“They are playing Taps now. I used to think it sounded nice but all those bugle calls sound different when you are on the inside.”

My Aunt Janet recently shared this letter with me, and I’m so thankful she did. My Grandfather wrote it to his future mother in law, while he was at Ft. Riley, Kansas. I’m assuming it was the first place he was sent after being drafted. Seems he wrote this just before he was shipped off to Europe. Never really heard him talk much about this time of his life. Don’t know if that’s because he didn’t care to, or just because I never asked. Sure wish I had though. Think he was Twenty years old when he wrote this. It’s hard to imagine, considering what I was doing at Twenty. Anyhow, I really enjoyed this small window into a big moment of his life, and felt like it should be preserved.







Uncovered an old note given to me by an intern I worked with a few years back. Made me smile. Her name is Kelly. Sure did capture me well in her illustration. It’s a nice thing knowing you were able to help someone on their journey, even if in the smallest way. I can’t count how many have helped me on mine. Nobody does it on their own.

This site is a lot of things. One of them is a safety deposit box of sorts. Until the world falls apart and the internet takes it’s last dying breath, I have to believe that anything I put here, is here to stay. These words made their way to my inbox over four years ago, and I want them kept safe. They meant so much to me.

Inspiring is the best I can ever hope or wish for as an artist. It’s largely why I still share the work. Always thinking someone might find these thoughts and feelings I’ve bottled and sent drifting across the internet, and that it might mean something to someone. To quote Esme, it’s weird to think about, but totally awesome.

Not everyone can say their health insurance puts a smile on their face.

My Gram wrote and sent this to me nearly six years ago, when I first moved to California. I really miss her. I wish I could show her everything. Everything I’ve done, everything I will do.

I think about the little cousins I have sometimes. I’m far away enough from them in years and miles, that it’s a struggle to even hold on to their names. But I think about how unfortunate they are, to grow up without her. Then I think about how fortunate I was. I wouldn’t have grown as tall.

Never did find you.