J.B. Sommerset

I moved back to the woods recently. I come from the woods, somewhere way out there, in Idaho. As a kid I spent most of my time among the trees and the wildlife. Then as I grew up I decided there was more to life than that. For some stupid reason, I moved to the village, then to the town, and then to the city. There was nothing in any of those places for me.  Now that I have aged, and I am a lot older, and a little bit wiser, I realize that it’s not about the state you are in, the place you reside. It’s about the state of mind you are in. I was never in a healthy state of mind in the city. All around me was unhealthy noise. It got old as I got old.  That being said, living in the woods comes with it's own set of challenges. It can be lonely, it can be too quiet at times, there is isolation here, and isolation is not always easy to bare. One must have the tools to deal with it. Loneliness is also a very trying experience, but it helps you to recognize the value of a visit, ...

I must admit, I hate words like "influencer" and "content creator", especially with regard to the interwebs . The interwebs has changed so much in the arts, least of all is the dignity of true artists. It takes away from the actual title and what it means to be an author, artist, or musician. As an example, when you are a writer, it's pretty clear what you do- you write. When you are an artist, it's also pretty clear what you do- you create art. A musician creates music and a sculpture makes... well you get the idea.  Ad nauseam!   I do not associate " influencer " or "content creator" with   any specific talent or creative outlet, other than marketing themselves as such and convincing people to believe that's what they are. That being said, I also acknowledge that whether I want it to change or not, the arts are changing; a rebranding if you will. And as much as I hate the terms used, that is the future for a while.  I read a lot of ...