8-5-13

Tesa:

Thank you for taking the time to write. I'm sorry if it seems like a long wait for my response, but I've not fully adapted to the electronic age yet. :)

I thought the blogging would be quick, but there is still the element of "snail mail" as I send my written response to Between the Bars who then post them. I received your comments on Friday the 2nd and it says they were posted 1 week and 2 days from the mailing of their letter to me. So by the time it's all said and done, perhaps 3 weeks to a month from your "hi" to my howdy. :)

If you would like to write directly, I'll put my mailing address in here—and you can feel free to drop a line anytime. If you're not comfortable giving yours, it's cool. I can always pot my response on the blog site. Just be patient with the lag time. I will respond to all letters.

I haven't done any tatt work lately. I would love to but they frown on that here, and I'm not willing to lose my guitar as punishment. I do still love to draw though, and whenever I'm not with my guitar, I scratch something out.

I'm not much of a Bible guy. My spirituality tends to run more into my connections with the world around me. The influence I have on everything and everything has on me. For me, that creates a sense of responsibility that I can't ignore and so I am conscious of everything I do and what kind of replies I am sending into the pond of life.

My past is full of regret; many negative ripples I caused out of sheer blindness, and my only true atonement is in how I live the rest of my life. I can't erase the pain I caused, but I can do my best to avoid causing more. And hopefully, whenever I'm able to, I can offer comfort, guidance, or simply friendship to someone who needs them.

Flea markets? There's a place fleas can go shopping in Texas? :) Guess it's true: everything is bigger in Texas.

And yard sales—if you buy the yard, do they throw in the house too?

Hey, I just write the jokes. I don't actually get paid for 'em. :P

There's a show I watch on PBS called Antique Roadshow that spotlights a lot of stuff people have picked up at yard sales and flea markets. It's amazing how many treasures they find. Hearing the history behind them is pretty cool too.

I'm not sure if they sent me your entire post—it was one paragraph that ended abruptly—but that in itself made me smile. So I thank you for the spot of sunshine. I'd love to hear from you again—anytime.

Daniel L. Van de Bogart
T-81483 MCI Norfolk
P.O. Box 43
Norfolk, MA 02056

Until then, keep finding ways to grin. The enjoyment of life is really what it's all about.

Peace,
Daniel