Rounds: January 2023

Hey Everyone!
(First I have to say, if you're here and just want the NEWS, go to the last paragraph!)

Man, if there was ever a time period to actually literally pour out a round of drinks, it would've been the last few months.  

First, apologies for not holding round updates for a while.  It has taken this long to find footing again.  It has been a long period of thought, joy, anguish, and piecing things back together.  Grief will do that.  Grief at watching someone grieving will do that.  Let me rewind a bit.

Since September, things have been super busy.  October was the anime convention I  usually attend, and it had its own ups and downs.  It was by far my best year yet, but it was fairly bittersweet in some ways.  I usually prep artwork for the con based on whether I get in or not--generally, I only have enough time to prepare a couple pieces working around our activities here and my at home life with my kids and hubs.  And let me tell you guys, I worked my ASS off to get that massive magical girl piece done, and OTHERS on top of it.  So when someone comes to my booth, and gripes about how "they're sick of seeing the same people every year, with all the same artwork, there shouldn't even be a lottery system, are half these artists even local? (I am, btw; it's the one con I get to sell at in the year)", it's a bit disheartening.  I mean, I get that some of the bitching really was "my friend XXXX didn't get in but they brought all these people again".   I try really hard to bring new things, so....yeah, a bit like, take your bitching away from the front of my booth then if you don't like it?  I truly did spend months just to get some new stuff.  Because I do get it.  Just a bummer, that's all. =O=

On a positive note though from all that, I learned how to make candy bag charms with my hubs and daughter, and they were a hit, so I'm overall calling it a win. XD

And then November rolls around with the holidays.  You know how that is.  I guess it's a bit melancholy.  That sort of hindsight is 20/20 thing.  If I had known then what I know now, that Thanksgiving would be the last time my hubs would see his dad, I would've pushed the two of them together more.  I would've encouraged them to spend some one on one time.  He was gonna call him the weekend after for his birthday too.  But who was to know?  Thanksgiving was the usual, with so many kids running around that one could be forgiven for not being able to think straight.  It would be so easy to drown in that regret.  I know very well there's nothing I can do about it.  

I cannot stress again, how much I truly appreciate everyone's patience around that time in the beginning of December.  It was a lot of everyone running around, gathering things in a hurry.  It was hard.

On a minor note, if you're a funeral director, don't be an ass hat. I'll be brief, and say that maybe a viewing isn't the time to come up and tell someone that there's a few small typos on the program--especially when email exists.  And maybe don't blast National Geographic podcasts in the hallway just outside of the room?  Fucking hell it shouldn't have to be said. =O=

All in all though, it was a lovely service.  

Life has a funny way of just rolling on.  Our society truly doesn't give you time to process, just time to "process".  Enough time to just fill the paperwork.  When that's done, and you actually finally have time to sit and absorb what has happened and the implications therein, life says nope, time to get up and get back to the grind.  We gave you the week?  Here's work.  Here's bills.  Here's school.  Here's your children.  And while the physicality is given enough time, you're meant to swallow your emotions while life continues.  All I can say is, I don't know what I'll be like, when my own parent's time rolls around.  Complicated isn't the word.  

I think that nothing else truly pinpoints that than putting up the Christmas tree this year, at both homes.  Trying to continue with life, finding some joy in it.  

And there are always reminders of what's to come around that corner too.  My grandparents visited this week (they live a ways away).  They're older than my hubs dad was.  And I look at them, and my grandma showing me a photo album for her sister with dementia she made to create a spark, and the few stories she has and remembers, and how they're going through pictures.  And all I can say is "y'all better damn well at least audio record some of the things that haven happened in your life!"  Gosh you don't wanna badger your elders, because it's such an uncomfortable topic.  But if you don't know now if everyone's ducks are in a row, then fucking when?

As a side note, if you want your spouse to be able to be organized in event of this sort of thing, make sure they have your passwords to computers and phones and what not, or that you at least have a note they can find in your will or something so you can maintain privacy before that.  Hub's dad had at least 1k of photos on his phone that will never see the light of day again because of the password, not to mention that he always did their taxes in QuickBooks, which no one can find now because his computer is a mess.

I find it truly a blessing, that my artwork has improved enough that I can quickly finish things again.  Not to try to turn this around to me, but the improvements and experimentation earlier in the year have allowed me more time to be there when needed, for my family, for my husband, for myself even.  I'm hoping now that things are becoming more stable again, that the extra time will also allow me to grown the Patreon.  At least getting to put up extra works again would be nice!  

It just keeps marching along too.  My youngest's birthday certainly wasn't gonna wait for us, that's for sure.  It is true terror to have six 8-year-olds running circles in your house.  And I finally found, after 3 children, the one child that isn't welcome back in my house.  So that's a joy!  XD

So here we are, new year, new news, and finally back to a sense of normalcy!  My birthday is coming up, and I'm thinking FF Crystal Chronicles with my family with some traveler's style food to match it.  ^O^  Yes, I absolutely have all the equipment to play 4 players.  Maybe we'll finally get the timing right for Blizzaja. XD  Maybe some Tactics?  Maybe some streaming Stardew or 7 Days to Die with the hubs if he has the day off too.  Dunno!  Maybe some sketch streaming if it's just me at home for a little bit.  We'll see what mood takes me around that time!  XD

In other news, I do have somethings to say in regards to Patreon and Twitter ATM!

With the Twitter API going down soon, I'll probably lose the connection between Discord and Twitter.  While I'm not leaving YET, I am working on an exit strategy if needs be, although the best thing right now is to say if something DOES go wrong, go to the Discord!  I'm looking into setting up a Mastodon as a backup--I can't go back to Tumblr cause they're assholes, and while I still have archives on HF, FA, and Newgrounds, they're difficult in terms of maintaining a community.  I also have a Pillowfort, but I'm not sure if they're still on an invitee basis or not?  Ah well.

If you're in the $20 merch tier, THIS IS IMPORTANT!

Something changed after last year with the merch offered, and they deleted the mini prints as an option.  Meaning I had to delete the merch and reset it for the new merch this year.  I don't currently know if this resets the standing one has in the tier or not.  On the upside, instead of sticker-mini print-sticker-poster, the tier is now sticker-poster-sticker-poster!
If you're looking to join the merch tier, now's a good time. XD  I can confirm at least one of the posters will be last month's Sakeko stretch goal!

Once again everyone, thank you all for being so amazing and supportive, even when I've been a bit quiet lately!   It'll get better as my brain comes back again.  I hope this year will be an amazing one, or at least better for all of you.  I hope that everyone who is struggling will be able to regain a foothold, even if only it's one foot at a time!  Thank you again!

~Abysmal0