Don’t fall into the trap of comparing the 100% of your life that you know with the 10% or 25% or even 50% of someone else’s life that you can see. Social media and the internet in general is the worst for this, but it happens in real life too…you’ll see someone’s successes and not see their hardships. We do this naturally as human beings. We don’t put our chronic diseases, our divorces, our depressions, our failures, out there for the world to see nearly as much as we celebrate our wins. You see the artist suddenly getting all the book cover commissions, but you don’t see that they’re stuck in the house 5 out of 7 days with Crohn’s Disease. You see someone get into Spectrum or American Illustration, but you don’t see that they’re going through a period of depression and intense dissatisfaction with their work to the point that they haven’t made anything new in six months. You see the concept artist working on a bunch of big movies, but you don’t see them struggling with overwork injuries. The key here is to just assume, just know, that you’re not seeing the whole story. Don’t compare your lows to another person’s highs.

By Poem for your Sprog

If you should fray, or fall apart,
In any where or when -
I'll always try, with all my heart,
To make you whole again.

But if you choose to fall behind,
And break and shake to bits -
The day may come where I won't find
A single piece that fits.

Vector Icon for Clarity

Guide: http://blog.spoongraphics.co.uk/tutorials/create-a-vibrant-abstract-vector-design-illustrator

"Find the Secret Service Agents"

Mindscrew

Apparently this is also a movie. AHH!

Cuddle Cats

Snoozing away, not a care in the world!

Cracked Log Stool... with lights!

While browsing Decoist, I found this cool looking stool made out of a stump of wood. The designer embedded LED lights inside it. I'd love to put something like this in my home if it weren't $640.

It GLOWS!

The photo makes it look like the LED lights are the warm gold kind. It makes it look like golden evening sunlight. So soothing!

Source: http://duncanmeerding.bigcartel.com/product/stump-table-stool-light

Awaiting December

I'm absolutely psyched to get next year's planner! I keep looking on the Moleskine/Leuchtturm websites to see if they have any cool 18-month planners coming out soon. Ideally, if I could grab a medium or large (NOT pocket-sized) planner with a unique cover, I'd do it. Moleskine does those but Leuchtturm has cooler colors. Aah! So excited!

I personally prefer the "weekly planner & notebook" types. They have the weekly view on the left, starting with Monday at the top and Saturday/Sunday at the bottom. On the right page would be a blank page where I can put in all my notes. For me, I put in reminders for the next week, or a task list. It's seriously helped me remember things. Prior to that, I'd be depending solely on my own very faulty memory! I have no idea how I survived thus far without properly using a planner!

Here's a comparison between the two (photos from Google image):

Moleskine Weekly Planner & Notebook

Leuchtturm1917 Weekly Planner & Notebook

I suppose they don't look too different.

Currently, I have the Moleskine planner. I was an idiot and didn't read the measurements so I was in for a shock when I opened up my package and found a teeny tiny little pocket Moleskine planner instead of the bigger one I was expecting! I love it though and I will definitely get one again in the future.

For 2016-2017, I think I will try the Leuchtturm planner to compare.

"The Effects of Working in Customer Service as a Sensitive Person"

I still have feelings (hopefully), somewhere deep down inside, hidden under the layers and layers of emotional calluses. One day, I'll be myself again. It'll take some time, but I'll be fine eventually. I hated it while I was in it, but it's already happened, so there's nothing more to do than to take the experience and grow from it. I know I'm stronger now, but there are still negative effects I have to shed. That'll take time, but eventually I'll be okay again. Step one is to get out of the negative influence, and the rest will follow.

Don't mind me, just giving myself a pump-up speech... a much needed one! I haven't felt this alive for what feels like years. Maybe it's what I needed to make me open my eyes.

I never would have been able to think this way. Not even last week. There was no shred of hope or positivity, just dread, stress, anxiety and a whole load of other unhealthy things. I've needed this break for a long time, but in retrospect I think it was good that I'd had to wait this long. Kind of like when you don't shower for a week, the relief when you finally get to shower and wash all of that coagulated sweat and grime off you, suddenly you have a new appreciation for showers. It's not like you particularly enjoy being filthy and you probably wouldn't want to do that again though.

Watercolor Progress

It makes me feel so satisfied to finish a doodle... here are some recent ones, from least recent to most recent. I started maybe a year ago and do one from time to time.

Goldfish

Lizard Charmander

A fox

Another fox

Warring Kingdoms Lux skin concept (League of Legends)

Shiba Inu

Still feeling my way around watercolor. My favorite thing about it is putting something on a blank piece of paper, and suddenly, it becomes something.