02/02/2026
— I am blessed. Very happy to have a thought cross my mind, grab it, and sketch it out to be developed into a tighter illustration or cartoon. Also blessed in that I've arrived at a pace and freedom... with a book matrix that works for me, letting me freely add ideas and just barrel along. I'm up to 250 page ideas now, with about 50 finished. I've posted a couple here before. It'll end up being more than one book.
Just thought of this visual during the night. Back story... a grammar school friend for 8 years recently died of lung cancer. Last time I saw him, in 1969, on Dikeman Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn... he was smoking.
Many navy buddies from my service years... who I also remember as smokers, aren't with us anymore. I'm so glad I didn't smoke, and thank God my lungs, at 76, are healthy.
I still have it on my schedule to WRITE what that cigarette is saying... but if you're at any age and seeing this... and smoke... for the sake of those you love... and yourself... please stop.