More than half, but less than a year

Days in Yakima: 225

Currently reading: Barbara Taylor Bradford's Voice of the Heart (but I've only gotten through about five chapters since I picked it up in February), Crystal Lake Memories: A Complete History of Friday the 13th (but I've only made it to Part 2 since I downloaded my copy from Amazon), All the President's Men (another one I keep picking up and putting down), The Tommyknockers (the next title in my Stephen King-in-chronological-order endeavor), and Fiend, a book by Peter Stenson (I started it today and I'm really digging it so far).

Level of happiness: On a scale of 1 to 10, about a 6. I'm content, but I still hate pretty much everything about Yakima — including my job and most of the people I encounter daily. Luckily, I've recently found meetings that I really like — NA in Yakima is where it's at — and they've been better than anything else that's happened here so far.

Highlights from the day: Finishing all my laundry before 10 a.m. Going to two libraries to grab copies of books I want to read. Shopping for healthier groceries. Contemplating a late-night run. Starting Fiend. Shaving off my mustache. Cooking a chicken, broccoli and rice casserole. Attending a meeting. Talking to my sponsor. Texting snarky observations to Brennan — he's a pretty decent dude. Feeling grateful fall is nearly here. The day's meditation on taking care of myself.

*       *       *

Rhode Island School of Design invited John Waters to give a speech to a recent graduating class. His words were published in a great little book, Make Trouble, and I'm kind of living my life with a few of these notions running through my brain daily.

Incidentally, my buddy Brennan is a huge fan of John Waters and I just re-watched This Filthy World because I suggested he see it for the first time.

Waters' speech is layered with wisdom I can't stop thinking about.

"Somehow I've been able to make a living doing what I love best for fifty years without ever having to get a real job."

I doubt I have another 50 years in me, but this is definitely my current aspiration.

"Ask for the world and pay no mind if you are initially turned down."

And I am about to do just that. A swift change is in the works for me professionally, one way or another. I'm kind of sick of being a yes-man who gets stepped on constantly. If I make a request for a change at work and I'm turned down, no problem. I'll just do something else, but I'll continue writing regardless.

"REMEMBER: you must participate in the creative world you want to become part of."

Which is why I surround myself with horror and trash and just the right mix of high-brow and low-brow art.

And porn.

"Watch people in the streets." "Spy, be nosy, eavesdrop."

Which is where my best ideas continue to come from.

"Go out in the world and fuck it up beautifully," Waters said.

And later:

"Make me nervous."

Make John Waters nervous? Shock him? Give the Prince of Puke, the People's Pervert, something to really marvel over?

I don't know if I'll ever get there, but I'm certainly going to give it a shot.