Archive Lair 1
Archive Lair 2
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2023: Well, folks, it's happened Again--only with far more bloodshed this time, alas. The Proverbial pressure cooker just blew Up in Gaza on October 7; and the Weird part is, Israel's top-notch intel and security system was caught Napping. Some 2,500 Hamas fighters broke Loose of the so-called Open-Air Prison, and wreaked bloody havoc on kibbutzim and other small communities in southern Israel; and at an all-night music festival. Before the terror mob was Caught and Gunned down, hours Later, some 1400 Innocent civilians lost their lives (the death toll was at least 260 at the music festival Alone)--partly because the pressure cooker blew, and partly because the Israel Defense Forces apparently took freaking hours to get their act Together and go after their Sworn enemies. Also, Hamas couldn't possibly have done all this on their own, with their completely Outdated rockets and such; the attackers not only blew holes through the border wall, they also came in on paragliders and shot rounds of ammunition from motorboats.
The strangest part of this Whole bloodbath is the fact that IDF security and counter-terrorism experts, supposedly the most Advanced in the world, did not see this Coming. The word Worldwide is that nothing gets past these guys; but somehow, this did. Egyptian intelligence sent Multiple warnings to their Israeli counterparts, saying, "Y'know, something's Up in Gaza. Better keep a Sharper eye on the place." But they decided not to keep any eyes on Gaza at all; and the rest is Tragic history, as the saying goes. Well, not quite. Ever since the IDF finally got their act Together, they've been hurling airstrikes all over Gaza, despite the fact that some 220 Israeli civilians and tourists (lest we forget) were taken Hostage from southern Israel. Nobody seems to know where in Gaza they're being Held, but the IDF, claiming that every little kindergarten in Gaza is a "Hamas weapons cache" is mowing down civilian buildings seemingly indiscriminately. We here at the Lair just hope and pray they haven't gunned down any of their own citizens (four of the hostages have recently been Released).
Now: Where do we come in? Well, we recently donated a Substantial amount to Doctors Without Borders, who are providing emergency medical care to the many seriously Injured civilians in Gaza (despite the fact that the IDF keeps blowing up hospitals in Gaza). We also plan to donate to World Central Kitchen, and maybe Americares as Well. We are also brainstorming what, hypothetically, we might do if we were placed in Charge of establishing Peaceful solutions to that place of centuries-old Unsettled blood (I'm coming to believe in the effects of Unsettled blood in a place more strongly these days). So, what would we do, if a Peaceful solution to the Neverending Israel/Palestine conflict was entirely up to us? Well, this might sound a bit Simplistic; but if it was totally up to me, I'd kick EVERYBODY out. Arabs, Jews, western tourists, Bedouin tribespeople, US televangelists, Christian Zionists: All y'all gotta Boo, Scat and Ratchafratch. And please don't anyone come to me with the Usual sob story: "But WE always took the high road! Everything's the other guys' fault!" All involved parties, you've had more than Enough chances; if you can't get Along like Rational adults, you will all have to hit the road, evacuate to the Yukon, or the Taklamakan, or Somewhere with plenty of Open space. Once the place is Vacated, I would give the Entire stretch of land back to Nature, perhaps with a few hundred people living there year-round to administer the place as a Giant wildlife refuge. I'd also like to give the place a completely Different name, one without a bunch of Political baggage Attached. How does Dar Ashirah ("abode of Asherah", i.e. the wife of Yahweh, in some Hebrew sects) sound? Works for me. Now, if we can just convince the two groups of belligerents to take their Armageddon-like behavior somewhere Else on this planet (or perhaps on Mars, appropriately Enough).
Anyhoo, that's how we LairFolk would go about bringing peace to the Middle East: kick out all the humans. It's the best option out there...
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TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2022: Good afternoon, LairLurkers! Did I ever mention that, although my family background is mostly Scandinavian, I have never set foot in Scandinavia? I often mentioned to my late Mom that I wanted to visit Norway and Sweden one of these days, only to have her respond, "Everything is so Expensive over There!" To which I would respond, "I don't care! I still wanna go There!" Well, since I inherited my half of my dear old Mum's estate, I have been hard at work at both: 1) clearing out old debts, including my student loan balance; and 2) planning a long-Awaited trip to Scandinavia! Until about a year Ago, I hardly dared to dream of such a journey; now I've got the whole thing Booked, including a round-trip flight that changes planes in Iceland, both Coming and Going!
UPDATE (TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2023): Fast-forward a year Later, LairCronies! Last June and July, I fulfilled a dream of many years' Standing--I visited Norway, Sweden, and Copenhagen, Denmark for the Very first time! I also spent some time on Icelandic soil, as I changed planes in Keflavik, both coming and going! Of course, I cleared my student loan balance First; I'm still getting Used to not having a student loan debt Hanging over my head. Norway is a very Outdoorsy place, and feels like a Whole country Full of my Dad's relatives. I feel like I blended in pretty Well there, even though I don't speak the language, alas. Sweden is a bright and beautiful (and nearly Cashless) collection of college towns, and Dramatic skies hang over the country Much of the time. The only issue with Sweden is the birch pollen, which had me in coughing fits, especially on buses and trains. The only part of Denmark I visited was its Capital city of Copenhagen; but that's an Enchanting place that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone Interested in visiting northern Europe. But dangit, I wish that I actually spoke Norwegian and Swedish, even though nearly everyone I met spoke English at least passably. It's kind of Weird when you can read and understand a Fair amount of two languages, but you can't speak them.
So, where might I go for the Next adventure, Approaching 60 as I am? I've got some Vague ideas, but no Definite plans to visit Anywhere this year. Yet. Maybe it'll be the interior of Ireland Next, as I mostly ringed the coast last time; and I'd like to visit Ireland more Often than every two decades...
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2021: Well, yeah, what the title says. I renewed my Pike Market busker's permit; and then the fall rain started, here in my 30th year in Seattle. It's definitely been raining almost Nonstop all this month; then again, that's Normal in Seattle. And I'm really freaking Depressed from a lack of music in my life. I do have significantly more funds than I usually do, as a result of inheriting roughly half of my Mom's estate (not Including my Dad's coin collection); so I've been Able to pay for things like my own Christmas plane ticket to see my Aunt, Together with her doggies and cats, over the holidays. Sorry I'm sounding a bit Vague right Now; it's just that my text Here in the Home Lair is moving quite slowly at Present.
UPDATE (SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2021): Somehow, the rain is holding Off this afternoon, for a Welcome change. Damn, there's so many Musical folks dying these days, you'd think death was going Out of style! Just in the Past month or So, we've lost: Paddy Moloney, chief of the Chieftains; Broadway icon Stephen Sondheim (Randy Rainbow's idol of course; kindly drop by his Instagram page to pay respects); and folk songwriters Scott Alarik and Bill Staines, those Last two just in the Past two days! Just when you think this year couldn't suck any Worse. Sincere condolences go out from the Lair to the families and friends of all the Abovementioned. May they travel on in Peace, and may their memory be a blessing to all.
Anyway, as the Above title implies, I still haven't done any busking this fall, though I did recently tape several Original songs on my new phone's video camera, down in my building's basement. It's always either too Cold or too Wet outside. I must stay in practice, though, as I want to go on an open mic tour down the west coast, as open mics start opening up Again. I'm also making Definite plans to visit Norway and Sweden during the Coming summer, Covid policies Permitting. Now, if I can just figure Out how public transportation works in those countries, even with no More than a Scant knowledge of Either language...
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SPECIAL REPORT (THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2021): Folks, cancer sucks--especially when it gets into your head. That's what my Mom discovered the Hard way, when she was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme back in late January. And not only did she have one of the most Aggressive, hard-to-treat cancers there is; it was located too Deep inside her brain (left lobe) to be Removed surgically without putting her life at risk, ironically Enough. That left radiation therapy and one of the Latest & Greatest chemo drugs--only that treatment was Begun really too little, too Late. Worse, the Disabled state in which she found herself as a result of Said brain cancer (she eventually ended up in Long-Term Nursing Care at Uplands Village Senior Care) quickly diminished her will to survive and live life. A world traveler and Noted artist simply cannot survive Long when one barely has the energy to sit Upright, and cannot even go to the bathroom Unassisted. During one of the last times I spoke to my Mom by phone, she straight-up told me that she felt she was "in hell", and she wanted Out. She did not take her own life (she didn't have access to her own medications; and, as previously Mentioned, she lacked the energy even to sit Upright on her own); but she was plainly sending Out signals to her guardian angels or whoever, saying, "I can't live like this! Get me the hell out of here!" And they eventually obliged, helping her to leave her body on the evening of Friday, May 14, just before 10:00 pm CDT, less than two weeks before her 85th birthday.
My Mom and I got into the habit of doing a lot of things Together over the past ten to fifteen years, which helped us become Closer than we had been. I generally visited her and her two cats a couple of times a year; and she always urged me to "bring [my] violin Along", as she could always find us opportunities to perform Somewhere, either as a fiddle duo, or with the dulcimer group she played fiddle with on a semi-Regular basis (the Cumberland County Dulcimores, I think they're called). We were especially in Demand during the Christmas holidays, as we'd developed a fiddling style of playing Christmas carols that brought them Back to their folk origins, Inspired by traditional English fiddle music. Fortunately, I managed to videotape our last Christmas fiddle jam session; I didn't know at the time that it would be our last time fiddling Together. Whenever I arrived for another visit, Orrie (the more Outgoing of the two cats) would invariably try to climb into my lap as I was eating homestyle soup and cornbread; and Mom would invariably say, "I told her you were coming." She also spent years trying to teach the cats to talk.
International travel was another habit we got into over the Past decade. After enjoying Caravan's tour of Costa Rica on her own, she persuaded me to join her on the Caravan tour of Guatemala; both of us, I think, left pieces of our hearts in that country. The following year, she took me on a tour/cruise combo in Hawaii for my 50th birthday; that was my first cruise (she'd been on one a couple of years Before in the Black Sea). Our final cruise Together was across Central America, starting from Miami, and heading through the Panama Canal, before traveling up the Pacific coast and stopping in Several countries for shore excursions--including a return visit to Guatemala for an afternoon. I still have Numerous photos and videos from those trips that I need to process and upload as slideshows, or posters, or something. We also traveled to the DC area in 2012 for an awards ceremony at my Dad's old workplace, NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland; and in 2016, to Texas for my brother's and sister-in-law's wedding.
Anyway, my Mom always seemed to be Ageless; she didn't look or act her age, until she began to develop her Final illness. As recently as last fall, she could Still be found on her hands and knees on the floor, tossing toys to the cats. She kept Up with her artwork nearly until her cancer diagnosis; her last Completed work featured fish and corals from a photo Taken at the Honolulu Aquarium. She kept up with fiddle playing, driving, and socializing Right until she got into a car wreck in late January, which gave her the First indication that something in her head was not Right. Maybe the Universe or whoever decided that it would take something like a Debilitating brain illness just to slow her Down, never mind finish her Off. Now I have a couple of boxes of her Collected things, including fossils, artifacts, and folk music; and I've brought her best fiddle Home with me from Crossville. I haven't decided whether to keep it Forever or not; but it's got a good foster home Here, for the time Being...
TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2021: Good Evening, LairLurkers, here at what will Soon be the Lair's 20th Anniversary, for what it's worth! The yearly archives are getting Smaller all the time; yet, Somehow, the Lair remains. Gosh knows what kind of reader traffic it gets; but I figure, what the hell, let's keep this Murky cave complex Excavated. But now it's 2021; the Orange Guy has gotten the boot--by the grace of God, the Universe, or a platoon of Valkyries frenetically signing up new voters; we've gotten a whole new administration, featuring the United States' first-ever female Vice President, Kamala Harris (And isn't it about bloody time? Wot?? I mean, freaking IRAN had a female Vice-President before we did!)! There are now Several approved vaccines for Covid-19 that didn't exist a year Ago; and Seattle's bars and restaurants are coming Alive again, albeit hesitantly. So, why does it seem that we're still nowhere Near back to Normal again? Among other things...
The folks in charge of producing the Northwest Folklife Festival have decided that the Entire festival will be presented Online this year. That's right--Folklife ONLINE. Could somebody please explain to them that there's no way in friggin' hell that an event the size of Folklife can be held Online?! Folklife exists so that people can create music, performance, and culture TOGETHER; this manifestation of Communal creative energy simply cannot happen remotely. My Irish session group has been meeting via Zoom since the lockdown a year Ago (which, alas, also brought about the demise of our Beloved session spot, Fado Pub, the jewel of Pioneer Square); but I can't imagine it's anywhere near the same. And how the freak am I supposed to do busking sets on livestream, and order East African chicken/injera dishes via GrubHub?! Maybe the Folklife folks will change their minds about this Quarantine Folklife thing once they realize what an absurdity it would be (one may as well just watch a bunch of Random folkdance clips on Youtube); meanwhile, all folk musicians in the Pacific Northwest had best get their jabs, Stat.
My Mom has Glioblastoma Multiforme. In standard English, that's Brain Cancer, of a particularly nasty, Aggressive variety; and it came On with Incredible suddenness, in late January, right after Biden/Harris' Inauguration. That's an entire blog post in itself. Now, my Mom and I have had many differences; but neither she, nor anyone Else, deserves this. In a space of six weeks or less, she went from a totally Independent senior--living on her own, driving her own car, playing fiddle with a dulcimer group, and socializing normally--to living in an Assisted Living facility called Uplands Village, about a dozen miles from her house; Confined to a wheelchair; and Unable even to go to the bathroom on her own. All because of brain cells that mutated into malignant cells and started impinging on her Normal brain tissue. She is, fortunately, making progress in mobility and short-term memory through physical and occupational therapy, along with the Latest radiation therapy and chemo drugs; hopefully they will succeed in undermining tumor growth. But in the meantime, she's had to give up her house, car and cats; fortunately the feline ladies have been Rehomed with residents of the Memory Care building on the same campus; so hopefully, she and they will get to see each other semi-regularly once the felines are feeling Settled In and Comfortable with their new humans. After spending five and a half weeks at the old house in Crossville, with mostly just the cats for companionship, I was more Upset about parting with them than I was about my Mom being in quasi-Nursing Care. For real.
Meanwhile, we're all still walking Around wearing the Latest and Greatest fashionable, custom-Designed face masks. I have a total of six in my personal collection--I still want one of Randy Rainbow's "Cover Your Freaking Face" models; and perhaps one with Seahawks logos as well. I've uploaded some of my Original designs onto face masks on the Cafepress LairShops; but they're not selling any Better than most of the other stuff.
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MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2020: Good morning, LairCronies; it's high time I wrote in here Again, even though the whole Bloody year has been pretty much Canceled! Starting with Irish Week in mid-March, all the festivals for which Seattle is so rightly Famous have been Canceled...excuse me, "Postponed" until their Usual time next year. The World Rhythm Fest, Folklife, Fremont Fair/Solstice Parade, the U-District Street Fair, Pride Week, all Seafair events (even the July 4 fireworks, FFS!)--GONE. Instead, we're slowly, cautiously, climbing out of Quarantine, wearing face masks that make us look as if we're all staff members in some Humongous field hospital.
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UPDATE (WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2020): LairCronies, I didn't mean to wait four months before posting here Again! It's really late right Now; but I just want to drop a Quick note about my next topic: I'm Missing Something (no, it's not Catching). I also need to clear my Short shelf for a Samhain memorial altar; collect Fallen leaves for new leave chains; and sing some new Original song videos, as well as figuring out New marketing techniques for my teeshirt designs! And then there's the freaking election coming up (God, I do NOT want Orange Thing to get another freaking term!!!), as well as the Upcoming verdict in Johnny Depp's lawsuit against a British tabloid publisher. And then there's...Randy Rainbow, whose home lair needs a bit of work, Brilliant though he may be at everything Else. Meanwhile...I'm having a snack and heading for bed. Stay Tuned!
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019: Good afternoon, LairCronies! Winter approaches; here it is, not even 5:00 pm PST, and it's pretty much Pitch Dark. I'm in another one of those "Bonding with Oscar Wilde" phases...Again. I want to interview him via EVP, though he assures me that I'm sufficiently Skilled with Nonordinary Reality that I don't require any Intermediary devices. I'm nearing what some people consider retirement age, while Still playing computer games; I have Enough experience with hidden object games by Now that I've come up with a near-Definitive list of "Top 15 Hidden Object Game Clichés." This past year, we lost two of the internet's Favorite cats--Grumpy Cat back in May; and quite recently, Lil Bub, the tiny magical space cat, whose Dude is floating the idea of shooting her ashes into space in her own little satellite (though it might be Cheaper to attach her remains to a weather balloon. Just saying). In other Sad episodes, my currently Favorite Youtube channel, Top 5 Scary Videos, just lost its Beloved longtime "horror host", Jack Finch (he got Homesick and returned to the U.K. from Canada). I actually cried over his departure; but he's still Alive, though much Missed for his highly Intelligent, exquisite narratives on horror fiction, folklore, mythology, forgotten horror films, and SPC cases. And I am now a Prolific teeshirt designer who dreams of making enough on my designs to pay for my own Freaking travel expenses.
UPDATE (SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020: Happy New Year, LairCronies! Yes, it's that time Again: to resist the Dragging negativity of Seasonal Affective Disorder well Enough, to keep it Together effectively Enough, that you can plot new courses while letting Go of the stuff that you want to abandon from last year. It's time to get Unstuck, out of ruts, and old grooves. And I want my own Floating Sky Island this year, even if it's just an inner-space place of power.
Hell, yeah! Oh, for a floating sky island, whether a small one, just me and an Irish cottage, on a few acres up in the sky, where I can go to focus on a writing or design project! Or, perhaps, a bigger sky island, a few square miles, big Enough for a small village or two, Occupied by myself and my Favorite musicians in the Next Reality. Or, better Still, both at once. In any case, I've got to keep the seasonal depression at bay sufficiently Well, and plot the course for this year, involving things a bit more Personal than just giving Trump the boot from his Ill-Gotten highest office.
I really must make more money at my own work, not the least because I want to travel more Often, to a Wider variety of places. Imagine if my sky island could travel to places I want to go, and drop me off by Some sort of flying commuter shuttle. Perhaps the floating island could travel by ocean as Well, which would also be Fun, if it didn't get flooded or capsize from being Hit by multiple monster waves. I want to return to Ireland, and make my first trip to parts of Scandinavia, this year. Hence, it is Imperative that I banish the Curse of Disregard once and for all, even if I have to dip into some Medieval grimoire to make it happen (of course, those tend to be Written in such Stilted language, even in English translations, that I couldn't make head nor tails of them if I tried; and I'd probably summon Elvis or somebody as a result). Dammit, I want to make Serious money, enough that I need not worry about money Anymore; and I deserve to succeed at self-employment, if that's what I prefer to devote myself to! Anyone or anything standing in my way, get the fuck out of my way; or, as some folks like to say, you're gonna learn...!!
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2019: LairCronies! Some advice, please! Where, besides the Besieged Cafépress, should I advertise my teeshirt and sticker designs, where I can actually get some assistance with marketing products, if not the designs themselves? My LairShops are still with Cafepress; but the stuff isn't selling Worth the spit of an old lady, unless I buy a few things myself (and Lately, I can barely afford to buy my own Freaking teeshirts and hoodies! How pathetic is that??). Dammit, I want to make Enough cash that I can travel when and where I please, and pay the Entire fare myself! Why my stuff isn't selling Now, I haven't a Bloody clue; but it isn't. Maybe too Many folks are designing Custom teeshirts these days; it's not that Difficult. Also, I really can't afford Sophisticated advertising campaigns, for the Same reason I can't afford to buy my own merch, unless someone sends me a birthday check Early. Gah...
And then there's my new Side gig: Blogging about Climate Change and the worldwide Climate Strike movement. I've got a very Nice (if I may say so) little Wix site set Up with the blog, where I've committed myself to post Once a week or Thereabouts; and I need help promoting that as well; as with Most of my Online projects, that one doesn't see much traffic Either, no matter which hashtags I press into service. I want to make money, Somehow, in self-employment, and something Out There isn't allowing it. I try Journeying and meditation to try and nail Down the cause of my misfortune, and it simply isn't turning Up. I'm going to have to consult with a more Experienced psychic or shamanic practitioner for help with this matter, as the culprit that's causing the Curse of Disregard is preventing its discovery.
I would like to make Enough money to rent or purchase a bigger living space Here in Seattle. I want to make Enough money that money isn't a Huge worry the majority of the time. I want to spend time in Ireland again, and visit Scandinavia besides (especially at Midsummer!). I want to become better Known in folk and world music; and work with anyone I wish in those genres. I want to get to know the artists I admire and respect before they're all Dead (I already feel Surrounded by the ghosts of Most of my musical heroes, especially when I'm practicing music myself). I want to have a Regular, if not too-Busy, performing schedule. I really need Outside supporters who help me finish recording my own songs, and inspire me to write lots of new ones. I want to feel Excited to get out of bed every morning. I want to be Accepted by the music-loving public, as Well as by Fellow musicians. I want to avoid people who are Negative, and constantly try to discourage me from keeping Up with musical and creative work. I've already (finally!) quit working at the Dreary little travel office; when Riz wants me to proofread something, he has to text it to me. I want to perform and tour with my favorite Local performer (if he will just say the word, I'll be Ready to go in a heartbeat!), as well as my favorite Sami singer, and a few other people and bands as Well. I want to be as well-Known as they are.
I want to be Open about what I think, feel and believe, both Online and off. I want to be openly Dual-Faith, open about my Shamanic and Reiki practice; open about my sexuality (or, perhaps I should say, my frigging lack thereof). I don't want to hide whole segments of myself, for fear of what my relatives will think of me (of course, they already think I'm Deranged, and not to be Taken seriously). I want my International photography to sell Well; but I don't want to work for anyone Else, and be constantly Held to deadlines and all that. I want my songs and videos to be Heard, and Downloaded. There's loads of things that I want to do, and can't do, while the Curse of Disregard holds Sway. I still don't know how to get rid of that. Someone, or something, is actively Preventing me from making any money, or achieving any Professional success in life; and I don't know who, or how, or why. On another note: Just the Other night, I dreamed that I was visiting Iceland for Some reason (maybe to isolate myself in a small, Nordic-looking village); Liam Clancy showed up, and started demonstrating how to do a kind of cord magick that I've never seen Before, in which I string objects representing things that I want on a string or leather strip, then hang it up on a wall, or the inside of a door. I wonder what would happen if I did that for real, in Waking life?
Bottom line: I want to make money. I want to achieve success, and make an impact, in folk and world music; and work with the people I want to collaborate with. But I don't want to work FOR anyone, or worry about what anyone thinks of my job performance, or the fact that I look Hideous in that horribly Uncomfortable, so-called "office attire." I want to know why I am Jinxed in money and professional success, and how to get Unjinxed (or, I should say, Uncrossed--I think that's the Proper term). I want to have the support of friends and family in everything I do. I want to travel the world, and add to my Creative output, before I get very much Older. I want to be an openly Bisexual Witch. There! I've said it Now.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2019: Good evening, LairLurkers! Welcome to the first Lair Update of the New Year (2019; also Known as 3 A.T.; that is, "After Trump"). The gif Above sort of expresses my Continuous state of juggling a bunch of Stuff I'm Getting Behind On. I'm sitting here at the City University Starbucks on 5th Avenue and Battery, which may soon become my Brand-New wifi spot of choice.
Why do I need a new Starbucks coffee/wifi spot? Well, that's sort of a Long story. I've been thinking for years that I really must get out more; that being Ensconced in the one Starbucks at 1st Avenue and Bell Street was turning me into a bit of a recluse. Well, as I titled this post Above, be Careful what you wish for. As of February 13, I was essentially Forced to "get out more" when my Favorite store was Closed permanently by some Stupid corporate decision, leaving me Bereft of my "second home-slash-office" of eighteen years. People get Attached to places, and it can be very hard to let go of them. I launched a Heated campaign to keep the store Open (and I wasn't the only one), to no avail; and I cried several times over losing the old place. Memo to Starbucks HQ: Look, assholes; if you're going to close a Popular neighborhood gathering spot, give us a bit more notice; better Still, keep the bloody place Open pending some community input on a Planned closure! It may not be legally Required or anything; but it would be, at the very least, the Decent thing to do. Then again, who ever accused Corporate Machines of being Decent.
Anyway, since I did really need to Get Out More, perhaps my Current state of exile will prove to be a blessing in disguise. Now, if I can just persuade good ol' Riz to stop going Off on me when I don't drop everything and rush up to the U-District every time he shows up on my cellphone. That's the Dark side of wanting to be Helpful--everyone expects you to drop everything and come running on Command; then they get verbally and emotionally Abusive when you can't or won't. Senator Bernie Sanders just announced that he's in the running for 2020; so, naturally, I got a call from Riz that it was Urgent that I come up to his office in order to help him get in touch with Bernie's new (Pakistani-American!) campaign manager, Faiz Shakir (formerly of the ACLU). Riz wants to be Bernie's Campaign Finance Director, or Something like that, since he's proven himself Adept at fundraising. Today, however, I had already made plans to do some photo processing for my newly-Revived Imagekind Portfolio, here at the 5th and Battery Starbucks; and fortunately, I managed to stand up to his Breathless demands to Drop Everything this time. I do have a life, after all.
I'm still not doing too Well at selling Original creative work; but a bit of Intuitive guidance reached me recently, suggesting that I do More in the way of connecting with Fellow artists and designers at places like Cafepress, Imagekind, YouTube and Such. Hence, I've spent a couple of Online sessions getting to know some fellow Imagekind artists and photographers; hopefully making note of their work will draw some attention to my own stuff as well. You never can tell. It's also time to get out of my winter funk/hibernation, and start singing outside Again--well, in the bus tunnels, at least, since it's a bit Cold to do much Outdoor busking. I'm having a Hard time prioritizing music, for some reason. Sometimes, I have a Hard time with motivating myself to do much of anything, especially in winter, when my Ancestral Bear DNA insists that it's time to hibernate. I'm still studying the metaphysics of fundraising; more on that Later. I'll just say that I've got Plenty of reading material to study on that topic; and I've been experimenting with visualizing myself Traveling as Often as I've wanted to for a good many years...
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The Spring, or Summer, of Our Freaking Discontent...
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So, Here's Where I'm At (Or, Be Careful What You Wish For; It May Cost You Your Favorite Wifi Spot)...
Return to the Home Lair.
