit of a rant.

It's been awhile.  Awhile since I've done anything to the website, or anything creative at all.  Last year I took a change and switched jobs at work.  Not a good decision.  I may go a week or two working "human" hours, and just as I start to feel normal again, like I can start painting or drawing, something big comes up and I end up having to work myself into the ground until I really don't have anything left in me.  This has made me very lifeless this past year.  Even if I feel like I might be able to start a new project, I just can't get there because I know right around the corner is something else that is gonna level me.

This is very upsetting, not only because I had bigger plans for my work, but the fact that I have such a difficult time even getting started at all.  I try to convince myself that I absolutely hate my job, but in reality I don't.  I get along with the crew that works there with me, they make it worth going to, I may even enjoy what I personally do there, but the hours kill that for me.  I'm far along in life to still be working 12 to 15 to 18 to 20 hours or more day. And yes, I have put a 24 hour shift in before.  That was the worst of it though, 121 hours in 7 days.  I just went through something similar the last 2 weeks as well.  I am so mentally and physically exhausted.  Congratulations to me, I'm one of millions of people who are tired of what they do and how they get treated.  But enough bitching, let's to the meat of it.

I have decided that enough is enough, not of the job, I need that to survive, no no no, enough of not pushing myself harder to get what I want, because guess what?  Nothing is going to change unless I do something to change it right?  So here's the deal, a deal I made with myself.  I'm going to do my best to just wade through the bullshit during the day, then come home and focus on creating new stuff for the site.  I've got all my supplies lined up in front of me, pencils, Micron ink pens, tablet and drawing pads.  Easy right?

The end game for me has never been about selling paintings and being a millionaire on a boat motherfucker, nah, it's more about creating something that people like, maybe hang in their home above the flatscreen, or wear it on a hoodie, just every day shit.  That would be so cool to me!  But...the big but, is that I would much rather create everything myself.  Right now I do the painting and then upload it to a POD site who prints it and sends it out, sound easy, and it is from my side.  There are two problems I have with this, number one being I get a whopping 10% of everything that sells.  Now don't get me wrong, I know that the company I go through is using their resources to print and ship, but I am the content provider, without people like me the company doesn't exist.  The partnership we have should be better than that, and in fact it used to be, then they got greedy.  The second problem is, that I really don't want someone else printing my stuff!  Yes, it makes it much easier, but I'm just not a "hands off" kind of guy, especially when it comes to something I created.

So to that end, hopefully sometime this year, I will start setting up to print my own damn stuff.  Right now I'm sitting on a one color screen printer, which I intend to start messing with this week.  I get pretty excited just thinking about it, I know it is going to be a lot of work, but in the end it will be worth it to me.  I'm not even looking to make a full fledged business out of this, I don't sell enough for that anyway, I just want to do something I can be proud of, because even though I create content, it doesn't really feel like mine if you know what I mean.

Anyway, long post I know.  I'm not really the type of person that bitches up a storm either, I guess I just needed to get some stuff off my chest.  I will be updating when I get this show on the road.  Peace.

Saturday

Ahhh, a cold beer on a warm Minnesota summer day, I can feel the humidity building already. Feel pretty good today for a change, got a couple new shirts out so feel free to check the site or my Facebook for the updates. Listening to some new tunes as well, feeling kinda jumpy. I want to get a couple lawnchairs and throw them out on the deck but the hornets are going crazy out there so I better wait until I get some raid or something.

Watched the Hurt Locker earlier today, pretty intense, very good show. I know I'm late to the party on that one but it sat on my Netflix Queu until yesterday, seems like that place is really slowing down getting enough movies out, I've had some that sit in position 1 for 3 months or more before I get them, but oh well, I just fill it with old shit until I get the new ones.

Season 2 of True Blood comes out pretty soon, excited for that, I don't have HBO so I have to wait until they come out on dvd. That's about it for now folks. PEACE!

Friday Chat

It seems like every time I post a new blog, or update my FB page about "new things coming soon" I end up getting sidetracked by long work hours, or car trouble, so I'm not going to do that anymore. Instead I will layout my plans with no timeline, that way if something happens in the meantime, I cannot be held accountable by...me.

Things are moving along, been working a lot, got a few new ideas cooking. Actually maybe too many ideas in the old noodle, I want to do this, and this, and that. In the end I never get anything done, I need to learn to cool my heels and just do one thing at a time. Anyway, that's about it for now, I'm going to try my best to pump out a few new shirts this weekend. So off I go.

Back from the ashes

Been quite awhile since I have posted a new blog, many things have changed in my life since then. I have completely recovered from being sick, I feel okay these days, still have trouble now and again but I'm moving along. I moved again to another small town here in the burbs, its quiet and I like it. I am also living alone for the first time in about 20 years, lol. It took some getting used to but I'm doing well with it these days.

The shop has been going strong as well, making decent sales for such a small place on the internet. I guess that is all for now, I'm gearing up for a re-design for my website soon so I will be posting my progress and whatnot. Peace.

a little update

Hey folks, haven't been feeling to great lately, got a virus to go along with everything else. This one is fun, it swelled my gums up to the point where I could not close my mouth. Of course that means I couldn't eat anything and it was very painful as well. I am still not healed from this, I cannot close my mouth all the way, but I can chew on the right side of my mouth, so I can eat a few things that are easy to chew, noodles and such. The past couple weeks were agonizing, drinking my food, the only thing I could eat was pudding, lol.

In any case, this has finally started to subside, so much to the point where I have been able to get a bit of work done today. I added a new design and re-edited an old one to make it look a bit better. I have also started the sale on election gear, this section will be taken down on friday and replaced with a Holiday section. I have already started designing for Christmas stuff and whatnot so when the time comes there will be at least a few things to shop for when it opens.

Other than the business stuff I have not been able to do much. I have wanted to do some illustrating and things of that nature, but I just don't have the mind for it with all this other shit going on. I pick up the pad and pencil and just stare at the blank space until it's time to take my medication, lol. I can't wait for this junk to be over with so I can get back to doing the things I love to do. Peace.

New Website Lauched!

Hey all, I finally finished the new site design, I hope this one works better for those of you that have non-standard screen sizes. Through all this I have learned that I am not very good at web design, lol, but I'll keep trying.

Finally moving better here, able to walk normal again, except for stairs and things like that. They start pumping chemicals in me on Monday. The schedule sucks, Mon-Fri, then two Tuesdays in the following 2 weeks, then repeat a couple more times. I can't wait til this shit is over with. I will not be able to do anything for the holidays and such.

Halloween is my favorite time of year, I have never missed doing "something" on Halloween, I will make up for it double next year. Anywho, back to work here.

small update

Getting better as the days go by, I'm starting to move around pretty well, getting some better sleep too. I have to see the doc today to discuss my chemo schedule, well see what happens.

Not much to do these days sitting around the house all day, so I have decided to add all my political designs to buttons! You can purchase these buttons individually, as 10 packs, or as 100 packs for events!

Click this link to check out the Election 2008 section of the site.

Thanks for the support everyone.

yo peeps

Starting to feel a bit better here, not able to do the things I want to do just yet, still can't bend over to tie my shoes, or twist and turn, but I am progressing. Still pretty sore too, but each day gets a bit better I guess, depends on my activity level the day before. Had a docs appointment yesterday afternoon, my blood markers came back clear, but there are a couple issues yet that have to be dealt with, I have to see another doctor and have 3-6 rounds of chemo to get rid of a few suspicious spots that they found. Hopefully that will clear everything up and I will be good to go after that.

Heading back to work on thursday, don't know if I am ready yet, but I have to get out of the house. It's killing me sitting here doing nothing. I have been able to get some work done that I've been putting off for awhile, made some new shirts and started fixing the website, but still. At least I was able to go outside yesterday and get some air for the first time in a week yesterday.

I was able to add some new products, if you check out the site there is some new shirts available, one of them is The Skull. I have added this design to the new INFINISTITCH product line, which includes men and womens polos and performance jackets. The products look pretty cool, I may get one of the performance jackets to check them out as they look like a good fall jacket.

Election 2008 shirts now available!

Greetings to my peeps! I have been able to get some work done the last two days or so. I got a request for some political designs and I've been having so much fun working on this project that I decided to put up a separate section on the site dedicated to this years election! Feel free to check out the links and give them a look.

On another note, my health has been improving the last few days, I had a couple setbacks earlier in the week and was forced to take it easy, but I am starting to feel a bit better now. If you are wondering what my health problems are I will decline to answer that question, I am not the type of person to relish pity from others, so it will only be mentioned as "health issue", lol.

I also realize that I do talk a bit too much about my work and not much else, this blog is intended to get people to go to my shop, but I would like things to get a bit more personal, not just me coming on here and giving standard updates about new shirts available. In the future I will be blogging about much more than just my work.

Here is one little bit of information about myself that you can take with you today. BEAR DOWN CHICAGO BEARS!

update

Well, I had some big things in store for the shop site and the regular website, but they will have to be put on hold for awhile. I have some health issues that I have to deal with right now, I will be out of commission for a bit, but hopefully things will get back on track within a couple weeks. Thanks to my peeps.

Update

Check out the site link for a couple new shirts! Things have been hectic here lately, will be moving to a new place this weekend so just alot of packing and other junk going on.

Let's Get Denarded shirt!

A few new designs are now available, one of which is a great Let's Get Denarded Shirt! Some other news is that the website has officially launched, I've got some work to do to make it compatible with different screen resolutions and different browsers, but considering that this is the first site I have ever put up, or even attempted to put up I think everything went okay.

New designs available

Hey all, just a quick update today, I've been busy as hell recently busting my arse on a new website and adding new products to the shop. Here are a few new ones, hot off the computer!

New shirts available!
survive!
iZombie!


New mugs available!
survive!
iZombie!

New journal available!
survive!

aint no cure

yes, I am referring to the summertime blues. Sales have been crawling this July, I've heard the same thing from many a shopkeeper, but all is well. Getting ready to make a big announcement pretty soon here, I've been working on a side project, that's why I haven't had time to update too often, or even update my products for that matter. But since sales have been so slow this month I figured it would be a good a time as any to get rolling on something else. I have a cold as well which helps me sit in front of the computer for hours on end without moving, lol.

update

Things have been a bit slow lately, the summer slowdown I guess, lots of stuff going on in peoples lives this time of year. The slowdown hit at the end of june, so I took the opportunity to take a bit of time off from making designs and do some other things I have been meaning to catch up on, mainly just relaxing, lol.

It was well worth it, getting back into designing this evening I feel alot better than I have in quite a long time, the stuff I have in mind is alot more clear and not clouded with other things going on in my life, its a nice change to be clear headed about stuff for once. And now that things are cleared up I will be pumping out a few designs here this week, I'm almost done with one right now which should be up either late tonight or after work tomorrow, then I have a few designs rolling around the ole noggin that Ill push out later on as well.

Over my little break I didn't do much of anything, just traveled up north to see that fam and did a few things over the 4th, work was hell last week so I was pretty happy to have the long weekend. Anywho folks, thats it for now, Ill update as I add more stuff this week. I am also in the process of converting my designs from shirts to hats which I will debut in the coming months, Id like to be able to offer around 10-15 different hat designs before I open up a section offering them. Thats it, peace!

new junk

A couple new items are now available, including the ultimate Zombie shirt! Besides work, not alot going on right now, just enjoying the warm weather by staying inside with the air conditioning, lol. As you may have noticed, I'm not all about quantity anymore with the shirt site, more about quality. When I was pumping out designs left and right I was getting nowhere at all, now that I've been focusing on stuff and taking my time with the designs things are picking up.

New junk

Well I decided to add a few mousepads to the mix on the site, there are 8 of 'em now available, more to come! Since I was in a good mood today I have also added a new shirt to the comedy section. This design can also be seen on a tote bag or mousepad as well.

Glad it's Friday today, thought I was going to have to work very late again, but I decided that I wasn't going to take that beatdown today so I grabbed my gear and left at 5. 10 hours is enough for me after the grueling couple of weeks I've had. I really need a vacation, lol.

I take days off once and awhile, but that just doesn't cut it. I haven't gone on a real vacation in years and years, I would actually like to go someplace where I am completely away from everyday life, and all the thinking that goes along with it.

The latest

Been a bit since I've been on, normal life interruptions I guess. But now I am back at it again. A couple new designs have been added since I last updated this blog, I have been hand drawing skulls of late and decided to put them to use on some new shirts. If you feel up to it check them out, the link is on the right side of the page.

I have also now added Tote Bags as an item up for sale in the shop, I figured that if you are the type of person that like to carry their own bag while shopping then you mine as well do it with some style! If things go well with this new product then I will speed up my process a bit and add some other new items to the shop earlier than I had planned.

Thanks for reading, peace.

one more design

Had an idea going earlier today so I decided to throw one more shirt out there, MACHINE is now available.

new design available

I have added one design today, a trendy shirt with 2 skulls facing each other, nautical stars and swirls. Pretty much a trendwhore design, but it turned out good. I have also started to remove my name and website from the bottom of some shirts, I feel this clashes too much and may be taking away sales because of this. From now on my hand written signature will be included on my designs placed in an are where you can't really see it.