It is not the seasons nor the winds that bring change to the foreground of our existence, but rather our choices and actions. Change comes from choosing how we exist between every single breath, between sunrise and sunset, and mostly, between the moment of birth to the moment we lay our head down in the same soil that nourished the food to sustain us for the duration.

Now, it's hard to factor in every contributing aspect that leads to change, but even harder to accept change when victory presents itself as a loss.

With all that said, and musings out of the way... here I am Hive, still standing, still alive, and sure as fuck still kicking and screaming when life tries to slap some lead on my feet. I have been asked for proof of life, and here it is.

It's been a while since I posted, so much has happened, and even more stayed the same. Over the past year, I have endured a lot, faced a lot of challenges, and challenged a lot of faces. I am not quite sure if it is despite this, or because of it, that I have secured some victories along the way.

One of those victories was bidding a bittersweet farewell to my daughter as she left the country. As much as I hated to let go, unrest and aggravation filled the air in this country to the point where breathing has, for the most part, become a luxury. Although I don't believe that there is still a place of utter peace left on this earth, I do believe that she is better off than watching this circus contort and wither at its own hands, because no amount of "Rains Down in Africa" (a little Toto reference for you @clayboyn ) will wash the blood of the hands of the people who are in charge of this country.

I came, I saw, and I gave proof of life... What's next?

I guess this is the part where I sign off on this shitpost and promise to try harder at being present on here, but sadly, that promise is held hostage by time constraints and as such is not mine to make. But I do hope that I will be able to at least post a fraction more than this past year!