November’s Post
I wrote this post in December, and am publishing it in January. What about this post has to do with November? Shockingly little, except that its mood captures the vibe of the month for me.
It’s probably all over the place, and I’m working on my December / January post. Feel free to skip this one. But if you’re in the mood to feel moody, welcome to November.
It's a colder time of year...
Before I start with the post, I want to thank you for taking the time to read it. Knowing that people read the blog pushes me to work on the blog. Working on the blog makes me polish my writing, and my thoughts. And I need to polish my thoughts so that they remain a source for improvement. Otherwise, they may rot, fester, and turn into a dark infection on the rest of my life.
This month’s blog is quite different sort of thing for you all. It’s a journal that I wrote over the course of the month of November. It reads like a single journal entry, but you’ll probably find that the tone (and the handwriting) shifts throughout the writing.
I ended up doing this because November is month full of feelings.
I spend a lot of time reflecting on life and life lost during November. I lost a friend a couple Novembers ago. I can’t forget how much I looked up to them. They were so vibrant, and had a vision for how they wanted to make the world a better place. But also how authentically cool they were too.
While thinking about all of those things, and having to deal with Thanksgiving, I couldn’t focus enough to make something around a single concept. Instead, I figured I write and draw a bit each week about how I was feeling and see where it naturally ended up.
To be honest, it’s not quite as cohesive as I thought. I thought that November would be a month of feeling kind of the same throughout it all. But week to week I actually felt really differently. And so I’d read the last paragraph and image I’d write, and try to complete the thought it presented. But the direction I’d end up going would be different than where I started.
And the end of the day, I’m not sure I like it. But I do accept it. I accept it because it’s mine and I made it. I’m human and imperfect; a lot of the things I try will not work out. And it’s the same thing with trying to live up to the type of person my friend who passed away was. I’m never going to get that right either. But I want to be the type of person who tries things not because they’re easy, but because they’re meaningful.
And I think it’s meaningful to be authentically imperfect, and to live up to the promise I see in all of my friends. Including those no longer with us.
Anyways, that was a really long way to say: This is where I’m at now, and I suspect it’s not very good, entertaining, or easy to understand. In spite of all that, let me share with you, my Untitled, Handscrawled
That's what I've got. It's rough and uncut. Maybe someday we'll see it come into the focus, but not all things work out that way. And that's why, once again, I wanted to thank you all for joining on the journey. Til next month
Snacks!
There are still snacks to share from the month of October-November :) . Here's some light-hearted fare
- The Cradle: Book Series by Will Wight: If you're looking for a guilty read for the holidays... I've discovered a book series that will scratch that itch. It's a very specific type of story, where the main character doesn't really grow as a person, but as a "sacred artist" (lmao I'm a nerd). But, if that's not enough to scare you away, I recommend it! It's a fun read.
- Final Fantasy 16: This is the most disappointed I've been by a video game in my life. It truly has the same arc in quality as Game of Thrones. I could write an essay about how disappointing it is. But basically, if you like the demo, you're going to hate the rest of the game. If you like... being betrayed, then maybe you'll enjoy this game.
- Dropout TV: This may surprise you, but I wholeheartedly endorse getting a month of dropout tv. What is it you ask? Well, dropout tv is actually the same media company as... good old College Humor! In a heartwarming story of redemption, College Humor went from being just silly skits, to being tons of silly skits, wacky game shows, and dungeons and dragons content. I just... if you're a nerd, give it a try!