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2014: A Year Of Stuff To Come (Need 48 hour days plz)
12 years ago
[rawrness]
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Ok, new year, new stuff!
Or is it more of the same old stuff?
Well, it's a little of both. Sadly, I didn't do very well on my resolutions last year (hell, I didn't even get around to making a journal for them... a feat which I damn near repeated again) so many of those resolutions from last year are the same this year.
Basically, there's a shit-ton of stuff I'd like to do to contribute to the fandom again, like I used to. Before full time jobs, and numerous moves, and life being crazy, and having no free time, I happily drew art and comics and updated my FA and kept up with all that. That was one of the things that gave me joy in the fandom, and sadly, I've been unable to do that for a few years.
So this year, THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT! (or exactly the same, one or the other).
Art:
COMMISSIONS! Not new ones... old ones. Yes, those same old commissions I've had forever. I don't know why people commission me because I really suck at doing them. My habits are pretty damn unprofessional actually. This is what happens when, regrettably, art is not your full time job and source of income (extra motivation).
Anyways, completing commissions as follows: If I miss a date, I will give one more completion date that I consider reasonable depending on circumstances. If I miss that, well... if you notify me and you are interested in a refund, I will give you a two week plan, in which I either drop everything and finish your commission in two weeks or just bite the bullet and issue a refund. No more excuses.
Keep in mind the reason these take forever is I don't have much for free time. My job is demanding and other things come up. Plus I am just not a very good professional artist. I used to be, but now that I have so much more to juggle, I've just been unable or unwilling to make the time. Plus I've always been extremely SLOOOW and meticulous, and a horrible procrastinator and judge of time. This is my attempt to change that. Any patience you still deem fit to display with me is extremely highly appreciated.
It's also possible I may get ahead of schedule. Extremely unlikely, but possible. These dates are not written in stone but serve as a strong guideline for myself so I can have a realistic goal to shoot for. If I can get them done sooner, I will. And as always, I will NEVER sacrifice quality for quick return unless it is specified beforehand.
steviemaxwell - to be completed by Jan 31 - completed Feb 27
thepitifulwriter - to be completed by Feb 14
rainwhisker - to be completed by Mar 1
[FWA and preparing for my performance]
tazel 
tobu 
hixbi.fox 
callsignwolf (flail icons) - to be completed by Mar 30
wyattkelly - to be completed by April 21
Defiant - to be completed by May 30
callsignwolf - to be completed June 15
[AC most likely]
christaphorac - to be completed July 15
[IFC?]
slyknuxdragon - to be completed Aug 31
FLOATING COMMISSIONS (No set due date. Before end of 2014 would be glorious.)
redfoxthebountyhunter
buckhopper
canius
kasekine
christaphorac (payment pending)
That's all the commissions I have left to do. As usual, there will be other stuff interspersed with this. Some FBA stuff. Some personal art (maybe). Band stuff. Other projects. Play time. Time with mate/family/friends. And lots and lots of work. But if I'm able to keep to this schedule, and I complete all my commissions before year's end (and I don't take on any more) then that will be one HUGE success!
Music
If I can manage it around my commissions obligations, 2014 will be the year I really focus on my music and making progress with my band(s). There will of course be the standard couple of shows this year (FWA is one. IFC is most likely the other but we'll see.) But mainly, I want to RECORD. I want to WRITE. I want there to be tons of VIDEOS and PICTURES. I want people to actually want to follow the band, not just because they saw us once or their friends are in it, but because we actually put out GOOD MUSIC and we do so CONSISTENTLY. All my other projects burn out quickly or never get off the ground due to other obligations. I don't want that to be the case with this.
So in 2014, there will be a DELIBERATE, CONCENTRATED FOCUS on CREATING AND RECORDING NEW MUSIC.
It's far too easy for me to sit there and be like "Uhh, well, I don't feel inspired." Inspiration isn't just going to sneak up behind me and smack me on the back of the head. Sometimes I have to help it along. Listen to some inspiring music. Pick up the guitar and pick. Think of music and write it down, or record snippits. I have a ton of half-thought-out soundbites of songs as voice memos on my phone. Time to do something with that. Focus is the key, and actually seeing the process through from start to finish. As more progress is made, the passion will increase, and the product will become better. I don't have to aim for the stars with my very first song, but I have to aim for something. And this year I intend to do that.
These dates aren't specific, but here's a general guideline of what I want to happen, music-wise.
FURRY PUNK ROCK MASSACRE
- Hardcore Punk Cover Double EP release. 2 EPs, 8 min each.
- 10 song EP/LP, our other best punk covers to date (not included on the hardcore album). 28 min.
- 3 song cover EP (to go alongside another planned project). Just 5 min. For the lols.
- 2 Original music EPs (aiming for 5 songs each)
- Full Original Debut album (containing best songs from EPs, plus new songs. 12-14 songs total)
shows: FWA (2 songs), IFC (TBD)
[SECRET BAND #2]
- 1 cover song (for practice. individual upload. not included on any official release)
- Original music EP (about 5-6 songs)
- Full Original Debut album (10-12 songs)
shows: None (this project is focused on making music first before performing)
Yes, I have another band. Barely can operate one band, but yet I have two (go figure). The other band will create a different type of music than the first, but whereas FPRM was born to perform at cons (thus all the covers) the second band will focus purely on creating original music (which actually, I have already written more music for this band than FPRM. It just comes to me easier). I'm very excited about both projects, and they are longterm projects so don't expect all of this stuff this year (but hopefully expect some of it).
Why so many cover EPs you ask? Well, part of it is to help get the ball rolling on this recording thing. Facing facts, I am a ways away from fully completing an original song for recording, and we as a band are a ways away from having the necessary tools and skills to produce a clean sounding product. So the covers serve to give us motivation to start recording with what we've got, practice recording and mixing something that sounds decent, and to put something out there that gives people a taste of the band as well as a physical catalog of what the band has done so far, which is... covers!
This won't be completely chronological either. While we're getting a cover EP ready, I will be composing songs. We will collaborate on the songs and learn them, so that maybe next time we play a show, you might see us play an original or two! But I just want to put out SOMETHING for people to listen to, even if it's not original stuff. Then, when we're ready, there will be original music uploaded, recorded, and eventually, for sale. (cover EPs, if we sell them at all, will probably be really stinkin' cheap. It's not our stuff, so it's meant really as more of a novelty, not to make a bunch of money from other band's work).
Given all our busy schedules, and a current lack of necessary equipment, I'd say that for 2014 it is fair to expect at least 1 original FPRM EP (maybe both) written but not recorded, and maybe the first 2 cover EPs recorded if we can get that going. The Secret Band EP, I'm pretty sure, will be written but not recorded as well. There will be SOMETHING to upload online at some point this year, at least as teasers.
There will also be some more band related art (eventually), and pictures and videos to upload. There will be a concentrated effort to get this off the ground. Yes, we've done some stuff, played some shows, and put the name out there for people to have "heard of us". But this year, it's time to break through and give people a reason to follow us.
2014 will be the Year of the Rock.
Videos
Can you believe I have hours of fursuit video footage from as far back as 2009 that I haven't edited yet?
Wait... you can? This doesn't surprise you? Oh. :(
Well, yes, I do have a ton of videos to do. Fursuit videos for my own self, and also band related videos and music videos.
I'm making it a goal this year to completely edit and upload 1 video per month, or 12 total. At the very least... Maybe they will all be small videos, or videos with mostly raw footage requiring very little editing. Or maybe I will get ambitious and take on one of my full editing projects. Some will be band related (IFC footage, music video from our first show), some may be music related but more of an individual effort (me playing and singing a cover in suit at my house).
But there definitely needs to be more videos uploaded.
Comics
Here's an iffy one.
I have a bunch of ideas for comics that I would like to do. However, comics seem to take more time than practically everything else I do. I should know, I used to spend 40-50 hours a week (in college) making ONE comic strip in a week. Then it fell to one every other week. Then one whenever I felt like it. Then... uhh...
Anyways, yes, I do intend to get my comic up again. I will have to make a buffer before that happens, and I will have to dedicate A LOT of time to it. I'm not sure I'll have the time. I'll have to see how it goes. Ideally, I will have it relaunch at the beginning of the year. What "the" year is is quite up for debate. It could be 2014, it could be 2015, it could be 2025. I never said it had to be a specific year. ;) But I do hope to make some more scripts at least, and maybe, slowly, start drawing comics for it, even if I don't upload them yet.
There is also a character Tumblr I want to make. This will be an Adult tumblr containing art, pics, comics, interviews and stories involving some new characters I've created. I won't give away too many details yet, because it's a ways from happening (like seemingly everything). But it's been something I've been thinking about and planning since last year... it actually was a 2013 resolution that never got realized. Plus, I need some drawing and anatomy practice first. But if I can get back to drawing every day in the cab, I can get this started towards the end of the year.
The last comic project I want to do... and actually, this may come to fruition before the others... is a backstory of my FBA character, Wendy Brown. I thought of a whole backstory one day, and it's quite complex and engaging. It's basically her whole childhood, her family, her various struggles and tragedies, personal life, pursuing basketball, and just how she came to be how she is. I'm excited to do this story because given what I've come up with so far, it stands alone very well as an interesting comic project. There actually aren't a lot of FBA elements to it - this is her story about how she got there. It's intended to be a standalone comic project that runs for about a year, maybe about 100 or so strips. It will be black and white, as I don't want to get really wrapped up in the art. I want to tell the story. But I want it to be effective, so I will have to determine where to draw the line on art detail/quality. But the story is the most important part. This one, I think, will launch near the end of the year, and I intend to start working on the comics sometime soon and keep them as a buffer. Maybe the story will begin during the offseason. Maybe it will begin at the start of next season (October). I'm not sure. But I do know this is a story I believe is worth telling, and worth telling in graphic form.
Other shit
Here's a list of other shit I'd like to try and do this year.
Workout more - This is EVERYONE'S resolution. Doesn't mean it ever gets done. But seriously, I have a gym membership and I haven't used it in like 6 months. Time to dust off those machines and start doing something, maybe 2 or 3 times a week. Plus it won't kill me to do crunches and push ups at home like I used to. I've got like 15 lbs I want to lose and I'm tired of feeling insecure about my stupid, miniscule weight gain and decreasing muscle mass. I'll be making a schedule soon. Hope I can get enough sleep so I will be able to stick to it. Speaking of...
Improve my sleeping habits - I have shit for a sleep schedule. No, you don't understand. It really really sucks... Not in that it's all over the place (like was a common problem before this job), but it's that I don't get enough. Even right now, it's after 3 am and I have to work tomorrow. If it were not the weekend, I'd be starting work at 5 or 6 am because I have to pick someone up then, yet I still go to bed at 2 am or later. I need to get more than 2 hours of sleep in a day, especially if I want to try and have the energy to get anything in my agenda done. Not enough sleep = no fucking way I'm going to the gym, or drawing anything, or writing music. I'm just going to be sitting around wondering when I can go to bed and wasting time brainlessly checking twitter. Plus, I'm almost 30 years old and I'm gonna have to start thinking about my health. My breathing and chest feel weird when I don't get enough sleep and I'm getting by on energy drinks and forcing myself to stay awake. That's not good. I want to get at least 6 hours of sleep a day, so I will have to start making myself get to bed earlier (unless of course Kat needs a ride from work at midnight, but that will hopefully be the only exception).
Play more basketball - Ahhh basketball... I miss just being out on the court, running around all carefree. Shooting and jumping and having a good time while getting exercise. I feel like my body is turning to mush, sitting in a cab all day, not getting enough sleep, not eating well, not exercising... I have to get back to enjoying being active again! My stamina is shit, my vertical jump (something I was proud of) is going downhill, and my basketball skills are declining. I had wanted to be that basketball playing tiger, the one with the ball and jersey at cons who could cross you over. Now I don't bring the ball because what's the point if I don't ever practice anymore? I gotta find some time, at least once a week or maybe more, especially when it starts getting warmer. Job be damned, I will just have to be sweaty and bring an extra change of clothes or something. When it's slow, instead of going home or fooling on the internet, go to the gym or shoot some hoops. It used to be fun, and it's time to get the fun back.
Sing more - Yep, I should start singing more in the car. I have an FM transmitter and an iPhone with Spotify. No excuse to not sing whenever I don't have someone in the car. I kinda need to be better at that anyways if I'm going to be in a band.
Get better at guitar - Lately I have only been playing guitar when I have an FPRM show planned in the next 2 months. I very rarely play for pleasure anymore, and that's because I just don't freakin' have time. But I need to get my chops up. I need to play through some of those songs I worked so hard to learn so I don't forget them. Having a focus on music will make me play more, but I could also stand to just learn some songs for the hell of it. Try to learn some scales or some new techniques. Try to get better, not just be forever adequate. My performances and my songwriting will be better for it if I can get the passion back and get back to practicing and playing because it's fun, not just because I don't want to be embarrassed on stage.
Practice drawing more - There was a summer, summer of 2005, where I was a camp counselor and we had no internet. Or if we did, it was slower than your grandma riding a snail underwater. Also, I was a drawing instructor that year at camp. As a result, with a bunch of my downtime, I sketched. I sketched for fun. I worked on my style. I drew comics and characters and drew some pictures for the kids. And after that summer I had improved so much. My webcomic went from eye-burny to hey-not-bad! I honestly don't think my art would be considered however good it is without that summer dedicated to improvement. And I want to get back to that, especially since I have artistic goals in mind. I need to work on anatomy, speed, and cleaning up/tightening up my style. That will probably help my other pursuits because I will be able to accomplish more in less time when I know what the fuck I'm doing and not spending hours with references and constantly erasing. Plus, I mean, I really just need to do more art. There was a time that art was what I was known for in the fandom. Now I bet most people I've met in the last 4 years don't even know I do art. Hopefully I can dedicate a little bit of time to sketching each day and trying to improve. Maybe even watch some Livestreams of better artists and pick up tricks. I need to learn and practice.
Bills and Money - Uhh... yeah. My pursuit of money and making a living is why I don't have more time for other stuff. Something's got to give. Maybe I should develop a more precise work schedule and stick to it, while making sure I have enough sleep and something artistic at my disposal so I can be creative and productive during my downtime. I do have to make more money, especially if I want to afford cons and pay down my debt. A goal of mine is to pay off some of my credit cards and add more money to my savings account. Other than that, I'm avoiding making specific goals for money. Life is about more than money, and I have let my job command my life and my time for a long time. I gotta do what I gotta do, but a year spent doing nothing but working and then lamenting about not doing any of my hobbies or passions is a year that could have gone a whole lot better.
Cons - Don't have a specific goal here. About 4 cons is my usual. FWA. AC. Maybe IFC? Hopefully the new con in Connecticut that's replacing FurFright. Maybe even MFF in Dec. Who knows? I do know that cons really drain my finances and then I have to spent a week or two catching up, and that is sucktastic. I'll have to be choosy about which cons I do so I don't screw myself, my money, and my schedule over.
Journals - Not a big goal, but I kinda want to make at least one journal a month. Either talking about what I did, or my progress with art, or just whatever. I kinda drop off the face of the furry world for long periods of time, so checking in here and there wouldn't be such a bad idea.
Social - Social stuff is my leading cause of wasting time. And I don't even talk on messengers anymore! I mean Twitter and shit, and constantly having to be up to date on what everyone's talking about. A better use of that time would be to actually talk to my friends one on one on Skype or something. I feel like I'm not very connected to anyone, even my good friends. I think a good conversation while I'm doing art or something of that nature every once in a while wouldn't kill me. Gotta get in better touch with my besties, and maybe even build some stronger bonds with people I like that I don't know very well.
Family - Of course I can't forget about my wonderful fiancé, my mom, sister, dad and all of them. I mustn't let all this stuff push them away. I will certainly spend plenty of quality time with Kat, and I'd like to even do more stuff together, like go have a picnic, or go on a small trip or to the park or something. My hunny is very important to me. ^^
Website - I kinda want to make a website for myself that collects all my various activities and goals and keeps them in one place. Not like I expect people to frequent it, but it could have an update when I upload art, or a comic, or a video. It's not that high on the priority list though.
Car - Gotta do something about a car. My car is pretty much ready to ride into the sunset. I need to sell it and maybe start saving for a new one. I currently just drive the cab around as my main car, but it would be nice to be able to drive further than Charlotte every once in a while without having to rent a car all the time. Though I dunno, as long as I drive the cab that's no car payments and free insurance, so it's a weird situation. But I at least need to upload mine and pocket whatever money I can before it rusts into the ground and becomes worthless.
Fursuit Making - I actually want to start to learn how to make fursuits. I have absolutely no experience though, so any tools and guides that I can find would be a big help. I realize that it's not going to take off until I make it my primary focus other than my job, but I gotta start somewhere. Maybe one day it can BE my job. If I can make decent enough money making fursuits that I can sustain a living, travel when I want, and still have some time to do other pursuits like art and music, then I will be living the dream. Speaking of which...
Wedding Plans - Yeah, I have a wedding to plan. It probably won't be until 2015, but I need to not wait until then to start thinking about it.
Is that it? That's all I have to do? Ha, that should be a cinch! May even get it all done with a few months to spare. Then I can play video games for 4 months straight. ;)
Nahhh, in reality, this is a LOT of shit to do... but if I find that I'm sitting around doing nothing, I could be doing something better. It's about building better habits, and I have to get over this "waste time online" and "procrastinate because I'm lazy" habit. I have fun hobbies, so it shouldn't be like pulling teeth to get me to start on one. Anyways, I hope I am more successful this year than last, and hopefully I will be able to accomplish something I'm proud of, and maybe you guys can enjoy it too. ^^
Here's to a hopefully productive and good-fortune-filled 2014! :)
-JT
Or is it more of the same old stuff?
Well, it's a little of both. Sadly, I didn't do very well on my resolutions last year (hell, I didn't even get around to making a journal for them... a feat which I damn near repeated again) so many of those resolutions from last year are the same this year.
Basically, there's a shit-ton of stuff I'd like to do to contribute to the fandom again, like I used to. Before full time jobs, and numerous moves, and life being crazy, and having no free time, I happily drew art and comics and updated my FA and kept up with all that. That was one of the things that gave me joy in the fandom, and sadly, I've been unable to do that for a few years.
So this year, THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT! (or exactly the same, one or the other).
Art:
COMMISSIONS! Not new ones... old ones. Yes, those same old commissions I've had forever. I don't know why people commission me because I really suck at doing them. My habits are pretty damn unprofessional actually. This is what happens when, regrettably, art is not your full time job and source of income (extra motivation).
Anyways, completing commissions as follows: If I miss a date, I will give one more completion date that I consider reasonable depending on circumstances. If I miss that, well... if you notify me and you are interested in a refund, I will give you a two week plan, in which I either drop everything and finish your commission in two weeks or just bite the bullet and issue a refund. No more excuses.
Keep in mind the reason these take forever is I don't have much for free time. My job is demanding and other things come up. Plus I am just not a very good professional artist. I used to be, but now that I have so much more to juggle, I've just been unable or unwilling to make the time. Plus I've always been extremely SLOOOW and meticulous, and a horrible procrastinator and judge of time. This is my attempt to change that. Any patience you still deem fit to display with me is extremely highly appreciated.
It's also possible I may get ahead of schedule. Extremely unlikely, but possible. These dates are not written in stone but serve as a strong guideline for myself so I can have a realistic goal to shoot for. If I can get them done sooner, I will. And as always, I will NEVER sacrifice quality for quick return unless it is specified beforehand.
steviemaxwell - 
thepitifulwriter - to be completed by Feb 14
rainwhisker - to be completed by Mar 1[FWA and preparing for my performance]
tazel 
tobu 
hixbi.fox 
callsignwolf (flail icons) - to be completed by Mar 30
wyattkelly - to be completed by April 21
Defiant - to be completed by May 30 callsignwolf - to be completed June 15[AC most likely]
christaphorac - to be completed July 15[IFC?]
slyknuxdragon - to be completed Aug 31FLOATING COMMISSIONS (No set due date. Before end of 2014 would be glorious.)
redfoxthebountyhunter
buckhopper
canius
kasekine christaphorac (payment pending)That's all the commissions I have left to do. As usual, there will be other stuff interspersed with this. Some FBA stuff. Some personal art (maybe). Band stuff. Other projects. Play time. Time with mate/family/friends. And lots and lots of work. But if I'm able to keep to this schedule, and I complete all my commissions before year's end (and I don't take on any more) then that will be one HUGE success!
Music
If I can manage it around my commissions obligations, 2014 will be the year I really focus on my music and making progress with my band(s). There will of course be the standard couple of shows this year (FWA is one. IFC is most likely the other but we'll see.) But mainly, I want to RECORD. I want to WRITE. I want there to be tons of VIDEOS and PICTURES. I want people to actually want to follow the band, not just because they saw us once or their friends are in it, but because we actually put out GOOD MUSIC and we do so CONSISTENTLY. All my other projects burn out quickly or never get off the ground due to other obligations. I don't want that to be the case with this.
So in 2014, there will be a DELIBERATE, CONCENTRATED FOCUS on CREATING AND RECORDING NEW MUSIC.
It's far too easy for me to sit there and be like "Uhh, well, I don't feel inspired." Inspiration isn't just going to sneak up behind me and smack me on the back of the head. Sometimes I have to help it along. Listen to some inspiring music. Pick up the guitar and pick. Think of music and write it down, or record snippits. I have a ton of half-thought-out soundbites of songs as voice memos on my phone. Time to do something with that. Focus is the key, and actually seeing the process through from start to finish. As more progress is made, the passion will increase, and the product will become better. I don't have to aim for the stars with my very first song, but I have to aim for something. And this year I intend to do that.
These dates aren't specific, but here's a general guideline of what I want to happen, music-wise.
FURRY PUNK ROCK MASSACRE
- Hardcore Punk Cover Double EP release. 2 EPs, 8 min each.
- 10 song EP/LP, our other best punk covers to date (not included on the hardcore album). 28 min.
- 3 song cover EP (to go alongside another planned project). Just 5 min. For the lols.
- 2 Original music EPs (aiming for 5 songs each)
- Full Original Debut album (containing best songs from EPs, plus new songs. 12-14 songs total)
shows: FWA (2 songs), IFC (TBD)
[SECRET BAND #2]
- 1 cover song (for practice. individual upload. not included on any official release)
- Original music EP (about 5-6 songs)
- Full Original Debut album (10-12 songs)
shows: None (this project is focused on making music first before performing)
Yes, I have another band. Barely can operate one band, but yet I have two (go figure). The other band will create a different type of music than the first, but whereas FPRM was born to perform at cons (thus all the covers) the second band will focus purely on creating original music (which actually, I have already written more music for this band than FPRM. It just comes to me easier). I'm very excited about both projects, and they are longterm projects so don't expect all of this stuff this year (but hopefully expect some of it).
Why so many cover EPs you ask? Well, part of it is to help get the ball rolling on this recording thing. Facing facts, I am a ways away from fully completing an original song for recording, and we as a band are a ways away from having the necessary tools and skills to produce a clean sounding product. So the covers serve to give us motivation to start recording with what we've got, practice recording and mixing something that sounds decent, and to put something out there that gives people a taste of the band as well as a physical catalog of what the band has done so far, which is... covers!
This won't be completely chronological either. While we're getting a cover EP ready, I will be composing songs. We will collaborate on the songs and learn them, so that maybe next time we play a show, you might see us play an original or two! But I just want to put out SOMETHING for people to listen to, even if it's not original stuff. Then, when we're ready, there will be original music uploaded, recorded, and eventually, for sale. (cover EPs, if we sell them at all, will probably be really stinkin' cheap. It's not our stuff, so it's meant really as more of a novelty, not to make a bunch of money from other band's work).
Given all our busy schedules, and a current lack of necessary equipment, I'd say that for 2014 it is fair to expect at least 1 original FPRM EP (maybe both) written but not recorded, and maybe the first 2 cover EPs recorded if we can get that going. The Secret Band EP, I'm pretty sure, will be written but not recorded as well. There will be SOMETHING to upload online at some point this year, at least as teasers.
There will also be some more band related art (eventually), and pictures and videos to upload. There will be a concentrated effort to get this off the ground. Yes, we've done some stuff, played some shows, and put the name out there for people to have "heard of us". But this year, it's time to break through and give people a reason to follow us.
2014 will be the Year of the Rock.
Videos
Can you believe I have hours of fursuit video footage from as far back as 2009 that I haven't edited yet?
Wait... you can? This doesn't surprise you? Oh. :(
Well, yes, I do have a ton of videos to do. Fursuit videos for my own self, and also band related videos and music videos.
I'm making it a goal this year to completely edit and upload 1 video per month, or 12 total. At the very least... Maybe they will all be small videos, or videos with mostly raw footage requiring very little editing. Or maybe I will get ambitious and take on one of my full editing projects. Some will be band related (IFC footage, music video from our first show), some may be music related but more of an individual effort (me playing and singing a cover in suit at my house).
But there definitely needs to be more videos uploaded.
Comics
Here's an iffy one.
I have a bunch of ideas for comics that I would like to do. However, comics seem to take more time than practically everything else I do. I should know, I used to spend 40-50 hours a week (in college) making ONE comic strip in a week. Then it fell to one every other week. Then one whenever I felt like it. Then... uhh...
Anyways, yes, I do intend to get my comic up again. I will have to make a buffer before that happens, and I will have to dedicate A LOT of time to it. I'm not sure I'll have the time. I'll have to see how it goes. Ideally, I will have it relaunch at the beginning of the year. What "the" year is is quite up for debate. It could be 2014, it could be 2015, it could be 2025. I never said it had to be a specific year. ;) But I do hope to make some more scripts at least, and maybe, slowly, start drawing comics for it, even if I don't upload them yet.
There is also a character Tumblr I want to make. This will be an Adult tumblr containing art, pics, comics, interviews and stories involving some new characters I've created. I won't give away too many details yet, because it's a ways from happening (like seemingly everything). But it's been something I've been thinking about and planning since last year... it actually was a 2013 resolution that never got realized. Plus, I need some drawing and anatomy practice first. But if I can get back to drawing every day in the cab, I can get this started towards the end of the year.
The last comic project I want to do... and actually, this may come to fruition before the others... is a backstory of my FBA character, Wendy Brown. I thought of a whole backstory one day, and it's quite complex and engaging. It's basically her whole childhood, her family, her various struggles and tragedies, personal life, pursuing basketball, and just how she came to be how she is. I'm excited to do this story because given what I've come up with so far, it stands alone very well as an interesting comic project. There actually aren't a lot of FBA elements to it - this is her story about how she got there. It's intended to be a standalone comic project that runs for about a year, maybe about 100 or so strips. It will be black and white, as I don't want to get really wrapped up in the art. I want to tell the story. But I want it to be effective, so I will have to determine where to draw the line on art detail/quality. But the story is the most important part. This one, I think, will launch near the end of the year, and I intend to start working on the comics sometime soon and keep them as a buffer. Maybe the story will begin during the offseason. Maybe it will begin at the start of next season (October). I'm not sure. But I do know this is a story I believe is worth telling, and worth telling in graphic form.
Other shit
Here's a list of other shit I'd like to try and do this year.
Workout more - This is EVERYONE'S resolution. Doesn't mean it ever gets done. But seriously, I have a gym membership and I haven't used it in like 6 months. Time to dust off those machines and start doing something, maybe 2 or 3 times a week. Plus it won't kill me to do crunches and push ups at home like I used to. I've got like 15 lbs I want to lose and I'm tired of feeling insecure about my stupid, miniscule weight gain and decreasing muscle mass. I'll be making a schedule soon. Hope I can get enough sleep so I will be able to stick to it. Speaking of...
Improve my sleeping habits - I have shit for a sleep schedule. No, you don't understand. It really really sucks... Not in that it's all over the place (like was a common problem before this job), but it's that I don't get enough. Even right now, it's after 3 am and I have to work tomorrow. If it were not the weekend, I'd be starting work at 5 or 6 am because I have to pick someone up then, yet I still go to bed at 2 am or later. I need to get more than 2 hours of sleep in a day, especially if I want to try and have the energy to get anything in my agenda done. Not enough sleep = no fucking way I'm going to the gym, or drawing anything, or writing music. I'm just going to be sitting around wondering when I can go to bed and wasting time brainlessly checking twitter. Plus, I'm almost 30 years old and I'm gonna have to start thinking about my health. My breathing and chest feel weird when I don't get enough sleep and I'm getting by on energy drinks and forcing myself to stay awake. That's not good. I want to get at least 6 hours of sleep a day, so I will have to start making myself get to bed earlier (unless of course Kat needs a ride from work at midnight, but that will hopefully be the only exception).
Play more basketball - Ahhh basketball... I miss just being out on the court, running around all carefree. Shooting and jumping and having a good time while getting exercise. I feel like my body is turning to mush, sitting in a cab all day, not getting enough sleep, not eating well, not exercising... I have to get back to enjoying being active again! My stamina is shit, my vertical jump (something I was proud of) is going downhill, and my basketball skills are declining. I had wanted to be that basketball playing tiger, the one with the ball and jersey at cons who could cross you over. Now I don't bring the ball because what's the point if I don't ever practice anymore? I gotta find some time, at least once a week or maybe more, especially when it starts getting warmer. Job be damned, I will just have to be sweaty and bring an extra change of clothes or something. When it's slow, instead of going home or fooling on the internet, go to the gym or shoot some hoops. It used to be fun, and it's time to get the fun back.
Sing more - Yep, I should start singing more in the car. I have an FM transmitter and an iPhone with Spotify. No excuse to not sing whenever I don't have someone in the car. I kinda need to be better at that anyways if I'm going to be in a band.
Get better at guitar - Lately I have only been playing guitar when I have an FPRM show planned in the next 2 months. I very rarely play for pleasure anymore, and that's because I just don't freakin' have time. But I need to get my chops up. I need to play through some of those songs I worked so hard to learn so I don't forget them. Having a focus on music will make me play more, but I could also stand to just learn some songs for the hell of it. Try to learn some scales or some new techniques. Try to get better, not just be forever adequate. My performances and my songwriting will be better for it if I can get the passion back and get back to practicing and playing because it's fun, not just because I don't want to be embarrassed on stage.
Practice drawing more - There was a summer, summer of 2005, where I was a camp counselor and we had no internet. Or if we did, it was slower than your grandma riding a snail underwater. Also, I was a drawing instructor that year at camp. As a result, with a bunch of my downtime, I sketched. I sketched for fun. I worked on my style. I drew comics and characters and drew some pictures for the kids. And after that summer I had improved so much. My webcomic went from eye-burny to hey-not-bad! I honestly don't think my art would be considered however good it is without that summer dedicated to improvement. And I want to get back to that, especially since I have artistic goals in mind. I need to work on anatomy, speed, and cleaning up/tightening up my style. That will probably help my other pursuits because I will be able to accomplish more in less time when I know what the fuck I'm doing and not spending hours with references and constantly erasing. Plus, I mean, I really just need to do more art. There was a time that art was what I was known for in the fandom. Now I bet most people I've met in the last 4 years don't even know I do art. Hopefully I can dedicate a little bit of time to sketching each day and trying to improve. Maybe even watch some Livestreams of better artists and pick up tricks. I need to learn and practice.
Bills and Money - Uhh... yeah. My pursuit of money and making a living is why I don't have more time for other stuff. Something's got to give. Maybe I should develop a more precise work schedule and stick to it, while making sure I have enough sleep and something artistic at my disposal so I can be creative and productive during my downtime. I do have to make more money, especially if I want to afford cons and pay down my debt. A goal of mine is to pay off some of my credit cards and add more money to my savings account. Other than that, I'm avoiding making specific goals for money. Life is about more than money, and I have let my job command my life and my time for a long time. I gotta do what I gotta do, but a year spent doing nothing but working and then lamenting about not doing any of my hobbies or passions is a year that could have gone a whole lot better.
Cons - Don't have a specific goal here. About 4 cons is my usual. FWA. AC. Maybe IFC? Hopefully the new con in Connecticut that's replacing FurFright. Maybe even MFF in Dec. Who knows? I do know that cons really drain my finances and then I have to spent a week or two catching up, and that is sucktastic. I'll have to be choosy about which cons I do so I don't screw myself, my money, and my schedule over.
Journals - Not a big goal, but I kinda want to make at least one journal a month. Either talking about what I did, or my progress with art, or just whatever. I kinda drop off the face of the furry world for long periods of time, so checking in here and there wouldn't be such a bad idea.
Social - Social stuff is my leading cause of wasting time. And I don't even talk on messengers anymore! I mean Twitter and shit, and constantly having to be up to date on what everyone's talking about. A better use of that time would be to actually talk to my friends one on one on Skype or something. I feel like I'm not very connected to anyone, even my good friends. I think a good conversation while I'm doing art or something of that nature every once in a while wouldn't kill me. Gotta get in better touch with my besties, and maybe even build some stronger bonds with people I like that I don't know very well.
Family - Of course I can't forget about my wonderful fiancé, my mom, sister, dad and all of them. I mustn't let all this stuff push them away. I will certainly spend plenty of quality time with Kat, and I'd like to even do more stuff together, like go have a picnic, or go on a small trip or to the park or something. My hunny is very important to me. ^^
Website - I kinda want to make a website for myself that collects all my various activities and goals and keeps them in one place. Not like I expect people to frequent it, but it could have an update when I upload art, or a comic, or a video. It's not that high on the priority list though.
Car - Gotta do something about a car. My car is pretty much ready to ride into the sunset. I need to sell it and maybe start saving for a new one. I currently just drive the cab around as my main car, but it would be nice to be able to drive further than Charlotte every once in a while without having to rent a car all the time. Though I dunno, as long as I drive the cab that's no car payments and free insurance, so it's a weird situation. But I at least need to upload mine and pocket whatever money I can before it rusts into the ground and becomes worthless.
Fursuit Making - I actually want to start to learn how to make fursuits. I have absolutely no experience though, so any tools and guides that I can find would be a big help. I realize that it's not going to take off until I make it my primary focus other than my job, but I gotta start somewhere. Maybe one day it can BE my job. If I can make decent enough money making fursuits that I can sustain a living, travel when I want, and still have some time to do other pursuits like art and music, then I will be living the dream. Speaking of which...
Wedding Plans - Yeah, I have a wedding to plan. It probably won't be until 2015, but I need to not wait until then to start thinking about it.
Is that it? That's all I have to do? Ha, that should be a cinch! May even get it all done with a few months to spare. Then I can play video games for 4 months straight. ;)
Nahhh, in reality, this is a LOT of shit to do... but if I find that I'm sitting around doing nothing, I could be doing something better. It's about building better habits, and I have to get over this "waste time online" and "procrastinate because I'm lazy" habit. I have fun hobbies, so it shouldn't be like pulling teeth to get me to start on one. Anyways, I hope I am more successful this year than last, and hopefully I will be able to accomplish something I'm proud of, and maybe you guys can enjoy it too. ^^
Here's to a hopefully productive and good-fortune-filled 2014! :)
-JT
I'll help you in any way that I can. Although in many ways, I know there's not much more i can do other than be supportive. Which, as you know i always will be. ^___^
I would like to see you achieve this though. i think it would be an awesome thing.
Things we can do together.
Basketball. ^__^ Cause it's fun.
Music...well not in the way you need perse..but sometimes when we sing together, you get inspired to do music. ^_^
Social. Well yanno...we Should hang with our friends a little more. ^_^
Family. You're very important to me, and I am quite greedy for time with you. I know this. So any bit of time we spend? YAY. As for your family? Mew you Do need to spend a lil more time with them. They miss you and love you. Mew mew mew.
Fursuit Making. This is certainly something we do together and we both need to get on the ball on this!
Wedding Plans...See above! And this is NOT something either of us can put off till the last minute. It doesn't work that way.
For my part I'm a bit at a loss as to where to start. but yes, it's something we need to do.
Sweetie, I'm always proud of you. You do so much that is awesome. Yes you have some bad habits...but look at it this way. I used to smoke. i quit. That was one major bad habit gone. You can change your habits for the better too. ^__^
Mew mew and mew.
I love you sweetie, and I know this is something you can do.
Yeah, it's always hard (hehehe...) but it's only impossible if I make it so. It is possible as long as I chip away at it every day. If I come home feeling 'blah' or too tired all the time, or I waste what time I do have on the internet (like now..) or I just don't make a conscious effort, then these things won't get down. The reason I made this big long journal (which took time I could have used for something else) is because I need the structure, I need to lay everything out before me so I can come in with a plan, instead of just waking up going "Ok, what am I supposed to do today?" Hopefully this list of goals (and I'll make it into a checklist form too, to make keeping track easier) will help me have a productive year in doing all the things I want to do. :)
Though, what will you do if I manage to somehow complete 90% of the things I've laid out here on the list? That's gotta be a cause for celebration, right? ;)
Best of luck. Can't wait to see all the cool stuff you do.
And maybe see Fletcher's make a comeback!
I really hope to get back in the creative swing. I don't want a mundane life full of work-eat-sleep-rinse-repeat type stuff. I want to actually create something!
Fletcher Apts is on that list. I will never give up on that! I promise that I will at least write scripts and sketch the characters if nothing else, and maybe even make a couple of comics for my pending relaunch (whenever that is) ;)
I look forward to participating in at least one thing on this list...
Maybe we can meet up for a meal at AC, since I'll be there, and chat for a bit.
Cheers!