I’m tired, and I’m not even sure where I’m going to go with this post. Butterscotch woke me up at 2:09 am this morning and needed to go out. I finally got back to sleep 
around 4:40 am. Thoughts going through my head. What can we do to survive our business during this stupid pandemic. Around 5am I was dreaming about doing one-on-one consults for paintings. Charging for 10, 15, 20, 30 minutes of my time to help people get through their paintings that we’re offering on YouTube. I woke up. Because who needs sleep these days, right? The next idea was private one-on-one virtual art lessons – 30 or 60 minutes. Again, looking for another revenue stream. And to be honest, some things are wearing both Andrea and I a bit thin. It’s been stressful.
But the lack of sleep and the stress of trying to figure out how our business could survive was nothing compared to the kick in the teeth I was about to get later that morning. There was a message on the Uncorked Inspiration Facebook page. A friend of a friend was posting to us to let us know that our friend, Ariel, had been diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. A go-fund-me account had been set up for her because despite her active duty service in our military, the VA could not provide the treatment she needs to survive. What she needs is treatment that’s available in Arizona. Our friend has been given 6 months to live. Stage four colon cancer has a 14% survival rate. Again, I feel as if I’ve been kicked in the teeth.
For anyone who doesn’t know her, Ariel is someone who fits the definition of fierce. Andrea and I love her. She embodies this petite fireball of a human being who loves doing art with us. Recently. moving in with her boyfriend Ivan… the world is ahead of her in all it’s optimism. Then COVID-19… then stage-four colon cancer. Pardon me for being indiscrete, but fuck cancer. I’m tired. And she’s going to be even more tired. And once again, it’s simply life tossing on the bullshit. I’m sick of it and I honestly don’t have a solution. I can complain. I can whine. I can cry… did a bit of that this afternoon after I texted Ariel and she responded. She’s one of the most positive people I know, and she didn’t fail to be positive about this. Simply thanked me and <3’d me. Did I mention how fierce I believe she is? Multiply that by ten. I know she’ll fight this.
She comes to our paint and sips. Sometimes in a t-shirt and yoga pants, sometimes in a blouse and ripped 80’s style jeans. Always showing off her gorgeous tattoos. Defining fierce. A whirlwind of kickass. She comes into the room and you simply get that feeling that she’s there to kick butt and take names. You give her advice and her response is always, “Yeah, yeah… got it… cool, thanks!” Stupid cancer doesn’t deserve her.
It’s been a long day. I need you guys to support her. She’s a good human. The kind we need to be around. Please go donate to her go-fund-me. A little… a lot… whatever. Thanks for listening.
#fuckcancer