Dear Readers -

I know I’ve been neglecting you, and for that I would like to send my sincere apologies.

I will try to make it up to you with some anecdotes from the last month.

I will try to cut myself some slack for not being able to juggle all the balls. Sometimes something has to give and as my body likes to constantly remind (two days since last Panic Attack), I cannot push myself like Past KCF used to do.

And so, alas, my newsletter has been the dropped ball as I worked on a grant application, a painting commission (hopefully completed by July 15th which is a deadline quickly flying past possible), and leaving and returning to the ChicFinn weekly along with trying to just human.

So in that spirit - hello from Scranton, PA!

Yes, you’re reading that right. I’m in Pennsylvania. I’m on the eastern side of the country on my way to a five day artist/spiritual retreat at the Omega Institute. Then I’ll be crossing off some of states for my 50 by 50 goal IYKYK.

I’d tried to complete all my work duties and tasks before I started off on my journey. Alas. I failed.

Hurray! I failed!

Look, the spiritual retreat is working already and I’m even a 2.5hr drive away from the site and it doesn’t even begin until dinner tonight!

Here’s a little thing about me you may not be surprised at all to read. I have anxiety! And I couldn’t retreat until all of the items were knocked off the to-do list.

And this ramble is the last of them. So in the interest of time and my sanity, I’m truly just firing this off and not even going to go back and edit. Well, that’s probably not true. We’ll see.

Here’s what I want to say for now in the form of my anecdotes.

This country is gearing up for its 250 birthday celebration. And I’ve been feeling like I’m on a lonely presidential campaign trail (without a staffer or any campaign stops) as I’ve driven from Minnesota, through Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and now Pennsylvania on my way to my retreat in Rhinebeck, New York.

This land is marvelous.

And weird.

I want to celebrate more of that. Queer this celebration - because let’s be clear, the celebration is one that needs to be queered. By that I mean, it’s Pride Month. AND why are we celebrating the slaughter of Indigenous peoples but not talking about that at all in the celebration. Traversing the hills (mountains?) of Pennslyvania had me refleting A LOT on the manifest destiny painting - you know the one. Ahhh narratives. The story of this country is one that would be best to integrate the violence honestly instead of trying to spiritually bypass.

BUT I DIGRESS.

The anecdotes!

My pride nail set has been a real hit. I was asked to show them off to the toll worker at an Indiana toll plaza where I was asked to pay WAY TOO MUCH IMO to drive the roads. I have made it across Kansas and back on that turnpike for less than one stretch of these toll paths out here. WTF.

ANYWAYS, I’d spent the night in South Bend (apologies to all the peeps I know there and didn’t look up!) and had left my hotel noting the very queer address - again in INDIANA a state bordering a lake that runs across the nation’s NORTHERN edge -

I had also a bit of a laugh at this signage as I entered back onto the tollway.

So, back to the toll worker. First, I was happy to see her. When they changed to fully automated toll booths in Kansas I was bereft. No more friendly KTA workers greeting you as you pull off the turnpike? Tragedy.

As I was saying. She wanted to see my nails.

“Ooooh! Lisa Frank vibes” she said. And I in agreement (silently cursing that Lisa Frank is cancelled) said yeah! AND cautiously because again, it’s Pride month and I was still in Indiana said, “and they’re my Pride nails!”

As I held my breath she said,

“Awesome!”

And she pointed to her lanyard which was sporting many rainbow pins without any written words on them and said, “Happy Pride.”

😭

This was what I needed as I exited Indiana. My SECOND reminder of the day that good people are everywhere. Especially in Indiana.

The other anecdote I will present as a photo with no commentary other than - queericana exists everywhere.

This is the country I’m fighting for.

As always, deep love, gratitude and all the goodness to my community of people. Especially those who I run into IRL who tell me they read every. single. one.

LOL,

Buy a painting to help fund this wild life?

Or join my Ko-Fi club - if I get over 10 people again I promise weekly fun from Scranton or elsewhere.

xo,

KCF