For those who have been watching me for a while, you've probably realized that even my glacially slow art process has been completely frozen lately and I've been pretty slow in responding to comments, etc. So, if any of y'all were wondering where the heck I've been lately (Someone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?), here goes...

I have had a couple of things going on personally that have prevented me from drawing and even checking my account here at FA. First is/was a very public, very pervasive layoff action within my group at work. We were told many moons ago to expect something, but, as the time got closer, it became clear that "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers..." were going to be a lot fewer when the date publicized rolled around. This realization, of course, caused a frenzy of activity by all (me included) to keep from being singled out of the herd and culled when the time came. Well, it did and we lost about 33% of the folks in my group a couple of weeks ago. I survived, but now there's the inevitable survivor's guilt thing going on and the seeing folks you've worked with for years get treated like they've got some communicable disease as they pack their things thing going on... Sad... Needless to say, my time available to draw has been pretty hard to come by lately...

But, at least I know now I'm safe! Yippie! I can get back to drawing in my much-curtailed free-time... Woops, not so fast... As part of a not-getting-laid-off celebration, Sammy thought it was a good time to get a new puppy. Now what little free time I had left after doing everyone else's job is taken up in walks in the yard at all hours, playing with this furry perpetual motion machine and keeping an eye on said new family member to ensure he doesn't end up as a light snack for the other two huge dogs we currently have. Not whining or anything, but I just got up from the longest continuous sleep cycle I've had in four days (three whole hours). Sammy has certainly helped (it was her idea, after all), but sleeping on the couch to be in proximity to the door gets old quick and if she doesn't get enough sleep, everyone suffers. Did I happen to mention the thing about how redheads and quick tempers seem almost synonymous? Well, think of a sleep-deprived Shrek with long hair, who uses big words to cut you to ribbons...

In short, for those who may have wondered "Where's Cap been lately?", know that I've been pretty busy the last couple months and I'm likely to remain so for a while. I'm still here though...