Last week, there was a big mess in one of my disability diaries caused by someone who is no longer on the site. It led my gimpy wife to create a diary of her own - her first, here.
Well, over the weekend, I started something that I'm hoping can help improve things for us.
I draw with my mouth. It's one of my only real skills, and one that I'm pretty damn good at. I've been doing caricatures since I was 12, taught and inspired by my Jr. High art teacher, Mr. Kitzman. It has been an occasional source of money from time to time over my life - a birthday party here, a wedding reception there, maybe a swap meet or art festival. It comes and goes. It's not how I planned on making money, but it has come in handy.
See, I'm supposed to be doing real estate by now, but my license and the Dept. of Rehab. are all screwy, and I'm still waiting. I looked at the printer/scanner they bought me and an idea hit.
I can do caricatures online. I can reach more people in one hour than I would at any reception or festival.
So yes, I'm about to hawk my art. Bad diarist. No cookie. But believe me - if I had any other means of getting out of poverty, I'd do it. If you're offended by blatant self-promotion, I do apologize. But it's better than asking for hand outs.
I'm tired of being poor. I'm tired of having a wife that's sick all the time because I can't afford better food and meds. I'm tired of waiting on the government to get my damn real estate going.
You know those bootstraps we're supposed to pull ourselves up by? I'm doing it. I'm ready to work. I have a marketable skill and I'm using it.
So, without further ado, I draw caricatures.
UPDATE: A few people have asked via email - if you'd like to simply leave a tip in the jar, you can do so via Paypal. My account is larime(at)adelphia.net. I humbly thank you.