Posted on January 20, 2010

• My 3 year old son Jason started running a fever last Monday (the 11th), just after his Tae Kwon Do class. We got out the usual tools and prepared for battle. By last Wednesday we took him to the doctor (didn’t find anything) and Sunday we took him to the ER. He went from an energetic little chatterbox to never leaving the couch or bed.

  Monday he saw his doctor who gave him some antibiotics and we started hoping for a recovery. It didn’t happen. This morning we took him to the local hospital for some more blood tests and xrays and our pediatrician was so alarmed he ordered Jason admitted to OSF Children’s Hospital in Peoria (about 50 mile away). His hemoglobin had fallen over 1 point from Monday to today.

  There’s a whole host of things that could cause this, ranging from scary to terrifying. The doctors think it is most likely a nasty virus attacking his bone marrow and inhibiting it’s ability to create new red blood cells but they are running tests for things like lymphoma and leukemia.

  I’ve posted a lot of this on the DB Facebook page (because I could do so with my phone) but didn’t have a chance to let the rest of you know until now. There was only room for one parent to spend the night so I came back home and I’m about to collapse.

  If you have any spare prayers to give we would greatly appreciate sending them towards our little guy. This is the first time I’ve had one of my guys be really sick and I must say it is a terrifying experience.

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Posted on January 19, 2010

• I’ve made the mobile versions of my work free to all. The Droid files (which are pretty hi-res) are going to remain Members-Only, along with the ability to download the zip collections of each mobile resolution.

  To access the mobile file simply select the size you want from the download dropdown (no login required), allow it to load in your browser and then save it to your phone or your computer to sync over later.

  If you like my work on your mobile device I hope you will think about signing up for the hi-res versions. The smaller versions give you a general picture but I like to throw in details that you can only appreciate at higher resolutions.

Posted on January 18, 2010

• My artwork was mentioned on the BBC’s “ClickBits” segment last week. Here’s the link if you’re interested (mention comes around the 2 min mark). Thanks to Patrick Biggs of NZ for sending me the link!
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Posted on January 16, 2010

• I’ve posted a new revision of “Muspelheim” this evening. As much as I would like everyone to be happy with it, I’m not sure that will be possible given that everyone seemed to like and dislike different aspects of the original (which will remain in the Pickle Jar).

  The little man stays, because I like him, and the sun stays as well (it fits with the fiery theme). I’ve moved the rocks back towards the horizon and I’ve given them a new texture. I’ve also added a cave opening to frame the scene, a la “A New Dawn”.

  Someone suggested a black hole in the sky and it sounds really cool but I think I’ll save that for another wallpaper. Sounds like a cool idea. . .

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Posted on January 14, 2010

• After posting “Poseidon’s Playground” a number of you, rightly, suggested that I put the blue brush away for a little while. Fair enough. I suggested early on in the comments that I might make a fiery companion piece to “Niflheim“. That companion piece is my first post of 2010 and is now available to Members.

  As “Niflheim” was named after the ice world of Norse mythology, this new piece is named “Muspelheim” after the Norse realm of fire.

  I may still want to tweak this one a bit, but I thought it looked nice enough to share (and for some reason it is taking forever to render). Hope it warms you up!

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