I did my work, but to be honest I never found a vocation that I truly loved. It was just work. I didn’t fit in, nor did I want to.
Oh sure each job had its good moments like when I came up with a killer and successful ad campaign or when one of my students did outstanding work.
But for the most part they were just jobs.
I made a few friends-only one that I still keep in contact with. As for the others either I want nothing to do with them or it has become logistically impossible to keep in touch.
When I was a kid I wanted to be a comic book artist. But with my mom being sick and demanding so much of my time and the lack of support from any of my art teachers and most of my family I gave up on that dream.
It still haunts me occasionally but as I’ve grown older I realize I had neither the patience or passion to really follow through.
Art has always been a love/hate relationship to me. I can do it-and do it well when necessary. I must have been pretty good at it. I managed to make a living at it.
But, my heart was never really in it. That’s not to say the urge to draw completely disappeared-it hasn’t.
It was just that as I watched other artists my same age make leaps and bounds in the quality of their art while mine seemed to stagnate, I came to realize I did not have what it takes to be a successful comic book artist.
Still I love comic books. I always have and I always will. I love looking through their pages at the art and marveling at the tremendous talent of the artists. I admit I am jealous at times.
I figure since I can’t draw them I can collect them and I have for over 60 years. I wish I had many more. That and old toys.
One thing I did discover I have is a talent and fondness for writing reviews.
I enjoy analyzing a comic book, book, toy or other collectible. I‘m good at it, I’ve done it for over 25 years.
My reviews started out as a one-page newsletter that blossomed into an eight-page publication.
From there my self-named publication: Boyce McClain’s Collectors’ Corner changed to a blog, a Facebook page, a Twitter account and a Linked-in posting. Readership is good, with respectable reader numbers.
Lately I’ve been writing more retro-reviews of toys and comic books than anything else.
For a time I received huge amounts of review material but that waned as the Internet has grown. I get a lot of promotional material and very few items to review.
It is what it is. Perhaps things will change. I hope so.
As a retiree I like to keep busy. I do the usual ‘not having to work’ chores: working around and on our home, on the car, in the yard, helping at church and babysitting our grandchild-the usual.
I do a lot of reading, riding my bike, going out to eat or shop with my wife, taking a few short trips and vacations, meeting up with friends and family and sadly watching as my loved ones and friends dwindle in number as death mercilessly picks them off one by one.
I am grateful though. I have my health, the love of a good woman, our kids, our grandson (and soon grand daughter), good friends, a nice home, food to eat, cloths to wear and a lot of creature comforts.
Most importantly I am saved, as is my wife. Many of our family members also.
God has been good to my wife and I. No complaints there.
Still, I want more. I want to continue to write. I have finally found my passion. All I need is to have more material to review and more people to take notice.
I want to build a large readership, travel to conventions, meet interesting people and make a name for myself.
I want to mean something and leave something behind for my kids and others to remember about me.
I’m not crazy about the thought of dying-who is? It’s not like I have a choice. When my time comes, I’ll go. Perhaps not with a whimper, but I’ll submit.
I know I have a better home waiting for me on the other side. I look forward to seeing my Savor and old friends and family.
I hope the Lord comes back before then. I can’t bear the thought of losing my wife and being left alone. Neither can I accept the image of her struggling to make it on her own.
The problem with life is just when you think you have it figured out-you die. It’s one of the great ironies of life.
I plan on making the most of what time I have left. I want to love and give of myself more, cherish each moment, not sweat the little things and serve God to the best of my abilities.
God willing all of these things I mentioned will happen. Here’s hoping.
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