Loving my loochies

 I have a friend named Travis Nichols. Actually, I'd like to think I'm probably one of the most important people in his life. Okay, so we don't talk much. I haven't seen him in a solid 8 years or so. It MIGHT be true that our lives are very different. I live in a small town with three kids dreaming about the day I put something really creative out in the world and he lives in Brooklyn - no kids yet - creating and being cooler than me. But he's always been that so it's okay.
Oh yeah, so why am I so important to him? I was his first best friend. That's right. Being someone's first best friend makes you eternally important in that someone's life. Obviously, I helped mold him into the man that he has become. That man is mad funny and has never (that I know of since we were born) not been working on a creative project. It's not like my 3 half-finished friendship bracelets kind of "creating". It's the "just finished my latest song", "read my new comic", "I'm published!", "here's my new record", "just got finished touring," "just moved to brooklyn" kind of creating.

He's as original as they come. I can't remember a memory with him that was not filled with laughter or some new story or original song or adventure. I really don't think anyone else in my life has ever made me laugh that hard and all the time. Granted, he was the pickiest eater ever and always bogarted all the cheese slices at my house but he's vegan now so that issue has been resolved. Yep, vegan. He's like a really good guy. He respects others and the earth. He walks the walk. He lives and breaths the principles he believes in and doesn't make others feel bad if they don't do the same. I admire him immensely, so I'm just gonna go ahead and take some credit, k?

These illustrations by Travis are "loochies" representing each of my kids. I hope he doesn't mind me posting them but, like his letters from our childhood, these will be treasured always.

See more of his genius at www.ilikeapplejuice.com.