Get Up, Get Out & Do Something

One of my biggest annoyances are people with time and potential who do absolutely nothing. I've been here for quite some time. That is here living loudly in the Underground. I'm a very black and white individual. You either do something or you don't do something. It's all rather simple. And you can't tell me you want to do something big only to cling frighteningly to the small.

I've always had to work in a lot of different facets in order to make it possible for everything I want to be possible. I was only rewarded with small pieces of time where I got to sit for months and work strictly on my art projects. Any other time you will find me working full time jobs with over time and coming home to produce paintings, videos or broadcasts for the rest of my waking hours. I suppose what makes me so hostile towards people with time and inspiration is that they have the time for the inspiration. I have the inspiration but very little time. 

Those few times where I secluded myself in my studio and had the luxury of doing nothing but being The Artist D were disappointing whenever I tried to network my ideas outward. Sure, I can stay in my own world and create my own thing for my own benefit. That made me happy. The point that frustrates is we could create so much more if we just worked together. 

Throughout my art career I've found hundreds of people who are artists "stuck" at home in front of a computer. I've tried to get them to work with me to make what they do bigger and reach even more people. They always fall short. I have never found anyone as ambitious as I am, unless they also have no time to indulge their ambitions. 

It reminds me of those good old movies with the real crazy character with stars in his or her eyes. When they've finally made it to the big city and they grab their friend by the shoulders and say, "With my ideas and your connections we could be big ... big ... BIG! We're going to make it!"

The only time I've found people who will have that moment with me are now dead. They were usually too busy but we had big plans. They saw the potential and wanted to work with me to make it possible. They knew that they could do it alone. I know I can do it alone. But think of how much louder that could all be if there were more people involved! 

Now that I'm rubbing shoulders more than ever I am finding an even more frustrating creature. The individual that created something great, maintains it, is successful with it, but doesn't want to do anything more to make it any better. Sweet Jesus you've worked so hard to put out some grand project and you don't want to make it reach even more people? You don't want to continually redesign your platform to make it even more astounding? I don't understand and it aggravates the hell out of me. 

People happy with what they have made and satisfied are strange to me. I'll never be satisfied until I'm done and I don't plan on ever being done. Until forbid, that is. 

The Hallmark Syndrome

Warmed-Over Salutations

Most people seem to be so blown away when I write a nice note of thanks to them. They are so taken by the sincerity that they act as if I just handed them a bomb. This has happened a lot to me because I am honest. People are so used to the vapid words of thanks. Thank You cards with pre-written messages in them. They don't know what to think when they get something that actually came from someone's own brain. I've never understood any card with any message written in for us.

Even those greeting card commercials admit to it. They help you say what you mean. How come you can't say what you mean by yourself? I've gone shopping with people who are looking for a card that says what they mean for them. An entire store packed with cards and it takes them hours to find something that "sort of" expresses what they had in mind. It's even more fascinating to me when someone in that situation will say, "None of these cards say what I wanted to say!"

If nothing expresses what you wanted to say then why didn't you purchase a blank card and write what you knew you wanted to say? Possibly because they subconsciously are afraid to say what they feel. Consider this: How would you feel if someone hand wrote the same pre-written sappy message in most cards? I'd be touched. I am not touched if that message is printed in the card by a machine. It's insincere.

A Note of Thanks for Stopping By

Which is why they freak out when I write a nice little note telling someone about how they changed the lives of others. A handwritten, "You're wonderful!" It seems to weigh on people. It's as if you told them you are in love with them. It's the same reaction. It shouldn't be.

It takes no time for me to throw away any cards without personal notes in them. A stamp and the knowledge you spent some money on a machine printed thought is not good enough. It is something, but it's not the level I'm looking for. I appreciate the thought of not being forgotten, but I needed more thought than that. Tell me how you really feel. Say hello in your own way, not the way they wanted you to. Express yourself in any way that they didn't want you to and I'll always appreciate it more.

Zodiac Killer

I found it a bold move to change the zodiac signs (LINK) even though grounds had been found to do so. Growing up in a zodiac-obsessed mindset I know how important it is to know, "What's your sign!?" Changing it all of a sudden must have really sent some people into a tail spin. Telling a Leo they are no longer a Leo is like telling a Catholic that the church is a fairytale and Jesus killed their puppy.

In fact I was so surprised by the announcement because I was of the understanding that no matter what inconclusive evidence stood to change a tradition, people just don't do that. It's right up there with religion and politics. Even though we know some political agendas are a horror, that doesn't stop us from thinking people ought to hold fast to them due to tradition. Just because Grandpa voted for a Republican means you should too, it doesn't matter what that Republican may stand for. Just because science has disproved the existence of a Sky Daddy and history has exposed religion as a scam, you are expected to continue to subscribe.

Like an adult forcing their children to believe in Santa Clause we stick to the zodiac we know as much as we believe the horoscopes we read in the paper. Although there is something to be said about the truth to falling under a certain constellation, however on the other side of things you can fit into a lot of the zodiac descriptions just as much as any horoscope could be tailor-made to suite what happened last week.

Honestly I did breath a sigh when I found I made the cut off for Leo. I am a fiery rapturous angry creature who thinks he or she is king of the jungle. Knowing other Leos who are now Cancers makes me think they must be awfully pissed. The kings and queens have been dethroned and that is exactly what it's going to feel like for any Leo.

Looking around at the articles that have popped up the titles say it all. Zodiac Change Causes Panic, Zodiac Shift: A Real Mood Killer, Changes in Zodiac Cause Identity Crisis... On one hand I can say that if you needed to be defined my traits connected to constellations - you didn't have an identity to begin with. On the other hand we align ourselves with what we want to be. And telling me I am no longer labeled a Leo by society would be telling me that my name isn't really The Artist D!