I have outlined the essentials to a good life, a lovely life:

Free doughnuts
Free Kleenex Pocket Packs
Bacon (Pancakes and Melly's peaches are a bonus, if possible.)
Fresh Ground Coffee
Electric Blanket
Felt Lined Rubber Boots
Pie

I don't think it's hollow to live without the romantic ideals of "love" or "hope" when ones reality is pie based. I love pie. I hope to have pie. I can wipe it off my face with my Free Kleenex.

Or is that egg?

Whew. Things are good. Lots of opportunities flying at my head, and I don't know how to pick the right one...this is a pleasant thing to have to complain about.

My compulsive shopping has landed me in some trouble, but, I don't really take it too seriously. At least I didn't buy a Mercedes. Mostly done shopping for the holidays. This is easy because I really only buy for my immediate family. My friends have to wait until I find something perfect for them, which never really ends up being at the "right" time. You can call me the new Constantine: I can make Christmas whenever I want too.

Maybe we should give Dec. 25th back to the pagans. Can't I just buy presents for people when I feel like it? I want to give my presents out now.

Months just simply dissapear. Nutshell: Fell off a ladder and had to get my head glued shut. Working, sleeping.

I look up from whatever I'm doing, and it's _November_. It's times like this that reinforce how short life is, and that if you don't reach your arm out to jam it once in a while, the whirling mechanism of life will propell you past the places you long to stop and enjoy. I haven't talked to many of my friends in months, some I haven't connected with in years. It just _happens_. While I'm not one to take my youth and health for granted, sometimes it seems that it's going to slip away and I'll end up bitter and unsatisfied with life in a cubicle. I'm almost frantic to avoid this. Maybe that's a problem too.

I'm making cabinet doors out of Beech, and this takes a long time, and gives me lots of time to think. They are really beautiful, and I don't mind so much that i'm not making huge cash. I'm learning about Jazz while I sand. It's so very diverse. I go for walks in the woods, and love my new rubber boots. My last post was about trying to find a job in the city again, but i'm not so sure anything in that potential situation, other than the money, would be good for me right now. Maybe I'm too idealistic for the rat race right now. I'm thinking about taking this working vacation for a lot longer, and trying to do some things that i've always wanted to do. The things I want to do don't take a lot of money, they only require the time, and flexibility, and the guts to try.

I think I'll probably take another year off from what we ironically refer to as life. I'm going to force my brother to teach me how to play guitar. After seeing the Life Aquatic, i am re-invested in learning more than 3 chords, and I think if I give him something real to accomplish, (really, teaching me to play will require a gargantuan patience and effort,) he may not kill himself this winter.

Look forward to hearing about my upcoming show at Not My Dog. The work will be intimate and small, sensual and beautiful. (and probably about Fungi.) It's in February so make sure you plan to be at the opening.