It's been a mostly garbage year over here, but there are satisfactions and joys, too, for sure.
And thank you extra for sharing about the sketching - it was a factor in me deciding to take up watercolors (last week). Last time I used watercolors was probably high school, and I was objectively bad at them. I lean so hard toward things I will excel in... So taking up something that I can't just lever into place by force of will - and that I can't 'fix' by editorial correction or overworking - is definitely an accomplishment. Satisfying, so far.
I'm sorry it has been a garbage year, Heather. I'm sending you a hug and my hopes for easier days ahead. Re: the sketching -- I'm thrilled you're playing with watercolors. I, too, lean so hard toward things I excel in, which is why the big accomplishment for me isn't the sketching, it's ATTEMPTING to sketch in the first place. Most of my sketchbook is blobs of paint, lines, just experiments with the brush and colors, colored pencils, whatever I have sitting around. It's a mess, which frees me to keep playing around.
Thanks, as always, for something to think about. I’ve gotten to know our neighbors better with our little democracy group, and I was touched to be taken up on my offer of help to my son’s friend’s (undocumented) parents — and that an immigration lawyer whose kids went to school with our older ones helped this family for free. There were beautiful things among all the horror. Now to fix things so that this kind of governance, if you can call it that, can never happen again.
A beautiful and terrible year is a great way to describe it. These are good reflection questions, thanks Asha. Happy new year!
You've given me so much to reflect on this last year, I'm glad I could return the favor. Happy new year back to you.
❤️🫶
It's been a mostly garbage year over here, but there are satisfactions and joys, too, for sure.
And thank you extra for sharing about the sketching - it was a factor in me deciding to take up watercolors (last week). Last time I used watercolors was probably high school, and I was objectively bad at them. I lean so hard toward things I will excel in... So taking up something that I can't just lever into place by force of will - and that I can't 'fix' by editorial correction or overworking - is definitely an accomplishment. Satisfying, so far.
I'm sorry it has been a garbage year, Heather. I'm sending you a hug and my hopes for easier days ahead. Re: the sketching -- I'm thrilled you're playing with watercolors. I, too, lean so hard toward things I excel in, which is why the big accomplishment for me isn't the sketching, it's ATTEMPTING to sketch in the first place. Most of my sketchbook is blobs of paint, lines, just experiments with the brush and colors, colored pencils, whatever I have sitting around. It's a mess, which frees me to keep playing around.
Thanks, as always, for something to think about. I’ve gotten to know our neighbors better with our little democracy group, and I was touched to be taken up on my offer of help to my son’s friend’s (undocumented) parents — and that an immigration lawyer whose kids went to school with our older ones helped this family for free. There were beautiful things among all the horror. Now to fix things so that this kind of governance, if you can call it that, can never happen again.
Thank you! This is really helpful. I've been frozen in all of the world's horribleness, and these prompts are helping me to get moving again.