A Toast To You + Me

We gotta take it easier on ourselves. I don’t think we can continue at this pace. Take. A. Breath. Take two. Admittedly, the 2020s have been a lot. In 2023, we need to give ourselves a chance to slow down from the constant barrage of red hearts and read receipts. And outrage. There’s a new outrage everyday. It’s available on every platform. Hit like and subscribe. Everyone is mad at the same things for different reasons. I’m right. You’re wrong. We both cited three sources from our respective echo chambers. Compromise drove to the store to get cigarettes and hasn’t returned. Netflix got us on autopay and keeps raising the rent. The richest people on Earth keep going to space for some reason. Oh, and there are confirmed UFOs. For our entire lives, they have just been like, “What aliens?” And now they are like, “Oh, those aliens?” Gas demanded a raise but didn’t add any job skills. At the end of 2021, we didn’t trust 2022 and then 2022 was kind of chill until it killed Betty White for no reason. Chip shortages. Murder hornets. Wildfires and hurricanes. We overthink. We undersleep. Anxiety abounds. This timeline is nuts. But all that has happened, and you’re still here. You did it. We did it. So in 2023, let’s take it easier on ourselves. And others. We’ve all been through a lot. Catch up with friends. Make up with foes. Elevate. Evolve. Explore. Celebration instead of consternation. Prosperity and peace. The glass of champagne is half full. Let’s toast to you and me.

Follow E$ on Instagram @theedollarsign.

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Eric Dolgas

Eric “E$” Dolgas is a world-renowned artist, fashion icon and frequent contributor to District Fray Magazine. He draws, paints, illustrates, animates and on occasion, makes murals. His creative process was featured in a Viceland TV commercial in 2017, which was followed up by his art being featured on the Untitled Action Bronson show on the same network. E$’s Food Villain project with Grammy-nominated producer The Alchemist sold out at the end of 2020. His unique murals currently adorn the walls of Songbyrd Record Cafe and Music House and Exiles Bar in D.C.