I'll take Potpourri for 1000, Alex.

While I'm waiting for a report to download on a very quiet day at work, a few things to update on...

1) This last weekend I took Friday off (see next point) and decided to be productive artistically. Although I wasn't as productive as I had hoped, I did finish a painting that I had been needing to finish (I'll post a picture once the owner picks it up) and I made a random comic strip. (Oh, I also did a pet portrait for a friend for a Christmas present, so after Christmas I'll post the ones I did. Don't want to spoil Christmas, now do we?) My friends Jeremy and Talon, who I met at Emerald City Comicon last year through my then boyfriend, have a webcomic site called Jumpkick Studio. They're very funny and very random. They told me I was welcome to give them a strip to post, so seeing as I had some time on my hands I came up with a very stupid joke but it made me snicker a lot, so that's all that counts. It feels really great having something actually posted online now. I've been blogging, talking and thinking about webcomics for quite a while, and now I actually have some tangible proof that I can do this. The comic I'm working on with my brother is a) not in the same style artistically, b) not a gag-a-day strip and c) not being published anytime soon (see point 3), so I have a fully renewed respect for people who make gag-a-days. It is HARD. But it made me want to try more, so maybe I'll give the guys at Jumpkick strips more often. It's a nice exercise in the mix of drawing, comedy and timing.

2) I turned 25 this weekend. I felt my artistic soul crying out for some attention, so I decided to take Friday off to celebrate and relax. It ended up being the perfect day to turn into a 3-day weekend as the work load was very light with Thanksgiving coming up (I know that doesn't make a ton of sense, but this year they put a ton of coupons at the beginning of the month, so the holiday ads aren't as bad). It was so nice to sleep in and catch up on some TV shows while drawing and painting. And my room mate was gone for the weekend as well, so it was very quiet in Casa de Beryl (Beth + Cheryl). I feel the need to reflect on 25 years on this planet, as a quarter of a century is a weird thing. A friend of mine wished me a happy birthday on my facebook wall by saying "hope it's just a good as 24 was." Yeah, well I really hope for more than that because 24 was not so great. My 24th year (forgive the math metaphor from a non-mathy) was a parabola - started high, hit rock bottom, then came up again. 24 was the year I completely started over; it was about as rock-bottom as I have been. It started great - wonderful boyfriend, fun job, hope of moving to Bellingham... but part way through I lost everything I was planning for - no boyfriend, no job, no real future to look forward and no spiritual life to speak of . It was a "how did I let it get this bad" kind of year. But God is faithful even when we are not and pulled me out. The tail end of 24 brought me a wonderful job with a steady and decent income (I've actually been here for 3 months today!), a beautiful apartment with one of my favorite people, a great church community in working with the high school group, friends who have stuck by me and listened to my whining, and a renewed hope that everything is going to be alright. I still have a lot of stuff to work though - turning 25 doesn't magically make life perfect (why do I hear a resounding amen?). Turning 25 doesn't actually change anything. But it does give me a chance to reflect on God's great mercies over the past year and a bit. I may not have reacted well to a lot of (most) events this past year, but God knows what he is doing, and I can't wait to see where he takes me next. Here's my big goal for 25: start publishing my webcomic on a regular basis before I turn 26. Which leads me to...

3) Periodically I get a story update from Ben. A few months ago we worked out the whole back story, then today he was stuck with a particular story element and we ended up working out a lot more of it and hammering out some character stuff. I am so incredibly excited for this story. It may not be 100% original - because what is anymore? - but I think it is creative in how it deals with events and characters. I hope they feel real to you. I hope you are intrigued with what events they find themselves facing. I hope you fall in love with this story, because I know I have. I tweeted earlier today "Every time [Ben] and I discuss story points for our comic I get so excited I forget I have to draw the thing. Not bad, just....long." I stand by this statement, although it might sound like I don't want to draw the thing. I do! But I keep imagining this in novel form. Then I remember that I have to figure out formats and pacing and actually sit down and draw this out. It excites me, but terrifies me at the same time. I'm a big picture kind of gal and like to know and see an end point. The end point is very, very far away. But I also can't help but think of how exciting it will be to have it finished, and what an accomplishment that will be. I finished a panel last night, and really can't wait to keep diving in.

As the wise sage, Pixar, once said: Adventure is out there!!!!