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The summer of 2019

tcr! tcr! · Sep 27, 2019 at 10:00 am

Audio (MP3): 20190927 - The summer of 2019

Morning green lights

Peeps, it was a busy summer.

Most of it was spent cleaning and packing up my house. That was a lot. I lived there for 11 years, the longest place I’d ever lived in my life. I threw away countless bags of trash, of life debris and clutter. ⛸

In June Sara and I went to see Ludovico at the Cadillac Palace in Chicago. Maggie and I went to Gay Pride in Aurora. Sara took all of us to Cantigny Park for my 47th birthday. We played mini golf in the dark during Swedish Days.

Botsford · Sep 27, 2019 at 10:08 am

Life is good! Enjoy the ride😊

tcr! tcr! · Sep 27, 2019 at 11:38 am

🎡

Pelletier · Sep 27, 2019 at 10:09 am

Can I give you BOTH a “Happy” and a “Sad” like?…… Gonna miss you at the office.

tcr! tcr! · Sep 27, 2019 at 11:25 am

Maybe we’ll all hook up again at MATS next year!! 🚛

Rich J · Sep 27, 2019 at 10:17 am

Who’d a thunk it. Your life change has led you on an incredible journey so far, hasn’t it?

tcr! tcr! · Sep 27, 2019 at 11:26 am

It most certainly has 💫

Laurie · Sep 27, 2019 at 10:21 am

I am so very happy for you! You are a great guy! ♥️

tcr! tcr! · Sep 27, 2019 at 11:26 am

Thank you!

asquared01 · Sep 27, 2019 at 10:23 am

Sounds like a fantastic summer! Congratulations on the move and the new job! :)

tcr! tcr! · Sep 27, 2019 at 11:27 am

Thanks!! It was pretty fantastic. 🎉

flood · Sep 27, 2019 at 10:40 am

It’s so great to hear how well you are doing- congratulations!! 😊

tcr! tcr! · Sep 27, 2019 at 11:32 am

Hard telling where I’d be at if it wasn’t for the good people at the Kane County Judicial Center! 😊

flood · Sep 27, 2019 at 11:58 am

😊

sprout · Sep 27, 2019 at 10:50 am

Congrats, old friend. Happy that you’ve found the happiness you deserve.

tcr! tcr! · Sep 27, 2019 at 11:36 am

Thank you. The last time you were in Chicago was November 2013. I think you’re overdue. 😉

Ritter Parcel · Sep 27, 2019 at 11:35 am

So happy for you and Maggie! You both deserve happiness. Cant wait to meet Sarah hint hint lol

tcr! tcr! · Sep 27, 2019 at 11:37 am

So when are you and Mike coming to visit? Bring Justice, too!!

Ritter Parcel · Sep 27, 2019 at 11:45 am

Mike, Travis has spoken lol

Lewis · Sep 27, 2019 at 11:49 am

Very cool…best wishes to you and Sara.

tcr! tcr! · Sep 27, 2019 at 5:36 pm

Thank you!

cormanang · Sep 27, 2019 at 12:09 pm

TEAM Travis rules. I am happy for you my friend.

tcr! tcr! · Sep 27, 2019 at 5:36 pm

Thanks!!

jimi hindrance experience · Sep 27, 2019 at 12:44 pm

😎

DeeDee · Sep 27, 2019 at 1:52 pm

Momma J Momma J · Sep 27, 2019 at 2:36 pm

I’m so happy for you, so proud of you!

Raes · Sep 27, 2019 at 2:41 pm

Life is a journey…and new beginnings to look forward to.

tism tism · Sep 27, 2019 at 4:29 pm

W00t!

franh franh · Sep 27, 2019 at 4:56 pm

Couldn’t be happier for you buddy. Life is good.

elaineorr · Sep 27, 2019 at 5:26 pm

Lots of good thoughts

edox edox · Sep 27, 2019 at 5:34 pm

Video (MP4): congrats fireworks spiral

Irene · Sep 27, 2019 at 9:59 pm

Were you able to transfer within your company or is it a brand new job? Best wishes to all of you on your new beginnings !! How exciting, how fantastic, make the best of everything… Much love!

tcr! tcr! · Sep 28, 2019 at 10:10 am

Whole new company, fresh start… And thank you!!

Irene · Sep 28, 2019 at 12:50 pm

Good for you. Good luck!

tcr! tcr! · Sep 28, 2019 at 10:50 am

PS- there’s a lot of false starts in life. Keep going… 💖

annekothe · Sep 28, 2019 at 11:29 am

😘

tcr! tcr! · Sep 28, 2019 at 1:02 pm

😘

A lone pink Starburst®

tcr! tcr! · Sep 23, 2019 at 5:33 pm

A lone pink Starburst

God doesn’t hate me as much as I thought.

#photos #lettherebehope

thewattsolak · Sep 24, 2019 at 7:57 am

My least favorite flavor. I would have taken it as an insult.

tcr! tcr! · Sep 24, 2019 at 9:35 am

I can barely tell the colors apart when I’m eating them.

Hater McGhray · Sep 24, 2019 at 8:44 am

That is a sign. You are the chosen one.

tcr! tcr! · Sep 24, 2019 at 9:35 am

I feel like Keanu now!

An open twelve pack

tcr! tcr! · Sep 15, 2019 at 10:03 am

We’re sitting in a hotel lobby in Council Bluffs, Iowa drinking coffee. Some people come down with an open twelve pack of Bud Light.

One guy is nursing a blue Gatorade and an ice water. He’s refilled his water cup three times. Most of the time his hand is holding up his head.

I don’t know about you guys but I’ve never regretted not waking up hungover.

#alcoholism #lettherebehope

Karly · Sep 15, 2019 at 10:07 am

Counciltucky. The armpit of Iowa. 😉

thewattsolak · Sep 15, 2019 at 10:36 am

I had the same thoughts when we were passing through Las Vegas over the summer.

Momma J Momma J · Sep 15, 2019 at 11:51 am

Me either! I haven’t had one for many years actually.

Clarke J · Sep 15, 2019 at 12:42 pm

So true.

Kelly K · Sep 15, 2019 at 12:58 pm

Not once!

jimi hindrance experience · Sep 15, 2019 at 3:41 pm

It’s nice to wake up sober.

DeVoe · Sep 16, 2019 at 6:53 pm

Yes have to agree!!

Sep 5th, 2019 at 1:47:06 pm

tcr! tcr! · Sep 5, 2019 at 1:47 pm

Peeps, you know how sometimes you want something so bad. Think about it day after day, get angry and frustrated because nothing changes… I get it. I’ve had my fair share of being stuck in jobs, relationships, stuck in some kind of mud.

But trust me when I say that good things are being sorted out in the background. Too often it takes a long mother-clucking time but the stars *will* align. Possibly a couple years later.

It’s okay to give up hope now and then, but keep some trust in your back pocket. The cosmos will sneak up and scare the shit out of you with beautiful things. Be ready.

Purple Pepper Plant Flower

#photos #flowers #lettherebehope

Kelly K · Sep 5, 2019 at 3:12 pm

It’s so funny that no matter how many times God has done in my life, exactly what you are talking about, that I still question it for the “next thing”?

tcr! tcr! · Sep 5, 2019 at 4:01 pm

Yep, I posted this as a reminder for myself as well. 😊

Life is pretty good when you…

tcr! tcr! · Sep 4, 2019 at 4:24 pm

Life is pretty good when you

…eating a Rice Crispy treat on the way home from work 👍

#photos #lettherebehope #goodeats

prokop · Sep 4, 2019 at 5:13 pm

Only if it’s homemade. I’m picky.

tcr! tcr! · Sep 4, 2019 at 6:42 pm

Homemades are pretty good, but the ones from Starbucks are a solid second 😊

Botsford · Sep 4, 2019 at 8:00 pm

Ditto prokop!

DeVoe · Sep 7, 2019 at 3:57 pm

Bring me one!!!!!

Aug 6th, 2019 at 5:11:46 pm

tcr! tcr! · Aug 6, 2019 at 5:11 pm

I’m sure I’m not the first to say it but it’s not about guns. It’s about hate.

Until we raise our children to grow up loving each other, they’ll continue to grow up shooting each other.

I don’t have hope for today’s adults but maybe tomorrow’s.

#lettherebehope

kattitude88 · Aug 7, 2019 at 8:28 am

Let’s have some amens

tcr! tcr! · Aug 7, 2019 at 8:29 am

amen, amen 🙏

whittaker7221 · Aug 7, 2019 at 9:44 am

Amen! We need to MODEL love and tolerance to our children. If we can demonstrate discrimination and hatred, we surely can demonstrate TOLERANCE and LOVE.

jenkins_arts · Aug 8, 2019 at 5:38 am

Love is the only answer.

Jul 5th, 2019 at 4:34:41 pm

tcr! tcr! · Jul 5, 2019 at 4:34 pm

It’s Friday at 4:34 in the PM mother-cluckers! 💥

#lettherebehope

Jun 19th, 2019 at 9:24:19 am

tcr! tcr! · Jun 19, 2019 at 9:24 am

It seems as if there are almost too many things that we’ll never get over.

We just learn to live with them.

#lettherebehope

tam.the.terrible · Jun 19, 2019 at 11:11 am

We just have to try to not let those moments define us!

tcr! tcr! · Jun 19, 2019 at 6:43 pm

Definitely. For me, part of learning how to live with whatever thing means not letting it define who I am on a substantial level. But I can learn from it and maybe be a little bit nicer to the next guy or react a little differently in a similar situation. Fingers crossed 🤞😊

fivewayrack · Jun 19, 2019 at 1:20 pm

Wise words. I understand that now more than ever.

tcr! tcr! · Jun 19, 2019 at 6:45 pm

For sure! It wasn’t an epiphany that I had myself until only recently in the cosmic scheme of things. 😎

McQuaid · Jun 19, 2019 at 8:20 pm

Yes! If you can’t accept it, change it. If you can’t change it, let it go.

Hater McGhray · Jun 19, 2019 at 9:29 pm

There are a few things for sure.

Rich J · Jun 20, 2019 at 8:50 am

Somethings are harder to let go of than others. It often depends on how deep the roots of the hurt are. Time is the great healer of all wounds.

tcr! tcr! · Jun 21, 2019 at 7:23 am

There’s a lot to be said for patience for sure

May 9th, 2019 at 8:49:57 am

tcr! tcr! · May 9, 2019 at 8:49 am

I quit drinking 13 days ago. I wanted to let you know how much it means to me to read your recovery posts. I don’t always comment but I appreciate every single one.
–Anonymous

This is why I write and share what I do.

#lettherebehope

Radio Shack 10 Digit Dual Part owered EC-2020

tcr! tcr! · Apr 24, 2019 at 5:54 pm

Radio Shack 10 Digit Dual Part owered EC 2020

Believe it or not at one point I thought I wanted to be an accountant. Because I like it when the numbers add up. Equal parts payable, equal parts receivable. Equal parts ebb, equal parts flow.

At the end of the night all will be balanced.

I could never be an accountant though. Numbers aren’t colorful enough to me.

However, I still do like things to be balanced. Like I’m getting as much out of something as I’m putting into it. The reward matches the labor. Or else there’ll come a day when I’ll stop doing whatever I’ve been doing. If I don’t stop I’ll only end up resentful and being bitter is not something I want to be anymore.

When I speak at meetings I get so much more out of listening than I do talking. That’s why I go. I hug certain people because they hug me back. I write things like this so I get to know myself better. I pray because I’m led. I open an Easter egg because I calculate there’s a chocolate inside.

When something becomes a chore or I don’t feel like I’m being financially compensated or creatively fulfilled or emotionally satisfied then I’ll start making my way toward the exit. Because yes, people will want a pat on the back if they’ve busted their ass for you. And yes, I do cross my fingers that the flowers I planted will bloom.

It’s simple math really, black and white, objective and uncaring. Numbers don’t lie.

With my diaries magazine I had to close up shop on it. It wasn’t because I didn’t like doing it, it was because I was putting way more money into it than I was getting out.

I didn’t have any expectations that I’d buy a Porsche with all my piles of profits but I was hopeful that something might pan out with it. Sure, I was sad for a little while when it didn’t but that’s okay. I wasn’t mad or angry. Not everything works out the way we’d hoped and it’s okay to give up and move on to the next thing.

What’s more is that it’s okay to quit even after dedicating years to our pursuits. Sometimes the answer is “no.”

I think the hardest part is knowing when to throw in that towel. If we’re true to ourselves our heart will tell us. And if we follow that voice life will become balanced again.

#photos #lettherebehope

tcr! tcr! · Apr 24, 2019 at 8:48 pm

Also, be really good at asking for help. And be even better at accepting help even when you don’t ask for it.

jenkins_arts · Apr 25, 2019 at 7:27 am

I learned to use “long derision”, “substraction”, “multifraction”, “verisimilitude” as important functions related to getting things to add up.

tcr! tcr! · Apr 26, 2019 at 2:34 pm

I love a good verisimilitude.

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