Wisconsin has three cold hardiness zones: Zone 3 in the Northwest, Zone 4 in the North/Center, and Zone 5 Center/South/East. These zones are further divided into A/B categories. I exist somewhere between Zone 5a and Zone 5b.

The “oog” (read as Double-O.G.) is a reference to the James Bond novels and subsequent films. The author Ian Flemming established that a double-o agent was one who worked in the field and held a “license to kill” at their discretion in order to complete their mission. The James Bond franchise has always been significant to me; partly for the nostalgia of childhood playing GoldenEye on the Nintendo 64, and a long-held passion for the idea of choosing espionage as a legitimate career path.

I explore the thoughts of others through words on paper. I study esoteric symbology of the occult. I admire beauty and find its flaws so that I may incorporate that into my being. I stand on my patio taking selfies, and then sit behind the computer in my studio. I use my phone to edit pictures of plants and airdrop them into bootlegged and open-source software to make collages; spending way too much time pretending that I know what I'm doing. Occasionally I will have something to show for it, and I'll post that to Instagram. (For what its worth to note, I also film SFW plant content and post it to Pornhub.)

Plants are life, and I’m about that life. You could say that's me in my work; or at least a piece of me. I wish to distance myself from the society which humanity has crafted, so much that I often go to great lengths to hide my tracks. I'm not a recluse by any means, but I certainly keep to myself in many regards. I mask my face and pixelate my flesh in an attempt to void any vanity, so that the true focus can be on the Flora.

I don’t think that I've yet to create my best work. However, when I bring into being, I now typically find myself somewhere between a jaded mind-state of love and displeasure. Prior to a recent and unfortunate medical diagnosis, someone who isn't me would often relocate themselves with the trees, under the hallucinatory spell of other plant matter. Exploring existence through new and ancient eyes. Realizing the significance (or rather lack of) the anthropomorphic condition. Proposing internally that despite the humanistic impulse to conquer, we truly are far from being dominant.

I pray to The Lord every day, that when I inevitably succumb to life – I will be born again as the vegetative body that is mycelium, so that I too may be like God. Intertwining throughout all life on Earth. Existing everywhere at all times, unable to be eliminated in its entirety, almost immortal omnipresent among every organism in the soil. A relatively neutral being. There in the beginning providing nutrients and connecting all biological life in a web of chemical communication. There in the end to consume the lost and forgotten, only to return the essence to the soil and birth anew.

Create, or destroy – it doesn't matter. Nothing and everything is art at the same time. Anyone who preaches that there is one way or another to manifest thoughts into reality is likely an ignorant fool. Whatever the individual deems as “worthy” can be art. I don't even like that word; it is pretentious and unnecessary. Regardless, there is no justification for anything to be good or bad. It all just is. Do things. Be happy. Don't impose that “happiness” on others. Selfishly let it exist only for you, and maybe for those who might appreciate it as well.