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Next weekend I will be at the Urban Nerd Con in Montgomery, Alabama(July 29-31)! If you are in the area or attending the show, look me up! I will have print versions of Ray Thunder Chs 1 & 2, plus Ray Thunder/Susanoo stickers, and poster prints! This is my first out-of-town show in 20 yrs and I'm really psyched..!
So...currently working on The Clique #4- once I'm finished with that project, I'm going to wind things down, relax my arms a bit and then start back working on Ray Thunder Ch 3 this fall; the down side of this news is that I'm not gonna post any pages until I have a sizeable amount of the chapter done- so you will start seeing the continuation of Ch 3 sometime in the early part of next year. Since I am currently working on Clique #4, that means I will not be doing any new Clique books until 2024...also, I will release the print version of Ch 3 sometime after Ch 3 has been out there.
In other news- in 2 weeks I will be at the Urban Nerd Con in Montgomery, Alabama(July 29-31)! If you are in the area or attending the show, look me up! I will have print versions of Ray Thunder Chs 1 & 2, plus Ray Thunder/Susanoo stickers, and poster prints! This is my first out-of-town show in 20 yrs and I'm really psyched...also this will be the final year to catch my books and prints at their current prices; due to rising costs(paper/printing/con tables), I will have to raise my prices just to get anything back.
RE: moving; due to the costs of places in the area where I live I'm currently NOT moving right now. I was hoping to find something and maybe a change of scenery would motivate/jumpstart me to 2016 energy levels, but the prices are too much...
In other news- in 2 weeks I will be at the Urban Nerd Con in Montgomery, Alabama(July 29-31)! If you are in the area or attending the show, look me up! I will have print versions of Ray Thunder Chs 1 & 2, plus Ray Thunder/Susanoo stickers, and poster prints! This is my first out-of-town show in 20 yrs and I'm really psyched...also this will be the final year to catch my books and prints at their current prices; due to rising costs(paper/printing/con tables), I will have to raise my prices just to get anything back.
RE: moving; due to the costs of places in the area where I live I'm currently NOT moving right now. I was hoping to find something and maybe a change of scenery would motivate/jumpstart me to 2016 energy levels, but the prices are too much...
Still facing some adversity in my recovery but going to try & move forward: paid off the final piece of debt, but...incurred a new bit of debt(credit card balance to pay off the final piece of debt)- so I'm going to slowly try to get some stuff done; I will get back to Ray Thunder, but I'll still got a move to get through so my "art area" is a bit disarray right now.
Going to be doing my first out-of-town convention show in a LONG while(last time I did one- 2001)- this summer, so I'm going to start remastering issue #4 of my print series The Clique(I've only mentioned this comic like a million-gajillion times...my last out-of-town con was when I first started my Clique comic); I really liked how issue #3 looked(completed back in 2019) so I'm hoping I can capture that energy again...
The pandemic, injuries, and RL job stress have really put my art on hold for the past couple of years...I need to start taking that time back.
Going to be doing my first out-of-town convention show in a LONG while(last time I did one- 2001)- this summer, so I'm going to start remastering issue #4 of my print series The Clique(I've only mentioned this comic like a million-gajillion times...my last out-of-town con was when I first started my Clique comic); I really liked how issue #3 looked(completed back in 2019) so I'm hoping I can capture that energy again...
The pandemic, injuries, and RL job stress have really put my art on hold for the past couple of years...I need to start taking that time back.
So you may not see me in the new Tapas Discord forums...not sure what led them in this direction, but it seems since I created a Discord account some years back(but never used it), Discord is being funny about allowing me to use my e-mail address to join the Tapas forum...I really don't feel like screwing around with the work around to this whole mess, so I may just be leaving it alone.
So...
I got an invited to a MomoCon event in December; I havent decided whether to do it or not. I want to do it because I miss conventions(the sales, the money, meeting returning readers again, as well as gaining new readers) but then I think about how many people are still unvaccinated & this new Covid variant and I dont want to put myself at risk- and yes, I've gotten both vaccinations.
If I do decide to do the event, I may try to start working on Ch 3 again; I want to have it completed and printed for the show. I already had been working on a number pieces that I had planned to turn into prints and designed a new sticker sheet set, so I'm not worried about merch.
But I am concerned with my arms/wrists/back- as well as my work health. I dont wanna burnout again and I dont wanna re-aggravate everything all over again. I wanna get back to the state where I enjoy working on my comic(the process) and I'm not destroying myself in doing it.
I got an invited to a MomoCon event in December; I havent decided whether to do it or not. I want to do it because I miss conventions(the sales, the money, meeting returning readers again, as well as gaining new readers) but then I think about how many people are still unvaccinated & this new Covid variant and I dont want to put myself at risk- and yes, I've gotten both vaccinations.
If I do decide to do the event, I may try to start working on Ch 3 again; I want to have it completed and printed for the show. I already had been working on a number pieces that I had planned to turn into prints and designed a new sticker sheet set, so I'm not worried about merch.
But I am concerned with my arms/wrists/back- as well as my work health. I dont wanna burnout again and I dont wanna re-aggravate everything all over again. I wanna get back to the state where I enjoy working on my comic(the process) and I'm not destroying myself in doing it.
So here's where things are:
Things are slowly getting better, but I still got a bit to go...the day job & 2020 in general have taxed me out in more ways than one. Right now facing a crossroads with stuff at the day gig- I want to stay financially comfortable, but I also want time to get back to drawing and working on my comic.
Also I'm trying to devote some self-care coz of the day job and pandemic draining a LOT of energy from me via my anxieties & stress. If my arms can keep getting a better, I'm looking at starting back on Ray Thunder in a couple of months OR after I move to a new place; it's been hard coz prices have been insane- it's like sellers/renters arent budging to lower prices despite that the market of trying to get more than top dollar for housing isnt profitable right now...
I do know once I get back to work on Ray Thunder, the process is gonna be SLOW. I'm not trying to re-wreck my arms again; in fact, I want to get several pages under my belt before I start uploading/posting.
That's all for now. I'll be able to say more once I figure out things with this day job situation and assess how I can adjust my schedule.
Things are slowly getting better, but I still got a bit to go...the day job & 2020 in general have taxed me out in more ways than one. Right now facing a crossroads with stuff at the day gig- I want to stay financially comfortable, but I also want time to get back to drawing and working on my comic.
Also I'm trying to devote some self-care coz of the day job and pandemic draining a LOT of energy from me via my anxieties & stress. If my arms can keep getting a better, I'm looking at starting back on Ray Thunder in a couple of months OR after I move to a new place; it's been hard coz prices have been insane- it's like sellers/renters arent budging to lower prices despite that the market of trying to get more than top dollar for housing isnt profitable right now...
I do know once I get back to work on Ray Thunder, the process is gonna be SLOW. I'm not trying to re-wreck my arms again; in fact, I want to get several pages under my belt before I start uploading/posting.
That's all for now. I'll be able to say more once I figure out things with this day job situation and assess how I can adjust my schedule.
It's been a little over a month, but I havent been able to get my art stuffs going. I think part of it is that I'm still in a mental funk from putting my dad to rest and this whole pandemic is now starting to bear down on me...a great deal of it is that my day job has been chaotic as heck & I'm finding myself worn out and exhausted almost every day; then there's the physical part of it where my arms/wrists have been hurting with the seasonal change and the tremendous workload hasnt helped.
Also kinda stressing about paying off a final piece of debt so that I can move forward financially...this year was supposed to have been the year where I took care of this, but the pandemic has put a ka-bosh on a LOT of stuff I was trying to accomplish(only good thing out of this year aside from my health was that I got a newer car). With no outlets like going to conventions to help satiate my joy, it's been really stressful trying to stay motivated and do my comics & other art stuffs.
Going to try and sit down in November and finish writing Ray Thunder Ch 4; hopefully I can find the energy and motivation I need to continue working on Ch 3. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak right now...
Also kinda stressing about paying off a final piece of debt so that I can move forward financially...this year was supposed to have been the year where I took care of this, but the pandemic has put a ka-bosh on a LOT of stuff I was trying to accomplish(only good thing out of this year aside from my health was that I got a newer car). With no outlets like going to conventions to help satiate my joy, it's been really stressful trying to stay motivated and do my comics & other art stuffs.
Going to try and sit down in November and finish writing Ray Thunder Ch 4; hopefully I can find the energy and motivation I need to continue working on Ch 3. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak right now...
Back home, in my bed. I had to go to my hometown to put my father to rest, who passed from Covid...so for anyone around me who thinks this is a hoax- DON'T.
I'm tired, sad, & exhausted; not sure what my next move is...logically, I know what I need to do, but at times I'm asking myself "what is the point of all this"? These past few weeks haven't been exactly kind to me- and I'm supposed to shuffle this to the side to "get back to work"..?
Just gonna spend this week resting & figuring out what's what.
I'm tired, sad, & exhausted; not sure what my next move is...logically, I know what I need to do, but at times I'm asking myself "what is the point of all this"? These past few weeks haven't been exactly kind to me- and I'm supposed to shuffle this to the side to "get back to work"..?
Just gonna spend this week resting & figuring out what's what.
DOG DAYS OF SUMMER: welp, COVID has re-surged here in the states- especially in my state, because people werent adhering to "common sense" guidelines such as wearing face masks and keeping their distance; that has now made things difficult again...I'm good- aside from that nagging cough & chest tightening that came back(it shows up in the late evenings/night). I think it may have to do with my intake of dairy products, and is starting to make me think about cutting dairy out or massively cutting down what I consume; I dont have an issue clipping milk and/or ice cream- but it's hard to do a sandwich or burger without cheese...and def dont get me started on pizza.
Also the new task at the day gig has been taking up a big chunk of my time; I'm starting to adjust to it, and it's the headache that I knew it would be...I'm trying to get up to speed on it enough where I can finally develop a schedule to allot time to getting back to Ray Thunder pages. Things ARE gonna be slow with production, but the faster/efficient I can become with this new task to get assignments done, the more time I can devote to getting Ray Thunder pages done...I'm also contending with trying to build the Studio Brie site as well; I've put it off for as long as I could due to the fear of feeling overwhelmed with building a site, the anxiety of knowing I'm going run into problems & becoming frustrated when I cant get the solutions I need. But as I look around, things are happening with others sites- opportunities to monetize my work are drying up and disappearing; I need to build my site and set it in motion or I end up putting my comics, my dreams, and myself in a bad position.
The new vehicle is doing good- got the brakes fixed, now I just have to replace the wiper blades...I'm still trying to pay off my final piece of debt so that I can move to a better place- and then there's Animal Crossing: I'm going to get me a Switch so that I can play. In between all of this mess, I'm trying to rest...
Also the new task at the day gig has been taking up a big chunk of my time; I'm starting to adjust to it, and it's the headache that I knew it would be...I'm trying to get up to speed on it enough where I can finally develop a schedule to allot time to getting back to Ray Thunder pages. Things ARE gonna be slow with production, but the faster/efficient I can become with this new task to get assignments done, the more time I can devote to getting Ray Thunder pages done...I'm also contending with trying to build the Studio Brie site as well; I've put it off for as long as I could due to the fear of feeling overwhelmed with building a site, the anxiety of knowing I'm going run into problems & becoming frustrated when I cant get the solutions I need. But as I look around, things are happening with others sites- opportunities to monetize my work are drying up and disappearing; I need to build my site and set it in motion or I end up putting my comics, my dreams, and myself in a bad position.
The new vehicle is doing good- got the brakes fixed, now I just have to replace the wiper blades...I'm still trying to pay off my final piece of debt so that I can move to a better place- and then there's Animal Crossing: I'm going to get me a Switch so that I can play. In between all of this mess, I'm trying to rest...
UPDATES: I hope everyone has been doing well! I'm getting by, but hopefully things will get better...the A/C went out in my new-ish vehicle, so I took it in to have it fixed; it wasnt a bad price- I still need another part replaced, but it'll run fine for now.
However, I do need to get the front brakes replaced ASAP, so that will be happening this month. Aside from those issues- and replacing the wipers, the new-ish vehicle is in decent shape!
My 2020 has become a little more difficult; the task that I've been having to train for at the day job- I find out they want me to it take over. Right now, things are a mess and backed up, so I'm gonna have to work my butt off to straighten things out; so my timetable for me wanting to start back on Ray Thunder this summer is getting pushed out. I only took on the task coz I needed to make a case for them to pay me more money...so far I'm learning things and getting work done, but it's been difficult and I'm trying to make sure I do this right.
As soon as I can get this under order, then I can get back to working on Ray Thunder. I was hoping things would be a little easier this year, but sometimes I think I expect too much; things are never easy for me- but I never give up either...once I do start on Ray Thunder, expect things to move slow at first coz I'm trying to figure out how to navigate making comics through the increased day job responsibilities and other obstacles that I face. Hopefully I can find a solution and get back to making this comic like I want!
However, I do need to get the front brakes replaced ASAP, so that will be happening this month. Aside from those issues- and replacing the wipers, the new-ish vehicle is in decent shape!
My 2020 has become a little more difficult; the task that I've been having to train for at the day job- I find out they want me to it take over. Right now, things are a mess and backed up, so I'm gonna have to work my butt off to straighten things out; so my timetable for me wanting to start back on Ray Thunder this summer is getting pushed out. I only took on the task coz I needed to make a case for them to pay me more money...so far I'm learning things and getting work done, but it's been difficult and I'm trying to make sure I do this right.
As soon as I can get this under order, then I can get back to working on Ray Thunder. I was hoping things would be a little easier this year, but sometimes I think I expect too much; things are never easy for me- but I never give up either...once I do start on Ray Thunder, expect things to move slow at first coz I'm trying to figure out how to navigate making comics through the increased day job responsibilities and other obstacles that I face. Hopefully I can find a solution and get back to making this comic like I want!
