#21: Describe your favorite spot in your home, and why you like it?

Describe your favorite spot in your home, and why you like it?

Welcome back...

The bedroom. The bedroom is my favorite spot on the home front. The runner up would be the bathroom (I'll get to that in a bit). It's obvious to family, if I head in there straight after work, it means one $#!t of a day, period. But once I'm in there, shredding out some shooter games level me out pretty quick. Once I unload, then I come out and hug my daughter and have that venting talk with my wife (Come on, we all do it). 

If the about don't work, then I attempt to cheer myself up with some of my favorite shows like: Impractical Jokers, Tosh.0, or the Carbonaro Effect.

Last attempt, I'm in there researching and working on my 2nd novel (top secret, hush, hush...). I don't like reading books, but I like writing and telling adventures. I know its ironic, but either way it who I am, and its my personal opinion.

It is where I sleep, eat, and dream I really like laying there after our daughter goes to bed, and just talk to my wife. Just talk. Like, "Where are we going? Where do we want to be in one year? I just love talking bucket lists with Amanda.

It was this room, we decided to pack the family up and move to Arizona. We are currently looking for jobs. California is done with us, and this family do not need to be where we are not needed? Nothing personal, we all met some interesting and great people, and there were a lot of memories made here. Have you ever woke up, and felt like you were being pushed out of your job, society, well bringing, and happy place? Its just time. That is all. We all give it our best, but you wake up one morning ready to move on. I feel we all go through this at some point in our lives. I can't wait to pick up, move, and start a new where no one knows us. 

Funny thing is as I talked to locals in Arizona in Prescott, Tombstone, Chino (etc); they all roll their eyes and simply agree with me. Some left Cali to Arizona to escape. Some said they left due to the $$$ of living. Others stated they are not missing the ridiculous driving. And some mentioned the self absorbed attitudes where they visited in Cali. I'm not throwing shade on California, but I'll agree the cost of living is beyond understanding.

Why did the bathroom fall just under 2nd place? Sure I'm left alone to think in peace, but there is no TV, computer, bed, and at some point someone to talk to.

On an off topic, I pull in readers from France, places in Asia, Russia, Indonesia. what are your thoughts? I see you read, when I look up Target locations behind these blogs. Please, don't be shy, leave a comment. No one will upset me.

Cheers,

Dustin

I am definitely looking for a balance. How about you?

"Describe your favorite spot in your home, and why you like it."

#20: Are you shy about your body?

The answer is, "Yes." I been abused my whole life to be honest. My mom dated an alcoholic after my mom & dad divorced. 

from the years between 8-17, her boyfriend would say, 'Why are you crying? Why don't you go out and get your self a braw and a dress?" You how much that hurts to a kid, when they are over weight.

These comments got me bad grades in high school, and not graduate my senior year.

Then I starved my self and got skinny. Can you guess what happened next. Right, another insult.

In college, I focused on weightlifting, and gained stacks of muscle. Now the drunk knocked me down and said, "What are you a tool? All those muscles and no brains, figures..." Lord Jesus, what an asshole!

I wondered for a while, after I called the cops, and got rid of him this. Why was I having so many health problems? Could you imagine losing dramatic weight one year, gain weight the next, putting on muscle the following year, then getting huge after that. Geez, I put my body into shock through each change.

Parents/ guardians please remember this, "Children are so fragile, precious, and sensitive to what is said to them." So please be careful with their hearts. You all got one shot to raise them, don't make this mistake. 

I now have a house, a great wife, and a 3 year old daughter who (Due to my childhood) I carefully plan out her life. She has a chance to grow up and have the life I never had! I consider her a winning lottery ticket, and there isn't anything. Anything I wouldn't do for her. Every weekend, we take her out to do stuff: hiking (Big Sur), swimming, teach her cooking/art, science projects, parks, so you get the point, right!

She might be young now, but she will start school soon enough. She'll make friends (a lot), and I know she will come with us with this question, "Was I a mistake/accident?" 

I can proudly say, "Honey. Mom and I planned for you to be here. We went to college and got our B.A. degrees, found jobs, got married, saved money, and planned you. Lizzie, Mom and I are happy/proud to have you in our lives. You are not an accident, we both meant for you to be here with us! I love you!"

I can't wait for this book to be published next year! The main characters (D & Panda) are shy about their body. When they find out about their special abilities, D uses their abilities at the Monterey's "Farmers Market" to buff himself up for his sister's friends, lol. So ya, he's ashamed/ shy of his physique. D comes to understand his bod doesn't matter anymore... I do not want to give in to the plot.

That's for now. So, what are your thoughts? I gotta go grab a late dinner.

Peace,

Dustin

19: Family Loss

Sunshine Video

This morning I had to put Maddie (Our family dog) down. She was suffering from being blind, severe arthritis, and dementia. 

It was hard. Driving her to the vet was another feeling hard to explain. questions were running through my head like, "Does she know where she's going? Does she know what is happening to her?" I got to the vet in Castroville, Ca and a lady stopped to take a glance at me after talking to a nurse there. She had no idea, nor did I say anything about what was going on. Maybe she read the tears in my eyes. As this same unknown person started to cry, she tells me, "I'm sorry. They are a member of the family." See I appreciate she stated, "They," not "It."

Soon after, two nurses and myself went to go get Maddie from the truck. She was shivering, shaking, and had no mobility since the night before. The nurses got her on a trolley and they wheeled her back into a room.

The doctor came in and stated she had dementia, and confirmed the arthritis. The doc also stated it is her time and this was the right thing to do. Maddie was in so much pain. The doc got the shot ready. I took off my cross and held it on Maddie. That shot was hard to swallow mentally. I looked at this and stated, "This is it. This is it..." The shot was administered. It happened so quick. The doctor and nurse in the room gave me a hug and stated I can stay as long as I needed. The doctor gave me a hug and stated, "I know. I know how hard this is."

I just stated that I will stay until she passes. The nurse listened to her heart beat and replied, "She had passed." I said, "Thank you. I need to go now." I left. On the drive home, I had spiritual shocks. I knew it was Maddie telling me not to worry she's okay. I went home, took a shower and told my mom I needed to take a drive.

It's funny, my mom simply said to me, "Thank you for doing this. It is hard." I said, "No problem." I left and saw my director (Francine Stewart) checking up on me through text. Ironically, I saw this text at 11:11am, and the song that came on the iPod in this moment was "Paint it Black," by The Rolling Stones. WTF! What lesson had to be learned here. Well, angelic meaning of 1111 is to keep your thoughts positive. So, I thought about Maddie in Heaven, and that my dream of publishing my book will happen.

When I was thinking about the book, I find it just a tad funny that I thought about the main character's struggle of the loss of his mother, and how their is a type of struggle between him and his sister (kind of like a grudge). I come to the fact that unknowingly parts of my personal life is added in this book. I got loss, fear, humor, adventure, and struggle.

Oh, in memory of losing Maddie this morning, I placed a link of my three year old daughter Lizzie singing Sunshine with her grandma. If you notice, Lizzie glances over her back, because G.G. stated before the video, "If you sing, the blue belly lizards will come out again." Maddie where ever you are. We all love you, and you will be missed. May you forever run on clouds of meadows and eat your fill in food, until we meet again.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this,

Dustin

18: My Ancestry Results

Here are my results from Ancestry. I had to get it done, and here's why. My family had always stated I was German, Italian, and Welsh. So this is not entirely true as you can see above, lol. And this proves my theory on family in general. Generation after generation information is past down to the next. Whether it may be in regards to culture, religion, or traditions. But every generation always  leaves out a little information through each passing. I encourage everyone to get this done. You will be surprised. I am surprised by the results. Now I'm thinking on a whole other cultural level.

Ever here sayings from other cultures like: 

"Mi casa es su casa." -Moctezuma, The Aztec Emperor

"I think it was that we were seasoned musicians. We had serious roots that spanned different cultures, obviously the blues." -Jimmy Page

"We all grow up with the weight of history on us. Our ancestors dwell in the attics of our brains as they do in the spiraling chains of knowledge hidden in every cell of our bodies." -Shirley Abbott

These are great quotes, because my results say that I am (12) different cultures. Wow! Amazing. I walked around for a long time having strong connections to other cultures. To feel their pain. To love their food. To understand them on some level, and not know why. These results validates, "Why?" We all are connected to one another on some level. Frankly, this is just another puzzle piece to the big picture.

I leave you with this, if you visit another culture and someone invites you and your family to eat with them, do it. If someone from another culture visits your culture for the first time and asks what they can experience, while they are there. Help them with ideas. We are all close to one another more than you think.

In my book, the World is Rigged, I share adventures that are tied to one another, and in the end bring these very unique characters together to over come the rapture of all existence. 

I am waiting on the day this book becomes published. It will amaze so many individuals on the twists and turns each story takes you, the reader.

So long for now,

Dustin

17: Character Profile from The World is Rigged

I haven't done a character profile in a while, so here is another character set from The World is Rigged. This is another family series, I decided to share out.

On the your far left is Rus Tafarri. He is a foreign exchange student traveling by foot to reach the Rigg family. His introduction to the book is a funny one. I wrote this specific character as societies stereotype. Take Rus for an example, I dressed his in a traditional tribal clothing, and have his start his journey romping through his native island to get to a boat that will take him to the U.S. Although he has a thick accent, Rus speaks with an I.Q. of 150, as he tosses around political reviews on how to make improvements on the island.

Now that I think about it, each of these characters are based on societies stereotypes… interesting.

Next his Sugar "Pops" Rigg. This liver spotted blue skinned elder is the grandfather of the Rigg family. I made his skin blue, to express his struggle breathing as an elderly person. I love the touch of his corduroy pants being hiked up to his sagging chest. He is a retired military vet, who shares bizarre stories of the war with his family. Knowing this, makes one think. As the author, I really do not want to ruin it for you all, so just wait for the book.

"Atomic Blast" Rufus. he is the families dog. Rufus is black mix of Chihuahua & Labrador Retriever, nothing more. A lap dog waiting for Dustin to come home and snuggle with him in bed. Then one night, Rufus followed Dustin up the hill and got caught in the U.F.O. explosion. This blast changed Rufus's genetic makeup turning his skin and fur green, and accidentally hiked up his intelligence to a genius level. Hell, the blast even gave him the ability to walk upright, and fully speak and understand the English language. Being scared  of society knowing this he pretends to walk on all fours, until...

And finally, Farmer John. The biggest stereotype of the four here. He's the redneck cousin of the family. For his design, I just drug his name in the genetic gene pool by making him a redneck, farmer, hillbilly, gun toting, and country loving farmer. He's got the brains capacity short of a simple land animal. He struggles to kill his arch nemesis, a turkey named, "Lunch Box." Let me ask you this, we can all go to the grocery store to buy fruits and vegetables, but can you successfully grow them in your backyard?

People might call these characters simple people. I will call them ideal individuals. They are colorful individuals that stand out from one another, and know who they are. These characters do not seek out to look like everyone else. They live simple lives, and each one has a story to tell.

Thanks for reading,

Dustin