Oh shit, writer’s block. Sitting in front of the screen with a million thoughts running through your head but none of them really feel tangible. They’re like taunting, little kids in a game of tag with their thumbs in their ears and fingers pointed up and wide saying, “You can’t catch me.”

How about I make you eat dog turds, you little shit? I know where you live.

I know, aggressive. Sometimes a healthy dose of fear reminds them to keep their lips zipped.

I know! Let’s browse social media! That’ll give us some ideas! Look at that cool new device on instagram! Someone said something controversial on facebook! Boobies on snapchat! Anything new on WhatsApp? YouTube updated all my subscriptions this morning! How are my stocks doing? Crypto going up yet? Reading 4 books and close to finishing all of them, maybe I should pick one up? I need to get to the gym so I can get my errands done. Let’s throw shit out the window at people walking by… literal shit. Like a monkey. It’s not illegal if monkeys do it… because we’re monkeys. I am, at least.

Honestly, I wanted to write one big post about the rat race and how it steals the artist’s soul but I’m having more fun slapping the shit out of the backspace button than I am rifling through my own thoughts trying to get them to organize themselves. Listen, the story is that I took a job that’s going to reap me of my time to create, but pay me a bunch of cash. It feels like I’m selling my soul. Then again, I firmly believe there is no right way to live this life… and to make some cash, pay your bills, and then fuck around in your off time is perfectly acceptable. Video games, movies, partying with friends, whatever… it’s your life – live it!

Although, it won’t be me. No siree bobarooooooo. I’m going to continue to write, continue to film, and continue to pump myself up for the next couple weeks telling me that this will never end. I’ll go on adventures, explore the world, and write about my ever adjusting and ever growing perspective on life. My father sacrificed his writing to support his family which is absolute nobility in my eyes. I’m eternally grateful. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him.

To give up your dreams to raise a family and keep a roof over their heads with food in their bellies? Yes, quite fucking noble. There’s probably no one in their right mind who would dispute me.

But if we truly enjoy something creative, do we ever stop doing it? If we stop, is it”giving up” or is it just a lack of discipline or is it that we didn’t truly love it? What’s the answer? There’s many people that seem to age that get wrapped up in something easier to digest in their off time instead of their creative pursuits. Television has become a succubus. There’s a million things to watch but simultaneously it’s 90% repetitive trash. There’s billions of hours worth of videos on YouTube and tons of it is rambling distractions. Have you checked out my channel yet? I’ll let you make the judgement call on that one. Be gentle, I’m sensitive.

Instagram reels, Chinese spying through TikTok, Facebook stories… the screens, screens, SCREENS! (read this in the Grinch’s voice).

It never ends. There’s a scale of creation versus consumption. If you’re not creating anything then what right do you have to consume? Think of it like a currency, right? So if I go out to a restaurant and my pockets are empty, what right do I have to eat there? I don’t. You can certainly eat there, but you best have your running shoes on. Never dined and ditched myself, but it certainly happens… and you’re an asshole for doing it, but I’m sure you knew that.

Your creation versus consumption is the same… it’s just a different currency. Even if your creation is a literal statue of shit, congrats. You made it. Now enjoy some Jersey Shore or whatever nonsense gets your rocks off. Again, you can sit around and binge whatever media you want to, but is that really going to make you happy? You might as well take your monkey out and spank it. Again, live your life… but were you really put on this plane to spank your monkey 8 hours a day?

If you’re always consuming, there’s no possible way that your creative soul is being satisfied… and yes, it does need to be satisfied. You know that feeling when you click an app on your phone, get bored, close it out and then 2 minutes later you’ve opened it again? Please tell me that you at least REALIZE what you’ve done. It’s a clear sign put the device down and get to work on something. NO! NOT YOUR MONKEY.

Satisfying your soul could be telling jokes, creating theater, teaching martial arts. Anything creative For some people it’s as simple as cooking an extravagant meal. Reminder: it doesn’t need to be extremely pious either, you can make money. Look at high level artists. Actors. Directors. cough Writers cough. You CAN profit from your creations, but it shouldn’t be the purpose. The purpose should be to soothe your soul. If you ever make money from your art, it should be another motivational factor, like, “Oh shit, why WOULDN’T I be doing this? I enjoy it… and people are willing to pay me for it? Jeepers Jonathan, I should keep doing this!”

Draw at night, do some writing, painting, video editing, teach something, tell some jokes, dance… do it in the morning, do it at lunch, but like Shia LeBeouf would say, “JUST DO IT!” (Funny enough, during a Hot One’s episode, he actually said the reason he created that on a green screen was to engage people’s artistic endeavors. Even if people are “memeing,” it’s still artistic, just a new type of art.)

I’m certainly not Shia LeBeouf, or even close, but I do believe that people should be using their time to create and to explore their artistic side. It’s successful if you stay consistent, that’s the only way it gets “there.”

I guess it’s okay to get wrapped up in the rat race. The roles in society are extremely complex and everyone needs to do their part. But don’t you dare fucking keep your talents from us. Share with the world, let your soul out, and take a picture of you doing something weird in front of a green screen so we can meme-ify it.

Again, I’m not stopping regardless of the bullshit I get wrapped up in. Things will get modified as I adapt, but my writing will always continue and I’ll make sure you know about it too.

Look at that. Even feeling the writer’s block, just getting some words on paper allowed me to find a path through it. Again, consistency is key. Stay with it, do something, the rest will follow. Let it be your escape, not a chore.

Much love, create some content, and share it with us all. ❤