Well, it's nice to know we still have a nice house to live in. In fact, thanks to this amazing "save the house" fundraiser you contributed to, we were even able to order a few extra art supplies for the Dude. Perhaps the most shocking of all--we may have enough left over to supplement the Sillies Emergency Diaper Fund. Yes, they still have their accidents.
When I saw the bread coming in after Gino made her announcement (this was unbeknownst to the oblivious Dude), I was, and still am, in a mild state of stupefication. The outpouring of generosity was clearly far beyond what Gino and I could've asked for. Your contributions poured in from all corners of our planet; the sizeable backstock of comics and Dude related "higher reading paraphernalia" were ordered by the spit-load; and Erik Larson bought his complete Next Nexus 3 issue!
All said, we saved the house.
Perhaps most exciting for the self-minded Dude, Gino has just informed me is that we can now afford to replace my 15 yr-old xerox machine--y'know, the one that broke down and has been gathering dust in my studio for 2 years--with a "refurbished" model. And since this was something that I use every day in every way, it is utterly invaluable to me. Though the Rude Dude experiment is temporarily laid to rest, I march forward with my current gallery-style paintings and the many challenging commissions you fans have requested over the last year, the likes of which one can see on my website and Facebook page. I always like hearing the comments on every newly produced work.
To continue getting back on our feet, the Dude 2011 Commissions Calendar is complete and ready to order, and a new Rude Dude Sketchbook is underway.
In stupefying appreciation,
I remain,
Mr. Humility, the Dude Himself,
Steve Rude
