Helpful Hints to Navigate Devilish Smirk

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Devilish Smirk Provides a Unique Journey

Your journey’s dependent on the order you ingest my stories coupled with how well you know me in real life and chances are, you don’t. Devilish Smirk is one hell of a way to get to know me.

My circle of friends is smaller than one of Trump’s hands, but bigger than both ears on Jeff Sessions.

A MAZE ZING!

Devilish Smirk is a maze of word trails, peppered with pieces to a puzzle (without borders) framing the life I’ve lived.

I began writing when I realized all my pieces were out of place, and none of them had straight edges.

It was both liberating and frightening at the same time.

A few things you should know about Devilish Smirk

Devilish Smirk is an expanding piñata of what I’ve witnessed, learned, and become since the day I was born.
Unfortunately, that involves the U.S. Government and its toxic politics.
Reading from the top-down is a reverse version of my evolution, but an evolution nonetheless.
There’s no wrong place to start.
It would behoove anyone who reads my shit to have an open mind.
Here’s more of what to expect on Devilish Smirk.

Words are all any of us have. They matter.

The Little Engine That Did!

Being a writer requires an unwavering commitment to telling stories – your own, and others. There’s nothing easy about figuring out life, much less anything worth writing, but something changes after you start.

Writing enabled me to discover who I am at my core. Nobody can know you until you know yourself.

Avoid and ignore anyone who thinks they do. Those people are the most dangerous threat against our ability to coexist productively.

The ship sailed and sunk, but the train only left the station a minute ago and it’s not scheduled to stop.

I don’t know how I feel about that.

Without purpose, you have no business affecting the lives of others. Those who truly love you, will do so unconditionally.

Words matter more than ever.

Keep yours to yourself if you’re a habitual liar. Not everything stays locked in a closet.

Is that milk on the floor? Are those tears in your eyes?

When someone has no idea what others have been through (or only know a fraction of the details), that’s a great time to listen with an open mind, consider the possibilities, and think.

Like money, words don’t grow on trees. However, words form branches. Branches only go so far as they grow. Every branch sprouts from the same tree, and a single tree has many roots.

Sorry seedling. For whatever reason, you’re here. It’s up to you to figure out how organic or inorganic you are.

Nothing – and I mean nothing – in this country is what it seems. The sooner you start questioning what you believe to be true, the better off you’ll be.

Be ~~best~~ better!

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A Bigger “D” in Darby is Darby’s Biggest Dream

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Darby’s Dream is a Grower

Darby is a fulltime, unemployed acronym armed with the hunger of a dream. That dream is growing, and it’s getting harder and harder to feed!

Dreams Are Realized By You!

Lucky for Darby, she believes in her message.

What Did Darby Do?

Darby did what any crazy dreamer, with the heart to change the world, would do if they only had the chance.

Darby recognized the chance.

She built a Thanksgiving table so big, it held enough food to serve an entire army – in every country – in the world, and others!

She even provided all the food!

Thanks, Darby!

Then, some awful people covered the table with small ass plates, and took credit for hosting the best Thanksgiving dinner in the universe. They thanked everyone for coming, and couldn’t wait to host again next year.

They told Darby that people ate dinner off the plates they provided, and not her table, as part of their “Screw All People” picnic collection.

Loopholes!

At that point, Darby forgot everything she believed about herself.

She felt the life she lived was one big, giant lie. She began feeling things about humanity she never felt before.

That is, until she actually hit rock bottom. At that point, all she could think of is what she’s stood for all along.

Dreams Are Realized By You!

Finally! It took long enough, but Darby felt something she never felt before. It liberated her to next level status, within her mind.

She didn’t have a single fuck to give.

Dreams Are Realized By You!

Darby Recognized Another Chance

Good luck taking that away.

Sometimes it takes a groundswell of humanity to realize the secret to life is simple. It’s an internal journey. Yes, I’m sorry to disappoint you.

Things always get worse before they get better!

Your external existence will never soar if you don’t understand and reinforce the foundation of your internal existence.

BING!

If you experience pain, loss, anger, depression, or anything bad, you still have something to learn, and that’s the truth.

Even life has loopholes. Bitch!

Repeat and Believe

Nobody lives a life they never imagine. Life is a game of wonder. Next time you’re in front of a mirror, recite Darby’s words to the person you see.

Look at your sexy self with your eyes open wide, and say it with a smile. It’s worth a shot.

Dreams are realized by you.

Imagination Work is a Virtual Brain Gym

It’s never too late to dream. You can always discover, create, tweak, fine-tune, evolve, enhance, and achieve dreams.

However, there’s a caveat. It’s work, and not necessarily work you get paid to do. At least, not at first. It’s work that might pay off down the road.

Your imagination becomes exponentially more active the more you open, stretch, strengthen, and train your imagination.

Imagination training is exhausting even though you don’t pick up weights. The only thing you lift is your spirit, which, ironically, ultimately lifts you.

Darby’s World War Work of Art

Pick up your supplies and draft yourself.

Darby’s is the imaginary amusement park in my mind. It didn’t take long to create because I never built any walls. Walls are for pussies.

It’s a passion concept that works because people effectively communicate with one another, especially themselves.

It’s a perpetually expanding universe.

Darby’s always feels bigger than the time before, and everyone is welcome. The only people who go are those who want to be there! Every trip to Darby’s is pure entertainment.

I go because it’s like no other place on Earth.

Minds are off leash and imaginations run wild. Everyone’s human, cordial, kind, and happy. Seriously, it’s fucked up. You should come!

My Dream is Virtually Real

We exist and evolve in a dream within another dream, ever-evolving. It’s hard to keep track of which one’s which. All I know is that I bump into a lot of other dreamers.

After coming to Arizona, my life flipped like an anti-gay politician in some kind of public bathroom.

It took me years to realize the real lies with my real eyes.

Question Everything to Understand Anything

What I didn’t realize is that, all along, my life had been upside down for years. That was a tough one to figure out. Coming to Arizona actually turned it right side up.

Life has a way of correcting your alignment and course.

I’ve done a lot in my life I cannot shout proudly from a mountain top, but I’ve learned from the culmination of my mistakes. At the same time, I can’t say I have any regrets. I’ve faced, accepted, and owned the crazy things I’ve done.

Meeting and getting to know people who open up about things they’ve done (or do) that society has no business judging motivates the fuck out of me to tell as many stories as I can.

I do what I do because I’m always evolving. I’ve changed my mind countless times about things I thought were true.

Be real and you will begin seeing opportunities that you never thought possible.

Understand, however, it takes a lot of time.

Darby is a Bug that can Tug our Boats

We are the captain and crew of our individual ship, and it’s full of personal baggage whenever we’re daring to float.

By the way, nice baggage! There’s something familiar about it. It looks homemade, without lifetime guarantees, kind of like mine. Did you design it yourself?

I’m looking for baggage that goes with mine.

Dreams Are Realized By You!

Live in the Present to Live Your Dream

Life is one hell of a gift, and a gift is a present. This moment, right now, is the present. The present is your dream. Live in the present to live your dream.

Sweet dreams, everyone!

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What to Expect on the Devilish Smirk Blog

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Big Bowl of Blog

Devilish Smirk will always evolve. I promise. All blog topics are on the table, or close enough to grab.

You never know what I’ll bring back to the table. I pace a lot and I can return with any topic. I’m like a dog carrying a dead rat into the house and freaking everyone out.

Some topics will come out of nowhere, and others you may not understand, but it doesn’t matter. I’m not that complex, and life is much simpler.

You’ve Been Warned

It’s hard to arrive at the place where you understand and believe what you think to be true. Nothing gets easier. In fact, problems elevate your threshold to deal with more bullshit problems, which are always possible.

Anything can happen. Friendships morph, but don’t always end. It’s happened to me, and others. You never know exactly what you’re being prepared for so you might as well prepare as best you can.

What have you got to lose?

That’s a trick question. You have everything to lose, no matter what you do.

Simplify your life after you complicate the fuck out of it. Everyone does it to themselves, in countless capacities.

Baby steps are small and, to get anywhere, takes time.

It’s like sea kayaking in Alaska. You paddle for hours and the scenery doesn’t change because the mountains are giant.

As a writer, this has been one of my larger struggles, but not the largest. Cherries bury a lot when the bowl is big enough.

Thank you for checking out Devilish Smirk. I hope you enjoy your time here. Never be afraid to show your genuine self. That’s the quickest way to take control of your time.

Spend time on this site. Subscribe for inbox surprises. Engage. Share.

Smile, then smirk.

Communication is how it begins.

“When I started this, I read a lot about having a niche. I’m creating it. It’s been a huge challenge, but I’m having a lot of fun and I feel great doing it. I wish I’d dedicated time to it sooner.” Travis Garrod, October 22, 2015.

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Passion is the “P” in VIP

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Passion is Truth in Raw Form

When I hear someone speak with unabashed enthusiasm, it’s inspiring. Passion creates action. Action creates reaction.

There’s nothing better than jumping into something you love with both feet.

Welcome to Your Atmosphere

I just turned 43. If I count the time I spent in utero, that’s nearly 16,000 days on this planet. I survived incubation only to be pushed out of a womb and into the world.

Ever since, I’ve been forced to deal with people. It happens to all of us.

Kidding aside, the rules of life are easy. The loopholes take a lifetime to learn.

Shitty people are a whole other beast, but they’re an unfortunate obstacle we encounter on a daily basis.

How we deal with difficult situations defines us as individuals. Just because life flings poo my way doesn’t mean I’m going to shit on anyone. Plus, I won’t shit in public.

Fact is, we’re damn lucky to inhabit this planet. If you’re reading these words, you’re luckier than billions of less fortunate souls you may never know.

It’s Time to Care

I thrive in a positive atmosphere, and I think that’s true for almost anyone. The challenge is creating that atmosphere. If you’re not feeling it, you’re wasting your time.

In other words, focus your energy on things that make you feel something. That’s where passion starts and the seeds of momentum take root.

When nurtured, momentum grows like a weed. Left unattended, weeds get out of control and before you know it, you’re in a messy place you’d rather ignore than deal with. Eventually, you’re that person with a million ideas nobody wants to hear.

Passionate People Make Things Happen

At first, I had it backwards. Writing made me happy, but not happy with myself. I didn’t understand that until I took a break from writing to focus on myself. That’s what I did in St. John.

I rediscovered myself. In a sense, I was reborn. When it happened, I knew it. It was better than any runner’s high and, quite frankly, better than any drug I’ve ever tried.

The lesson was clear. Any passion found before you’re passionate about yourself risks getting lost in the wake you leave once discovering yourself. That’s when passion becomes palpable.

Passion Drives Success

Certain things will never work without passion. Life is fulfilling only after you care about yourself. Careers thrive when people love what they do. Relationships last when couples are on the same page. Communication is key.

With that hat trick under your belt, you can begin to change your world. Now is not the time to take life for granted. Focus your energy to make a positive impact in any way you can.

Easier Said Than Done

A friend recently told me she didn’t have the energy in life to reinvent herself. She didn’t feel capable of doing that right now. She said she wasn’t putting off a passion, but unfulfilled at work and stuck in a job she hates.

It’s dehumanizing when your efforts are exhausted for the benefit of others. I’ve been there. I co-founded a company where I spent 15 years gaining experience in a cutthroat, disgusting industry of a bullshit software known around the world as SAP. SAP is basically a Ponzi scheme that boils down to nothing more than high stakes poker.

I was passionate about the company, but I hated the industry. We were the little guys and we never stood a chance. We sold in 2014 and after 11 months and two promotions, I was laid off.

Bold Decisions are Admirable

Not every risk is worth taking. My younger self was naïve enough to do it. I was in my first entry level corporate job after graduating college. I was there five months and I was kicking ass. Long story short, I was cock blocked from a promotion because policy required one more month in my current position.

So, I quit.

The timing was impeccable. Everything happens for a reason.

I co-founded the company that gave me 15-years of the best experience I could have ever dreamed of having.

Eventually, we sold. After the purchase, I wasn’t as bold. I took the job like a little bitch and moved to Arizona where I was shoved in a corner. They refused to give me a contract. My responsibilities were stripped and my pay was cut.

I was promoted twice and received an outstanding review where I was told I should be next in line for a C-level position. Then shit hit the fan and I was laid off in a corporate game of chess.

The timing was impeccable. Everything happens for a reason.

At first, I looked for a job. I met with recruiters. One even wanted me to pay $4,000 in order to find a job for me. She even told me to deactivate all social media except LinkedIn.

That’s when I registered Devilish Smirk. Now, I’m on Instagram and I post publicly on Facebook. I still have Twitter and LinkedIn.

Simple Lessons Learned the Hard Way

I’ve talked to too many people who’ve given up whatever it is they used to love in order to pacify the expectations of others. I know extremely talented people who’ve lost the bright light that used to shine from within. Nothing kills the light faster than slamming the door on opportunity.

Sculpture: “The Optimist” by artist Steven Lee Smeltzer. Photo by Owner, Travis Garrod; Devilish Smirk

Welcome to the Matrix

Life is nothing more than virtual reality.

Nobody crosses paths by accident.

Keep your eyes open for the Easter eggs.

The signs are all around you, every day.

No, you’re not crazy.

Bold decisions may be required.

It almost feels like a sick joke, but I have a Devilish Smirk.

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A familiar face and a kind heart

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Some things, you cannot replace.

Before you replace anything, it needs to exist. A Friendship is a special beast within the realm of Relationships. Friendships ~~aren’t~~ are easy. Trust me, real friendships are easy. They do, however, evolve like anything else. It’s a two-way street.

I’m tackling this topic in an upcoming series in Rainbow Brown.

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