10.25.2024 JOE’S CORNER: Still Eating Crayons (a.k.a. One Marine’s Continued Stupidity)

To Whom It May Concern:

I am only going to post this here, on the blog page.  It’s my way of making sure that it reaches those who may be interested without bothering others who only care about the modeling side of TMD.  If you get it, you get it.

I AM NOT DEPRESSED!

That said, I am frustrated beyond explanation.  I keep repeating the same stupid mistakes I have made since I started this company, but now, I hear the clock ticking louder and louder and I have other things I want to do before it quits.  I don’t know, maybe it’s the news about BJ’s passing.  I mean, the roll of my industry peers keeps growing shorter every year.  Not to mention that my side of the hobby (resin) is being replaced by technology.  I increasingly feel like the last horse-whip guy in a horseless carriage world.  But it’s more than that.

I want to go back to modeling — for me!  But there is no time for that when I am busy trying to produce new products.  That, and my interest in mastering has waned significantly these past few years.  For whatever reason, 202 seems to have signaled some sort of passing of an era — at least, it feels that way in this end.  Anymore, the passion and drive seem to be asleep.  They’re not gone, just AWAOL.  The only thing keeping me going at the moment is my sense of duty to you and BB.

THE OTHER SHOE!

There is another factor to my struggle.  It’s personal, so I won’t bother with the specifics.  All you need to know is that I feel driven to try and make it in another direction.  For those who do not already know, I am still producing the web cast I started three years ago.  It’s only three days a week, but that eats up 12-18 hours of my week.  In addition to this, I have been trying to revive my blogging.  Once upon a time, I administrated a blog page that averaged tens of thousands of hits per month.  I even went legit viral on Red State one time, but that was mainly because they didn’t like my caution with Trump in 2016.  And, now, I am a third of the way into writing the first of what I hope will become a series of books.  The show, the blog and books are connected.  I doubt they will ever make money, but I am convinced they can and do help others.  It’s just difficult to serve so many masters at the same time.

I’M NOT GOING ANYWHERE!

If you’re still with me, please do not think I am closing TMD.  I tried that — twice!  It’s didn’t work either time.  I am resigned to keep at it until I go four weeks in a row (1 month) without taking a single order.  When that day comes, I’ll just shut things down and toss the company.  But that time doesn’t seem to be anywhere in the near future, so:

DO NOT START TELLING PEOPLE I’M CLOSING! 

I just posted this to keep up my habit of treating each of you like friends (because — in my mind — you are).  It has been a while since I explained what is going on with me and I just felt it was time for another JOE’S CORNER to explain it.  So, once again:

I AM FINE, NOT DEPRESSED — AND I AM NOT GOING ANYWHERE

I’m just stuck between the past and future and have no idea which way to go right now.  Still, I am keeping the faith because I know that things will work themselves out — eventually.  Until then, I will keep putting one foot in front of the other while I wait on Him to show me the way He wants me to go.  I just have to get the heck out of my own way, which is the part I’ve never figured out how to do.

God Bless,

Joe