"Post No. 679"

I swear I saw Wooly Mammoths walking around outside. Well...okay, maybe I didn't, but I'm really tired on this frigid weather here in South-Central, Kentucky which has been going on for the past week, and the worst may be yet to come with a snow storm scheduled to move into this area Thursday night adding to our misery. Perhaps it's not as bad as it is in New England and other areas North, but these people expect it to be bad like that every winter. Here we usually have a kinder season with slight amounts of snow, but every 20 years or so we go through this cycle which brings the ice and snow.

Last January we had this terrible ice storm that knocked out power for some residents of the state for more than a month, bringing down power lines and trees and in general disrupting the entire state to the point that it was declared an emmergency situation. The snow itself held off for the better part then, but I expect another falling of the white crap similiar to the one we had in the early 1980's when blizzard-like conditions pretty much kept everyone inside for over a week.

Sorry I haven't been around posting in a while now (over a month) but I got an unexpected "Christmas present" on Christmas Eve; a computer virus that's infected my whole pc. It was obviously from someone that I trusted and opened up an attachment on a email from him. The guy may not have even known it was infected, but it's a trogan and one that is trying to steal my passwords, so until I can get that system cleaned out and my XP reloaded, I'll have to blog from my mom's pc.

Christmas went okay this year. My wife and I went down to mom's and made a Christmas dinner for her and my cousin and aunt and we had a good Christmas gathering with family. Debbie made me a "throw" this year that had illustrations of the Beatles from their 1960's cartoon show, which is pretty neat. ("Bobcat" gave me a new pair of house slippers.) A late "present" of sorts was from my good old friend Steve who brought me a set of the original 1986-87 DC Comics Watchmen series, as well as a hardcover reprint of the 1950's St. John Tor comics, both of which I quite enjoyed. It was nice to re-read those issues of Tor which reprinted the first issue of 1,000,000 B.C. as well as the two 3-D issues that were produced. At one time or another I've had a couple of these, plus the DC reprint set produced in the 1970's. Joe Kubert, like Steve Ditko, had a great influence on my own artwork, and at times I find their very early artwork hard to distinguish from each other (although both artists styles changed later on to be quite unique, with Kubert in his more sketchy style, and Ditko using the more fluid, round-body building techniques).

Steve, when he visted, offered to give me a ride to the comic book shop which was still having their 25% off sale on all store stock, but I sadly declined this time due to lack of funds and when I don't have any extra cash, I sort of find going to such a sale as a mute point. This past year has hit me so hard financially that I rarely have extra cash for anything save the bills, groceries and gas these days, and my "Christmas bonus" this time was more like a "Christmas insult" with it being about half of what I got in 2008, that I just put it all in the bank just to live on.

And...that's it at the moment. Please excuse any typoes as I'm doing this pretty fast. Just wanted to touch base with everyone and wish a Happy New Year to all, and I'll try to post a little more often in 2010.

"Post No. 678"

"Remember, remember,

The 8th. of December..."

John Lennon

October 1st., 1940 - December 8th., 1980

"Post No. 677"

After several days at work I finally got Tuesday off, and, par usual, we had many either nice days or at least dry ones until Tuesday when it rained all day long. However, I was still determined to get several chores done around here that required being outside. One of which was breaking out the old air compressor and checking our tires, putting plastic up on the bedroom window, etc. and working on the dirt pile.

The air compressor was no problem; had that done in 20 minutes or so, but as I inspected the bedroom window frame which I was going to remove and place plastic under, then reattach, it appeared to be just much more of apain than I wanted to handle that day, and instead decided to put the plastic on the interior instead.

Not that it was any less a hassle to accomplish, but at least I was inside where it was dry and warm. The biggest problem with this is always having to get everything else out of my way, which means moving the bed, removing the curtains, etc., but eventually I was able to attach the plastic tightly, then cover the same with a blanket, then the curtains, and finally get the bed back in place. A little over an hour and a half's work, and now finished.

We (my wife and I) went to the grocery for my mom, then I came back and decided to work a bit on the dirt pile since the rain had all but stopped. It was muddy, naturally, but I used a rake with a long handle and got all of the obvious surface trash (small twigs and the like) from the top of the pile. I noticed that "someone" had come and sawed up and hauled off some of the logs and took the one pile we'd split, so that's gone now too. All that's left is a large pile of debris, a pile of logs, and a pile of treated boards. The dirt still has a few "humps" in it that I plan on breaking down, and the raking was mostly intended this time so that the rain would help me with my job by washing off the small twigs of which I wish to dispose. Not a whole lot left of this project, finally, after many months of hard work. I must say that I'd pretty proud of what I have already accomplished.

I've decided to ("Gasp!") sell about 95% of my comic book collection and have already gone through around 25 boxes full of those here in the pc room, keeping what I want in one long box, but I'd dare say there's less than a hundred I've pulled thus far, some of which I plan to use in a future sale. By the time I finish going through everything there's going to be something like 14-15 thousand regular-type comics for sell in this lot, dating from the early 1940's on up. I've decided to just grit my teeth and pull stuff. I need the room. I need the extra cash (my wife is still just working a part-time job of 20 hrs. a week.). And this will definately be the last time I ever collect comic books. I'm keeping anything friends have given me, my autographed stuff, a few special comics, any books I think may have been in my original collections in the 1960's (and that's the same comic and not another I've bought to replace it condition or nostalgia-wise), and maybe my Charlton super-hero stuff, & Beatles app.'s ("maybe" 500 comics total). Everything else from Golden Age super-hero to individual comics with a book value of over $100. goes and it will go in one big lot (no "cherry picking"). 45+ years of collecting comic books is just enuff, and I don't think I'll miss them again as I'm keeping all of my trade paperbacks (or most of them; some will go), so I'll still have plenty of reading stock if I want to relive some great old story (and I might actually buy a few things I really enjoy in other TPB collections IF I find them cheap enuff).

I figure my current collection is worth $30K+ and I'm asking one third of that. If I can't get it, they'll just stay in their boxes gathering dust; doesn't matter. Or they'll stay here until I retire (IF that day ever comes) and be sold individually/in "lots" on line. I've stopped buying comics now and haven't bought a new comic in probably a year or better. (Thus ends a great era in my personal life.)

Not sure if I mentioned that I found all of my pc drivers and, as usual, they weren't even in this room but another and in plain sight (just as I figured they'd be). Got my camera hooked back up, but wouldn't you know it? Neither the web site for UMAX, or the version of Windows (XP) I'm currently running supports the scanner, so now that's junk to me (although it'd still work on a system using Windows 98). It's about time I bought a new scanner anyway as this is one I paid $15. for about 5 years ago and I've more than gotten my money's worth from it.

The above depicted is from one of my favorite funky silver age DC Comics, Strange Adventures #79, published in the 1950's. If you'll click HERE it'll bring up a page where you can read the story behind the cover (just click onto any image and it'll bring it up larger sized).

"Post No. 676"

I sincerely hope all had a nice Thanksgiving. Here at the ol' "Elmo Plantation", we certainly did even with my mom still recovering from her pacemaker operation about a week back.

My aunt fixed dinner for us with most all the trandition dishes, including turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing, yams, black-eyed peas, cornbread, corn, and a banana pudding. A great old fashion country-type meal. Honestly, it was all I could do to finish a single serving on my plate.

We ate at mom's this time (rather than our usual trip out in the country to eat at my cousin's place), and besides my mother and wife, we had my Aunt Sally and my cousin (Sally's daughter) Leslie. Good times by all, and, most importantly, with the family.

Today I watched a little of The Macy's Parade before finishing up both yards of left-over leaves. Now with the yards done for the year I can go back on concentrating on that dirt pile in the back which I've had to neglect for a while.

I also watched a little of the Cowboys/Raiders game. Dallas was pretty much walking away with that, which sort'a pleased me as I like Dallas even though I'm not much of a football fan.

I've actually won something new here today in the way of comic books; 15+ religious comics, mostly J.T. Chick "Crusaders" series, nearly a full set of the 17 different issues, but of course those won't be arriving for some time. If I ever want to complete that set it may be difficult as the final issue (#17) had a low print run. I may just have to settle for what issues I'll get (and I already have around 4 issues of that particular title, but they are all the .59 printings, so maybe these will all be 1st.printings which all had the .39 price).

The above comic book cover is to Giggle #60, from 1948 (wow...that's 51 years ago!) with a Thanksgiving theme. Everyone be careful tomorrow on "Black Friday" while you're out shopping around for those bargains. I actually have purchased ONE Christmas gift thus far, so I'm really behind for the year. I know everyone will be looking for the best bargains they can find with the current economy.

I foresee being VERY busy at work tomorrow in retail, what with all of the shoppers, and just two of us working the shift, and BOTH of us needing to order items for our sections (Lord, I haven't had a chance to order anything for a week now due to having to make a new display last Monday plus the rest of the day spent putting out Christmas decorations, and I still have a large item that needs to be assembled! I'll never get caught up!)

"Post No. 675!" (dang!)

The above is the theatrical release poster from the 1993 flick, "Wilder Napalm" starring Dennis Quaid, Debra Winger and Arliss Howard. If you'll click the link in red it'll tell you a better summery than I could be brief about, but it's a great movie that I've been wanting to see for a good 16 years since a friend told me it was about two guys that had powers like "The Human Torch". I wasn't disapointed from that long wait. Very enjoyable, and highly recommended.

In more important things, my mother was released from the hospital today after having a pacemaker installed. Last Wednesday she had me to take her to the doctor, compaining about some pain in her left arm. Naturally her doctor was concerned about her heart and sent her to the hospital for a EKG and blood work. Seems her heart rate was way too irregular, dropping then rising too high, so Friday night she was transported from our local hospital to Elizabethtown Hardin Memorial where she got the pacemaker.

The procedure was brief (about an hour and a half at the most; some of that of which was "prep"), she got just a local so she was fully awake during the operation, and was even given a chicken sandwich and a Diet Coke to eat before she got completely off the operating table (she hadn't had anything to eat or drink since midnight before), and was back in her room before 10 A.M.!

The pacemaker is so small these days you can't even tell someone has one. Amazing how much medicine has progressed.

Got to thinking about this being the 47th. Anniversary of the assassination/death of President Kennedy. As it happened, my late brother came home that very night from his first leave from The Marine Corps. Strange how things change. Had that happened today, the country would have most likely been put on "lock down' such as it was on 9/11, anyone in the military would have had to stay on base, and it would have been treated like a suspected terrorist attack. Back then, nearly 50 years ago, it was treated as a police matter.

And... just to catch up a bit with my current sporatic blogging...

You'll notice that there's a new link in white-colored font over at the top of the column to the right. It's to one of my other, pretty much, non-working blogs, called "A Puck's Tale". I had been using this just for some personal information about me, but I decided that would be the perfect place for me to have as much of a complete resume' on line of my published work from over the past 40+ years that I could round up and list, so's...there 'tis.

It's still a "work in progress" as ifever/whenever I finally find my scanner/camera driver discs I do plan on posting a current photo of myself along with some cover reproductions and artwork.

"Post No. 674"

Got the bill in from Debbie's emergency room visit; $725.00. Simply outrageous. The attending physician looked at her hand, put some antiseptic on it and a piece of gauze and tape, gave her a tetanus shot and sent her home. For all that was done by the attendents in the ambulance, and the hospital doctor, we could have done for next to nothing right here at home save for the shot. For that little trip in the ambulance (for two miles) and the ER visit? Over $1,200. (And people wonder why health insurance is so high.) Very sad.

Finished raking my leaves again. This time it took around 4 hours since I had to neglect them due to my job for the past 5 days. Got the gutters cleaned out as well, plus I bagged up 6 good size bags of the trash-type wood and the like from the brush pile, and brought up yet another load of sticks and limbs. There's something like 13 bags of debris awaiting pick up by the city this time, plus a pile of limbs and sticks. The yard, two hours later, looked like it needed raking again. My front yard trees are about finished falling, but there's still a pretty full tree at the rear of the house. Maybe it'll all finish faling this week and I'll only have to do this one more time. I need to remulch the leaves on mom's again too, plus, I'm sure, her gutters need cleaning out.

Stopped by both local flea markets Saturday as well as three yard sales. Bought nada at the flea markets, although one dealer did have a copy of the "Beatles Songbook Vol.2" l.p. in nice shape. Wanted $5. for it, and I did consider buying it, but finally passed as it'd only been something I'd listened to a single time before stashing it into my collection of such.

Paid $1. for a large Superman figure from the animated series (from "Justice League", I believe). Put batteries in it and it worked just fine. Has flashing heat vision (i.e., the eyes "light up"), when you move the arms down it makes a "crashing" noise, plus a sound like he's flying. Stuck him up on the shelf with some other Superman memorabilia.

One woman at the flea market had a whole basket full of "Transformers" but wanted $1-$2 each on those which would have been too much just to buy and attempt to resell on my eBay auctions (which would have been the only reason they would have interested me). Nice, however, for anyone that collected them.

Sunday I found the above pictured classic flea market find for a mere fifty cents (alright; not that one exactly as my camera's still not hooked up so I had to swipe that pic off a eBay listing, but an identical one like it). A prime early 1970's "Smiley Face" coffee mug, and, even rarer, marked made in the good ol' "U.S.A.". Funny thinking back some nearly forty years ago circa 1970 visiting a now long gone head shoppe located in Bowling Green, KY.. I was looking at some of the pin-backs they had and there was a whole basket full of Smiley face buttons for, oh, maybe 25 or 50 cents each. When I asked the clerk what they were exactly (as that was the first time I'd seen one), he told me that they were "Happy Faces", and that they were going to replace the Peace Symbol! I admit to actually buying and wearing one for a couple of years lo' dem many years ago (LOL!).

"Post No. 673"

Well, I got my printer back to working, but not before having to go to the Lexmark home page site and downloading it from there. I've yet to find a small 4"x4" plastic case with the driver discs to my printer, camera and scanner. I've tried to download the scanner and camera drivers from their company sites, but Umax doesn't support my particular scanner any more, and I can't seem to find one for the Sanyo.

Been rearranging my pc/collection room as it was getting just a bit too cluttered with various collectibles: action figures, toys, etc., etc. Packing up several large boxes to put away in storage and just changing it around a bit as every blue moon I get tired of seeing it looking the same way. Getting all of my "Beatles stuff" in one specific area of the room. It'll probably take me a good week just to do this, a little at a time, every night after work. Along the way I've found several items I've decided to stick in my next yard sale. Not sure what to do with all of the extra books I have in the room as they're getting stacked now on top of one another instead of neatly in cases, so I may be forced to store some of that as well.

My mom turned 85 years young this past Monday (the 9th.) and remains in reasonably good health. I'm amazed, quite frankly, at how well she is doing and am very thankful for that. I try to keep a pretty close eye on her and visit, at least for a few minutes, every day and call to check up on her daily. She had a very nice birthday receiving many cards and some gifts. My wife and I try to get her out of the house as often as we can as she gets bored with nothing to do besides reading and watching television (and puttering around her place).

On another note...for those who wonder why health insurance is so high? We got a bill for the ambulance ride my wife took about two weeks ago (which was basically not even needed). 2 miles to the hospital = $514.00. We don't need a government run health plan; we need health insurance that we can afford. (No one can tell me it cost on the average of $257.00 to drive any ambulance per mile.)

As this year starts coming to a close, I think back about how bad finacially we've been hit by it. It began with the television going out ($200.), then the microwave (another $100.), the riding lawn mower getting fixed ($75.), buying a used push mower ($60.), replacing gas lines ($300., and it would have been probably 3 times that much had I not done all of the manual labor laying the lines, digging the ditches, etc., plus the line was given to me free), trimming the trees ($300.), Debbie losing her job, then having to repay all of the unemployment money ($1,256.00), ambulance bill ($500.), starter for my car ($170.), cleaning out the fence row in the back yard ($75.), and we still have yet to get the ER bill (at least $500.). Along with many other misc. expensives it puts the figure at around 5 Grand, which we certainly didn't have extra, nor could afford to pay. I'm just thankful that Debbie still has at least a parttime job, and I'm still working fulltime. Otherwise, it'd been bankruptcy a long time ago.

Off this weekend. I'm sure I'll spend at least half of Saturday on the leaves and gutters.