......Still Kicking, Life's just Moving on!

 Hi! :D

I feel it's been a while, so let me update you on a few things:

Work: an emotional rollercoaster. Maybe I will elaborate later, maybe I won't.

Marriage: emotional bumper cars. My husband and I are both growth-oriented people - As a result, we went from a difficult standstill, to positive forward motion. Things are moving forward, and we are much more content than we were previous to our last heart-to-heart. Marriage be like that sometimes.

Fighting: On pause for now, only because I am currently getting ready for an SCA event in Mississippi. You may have heard of it: it's just a little war called Gulf Wars. There's a party I want to attend, and so I created a costume for that. It turned out SO. Freakin'. CUTE. Can't wait to wear it! :D

These past few days: INCREDIBLE.

Saturday: I rested, but also drew bunch art, after a long dry spell. I was very inspired by a subreddit called PokéMedia, where people pretend they are trainers or Pokémon on social media.

Yes, I pretend to be a Pokémon trainer who has a Pokémon. I use it as a way to deal with my stepping away from my Animal Control job. Me leaving that job was both good and hard - and social media that helps me process those conflicting emotions is beneficial to me.

Call me crazy, but it's not hurting anyone, and I know what my true reality is, so no harm done.

Anyways, I wanted to draw some art for this page, but wasn't sure how to go about it, until I came across this painting:

It's called "Yellow By The River"(acrylic and oil) by Johnson Ocheja.

Before I tell you what I think of this piece, please take a moment to view it for yourself.

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All done?

Good - because here's what I think:

I believe it's both a beautiful painting and painfully basic in execution.

It's somehow professional AND amateur quality - I've never found a painting that fits both of these descriptions before, but somehow, this painting fits it!

Feel free to disagree with me - as I was talking with my friend the other day, I have perfectionist tendencies, ESPECIALLY with Art. My standards for quality work are going to be very different from other people.

But my opinion helped me to overcome some hesitation in creating art: If this guy can create such beautiful and rudimentary art, then that shouldn't stop me from trying to produce art.

So I completed three projects on digital software: First was a redesign on a character I have had for a while - I created the original face on older software and another computer, so I wasn't confident in my ability to remake this work at the same quality. Thank goodness for color-matching tools, and then I was able to find the technique I needed to match the hair I had created. It turned out so nice! :)

Second was a painting I had started the day before, but I really didn't know how I could finish it - I challenged myself with no references (it's a no-no for getting better with art, but I was just interested in hashing something out that was interesting to me). But after I saw that painting, I decided if my painting turned out somewhere near what this guy produced, then that would satisfy me. And it didn't turn out half-bad!

Third, I used a reference to paint a model onto an existing photo I found on the internet - I had never done that before, even though, looking back, I probably could have done that sooner. But after a few hours of honest effort using the reference, and ensuring the proportions and shading were adequate, I had a half-decent attempt at a believable model.

It has been a LOOOOOOOOOONG time since I had pumped art out like that. It felt really good.

And with that momentum, I helped a friend move and paint some scenery on Sunday for a play she is directing.

And with that momentum, I was able to declutter a section of our bedroom that had been driving me crazy, and get some laundry done!

And with THAT momentum, I have been able to both have a better day at work today, AND potentially organize our grocery shopping (I say potentially, because we have not put it into practice yet. But I saw the pattern, and I fixed it up on my phone so we can use it as a reference for the next time we shop!).

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It feels good to be on a productive streak!

I go on vacation in about 3 weeks, and I am getting things in order before I go.

In the past, when I have tried to do this, I was always so focused on the vacation (because I felt life was too much and I NEEDED it!) that it was hard to take care of things beforehand. But not this time!

This time, I am settling things that have bothered me. I am putting in plans for after the vacation. AND I am balancing between getting the things done, spending time with my husband and pupper, and getting things done.

Pre-self-love journey, these things were not well balanced, or working positively in forward momentum. After about 6 or 7 years of working to heal, and understand myself, I continue to be amazed by the energy and light in my life. 

And I hope my insights and journey help you with your own positive forward momentum. :)

XOXOX