I have known Dalton since he arrived in NY from Brazil in 1985. We have one of those relationships where we spend years without seeing each other and may speak once a year, or even longer, but every time we talk we pick up where we left off, like we had just spoken yesterday.

He will call me when he has an art showing or he is planning a trip to Brazil.  I call him when I see his name or his sculptures/artwork in some publication.

Dalton makes sculptures on the lead of a pencil (or whatever the inside of a pencil is made of).  I think he simply calls it “sharpening”.  The type of crazy detailed work that few can do or has the crazy detailed patience and focus to attempt.

I called him last week because I saw a small blurb about his artwork on O, The Oprah Magazine.  I left a message saying that I wanted to make sure to be in touch with him now that he was about to explode in popularity.  He had a good laugh about it.  He has one of those very freeing laughs, and he normally laughs at everything I say.

Dalton made me realize that I have great friends and that I should make more of an effort to be in touch with them.  I wish I would call friends more often, but unfortunately I am one of those friends that is right here for you should you need me but I will not call you unless I have something to say.  I have to stop that.  I have to start calling just to say hi, and say that I care.

Anyway, going back to Dalton, I call him crazy, not only because of his art work, but because of the minimalist way he chooses to live his life.  He doesn’t own a TV, computer or even a cell phone.   He has a Facebook account and a website now, but both are done and maintained by a friend.  I am not sure he even looks at them.

He told me now that he recently gave up listening to the radio.  He says he finds that since then he is more aware of his surroundings, the world and himself.  He has had more and clearer ideas. I don’t doubt that!

I am in awe and a little jealous of that type of focus,  but at the same time I think that is too drastic.  I believe in moderation.  Could I live without TV?  I believe I could as I believe that I can do whatever I set my mind to.  But, I believe that there is good and bad in everything, technology included.  It all depends on how you use it, and how much you use it.

Even though I enjoy living alone, everything I do is accompanied by the TV or the radio.  TV has always been part of my life.  My TV is my cat or dog, it is companion.  You will never find me just sitting and watching it, but it will be on most of the time.  If the TV is off, then the radio is on.  Perhaps I do have a problem with silence.  I notice that if I am with other people and there is silence I immediately fill it by saying something.  I can never let silence reign.

I think I need to try meditating again.  I attempted at the time of the Break up, and I think it helped.  I was in so much pain at that time that I would have tried anything that I thought it would help.

Enough about me and my shortcomings/bad habits, this post is about Dalton.  I debated the title for awhile as I do have a problem with calling someone crazy just because they are different.  I love the unique, the different, the strange.  I love people that believe and live by their own rules, therefore I respect Dalton immensely.  I decided to leave crazy in the title as this is what I always call him and he takes no offense by it.  I think he sees it as a term of endearment; and it is!

Here is Dalton’s website if you want to check out more of his work out:

http://daltonmghetti.com/

https://www.facebook.com/DaltonGhetti

“I think if I’ve learned anything about friendship, it’s to hang in, stay connected, fight for them, and let them fight for you. Don’t walk away, don’t be distracted, don’t be too busy or tired, don’t take them for granted. Friends are part of the glue that holds life and faith together. Powerful stuff.” 
― Jon Katz