Arya’s COVID test came back negative this morning! Which was great news, except I also received word that I had been exposed to COVID elsewhere earlier in the week. So I’m continuing to cancel appointments until I know I’m in the clear.

The stress of the past week has really shined a bright light on some of the cultural issues surrounding COVID. From my vantage it seems to be willful ignorance. The information is out there on how to protect yourself and everyone you encounter.

No, the protections aren’t perfect, but they help. And yet, people are fighting the recommendations to do what keeps everyone safe. They’re doing it selfishly. I’ve read about mothers refusing to send their kids to school with masks. It’s as if they want their children to get sick and spread a virus.

I’ve heard talk about freedoms being violated. Freedom ends where someone else’s wellbeing begins. You aren’t “free” to punch someone in the face without consequences, you shouldn’t be “free” to endanger someone else’s life with irresponsible behavior without a consequence, either.

I also don’t understand the argument about face masks violating freedoms. In what way does a mask limit your choices with your behaviors? Can you still swipe a credit card? Can you still walk as you please? Can you still sit in a tattoo artist’s chair? I don’t see any freedom being violated there.

As a business owner, I exercise my freedom to refuse service to people who choose not to wear a mask in my establishment. It’s not a bias based on ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. You have a choice to wear a mask, and you’re free to enter Affinity if you make that choice.

It’s our collective responsibility to take necessary precautions to protect our society. It’s my responsibility. It’s your responsibility. Don’t be irresponsible.

That’s a lot of rant before I get to what I did today. It was another hectic day for me, but I managed to get a lot of studying in this morning, I worked on writing in the early afternoon, and I did some quick figure studies before leaving the studio:

Some of the foreshortened poses were incredibly challenging, but I enjoyed pushing my brain to figure it out.

What was awesome?

My daughter doesn’t have COVID!

I just got my CreateQuest LLC bank card today! Woohoo!

What needs work?

The larger societal issues with COVID.

I’m going to have a fun couple of weeks playing “catch up” with all of my canceled appointments this week.

I’m a bit fired up about COVID.

What did I learn?

I need to focus more on opportunities outside of tattooing. The evidence through the pandemic is that it’s an unpredictable career and source of income if I’m unable to tattoo. Time to spend the majority of my effort on high-leverage prospects for my future. Residual results. Focus on the residual results.

And don’t forget to check out CreateQuest – a project that I’m working on with Chris Beaven. It’s our mission to bring creatives together in an empowering community with a focus on improving the world, not just changing it.