I haven’t been writing any blog posts for a while. You may think it’s because I was too busy enjoying my life since that was my New Year’s resolution.

Well, that’s not too far from the truth. I have. Despite getting sick again (I thought I had Covid for a minute), I have been enjoying my life, I mean, for the most part. It’s not easy being me. I’ve always been riddled with all kinds of anxiety, something that’s really hard to shed. And maybe I never will. Perhaps, instead of trying with so much might to conquer it, coming to accept it would be a lot easier.

Anyway, I had a nasty cough, muscle aches, dizziness, and was run down, down, down. No fever or anything, but you never know, right? My booster shot was coming up this past Saturday, and I wasn’t sure I’d be well enough to get it. So, I took a Covid test to make sure it wasn’t that. I was so relieved it was negative. I even seemed to feel better almost immediately. And no side effects from the booster either. But my arm sure hurt for a couple of days. Jeez. What is with that thing?

Despite the setback of feeling down and out physically, I’ve been feeling more than good otherwise. Maybe my body is detoxing or something since it’s never experienced healthy foods before. And I mean never. This Noom thing has been seriously changing my life. I’m so grateful for it. It’s all still hard work, don’t get me wrong. It’s just been worth it. I’m seeing such rewarding results. And I don’t mean just the weight loss. That’s there, but that part almost seems insignificant because it’s not the point of all this. The point is to feel better and start making new choices without depriving myself of everything. 

However, I wish I could say I’ve been painting a lot, but I haven’t been. I did run out of some paint color I needed, but that’s not an excuse. I was feeling sick and rundown. That’s a good excuse, right? I’m back at it now, working on the big painting. But in a couple of days, I have to clear out my office and make room for filming next week. A video I’m doing:

I’m participating in an artists-in-classrooms project for GroundworkArts. It will be about a six-minute intro on my practice and demonstration video about my mixed media collage pieces on birch panels—the Rock and Refuge series. It will be presented in K-6 public schools around the Morongo Basin. They pick artists local to the desert area, and I’m honored to be someone among the chosen. It’s such an important project since there are no other art programs in the schools.

So what else? Oh, I still haven’t written a stitch of my Winter Newsletter. I am super late getting that together and may not even get to it until near the spring. It might be a winter-spring combo thing if I can’t get my shit together. I just haven’t had the time. It’s still on my long list of things to do, but then things that are not on the list start taking precedence. Things just come up.

In general, my mornings are usually packed, starting around 4:30 am. I’m busy for almost four hours. I run that art forum, Creative Spark. That takes time to check every post and answer some of them.

And now I can’t skip breakfast anymore or grab any crap. I have to “make” something healthy. Then I have to do my long walk. That’s not counting tending to email and whatever else needs maintaining before I can start painting, which I try to get in for five hours—now forcing myself to take a lunch break too. I’ve been trying to sit down at the dining table to eat instead of eating in front of the computer, mindlessly gulping it all down.

I’m doing the best I can with everything. That’s all I can do.

Oh well, and whatever, right?

Anyway, I better get back to work before everything goes by the wayside again. Wish me luck that I have somewhat of a productive day.