Why I’ve Been MIA & How Atlanta Is Going

Hey, everyone. Happy 2024. My last post about dealing the holidays feels like a faint memory and never turned into the series I hoped and expected it to be. Here’s what has been going on: I’ve been sick. First it started as a run of the mill cold thing, which made all of the sense in the world as I went through something of an ambitious move across the country and it’s common to get sick once you can relax. I almost never get colds so I figured I was due and rode it out. Not long after I got Covid and I don’t know how any of you went through Covid from before there was a vaccine or if you’ve chosen to not vaccinate/get boosters every 4-6 months because I was miserable (and had been boosted with the updated strain two months prior). I never thought I needed to go to the hospital but I was one of the sickest I’ve ever been all the same. Even after testing negative I was still rocking some lingering symptoms and energy dips for a few weeks and just as that was seemingly getting better I have now come down with a sinus infection. That’s doing better thanks to amoxicillin but I’m having adverse symptoms to the drug that I’ve never had before and have another two days of being on it. Ugh.

All of this is to say that’s why I haven’t been blogging and have only released one new video on YouTube in this time period. When I’m not feeling well it’s very hard to hear my own thoughts and feel confident in creative decisions (writing, editing, filming new stuff, etc) because I know I’m not in my best headspace and second guess a lot. And I haven’t been feeling well since the week before Thanksgiving, or at least I haven’t felt any better than still being on the mend and/or feeling like I’m coming down with something new. This is annoying in its own right but I’m pretty backed up creatively too. Us creative types need to release stuff and it gets uncomfortable, like holding in a sneeze or cough, when it’s been too long. It was the plan to arrive in Atlanta and do the blog consistently, YouTube videos, and start to slowly launch a few other projects (including some with my always waiting puppets) and it’s all proven to be best laid plans. I want to say I’ll be back to blogging soon, but I’m having trouble focusing on stuff I’ve already written that needs a good edit and don’t have a ton of space to write other stuff I’ve been meaning to. I didn’t think anyone would care much, but I logged in today for the first time in a while and was stunned to see I’ve been getting slow but steady traffic so here we are.

The good news is that despite my brain fog I have zeroed in on a lot of things that I think will help the blog. A lot of early entries (including this post) were about my personal experiences to both get the introductions out of the way but to also have personal things to link back to for reference when getting to the more general topics. I think I had it set in my head a specific order this all had to be laid out and now I have loosened up. I’m excited to talk general observations, CPTSD symptoms, LA quirks, and more and only sprinkle in an anecdote here and there when necessary. I think it’s better for you readers and it’s better for me (as I’m a bit sick of myself… which is not helping the cause of blogging on days where I do have the energy or wherewithal to do so). And while I really don’t hate LA, being outside of LA for a few months has given me a different perspective on not just the city but has given me a break from not being traumatized daily in some form or another and I think that bandwidth being freed up has been an immense positive change that not only helps me, but helps see all that I want to write and create in a more objective light versus something so personal and therefore limiting.

Since we’re on the topic- despite that I don't want to do all the posts about yours truly but this is basically an update post: Atlanta is going fine but just fine. I like living with my friend. I like the perspective I’m being afforded from leaving LA. Most people I’ve met in the rare healthy or healthy enough moments seem sincere and cool enough (except the person who exposed me to Covid and never had the common decency to as how I was doing after sheepishly telling me they tested positive and me confirming I too was starting to get sick…southern hospitality my foot!). But I honestly can’t tell you if I even like this place. I’ve barely explored it. A lot of plans I had have been delayed, for both health reasons and some other situations outside of my control. It has not been too fun, but I’m reasonable enough to know it’s not Atlanta’s fault. I may be staying through the spring or beyond now…I’m not aimless but in a free fall because I need to get several ducks in order before I feel comfortable returning to LA and am earnestly trying to figure out if it’s at all possible or a better fit for me to do the industry stuff here since Atlanta has become a viable entertainment hotspot. But all of that will be figured out when it is figured out.

So I’m hoping to get back into blog and video land ASAP but know enough to know I’m a fool if I say when. Could be this weekend, next week, or a later date. I don’t know. I’m drowning in trying to figure everything out since being sick almost nonstop has thrown several wrenches in the works. Follow me on social media or subscribe on YouTube to see updates as they come. Thanks for checking in with the blog the past several weeks! Be back soon (I hope)!