The grocery store tried to pick a fight with me. but I won.

Sometimes I inappropriately think my life is more complicated than it is. or busier. or harder.
Then I get a grip.
It's just different. So. Sometimes that confuses me.
_____________________

let me explain:

It's Happening...




I am currently listening to the Orange Hanson CD. 

this means I have hit the point where I need it.

Some of you are freaking out because you have this music...

You even have Hanson Christmas. Which. 

By the way. is 

AWESOME.

click above for a treat from 1998.

( I have spent more time in my life trying to tell people that Hanson is not just MMM Bop. although I can still jam out to that. easily.
 In all seriousness, they are on my list of good music. believe it or not. Sermon over.) 

I am also wearing my glasses that help me focus. 

So things are looking ummm...shady.

Because severe deadlines have hit. 

and reality. 

as it does. 

showed its ugly face...



in the cereal aisle.

_______________

I had to get the dollar cereal.

But look. here is a good point- They have dollar cereal.
I mean. hi. yay.
There are only 4 choices. But one is the dollar version of Smacks.
And it has been 241 years since I had those last. So I am due.

Disclaimer- I have a hard time talking about the realities of my artistic leap. But I also feel like it is silly not to... because. it is part of it all.




It's just that I both laugh and cry inside when I am in stores these days. Grocery stores are hard because. well...

If it helps. I will make a chart.






(look at my chart title. see. I am full of details.)

_________________________

Here's the thing

I hit lows.

and then I call my friend who is an illustration-loving-trolley-riding treasure. and 

WE CRACK UP OVER OUR POSITION IN LIFE. 

WE LAUGH SO HARD on the phone in the grocery store.

and all of a sudden it is more funny than scary.

while we are both at the store at one moment shopping on opposite coasts for the cheapest apples.

FYI

Value = Bananas.

WHY ARE THEY SO CHEAP???!! 

 sh please tell no one. 

I think no one has noticed that their price is still from 1932. so yeah. this info is between you and me.

and if they are a buck tomorrow I am gonna know who spilled. And I am going to steal your 

$2.50 pomegranate.

.
__________________________

The other amazing thing I do to move forward
 is bombard artists that I love.

This started when I was young.
As mentioned above. I starting loving Hanson in middle school. I think I wrote Taylor Hanson 3 letters fully expecting he would contact me.
I mean. 

I worked on those letters. and edited them.


(HALT. WAIT. it started younger. I WROTE A FAN LETTER TO LISA FRANK in elementary school.)

YES. I SAID LISA FRANK.

dont even tell me you didn't appreciate the rainbow colored unicorns and dancing animals and sunglasses and well..click the link above and unicorn-techno-dreams is in the bottom right of the folder selection.

She was a staple from school supply shopping days of yesterday.


SHE NEVER REPLIED.

BUT. 

The grown up me ( I use that term subjectively) still contacts artists.

I feel an urge to tell people they are doing things right.

And I HAVE NEVER BEEN LET DOWN when I contact cool people. 

They say amazing things. 

I contacted this letterpress printer. I have mentioned him before - Amos Kennedy. And I told him-
Thank you for your documentary about leaving the corporate world and following your dream.

he wrote me back and I read his email one night when I was feeling the strain of 2 full time jobs.

He is fantastic.

He says- Proceed and Be Bold.

and in his email back to me he said
Enjoy your adventure.

(I have some of his prints. I want all of them) 

_____________________

And my friend Kelle... I reached out to her after I saw her blog for the first time.

You should read the birth story of her second daughter. it is beautiful.

*

*

*

 I said
Hi. You are hilarious, smart, crazy, and take striking pictures. but mostly I love your honesty. and the raw stories you tell.

And pretty immediately we decided we were born in the same hospital. and we hung out in neighboring little baby beds in the nursery. high-fived. said our goodbyes. were separated and found each other again via the internet.

Weird? 

YES.

BUT that is why we are cool.

_______

And friendships between artists and thinkers and DOERS are my favorite. 

I need to start shouting out to my people more often. because they keep me going. 

Because when you are looking for how to stretch a dollar. eventually that dollar breaks. 

And you need people. 

and

I am going to keep going, because I have a good feeling about things. 

______________________

See. This 12 year old wandered into my studio. smiled. and sincerely asked,
 "Why did you make all this stuff?"

I was silent for a second thinking of the answer when she threw her arms up and shrieked,
"OhhhhHHHHHH! IT JUST COMES OUTTA YOUR SOUUUULLL!!!!!"

I nodded and said,
"wow.yes. Exactly."

Then she looked around.

Smiled.

And hugged me big.

_______________________

And bam. I was full again.

_______________________