2009: A retrospective glance and a look ahead.

*RENEWAL*

What can I say about 2009? It wasn’t a great year. Then again, 2009 was a year that was fruitful and productive and full of many lessons. I have nothing against 2009 but I’m certainly glad it’s over with. As a matter of fact, I don’t know a lot people who have had many good things to say about 2009. It was just one of those years I guess that is what happens in the times of an economic recession.

That being said, I’m the type of person who—when faced with obstacles—tries even harder to be productive. In January, when freelance jobs were at an all time low, I began to draw. I began to draw a lot. I started a blog, and for 2 or 3 weeks, I posted on a daily basis. Since then, it hasn’t been daily, but I still post—at the very least—a couple of times a month. As a result of this creative fertility, I’ve honed my skills and was able to build upon my illustrative style. I will continue to do so throughout 2010.

I have many goals for 2010, and although they are not written in stone, they are merely “tentative hopes”. I don’t like committing myself to any kind of resolution. The idea of a “resolution” just gives way to disappointment. Really though, how many “resolutions” are actually kept and executed each year? I would like to read some kind of annual report!

Here are a few of my hopes for 2010:

To READ MORE – I love reading, but I never give myself the chance to get into a good book. It only takes, what, 10 pages to get hooked? I gotta give myself those 10 pages!

Not that I watch a lot of TV but I would like to have it turned off more often.

Recycle more and do more to better our planet. We do compost but the rest of our recycling could be better. As well, I’d like to eat more organic and sustainable foods and eat less red meat.

Draw more! I would like to be as enveloped by drawing as I was at the beginning of 2009.

Eat healthier and just maybe, lose some weight as a result. * I’m very happy with who I am but I wouldn’t complain if I shed a few pounds.*

Quit smoking! There, I said it. Yes, I am a smoker. *Don’t be too disappointed in me. I carry enough disappointment for all of us.* I’ve been able to quit twice before. Once for a year and a half. The other time for 9 months. I know I (we) can do it again, but it is a slippery slope if you let yourself fall victim to the addiction.

So, there you go! My tentative list of hopes for 2010! It’s going to be a great year and I wish the very same for all of you!

Happy 2010 people! I hope this decade doesn’t go as quickly as the last. Let’s savour it!

Tags: 2009, 2010, blog, draw, drawing, economic, food, fruitful, Health, healthier, hopes, illustration, illustration friday, illustrative, lessons, New Years, organic, planet, post, productive, read, reading, recycle, Renewal, resolution, style, sustainable, TV

Ohhh Winter!

Winter is here and last weekend, we had the pleasure of having our windshield wiper arm break on us.

Yay for winter!

Actually, of all the things that could have happened, I’m glad it was only the wiper arm.

I hope everyone has a safe winter of driving!

Tags: cold, drawing, driving, flake, illustration, rain, snow, windshield, winter

So, you see, Santa…

It’s so hard to believe that the holidays are only weeks away!

I am someone who always tries to remain positive at all times. However, during the December holidays, this can be a little more challenging. The stress of organizing, preparing, budgeting, and traveling can be quite stressful. This is especially stressful, when everyone else is doing so at the same time.

Don’t get me wrong, I do love the holidays. I love the idea of having a little time off, only to share it with family and friends. Nothing else. Just that.

This year, Iain and I will be traveling to my hometown for the holidays. This will be a nice treat since I haven’t been home to celebrate the holidays with my family in 2 years. While we’re in Charlottetown, our intention is to first, take it easy; to let all the struggles of 2009 slip away. Then I’d like for us to hang out with my Mom, sister and nieces and nephews. I’d also like to hangout with good friends, drink lots of egg nog, go to our favorite pubs, eat at our favorite Chinese restaurant, etc. etc. etc. Then, do it all over again with our friends and family in Halifax!

And, along with all that, I would just like for us to have a safe trip and for everyone to be happy and healthy.

This goes for all of you, as well. Have a safe, happy and healthy holiday!

Tags: budgeting, Charlottetown, Christmas, drawing, drink, egg nog, family, food, friends, gifts, Halifax, happy, healthy, holidays, illustration, illustrator, Nova Scotia, organizing, PEI, preparing, safe, Santa Claus, shopping, stress, traveling

Lest We Forget

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine came to visit me. With her she brought some things of mine that my Mother had sent wtih her.
Recently, my mother sold the family home and moved into an apartment. Before doing so, she had saved some boxes for me. In these boxes was a ton of long-forgotten things such as notes from friends in Jr. High, drawings and postcards from my niece and this: a drawing that I had given my Grandfather for Remembrance Day.
Read more…

Tags: child, drawing, family, grandfather, Lest We Forget, November, Remembering, Remembrance Day, veterans

Happy Birthday Sesame Street!

It’s amazing to think that when I was born, Sesame Street had already been around for 10 years.

I thought I would—along with Sesame Street—pay tribute to Mr. Hooper. If you’re my age or older, you’ll remember him. The keeper of Hooper’s Store, and maker of Birdseed Milkshakes. He was Big Bird’s best friend and by far, one of my favorites on Sesame Street. If there was one moment in all of my hours of watching television as a child, that has effected me most, it was when Mr. Hooper died. Even to watch the clip on youtube, stills brings tears to your eyes. Sesame Street had made his death very much a reality for it’s young viewers.

Even for the remainder of my Sesame Street days (and beyond) I continued to miss him.

Can’t you just picture him Sweepin’ the clouds away?

Happy Birthday Sesame Street!

Tags: Big Bird, Birdseed, Caroll Spinney, childhood, children's television workshop, Death, died, drawing, Hooper's Store, illustration, Milkshake, Mr. Hooper, Sesame Street, television, Will Lee

Golf Digest

Tags: character, comic, digest, funny, golf, guy, humorous, illustration, slack, sport, unicorn

Bionic Kitty

Tags: bionic, cat, cute, funny, humor, illustration, kitten, kitty, man, retro, robot, show, six-million-dollar, technology, television

The Fall of the Berlin Wall

As most of you know, this upcoming Monday will mark the 20th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

I remember this day so vividly. It was a sunny evening, and my Dad had just arrived home. He’d been away for work. As always, I was so excited to see him when he came home (and to see what he brought me). There on the living room floor sat his bag, a newspaper and a bottle of coke. Dad was an avid reader of newspapers and always picked them up wherever he went.

On this particular day, he’d brought home a newspaper (which he’d probably picked up at the airport) and I still remember looking at it with such curiosity and with overall good feelings. The people from East Germany had been freed by the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Tags: berlin, child, childhood, communism, dad, east-germany, father, free, freedom, illustration, iron-curtain, memories, newspaper, oppression, people, USSR, wall, west-germany

IF: Skinny

Here is my entry for Illustration Friday: Skinny. I’m about 1 week and several hours late, but I had some issues and had to upgrade my version of Wordpress. Better late than never, right?

It always surprises me at how some people strive to keep up with the Jones’. The efforts they put forth to look like how they think they should look. These efforts are painful and very unnecessary. What’s wrong with being yourself? It’s much more comfortable and people generally don’t care if you’re wearing the latest fashion trend or accessory.

However, if being yourself includes being exhausted from walking in 4 inch stiletto heels, that is totally cool! Just don’t ask me to rub your  mangled and callused feet. Blech!

Tags: fashion, heels, illustration, illustration friday, jeans, skinny, stiletto

Nieces and Nephews!

Some people collect coins. Others, stamps. I collect nieces and nephews. Fortunately, for me, my sister allows me to do just that. I dare say though, that baby #4 will complete my collection.

Today, we are expecting the birth of my sister’s 4th child. This baby will mark her 4th consecutive birth in just under 19 years. This new baby will have many loving people in it’s life, including brothers, Casey, 3 and Blake, 10 and sister, Kelsey, 18. I suppose that there is a bright side to spreading them out as she has done; I can only hope that she may have more helping hands than needy ones.

Nieces and nephews are great! They’re the closest thing to your own children—without having your own children.  It’s like getting a weekly pay cheque without even going to work!

I was 10 years old when my niece made her way into the world. My parents allowed me to stay home from school that day so that I could be on standby for that oh-so-important phone call. I still remember getting the call shortly after 2:00 that January afternoon. You can imagine my excitement when I learned that I had a new baby niece; someone who would look up to me. In actuality, she’s always been like a sister to me. God knows, we’ve tormented the hell out of each other over the years.

Since my niece’s arrival, I’ve been blessed with two nephews; Blake and Casey. Blake is a rough and tumble boy with a heart bigger than most. Casey, is much like his older brother and then again, he and I are kind of like strangers to one another (that is the downside of living away from them). However, I love him just as much as the other two and I plan to love the new addition just as much!

…I just got word that my sister had a baby girl.

Welcome, Baby Girl Gallant!

Tags: , aunt, aunthood, birth, children, illustration, kids, life, mother, nephews, nieces, parents, sister