April Fool's Day, but not really.

So, yesterday, and today hold some crazy special meanings in that almost yearly, some pivotal changes and events always seem to occur on this set of days. This year was no different, and so I can give just a bit of an update on what I had not been able to cover for the last few months.

First, let me start off by saying Lowe's won the April Fool's day award from me for today...

I hope this is the extended warranty, we include a work crew of 12, and free groceries for a year, price.

The funniest part was the system would only ring it up as this, or "Free".  Finally a manager came over and gave me a deal on it for having to wait twenty-five minutes to get it corrected.

But that bit of humor was needed, and is what I brandished upon all other events over the last day. You see, I no longer work at Hallmark. I won't go into specifics, no need to really, as I bear no ill will towards the company or the people there. There are a lot, I mean a lot of people I will miss, who were good to me all the way to the end. For that, I am totally and fully grateful for.

I will also miss how awesome my desk display was, but that's why I started building an art studio here at home.

I was actually in great spirits all yesterday, lots of people stopped by to say goodbye, wish well, all of that. It meant so very much. I'm going to really miss my second home, the sound studio on 9, and everyone up there.

I realized I had a LOT of stuff to clear out from my desk... including sexy rooster. He's mine now.

I joked about how I was setting up a kiosk outside to sell all my stuff off, that I'd be doing trunk sales over on Troost, just in general, keeping a smile on my and everyone else's faces. Change is something that comes along for everyone, and if I want to be honest here... I felt pretty good. Would I come back if Hallmark needed me? Without a doubt, because there are people there I only started working with that I want to continue to do so with. But moving beyond this moment of office shenanigans and so on...

If if weren't for Hallmark, I'd not have ended up on the radio at KKFI.

I had another dream come true not too long ago, where I finally got on the radio to talk about Scribbler's with my friend Deanna, and man,... that was a blast. It was like a natural extension of voice over, and that was just something I'd love to get back into to do again.

Deanna looking all professional, and me looking at the camera with a "Did I leave the stove on" face.

So after I left work, I walked out to my truck, got in, and went for a drive to walk around my favorite path over the lake I used to walk my dogs at. Everything seemed a lot more colorful, it felt like  it was a lot of stuff off of my back. I also found that I didn't already have a stress headache by 10am.

I sat for a while with my eyes closed, feeling the breeze push by me, just listening to people in the distance, the water moving, feeling the grass in my hands. I will say this, I had not realized how much I had come to doubt so many of my own capabilities in the last few months, and so in many ways, even if I do go back to Hallmark, this was a needed break for me.

It had been a while since I took the time to smell the flowers...

That said, it's not like I don't have a whole heck of a lot of stuff to do in the next few months. I have mentorship classes starting, shows coming along, freelance clients, meetings, and a lot of artwork to create!

I sometimes do my best thinking at Toys R Us, so I wandered around my local one, and thought and thought and thought about what I need to do to get myself on track and back in art creating shape again.

If the Studio on 9 is my second home, this one qualifies as my third

As the sun went down, I could only reflect on how quick change can come upon me, and how prepared and perceptive I need to be moving forward. I'm looking forward to what the rest of the year is going to bring me, and that's a really good feeling to be back in control, of what I always should have been in control of, my work.

Look forward to more updates, and other good things, my readers! Until next time, be kind to your fellow beings, support your local artists, and never, ever stop believing in your dreams. Ever.

-Mario, the Artisan Rogue