Hello from Montréal. While I was writing this, this beautiful place conjured a sudden hailstorm in the middle of an otherwise regular summer afternoon. If I didn't know any better, I'd think "What Is" was trying to remind me that we are just slightly clever hairless apes, and she most definitely has the upper hand. Either that or global warming was sending a message saying that, yeah, we may be hairless, but the "clever" part is up for debate. Either way, the jig is up, and our time is short. So smoke 'em if you got 'em, folks!
Other than that, all's well, and I'm excited to show you demure felines and vulture-vortexes! I also have a couple of long-ish texts about my scribbles and a new way for you to give me your money. So read up, people; this shit's lengthy, and we're not getting any younger! |
It's all been 100 mph work around here since we last spoke. I've been working on a new print (that I'll show you below) and started a new one (that I'll show you next time), and I also have some pen-and-paper scribbles (that I need to scan/photograph before I can show them to you.) Also, I've been reading about marketing and email and SEO and All The Things I Don't Know. Things that apparently I should thoroughly understand if I have any chance to be a "successful independent creative," whatever that means. Here I was, thinking I just needed to draw pretty things, and the whole world was gonna come knocking at my door with boatloads of money and carts full of praise...🙄😬
Also, I'm seriously thinking of rejoining a gym. All these hours on my ass, drawing and writing have been doing a number on my back and my silhouette. I'm starting to lose the moral ground to make fun of my fat cats, and that could upend the fragile power balance in this home. Also, that part above about us not getting any younger? That applies double to me.
But it's all good. Wouldn't change a thing, and when I'm not pulling my beard in despair, I'm having one hell of a time. Let me show you what's been keeping me glued to a screen and a stylus lately. I call it "These things we fear..." and it is, of course, a companion to "These things we chase..." |
As much as "Chase" is about desire, this one is about fear, and as much as "Chase" points the finger at the perils of that desire, this one shines a light on the small deaths we all go through and how they are a necessary part of living. Yeah, we die to live again as something, someone different. So let's not fear, and let's not tarry. Let's go into it with our eyes open, and maybe we'll catch a glimpse of the in-between, so when we wake up (after a decision, a long night's sleep, a tragedy, or an actual death), we are richer and stronger, and better beings.
And, of course, it comes with extra lyrics. What did you expect? |
These things we fear... These things we try to avoid. Like death or plague or change (itself a little death.) We try to run from them and fail to realize they're ours. They're here. They're us.
(The tragic chorus goes:)
We die a thousand deaths and die again tonight.
And so, we fear, we stall. We avoid a little death.
We never realize, that fear? It's less than real.
And here the secret lies: unless we die and die, and die and die and die?
We'll never grow beyond. We cannot be reborn.
(The eternal chorus goes:)
We die a thousand deaths and die again tonight.
So answer from the stage, cause this life is YOUR play:
"Oh yeah, sure, I might die. If I jump from the cliff, I'll be like Wile E. C.
... But then again, who knows? That death might not be real.
For one thing I do know:
I know, tomorrow morn, I'll rise. And jump again."
We die a thousand deaths so we can live anew. |
I went extra rhythmic with these. Once I started writing, the words started falling into a cadence, and I could not escape. Not sure if that's great or awesome. What do you think? Also, close-ups, you say? details, you ask? I gotchu! |
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