#365Gratitude Day 83: This is a recording

One habit I've had for a long while is I like to dictate to myself.  I'll record voice memos into my phone, often as I drive by myself.  I use them to jot down ideas about fiction I'm working on, or story ideas when they come to me.

I often forget that I do this, too.  Then when I go to record something, will stumble upon old recordings I've made, and listen to them.  Sometimes when I do, I'm shocked, amused, or thrilled by these forgotten gems, that connect me to ideas long forgotten, or some way I was feeling that I no longer do.

Just today, I was taking notes for my next novel (working title, A Little Patch of Sunshine), and after I finished, I stumbled across this idea for a horror novel.  

I completely forgot about it - and when I listened to it, was actually terrified by it, and its conclusion.

I have a long list of writing projects ahead of me, so I don't know when, if ever, I'll get to this one. But I'm glad I recorded the idea - because it's a thumping good one.

#365Gratitude Day 82: Moving in with Cargo

So, my friend Cargo and I have moved in together.

Don't get all upset - he's still with his partner, Axiom.  I'm still with Missy.  I'm not talking about our houses in the real world.  I'm talking about the Frank Lloyd Wright style house we're building and staying in together, on our friend Bluwolf's Minecraft Realm, Sorceria.  

I love that Cargo and I are doing this thing together.  We've been really good friends for a long time now.  We're compatible in a lot of ways.  In our day lives, we're both techie propellor heads, and we both have that little-boy-playing sensibility about our age play.  We love stuffed animals and lego blocks, and play dates to color, or watch My Little Pony together, or nerd out. 

When he came to visit a few weeks ago, I got him to play Minecraft with me on my XBOX, and we both loved the shared experience so much, we decided we needed to keep it going long distance.

So I found us a good server to play on together, and we got to it.

In the world of the game, I'm kind of like Cargo's littler, not quite as skilled brother.  His natural aptitude for 3-d worlds, rendering, and architecture has made him something of a minecraft prodigy.  He has learned so much, so fast.  I follow his lead, and build stuff under his general design philosophy.  

We're not often on at the same time, but when we are, it's so joyful.  It's like going over to my friend's house for an afternoon play date.  Sometimes I log on to find new things he's done, and find delightful surprises, like this one:

#365Gratitude Day 81: Liz Climo's Sharks

I've written about them before, sometime last year, but I adore the work of artist Liz Climo.  She draws these cutesy animals, in a style reminiscent of a funny children's book, and has them say quirky, odd things to each other.

Her sharks in particular, really speak to me.  She draws this one particular shark, who's clearly a little boy, and who is tender, but a teensy bit ashamed that he is.  He's best friends with an otter, but doesn't want the other sharks to know.

I just adore her stuff.  I think I'd like to get big prints of it, and put them on the walls of my office.  I'm super grateful her work exists.

#365Gratitude Day 80: Taken to the movies

My wife and sister-in-law decided that while our friend Rachel was visiting us, we should all go to the movies.

They wanted to see the new Cinderella.

The movie was lovely.  They really did take me to the movies too.  Yes, I drove.  But Missy bought the tickets, and MB got us lovely food at the swanky recliner-theater to which we went.  I joked to them both that I felt like "a kept man."

You know what?  It's a good feeling.

#365Gratitude Day 79: In the garden of your mind

I grew up watching Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, which started broadcasting on PBS the year before I was born, in 1970.  I have loved it, and him, unashamedly and without reserve, my entire life.

My friend Matti, is an age player, a gifted musician, and an absolute mushy emotional softie of the marshmallowiest kind (which is absolutely one of his best qualities.)  Matti shares this same love for Mr. Rogers, and he sent me a link to a sort of song-mashup, based on old clips of the show.  It's stellar.

Watch it.  Like him, and me, you will no doubt tear up and smile when you do.