Well, yet another year gone by, and another awesome comic con.

One of my friends had a table there again this year, so I had a spot to crash during breaks in my shopping/socializing over the weekend. I spent ENTIRELY too much money on art, but hey. At least its support other artists.

I got the surprise of my life though when I came across BROM's table. I had no idea he was going to be there. lol. I've been head over heels for his stuff since I was a young teenager, so getting to meet him face to face was a privilege. I bought his newest book, an illustrated novel by the name of "The Devil's Rose", which he signed of coarse and made a little doodle inside the cover. I also picked up a print of "The Lone Wolf"([link]), one of my favorite pieces of his. It was the cover art for "Tales of the White Wolf" by Michael Moorcock, one of my favorite books. Anyhow, of coarse I couldn't pass up having my photo taken with him, although it really didn't turn out well at all. I look like serious crap, and it took some photo-shopping to fix the image due to how dark and grainy it was. [link] He was super nice, alot friendlier then other well known artists i've met. A very huggy sort of guy. So yeah, it was awesome meeting him.

I also picked up the newest Penny Arcade book, "Birds are Weird", since it was lacking from my set, and had the guys sign it. Also got a t-shirt from them.

I picked up a print([link]) from Alain Viesca, who is a rad artist from Oklahoma that flies up every year for this con...

And a couple framed works of art from a very interesting lady, Rochelle Heagh Phister. "Sister Vigilance"([link]) and "Sun Going Down"([link]). I like how they're printed onto canvas, and you got your choice of frame. They look very nice on my fire place mantle.

This is complete and utter BULLSHIT! WHY on earth would someone do something like this???? The breeding facility is on a completely uninhabited island(well, mostly anyway), not interfering with anyones lives... But someone feels the need to break into the facility and STOMP 6 critically endangered iguanas TO DEATH??? WTFH?

Click link for article on the IRCF website: [link]

"Six critically endangered Grand Cayman Blue Iguanas were killed by unknown persons late on Saturday evening, in the QE II Botanic Park. The crime was discovered by volunteers with the National Trust's Blue Iguana Recovery Programme, shortly after 9am on Sunday morning.

The iguanas appeared to have massive internal injuries, as if they had been stamped on violently and repeatedly. Some were also cut and partially dismembered. Three were found dead inside their breeding pens, two had been carried out of their pens and left in the tour area outside. The body of the sixth is still missing, but entrails on the trail outside his pen are a grim sign of his fate.

Department of Environment enforcement officer Carl Edwards was on the scene almost immediately, fast followed by the Royal Cayman Islands Police who began forensic work and have commenced an investigation. Dr. Colin Wakelin from the Department of Agriculture closed a large gash in one of the surviving victims and began making arrangements for an autopsy to confirm the causes of death, which will probably take place later today.

Dead on Sunday morning were the adult breeding males "Yellow” (sponsored by Caribbean Publishers), "Pedro" (sponsored by Websters Tours), "Digger" (sponsored by Simon Hicks), and "Eldemire" (christened by Kent Eldemire). The grand matriarch of the captive facility, "Sara", was also dead. "Jessica" had been thrown out of the neighboring pen and was in shock, but still moving. Both females had been preparing to lay eggs.

The effort to save Jessica's life went on into the night, but despite specialist advice by telephone from the Wildlife Conservation Society and Dr. Wakelin's resourceful and determined attempts to stabilize her, she passed away during the night.

The persons responsible may have broken into the Park after closing hours, and found a way into the fenced-in captive breeding facility. No motive is known for this act of extreme violence against these unique and much-loved symbols of Cayman's natural heritage. Anyone with relevant information is asked to contact the Royal Cayman Islands Police."

Woot! Thanks everybody.

So, I followed the growing crowd of people who reorganized their gallery with the new folder/thumbnail format. I didn't like it at first, but it definitely does keep things more organized for those of us with literally thousands of photos uploaded. I do not know how many people will actually LOOK in the folders, but oh well. lol. At least now they're categorized.

So.. this is pretty sad...

Today at work, a bloodshot-eyed man came in, carrying a fully set up 20 gallon tank with lamps and whatnot. He told me[while choking back tears] that his brother had bought this snake a few months ago at our store, and that he had been killed earlier this week. Which is when he started full on crying. Turned out it was the Sinaloan Milksnake that had been there at my store for quite a while. I think I remember who bought the snake, and I believe it was a military guy, as my store is located on the borders of 2 separate bases[we supply both bases' dogs with food each month]. One army, one airforce, and about half our customers are military. Really sad, and it sort of hits home how many people are dieing over in Iraq. I told the man I would take the snake myself and take care of it, and he seemed relieved.

So I now have some poor dead soldier's snake. I wonder what its name was, if it had one.