Tomorrow is another day

Had one of those days today....everything was chaos. On days like today, I wonder what the heck went wrong with the lofty goals of mankind? Or, sometimes, I wish I were a pioneer, trapping and hunting my food, trading pelts for things that I need. Of course, I'm a horrible outdoorsman. I'd probably starve to death. My father would have been perfectly suited for such a life. He loved to hunt. Me? Well, I simply didn't. But, in my daydreams, I'm like Jeremiah Johnson, hunting in the great outdoors. Those must have been wonderful - if incredibly tough - times. You could be your own man without being governed by the bureaucracy that the world has become these days. I guess, in a way, I crave simplicity. I think a lot of people do. While we've made medical advances that add decades to a person's life in comparison to the pioneer days, I sometimes think the pioneers lived more exciting lives. And, on days like today, daydreams about being a pioneer keep me sane.

What do you dream about?

THE RED LION

On September 10th, I made the 350+ mile journey to Chicago for the GraphExpo at McCormick Place. We drove all day. But, that evening, I jumped the "L" and went to the Red Lion Pub at 2446 N. Lincoln Ave. I'm glad I did. It turns out they'll be tearing the Red Lion down to the ground next month and rebuilding it, brick-by-wonderful-brick, from the ground up.....with the exception of putting a foundation under the building. The Red Lion is an incredibly old pub that the Twilight Tales writing group has meetings at every Monday night for many years. I discovered it thanks to my friend Wayne Allen Sallee. We reacqainted ourselves there for the first time in a decade and some change. I fell in love with the place and go there every time I'm in Chicago on a Monday night. Hopefully, The Red Lion will be rebuilt the next time I'm in town. It's a wonderful place and I hope you make the trek there just to meet the bartender, Joe. He's a nice guy.

By the way, that lovely lady I'm hamming it up with is Martel Sardina, co-editor of HELL IN THE HEARTLAND. It was her birthday. I bought her a birthday beer. That feller with his head turned is Wayne Allen Sallee. Always the gentleman, Wayne turned his head and blushed.

Check out the Twilight Tales site (www.twilighttales.com). I think there are some links there worth checking out.

later,
Roger

Glory Days

I've been thinking a lot of the future these days. Things are looking up. But, I've also been reflecting on the past. Stephanie, the wonderful woman I've been seeing lately, mentioned the glory days of Lick Creek General Store to me. I used to work down there frequently. I was sort of "Chef" Nick Rion's minuteman....he called me when he couldn't find anyone else to cook the chickens or stir the jambalaya. It was always a good time working there. And, Stephanie, I have to make a confession....I do remember serving you at least once and thinking "what an attractive woman." It's funny how things can come around to revisit you.

But, back to Lick Creek.

Lick Creek General Store was a wonderful place to have a nine-course meal. I've boiled crawfish about a million times down there, usually with a beer in my hand and a smile on my face. Anyone who's ever dined there will attest to the wonderful and adventurous atmoshere of the place. I've certainly seen some weird things at Lick Creek - people dancing half-naked on the tables was a common thing. Often, the tables would collapse and, at least once, the dancer didn't miss a stride. It was a magical place.

Sadly, "Chef" Nick moved on to Tall Tree Lake (by the way, you can Google both establishments....God Bless the Internet) and Lick Creek sort of fell into a lull. Emma Taylor and Lance Jack are working hard to bring Lick Creek back, and "Chef" Nick has called me at least once in the last year to come down and work at Tall Tree Lake. So, I guess the purpose of this post is to give a nod to Lick Creek and Tall Tree, and to remember the past. Those were good times.

I hope everyone out there has a Lick Creek General Store or Tall Tree Lake in their memory. It would be sad if you didn't.

later
Roger

in-plant graphics article

http://www.ipgonline.com/story/story.bsp?sid=73267&var=story

That's the link to an article I wrote for In-Plant Graphics about polyester plates. I used the plates to print three books so far, with a fourth and fifth one coming very soon.

Check out the article.

Roger

p.s. That tired old fart in the picture is me.

Life is weird

Life is a weird thing, my friends. Anyone who knows me knows the last year and a half have not been kind to your humble author. To be honest, there were times I wanted to do nothing more than hide my head in the sand and wait out the crap storm that my life had become.

It's funny what a week can do.

Last weekend, I spent alone. My children were with their mother and, when that happens, I'm alone. I feel lost without my children. But, last weekend, I also had a epiphany of sorts. I decided it was time to find someone and quit being alone. And, to be honest, I already knew who she was. You can say it was divine intervention (and I'm not about to argue that with you), dumb luck, or something else entirely, but I'd noticed this woman a million times in the last year and a half. Everywhere I went, she was either already there or not far behind. On Monday, I decided the best way to break the ice was to send her a dozen roses. We've hung out together a couple of times in the past week and I've truly enjoyed her company. She's smart, pretty and has the most incredible smile. In a lot of ways, she's perfect....and it's done my heart a lot of good to be around her. I hope she feels the same way, and that we'll be seeing each other for a long time to come.

Time will tell.
Roger

Things are looking up

I hope my buddy Wayne Allen Sallee doesn't mind my leeching the picture in this post from his blog site, but it seems to fit my life. While there is a certain sinister quality to the picture, there's also a bit of a smile. Things have been looking up for me lately. I have a novel sitting with a real, live, honest-to-goodness literary agent, I have a date (of sorts) with a lovely woman I'm quite smitten with tomorrow evening, my motorcycle might actually be finished and ready to ride this week, I finally got a new cell phone ( I machine washed my old one to death) and I helped a friend in need the other night by listening to him. So, things aren't so bad. I see people everyday who are worse off than I am. I find it sad that we have multi-zillionaires in this world and, yet, we also have starvation by the millions. The world is a mess. But, for the moment, I'm trying to find comfort in the things in my life that aren't so bad.

Just call me a member of the optimist club, Edwin.

Anyway, I wouldn't want anyone to think that I'm overly cynical about life. It's good.....and a whole lot better than the alternative.

Live life, be free, but love someone. Life is too short to go it alone.

Roger