June 21, 2O23 

Josh,

Solstice Blessings, and even more so, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!  **Technically, it’s tomorrow.**

We are halfway through the year, and less than two months from your death anniversary

You would be 36 this year. So young. Damn.

Usually, during the week of Summer Solstice, we would be in the midst of some BIG multi-aspect “happening” -  video, pictures, people, music, collaboration.

Cyclical events were a tradition for us.

You always took that entire week off, as well as the weekend before, AND the weekend after.

You would spend about half of this vacation with me, and the other half reading Tarot at SteamPunk festivals with “Trilobite Collective”, visiting with other friends, or on family outings. 

These days were full of community gatherings, team-work, creativity, and effort..

They created this pounding pulse of LIFE,.. 

STRONG,.. 

Like when you can hear your heartbeat in your head, through your fingertips, in your breath.

Things were very different than they are now, at least currently, while in this transition..

I’m going a tad stir crazy. 

There is plenty going on, but a lot of it is waiting,..

Waiting for final “things” to be delivered by engineers, artists, editors…

Waiting for more financial resources to fund the next aspect of business development…

Co-creation was very much the origin and center of our relationship.

It’s what brought us together in the first place, so in this time between times, where I don’t have that outlet, I find myself idling, burning up gas, crawling through my own emotional gridlock.

I know I’ve used this word a lot but it feels surreal that it’s already been almost a year…

Everyone is still adjusting… myself included.

Oh, dang, almost forgot—I saw your parents last week!

We met up at The Mahoning Drive-In, out in Lehighton Pennsylvania, about an hour and a half from the Kobel Homestead…

But you know that…

I was there for a double-feature.

Your folks put together a CD of all of your church performances with the help of Steve, your church’s sound engineer; your parents said you knew him personally, so he was happy to help.

Josh, it’s a ten song album!!!

I end up writing this every post it seems, but everyone misses you and talks about you with so much love.

I’ve said it before, but your passing created: 

“The Legend of Josh Kobel”:

The story of a man who was a deeply valued member of his church, family, and communities; 

a man who adored immersing himself in SteamPunk and flamboyance; a theatrical man; a man who had a beautifully accepting heart, who showed love equally to everyone;

a man who had a VOICE and the skills to use it in an unparalleled way; a man of virtue, and of quality.

You identified and lived as a Gay man, something that created intellectual, spiritual, and emotional challenges for you at times, which is an important part of your story as an artist, musician, performer, and most of all, as a soul having a profound human experience. 

You were simple AND complex, brooding AND exuberant, brilliant AND naive - very dualistic.

You were always a delight either way, a beautiful communicator, able to be firm AND flexible

And always kind…

Above ALL else, you were kindness embodied.

The world needs more people like you, so the best thing I can do is try to be more like you.

Onward and upward,...

JC