Good Morning, Gents!

Yesterday, I was wishing there would be a live stream, but as the day wore on, I knew I would not be able to stay awake. By the end of the day, I wasn't even sure I'd get my only meal in for the day, I was so tired. I did, but I didn't even make it to 7 PM. I didn't even see the last minute announcement that there was a stream last night. DOH! ZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

This is nothing new. Sorry, but that takes time. And the heat & humidity isn't conducive to drawing in my car on breaks at work. It takes a lot of work to keep my sweat off the paper (I'm probably the only one who doesn't run his car on breaks). And the weather affects the medium in a way I'm not a fan of. So, my work has been relegated to weekends. There aren't enough of them & they aren't long enough.

This took me about 14.5 hours to make.

This month marks 20 years that I've lived here. About as much time as I lived on the farm growing up. Kind of a milestone, I suppose.

I moved up here to start a life with my love (at the time). It didn't turn out as I had hoped, but much as I think we all would expect. And I got the house in the end in a manner of speaking, because she moved back to Illinois & as far as I know has never been back.

Meanwhile, I thrived here. I've worked 2 full time jobs with several part time & summer time jobs over the years. I've been at the place I'm at now for almost 18 years.

I came to Christ on my sofa & have been part of 3 church congregations in my time here. Despite leaving, I still have many friends from those congregations. (I'm actually going to visit some on Monday after work.) My faith has thrived here. Through the various churches (especially the first one), I've engaged the various communities & really explored the city.

In fact, once, my ex came up here for some reason & I can't remember where I took her, but she was like how do you know all of these places? She'd ask me these kinds of questions, because she'd expect me to answer that some girl I'd been seeing showed me or we did this together or something. What she never could understand about me is that I'm smart (I guess you could say) or creative or innovative........whatever, & most of the time these things would present themselves to me as the next logical step. She was hoping to feel spite & jealousy. I don't understand why some people want to feel certain things or be certain ways, but to each their own. There's a girl at work whom is said to be the most negative person. I know her a little & would expect her to be on anxiety meds & probably has self-esteem issues (though that's just my impression of her). I understand the appeal of feeling negative at times or hopeless or dystopian, but being this way long term doesn't serve anyone. If you're going to seek after a feeling or be a certain way, why not be productive, positive, good, kind, happy, even joyful? To each their own.

I've also started my little art business & have been growing it the last few years. That has put me into contact with another community of people, which has been kinda interesting. They are not Christian, so I highly doubt this lasts or even remains a positive experience for long, but we'll see what happens. Right now, it's been surprisingly interesting. One of the owners I work with hooked me up with a local printer. They are printing something for me as we speak, for a sale I made. Hopefully all of that works out, but so far, it's been a positive experience. If they do a good job, I wouldn't mind switching over to them if I can. They're local, so I'd rather give them the business. But also, no more shipping & no more waiting a week or 10 days to get my products, I can just pick them up after work. DUDE! That would be epic if they could print what I have & the price would be relatively the same or cheaper.

Something that's kinda interesting & off topic is that these circles of people don't overlap. At least I don't think they do. I would be very surprised to learn that the people in any of the church congregations I've gone to regularly visit any of the places I sell in. There is an enormous overlap with the businesses that I work with. Nearly all of the owners & more than a few of the employees are connected somehow & they all know me from seeing my products at the various places. To date, no one from church, none of my friends, nor people I've just met have ever seen my products before they met me. As far as I can tell, there is virtually no overlap between those two communities.

But 20 years up here & I know so many people & have made so many friendships (really acquaintenances), so many good memories & experiences, & learned most of the city (as in where this or that is), & am learning more about the various communities & businesses as I join them in this little business venture of my own. I really do love it here. It's a pretty great life. A darn good adventure. The only sorta sad thing about this is that nobody wants to share it. "I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure." Do you know where this comes from? (I would say that I am wishing you a good morning, a blessed day, something along those lines.) "I don't imagine anyone west of Bree would have any interest in adventures.....nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things......make you late for dinner. NO! WAIT! We do not want ANY adventures here, thank you. Not today! I suggest you try over the hill or across the water." (Somewhere far, FAR away from me, please.) Joker said on Wednesday that people used to interact & no one interacts any more. There's no social cohesion, it sucks. And like no one, not even the people who complain that no one interacts any more, interacts any more. No one wants to share in an adventure. They're so scared of adventure......it's actually funny, because most people have miserable lives, yet they're scared of sharing in an adventure (nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things). Why? Because maybe it might provide a little entertainment or meaning to their sad, pathetic, miserable lives. And that's sad. But it's the world we now live in.

I guess if people aren't willing to share in adventures, then I hope they have nice, little, isolated ones of their own. Living is certainly better than simply existing. Growing & improving is better than being miserable.