…and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.

from “When I Am Among the Trees” by Mary Oliver

Okay, so there was a bit of a trip up, but we are up again. As soon as the new year’s gonged, I was on a plane from Texas back to Miami, happy and content until my body decided to let in a plague, and I was sick this whole week. No, not omicron, just the flu, luckily, but after having not been ill for two years, I’m amazed at what it is to be sick now. Now I have a slight cough and occasionally weakness, been dealing with that forever now as I get older, so, FFFFFFFUCK IT.

Most of the time, after an arduous year like 2021, society and people tend to do well afterward,s almost in appreciation, putting themselves to work to make sure it doesn’t happen and make ourselves stronger. Hard times make Hard people. 

WE SHOULD BE MADE OUT OF DIAMOND BY NOW SHITTING COCAINE and PISSING NAPALM.

But maybe we aren’t. With everything coming up till the end, we have to wonder, are we ready for 2022? I’m ena is it going to get easier? Who said it would? Like the frog. You know it: The boiling frog is an apologue describing a slowly boiled frog alive. The premise is that if a frog is put suddenly into boiling water, it will jump out, but if the frog is put in tepid water, which is then brought to a boil slowly, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death. 

Maybe instead of dying, we get stronger? Hard times make Hard people. But how hard is it when you have Uber Eats?

So yes, much to do; here we go, in no particular order:

COMICS

FWACATA QUARTERLY is almost done. I have to just re-letter the REZ short and finish lettering everything to have it ready. Next week, I wanted it for OTAKUFEST, but I don’t think it’s possible. I’m going to see about making a risograph of it locally. Ideas IDEAS IDEAS! But have to finish it. Going to make it this month’s mission. 

Have another project for February to get out, FUGLY, which will be featured on Patreon and Instagram, and afterward, ZOMBIE YEARS return to WEB LINE TOONS. It’s about presenting correctly that irks me the most. I can only be awake for so many hours. But it will be done! 

WRITING

I want to engage more in this, mostly to get scripts and ideas done not only for comics but for some short and long films I had in mind. I have an excellent opportunity to film a brief with a cinematographer friend and get some lovely stuff together for it coming up; I have to finish piecing it out. Like my drawing, it’s just required to give it the proper attention. And I plan to do that and make time in the mornings. 

FILM

Like I said in writing, it’s about getting into the groove and developing things past the pitch that I want to do. I have a personal project I need to do, like an intro video for youtube, more drawing videos, and a couple of other things; I have to make time. 

ART

Painting is another time needer, though it is falling in line with some other projects I have in mind coming up too. This hasn’t been too bad as I have been jamming in my sketchbook as of late, getting more work done. Nothing to be shown yet, but the paint will hit canvas soon for 2022. 

More custom figures, more playing around with materials. It’s not even about finished work or anything. It’s just giving myself a chance to fuck with things, like always. Making art is always sexier than actual Made art. That part sucks. 

PERSONAL

I am going back to the Gym soon. Have it planned and lined up, Have to. It’s just not even a fear of death thing. It’s a fear of life; I don’t want to turn into shit, plain and simple. Lose Weight? Yes, but this is not to win a beauty pageant but again not turn into a large bowl of porridge baby shit. If I go down, I want to be at least a challenge. 

Have to give up smoking again. Just do. I started to vape, but it didn’t take that significant edge off I get from a smoke. Christ, I even quit drinking. Why is this so hard? I’m hard-wired for it; I want a cigarette while I’m writing this! Fuck. The real challenge for 2022.

Eat better, but not less. Yep, I want to cut the shit out and eat better. More fruit, more veggies, meat that isn’t processed, etc. No diet bullshit, better cuts, and better intake. 

Patience is next, and in that, I’m better. I’ve seen that time is there; it’s about being on something till the end. Like I have been planning to write this all week, but now at this quiet hour in the shop, I’m knocking this out without anything blowing up around me, phones or customers, or obnoxiousness, and I am content. This is what I need to seek when I go for these times off or into Battle. ROAR.

MONEY. Time to make more art, make more money, make more things, and move my ass. It’s about consistency.

Hard times make Hard people. 

Or am I just quoting Joe Rogan like an asshole?

Consistency is the key, and even if I’m eating shit, to be conscious of eating shit. 

So there you go. 2022 is ready to go. Are you ready?

LET’S GO