Hello. Work, sleep, work, sleep. You hate to get caught up in that pattern but sometimes life seems to being living you. It’s not supposed to be that way; at least I don’t think it is.
Have you ever thought back to a period in your life that at the time wasn’t so great but now, after experiencing the “real world” you long for those days? I was thinking about that yesterday while I was walking home. I was in one of those dream-like moods, pretty much just contemplating life. I opened up my mailbox and there was a postcard from my first boss. This was the time in my life that I was just thinking about! Sometimes life is funny that way.
When I graduated High School, I was lost. I didn’t have the grades to get into a real college and the idea of going to a junior college scared the crap out of me. Against my parents’ advice, I loaded up my car and just took off. I headed west, not really sure what the hell I was doing. After 4 days of just straight driving, I got to Lindsay, California — just as my money ran out. Being broke in a strange place isn’t a fun spot to be in. I ended up in a restaurant, Bob’s Drive In, enjoying my last good meal.
While I was eating I could overhear the family next to me talking about their farm. They were talking about the big crop this year and how they’re going to have to hire more farm hands than normal. It was fate. I offered up my services and the next thing I knew, I was following them back to their farm. I didn’t know a damn thing about a farm but I didn’t really have a lot of options at that point.
Jim Robinson and his family took me in and taught me a lot that summer. I fed hay to the cows and even became pretty good at driving the old bulldozer. We got the crop in and I have to say, that was the best summer of my life. Here’s the postcard that Jim sent me: 
He gave me my pay and some advice. He said, “You’re a nice guy but you make a lousy farmer. Go back to Ohio, find that one thing that makes you happy and do it.” I gassed up my car, drove back to Ohio and the rest, as they say, is history.
OK, today’s diary was 100% BS. Think of it as a late April Fool’s joke. I didn’t have anything today and I asked Walter to send me some photos, any photos, for inspiration. –The part of Farmer Jim was brilliantly played by Simon. Simon is Carl’s friend; Carl posts on my message board.
Have a great Thursday. God Bless America.