In less than a month, I will celebrate my fifth anniversary as a member of the Dagblog community. If anyone has noticed (and maybe no one has), I haven't been around that much in the recent past. Let me start by saying this is not one of those "good-bye" blogs. Rather it is more of a "I be around, bopping in from time to time." There two main reasons for this.

Firstly, I have made what one might call a vow to not get into political debates. As recent experience in a Facebook message back and forth, the result is that I get extremely and increasingly agitated. This is not good literally for my mental health. Like so many others, my position seems self-evident and I can easily fall into the trap of "why can't you see what is so self-evident."

As some of you may know, I have both dysphoric mania (or mixed state, a type of bi-polar) and general anxiety disorders. Even though I am on medication and participate in counseling, and would say that I am "stabilized," I am still pretty fragile. Given my strong opinions on just about everything along with the impulse to not only put my two cents in, but also to have the last word, it becomes nearly impossible to "let things go" or "agree to disagree." Sometimes it literally drives to drink (which I shouldn't be doing). 

In the end, it is best that I keep my visits to Dagblog to a minimum. The impulse to join the debate (esp with the presidential race) is just too great. This does not mean I won't express my views. I am just not out to convert or convince anyone, nor to be converted. I do my research and everyone should do the same.

The Fifth Anniversary is the Wood Anniversary so I am posing next to some living wood.

Secondly, I have started creative writing again, primarily poetry, as well as getting into photography. I have, moreover, become more involved in Facebook and Twitter.  I now have my own blog, elusivetrope.com which is on WordPress. The community of writers and photographers is one of those that provide me support, encouragement, and inspiration. Since my first post on May 21st, I now have 80 followers, I follow more than that. Trying to read and engage their posts is time consuming and really engages mental energy. No matter which post on a blog, whether on Dagblog, WordPress or somewhere else, I want to sincerely engage it what the writer or photography posted. 

So I want to end this post by saying thank you to everyone at Dagblog from those who have kept it going to all the readers who have posted their work. You all are a community of which I feel I belong, supported, encouraged and inspired (even though because of my condition and other things, I could be an asshat and gadfly). I wish there was more time in the day and that I didn't have to take my prescription of sedatives that limit the window of a fresh mind. So I will definitely be around. Thank you all, I have nothing but deep gratitude.

A photo I took the other day in Oak Harbor, Whidbey Island, Washington

"Unresponsive Rock"