Steamrolled by November

This time of year is so weird

Anybody else feel like they’re not sure how we got through the first third of November already? I have that feeling like I’m driving a well-known route and suddenly realize I have no memory of a big chunk of the drive. How did I get here? Did I run any red lights?

Between my own challenges with seasonal affective disorder, all the angst about the US election, and lots of behind-the-scenes changes with Realm Makers, I am feeling off balance, but the good news is, I’ve been moving forward with several projects.

1.) While I’m waiting for the edits on The Rending Cauldron, I started another Windrider book (#4 in that series.) A whole three or four people have been waiting to see what kind of hammer falls on Vinyanel for too long, so I’m hoping to be able to crank through this book, since it should be less complicated and about half the length of TRC. It’s also fun to be able to channel some of my crankiness into that book.

2.) Drawings! I’ve been back in the saddle with my ancient Wacom Cintiq, which I rigged to allow me to stand while drawing. My goal is to at least use the artwork on my website, but maybe also on the coming Kickstarter. Here’s a little sample of what’s been happening in that department:

The nice thing about drawing is I can do it even if I have brain fog (which I have a LOT of the time in the fall/winter.) Drawing doesn’t feel like work right now, which is a big step in healing for me from the burnout I suffered a little over 5 years ago.

As many of you who’ve been following me a while know, November is a month laden with hard memories, with too many deaths in the family falling in this month over the years. I have told myself I’m not going to do any “this is the day ____ died” anymore. These kinds of reminders don’t move me forward. I’d much rather remember good times with those that I’ve lost, so that’s what I’m going to try to do. Hopefully nobody close to me will hold it against me that I can’t do dispirited rituals of remembrance from here on. We all grieve differently, but grieving can’t be forever.

Today, I am choosing to be thankful for the projects I’m able to chip away at, for fuzzy socks, and cats, even if one of them keeps throwing up every brand of cat food we try to transition in. I hope each of you has a little list of things to be grateful for. Most of all, today I’m grateful for forward motion, however incremental.