My last 24 hours

you shan't believe

2:30 pm SUNDAY

The last day of C2E2 and my ears are ringing from three days of the convention. My clothes smell like hot dogs and beef sticks.

Basically c2E2 seems to be a 3 day BBQ party starting at 9AM until closing time, all in an enclosed cement box…. YOU tell me what that’s gonna smell like come Sunday.

But I walk by a beer and beef sandwich cart from the bathroom. Ryan Stegman offers to do a cover for my new project, I am blown away. He is a tremendous talent and awesome guy! I walk back to my booth happy as a clam to see my booth neighbor packing up. None other than the amazing Ryan Ottley, another uber talented man and human being (who is going to do a cover for my new project as well) We hug it out, as he and his son leave for their flight. I realize I better do my rounds as we’re all going to need to escape the show floor.

Eric Talbot stops by, one of the original artists on TMNT back in the day. Super nice guy, hero of mine. He’s paying back the visit I made to his booth. He had signed covers from issue 16 I picked up. We talk for a few minutes, make sure we find eachother again at the next con. I’m over the moon getting to know such amazing people and artists.

I rush over to Jorge Corona and Morgan Beem. The dynamic duo of awesome sauce. Both amazing people I have the fortune to know, and talented AF. More hugging it out with plans to see each other in Denver.

3:15 pm

I stop by Shawn Crystal’s booth, but he isn’t there. He was my breakfast mate all three days and holy crow is he awesome. Really adept at his tools and genuine and unique person. Thrilled to get to know him better from us being in the same hotel.

I hold my breath and put on my headphones. I listen to Dungeon Crawler Carl book 1. It’s hilarious and it keeps my mind off of the crowds and the next 45 minute walk to the Orange line. Best and easiest way around.

5:15 pm

My flight is delayed but I get a new flight, everything’s coming up Millhouse!

I get through security at the airport and finally sit down. But I can’t stand up. No I’m not that tired, some kid left a wad of mint green chewed up bubble gum and guess who sat in it. I swore and shook the heavens. May that child, or adult, have evil poop every friday night until my curse is lifted!

I asked the woman at the clothes counter, do you have pants? I ask her to look at my butt. She starts giggling. OH no….only female sweatpants. But she suggests ice. I go to the bar. The two nice women look at me, again I ask them to look at my butt. I’m starting to enjoy this part if I’m being honest. Everyone was having a bit of fun with it all. Lots of giggles, lots of stares. It’s all so relatable as an experience.

I get ice and head to the toilet. 2 hours ago, I had the dizzying highs of having people come to my booth, praise my ability and art, buy books and art, all with peers and famous artists hugging and laughing. But it all came crashing down. Here I stand in the airport toilet stall, just in my socks and undies rubbing ice on my pants. I curse and I laugh. I laugh and I curse. It’s an absurd life and scene. BUT, ice and using hand sanitizer worked! If you ever find yourself with my problem it worked great.

11:45 pm

I land. 20 minutes late waiting for luggage. The entire percussion team of Rancho Cucamonga won 3rd in nationals and it took a long time to get all that equipment on and off the plane…. 60 kids!?! It was a flight to remember.

12:45 asleep

5 AM

awake, with jetlag. I draw with my 6 year old. He says we should draw horror characters until school starts.

8:30 AM. I am now with Julie in the hospital. Her 2nd mastectomy surgery is in 2 hours. I have become very adept at compartmentalizing the real world from my art world. But now it’s time for real. She goes in for prep. No joke, As they put the syringe in and find her vein, the San Diego earthquake happens. I shit you not. EXACT moment. I contend the redhead is a witch and missing her vein with the needle, angered her. THAT made the earth shake. Just saying, prove me wrong….

12PM

Therapy session during the surgery. Our plan of attack? figuring out my awful imposter syndrome and inability to take a compliment. I deflect and avoid. To learn how to deal with uncomfortable is my next task.

1PM There’s a a flipping bird on my bed….

No idea how it got there or for how long its been in the house?!? I spend a few minutes laughing. If this is a movie, this would be the soul of Julie letting me know everything will be OK and then the phone rings with bad news. I nervously laugh that this all doesn’t happen in real life. Just the blurring of reality and my fiction world colliding…. takes 2 minutes to shoo him out the window. No poop found!

1:40-2:40 two kid pickups, texting Julies family surgery updates.

3:30 I pick Julie up from surgery. She is the strongest most resilient woman I know. Proud to be with her. We get her home.

5 pm. She has drains, if you know anyone who goes through surgery or breast cancer, you’ll know. You have to drain these pouches that fill with fluids from inside the body. She shakes. I hold her head steady as I drain the blood. I no longer remember yesterday. This is my real moment. This is my real life. Julie nods and I help her lay back down.

I go around the corner and cry uncontrollably. I am the support. I dry my eyes before the kids come running inside. They want to play and make believe. Minecraft zombies are attacking the house. I smile at Julie and push back the fatigue, jetlag, feelings, and fear. I look at my boys.

It’s time to pretend.