34 into 35.

I woke up today feeling sad, disappointed, and like a failure.

That can only mean one thing. My birthday is here!

I officially hit the mid-decade mark and turn 35-years old.

There are only three real things I want this year as I turn older:  to finally live on my own, get a better job and leave the crafts store behind, and to date a wonderful man.

Almost five months into the current year and it's not looking promising so far.

And at my age, I should be much farther along in life than I am.

But thankfully I had to work both of my jobs today in the morning and at night which kept me distracted.

I just got home a little while ago and this depressing day will be over in a matter of minutes.

Thank goodness!

Where you're going.

I saw it scrawled on a door downtown. 

Its message resonated with me. Or perhaps I was just drawn to the colored bricks of the nearby wall.

"It isn't where you come from, it's where you go to."

[Clearly lifted from Ella Fitzgerald's quote:  "It isn't where you came from; it's where you're going that counts."]

But what if you're not really going anywhere?

I'll be turning another year older at the end of this month.

I feel mired by my jobs and the redundancy of life.

If the past is in the past, what happens if the future doesn't look so bright?

What if where you're going isn't what you want? You can only change so much about your life. Many times circumstances choose for us.

The quote doesn't address that part.

What does it matter anyway, Dean?

In time, the saying will be painted over--no mark left--as if never being there at all.

Something cutesy in the meantime.

I haven't had the time or energy to draw or paint or do anything artistic so I thought I'd share this with you instead…..

One of my coworkers created it at the crafts store during one of the kid's club events (basically babysitting customer's children while the parents shop).

She left it on the breakroom table afterwards where it'll surely get ruined or tossed out so I pinned it on the bulletin board in my office space at work. To help brighten my day whenever I see it.

It's always nice having something handmade, especially artwork.

It isn't one of my pieces but it's something cutesy in the meantime.