Largo

I am sorry for the delay between updates. As I have mentioned, this life-changing move was a crash landing... and I have had to make sacrifices. I won't beat around the bush; the biggest sacrifice has been a financial one. I was not financially prepared for this move, nor was I financially stable. So, from Day 1 of this 'new life', money has been a very serious issue. For those who have lived through similar experiences, I'm sure you can understand how even a decent job can become a source of understated inconvenience when the resulting income's scrutinization becomes necessitated.

Stress devours time.

With that blemish restated, let's move on to what's going nicely.

I do love the work I do. I enjoy talking to my customers about entertainment media, and helping them to fully appreciate their values in entertainment media. I have regular customers who ask for me, wait for my personal service specifically. It's nice. A good friend of mine once said he didn't think I could cut it in a high pressure retail position. My personal sales figures have consistently outshone those of my coworkers (and regional average), with some of my best results being more than three times the national average. It's nice to be able to feel that kind of professional pride. Don't get me wrong, though: my greater interest lies in the heart-to-heart and impassioning aspects of my position. Still, it's a big deal to me to be able to say that I've achieved balance and am good at my job overall.

Mastering the audio for 5.2 has indeed begun. I find that, in the extended absence of immersing myself in music, my ears (and aural preferences) have changed. It's just like riding a bike... if every time you got on it, your feet and hands were shaped differently. When I buckled down, 2.4's twelve tracks took only two weeks to complete. So, take heart. I'll likely put out a twelve-track online vendor edition of 5.2, shortly followed by a deluxe sixteen-track Official Carrot Factory Website exclusive (at high fidelity).

The place I'm now living in is great. It's bright, clean, and big. There are oversized windowsills which my cats are in-love with. And there's a real "dead of night" quality to it that's a stark contrast from where I was last living. My bedroom and living room windows overlook a gorgeous forested park. There aren't any tall buildings in the area, so sunrises and sunsets are particularly beautiful. I have yet to usurp the virginity of my new oven. But it's a promise that keeps me motivated.

Allow me to tell you a little bit about my day, yesterday:

I woke up early. I showered and had breakfast. I got my lunch, work clothes, and iPod ready. I went to work, and worked from 7:30 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.. After work, I went out with a couple of coworkers. We three caught up, hung out, chatted about random things. It was cool. We went to a restaurant I suggested, and had fake meat. It was good. When I got back home, I called my Aunt and we talked on the phone for a while. Then there was a robust amount of sleep.

The point of the story is that I'd never been one to live a 'normal' or simple kind of life. My art, my music, and my interaction with followers is important. However, after this crash landing, and being on my own for the first time, and having such a scorch mark on my financial credit... something simple and stable has become tantamount to everything else. I'm focussing on creating a balanced foundation on which I shall build the rest of my wonderful life. I've poked my head out of the curtain―now, you can see me―but it's really not my time yet. There's still a lot of work to do.

Rest assured, 5.2 is on its way. I'm stating only that my energy is presently limited to having to be thoughtfully managed. I can't afford the energy, money, or time to be making music videos, redesigning the website, arranging photo shoots, collaborating with other artists, drawing comic strips, mastering music, dating, taking care of two 'children', volunteering for youth work, and taking care of myself... while already working ridiculous hours at a job, trying to get in black with the angry suits. ... The bigger surprises are coming, largo.