02.03.2024 - decisions

Okay. Do me a favor. If you’ve read any of this blog and have even a wisp of a thought, let me know. Knowing so will not affect my propensity to late-night digitally leak onto the internet.

Anyways.

I stopped making art for a bit to put my big-boy pants on and take care of the various very adulty things that need attention. It sorta worked. Then, I started making stickers again. It’s gateway art.

Oh, it’s fine, I’ll just doodle a bit. No harm no foul. It’s reasonable because I have something to draw.

Then, the next thing you know I’m drowning in enamel, wearing a headlamp and reading glasses going into strenuous detail on a substrate that’s 4.125” x 5.375” big. It’s a scene man. For whatever reason, some people seem to see them as worthwhile too. It’s not a career though, making stickers - or is it? 🤔

Ugh. I wish I had more space and better lighting. It would be nice to squeeze some type of a career making things. This spoken from the mouth of yet another privileged goon with the free-time to indulge themselves scribbling away.

Thank you for your support. 🙏🏼

02.01.2024 - stickers

I don’t even know what to say. There is all sorts of legal and tax issues I’m sorting out. I also started making art again. It’s small because I don’t have much space. I have this wonderful ability to justify anything I create. So what? It’s small. That’s great, it takes up less space. I’m going into incredible detail and when matted and framed these things have an air of validity. Maybe I’ll pause here, take some photos tomorrow and present these things as to give this blog itself more validity. There’s something meta there.🤔

…😴…

*the next night, 02.02.2024*

That’s a cool date. I’m into numbers. They’re useful and seemingly everywhere.

I took a bunch of photos. It doesn’t really accurately portray what’s happening here with these stickers. It’s kind of a scene man, very distracting. As I mentioned, I have a powerful capacity for rationalizing acts of creativity. Come over some time and I’ll show you. Buy my book.😉

Forgive me for having a minuscule impact on the USPS pricing structure. I don’t steal these stickers. I buy them on eBay. I cannot speak to where the sellers procured them. It’s an act of love and I have an odd extensive knowledge of the USPS evolution of the Priority Mail sticker. If I actually start making money I will give the USPS a cut. My rationalization is that I’m promoting the USPS’s fine service.😊🇺🇸

Please don’t arrest me for making art. Between the stickers and the street signs I’m concerned as to my culpability. I acquire these substrates from collectors. Ignorance isn’t an excuse. Trust, my heart is heavy with guilt. With any luck one day I can make healthy donations to the DPW and USPS.😉

Here are some pictures. If you have interest, please contact me. ✌🏼🙏🏼🤙🏼

There are some. There are a lot more. There’s something magical about the limited canvas and the impermanence of stickers. I’m a big impermanence guy. It makes a lot of sense to me and sort of devalues specific works of art. It’s all going to go away sooner or later. Of course, this mindset pays zero bills.😕

I appreciate the time you took to press forward through this guys bedside rambling, (I write when I cannot fall asleep).

Godspeed, good luck, take care.🌬️☁️

01.30.2024 - an important day

“Never before have human beings made so much with so much” - me

This thought occurs to me every now and then when I’m feeling like giving myself a panic attack. The baffling reality of our consumption-based culture is something that makes it hard for me to catch my breath. I’m no better. This isn’t shared from atop a milk-crate whilst I gesticulate wildly and tout anything. I’m bad like that. I can see a myriad of ways in which one could opt for a life with a smaller footprint, one where I could breathe easier knowing I’m doing something about the human juggernaut. I’ve gotta say though, I’m kind of thinking we should just get it over with and continue with the blinders; see what happens. That right there though is basically the definition of rationalization. In my past I’ve lived communally in a household whose ethos was one of mindfulness and positivity, a couple-few times actually. It really is a healthier-feeling life. For the most part though, humans don’t live that way.

I’m going to go to bed now. Tomorrow is another day.

✌🏼🙏🏼🤙🏼

01.18.2024 - on Sunday, it will be a good day

I feel like lots of people know this by now. I’ll still share because it’s cool. Ice Cube wrote and produced a song called It Was a Good Day. It is debatably his most popular song. It was released as the lead single on The Predator in 1993.

Some weirdo with time on their hands and access to all the information took the song apart line by line and convincingly deduced the exact day that Ice Cube’s good day was. It was January 20, 1992. There is plenty of material supporting this hypothesis and deductive process. That day is this Sunday and I fully intend to have a good day; one with games, no violence, sexual intrigue, quality relationships with friends and family, optimism, and an overwhelming sense of peace and calm. Join me!

Here are the lyrics to Ice Cube’s It Was a Good Day:

Break 'em!

Shit!
Yo! Yeah!

Just wakin' up in the mornin', gotta thank God
I don't know, but today seems kinda odd
No barkin' from the dog, no smog
And momma cooked a breakfast with no hog (damn!)
I got my grub on, but didn't pig out
Finally, got a call from a girl I wanna dig out (what's up?)
Hooked it up fo' later as I hit the do'
Thinkin', "Will I live another 24'?"

I gotta go 'cause I got me a drop top
And if I hit the switch, I can make the ass drop
Had to stop at a red light
Lookin' in my mirror, not a jacker in sight

And everything is alright
I got a beep from Kim, and she can fuck all night
Called up the homies, and I'm askin' y'all
Which park, are y'all playin' basketball?
Get me on the court and I'm trouble
Last week fucked around and got a triple-double
Freakin' niggas every way like MJ
I can't believe, today was a good day, shit!

Drove to the pad and hit the showers
Didn't even get no static from them cowards
'Cause just yesterday, them fools tried to blast me
Saw the police, and they rolled right past me
No flexin', didn't even look in a nigga's direction
As I ran, the intersection
Went to Short Dog's house, they was watchin' Yo! MTV Raps
What's the haps on the craps?

Shake 'em up, shake 'em up, shake 'em up, shake 'em!
Roll 'em in a circle of niggas, and watch me break 'em
Wit' the seven, 7-11, 7-11
Seven, even back do' Lil Joe
I picked up the cash flow
Then we played bones, and I'm yellin' "Domino!"
Plus, nobody I know got killed in South Central LA
Today was a good day, shit!

Left my nigga's house paid
Picked up a girl been tryna fuck since the 12th grade
It's ironic, I had the brew, she had the chronic
The Lakers beat the Supersonics
I felt on her big fat fanny
Pulled out the jammy and killed the punani
And my dick runs deep, so deep, so deep
Put her ass to sleep

Woke her up around one
She didn't hesitate to call Ice Cube the top gun
Drove her to the pad and I'm coastin'
Took another sip of the potion, hit the three-wheel motion
I was glad everything had worked out
Dropped her ass off, and then chirped out
Today was like one of those fly dreams
Didn't even see a berry flashin' those high beams

No helicopter lookin' for a murder
Two in the mornin', got the Fatburger
Even saw the lights of the Goodyear Blimp
And it read, "Ice Cube's a pimp!" (Yeah)
Drunk as hell, but no throwin' up
Halfway home, and my pager's still blowin' up
Today, I didn't even have to use my AK
I gotta say it was a good day, shit!

Hey, wait, wait a minute!
Pooh, stop this shit!
What the fuck am I thinkin' about?

🙏🏼✌🏼🤙🏼

01.15.2024 - last shot

Here is a picture I took. It is the last thing I saw as I was leaving the Pond House. It was this crazy mutated 3- season cottage turned tree-house feeling, oddly augmented palatial estate. For some reason it reminded me of The Goonies. 🤔

My partner and I spent 12 months, 5 30 yard dumpsters, and just lots of everything. It came out nicely and I wish the very best to the new owners. You’re blessed to live at the Pond House. 🙏🏼

If you’re interested in seeing tons of pictures see Instagram @flpkds and you can see hundreds of photos chronicling this and our last 5 projects. This will be the first that feels like Inlet it get away. 😕

Thank you Pond House. 🫶🏼

01.14.2024 - it was a Sunday

Well, it was a *Sunday* (mhm)
Me and Boss Hog was kinda hungry (mhm)
Like two eggs and a sloppy slice of lettuce (what else?)
And a glass of milk and some cookies

I remember once when hip-hop was more of a valid thing. However, I may just be aging out of being aware of underground movements. I liked that one.

Anyways.

It’s difficult for me to gauge just how honest one should be in a venue like this. Things could get really…intense. Whether that inability to gauge, or partake semi-publicly in gut-wrenching & absolutely stark-naked exposure of writing down the actual truth about one’s self, well, whether it indicates a respect for some modicum of social politeness or maybe hints at some sociopathic tendencies, we’ll, that remains to be seen.

Bonus Points: if you can explain why that run-on sentence is grammatically incorrect, I will give you a present 🎁

My partner and I just finished restoring a house on a pond near where I live. It was grueling and the product was really nice. Then comes the vacuum of being maddeningly busy and then having, (sort of), nothing to do. That’s how it feels anyways. There is, in fact, quite a bit I need to get done. It’s this weird limbo though. I’m pretty disciplined, but it takes me time to catch on. Tomorrow is a new day. My partner says that to me and it’s the kind of altruistic advice I try to embrace.

This year is two weeks old. I hope everyone in the whole world has had a good run of it. 🙏🏼

01.05.2024 - gesticulating wildly

Imagine me, saying these words to you, while I use my hands, and entire body, to add emphasis to their intentionally communicated meaning.

The world is going crazy. In no way can I pretend to understand the breadth with which it is, the various intricacies of it’s maddness, or really anything having to do with anything. It is more just a feeling I have. Perhaps it always has been this way and I just now noticed. I do have a distinct sense that something is up. 🤔

I’m not sure if so have much more to say. I just turned 44. There is a solar eclipse in April I’m looking forward to. It’s an election year. There’s a lot more too. Still though, there’s thi lingering, distinct feeling that something is up. Please contact me if you agree, especially if you have an actual idea as to what it is that is up. I maintain, maybe I just now noticed. Today my hobbies are selling records and painting. Perhaps I’ll add investigation as to what is up to that list. It feels like I need to sneeze. 😬

11.17.2023 - I’ve done everything else

This weekend I’m going to be included in a group show at The Sandpaper Factory in Rockland, MA. For a smaller, yet dense suburban area, I’ve found that there is a significant amount of talent here. I like being a part of that. Humans’ ability to make art is something that clearly sets us apart from the beasts. Important note - the blanket term “art” can refer to a multitude of products one can create. Sometimes art isn’t even palpable or able to be weighed. One could make a reasonable argument that simply the way one lives and reacts to their environment is art. I’m not trying to imply that “non-artists” are inferior at all. We’re all artists on some level.

Anyways. I just hung all these paintings I made. Now, there’s not so much art in my house. I’m somewhat at a loss as to what to do. I’ll blog about it. 😊

“Art” is funny. It is certainly a luxury problem. If one has the time and the means to debate and access and lovingly craft whatever they want, then one is certainly not (currently) dealing with getting eaten by wild animals. I feel blessed to have the time and space to make things, (although I could certainly use more of both). My father always encouraged me to create. As I age and realize how awful some of that work was, I appreciate more and more as to that sentiment from him. Thank you pop.🫶🏼

The things we do with our time. What do you do? Are you happy? What would you do if you were able to grasp that this time is finite? Maybe, hopefully I guess, you have realized this. What are doing about it? I’d love ideas as to the best way to utilize one’s time. DM me. 😉

I used to say that I had no fear of death. While painting the other day I realized that this of fear isn’t true. I’m starting to count hours, trying to produce as much as possible. Pieces of me grasping at minutes and making…things. I feel like I can see a finish line and I realize all of this work I need to make before I expire. I’m terrified, well, mildly terrified. The things I need to make doesn’t even include the things I want to see, the people I want to meet, or the things I want to eat. I’m willing to set aside selfish endeavors in an effort to better fulfill my intended body of work. I’m realizing it is true though, the sometimes frenetic want to produce is because I fear death.

What am I trying to say? This:

1. I am grateful to have problems like how I will manage my time.

2. I admit I am spoiled, but I do get some points for being productive and trying to beautify our world.

3. It is important to have perspective.

4. I’m rooting for humans. I’m also astounded as to what we can make. It is my hope that we can rein it in and allow our children and their children to thrive. 🙏🏼

10.17.2023 - I fell in the pond

Where do I start. (That was a deliberate typo).

My partner Christine and I just finished our sixth house. She and I flip houses in an area surrounding Rockland, Massachusetts. We are good at it. Christine handles almost the entire back-end, handles easily most of the design, and our business, Flip Kids, is almost entirely her labor of love. I do help, a lot, and I have a 50% stake in the partnership. I only detail that to provide some perspective regarding, well, everything - a bit of background and also a well-deserved tip-of-the-hat to my fellow flip kid.

I digress though. The other night we held a small gathering at our completed home at 46 Oak Place in Halifax, Massachusetts. We affectionately call it the Pond House. The home has what is almost certainly the home on the pond with the best frontage and now, the best looking residence on the pond. The body of water is called Crystal Lake, like where horror-icon Jason slaughtered countless you d adults. It’s also called Muddy Pond. It depends on what map you’re looking at. It’s one of the cleanest bodies of water in Massachusetts. It’s spring-fed, private, does not allow motor vehicles, and basically perfect. I will never forgive myself for selling it. My father would probably be proud, but also furious with me for half-owning the waterfront property he regularly ruminated as to the perfect place to make a forever-home.

Again, I digress, (sense a theme…?) There is a pond-tradition to have a dockside trick-or-treat celebration mid-October wherein children in-costume canoe around the pond and visit each dock. It’s charming and Christine and I were excited to take part, as we are committed to take part in the communities in which we work. Things were going well, 10 or so people were in attendance and wholesome fun was being had. Then, as the children, (supervised by adults), began their pond tour, I fell into the frigid pond. There was laughter, embarrassment, myself scurrying away to change clothing and a general sense of drama.

There is way more details that go into what I thought would be a humorous blog post about me falling into a pond. I could write a novella about it. I think how to make this, (sort of), brief and worth viewing I will make the purpose of this post to be showing off some pictures of the house we spent a year of our lives pouring blood, sweat, and tears into.

I’m obligated to thank the fellow carpenters that made this house possible: Steve, Chad, Dave, David, Angel, Jim, Paul, Jamie, Shawn, Jen, and several others; this wouldn’t have been possible without your help and we both are grateful.

Here are some photos of the Pond House. If you’re interested in more photos including progress, before/after, and various details about the last year check our Instagram profile @flpkds.

Thank you and good night.

08.28.2023 - solar eclipse

Were you to witness a solar eclipse at totality you’re likely to count it as one of the most amazing moments of your life.

I guess that’s what I had to say about that, several weeks ago.

The idea was to write here every night while sim trying to sleep. That’s like too much for me. I already have a job. My friend Christine and I flip houses as Flip Kids, (flipkids.co).

But I do. I space out staring deep Into space, having totally valid pontifications. Sometimes the problem is that by the time I get it together enough to write here, I’m bored.

WANTED: One Scribe. Your duties are easy. We’ll hang out and have fun ( 😉). You’ll have an iPad and with which you’ll consistently record the tone and tenor of moments from 6–12pm.

I hate this tiny screen. Im spoiled rotten. Hello to all my friends. Tonight I’m really missing the ones that have passed. Grief isn’t enough of a word. #bumout

08.11.2023 - blog about it

What is the difference between disability and willingness? I know, that sounds like, terrible. I’m serious. Am I being dramatic in experiencing extenuating circumstances, citing them as making life difficult, and claiming that I am experiencing a handicap as to my abilities to “tackle life”? I dunno. It sure feels like I’m experiencing difficulties addressing tasks, benign or complex. I feel like as long as it is amusing the difference is negligible. 🤷🏻‍♂️

06.21.2023.1 - at night

At night, first, I lay down in bed. What do you do? There are preparations, ablutions and medications. I have a cat named Jasper that only lets me touch him after I lay down. Then, for around 15 minutes he wants me to scratch his shoulders and spine. At some point he, I assume, feels satiated and he wanders over to the other endof the bed to sleep. For the other 98.8% of the day he avoids me like the plague.

What I try not to do is watch some Murder Show on my laptop. There’s something about laying in bed watching a Murder Show that is very comforting, but not always conducive to meaningful sleep. Waking up at 4 am and noticing that Murder Shows and Pharmaceutical Advertisements have been playing in your ears while you lightly sleep, dreaming of running through corn fields being chased by a team of Laboratory Workers - yikes. It’s no wonder I have to take medication to sleep through that.

🤔

…

*time passes*

I was considering the notion of “being there in spirit” while I was having a moment that was awful. Usually, one says they were “there in spirit” when referring to an occasion that was positive or fun that they were not present to enjoy. Something, I forget what, was happening and I was considering how an old friend would think it was funny how miserable I was and I thought to myself, “well, he’s here in spirit”, and it occurred to me that it was amusing that he was there in spirit, but it was not a situation that one would want to share. Again, I forget what was happening. It must not have been all that bad because I do not recall.

I’m going to work.

…

It is many days later. Like, 16. On several occasions persons have off-handedly mentioned that they, “thought the blog was funny.” Weird. I, once-again avow, yo do my best producing content. 🫱🏼‍🫲🏻

just to round this dumpster-fire of a thought worth any consideration out, life has been busy. Being an adult is very subtly all-encompassing. To where, one day, you’re found at a Town Meeting being voted onto some council. 🤔

My cat wants way more attention from me. It’s a hot, humid, hazy Julianic Night. May god bless us all. 😅

5.31.2023.1 - public maniacs

I continue to be unimpressed with the lunatics that wander around screaming in Rockland, Massachusetts, the town in which I reside. My windows are open whenever possible, I spend a good amount of time walking and doing things out in the world. Here are some things I’ve heard:

• I was commissioned to paint a utility box for the town. While painting this morning somebody drove by honking, rolled down their window, and shouted, “faggot!” There was no one else around, so it’s safe to assume that they were addressing me. Classy Move.

• While laying in bed some barbarian was walking down the street with his friend. The friend wasn’t speaking audibly. The moron I could hear was loudly shouting at his friend, calling him or her names, peppered with vulgarities. I leaned over to my open window and yelled, “Language!” “Fuck you!” he replied.

• One time I walked into a restroom in a bar and some tipsy local exclaimed loudly to his friend, “…and I’ll tell you what! She gave the best blowjob in Rockland!” It seemed inappropriate. It did get me thinking about Best Blowjobs. 🤔

• I accidentally called my female neighbor Sir and she was offended and doesn’t like me very much. To her credit, the windows of my house are crowded with LED stands of light.

• I forgot what I was talking about.

  • * I started this blog post 20 days ago. At the time it seemed clever and I thought I had a thought worth reading. Now, notsomuch.*

  • It’s last my bed time and I’m looking at this little computer in my hand. The reason I started writing a web log was to provide solace to my friends. I tend to issue verbose and sometimes inane SMS text messages to friends I regularly text with. At some point, with just about everyone, enough is enough. This was supposed to divert some of the madness and allow readers to make the willing choice to view the content. True, recipients of text messages do not have to view information sent. Sometimes they definitely don’t. So that was partial impetus.

  • This post is a bust. Initially I thought I’d be able to come up with a clever list as to absurd things I’ve heard people say. I’m sure there are more. People are ridiculous. So think about that and join in the fun. Loudly make preposterous observations and exclamations in public places, especially if it’s crowded and you are alone. Dream big.

6.7.2023.1 - smoothing gaps

• * Before we begin a special message: It is clear that I do not have the discipline to make a daily post in a web log. I apologize on behalf of myself to my faithful reader. Don’t give up on me.

I think, a lot. Too much. An amazing amount of my waking time is spent painting, either for work or for art. It’s been like that for a relevant amount of my adult years. A lot of painting is sitting and staring and, well, thinking. One tries to focus on the substrate paint is being applied to, but one’s mind can wander. This isn’t to say I am especially smart or that I am a proponent of thinking a lot. It’s a relevant fact. Some of the more intelligent people I know do remarkable things and clearly think less. Some people act like idiots and people are all like, “That guy just doesn’t think!” Those people are often thinking too much. The problem, is that they are having shitty thoughts. They should probably think less. I should maybe think less. It has gotten me into trouble in the past and it’s clear that the content of my thoughts can, well, devolve. I have found that not being drunk all the time allows for more wholesome, productive thoughts. Having bad thoughts. Hm. How often do you evaluate the content, tone, tenor, and overall quality of your own thoughts? Like, you. How often? I’m not thrilled with this thought here and I’m beginning to think I may have just wasted 10 minutes writing this. You see? This is why I should reevaluate my decision to keep a daily web log. I’ll see you tomorrow friend.

5.20.2023.1 - nap’s edge

I was texting with a friend and I told her that my status was wandering around “nap’s edge” and she thought it was clever. It’s where I am though. It’s a grey Saturday. I prepped a utility box I have been commissioned to paint this morning, and I’ve spent the day doing fill work in some paintings. Fill work is applying paint to larger areas of a piece. It’s obnoxious. In many types of painting, experienced artists will have assistants to do the perform the more mindless bits of work. Myself, I have not managed to find an assistant yet. It’s boring work. Anyways, doing fill work on a rainy day is sleepy work.

…

It’s several days later, (5.28.2023). I am in bed and I would like to go to sleep but I have a difficult time ceasing all thought sometimes.

I have these lights, they’re called “faerie lights”. They are made in China using LED Technology - lots of blinking and strobing and countless settings. I have found this one setting by hitting some unknown combination of poorly labeled buttons on a tiny remote. You see, I do a lot of spacing out. Staring, deeply into the distance for sustained periods of time. Often times my gaze will rest in the lights. This mystery setting has absolutely no discernible pattern. It will stay fixed on one color for minutes and then suddenly jump to a random strobing pattern of several colors. When I’m outside at night staring at my house while spacing out, (something I do far too often to admit), it looks like my house is alive. The lights, it’s digital pulse or strange LED representation of thought. Pretty wild stuff.

Good night house.

5.24.2923.1 - not forgotten

I really do have quite a bit to say. Unfortunately, I keep leaving writing here to the time before sleep when I’m lying in bed. It’s hard to be productive then, now. It’s a lot more like I want to sleep as opposed to yammering.

Sometimes I’m not sure if I’m making up words. If the the listened knows what you mean then made-up or not, the words are working.

Anyways, I gotta go now. There’s an alien videotaping me in my spaceship. If anyone can guess where that line is from, contact me and I’ll have my people arrange a prize for you, pinky swear.

5.19.2023.1 - two things

It is Friday and two things occurred to me.

1. My friend Christine who I run Flip Kids with told me that in 8-10 years I would be noticeably crankier than I am now. This comes after dealing with a somewhat cantankerous windbag subcontractor. Hm. 🤔 That sounds kinda harsh. This guy was basically wicked nice and helpful. I helped him by moving his supplies with Christine, doing light carpentry to spec, and regularly cleaning the job site. He got all pissy when he demanded to paid under-the-table after a job was done. Well, mostly done. He didn’t really finish. He then jacked the price 33% and foisted further financial responsibility onto someone else. I’m clearly cranky about this. Too late, short story long of it is: I don’t want to be a cranky windbag when I’m 50. I’d rather go the other way. Still be slightly neurotic and verbose, but is on a clear trajectory towards peaceful older guy. I set an alarm for 5.19.2031 to check in with my status. Maybe I can even report about it here. that kind of stability would be remarkable.

2. The Town of Rockland has a Public Arts Department, (?, Council? Guild? Panel? I’m not sure what it is). This year they initiated n effort to have local artists decorate the utility boxes located beside intersections. If you notice them, you’ll then see them beside every set of four stoplights. They are roughly 6’x3’x2’ boxes. They offered the opportunity to local artists to submit designs to be considered. As luck would have it, they accepted my design. Basically, the idea was for flowers growing out of shoes to be singing a song about Rockland. I’ll try and post the sketch. I don’t think anyone has any idea as to what I’ll paint. I will adhere to the no profanity, drugs, nudity, etc. That seems reasonable for public art. Rockland is a family friendly sort of town. This is what I’m excited for: the ability to leave my home in the middle,of the night, wander over to a highly visible intersection, and doodle on public property. Now, me, I, I have never defaced public property. I’ve always wondered about how it would feel. I can only imagine it would be exhilarating; the wind in your hair, the demanding pressure and adrenaline that comes with drawing on walls in the dead of night. I know that I have entered a new age bracket because I’m not going out, (the box is only .4 miles from my house), because it’s a little chilly out. That fact, to me, is hysterical. These kids today, with their fancy shoes and hip dances.

   I guess I can see why someone would get the impression that in 10 years I could maybe be a cantankerous goblin. I’d like to avoid that. Anyone should feel free to let me know if I seem to be getting especially chagrined with everything.

5.18.2023.1 - television

There’s a solid chance that I watch too much television. Being a child of the 80/90’s who was raised by a mother who was chair-bound and was always watching television, it provides some sort of comfort. I live alone, and the thing is usually on. The more valid and ignorable the content the better. I do t actually watch television. I guess I listen to it as I do other things, usually painting, (artistically). Here are some things I have noticed.

• Commercials for pharmaceuticals dominate and nearly all of them are banana-pants. The side-effects rattled off at the end of the spots are almost always more objectionable than the conditions the drugs are offered to treat. Things like: death, severe discomfort, permanent unwanted muscle movement, compulsive gambling, severe anxiety, major depressive episodes, rage, migraines, and on and on and on. You get it. What I wonder is how often does a side-effect need to present itself before Big Pharma is required to warn consumers? 🤔

• Programming on Live Television is 33% advertisements.

• Reality Television is ridiculous

  *I stopped here to go to sleep on May 15, 2023. I’ve adjusted the title to reflect that I am finishing it on May 18,2023*

• The rugged individuality and gruff male voice-over during truck commercials is funny to me. The general chosen aesthetic for many general content categories various advertisements is interesting. It’s always an odd meta-moment when something being advertised is something you use. I look down at what I’m wearing and how I feel, and have an interesting control to compare what I should be feeling or be wearing and find the parallels worth 15-20 seconds of thought.

  I need to pause again because I am in bed and my cat, Jasper, is very keen on my brushing him before I fall asleep. Somehow we’ve come to this arrangement where I brush him for a few minutes when I crawl u der my covers, poised in the delicious edge of sleep. I used to sort of hate sleeping. It felt like a waste of time. However, both my body and mind need the restorative time a 6+ hour stretch of sleep offers. It’s free, and it’s grown on me.

• Right though. The cat, expectations, and sleep. I have plenty of things to say about television.

5.17.2023.1 - painting before work

This post started with me recalling the second time I lived in Austin, Texas. The first time was I got into a car accident Thanksgiving-time 2009. I was driving across the country and I didn’t make it, so I moved there. It’s a long story. I was sober and lived with 14 people in a co-op. The second time, the last member of my nuclear family had just passed away and I was usually intoxicated. That time I lived with a friend in a McMansion and we had some homeless graffiti artist shooting meth and basically squatting there. It’s a long story. Austin was fun both times. I remember the sober-stay much better. Both residencies ended with Medical Emergencies. Come to think of it, both started that way too. 🤔

I digress.

For a period of time during the second stint, I became very interested in streaming live video. periscope and Meerkat were both new and it was fascinating new technology. Several times I streamed myself sleeping and I would have several hundred views/night. There’s some photo and video of me painting in my studio during this time. This is a sped up video of me starting a new painting before work.

That was an entirely-too-long description of an 18 second video. ✌🏼

first step of a new painting

5.14.2023.1 - the art of not caring

I’ve decided to not become overly-concerned about anything - not one single thing. In taking nothing very seriously, I will prevent all sorts of vacillations that probably negatively affect my physical and mental self. If a topic or situation seems to be occurring with greater frequency, I will note what may be a trend that demands extra attention, still tending towards apathy though.

My tendency now is to read into things, remain hyper-aware of what seems like everything, and assuming there are any number of sub-texts and hidden meanings windimy around, well, everything. It can be exhausting. It can tax those closest to me, and at times it can prevent me from determining what is actually important. My friend Christine says I’m very sensitive and probably on some sort of spectrum. We spend a lot of time together running our business, so her opinion is probably valid. The motivation to address general behavioral issues has presented itself. Why not?

For instance, I have a lot more to say about this topic, but maybe I don’t even need to fini