Planting Seeds

Hey, gang! Welcome to my life – where anything is possible and nothing is as it seems. I’m Freedom and I’ll be your host, coming at you from within the depths of Geistopia. 

DOC: Velcum To My Life ees a prochect, un experiment in Life unt ART. A living storyboard, if you will. Its premise ees zat life ees experiential, unt zat you can, unt do, experience ze life you choose. It ees based on Ze Veel of Life unt Ze ARTs for Ze New Millennium as life building tools. Ja, it’s true! 

WALT: Welcome to my Life is a Geist…House Players Production, in association with the Center for Creative Inspirationalism. JustUs Productions, the parent company, would like to give a ‘Shout-Out’ to the following for their ongoing, and oft-times unknowing, inspiration and support:

Princess Cuddlebug

Princess Sunshine

Company

The Shaman

The Pillar

F’n Bob

The Entire Putt-Putt-Putter Clan

The Warden

FaeriePrincess

Professor Siggy Chong

Sparky Wentz-eclaus

The VanMan and General Ralph Glossop, and Craze (may they R.I.P.)

The Messengers of The Galactic Federation

 Looch

BJ & The Bull

Ace

Bert-On

The Baker of the Cornbread

Andy Pandy

The Mudder

Wilson

Zason

St. Diane & You (5)

Brother John & Sister Jen

The Bee Man

Spooky Queen

Boom-Boom Snuffbox

The Nameless One

Tim-Bo

The Mayor & The Turkey Man

The Rox

PDT

Sir Richard Slouch

The Wix-ians

The Socialite

The Village of Idiots

Piz-Niffer

Dancing Queen

Downtown Encyclopedia Brown

Chicken Witch

Dick Pointer

Soup, the Son

The Legendary Pink Elephants

Baby-Mama Rabbit

Wisconsin Belle

The Babes

Aaaand, of course, a very generous sponsor who (not-so-much) wishes to remain anonymous.

It is…Sunday, June 2, Two-Thousand and Twenty-More. Time...Acclimating.

Theme – Attitude is Everything

Lesson – Hold the Faith

Observation – Just Enough – Precise & Perfectly Placed

The Post

It is late and I am just beginning to write for today. I had to shake off the world a little bit. It was an intense week. It did not play out as I had planned but it didn’t end quite as terribly as it seemed yesterday it was going to.

Today, for me, was almost a testament of Faith. Again, I went out early because, again, the app was offering an incentive – deliver 10 orders between 0600-1059 and get an extra $20. I had 8 orders. That’s all I was sent. I didn’t even turn any away. Not from that app. I did turn away some I might have otherwise taken from the other app though.

This is kind of ow my whole day went. I was finding that I was driving up more gas than I would have liked to have seen and not showing the money for it. I was taking offers I normally would never take – drives I would never make, fares I would never accept – all in an attempt to make the 10 orders [which never came.] The rest of the day just followed suit. By 1600 I decided I would be happy if I could get to $160. [I did.] Also at about 1600 I started contemplating packing it in for the day. I was just over it. I decided to stick with it a little bit longer and just see.

I had 2 orders in The Rocket from one app when the other app sent me a dual order – same pick up, 2 drop-offs. I accepted it pretty much without hesitation. It was a $42 delivery. The challenge was that I already had the other 2 orders so I couldn’t cancel them and they were to be delivered in the complete opposite direction of the new pick up.

I didn’t want to lose this new offer so I weighed my options. I decided to go pick up the new orders first then make all the deliveries. It was kind of a backwards way to do it but I knew I would be securing the new delivery. I skipped the first on ramp and hit the second one, sending myself in the direction of the pick-up. As I was entering the highway I noticed that the pick-up time was set for 1803. I had 30 minutes. I could make my deliveries and get back to the restaurant in that time. It would be close but I could do it. I got right back off the highway, situated my new direction and prayed that G-d would work with me. He didn’t. [Kinda – but in a fucked up way.]

The Goal in situations such as this is to stay ahead of the warnings. If you’re not getting to the restaurant right away, the app will give you warnings that you accepted the offer but don’t seem to be moving towards it. A driver will get 2 of these and then the offer gets reassigned. There is time in between each of these steps. I haven’t figured it out yet. It seems to vary. I don’t know if it’s the pick-up time, the time of day, the distance to the restaurant, but something determines the timing. Sometimes it seems like more than enough and sometimes it seems to zip by.

I got my first warning before I got to either of the deliveries. Definitely sooner than I had hoped. Quite a bit sooner. The same can be said for the second warning. I definitely got it sooner than I wanted it to come. The pressure was on for the entire trip, but most especially at the end.

And, along the way it was slow cars, traffic, waiting to make turns, and whatever else could slow me down just a little bit. I was getting a lil frustrated. I really did not want to lose the last offer. I started to kinda bitch in my head and then I could hear The Voice give a little chuckle. Apparently, G-d was just toying with me a little bit. Just wanted to see how much Faith I could hold and how determined I would be to see things through I suppose.

Well, I must have satisfied the curiosity because, against all odds, I made it to the restaurant with Just Enough time to spare – 1800. That dual delivery took my total for the day to $200. That’s what I needed, but I was not anticipating it.

It’s an interesting Observation. Both Friday and today, I set out very early in the morning in order to take advantage of incentives. Both days I did not receive any of the incentives but managed to make the money I needed for the day.

It still leaves me a little behind and I have bills and gas coming out tomorrow. So, whatever I spend tomorrow I need to make tomorrow so that the money is there to cover the pending rent payment and Mechanic’s check. Both of which will come out on Tuesday morning. So I still have some juggling to do. My other challenge for tomorrow is that The Rocket goes in for a sorta pre-inspection. See where she’s at and make a plan.

In other “news” –

The Homestead is finally feeling like home. I have felt more comfortable, and more at ease, over the past few weeks than I have the entire time I have been here. I am grateful for that. Just as I am grateful for the home itself.

We’ve had some sort of ethereal visitor this week. I don’t know if it’s still here. I did sage and I haven’t noticed any disturbances in particular. But for some days there it was potent. One day I swore Cuddlebug was walking in her room even though I knew she wasn’t home. Then like the next night she thought she heard me at her door in the night and when she woke and looked no one was there but something that was hanging was swinging back and forth. She di ask me if I had come up. I had not.

The critters are active and that makes my soul happy. The wrens are becoming a lil more social and interactive. I can only assume this means eggs have been laid. That’s how it was last year. I’d see them twittering about when I wasn’t outside but when I went out they would stay hidden. That is until egg time. Then every time I would go out to the car or The Workshop they would come out and sit and watch. So it is again this year. But it has seemed more relaxed. Last year they were really watching. This year it’s more like, “Yo wassup”

            Day 1

I don’t know how many days there will be, but this is Day 1.

I’ve been having quite the morning. It has been rough getting to just this one particular point.

It rained and is drizzling. So, my planned task for the morning had to be altered. Not a big deal. I adjusted, as I always do. I posted an item on Marketplace. I piddled in The Workshop for a few moments. I [mostly] caught up on my financials. I at least know where I stand for the day. [Perhaps even two.] I caught up on my email. Not that I ever really have anything important in there. But I do like to keep up with headlines and things going on in the neighborhoods. Unfortunately, my laptop is very old and quite corrupted. So it moves much slower than my ADD functions. This caused some delays and resets.

Nonetheless, I am caught up and feel accomplished. If this is a reset than I truly want it to be one. Step 1 is making sure I am caught up with my daily tracking and tasks. So far so good. I need to catch up on quite a bit of tracking – hours/income and mileage. Neither is terrible. Both are tedious. I think, though, that I will make that my focused task until it is done – tonight, tomorrow morning, tomorrow night. However long it takes [while maintaining my pace with actually staying caught up.]

Overall, I have felt pretty good this morning. I feel motivated and hopeful – almost powerful. Things I haven’t felt since Once Upon Ago, in Olde Geistopia.

The “reality” of my home is setting in just a bit more this morning. I wish I could describe the shift in perception better. I mean, I’ve been living here. I knew I was living here. I functioned as if it were my home. But all of a sudden it feels different. It feels more solid.

I don’t want to waste too much more time, but I did want to check in. I have to eat and get ready for my day and get out. It is a holiday [which is why I have been in no particular hurry this morning] so we will see what the day holds. I have quite a bit to make, especially for a Monday AND a holiday. But, one can never be too sure.

There is no telling how it will go. I’ve had $200 Mondays already. I’ve had weekends that barely pulled it off. There is guarantee. Every day is like an adventure. I have allowed that to frustrate me. Now I must find the passion in it once more. 

It is officially later than I was shooting for and yet I feel as though I am right on time. Totems of note – Cardinal, Wren, Heron, Ant.

I’m gonna go do this now.

                        Part 2

            Well, that was quite the day. I left the house ‘knowing’ that I was going to make my budget today. I did. There was a period when it didn’t look so promising, but I just kept on keeping on. Not only did I make my income, I went over it just a bit. I also spent $5 less on gas. So, I am ahead of myself by about $20. This is good. I want to use some of that towards the grocery budget. I want to get coffee when I go to the club store tomorrow. I didn’t have it on the list but we will need it sooner or later and I get it at the club store. I don’t know if I would have any reason to go there next week.

So, I put in about a 9 hour day out on the road. [Not all of it was driving time.] I think I am going to get my lunch made for tomorrow and fix me a light dinner. Then I am going to head downstairs to watch a movie and work on my administrative catching up.

            Day 2

I feel good again this morning. Though, I’m having a rather rough start to my day. It’s not bad. I just feel a bit scattered, so I can’t seem to focus properly on any one thing. Still, I continue to feel positive, and empowered.

I actually have money in my account this morning. Enough to get me through the day. It’s not often that I start a day that way.

I feel kinda worked over this morning. I get that. Yesterday was a very strong energy day. I was whacked before I even left the house. It only makes sense that there would be a day following when I needed to recover.

I’m not feeling as motivated to get out and trim the grass this morning as I would have liked. This is fine. There is still plenty of light when I get home from work. I just have to make sure I come up with the motivation by then. Instead, this morning I am going to continue catching up on my administrative stuff. I got some done last night. It’s just so very tedious. I can only do so much of it in one sitting. This is why I need to keep up with it regularly. (But don’t.)

I think that is all for a check-in at the moment.

            Day 6

And that is how my life goes.

POOF!

Here and then gone. A whirlwind. A blink of an eye.

Every day between Day 2 and now, I have told myself I was going to sit down and write a bit. Ya know. Try to keep up with things now. Every day has shifted slightly. Things didn’t go when or how planned. Longer days. Other things to get done.

For all the hassle, right this moment, I find myself behind – in particularly financially. [Cause that’s a surprise] I’m beginning to repeat last year’s pattern. I am staying out and trying to make the money [and don’t really.] Meanwhile, the list of things to do around Nu Geistopia grows each day.

I don’t give up though. I keep trying and adjusting. I’ve been tweaking away at projects little by little as I can. In fact, this week, I finally finished the gardening projects that were started last year.

I had old tires. At least 4 of them were on the property when I moved in. There may have been a fifth. If it wasn’t here, it was somewhere because there are 5 in all. I decided I wanted them painted. A little color and life. Something slightly different than just using tires to plant. I got them started last year. I got them as far as primed. I then ran into financial and timing issues and it all went on hold. I mean there were times I bought cans of paint/primer and they wouldn’t work or they would break or clog.

On hold they went.

Meanwhile, Cuddlebug had brought me plants for which I had no place to go. So, I built 4 small [very small] garden boxes. I put them out in the back where there had been a garden before. It was too far from the house and I was here alone. So, nothing was tended. I even put together a small hanging planter box with part of a palette. But it never got finished until over the winter. [Even then, it’s only finished because we decided it didn’t need paint or stain.]

Nothing really came together last year.

This year it is coming together slowly…and different than I had imagined. I feel like its hard to describe right.

So, the septic tank is off the driveway. It’s not far from the house, but far enough I imagine. At some point in time, someone – Brother John or the previous owner, covered it with black top. Cool. When Brother John was preparing to sell The Homestead, they had some septic work done, including like a double lid thing. I don’t know what they are. But I know they give access. Lmao.

Anyway, they dug up some of the black top and now it is kind of strewn and piled on top. This is dead space to me. There’s nothing I can really do with that. Between that blacktop and the deck there is a small strip of grass. This is also kind of dead to me. All it’s really good for is mowing.

What has developed is the planter box hangs on the deck. Along the deck, on the grass side, I cleared space for tomato plants. Across from that on the black top, I placed the painted tires. I am placing the other boxes in front of the tires – off to the side. So now, all the planting [except the raspberries] will be close to the house. Easy to maintain and to harvest as needed. What a better way to bring life and use to otherwise useless space?

So, I do feel accomplished in that. But there are still weeds to pull and plants to move and mulch to somehow obtain. I also feel accomplished with The Workshop [formerly known as The Garage.] It had gotten out of control. I couldn’t work in there in the winter. No heat. And it just became a storehouse for things until I could sort through them. I have been sorting through them and accomplishing little things along the way. I still have a long way to go.

I’ve been pushing these last several days. They have gotten away from me and things are not as I had planned on them being.

I knew Wednesday would be a slight bust because there was a Safety Meeting. I’ve learned that I can’t beat the system and if there is a safety meeting I just don’t work that night. However, the morning, working, part of the day was not as strong as it needed to be. I shrugged. There was still hope.

Thursday I was out, but it was such a weak day. I made like half of what I needed to. So between Wednesday and Thursday I made a day’s income. I shrugged. There was still hope.

Yesterday was a good day but very long. The one app is offering incentives throughout the day and they start at like 0600. So, I made sure I was out and about. It was to no avail. I didn’t make any of the incentives. [It’s a whole thing.] Still, I made the money I needed to.

Today sucked big donkey balls.

I was out 10 hours and barely broke $100.

There is still hope.

That’s a big hit. With average days, it will take me until Tuesday night to catch up and put myself right. This is mostly because I have two bills coming out on Monday. My two big ones for this week won’t process until Tuesday. So I have tomorrow and Monday to do as much as I can. [More than I would ever plan.]

Both apps are doing incentives throughout tomorrow. My plan is the same as it was yesterday. I am going to get up and get out. I am going to do what I can to make whichever incentives I can. It’s all a matter of how things flow. One app is doing incentives for certain types of jobs – do 5 and get $20. I have one in. They are also offering small incentives for so many deliveries. Like yesterday I got $7.50 from them for completing 5 deliveries. So an extra buck something per delivery. The other app is offering greater incentives with harder Goals. For instance – make $20 extra delivering 10 orders between 0600-1059 without skipping more than 3.

Sounds easy enough. However, first, 10 orders need to come in. Second, as I learned yesterday, orders from the other app may make it hard to accept enough orders. I will play around and see how I can make the most of it.

Even under the best circumstances, whatever I make tomorrow will not fix my current problem, though it could make quite a difference.

This is every week for me. This is the whole of my life. I keep pushing and trying. I take what is thrown at me and what I have right before me and build on it – try to make the most out of it. I do so with hope and in faith.

I am very often disappointed.

Things rarely go my way…but they go. I simply keep adjusting and tweaking as I go along with them.

I do believe things will shift in my favor. In the Grand Scheme, they really have shifted already. For all the struggles, I am better now than I was a year ago at this time. That’s advancement. That’s improvement. So, I just keep at it.

I wished for balance in my life and the past two months have just been intense. I can see how it was all playing into the balance thing. Still, with each shift there had to be a give and a take. In order to get my productivity balanced and moving, I had times when I had to take a hit financially. Vice-Versa. Along the way, I have been trying to balance some personal time as well – not just alone time but time with the Princesses and Big ‘D’ and friends.

Well, I must run for now. I have a lot to do if I want to be out and about at 0600.

If you’re not already there, go to the Welcome to my Life Facebook page – WTML. Or the YouTube channel – WelcomeToMyLife08. You can also find me on Facebook under Rev. Matt.

Wherever you are and whenever you are – Like, Comment, and Share – we’re on a Journey and it takes you to get there.

So, without hesitation, for now and for always, from here in Geistopia, this is your beloved Rev…

WALT: And Walt…

DOC:  Unt Doc…

JOHNNY: Aaaaand Johnny…

And those guys, saying, “Stay Tuned-In, Fellow Travelers,” and wishing you Peace, Love, Light…

WALT: And Freakishness, Baby.

The Totems & Archetypes

from Ted Andrews’ Animal Speak

Heron

Cricket

Wren

Rabbit

Squirrel

Groundhog

Fox

Cardinal

Flamingo

Ant