Ready For The Holidays?!

I took this pic today of the lobby where I work. The holiday season is officially upon us! I hope you are looking forward to this year's festivities. As always, don't forget those in need. Nothing better than putting a smile on someone's face who could use a hand :)) Enjoy! -Tom

Happy Thanksgiving!!

For all my readers in the United States, I hope you have an awesome Thanksgiving today!! This year will be a little tough for our family because my dad won't be with us (except in spirit, of course), but it will be a joyous event nonetheless. Always good food and lots of laughs.  Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!! Enjoy the day :))))) -Tom

Unbelievable!

Hi everyone! All is well and I am still taking a break from cartooning. My artist and I occasionally collaborate on the children's book I told you about, but aside from that, we are both concentrating on other things. Anyway, I had to post this old cartoon today. Last night, I fell asleep watching the Yankees lose the ALCS (boooo!). I awoke around 3:00am and set my alarm for 6:00am (the time I get up for work). My alarm went off and I did my usual workday routine (shaved, showered, brushed my teeth, went to the beach for breakfast, etc). As I began driving to my office, I noticed there were hardly any cars on the road.  I also didn't see kids at the bus stops waiting to get picked-up for school. I thought to myself, "is today a holiday?" I then checked my cellphone calendar. DOH! It's Sunday! At least I now have a story to tell :-) -Tom

I'm Back To Say "Hi"...

Just a quick note to say all is well and I hope the same goes for you :)) I am still taking a break from cartooning because I have been busy with other things (mostly work) and my artist has been tied-up too. In the meantime, enjoy my older posts and feel free to contact me from this site (under my pic) or via email (see July 1st post). Regarding the above photo, that's me in the car I rented in North Carolina  when I visited Armani in July. We loved driving around in a convertible and the car was super FAST! There were  drawbacks cruising with the top down though. For one, Armani and her boyfriend's bushy hair blew all over the place as we drove (it was hilarious...lol). I, however, buzz my hair short, so I didn't have that problem. Instead, I got sunburn....ouch!  Talk to you soon. -Tom

I'm Taking A Break!

Hi, everyone! I have lots going on (all good), so I am taking a break from cartooning. Check back periodically because you may see something new. You can even view older cartoons if you are in the mood ;-) Feel free to message me from this site (under my picture) or email me at tgiordan@comcast.net or dust-specks@hotmail.com. I will be checking and responding to emails regularly. Thanks for your support and I look forward to hearing from you soon! -Tom

Unconditional Love :-)

Bitsy is right. Unconditional love is the best. Accepting someone for who they are and loving them no matter what is priceless. It's truly one of life's blessings :))

Oh-boy!

You did the right thing, Bitsy. Sometimes it's best to just walk away.....

In Color!

This is the June 7th post in color. Hope you like it! -Tom

The Seagulls Are Gone....Except One!

Hi, everyone!  While you wait for the last cartoon I posted to get colored, I would like to share this with you. As you may know, I go to the local beach each morning and, starting last winter, began feeding the seagulls that frequent the area. In the winter, a large flock would fly off the water when they saw my car pull-up to get their meal. Now that summer is here and food is plentiful, the flock is gone, except for one bird with distinctive markings who I call "Peg."  The reason I call the bird Peg is because when she was a part of the flock that disappeared, she had a fishing line wrapped around both legs. In fact, the line was wrapped tightly around one of her feet as well, causing her to limp (like she had a peg leg). I tried coaxing Peg with food to get close to me so I could free her from her binds, but she would have none of it.  Over the months I would continually see Peg and luckily, the fishing line eventually was gone (I'm assuming she ripped it off).  This made me relieved, but the foot that was wrapped tightly was obviously damaged. Fast forward to the present. Out of all the birds in the flock I was feeding, it's so cool the only one that still waits for me is the one I tried to rescue.  I am happy to report that Peg's foot, although slightly scarred, has completely healed and she is doing fine! I hope the food I have been feeding her helped in her recovery :))

Unreal!

Here's a black & white before it is colored. Dusty is definitely wrong on this one. Some people simply do not have self control (like the person in this cartoon). Get a grip!

I'm Going To Visit Armani!

I booked a flight in July to visit Armani in North Carolina :)))  Armani's eighteenth birthday is on July 14th and I want to celebrate it with her. I even reserved a Ford Mustang that will be waiting for me at the airport so Armani and I can cruise around in style (I once owned a Mustang and Armani loved it, so she is psyched). Dan, the owner of the firm where I work, is in Costa Rica closing on a vacation home, so he is unaware I will be  taking a few days off. I am sure he won't mind though. I have known Dan a long time and even owned a business with him.  He kinda lets me come and go as I please, especially when it comes to family. When I tell Dan my plans, I am sure he will say, "go for it!" He always does :)) 7/15/19 Update: We had an awesome three days together in North Carolina :))) Time went by so fast. Love you, Armani. Always have, always will. -Papa

Bunny!

I know some people who can't pass up a sale either, even when they have little or no use for what is being bought! I guess whatever makes you happy :)) -Tom

RIP, Dad.....

At age 87, my dad peacefully passed away yesterday. Born Salvatore Giuseppe Giordanella, he leaves behind his wife, Theresa, two sons (my brother Frank and myself), a granddaughter, Armani, and a family who thought the world of him. He was a wonderful father and person in every way. He was giving, loyal, understanding, compassionate, a great provider, and so much more. My family and I were fortunate to have such a special person in our lives and to have the opportunity to spend time with him over the last week where many beautiful emotions were expressed. He will truly be missed by all. Love you, dad. -Tom

Be Safe!

For those celebrating Memorial Day weekend, please be safe.  Take it from the Dust Speck's cast; drinking and driving is not smart. Enjoy, everyone! -Tom

Dakota :-)

This is Dakota at roughly two years old at a dog park he loved to visit.  Dakota was my daughter's birthday present when she turned five. He was only weeks old when we got him and he looked like a tiny teddy bear...so adorable :))  Dakota was a great dog. He had the calmest temperament, he was affectionate, loyal, and obedient. If you have the chance, look up Great Pyrenees online and read about them. They were bred to guard livestock from predators so, when you think about it, they like helping others. That's a good thing. As Dakota got older, his hips began giving him problems (which is common in big dog breeds). After many months of trying to improve his condition through different methods, Dakota had to be put to rest :-( That was one of the worst days of my life. My daughter, to this day, gets teary eyed when she looks at a photo of him. Even though it was painful in the end, the many awesome years with Dakota made it all worthwhile :)))))))))))

In Color!

The above is the color version of the May 10th post. Send me a message and tell me what you think. Crazy busy day at work today, but productive. It sure is good to be home :)) I think I'll catch up on some Game of Thrones episodes tonight. Not a bad way to relax and spend an evening. -Tom