Basal cell & my wish for a Bruce Jenner nose

I don't know about you but I am really looking forward to warm weather. The last vestiges of fall have attached themselves to me and give me the blahs. But I'm posting today to urge everyone who comes across my blog, that's right, all 3 of you, to check yourself for any unusual spots. These could be freckles that have gotten bigger, moles that have changed shapes, and other age spots that a body gets. You don't have to be fair-skinned to fall victim to it either, as I found out.

There was this little bump on the right tip of my nose, above the nostril. The dermo biopsied it just to be on the safe side, telling me that because I was Italian, I probably had nothing to worry about. Wrong-O! She called me and told me it was a basal cell skin cancer, "the best skin cancer" she called it. So they set me up with a specialist and he took it off. But not before digging deep. I was hoping he could've whacked a little off here and there (have you seen my nose?), but instead of coming out looking like Bruce Jenner, all I got was a tic-tac sized gauge that a plastic surgeon sewed up. Note: 15 shots of local anesthetic in the old schnozz. Ouch. So now it's a continued life of SPF 500.

Get checked everyone. In case that spot is not the "best skin cancer" and something worse.

Corporate Tree Hugger

This is an illustration I did for the Detroiter, a magazine about well, business in Detroit. The assignment was to come up with an illustration that conveyed the benefits of going green in the office environment. I chose the newfangled light bulb as an icon that represents the change in our ideas about conserving energy.

Plus it looked cool.

Borri's Books

My friend and former colleague, artist Gary Cooley, just returned from a trip he took to Italy. He sent me this photo he snapped of a bookstore at the Rome train station. How cool is that?
Needless to say, they don't stock my book there, but fuggedabout it! THEY SHOULD!

Cowardly Lion

It's been a bit of time since I've posted. Been trying to get back in the swing since Aruba. Not easy. Anyway, here's the latest piece I've been working on. It's part of a series of detailed editorial illustrations I'm trying to put together. I plan on doing the Tin Man and the Scarecrow. I'll pass on Dorothy, though.

Back in Detroit

Came back from a week in Aruba sans chillen. That's the view from the lanai. The ocean is off to the right and we overlooked a massive pool from our fourth floor suite. Went with my three brother-in-laws and sister-in-laws, along with my lovely wife. Man, tough to get back in the swing of things. I decided to start back heavy into my writing, and have started the second draft of my novel, The Claw. Definitely needed the time away more than I thought, and aside from the constant FREAKING WIND, Aruba is a beautiful island. The people are extremely nice, VERY LAID BACK, which drove me crazy most of the time (especially waiting for dinner), and the water is as blue as Windex. Drank the local brew (Balashi) and it tasted so damn good I probably pounded more than I had since college. Anyway, I'm going to dedicate myself to becoming a better artist and writer so that I can afford to visit more places without such huge gaps of time in between. Good to be back in the USA.

Ava's 7 and Aruba, here we come

Hey everyone. Going south, really south, to Aruba. I think that's south. First vaca for my wife and I in 10 years sans children. Thanks to my sisters and my mother-in-law, the kids will be in good hands.

Anyway, I'll be back in a week. Maybe I'll post some photos, who knows. Here's a tribute of my youngest, little Ava. She turns 7 and is quite the poster. We'll be away for her actual birthday, but we celebrated today and made it a special time for all of us. Take care all and God bless.

Pat Caputo Rules!

I love columnist and radio talk jock (97.1 The Ticket) Pat "The Book" Caputo. The guy is a native and knows his stuff. Rock on Pat. Don't let the haters get you down. And there is nothing, NOTHING gay about you! (not that there's anything wrong with that).