Mr. Writer why don’t you tell it like it is

I just wanted to write you and tell you that I love, love love your blog. I have been reading it for a looong time, since you were with your ex and had long black hair. I remember the first post I read you pointed out the Pink Floyd pig in Children of Men and I dug that because I love Pink Floyd. That seems kinda crazy to remember the first post I read, don’t think I’m crazy! But you just made such an impression on me because I had never seen anything like your blog. There really isn’t anything like it, actually. I love your sense of style, it is so brave and cool and trendsetting, I’ll see stuff on fashion blogs that you wore a year ago and you’re over it and onto something else nobody is wearing yet, but everyone will be in a year. You are not afraid to put the most out there stuff together and it looks awesome.

Well I have never written to you before and only commented like literally one time, but I just wanted to say thank you for your blog, I love it and I really hardly miss a thing on it. Also, thanks for listening. What you’re doing is really cool and like so groundbreaking. I know one day you are going to be so famous, and you deserve it. Keep up the hard work, keep being yourself, keep rocking life, you are an inspiration and beautiful and awesome.

I continue plowing (Canadian: ploughing???) thru your blog. I like
Flickr for pictures because Flickr does full screen (slideshow mode),
but then you have to go to the blog for the commentary. Is that why you
post to both — to give us a decent look at the pix? Isn’t there a blog
program that will allow full size for pictures? Seriously, having two
screens is handy — do you think I’m nuts? Basically I’m a
photographer, and I like to see pictures looking good.

When I came across your blog a month ago, it was like coming in at the
middle of a movie. That’s why I wanted to look at all the old pictures
and entries. Such a story you have, and I wanted to see the beginning.
(I am starting to get the idea now — may not make it through all 50,000
entries — sorry.) Didn’t I pick up somewhere that you’re working on
another book? That would be a good read — with 10 years of material,
you now have enough there for an illustrated book called “The Best of
Raymi – 2001 to 2011″.

Just saw your latest post. It’s a moving story — tears coming up. My
son who’s your age had a drinking problem. DUI — big accident — bad
injuries (not his) — saved from death by airbags — jail + 6 months
lock-up in rehab. Giving up alcohol was the easy part. Hardest point
for him: ditching drinking buddies and drinking spots, then finding new
friends and a new environment. I thought that’s what you’ve been
trying with your fitness program. The fitness route was what my son
took, but more along the lines of buffing up. (Then the idiot started
dealing steroids — more drama with the law — but he’s come around now.)

You’re incredible to put all this out for us. A free gift to the
world. One way or another, it’s the kind of story that all of us go
through in our twenties — that’s why it resonates. All the best . . .

I just wanted to write to let you know that I really think you are a truly wonderful person, despite what others may think. I admire the way you completely live your life just unapologetically. I wish I had the courage to be that way and to just live exactly the way I would want to.

Your post really spoke to me today. I am (like you) a chronic overachiever and as a result of that have developed a lot of severe anxiety issues. I have been in and out of counseling for the last several years, but have never been on medication (I just don’t want to put that stuff into my body) although I completely understand that it works wonders for many other people. Unlike you though, I don’t share my anxiety issues with many people, with anyone really. I don’t know what that would be like. Liberating? Therapeutic? I don’t know. Sometimes, I feel like I am suffering completely alone, and when I am having hard days, like the last few, when my stress manifests itself in such bad tremors that I can’t even cut open a bag of milk, I can’t help but feel like something is just plain wrong with me. Because I have a hard time talking about my issues, it just makes me feel better to know that I am not alone, and that this doesn’t have to define me as a person. It is very inspirational and motivating for me to see successful people, such as yourself, persevering and working through it to live the life you envision for yourself, despite having anxiety.

I just moved to a brand new city three weeks ago and basically upended my life. Along with changing cities, moving away from all of my friends and family, and going back to school to do my Masters, came a whole ton of new anxiety. I started seeing a new counselor yesterday actually. Anyway, she told me that often it is those of us who accomplish great things, and put pressure on ourselves to continuously achieve and move forward who often have the highest levels of anxiety (and whom she sees the most of). Basically, she pointed out to be that if we didn’t care so much about our futures/lives/work, etc and were just carefree all the time, we would never feel anxious – but we would also never accomplish half of what we do.

Anyhow, I just wanted to say thank you for being who you are and for sharing it with the rest of us.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.