So... why journalling online?
I've always been into journalling/keeping a diary! I don't have the best memory, so it's really fun for me to keep one to look back on. My oldest diary that I still have is from when I was in 2nd-3rd grade, but I for sure had ones older than that (does anyone remember password diaries that were voice activated?? me and my sister could never get ours to work!)
For a while in my early 20s I kept a sort of vent journal but it was making me have a negative association with journalling because I'd only ever write when I was really upset. And to be fair, it kept me from saying nasty things and would actually calm me down, but it was upsetting to re-read later after I had gotten over whatever was bothering me, and made me feel like all I ever wrote about was what was upsetting me, which tended to suck me into a depressive spiral. Like, it made me feel like 'wow, can I write about the good things too? If anyone else read this they'd think my life is awful and I'm always miserable! But I have things to be grateful for, right??'
There's plenty of real problems in the world to be upset about, without a doubt, far beyond my own personal problems! But there's so much good that's worth talking about and sharing, too.
Goals and concepts for this space?
I want this to be a space where I can ramble about anything (I am very good at that.). I don't want it to be strictly a journal about my own day to day, but also stuff about whatever shows or books I'm into, little mini tribute/shrine pages, the occasional rants, my various hobbies... lots of things! Anything! Art, animals, what projects I'm working on, random rabbit holes I'm falling into...
I've noticed I have a habit of sectioning off my hobbies into their respective 'zones'- my instagram is JUST for my art; I have an art tumblr for the same, but a separate blog for fanfic, and another for my comic, then another for my main thoughts and personal stuff and reblogs and like... this will be an 'everything goes' place! The goal is to post a few times a month- once a week might be too ambitious, so I'll say maybe my tentative goal is twice a month for now? I want to be realistic, but also keep this as a pretty lowkey little hobby that I'm not stressed over up keeping. I want to have fun with it!
Anyway, that's all I have to say for the intro! I hope anyone reading this will enjoy it as much as I hope that I'll have fun writing for it!
2024 was a good year for my art!! This year I:
this was a particular highlight for crafts this year! taking a lil kitty toy and making it into aqua's kitty robot form ^_^ (giant godzilla for scale but also because they're friends)
I like to consider what I want to do going into the new year, art-wise, and I’ve been thinking about it for a few weeks as the year wraps up. I don’t want to be too strict or hold myself too hard to any goals I set…
Something I’ve been thinking about (or, maybe worrying myself in circles about??) Is how SLOW the webcomic progress feels. One page a week means roughly 2 ½ chapters a year. If I’m right, it should end up being around 50 chapters, give or take a few. At the current pace that would take 20 YEARS?? Like, I know, reasonably, there are webcomics that have gone on for 10+ years, but my goodness… It freaks me out to think about the passage of time. Like, it’s a constant source of anxiety for me! I get frustrated, thinking ‘I should be faster’, and something I have to constantly remind myself is that with big comic and manga series, there’s usually entire teams behind them inking, toning, coloring, lettering… it’s not usually one person doing everything, and when it is- a lot of the time it's the person’s full time job. And yet my brain wants to hold me to those standards!
If I could somehow crank out a full chapter every month, that would be 12 chapters released a year, and roughly 4 years of time the thing would take overall- which feels a lot more reasonable to my brain. Is there a way I could realistically do that without burning out or hurting myself a la carpal tunnel? I’m…not really sure. If there’s something I can do to streamline the process, I want to consider it. But until then, I’ll try to continue on with the one page a week and being kind to myself even if I feel like it’s going slow!
For other 2025 art goals… I would LOVE to do more IRL crafts. More watercolors and some crayon drawings (I have a huge pack of crayons I haven’t even touched in my craft drawer!!) really, I just want to work with the craft stuff I already have but don’t use a ton.
I also want to learn to sew with a machine! I’ve handsewed some stuff before, but I feel like learning with a machine would really be useful and a lot faster!! Of course I have to save up and research which machines are easiest for beginners and also durable first, but at some point in 2025 I want to at least get started on that! I found a place in town that offers lessons for that AND painting lessons, and I’ve never had formal classes for that sort of thing so I’d really love to check the prices on those and maybe attend a class or two!!
I made the poncho thing here when I saw chappell last year !
and this jacket and bowtie! the sequins were soo tedious, and while I think I'd still have to do those by hand probably, a sewwing machine would've sped up the other details, esp the sleeves...
The same would be true for woodworking… I’ve always admired people who are handy and can build stuff… but there’s no classes for that sort of thing nearby :( I’ve been slowly trying to teach myself more about that too, though. Earlier this year I helped my mom redo her outdoor swing- it's several years old and the cloth seat/backing part dry rotted, so we tore it out and replaced it with wood for the cushions to go over!
I’m also building my nephew a wooden train for christmas…which is ongoing, but I feel like it’s going pretty well so far! It does have me wondering if woodworking is a poor choice for a hobby for impatient people though because wood glue takes 24 hours to cure and I am nothing if not a weekend project hoe. My concept for that is using wooden milk crates for the traincars so he can have a BIG train to put his other toys in and pull around! I’m going to install a bell he can ring and a headlight, and stencil his name on the side when it’s complete. He basically asks for trains every year, so I wanted to make a one of a kind one!! I can’t really start the fun part (painting, decorating) until the wood glue is all done curing, though. -_-
(I actually took him on a real train ride a few weeks ago and it was delightful. 10/10 America get more passenger trains NOW!!)
IRL crafts aside, I really want to do more digital zines in 2025! I love free, smaller scale collaborative ones. When I first started entering zines online, I pretty much only applied for ones that had a limit for participant numbers, or were for-profit so there was a lot of pressure to 1. Get accepted and 2. Maintain a high standard. These days, I find myself drawn to the free, anyone can enter ones! It’s a lot less pressure and anxiety about being rejected (good for me, a sensitive person) and a lot more chill. The big ones kind of lean towards very… how do I say this.. Marketable styles and people with bigger followings lol? (NO shade, I get why!) Artists of any skill level and many unique styles seem to be in the smaller ones though, and that’s a vibe I love.
I wouldn’t be opposed to hosting/organizing one if I have any fun ideas, either! (actually, fandom-oc ones and magical girls in various fashion decades are two ideas I’ve loosely considered, but are they too self indulgent for me specifically?? I wonder if anyone would want to enter those lol…) either way, if I see any that interest me, I might join in! And if not, I can always make some myself :) I think one centered around oc playlists would be really fun for a solo zine idea and I have a lot of songs I’d associate with them for it!!
I'm not sure if I'll do artfight again in 2025!! save for the last two, I did manage to revenge every attack I got, but I did end up a little overwhelmed lol;; (I don't have that many followers on any given social media so getting almost 40 attacks/revenges is CRAZY??) I would love to if I have time, but I have no clue what I'll have going on around then, so I'm leaving that as a tenative 'maybe' goal! I really only want to do it if I can get back at everyone who draws me something, otherwise I feel guilty ;w;
Anyway, I think that’s about it for realistic art-related goals! I’d love to hear anyone elses goals (they don’t have to be art-related! I do have a few resolutions that aren’t as well x)) happy holidays and happy new year if I don’t write before then! ^_^
AHHH long time no entries!! In my defense, I got Super Sick in February, and most of the month passed in a brainfoggy haze. Many fevers, waking up throwing up, and not being able to breath through my nose. It was pnuemonia + a severe sinus infection and then the first period I've had in months all hitting me at once..
(sidenote: since I finally cracked and bought insurance this year since my job won't provide it, I can actually like..go to the doctor again? wild. It still makes me super uncomfortable- something about being poked and prodded (BIG needle fear, but I can tough it out so long as I don't SEE the syringe, yikes) then having to TALK about things that are bothering me...eugh. I hate it. I always feel weirdly guilty like- am I sick enough to actually warrant this?? (yes, it turns out I was, because I got put on 5-6 different medications and even then, a month later I'm still not 100% better. Also, this is not something I would advise internalizing like I did because it took years to get a lot of my more severe diagnoses because of this mindset... TwT;; if you're sick, go to the doctor, okay?)
ANYWAY due to that, I haven't been drawing a ton, which is always really weird for me. I like drawing as much as I can, but my brain felt too...fizzy to do much of anything. I started playing animal crossing a lot again, which was nice! There's a few item recipes I'm still hunting for, like the bamboo bench (in season right now, so maybe I'll have some luck?), the wooden shop sign (I think it's from jock villagers, and I have none atm!!), and a lot of the zodiac/shooting star recipes... but I completed the fossil part of the museum the other day, and that made me really happy!! My main goal with it right now is to breed every variation of flowers, I'm still missing a few... I want my island to be covered in flowers EVERYWHERE, but at the moment they're in places they shouldn't be, like walkways, just so I can breed them, haha... it looks pretty messy. But when Peachvilla is done, I'll stick the dream address code on this website so you guys can visit! <3
In February, I wanted to make a cute entry on here about looking at my star signs and love compatibility stuff for valentines for fun. Valentines is my FAVORITE holiday, I really adore all the pink and heart shaped stuff... but this year I was too sick to enjoy it or to sit and write anything. I did get some discount candy, which was nice!! Not a ton, since I'm not supposed to eat chocolates... but some gummies!! And eating them kinda hurt, so I really need to make a dentist appointment soon because I'm pretty sure I have a cavity, OTL. my sister's bithday is the week of valentine's too, and I still feel kinda bad I didn't make her a cake (but making someone a cake when you're sick is a Bad Idea right? she was understanding.)
That aside... It's Spring!!! I love Springtime, it's my favorite time of the year, watching everything come alive!!! There's a ton of daffodils sprouting in our yard, (some are even split-cupped!!) and I have a beautiful view of a cluster of them right outside my window. Today it was warm enough to open my window while I worked, something both me and my cat enjoyed together. It seems like more bugs and birds are visiting the feeder and birdbath too, as everything gets greener. :)
everyone say thank you flowers for defeating the seasonal depression
This time of year always makes me want to reinvent myself... and want to fall in love! I'm such a romantic person, I've always wanted to be in love...I get crushes really easily, but the idea of a real relationship can make me sorta sqeamish... some people would say I'm too picky, and that might be true, honestly?
I want to be with someone who buys me flowers and will spend hours thrifting with me, going on little adventures... someone who likes nature too, so we can go on hikes and zoos together... someone who doesn't mind working more than I do and letting me take care of things at home-
(I feel like it's super necessary to put a disclaimer on this one with the rise of tradwife shit: I hate traditonal gender roles, I am not a woman and I say this due to my various medical and mental illnesses, LMAO, I am not trying to be childrearing or pushing on that regressive bs. I do not mean it in a weird way, I just mean any partner I have who wants to be longterm would have to accept that they'd be doing 70% of income earning and I'd be doing 30%. But I'd do the errands and chores to make up for it, yk? I think there'd still be Balance...)
And someone who's thinking about long term, publicly and loudly adoring with words of affirmation! Because I get in my head a lot and worry over so much... But asking for that can be tricky... I feel like being both a lesbian and ace make trying to date in a small town SO hard for a lot of reasons, like...people are still majority conservative republicans here, so a lot of women I've met are just interested in one night stands, and do not want to be public, which is NOT my vibe even if I get why and totally understand...but UGH the idea of long distance does not sit well with me either, as someone whose loves Chilling in person doing lil dates. The crazy thing is, I don't feel like these are even that insane of asks, but if that was true I'd already be in a longterm relationship, right?
When I was younger, I imagined the type of person I'd date would be someone to sweep me off my feet. I guess I never gave up that daydream of a girlknight to my lesbian prince. For now I'll indulge that fantasy with cheesy romance novels.
The funny thing about this is... I'm sorta turning into the person I'd call 'my type'. I love when people are a bit intimidating, but skilled at things like auto repair or woodworking, and passionate about their personal projects... guess what things I've been learning about recently?? Not that I'm an expert at either, but... I've been learning how to maintain my car the last few months, and I did woodworking and wire splicing stuff for my nephew's christmas present... I wouldn't call myself intimidating (I try really hard to be nice!!!) but I've been called that before because I'm quiet and blunt sometimes IRL?? TwT I guess... for someone with a romantic heart, the next best thing to being in love with someone is loving yourself...? It certaintly doesn't hurt- I think having a lot of self worth has saved me from being in a bad situation plently of times.
💙💙💙
On a different note: I've been listening to a lot of crystal castles, Annie Dirusso, and newdad!! It's so nice of some bands to make songs exclusively about my ocs (hahah, but no, really, it's great finding music you can so clearly image AMVs to. hard recommend for all of them.)
Sidenote: despite my town's atrocious politics, I love the nature, a lot of the people who aren't like that, and the slow living vibe...I get kind of irritated when I see posts online that are just like 'gays, move to big cities!! be safe!!" as if... crimes don't happen in big cities?? Telling people to move away from their families and friends is kind of crazy too..I LIKE my town! I want to stay and improve it!! I am well aware of the problems, but I want to be loudly lesbian so others feel comfortable and feel safe!! Also big cities seem so expensive?? 'just move away if you don't like it' is such a nuts take and I hate it. Not everyone has the money or resources to entirely uproot, even if they want to, anyway. Rant of the day OVER lol