Habits, habits

Posted by jupe

I need to form the habits again to be posting every single day.

It’s amazing how when you stop doing something for as little a time as a week, the habit just falls away. I was writing and drawing everyday and posting both and then after the week before Christmas, stopped. I will commit to this again.

On the drawing front, I actually HAVE been drawing on a daily basis, but I just haven’t been posting anything for it. I’m working on the Surge still and I’ve finally finished the concept drawings for Toronto Comix vol 2. I just haven’t been posting them because I’ve actually been ill the last few days.

Even as I type this right now, I have the chills while sweating.

Last night, we took the tree down and I did a good chunk of the work while sitting. Sweeping and bending over took a lot out of me and when it came time for bed, I passed right out.  I had another cramp attack earlier that day, too, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as before, which leads me to believe that it might’ve been a symptom of what I have, considering that Alex had the same cramps a couple days ago.

Or, it was psychosomatic.

Anyway, Alex came home early yesterday to get Nick to Beavers because there was no way in hell I was in any condition to drive.

Today was garbage day and we didn’t get anything out last night. I was in no condition to carry anything up and down stairs and I can’t really blame Alex for not wanting to be alone in taking out all that trash.  Instead, still sick, I took the trash out today. We missed recycling again.

Sunday was a great day. I went to Cindy’s house for a few hours and blended/carded some fibre I’ve been meaning to take care of for a long time, now. I also did some work on a sock that’s been a WIP but put it down after about five rows out of frustration of fucking up. When I got home, I had to cook dinner, and the rest of the evening was spent playing Grey Warden Sparkletwat in DA:O.

That’s that, I suppose. I’m going to get some drawing done, fold some laundry, then stretch out and try to recover until I need to get Nick from school. I have to cook dinner again tonight and I just feel like shit. Still, I have to do it.

Feh.

This bug just won’t go away.

Posted by jupe

I swear, I’ve been sick for a couple weeks, now, and it’s driving me crazy.  It’s getting better, I’ll admit, but it still sucks.

Got a few things to do today. We visit Lisa and Blah tomorrow so we’ll need to get Soleil’s Christmas present sorted. I had plans to knit her an adorable doll but just didn’t have the time with the funeral a week before the holidays. She’ll have to settle for a care package and something new handknit for her birthday, instead.

It’s been awhile since I got groceries, too, and it’s starting to become evident whenever I look in the fridge.  Time to stock up.

Nick starts school on Monday. I can’t wait. Monday means gym time again, which also means a completely different streaming schedule. I’ll have to sit down and plan everything accordingly.  I might nix on the classes for a little while, except the Wednesday class and maybe the Tuesday class, and focus on my running and strengthening. I have a lot of weight to lose and I want to do it in the most enjoyable manner, possible.

 

I missed a day!

Posted by jupe

Not that anyone reads this, hahaha, but yeah. I missed yesterday. You know, it completely slipped my mind, but to make up for it, I have some pics to show off. I inked for a good four hours yesterday and am going to spend a generous chunk of today inking, too.

I also got the chance to play with my new copic markers the other night. I drew a simple Ivy and Harley picture and did some experimentation.  I think paper will have a lot to do with it, though this sketchbook has 60 lb paper. Regardless, I’m going to give it a try on my mixed media paper to see how that works out. It’s definitely a thicker grade paper and will probably retain the ink better.

I just need to figure out what I want to draw on it.

In other news, nothing really is going on. I have to do groceries and I have to run a couple errands, but they can wait until after I finish all my drawing for the day. We have no plans for tonight and no plans for tomorrow, as per the norm. Maybe I’ll make Chinese food tomorrow to carry on my grandmother’s New Years traditions.

Yesterday was a bad day, emotionally. I felt like complete shit for the majority of the day and it only started to lift later in the evening, somewhat.

Anyway, that’s all for now. I’ll upload some art as separate posts to fill in the appropriate days.

I assure you, I HAVE been drawing daily

Posted by jupe

I’ve been drawing everyday, I promise. I’m just doing so traditionally and am not posting them online as of yet.  I’ve been working on Toronto Comix vol 2 and on the Red Surge. I need to delegate my time for each to feel productive, though.  I’ll likely do some streaming to the Red Surge later, so don’t fret. I’ll also post some preview thumbs to see.

What’s been going on? Well, I finally got my copic markers and a travel case for my art supplies for when I leave the house. That way, everything is in one package that I can grab and go with. I also rearranged my desk! My printer and scanner are on the top shelf, along with my art books and art supplies. The bottom area, which is the main area, has the laptop, the light pad, the tablet, and the copics.

I also have a yarn bowl on the main table part which I’ll use next time I have time to knit. Tonight is knit night and I won’t be going. Quel suprise.

Today’s agenda: do Rusty’s laundry, as he wet the bed again, and draw. Story of my life!

Damnit!

Posted by jupe

I think I’m coming down with my kids’ cough.  I was actually up at 5:30 this morning, unable to sleep, no matter how hard I tried. SO, instead of lying there, miserable, I came downstairs and worked a bit on The Red Surge. I was back up within about an hour and finally fell asleep until both boys were awake at 9:30. Damned kids just haven’t been wanting to go to sleep. Nick was up as late as 11pm and, as usual, we had to lose our shit at him before he went to sleep.

I just don’t get it; the little fuckers just don’t care. They only understand the “lose my shit” tone of voice and then get mad at me that I yelled. If only their hearing could pick up on the twenty thousand fucking times I ask them to do something NICELY.

 

Nick, can you please do this?
Nick? Please can you do the thing?
Nick, please do the thing, honey.
Nick? Nick… please do the thing.
….
(deep breath)
Nicholas, can you please do the thing?
Nick.
Nick!
NICK!
(at this point, he might look at me like a deer in headlights)
NICK! DO THE THING!
(by now, he’s staring at me, bewildered, as though he’s only started to hear me speak to him)
NICK! GET UP AND DO THE THING RIGHT NOW!

and at this point, “OKAY! OKAY! GEEZ!”

Really? Holy fuck.

Anyway, another day with the kids; Alex is bottling beer with Rob and starting a new brew. Five hours…

 

I slept wrong on my back last night, too. My right shoulder is excruciating right now. Stupid pinched nerve.

Today’s agenda: more drawing.

Merry Christmas!

Posted by jupe

It’s been a very Christmasy past two days.  We went to my cousin’s house for Christmas Eve and had an epic snowball fight in her basement with these soft handmade snowballs brought by Les’ friend. We were all laughing hysterically and nobody was safe. It was awesome.

The kids got to open their gifts and Nick and Rusty were given some pretty neat gifts. We got home late, as always, but it was a great day.

Today was another Christmasy day. My kids got up at 9 and we all came downstairs and opened some gifts. I got a new desk, a new light table for tracing, and a small package of goodies from my mom, including PJs, a gorgeous sheep sweater, and some bits and pieces.  Alex enjoyed the West Germany stein I got him and I think he’s looking forward to the Tesla test drive I arranged for him.

Anyway, it’s been a long day. We ate dinner at Stewart and Joanne’s place and all of us are STUFFED. It was delicious.

Tonight is more unwinding and then bed. I hope the kids let me sleep. Alex is off till Monday and we’ll have a quiet holiday at home.

I’m glad to be home.

Posted by jupe

My Thunder Bay trip was anything but happy, I’m sad to say.  As anyone who reads this blog might know, I had to leave quite abruptly last Wednesday because my grandmother was doing very poorly.  I went straight from the airport to see her and she seemed okay for the night. My mother spent the night on Wednesday and I returned Thursday morning ahead of schedule when she called me in a panic.

In true Molly fashion, my grandmother hung on as long as she could, but her breathing was intermittent and her oxygen levels were very low.  She was also unable to drink or eat anything and couldn’t take an IV because her organs were rejecting all fluids. She died Thursday night with me and my mom at her side, each of us holding one of her hands.

The next several days were a shitstorm of emotion, fighting with my mother, fighting with Alex after he flew in, and dealing with ALL THE FUCKING DRAMA. I cried not only from my grief, but also from how everyone wanted a piece of me; everyone wanted me to take their side… and I felt like none of the people who wanted a piece of me even gave a fuck that I lost one of the most important people in my life.

BUT, I took a page from Molly’s book and pushed forward. I couldn’t hide my tears nor cry in private like she did, but I endured, as I always do, and after a rollercoaster finale to the trip, finally made it back home.

I send all my love to all the people back home who put up with my emotional state and who supported me. I apologise to all the people I pissed off or pushed too far. What matters most to me is I’m back home.  The world seems a little darker now that she’s gone but I know she’ll be part of me for the rest of my life, and I’ll be sure to teach my kids what she taught me.

I love you, Grandma.

It probably won’t be long, now.

Posted by jupe

My grandmother made it through the night, though I had nightmares all night about her death and fighting with my mom — yelling, screaming matches with her.  It’s a recurring theme in my nightmares but it’s just not a good time for them to crop up. I was up at 7:15 this morning and out the door by 8. On the way, my mom said that my grandmother was dying so I skipped getting the rental car and went straight there, only to find my grandmother in the same state as when I left her.

SO, I stayed, relaxed, held her hand, and eventually napped.

Sam showed up with her mom awhile later and I got my rental car, picked up Daryl, and we had lunch. I gave Daryl our old Blu-Ray player, so she should enjoy that, I”m sure.

I then spent more time with my grandmother and decided to head back to Carol’s to get my laptop — only to find a fucking parking ticket. My first parking ticket, and it alleges that I was parked in front of someone’s driveway, which, I don’t fucking know. I thought I was clear of driveways, but apparently not. I understand the parking authority there are a bunch of assholes, anyway, and it shouldn’t really be much of a surprise.

Fuckers.

Anyway, I have a couple stops to make, but then I’m headed back to see my grandmother and I’ll at least be able to work on a couple comics in the meantime. The Red Surge is surging ahead of me and there’s a lot of inking that I need to catch up on. At least I don’t have the distractions of children here, and I can sit and work quietly when I need to.

My grandmother’s oxygen is down to 77%, which is really fucking bad — 20% lower than it should be. We’ll see how the rest of the day goes.

Well, at least Monday is over.

Posted by jupe

It was a hell of a day.  The kids were really good for the morning, which was luckily enough to finish my daily drawing, but I sat alone with my thoughts and soon was completely miserable, by my own doing. All the reasons why are in that post I made, yesterday.  Anyway, when the kids were done resting, the sick was replaced with evil and they were back to normal, picking on each other till one of them screamed.  Because it took so long for them to get back to health, I hadn’t done my errands. Who wants to drag two kids around who are throwing up and pissing out their butts? Not me.

Anyway, I made dinner and called Alex, who picked up gifts for Beaver Scouts last night and he met me, albeit late, after a nasty exchange on the phone on the way.

Nick was really into the visit from Santa and Rusty hid behind me from Santa, but when Santa gave him a gift, Rusty said “Thank you”, which is a huge step, as he’s never said it before.

Alex joined us when the kids were eating snacks and he and I were civil again, thankfully. He wanted to go back to work but was really kind to let me drive out to see my friends at knit night. By the time I got there, they were waiting for the bill, but nobody had left yet and I was able to give them all a print for Christmas and stay and chat awhile.

I then drove home and told Alex he could head back to work but he decided not to. I could’ve stayed longer.

Ah well.

This morning was awful for getting up. Neither Alex nor I wanted to get up and we barely got Nick out the door. I was left to take care of the garbage by myself, so I did.

Today’s daily drawing is a gift for my son’s principal who likes both dinosaurs and Dr Who. I hope he enjoys it.

Have a great Tuesday!