banana pancakes for the artist

When I gain clarity, I'll let you know.

Otherwise, I'm still putting one foot in front of the other working slowly toward a goal that seems infinitely far away. Leaving Birmingham? Did I really want to be here in the first place? I think it's been a good stepping stone for figuring out where I want to make my mark in this world. I have learned so much from the people around me and the few that have passed through. Couchsurfers have a good way of giving me a reality check. My last one, after we both had a few beers, gave me one of the best reality checks I have in a good while. The conversation went as thus:

Dan: "So how are you going to eat this weekend?"

Me: "I don't know--I'll figure something out."

Dan: "No, really. how are you going to eat this weekend?"

Me: "Well tomorrow morning I'll wake up and eat the rest of the biscuits that I made earlier today and then I'll head over to the Bottletree to help put up the art show and I think there will be food there. My mom's coming to the art show and she'll probably buy me dinner. On Sunday I'm going to an expo and generally they have free samples there and after that I have dinner plans with a friend who's paying."

Dan: "So you have plan?"

Me: "Always. I know how to survive."

Dan: "Can I take you out to breakfast tomorrow morning?"

The good news is with a dollar in my pocket all weekend, I ate pretty well. Breakfast with Dan at the Pancake House was delicious...we both had banana pancakes with blueberry topping.

The reality check gave me two things:

I am a starving artist.

The kindness of people never ceases to amaze me.

It's the little things that get me by and keep a smile on my face. I will never quit loving my life and I will never quit loving those that are there to enjoy it with me.