I survived

[secondlina]

 Long story short, I got real sick for the past 4 days. Fever and all. That was accompanied by various levels of an identity crisis about my job, my comics, what I wanted to do with my life, my friends, etc. Because, apparently, i,m a suffering artist or something. Now i'm pretty over the sickness and the woobiness and I came up with a few ideas. The main idea is, I really need to make a list of goals and tasks. Keep myself organized. I think have a big board with that will make me feel good. Or maybe a journal?

I need some change on the artsy, life and job front. Time to get things moving. And making a list and checking it twice is a good start.

I don't have an ideal pocket journal. I used to always have a journal on me. I sorta have one now, but it's not perfect and I guess that discourages me to use it? My favorite type of journal was those half-notebook, half-agenda things. But I can't find one ANYWHERE. And I looked!  Isa wants her perfect journal.

I don't want much from life, but honestly, I love having the perfect bag, journal and pencil case. I change bags often since what is the perfect bookbag often changes according to my needs. I still have the perfect pencil case. It's good to have these things for me. It makes me feel more complete.

I had a friend that used to tell me that a person needs 5 things in life to be happy. A good job, a good project, a good love/social life, a good house and good gear. What qualifies as "good" is relative to people, but more and more, I think she's right about this. My "project" (comics) have always been on the fly a lot and disorganization and lack of a long-term plan is slowly killing me. The job, I often selected to just generate rent. I'm starting to notice that dissatisfaction there really affects the rest more and more.

Bottom life is, I need a plan and I need these five circles to be more balanced. I've always though that motivation and trying things once in a while would eventually get me where I want to go, but the more I speak to artsy gals, the more I think motivation is not enough. I really need to plan more starting now. I need personal goals and deadlines more then the general "comic artist eventually" idea.

Deadlines like "next year, two books published" and "go to these cons" and stuff.

I think this sickness allowed me to clean my body a bit and clean my soul. I felt incredibly stressed for the past few weeks and I finally feel like someone yanked my heart out of my chest and put a new one in to clean my blood.

Or something.

Heck, i'm babbling.

Lately i've been working on con posters. I'm doing an activity at a local con a friend of mine is organizing, so i'm gonna throw in some Namesake advertizement, because why the hell not? :D I really love the mood in this one. I wanted to do one with just Emma and Elaine and one with all the characters. Basically one showing off the cast and the other showing off a mood. 

And of course, TEXTURES.



S'all for now.

- Isa

Comments

[vonandmoggy.livejournal.com]

"I had a friend that used to tell me that a person needs 5 things in life to be happy. A good job, a good project, a good love/social life, a good house and good gear."

I like this, somehow...and it helps me with perspective, given that my health has been so dodgy.

I have a good job (boring but it pays), a good love/social life (<3 Von!), a good house (love our house so very much) and good gear (mostly). What's missing? A good project...I need a project. Whether it's writing/art/craft...it's a very good point.

Thank you for this...*hug*

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

No problem! It's really a good analysis of life to have. I'm glad she told me so I could share it.

[ichiban-victory.livejournal.com]

Having a plan (of attack!) is very good. That's why I've been floundering so much as of late with my own art. Yeah, I have a lot of things I could make, but I haven't felt the need. Why make something today when I can make it tomorrow? Having an actual plan (like making those dolls for bartering, and Toph once they're done, for hostage purposes!) is actually helping me to MAKE things. Thus, art.

But yeah, at least you have most of that list! I'm missing at least two, and they're huge gaping holes at that. I have to keep on anyway, since I can't get to the ideal if I just sit here and cry.

Sorry I missed everything this past week. Getting things done and being online just don't work well together, and I admit, I'm getting addicted to getting things done! -_-;

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Heh, no worries about the missing!

I'm going to make an epic list this weekend methinks. I,m going to visit ottawa, so the long bus ride will be perfect for that.

[brendala.livejournal.com]

I should try what you're doing sometime. I just started school again and that coupled with my two jobs has forced me to FINALLY buckle down and learn how to manage my time more efficiently. I'm still not that good at it, but maybe something as simple as a list detailing my goals will help.


I've always though that motivation and trying things once in a while would eventually get me where I want to go, but the more I speak to artsy gals, the more I think motivation is not enough. I really need to plan more starting now. I need personal goals and deadlines more then the general "comic artist eventually" idea.

I hate to break it to you, but the secret that many famous indie artists have is this: they married someone with better financial/organizational skills than them (ask Terry Moore and Jeff Smith). I hope Link is good at balancing checkbooks. LOL

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Too bad Link is AWFUL at that. I'm the organized one.

I,m usually pretty organized. Mostly, i,m fumbling because I don't know how to do a lot of things and i'm not sure where to get the info.

[disembodied-cat.livejournal.com]

I swear to god you read my mind most of the time! <3

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Artists in despair, unite!

[amelia-seyroon.livejournal.com]

*glomp*

I was thinking about you this whole time! <333

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It helps to know that :D

[putri-nih.livejournal.com]

*hug*

sorry i was away but good to know that you've got your resolutions.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

I need resolve if i'm ever gonna get stuff done, amiright?

[asatira.livejournal.com]

Friend has good advice. I should consider that because I've got my own life organization I need to get a handle on. Concrete goals are good to have. Good luck, and glad you're feeling better.

Love the texture.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'm happy i,m better too. I think it's going to take a bit longer until i'm 1005, but i'm getting there.

[yukinoomoni.livejournal.com]

Oh sweetie, I'm so so sorry you had to deal with this.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Every body gets b.s. once in a while. I'll be fine. I honestly think i'm lucky for only having to deal with minor sicknesses.

[pip25.livejournal.com]

I support this 100%. It is always good to make yourself accountable on what you're doing to achieve your goals, and a plan also gives something to works towards.
Best of luck with this. :)

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

It's easier to walk the road when you have the map, as they say.

[snapdragon76.livejournal.com]

Sorry you got sick and a wee angsty there for a bit. Hope things are looking a little brighter in any case.

The goal thing has always seemed to be a good idea, at least it's been pointed out to me as such. I need to have more goals in my life. I have a few, but I need to work on them. Like my major goal right now is to be able to move to Tennessee in the next year or two.

I also need to find out what my niche in life is. I have never really know what I wanted to do with my life, and it shows. I mean, like you, I have a job to pay expenses and give me some much needed health insurance. Aside from that, this isn't really what I want to call a career. TBH, I don't even know what I'd like to have as a so called "career". I have nothing I am super talented at or passionate about. That pretty sad.

Plus, the company I work for is declining in the way it treats people. Nowadays it's all about the bottom line, no matter how the peons that work them have to suffer for it. I mean, true I should be grateful I even have a job in this day and age, but it's getting harder and harder to be grateful.

I dunno. I feel at a bit of a crossroads and am unsure about what to do. And I apologize for spamming your journal like this. I guess I needed to unleash on a sympathetic ear...

I tell you, being an adult sucks.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's a little weird when your job, aka the thing that should usually be in the center of your life, is actually more of a rent-feeder. It's easy to get depressed in that situation.

[snapdragon76.livejournal.com]

I hear ya right there. More and more days go by where I don't even want to get out of bed and make the effort.

[fortheloveofsam.livejournal.com]

-hugs- I'm super glad you're feeling better! It always sucks to be in the dumps.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :D

[pinkwa.livejournal.com]

The cheschire cat <3
Ilove the way you draw it :3

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

It's so fun to draw too!

[chameleon9999.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I like these swirly textures! Yeah whatever was sweeping through central FL down here caught me too.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Deadly sneaky viruses! *shakes fist*

[psychosongtress.livejournal.com]

Aww I hope you feel completly better! I need to get things in order in my life too :-(

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Let's all make lists! TOGETHER!

[auriga]

*hugs*

Sounds like it's been a really rough week. Glad you're feeling better now!

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

It has been pretty rough. I'm slowly coming back though, so it's good.

[kuridee.livejournal.com]

I HAVE one of those half-notebook, half-agenda things! It's a moleskine, if that helps you find one? :D?

I hope you feel better. And oh God, let me know if you and Meg ever start doing cons with Namesake? I will crowd your stand, buy all your merch, and just generally drool over everything.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Oh, thanks for the tip. Ah, moleskin...

Aajhahaha, that would be AWESOME!

[kuridee.livejournal.com]

It looks really neat! :D

THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN at some point.

[spankingfemme.livejournal.com]

I do love the mood of this piece! As always, great expressions and pose my dear ;)

As for plans... it is a good idea to push for completion and have goals of what you want to accomplish in an allotted time frame. It'll help you to pursue the art career you want.

I agree with your friend as well about the 5 aspects of life. If one makes you extremely unhappy, it ebbs into the rest of your life and makes goals harder to attain.