First,let me just say thanks for checking the site out.Even though I've had a computer for a decade,it's only been a little over a year or so since I realized it's potential.It's not that I was a complete technophobe or anything,it's more a fact of so little time etc....Some of my previous efforts at a website consisted of aol homepages which were free but, were a nightmare in and of themselves to work with.I've also been working on Dark Side Ink's web site for a while but,only to update and add new products.At the time of course,this was a major breakthrough for me as,up until that time,I was pretty much at the wow,how do they do that shit?!stage.My friend,Vin Pacheco,owner of Dark Side Ink,was kind enough to bear with me,under the guise of helping him out,while I stumbled around in the dark trying to figure out how they do that shit....

I am now what is known as'disabled'.About eight years ago I came to discover that I was the proud owner of a poorly functioning heart.I do not tell you this looking for your pity or for any reason like that.It's just a fact and,that's that.I worked for as long as I could but,when it finally started to get the best of me,I had to go on disability.It is a pretty damned difficult thing to get your head around that concept at the tender age of 44.It was bad enough dealing with the fact that I pretty much brought this upon myself after years of alcohol and drug abuse but,after a few sessions with my doctor,they hit me with the whole,"you're severely depressed and most likely bipolar"bit.I will admit,here and now,that I think that's a load of horseshit.I believe,according to their explanation of the 'symptoms',that every fucking person I know is bipolar!!I went to their psychiatrist,who agreed with them,after five minutes with me.When I walked in his office he already had the prescription pad in his hand!! It all started because I've been dealing with insomnia,for about twenty years now, and anxiety attacks,for the last year,and blah blah blah...My mind races constantly and I worry about shit.....hmmm...sound familiar??So,don't break out your tissues for my story just yet.I don't take any of the medications he prescribed.All they did was make me sick.I will say though that the sleeping pills I ended up with are a gift from God.Call me a Kennedy but,I like'em!!

Let me also say that,I had a blast getting here.If you can't fall down a whole bunch of times and live life the way you choose to,then you ain't gonna'have any stories to tell as you get older(providing you get the chance to get older...and you can find anybody that'll listen to you...).The whole disability thing has been a blessing in disguise of sorts.While I have no clue how long I'm going to be around,at least I don't have to worry about getting the bills paid anymore.As such,it's given me a lot of time to take stock of all the shit I've done and put myself thru over the years and this website is fast becoming a combination online store/gallery/electronic confessional.

 

 

Sure,it's nice to get paid for doing what you love to do but,every time that I've chased the money,it's come at the cost of something else.And that's usually when I've been the most miserable.I've never really cared about the money end of things.As long as the bills are paid,and I can get a few toys here and there,I'm cool.Whenever I've made tons of cash doing something, I've always just found more shit to spend it on.Huge bank accounts do not exist in my reality.That's why the cartoons are free here and the comics and zines and stuff are inexpensive and,in some cases,open to equitable trades for all you zinesters out there.I am more interested in getting the work out there than getting the cash in here.(Not that I couldn't use a little help paying for this website,n,all.)

In closing,I just want to say,thank you again for checking the site out.In the end,I think this site is as much of a means for me to figure out who/what the hell I am as anything else it may or may not be.I've gone in so many different directions and worked in so many differing styles over the years that,at times,it is hard to reconcile one with all the others.I did try to follow the path of least resistance so that I could have more time to do eveything that I wanted to.Now that I have the time to work on everything,it's all making a little more sense finally.Wherever possible I've tried to give some sort of an explanation in regards to where my head is at.So,as I get closer to that story telling age I appreciate the fact that you chose to let me have your eyes and ears for a while.Hope you enjoy the site and,if you have any questions,thoughts or there's something I can do for you e-me.And check back here as much as you'd like as I plan on updating it often.

Jim Charette riverratspress@verizon.net