TO LIFE!

Here's to life - with all its struggles and all its rewards!

Here's to my mom - who gave me life, who never gave up, and who knew that life was beautiful, but in no way easy. 

"The generosity of her love made me sad at times - knowing that I had always felt safe in my bed at night, and she hadn't, simply made me sad. There's a sadness in the beauty of a spirit managing to flourish despite barren ground. It was a gift I knew I could never repay, but believing that children continue their parent's unfinished work, she assured me that living the fullest, happiest life I possibly could was all the pay back she needed."

Here's to the man me and my dog found in Payson Park, on this same date last year. 

"Done with a difficult life, he had killed himself and lay dreamless and cold the same time the earth was coming alive, the same time Brook Trout were starting to run in nearby streams, and Trout Lilies were making their splendid appearance. 

I tried to imagine the gait of a man who feels he's all out of choices - who feels everything is wrong, and there's nowhere to go but on a walk that fades to black. Did he march toward intention with the goose-steps of a soldier boldly facing the unknown? Or did he hesitate - stepping blindly on tentative night-feet while clenching a shotgun close to hip so no one would see?"

* excerpts from two short stories I wrote entitled "NOTICE THE LITTLE THINGS" and "STOLON SPRING."

HOW TO MAKE A PAINTING

STEP #1: Think and feel a whole bunch of thoughts and feelings; stare at canvas until something comes to you.

STEP #2: Often, during step #1, nothing happens for quite a while... do not be alarmed, and do not give up... something will come to you. 

STEP #3:  If you are the type who is uncomfortable sitting with yourself for long periods of time, do something productive... something will come to you.

 

STEP #4: As I said... this could take a while... fix yourself a sandwich... alcohol often helps.

STEP #5: Ah... there it is; approach canvas and paint what just came to you.

Repeat steps #1 through #5 until painting is completed... as I said, it could take a while.

ANY DAY NOW

"Songbirds caroled in dulcet grace, while snowflakes gathered in bolts of lace."

Any day now, the snow will start to fall; this cartoon is my reminder to self that its beauty far outweighs its bother. So, when my car is iced shut at 6:30 in the morning, the city plows have dumped a four foot high frozen barrier at the end of my driveway, and my bones and muscles ache for Summer's sun, I will not grumble; I will remember that its beauteousness trumps its inconvenience.

* I drew this cartoon a few Christmases, several frozen car doors, and countless shoveled driveways ago.

     

I SURVIVED THREE MILE ISLAND

"The Three Mile Island accident of 1979 was the most significant accident in the American commercial nuclear power generating industry. 

Although 25,000 people lived within five miles of the site at the time of the accident, no identifiable injuries due to radiation occurred, and the government report (Kemeny Commission Report) concluded that there will be no cases of cancer, or number of cases will be so small that it will never be possible to detect them. The same conclusion applies to the other possible health effects." Wikipedia

Me and my family lived about 65 miles east of the site; both my parents died of cancer. I survived Three Mile Island - I think.