I'm in stream-of-consciousness mode right now, so forgive the impending ramble. If it gets boring, change the channel or just spin on, ok? Oh, I'm not including smileys in my posts, so just imagine a crooked grin throughout. Thanks, heh.

So I don't know if it's the intermittent sunshine, or if it's just spring, or what. I've been in one hell of a good mood for about a month and it just keeps coming on. I can't put my finger on why exactly, but I figure I'll just go with the flow. Don't question being happy, right?

It's not like I haven't been dealing with the annoyances of daily life. In fact, these past two weeks have seen me fighting with the government and my old employer trying to straighten out a mess caused by my old company getting caught 'being creative' with their bookkeeping. Screwed over a lot of people I worked with, too. Anyway, I finally got my ex-employer to convince the gov't that I in fact did NOT earn twice my actual income and therefore I do NOT owe them $6,000. I only hope it actually gets sorted out. I'm holding off on doing cartwheels until I see the notice in the mail. Man, that place is FUBAR.

But anyway, even despite that and the world going to hell in a handbasket on another continent, I've been feeling really good. Just getting outside is a total pick-me-up for me, which is strangely cool. I have to get out more this summer, even if it means burning the crap out of myself the first few times. I have some beach time to make up for from the last few summers. Corinne, we should round up the wagons and take The Clubhouse gang on an outing or two this year. Hit the beaches or a park or something, you know? Relax a bit in the sun. What do you all think?

With this good mood has come a welcome burst of motivation and inspiration. Although the first few weeks was painful, I've gotten back on the weights (they had been staring at me with their accusing eyes too long - the benefit and curse of owning your own equipment, I suppose). Even my roomie is getting on the bandwagon, which is good since having someone to adjust the weights and spot is very handy for both of us. Helps keep the motivation and stop the slacking, too. I'm constantly amazed by the human body. I was slacking for months and yet a few weeks back on a routine and I can see and feel the tone coming back. Not bad for this old bod.

I've also caught myself writing a short story, of all things. I've always been an avid reader, but my meager talents with pen and paper started and ended with drawing, or so I thought. Who knows, perhaps it still does (and I suck at writing). I might also finish it, too. The damn thing seems to write itself anyway - just like all my really strong creative visions have done. I hope I can finish it and that it's worth putting out there. I was always very self-conscious about my artwork and I can sense that again with writing. I also have a twinkle of an idea for a script and maybe even storyboard, too (purely for my own enjoyment, of course). I'm sure that's getting ahead of myself. I haven't written a script or drawn up a storyboard since I was at OUC in Vernon...

I've also attempted (so far in vain) to do some artwork for a small blurb article for the website I somehow wound up as a staff writer for (gratis, unfortunately - but I love the subject matter). If any of you are interested in Lovecraft, horror, and the Cthulhu Mythos, you might find a few interesting things over at Calling Cthulhu, the place I write the very occasional article for and haunt the forums as Wilbur Whateley. Stop in and say "ftagn" if you're down with that. Heh. If I do ever finish that short story, it'll wind up at Calling, I'm sure.

Hell, I'm feeling the best I've felt in about 3 years, if not longer. It's amazing what a bad job and a totally botched relationship linked to that job can do to a man. That and two failed relationships while in an emotional tailspin from the previous problem. Those didn't help, either. I'm almost considering giving that whole boy/girl thing re-consideration, but thankfully my cynicism saves me from what would surely be an end to my happiness [insert half-assed grin here]. I think I'll play it safe and keep my head down a bit longer - no sense getting all gung-ho about it.

What's even more amazing is what a few months away from those situations can do to revive one's spirit. Here's a tip for you all: if you're working a job and it's killing your soul, just get out - in the long run it's not worth it. Trust me. I hope none of you have to work at a place like that. I wish fun jobs and good co-workers upon you all!

I think I've about said my piece here. Time for me to clean up my spelling and HTML-ize this thing. For anyone reading this who is in the same headspace I was not too long ago, I'm sorry, I'm not trying to rub anyone's nose in anything. Happy people can be a pisser, I know. ;^) Ok, I know I used a smiley there, but it needed one real bad...