That's quite a rant you're on tonight, my hat is off to you.

It's true. Life moves fast, much faster than you think. Not three months ago I had my 22nd birthday. Just last week I have to stop to think how old I was; for a brief moment I honestly couldn't remember to the point of subtracting my birth year from the current one. Time moves fast, really fast. It speeds up as you get older and take on more responsability. You get so involved in your life and the small day to day activities you forget what day it is. A common desire is "just to get though the day". But guess what? There's another one tomorrow that passes just as fast. Then one day you wake up and realize you're 40, married and have a kid in elementary school. You sit back and wonder what the hell happened to your life? It didn't move this fast when you were younger. But each day you wake up and realize that it's just that - another day. Another day with more responsability, more worries, more things to do, and less time for yourself. You keep hoping for early retirement, but that never comes. By the time it does, it's too late. The best years of your life are over and it's time to start slowing down. Still though, each day you strive for more, something better than what you have, something you can be proud of each and every day. Pride in the memory of what you've done, knowing full well that you did strive, that you did well, and that your life was worth every moment of it is a feeling like no other! Stabilty creates complacency, and complacency prevents you from striving to make something new or make your life better than it was before. Complacency is a killer, AND IT WILL NOT HAVE ME AS IT'S PREY.

Your words are inspirational, friend!! This is exactly the meaning that I attempt to strike, as well: we must not attempt to settle into comfy little routines. I want to strive so each day is something distinct and singularly important so I remember them more and do a LOT with what little time we have with which to live! I won't know if I can keep up with such an ideal until I try, but as the Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Abrahamic God, all the symbols and metaphorical beings of the ancients, all the spirits of all paths and philosophies as my witness, I WILL TRY! And it feels so awesome even just -thining- that I can, as if it were a THREAT, as if some force most consider to be imposing and terrible were instead trembling in panic that I MIGHT JUST GO THROUGH WITH IT :D

For some reason, I am VERY GLAD to be alive today ^_^ and I think that's all it may take to make today a day worth living!

Thank you for your inspiration, friend; you've made a difference. Mark today for that if for nothing else ~_^

Total 180 degree turnaround from the Matt-kun you were but a couple months ago. I can't believe the changes I've heard and seen in your writing in this short time. I am amazed. I am bowled over.

I am ecstatic!

Yes, definitely not the Matt-kun I had known, but very much a Matt-SAN.
I said it before, and it still holds: Hello!! Liking this!!

:D and that makes it all the more awesome.

And I think I'll mention this again: I'm really looking forward to utilizing the guest hospitality capabilities of my two-bedroom apartment ~_^

You are the only person I know who's doing so well in life. Most other people I know don't even have a JOB, much less one they ENJOY. Me? I'm 22 and unemployed, still living at home. I wish I could say that you're an inspiration, but despite your success, I'm still afraid of dying if I'm taken too far out of my comfort zone. Hmm.

oh jesus... successful? I seem successful? O.o;; I don't know how this happened... I didn't mean to make myself sound above anybody else ;_;

*hugs teh ZC*
I would love to see you succeed in any way. You're an inspiration to ME. ... oughtta send a few sketches to disney, y'know. They're always lookin' to gobble up even the smallest artistic talent. As long as you, you know, omit the... heh... that stuff.

(Presence of Rs due to posting from work)

Oh, haha, I didn't mean to make it sound like you were bragging or anything! Really, I admire how far you've come in such a short time.

Does Disney even employ artists anymore? I was under the impression that the sequels they've been churning out are composed of nothing more than clips from older cartoons.

Y'know ... by strange coincidence, there happened to be a job fair in town today. I went by to take a look. It was sad. Half the booths were empty. Most of them were from service-based industries who had a few cashier positions open. Exciting careers in McDonalds, Wal-Mart and Home Depot! Apply now! Then of course there's always the military. I counted at least four booths for the army, navy, the marines and ... something else? Anyway. They all proudly proclaimed that they stand for "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of those who threaten it". That doesn't really work anymore, does it? Sounds more like they're trying to incite a revolution.