Total Pageviews

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Gizmo the Survivor Kitty

I had no idea, when I got this unwanted little cat in November of 2005, that she would prove to be (a) a wonderful animation model and inspiration for many illustrations in two books; (b) as friendly and loyal as any dog; (c) so sickly that her grievous illnesses would cost me much more than mere money. Gizmo is not just a cat; she is a friend. And when friends get sick, you help them.
Fortunately Gizmo is also a survivor. Her nicknames "Tenacious G", "Iron Kitty" and "The Fighter" (this last one, admiringly, awarded from her vet) were awarded after she survived large cell malignant lymphoma that entailed the removal of most of her large intestine in March of 2010. This is a picture of her recovering just after she came home from hospital on March 20, 2010.
Her operation took place on the 18th. Does this look like a sick cat to you?
Since then Gizmo has had another close scare in December of 2011...this one, (a nasal polyp) nonfatal, though just as pricey and difficult and painful to remove.
But she seems to have beaten both of them.
And this is quite an achievement, because the vet did confirm that all of the other cats with large cell malignant lymphoma have died within two years of diagnosis.
Gizmo even beat this cancer without chemo. I wouldn't get it for her and it wouldn't have helped anyway. But she is still here. The anniversary of her surgery: March 18th, 2012. It's been two years. She is possibly the longest lived survivor of this condition.

She is indeed a Fighter. And I say this with great admiration.

Publication date for PREPARE TO BOARD second edition

Well, since I got the text and illustrations for PTB's second edition done early, the tentative publication date has been moved up a month to August 2012 (formerly September.) This seems like a good idea, since it is, after all, a textbook; and September is when most of the books would seem to be needed.

There will be a website for the new edition and I've sent in several videos to go on it; none of them can be presented here for obvious reasons. Sheridan students Mincheul Park and Bram Cayne very generously allowed me to use two projects completed in my class using exercises from the book; and podcaster Raul Aguirre, Jr. allowed me to excerpt some of the fine interview he got with me in December 2010.

I had to film myself pitching, and while it was a distressing experience seeing myself in front of a camera (especially after a week of viewing over 500 portfolios--) I did manage to complete the pitch successfully, albeit a bit tiredly.

Term is winding down now and the group Leica projects turned out quite well this year. I wonder if it is possible to post them?
Let's find out.

More anon.