2025 Nov

 

An Old Man Learns a New Trick

My lovely wife cleverly found an opportunity for me to get my hands busy and get out of my own head for a few hours with a fun craft experience; leather craft to be exact. 

Susan Hill is a Six Nations Mohawk woman and veteran leather work artisan who offers course. I took a four hour course on how to make a pair of moccasins. 

The course was hosted by Kat’s Craft Corner to fifteen lovely folks, including me. Susan is a great teacher, and guided us through the intricate and satisfying task of creating something from leather. 

I really enjoyed this opportunity to have fun while learning a new skill and spending time with like-minded people.

It felt very nice to connect with other creative individuals, which allowed me to leave my worries behind for even just four hours.

It felt very nice to connect with other creative individuals, which allowed me to leave my worries behind for even just four hours.

This is just another example of how wonderful my wife is. I’m so glad I picked her.

Nudge. 

So Long 2024

Henry the new guard.

2024 was a year of loss and renewal 

It’s been another strange and wonderful year on planet Earth. We sadly said goodbye to our sweet dog Ellie. We adopted her from a shelter when she was two years old and she was with us ten years. 

Then to help our other fur-baby Sadie, we got our new puppy Henry. He brings Sadie and us such joy, it’s like he’s always been here. 

Here’s hoping the new year will continue to bring us more joy and peace together. 

RIP Ellie our love. 2024

Puppy Update

 

Henry’s all settled into our family.

The goofy little brother.

Our growing little boy.

Part of the family 

As it has been said, a picture is worth a thousand words. Henry has instantly bonded with us and our sweetheart Sadie. After six months with us, it truly seems like he’s always been here. 

This little guy has pulled Sadie out of her funk after loosing Ellie, who I’m sure she still misses. However, 

our Sadie endlessly plays and wrestles with Henry all day, which is something she never was able to do with Ellie. It’s very obvious that any rough play, is just that…play. At night they sleep side by side which is a gift we are so grateful for. 

I loves my dogs so much, their undying love is so precious to me.

Nudge

New Puppy Joy

 

Henry, 10 weeks

I’m just marking a moment of healing ❤️‍🩹 from the loss out my 12yr old Ellie pup. 

Like all pups, this little guy just oozes love. ❤️ 

Nudge

 

Draw, Paint, etc. 

Hello 2024!

Well, I’m still here and the Earth is still turning, for now. I have no new years resolutions, but I do have a clear desire to focus on learning some music theory and do more traditional artworks. 

Creating good daily habits of physical and mental exercise would be great too. 

I wish peace and harmony for our world, today and for generations to come. 

Nudge

Slay The Space Dragon

 

Slay The Space Dragon by Voltsmyth 

Inspiration be damned. 

What will I do? What can I do? What should I do? 

My own internal struggle isn’t just an artistic one, it is a desperate struggle for the existence of my damaged soul within a confusing, fragile new life beyond cancer. 

What can I do? What should I do? What will I do? 

For me family comes first, which is why I’m still here. However, since winning that battle (for now), I’m now faced with a new, deeply personal question; what do I do next? 

Perhaps, it is because I found a love for art and music when I was very young, that it became a new focus in my mind. During my recovery, without provocation the first skills that re-emerged where those very skills. Even before I could trust myself to handle boiling a kettle, or climbing in and out of a bath, I found the empowering nature of digital art and music on my iPad. 

Like my new pandemic-puppy, this incredible digital device brought me immense cathartic enjoyment, and greatly boosted my confidence and a new sense of identity. Whoosh, that’s heavy!

Art and music therapy has for years been proven to help people heal and improve their lives. I knew this, but no one signed me up for an art therapy course, my soul decided on its own, that the most important choice I could make is to welcome (without judgement) the music and art as it would come to me. I am very grateful, thankful and pleased that it did.

This brings me to how I discovered my new electronic identity, Voltsmyth. This project gives me a joint outlet for both art and music that feed off each other. Engaging in this project (for what it is) presents me with challenges and problem solving opportunities. Penning this very blog is an eye-straining arduous process, fraught with spelling and grammatical mistakes (I have no hope of learning a new language, as I can barely use this one). No one is pushing this agenda or production schedule on me, so I have incurred none of the usual negativity and self-imposed pressure associated with that.  

Thankfully, I have a wild imagination, bizarre concepts continue to flood my mind. Since there is no physical or financial risk involved, and literally no expectations of me, I have thankfully found a stress-free digital playground, where I can focus on my personal love of creativity, on my new uncharted path.

Voltsmyth cosmic-electronica music is available on Bandcamp, streaming services and YouTube. 

Gratefully,
Nudge

Love Yourself As You Are

Spending time with the one you love. 

I just past the one year anniversary of a life saving cancer surgery to my head. My doctors are amazing and I owe them my life. However, I owe even more to my wonder wife who has supported me through all the most horrible experiences I’ve endured. 

I am still healing and rebuilding. Fighting cancer is like a soldier returning from war, some scars are visible, but many are not. 

I need to love my ‘new’ self, as-is. 

Be kind and compassionate.

Holy Cuteness Batman!

We got a puppy!

The last time we had a puppy was almost 20 years ago, his nam was Riley. Being a Shitzu-Poodle he was extremely cuddly and friendly. Sadly he developed cancer at age 15 years old and we miss him a lot. 

Prior to Riley getting ill, we lost our cat Cleopatra at age 16. She was a stray I found and pampered, she had great life. 

Soon after, the opportunity to rescue a beautiful Spaniel mix from a shelter came our way. Ellie’s a wonderful dog, but sadly she has issues from a previous bad owner and is not a cuddly dog, like Riley was. 

Enter Sadie, a 9 week old cute and cuddly as can be Cockapoo. Mrs Nudge and I have discussed getting a second dog for quite some time, but it just didn’t feel right. 

During this crazy time in our lives may not seem like the best time to get a puppy, but there is a high demand for soft cuddles many times a day. 

Now that she’s here, let the cuddles begin.