Updates from a Different Sandbox

There are some exciting updates that I want to share with you, my dear readers. Some are about the direction this blog is heading, and others are about updates in my life.

The first update, I have created a Patreon page, and a Facebook page for this blog. Why? Well, in an effort to monetize this blog, and to try to get more exposure.

Right now, unless you are a friend of mine on various social medias, you probably won't see this blog. Creating a Facebook page allows for others - friends of friends, random people Facebook suggests my page to, etc - to be able to see this blog and the posts that I make. I don't think that I am some kind of super writer, but writing is a passion of mine - and it is one that I like to share with others. I like to have actual discussions about the things I write, and what better way for civil discourse to happen? And I hope that my blog helps someone who is also struggling.

As for the Patreon page. Well, I'm essentially unemployed. This is a fact which I'm sure makes my ex-wife a little irate from the missing child support payments. I assure you, dear readers, that this is not by design - I want nothing more than to be able to support them. They are my kids, I'm more than happy to pay their mother money every month to supply them with the things that they need in life.

I am not expecting to get rich quick, or even get rich at all. But I do have things that I need to pay for, child support being chief among those. 

I've also had a friend ask me to be his son's godfather. This is a huge honor, which I still need to pray about. If I accept, I have to figure out a way to get across half of the country to attend the baptism. One of those ways would be flying... If I had a valid ID. I don't have a valid ID, because my old Driver's License expired a few months ago, and I can't find my birth certificate to get a Real ID that is needed to get through the TSA. I can't request a new birth certificate because I have no money.

If I can't board a plane to go see a potential godson, I certainly can't board a plane to go see my daughters. 

Without an ID, it makes it a bit harder to be able to go to doctors and get an actual disability rating - which I need, because my back is getting worse. A bad back means that I can't do a lot of jobs. Being able to blog full time allows me to move around and take breaks as needed to rest my back.

I'm not ever expecting to be able to go buy some expensive car, a big mansion, or buy a lot of other really unnecessary things. I am hoping that I'll be able to make enough to keep paying for essential things, like child support, going to see my children or bringing them to see me, groceries, bills, mortgage, donations to Ladyminster, donations to my parish, and donations to the Order of St. George.

The money that I will hopefully make from Patreon will ONLY go to those things that I mentioned above. Those things will hopefully keep this blog running (such as bills like internet and electric).

You can either click the link above to get to my Patreon page (or the Facebook one), or you can take a gander at the links at the top and click the one that says "Patreon". Please check it out, and check out the tiers as well. If you do click the Facebook one, I humbly request that you "like" and "share" the page.

That is it for the blog updates.

As for personal updates, well I mentioned above that I was asked to be a godparent. Again, this is a huge honor for me. This is also a huge responsibility! Basically the soul of someone else will be in my hands. The friend that asked me this is in the process of becoming Orthodox, and is looking for a godparent himself. We've been friends for many years now, and I've even mentioned him before on this blog. I'm really excited that he is becoming Orthodox, and that his two children will be baptized as well.

I received a blessing from my priest to do what I need to do when it comes to being a godparent, if I accept. A blessing from my priest is a definite plus, but this is still something that I need to pray about. I've asked my Oblate brothers and sisters to pray for me, and I request that any who have read this far into this post to also pray for me and that God's will be done.

One other thing, personal wise, is that back in November or December, I asked my priest for his blessing to be an altar server. He gave me his blessing, and I have been honored to serve a few times now. I've not posted any pictures, and I probably won't post any pictures (unless someone else takes some and passes them on to me) because it doesn't seem right to whip my phone out when that should be the last thing on my mind.

Since moving to Santa Fe, I usually turn my phone off once I arrive to church, and only turn it back on after Liturgy. I haven't been taking as many pictures lately due to this. The priest emeritus did not want any phones out during the services (nothing wrong with that, they can be a distraction), so most people just turned them off - this has carried over with the new priest taking over, and I see it as a good policy.

There are a few other things that are in the works right now. I don't want to reveal too much, in case things fall through. But, I will be updating here as things progress.