Turning 50

January 20, 2023
A funny black and white comic of Bryan as an antique. Drawn by artist Bryan Skinnell.

I’m going to be turning 50 in a few days. I really don’t consider it a big deal but certain others apparently do. Such as the legendary AARP. Clearly someone, somewhere, snitched to the AARP about this little secret of mine and I’d love to know who. But it doesn’t matter now as the secret is out and those fine folks are going all out in wishing me well while acquainting me with some of their many services. Virtually none of which I happen to have a microsecond of interest in at the moment. But that’s not stopping them since they do have some really deep pockets which they’re quite happy to blow on postage just to mail me their junk mail advertising their perks and services I don’t care about. But I’m not an ungrateful gent and I do try to reciprocate their kindness by finding new and novel uses for all that junk mail so that it isn’t a total waste.

For instance I can’t get enough scrap paper so I’m grateful for what they do send my way as it keeps my scrap paper reserves well stocked. I also enjoy making paper airplanes as does my cat. Going ballistic on the airplanes I fling at him helps to burn up some of that pent up energy in him while keeping his reflexes in tip-top shape. Who knows, I might even take up origami one of these days but that art has always struck me as difficult to learn. Anything more sophisticated than paper airplanes and wadded up paper balls is a bit more ambitious than I want to tackle.

Another thing about junk mail is it’s also a heck of an insomnia buster. Why just thinking about junk mail is enough to knock me out. I’m afraid to actually read it for fear that I may not wake up until spring. Yes, beauty sleep for me is more imortant than ever and I’m thankful for any sleep aids I can acquire at someone else’s expense. All my years of beauty sleep has yet to turn me into a hunk but it hasn’t been for a lack of trying.

Ah well, I’m still glad to be turning fifty even if I ain’t a hunk. And probably never will be. But as long as I keep getting junk mail I know I’ll never be lonely. Or cursed with insomnia.

Funny black and white cartoon of Bryan blowing out the candles on his birthday cake with a leaf blower. Drawn by artist Bryan Skinnell.

Why hello there! My name is Bryan Skinnell and I am a middle-aged (50-ish) artist and neighborhood kook who is living the artistic and creative life out in the boonies of Bedford, Virginia. Bedford is one of the largest counties in the commonwealth of Virginia and, for the most part, it’s still a mostly rural one that bridges the gap between Roanoke and Lynchburg. You could say, in more ways than one, that Bedford is the heart of Virginia. I can’t argue with that although I usually think of Bedford more as Virginia’s belly button myself.

I grew up right here in Bedford and have lived and toiled most of my life on our infamous red clay. The sort of clay that makes the stickiest mud known to man after a rain and which clings like super glue from God to anything and everything it touches. If you are so foolish as to get it on yourself you’ll wind up tracking and leaving a trail of red goop everywhere you go for days afterwards to the delight of your family and friends. But I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else and Lord knows I tried as I’ve wandered from one end of the country to the other. But Bedford has my heart and that’s where I’ve chosen to live my life today. In my free time when I’m not stuck in my studio making art I do love being outside gardening or hiking or just pestering the neighbors.

Every day I try to write something that’s original, entertaining, and half-way thoughtful here on my blog while sharing my happy-go-lucky attitude and zest for life. Quite often I don’t have the foggiest notion of what I’ll end up saying in a post. But, whatever I end up writing about, I do hope you enjoy it!

I do keep a mailing list for interested readers and fans. If you would like to get in on the action and follow my musings and rabble-babble, that can be easily arranged. Just give me an email address that you would like for me to send my blog posts to and I’ll see that you get it.

Thanks for stopping by!
Bryan Skinnell

Subscribe

* indicates required