A minor note

Would I have remembered that today was the anniversary of the beginning of the "Great War", the "War to End All Wars", if not for the prompting of the media?
It's doubtful.
Thinking on the fact that many born recently have never even heard of this huge conflict and what it meant/means to us, many other (forgotten) conflicts come to mind.
Vietnam, the conflict fought during my "time", will be forgotten as will all that we fight for (?) presently. More football games but with more casualties and tears. And we keep marching, don't we?

This must be a tough time-  i'm thinking once again of getting a tattoo-specifically an alchemical symbol (can U guess which one?)…
Dreamed this week of getting a letter (yes, a real letter) from an old (pissed- off at moi) friend. This was composed of collaged photos, much like a visual ransom note…
Dreamed last night of seeing two running bears…wtf? After making sure the dogs were in the house,  I gaped in wonder at the two big black bodies.

Feeling so goddamn alone, which I guess has been a mainstay in my life. but somehow this is so painful right now.

I read in Robt. Genn's letters this week that some people's creativity is possibly driven by anger-the fact that this could be me really threw me. Dunno if it's true, but that word-possibly-had the effect of stopping me mid-thought….and then waiting for the sharp cut of the gutting knife. OK, that bit of drama never came, but I still wonder about the effect of this thought of the genesis of my creative drive.

I'll post this here sculpture (can't remember the title) as it seems relevant to these written thoughts.

Listen:

(channeling Kurt Vonnegut)
This is part of what I've learned so far.

We are pilgrims, here to take a journey and to learn from the road. hopefully, we will keep enough tread on our feet to make the trip.

The art I make is made better when it is passed on, whether in trade, as gifts, or as the teaching of technique. I heard a guitar player this morning (he wrote a very catchy rock song in the 80's and now manages Phillip Glass) say that when he was young,  it was about becoming a rock star. Now, after reaching his 60th birthday, it's about playing playing playing. I get it.

It would be nice (or maybe it'd be a blessing with sharp teeth) to be famous or sell a lot. But it's really (really!) not everything.

Guess I should shut up when people ask me about my art. My constant reply has been, "It's a blessing and a curse". I'm damn lucky and, yes, blessed. Thanks to whoever and/or whatever gave me this great gift.

I took a shot of two of my best friends below. You will notice that the left one is a bit shakier!