Hustlin to Get Out of the Door (335)

From 6 am until just now at 10:35, I have been compressing all of next week's work requests and preparation for vacation into one long day. We took time out to see Pelham 123, which I thought was excellent. Denzel is, well, Denzel. John Travolta has redeemed himself from his escapade as Irma Turnblat, the Devine role. He is one sick mofo in this one.

Anyway, not too much time for fine art today. I had to get the last business cards out, arrange for a plaque, write and publish a newsletter, and do some proposal work. I also finished the comp for the two postcards that I was working on and related in the last post. Just another day in paradise.

The shop that does our award plaques is a small cottage business that a friend from high school and her father have in their home. The name of the company is the Alladin Shop in Oxford, MD if anyone needs that sort of thing. I look forward to visiting them because they have a business that I admire. They put together boat-loads of trophies, awards and other memorabilia. and the shop is one big stack of brass and wood. Jane is one of the most agreeable and unflappable people I know and her dad, Plato, is a saint--or at least he is trying his honest best to be one.

After hearing the latest on Jane's mom--she had some health issues--she told me her 83 year old dad was doing some rennovations. He walked in and gave his usual genuinely welcoming Eastern Shore greeting, where he makes you feel like you are the most important person in the world. Not bad for a 20 minute drive.

Now for my creative moment. A long-time friend is literally living his last days. This creates in me an introspective moment. So I took the opportunity to ask a true philosopher and as near to an apostle as I could muster on a beautiful Friday afternoon--when did he become aware of his mortality? Jane rolled her eyes and said "you asked him." Then she cruised to the back of the shop while Plato lived up to his name. I enjoyed hearing him regail about Fatima as the most misunderstood Catholic phenomenom. We talked for a few moments about his journey and studies and I told them about this blog. I will draw from the conversation in a future work.

My friends Dwayne and Greg offer me an opportunity to bat around the meaning of life. But I am older than both of them and it was important to get the perspective of someone much closer to the end than my little group. (BTW Dwayne got his Brown Belt and Greg got a new daughter. Yeah guys.)

I will be thinking about my friend who is leaving us as I go about enjoying this vacation. I am happy to say that, although I will be sad to not see him again, he never was anything but kind and gentle to me. He always had time to ask what sport I was reffing or coaching (and always had them mixed up). He is a caring physician who worked way beyond when he should have because there were people who needed his care. It reminds me of my father's passing. He was prepared by living a good life, and prepared us to live beyond him.

I am fortunate to know so many good people. I appreciate that.