I never had the pleasure of interacting with Jark, but let me tell you, the corporate world is brutal to the True Believers. I've lived this scenario twice in the past six years. Two different companies. Two different Believers. Same dastardly ending.

The founders started something because they Believed in it, because they loved it, and they wanted to see their companies grow and benefit the greater whole. They nurtured their companies. They nurtured their people. They turned the seed of an idea into a Good Thing -- A Good Thing With Potential.

And then they entrusted their Good Thing to arrogant MoneyGrubbing Bastards who saw only the Potential for Profit, not the true Potential of the company. And good people lost their jobs, including the Believers, who were kicked to the curb because they clung to the notion that profit wasn't the end all be all.

Don't get me wrong. I was on the street along with the Believers while the MoneyGrubbers looted the assets. Both times. It's harsh. It's a bitch. It's reality, baby. The good people usually get screwed because the bad guys are better at playing the game.

Freedom of Speech is a First Amendment Right granted by the U.S. Constitution. Believe in it. Use it. Guard it carefully and never let anyone take it away from you.

Speak your peace, and remember -- you can also vote with your wallet. If the MoneyGrubbing Bastard is all about the bottomline -- don't give him one. Don't subscribe. Don't buy. Don't play into his numbers game.

But above all else -- be nice and polite at all times. Earn respect through your choice of words and actions, and respect will bring you power.

Time flies, but not fast enough when you're in pain. I've spent the past month dealing with health issues, including surgery to remove a small digestive organ. They tell me gallbladder surgery is minor. In my opinion, nothing that involves anesthesia and pointy sticks is minor. That's why I put it off so long. Oh, well. Bye-bye little bag o' stones!

Meanwhile, no art created. Wah! Bought more paint. Yeah! Finished one sketchbook, started another. Go me! Discovered mechanical pencils with the clicker under the thumb. Yummy! Hope to post something soon.

I'm scurrying about trying to get art matted, framed, and priced for the ConQuesT art show this weekend here in Kansas City.

ConQuesT [link] is one of the biggest shows I do every year, in terms of visibility. It's juried. It's my home turf. Just about everyone there knows me, or knows OF me. And I'm a co-chair of the show, so I'm busy all weekend with the set-up, sales, and auction for the show as a whole.

To complicate matters, I've transitioned from digital to traditional media, so this is my "debut" of sorts for my new technique. I have two more days to figure out how to price my originals. With my digital art, I only had prints available, and I have that pricing scheme down.

ConQuesT is also a debut of sorts for "Diva", a chapbook by Mark W. Tiedemann, with my art on the cover, published by YardDog Press [link] So, in keeping with publisher's unique style of "buy my book" marketing, I'll be busy pimping the book at the panels and parties.

I'm also looking at my paintings with a new eye -- those scruffy little puddles of mud actually look GOOD with a double mat and frame. Hmmm....

So, if you're in Kansas City this weekend, come see us at ConQuesT, at the Airport Hilton.

Today is a beautiful day. That's all I wanted to say.

Been really really busy.

April 29 - May 1: Travelled to Chicago for the SFWA Nebula Awards weekend. Toured Argonne National Lab and Fermiab, where I saw the particle accelerators, talked to the physicists. Had a good time with my writer's group and the assembled pro writers. Met Anne McCaffrey and her family. Made a new friend, Laurel Winter. Saw old friends. Toured the Art Institute of Chicago and the Adler Planetarium. Ate good food. Drank good wine. Walked a lot. Got inspired.

May 6-10: Travelled to Virigina for my baby sister's college graduation and assorted dysfunctional family fun. Words were exchanged. Projectiles were launched. And a relatively good time was had by all, at least by our family standards.

Then I drove south along the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway to Boone NC for a solo mini-vacation in the peace and quiet of a cell-phone deadzone. Spent a couple hours at Cheap Joe's Art Supply Outlet. Nice people. Pretty colors. Cool stuff. Bought paint and brushes and a souvenier coffee mug. Google their website. They're good peoples.

On my way back to the airport in Charlotte NC, I visited the Carolina Raptor Center and saw the lovely but damaged winged carnivores. Most were foundlings and/or disabled birds, but they still had dignity and grace. Google their website. Again, good peoples. (I never new a barn owl could hiss....)

Then the trouble started... AirTrain held me hostage in the Hell That Is Atlanta overnight. Gross incompetence at every turn. Lies. Always lies. Never fly AirTran. Never ever. EVER. For more venom on this, see my LiveJournal (astein142).

Today, I finally arrived home at midday -- 12 hours late, exhausted, frustrated, starving, and in pain from strange beds and saggy baggy airline seats -- to find chaos at work and a broken hot water pipe at home.

Oh, what fun! Too much fun for any one person. Really.

Now, I need time to use my pretty new paints and fancy new brushes, and get art ready for two shows to be held on Memorial Day weekend.

Wish me luck!