I’m up real late most nights. I usually sleep until late morning. Seem to do my best work in the overnight hours. It’s really hot during the days here. Still adjusting as it’s my first summer in Oklahoma. I hear from old friends almost daily, entirely over the phone and through social media. An old friend of mine is taking a break from social media for her mental health. I miss her. She’s one of the few people I ever met who had as wide a variety of interests as I do.

Since I have a wide variety of interests, it’s almost impossible to find people who have all the same interests. I guess that’s why I tend to compartmentalize my friendships. I have friends interested in history and economics, but not science and tech. I have friends interested in theology and literature, but not economics and geopolitics. I have friends interested in science and futurism, but not theology and philosophy. I’m interested in all these things. About the only things I struggle with are advanced mathematics, foreign languages, and do it yourself home improvements. I guess my goal is to be as close to a Renaissance Man as is possible in the early 21st century.

I have lots of interests. Always have. It’s why I have to have lots of friends for brainstorming. It’s odd that I have lots of friends now in my 40s when I was thought to be anti social when I was a child. I love people, especially a wide variety of people. I grew up in a town of less than 500 people, mostly in the pre internet age. I used to love the old Yahoo chatrooms. I still remember some of those conversations I had in my late teens and early 20s in those places. I try to stick to smaller groups on facebook for my interests to avoid trolls and arguments. Too many people just won’t let anyone disagree with them without trying to make it into a fight. I don’t thrive on confrontations. Never have. I don’t believe in fighting for fighting’s sake.

I was constantly accused of being anti social as a child. But, what was the point of socializing in a small town where everyone discussed the same things, dressed the same ways, believed in the same things, and looked the same. I’m not anti social. I just love variety. And I despise anyone who tries to tell me what to think. I don’t like attention from people I can’t relate to. It’s one of the good things about living in a metro area, at leas the one I live in. Most people just leave you alone when you’re out and about.

I tend to have problems with authority figures. I hate being told what to do, how to do things, what to think, how to think, how to dress, etc. I always have. I grew up in an area that valued conformity. I don’t conform to anything, at least not voluntarily. Probably why I failed in most jobs. I grew up in small enough areas that most of the jobs available where service sector jobs. Work from home was never an option, especially before the internet. It upsets me that many places are talking about doing away with work from home jobs entirely. Who benefits? Best traditional jobs I ever had involved not working with the public. It’s one of the reasons I’ve been so angry about many of the good paying manufacturing jobs in the US being outsourced for years. What about those of us who never wanted to be lawyers or retail workers?

Even though I don’t have ‘traditional employment’, I’m constantly busy. I probably spend at least 60 hours a week reading, listening to podcasts, watching educational videos, listening to seminars, listening to audiobooks, etc. And I couldn’t have done any of this had I not been on disability pension. I guess I’m an Independent Scholar/Digital Monk. Sure, I may make poverty level wages, at least by American standards. Yet I don’t feel destitute, especially now since I live in a metro area of over 1 million people. Overall, I am happier now than I have been probably since late 2014. If I ever regained my mobility, I’d be happier now than ever.

I started filing out online surveys for a few extra bucks here and there a few days ago. Will be getting my first payment direct deposit in a few days. Sure, it’s only like 5 dollars. But, at least I’m making a little money for sharing my opinions. It’s more than I ever made from doing blogs. Haven’t even made that much from traditional paperback books or ebooks.

I would love to work from home full time and try to get off disability. But my country doesn’t have Universal Healthcare. Probably never will unless there is a massive shift in peoples’ thinking and priorities. I just don’t see this happening anytime soon. It’s like some people actually want to make things tougher now than they were in the past. It’s backwards thinking. I’m not sure even how to get a work from home job as I’ve never held anything in a field that involved tech and internet. I never had the opportunity to.

I’m absolutely sure I am not the only person on disability pension who could do a work from home online job if only given the chance. I imagine many younger people on disability, the whole work from home jobs would be exactly what they need rather than a monthly pension at poverty level wages. Yet, many companies insist on doing away with work from home. Most government work programs for those on disability don’t involve work from home jobs, at least none that I have ever seen. This is short sighted and stupid.

I probably could work again given the right circumstances. But I haven’t worked for several years, at least not paid employment, because of a lack of options. I am certainly not lazy. My 60 plus hours a week of writing, reading, research, etc. should be proof of that. My research feels like all day play date instead of a traditional job. It actually feels like constant games. I even listen to audiobooks while I play computer games. Most computer games I love involve strategy and knowing some history, economics, and science. I’d even go as far as say I am convinced Independent Research and writing is what God, The Cosmos, etc. wants me to do with my life.