Time Keeps Slipping

We all get older. Despite man’s best efforts, this hasn’t changed. As I get ever closer to being in my 40s, I notice little things. Bones pop and creek with seemingly no reason. You involuntarily announce when you sit down or get up by groaning. All the times my parents or grandparents told me that time goes by faster as you get older make perfect sense now, whereas before it seemed like just something that I was told to make me practice patience. 

With age, things become more fragile. Recently I had a serious fall, and hit a tile floor. After consciousness came back and shock wore off, the pain set in. After a couple of ER visits, the diagnosis was scary. I am getting old. No, that wasn’t the diagnosis. The actual diagnosis was bulging discs in my cervical and thoracic spine. Having to see a neurosurgeon because I fell out of the shower (yes, out of - not in) is a humbling experience. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never had any misconceptions about my own mortality, but the quickness it may approach made me take a step back. You learn to appreciate every little blessing in your life and not harbor as much regret or anger at the past. I’ve made mistakes in the past, and I’m sure I’ve got more to make, but dwelling on what you could have or should have done becomes less important, and the importance shifts to the present moment. I guess the point of this short post is that if you have something to do that you’ve been putting off because you assume you’ll have the time later, don’t. Live your best life, and don’t bring others down in order to raise yourself up. 

As for me, Ive decided to approach each day with a fresh set of eyes.  I have chosen to forgive those who have wronged me, even if they don’t see it that way. It’s very have to accept an apology that was never given, but life is too short to hold or harbor grudges or ill will. I will progress day by day, and I’ll take this accident as a shove in the right mental and spiritual direction. 

Until next time, dear readers…

A Post for All Times

 I thought I would take some time to give some life tips today. I’m not saying that these are guides to follow for a happy life, or one without troubles, but these are lessons I’ve learned through others and especially through myself, the hard way.  

• Manners. Say please, say thank you, and when appropriate say you’re welcome. Make common courtesy and etiquette common again. 
• Know the differences and uses of they’re there, and their. This will reduce attacks from the grammar police.  Autocorrect is not always that correct. 
• Be honest. Your memory will fail at some point, and trust will be broken. Be honest from the start. 
• Always know a joke you can tell a five year old. A clean one, obviously. 
• Don’t rush getting old, but don’t prolong growing up. 
• Never say more than you know, but always know more than you say. 
• Sometimes you have to trust your gut, it might not always be right, but it’s not often that wrong.
• When in doubt, seek advice - preferably from a source that has been through what you need advice about. 
• You may never get a second chance at telling someone how you feel, speak up, even if for just but a moment, as long as you know you’ve been heard, that’s all you can do. 
• There is no shame in admitting mistakes. People may judge you for your mistakes, but as long as you admit and learn from your mistakes, you are two steps ahead of a lot of the ones judging, the remaining ones judging you are one step ahead of.
• High school antics should stop there, so remember that, and ignore those whose lifetime goal is to permanently remain in their pre-adulthood. 
• Make mistakes. Success comes from trying something and succeeding, but understanding why it succeeds (and often the reason for success) is the result of trial and error, often a lot. 
• Read a book, regularly. It doesn’t have to be a good one, but it makes for easier reading if it interests you. Step out of your comfort zone once in a while though. Classics may not read that well today, but neither will our current bestsellers one hundred years from now. 
• Finish what you start. If you need help, don’t be afraid or too proud to ask for it. 
• Never give your word if you aren’t sure with every fiber of your being that you can follow through. 
• Don’t make fun of or unfairly jest about anyone. You may not know their whole story and your actions can literally make or break someone. 
• Be kind. 

Once again, I’m not saying these will lead to a blissful life, only that your life may be much more rewarding and fulfilling if followed. 

The last one is the most important. Being a kind human being is often easier than a being rude or malicious one. Putting your hand over your heart and feeling it beat reminds you that you are indeed human. If we spent more time on being kind instead of caught up in our own self serving interests, the world would be a much different, a much better place. This does include being kind to yourself as well, and allowing yourself a little grace to make mistakes, but do learn from them. 

I wrote this to you as much as I wrote this to myself. By no means am I an example of the fruits of these suggestions, but I hope to be, one day. 

Until next time, dear readers…

Don’t be That Person

Never let someone else’s negative or misplaced attitude and actions discourage you from becoming the best person you can be. 

Don’t Take What You Have For Granted

I know that I haven’t posted in a while, there is a lot of stuff going on in my life right now. 

Hug the ones you love and care about, I’ve seen so many close people die to me due to illness or freak accidents. You never know how much time you have with each other, treasure them dearly. 

Announcements!?

So, I’ve neglected the blog for a while, but I had good reason. I’ve been busy. Riggs Leatherworks is keeping steadily busy, I’m moving, and I got engaged!

Me when I was a child, dressed as a cowboy with appropriate socks, for your entertainment. You’re welcome. 

I found the lady that I love and she loves me back, so we figured, hey, let’s keep this up for the next 40 or 50 years. I’ll have a lot of updates about that soon, we have a little while to expand on that subject with you. 

Like I said, it’s been busy, and it’s not slowing down until around June sometime, and I’ll be able to update more then. Lots of plans, and I’ll keep you updated!

Until next time, dear readers…

Time Consuming

 Hello Readers,

As most of you know, I’ve been doing a lot of leatherwork, but just as anything that time consuming, you have to break it up.  What have I been doing? A lot, but here is something that has caught my attention. If you have been following the Riggs Leatherworks blog, you'll know of some of these.

Acrylic, 3D Printing, woodwork, metalworking, and tumbling media are a few of the items i've been able to work into products.  It's been nice breaking up the regular schedule with other items, and plus, I an use them in my leather products.

When I started my business online, I was warned several times not to take haters seriously.  I've had a few, and all were related to my ads on facebook.  I didn't take it personally, but did respond with an apology as they were actually upset with the ad algorithm on facebook and not my products.  That's not my fault, and I run very few ads at this time, so I anticipate more of the same, but it's water off the back.  Now if there was a complaint about a product someone ordered, that's a different story, we do everything we can to promote a better quality of service than most, so we would do our best to rectify the issue, but ads, I'm not going to apologize for those, especially since it's providing a great return.

Currently I am working on a site that customers can check to see where their item is in the production process, and It's been a challenge, especially since I'm swamped with orders and I am working on the First in, First Out, unless it is a pre-created item (keychains), then they are out the door within a day or two.

Yes, I'm busy, but I'm very glad for it.  I've been slowly working on the book I'm writing around a couple sets of samurai armor, one item of which is already on the store, the best project of each set will also be available on the site later, but they will probably be the most expensive items I've ever posted.  Stay tuned for more info.

Until next time, dear readers...

A Word on Self Growth

 Dear readers,

I try to post the positive, but alas, not everything is sunshine and roses.  Riggs Leatherworks is starting to take off which makes me happy  Unfortunately, there are people in this world who just can't have a positive spin on the things they do.

As my father and I were making our way back from DFW, my mom called and said the place where our storage units where (he has one, I have one) said my locker had been broken into.  This isn't new, this happens on a regular basis, however, this time they were right.

Starting from the back of my approximately 8x20ft unit, they started at the back and ransacked everything possible. All this on a day special to our family (It was my grandfather's birthday).  Police were called, reports were made, but it looks like the perpetrators fife't have enough sense to cover some of their tracks, so we might have a good lead soon.

Now, I also had gotten food poisoning that day unbeknownst to be.  That has mostly finished wrecking my body at least. 

There are a lot of negatives, but I must be growing, because, while I am upset, I know that I'll get through it, and that whoever decided to play around in my storage isn't important.  Things aren't important, people are.

Like I said, I must be growing emotionally even at my oldish age.

Me as a Benedictine Monk

Look for more positives coming, I'm about 12,000 words into the book about Bushido, and I'm up to my neck in work for clients.  I've been busy, and at times it's a bit overwhelming, but I got this.

Until next time, dear readers...

P.S. - I know quite a few of you read the first chapter of my book, would anyone be interested in an audio version? Let me know!