(Quick note: we had some issues with our spam blocking software that has been kicking away some emails it shouldn't. If you send either me or the MegaGear store an email over the past week and it was rejected, please try resending, things should be fixed now. Thanks!)

Hope everyone had a nice thanksgiving. Sarah and I did, taking the day off to visit family and do the normal Thanksgiving stuff. The day wasn't all fun and turkey, of course. When we got home we dove back into getting more stuff ready for the MegaGear store. The Christmas Holiday Shopping season is upon us, and we're ready. Almost.

We have introduced a bunch of new shirt designs including a really fun "Zilla Stomp!" shirt that came out pretty sweet (I was told i can't have one till after Christmas :(. You'll also find a new mug design as well as the return of the Ch33rbot mug, as well as new Megatokyo ID badges. We also have several other new products that will be going up over the weekend, so be sure to check out the store and see what's new over the next few weeks.

The other thing we have going this year is a solid selection of COPIC marker holiday gift sets, which now include Multiliner SP pen sets and are an excellent value and great way to get started with using COPIC markers. I've been loving my COPICS, and I think they make great gifts for budding artists. I'll have more info on my experience with COPICS in a rant sometime next week.

Anyways, be sure to check out the store over the next few weeks and do your christmas shopping early. We're ready to get into holiday shipping mode. In fact, just for fun, Sarah and I decided to get up really early and check out the early morning door buster stuff at some of the big stores here in Ann Arbor this Black Friday morning. Black Friday is what retailers call the day after Thanksgiving, the first major shopping day for the Christmas season.

Now, Sarah and I aren't the type that obsess over finding crazy deals and stampeding into stores to get flat screen TVs at half price... we went more to see what it was like (and check out toys for some of the kids in our family). Wow. The Meijers over by Ann Arbor Saline Road was crazy, but the Target, which opened at 6am, had a line stretching all the way around to the Petsmart. Also, you'll note that it was like 29 degrees outside and foggy. It was spooky. I took a few pictures with my cell phone camera, the one i used for the rant image was REALLY spooky. :) There was a lot of running, and people throwing tons of toys and electronics into carts, and people getting angsty with store employees. Actually, i was afraid to go near the electronics areas :) I could tell from a distance that at all costs we needed to stay away from the Best Buy across the street. :)

Anyways, it was interesting, and fun in its own way, but standing in line to get into a store in the cold and fog? who needs that when you can shop online! Everything you need for christmas is right here. Well, almost everything. :)

Sarah and I would like to thank you again for your support and your business. We really enjoy selling stuff directly to readers and fans -- it's part of what makes this fun. Sure, its a lot of work, but what worthwhile things in life aren't? :) I'll be starting work on "Friday's" the comic later this afternoon, and it should be up sometime tomorrow (Saturday). I won't be skipping any comics for the rest of the chapter if i can help it, because i have to stay on schedule in order to meet my publishing deadlines. Thanks for your patience, and have a good weekend!