My friend, Bill Meiggs
I was going to let today’s strip speak for itself and not even post a blog to go along with it but the more I thought about it, I decided I wanted to do something just a little bit different today.
I have had the weekend to get over the shock of no longer seeing my friend, Bill, at various conventions that we have attended together in the past. But that got me thinking about all my other convention friends I usually see and I wanted to say something to them.
I mentioned on Facebook that if you attend a lot of conventions, chances are, you see lots of the same artists in Artist Alley. Well, the truth is, many of us know each other and hang out after shows and have developed very tight knit friendships with one another – even if we only sporadically see each other at the same shows. That’s how it was with Bill and I but just because we only saw each other except at conventions, that didn’t diminish our friendship at all.
So, here are a few “convention buddies” I have been thinking about a lot this weekend and want to let them know…
Beck Seashols and Dawn Griffin
I only have a younger brother. I never had any sisters but when it comes to conventions and art, I consider you two to be as close to sisters as I’ll probably ever get. So, when I get on your nerves, just try to remember it is almost always in a loving, irritating brotherly kind of way. 😉
Dan Nokes and Bill McKay
I never joined a fraternity in college but with all the traveling and hotel rooms all three of us have shared, I kind of think of you two as my Convention Frat Brothers and really appreciate all the great times we have shared during those long travel hours and boring nights in hotel rooms.
Matt Slay
I know I give you a hard time about the whole “THE Matt Slay” but always know it is just this cartoonist’s corny way of showing you mad props and respects.
John Gallagher
John, that SPX Bar-B-Q party in your backyard will stay with me forever – mainly because you could have easily kicked me out for (kinda) crashing your party but instead, you welcomed me with open arms with hospitality and friendship.
Chris Otto
It’s been a pleasure watching you grow and improve your art.
There are a whole lot more convention-related people I can name here… Steve Conley, Ben Penrod, Ben Taylor, Harry Crosland, Patrick Michael Strange and so many more… This list is extremely small, as you can tell. That’s mostly because it was right off the top of my head and I didn’t want this blog post to turn into the “Never Ending Blog Post”, you know? So if you and I are “convention buddies” and I didn’t list you, it’s not because we’re not friends or anything. We probably are really great friends. It’s just the names above are the ones I have the most contact online, irritate the most or just see the most often. That’s all.
The main point is… with Bill’s passing, I wanted all the convention people I consider friends – whether I mentioned you by name or not – I truly love seeing you guys at all the same shows we do and I wanted to let you know how much I value those brief moments of friendship when we’re eating dinner together after a convention or chatting online or maybe even arguing or debating about something as well – because those moments should be cherished too.
I’m grateful for the friendship I had with Bill and I’m grateful for the friendships I have with all of you.
