This artwork was made in 1994. Now I'm not going to tell you that life was better back than, but it "was" far simpler.

I made this piece with a Polaroid Transfer machine with slides I had taken of photos, real photos. This was before the onslaught of the internet. We didn't have 100 passwords to keep track of or continuously worried about having our identities stolen or our computers hacked. We didn't carry little electronic devices around so we could be tracked, or traced, or trapped in a state of continuously being reached by someone. There were bullies; but they couldn't wirelessly attack or stalk you. I knew mankind was destroying the environment but I didn't yet know the speed and alacrity by which we were doing it.

I was probably happier back then. I had more friends but I was still a loner, or at least felt alone. I suffered from anxiety, depression, and social anxiety disorder (or whatever terms you might like to use). But this was before my first full blown panic attack and before I even knew what anxiety was.

The U.S. seemed nobler back then. We were destroying the Middle East and South America with CIA sanctioned assassinations of democratically elected leaders (at the behest of corporate America). But at least back then we were entirely or, at least, less aware of it. Our country was an oligarchy back then; but the middle class still had a fighting chance (this was after the Reagan tax cuts which initiated the demise of the middle class but still before the Bush and Trump cuts which put the final nails into it's coffin).

I live in Spain now. The focus on family, friends, and enjoyment of life suits my personality better. I went to an orthopedist for my bum shoulder yesterday. My friend got me the appointment with the specialist only last week, no referral needed, no copay. I have private insurance here because I cannot yet access their universal healthcare system. But because there is government health care, private insurance is both cheaper and better than that in the United States (my MRI was scheduled for tonight...one day after my initial examination), and again, no copay.