Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everybody! Julia and I just returned from our Christmas and New Year's trip to Arizona, which was a rather random, but adventurous, way for us to spend the holidays.

We climbed the Grand Canyon, explored the eerily beautiful Mojave Desert, hiked along the beautiful trails in scenic Sedona, and witnessed some awesome animals in the Phoenix Zoo (you haven't lived until you've seen the multicolored splendor of a baboon's ass!). To top things off we spent New Year's eve in a festive block party on Tempe's Mill Avenue, meeting some cool new friends and seeing Styx (yes they are still alive, and their big 80s hair hasn't changed a bit) kick off 2009 in classic rock and roll fashion.

Julia has posted her photo album of our trip. I have posted my noticeably lower quality pictures too, grouped by days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. While the entire trip was a fun and new experience, as a cartoonist, I have to admit that one of the highlights for me was the opportunity to see Needles, CA, home of Snoopy's brother Spike. Although the town itself is no great shakes (just 3 miles of motels and a few restaurants and convenience stores), the local Denny's did honor Spike with a little doghouse in their parking lot. So, Denny's just got a little bit cooler in my book.

We hope you had a fun and safe New Year's, and let's all have a 2009 full of adventure, creativity, literacy, goodwill, and a sensible work/life balance!