#39- An Artist + stranger things

It's summer, and that means that all the MP's return to their home provinces. That also means that preparing the postcards takes 4x as long as usual, because aside from printing out the necessary labels and sticking them on, I have to make sure each postcard has correct postage SINCE it's free to mail MP's at the House of Commons, but if you want to reach them pro bono at their constituency you're out of luck.   

Each postcard requires 2-3 stamps depending on the amount listed on the stamp (5¢, 10¢, 40¢, 45¢, 90¢, etc.) I was fortunate to have all these stamps donated- they're old stamps, which means I get to enjoy retro design, but it also means I have to wet them before I stick them on. I'm happy to report the days of stamp licking are behind me. I have discovered the power of a damp rag in a bowl.  

Needless to say, this all takes a long time. So I was able to kick back, relax, and enjoy watching an episode and a half of Stranger Things. When I experience great stories, it lights up my heart and reminds me of what I really want to do in this world. If I can spend my life writing and telling stories, I can die happy, knowing I did exactly what I wanted to do and that I lived for myself. 

I guess that's pretty western/individualist of me to say, but I really do believe that pursuing my passion is also kind of a selfless thing too because it has this element of spirituality. When I'm doing what I love- I feel close to the universe and God and everything. It's like when you're walking in a beautiful garden on a warm spring day, or a purple butterfly lands on your finger and all that jazz. 

I've been reading just a little on meditation and spirituality and have garnered that we shouldn't be ashamed of pursuing self-transcendence and growth- that each individual awakening contributes to the revival of the world. 

Of course, I'm not saying I'm going to write a screenplay and wake up enlightened. Maybe I'll become disillusioned with it all. I hope not. But this love of storytelling is like a marriage I was born with: I love this thing more than anything else in the world, and it makes me feel like nothing else in the world. Even though there are rough patches where I just want to tilt my head back, shake my hands, and shout: "WHY?!" I'm willing to work on the relationship because it's that important to me. 

I guess I can start by giving my better half the attention they deserve. 

The subject of today's photo is also a passion pursuer. My conversation with him thoroughly freaked me out- but because he's an artist I want to believe he hasn't lost all hope. 

”I’m a science major. So I know about this stuff. 2025, that’s the year we’re supposed to be done with fossil fuels. 2040, that’s the year all the oceans of the world collapse unless people stop acting like they’re acting. I’m a doom and gloom guy myself, I think humans are well on their way to extinction by the end of the century, of course you can’t say that to people.”