Where the fuck have I been? That's a damn good question, one that I have to ask myself on a disturbingly regular basis, but this time I have an answer. I've been cowering indoors and valiantly trying not to burst into fucking flames.

Serriously, the average temperature the last few weeks has been about 88 degrees and the humidity has been around 90.

In short, it is fucking HOT here. Hot and relatively boring.

One thing is new though. Remember last year when I went on vacation with Brian to the beach? Well it's almost that time again and I didn't think I'd be able to go. See last year I had a little bit of my savings left and I used about $600 on the trip. Well this year I'm fucking broke and figured I couldn't go. Well lo and behold a painting job falls in my lap. Three or four day job tops for $500.

Now my first thought was to pay off my bills. Actually, my first thought was "Oh goody, hookers!", but it was almost immediately replaced by the paying my bills thing. Anyways, it quickly occurred to me that I could use that money to go to the beach.

Thing is, Brian has a girlfriend this year. Yeah, I know what you're thinking, but I've met her and she's an actual woman. She's way cool too, and I'm not just saying that because she reads this. Well when he brought her up here and I met her I mentioned the trip and Brian kinda reacted strangely. Now, I understand if they want to go by themselves, I even said so, but I really don't know what the plan is. He didn't say they wanted to go alone, but at the same time he didn't make it clear if I was going.

Anyways, whichever one of you reads this first, if you want to go alone, that's cool, just let me know what's going on.

But I'm asking you guys, all of you, what should I do? Should I pay off my bills and in a month still have to bum money off my Mom to make ends meet? Or should I go to the beach and try to come home with enough cash to not have to bum money off my Mom THAT month?

None of this would be a problem if I could get steady painting work. I put myself through three years of college building and painting signs. Granted, it was the local branch college of WVU and the tuition was about $600 a semester, but still that's money. Strangely enough, I just happen to have a picture of the first one I did.

I did this one for some friends of the family. I'm not sure what year I did it, but I do remember hearing the news that we had moved troops into Saudi Arabia on the radio as I was painting so it was a while ago. It took about a week, it's acrylic on glass and the window is 8 feet by 4 feet. For those of you in the area, it was in the K-Mart shopping plaza off Grand Central Avenue in Vienna for several years and was responsible for a lot of work coming my way.

But, as I often do, I've wandered off my point. That point being, I'm not sure what to do. I'm going nuts here and a trip to the beach would really help me out a lot. Then again, paying off my bills would help me out a lot too, but after I did it I'd still be broke again.

Remember that whole dying incident? The one I won't shut up about? Well here's the thing, while I was dead I came to the realization that everything is as it should be, that there is a plan and it's working. This would mean that there really are no coincidences, only unexpected opportunities. What I can't figure out is if this money falling into my lap at just the appropriate time means that I should go to the beach? It's too convenient. Of course, if you truly believe that there are no coincidences and there's an ineffible plan then that means that whatever choice I make was what I was supposed to do anyways, but that does little to help me figure out what to do beforehand now does it?

God has a strange idea of entertainment.

Of course, who am I to point fingers in that regard? I draw comics of children smoking and waterfowl that shove lightsabers up the asses of religious figures. That reminds me, the new issue of Terribly Wrong should be up be the time you read this. Be sure to check it out.

So I have the opportunity to go to the beach, or at least I think I do, the money to go has just fallen in my lap, and I had a lengthy discussion with God about the interconnectedness of all things while sitting on a beach.

Something in my brain tells me I should go.

The responsible part of me, small though it is, tells me I should just stay home and pay off my bills.

Anyways, let me know what you guys think. I need to watch some porn, take a shower and go to sleep. I'll try to write more tomorrow.