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Posted 3 years agoI'm now on Patreon! Well, I have been, but never did anything with it. Now, I have set up a pretty nice little tier system with lots of benefits! EACH tier will get a token of my appreciation in addition to other awesome deals and items the higher you go!
https://www.patreon.com/jlgeorgestudios
https://www.patreon.com/jlgeorgestudios
Quick Run Down of the Extra STuff you Get Each Tier: (This doesn't include early access, wips, etc, this run down just includes free things and discounts/promotions)
Insider $3: Free Headsketch
Explorer $5: Free Headsketch, 5% Off Digital Coms/Merch, VIP Sales
Patron $20: Free Headsketch, 10% Off Digital Coms/Merch, VIP Sales, 1 Vinyl Sticker/Decal OR Stylized Headshot Every Month
VIP 70 $50: Free Headsketch, 15% off Digital Coms/Merch, VIP sales, $70 Worth of Stuff (Explained on The Patreon Site) every month
VIP 120 $100: Free Headsketch, 20% off Digital Coms/Merch, VIP sales, $120 Worth of Stuff(explained on Patreon Site) every month
There's more that goes with all of that, but that's the general rundown. The free headsketches are EVERY month also!
https://www.patreon.com/jlgeorgestudios
https://www.patreon.com/jlgeorgestudios
Quick Run Down of the Extra STuff you Get Each Tier: (This doesn't include early access, wips, etc, this run down just includes free things and discounts/promotions)
Insider $3: Free Headsketch
Explorer $5: Free Headsketch, 5% Off Digital Coms/Merch, VIP Sales
Patron $20: Free Headsketch, 10% Off Digital Coms/Merch, VIP Sales, 1 Vinyl Sticker/Decal OR Stylized Headshot Every Month
VIP 70 $50: Free Headsketch, 15% off Digital Coms/Merch, VIP sales, $70 Worth of Stuff (Explained on The Patreon Site) every month
VIP 120 $100: Free Headsketch, 20% off Digital Coms/Merch, VIP sales, $120 Worth of Stuff(explained on Patreon Site) every month
There's more that goes with all of that, but that's the general rundown. The free headsketches are EVERY month also!
Commissions 10% off!
Posted 4 years agoLimited time only, for the next two days.
Livestream TOS and Special Pricing
Posted 4 years agoLivestream TOS
1. No link spams
2. No excessive RP
3. Don't flood the chat.
4. Do not harass, threaten or bully myself or others.
Regarding Freebies: (These are wing-its/headshots only)(WHEN OFFERED)
1. Do not beg/ask about freebies. They'll be offered every hour randomly.
2. Spots are not reserved.
3. When announced and if you are selected, you have three minutes to respond. If you don't respond within the given time, I'll choose a second person.
4. Have a PICTURE REFERENCE ready. It doesn't even have to be a 'reference' so long as its a picture I can look at. No text descriptions please.
5. Please stick around a while. If you leave the moment your freebie is completed it most likely will not be uploaded. Once I am done with the stream then I will assemble the freebies into a mass upload but can send the individuals to their recipients as long as you have noted me on here.
6. The character MUST BE YOURS.
7. If you have read through all of this, thank you.
Special Stream Prices:
Half Body
Colored Sketches:$10.00$6.00
Inked:$15.00$10.00
Flat Color:$20$13.00
Full Shade:$25$18
Stylized/Super Detail:$35+$25
Adding additional features (Ex: characters, Rated R, complexity, backgruonds, etc, will cost extra]
Full Body
Sketches:$15.00$10.00
Colored Sketch:$20.00$15.00
Inked:$25.00 $18
Flat Color:$30.00$25
Full Color:$35$30
Super Detailed/Complex:$50+$40
Icons:
Simple:$15.00$10.00
Complex:$25.00$20
1. No link spams
2. No excessive RP
3. Don't flood the chat.
4. Do not harass, threaten or bully myself or others.
Regarding Freebies: (These are wing-its/headshots only)(WHEN OFFERED)
1. Do not beg/ask about freebies. They'll be offered every hour randomly.
2. Spots are not reserved.
3. When announced and if you are selected, you have three minutes to respond. If you don't respond within the given time, I'll choose a second person.
4. Have a PICTURE REFERENCE ready. It doesn't even have to be a 'reference' so long as its a picture I can look at. No text descriptions please.
5. Please stick around a while. If you leave the moment your freebie is completed it most likely will not be uploaded. Once I am done with the stream then I will assemble the freebies into a mass upload but can send the individuals to their recipients as long as you have noted me on here.
6. The character MUST BE YOURS.
7. If you have read through all of this, thank you.
Special Stream Prices:
Half Body
Colored Sketches:
Inked:
Flat Color:
Full Shade:
Stylized/Super Detail:
Adding additional features (Ex: characters, Rated R, complexity, backgruonds, etc, will cost extra]
Full Body
Sketches:
Colored Sketch:
Inked:
Flat Color:
Full Color:
Super Detailed/Complex:
Icons:
Simple:
Complex:
Updated Price Sheet
Posted 4 years agoCOMMISSION PRICE GUIDELINES:
Please keep in mind, these are all starting prices and can change depending on what is being commissioned as well as what media it is in. These are estimates and not your final price. These prices also DO NOT include shipping UNLESS otherwise stated. Remember, these are GUIDELINES, not final. If you do not see what you are looking for – or you have questions, feel free to contact me using the commission request form.
Digital Illustrations
Busts/Half Bodies:
• Sketches: $5.00
• Colored Sketches: $10.00
• Inked: $15.00
• Converted for SVG/Vinyl: $20
• Flat Color: $20
• Full Shaded Color: $25
• Glowing/Super Detailed: $35+
• Extra/Additional Character: +$5-10
• Rated R: +$5
• Complexity: +$5
• Detailed Background: +$10
• Stylized Image: +$5
Full Body: (Prices for Single Characters)
• Sketches: $15.00
• Colored Sketch: $20
• Inked: $25
• Converted for SVG/Vinyl: $30
• Flat Color: $30
• Full Shaded Color: $35
• Glowing/Super Detailed: $50+
Full Body:(Prices for Single Characters)
• Colored Pencils:
◦ Sketches: $20
◦ Rough Color: $25
◦ Clean Inked: $30
◦ Clean Color: $35
◦ Shaded Color: $40
◦ Rated R: +$5
• Rated R: +$10
• Complexity: +$10
• Detailed Background: +$15
• Stylized: +$10
Extra characters to be discussed but are typically going to be ½ of the base cost for a single added to final price. (Ex: Two character fully shaded color would be $52.50)
Con Badges
• Digital (Not Printed): $25.00 ½ Body/Bust ...$30 For Full Body
• Digital Printed: $35 ½ Body, $40 Full Body
◦ Printed digital print includes lamination, clip and lanyard as well as shipping
Social Media Icons:
• Simple: $15.00
• Complex: $25.00
• Animated: $40
Character Reference Sheets:
To be Discussed.
Prices typically start at $40 and go up.
Logos/Banners:
Start at $80 and go up. Includes full rights for use/sell so long as credit is still given.
FOR OTHER COMMISSION TYPES, PLEASE GO TO THIS LINK!
Updated Commissions TOS
Posted 4 years agoAs a heads up, I am copy/pasting all this from my other website which deals with ALL of my commission types. It will also reference "JLGeorge Studios" which is what I've named my 'business'. I just don't feel like creating yet another profile.
Commission TOS
Important:
I have pets - cats, dogs, lizards, etc. Please keep this in mind when ordering physical merch from me - especially shirts, bags, etc. I do my best to keep everything clean in my workspace. If you have any allergies, PLEASE let me know when ordering from me so I can take extra precautions with your items. :) Thank you so much!
Quick Note
In all instances, please keep in mind I am a mother of a toddler and also have a part time job. On top of that, I do have obligations in real life I do tend to. I do try to set up a schedule to keep everything on track but sometimes that schedule gets changed. (Anyone who has a toddler should understand!) As for my part time work - I can only work when my husband is off. Which means that when I am off, my husband is working which means I am multi-tasking caring for our son and everything else - whether its paying bills, keeping up with the house, grocery shopping, doctors appointments, etc. I wanted to make sure everyone understood this. However, I will do my best to complete your order as fast as I can. Turn-around time does vary as well as when I can get things shipped out.
Custom Illustrations
Digital illustrations are my go-to when it comes to custom pictures. They typically take less time since I'm not having to worry about traditional media like paint or markers. Digital illustrations require a 10% NONREFUNDABLE deposit to start with the rest being due upon completion. If ordeing digital, once payment is completed - I can send you a non-watermarked high quality file for you to have prints done on your own. However, if you prefer that I have your work printed for you - I will include a fee for printing. If you want the printed image shipped - shipping will also need to be paid for.
Traditional commissions such as paintings, drawings, custom shirts, bags, etc will require a 25% NONREFUNDABLE deposit. This nonrefundable deposit will be dedicated towards MATERIALS. Complete payment will be expected before delivery/shipping. If being shipped, the commissioner will be in charge of paying shipping costs.
I cannot provide an expected turn around date until I have received your commission. Once accepted, I will give you an ESTIMATE. I will keep you up to date on how long it will take.
Rude Behavior/Offensive
I will not tolerate rude, offensive behavior from anyone. The moment you start acting anything other than civil I will cut communication with you. There is no reason to be rude or offensive when dealing with me. If you have an issue with something you can be civil and courteous - anything else would be unexcepted. I do have the right to cancel the commission/order at any time. Essentially, please don't be what people now call a 'Karen'. For this reason, all correspondance will be through email where there can be a trace of conversation.
I will also not tolerate harrassment of any kind. This also means that messaging me multiple times a day every day for updates on your order will not only annoy me but can cause your order to either be cancelled or delayed. Remember what I mentioned already - I do have a life with another job, a husband, a toddler, a house and such.
Long story short - please be courteous and pleasant with our dealings. I will be the same!
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
By ordering or commission from this artist you are entering an agreement with JL George
Studios/Jennifer George to which both parties will be held responsible. These terms of service are
written to protect both the commissioner and the artist. The terms of service may be updated at any
time. Please make sure you reread them before ordering/commissioning again. Dates will be posted at
the top of the page for when it has been updated.
Please read before you order or request a commission. By submitting a request or order you are
acknowledging that you have read and agree to all the terms.
1. JL George Studios/Jennifer George retains the right to refuse or cancel a commission request
or order for any reason.
◦ Rude Behavior, passive-aggressive or snarky questions or requests will not be tolerated.
If you want to be treated respectfully and fairly, then please do the same.
◦ Minors MUST have parental or guardian permission to order an item or request a
commission.
◦ If you are unsure about the content of what you are requesting, feel free to inquire when
requesting a commission. The worse that'll happen is I say no.
2. Methods of Contact
▪ All manner of contact will be through email. If email for some reason does not work
with you, we can discuss this during the first initial responses. The business email for
me is jlgeorgestudios[at]gmail.com though I highly recommend you go through the
Contact Us portion of the page.
▪ Commissions will not be discussed outside of the email unless it was discussed prior to
a different location.
3. Copyright
▪ I retain the copyright to ALL images that I have produced.
• I can use your commission in any way. This may include displaying in my
portfolio/gallery, during Art vending events, on my website, on social media, during
advertising, etc.
• Works in progress can also be shown publicly – however if you are
ordering/requesting an item that is a gift for someone, I can be discreet until it has
been received.
▪ Your character (if it is a character illustration) will remain copyright to you. I will not
sell/distribute/reproduce copies of the image for monetary gain unless I have received
permission to do so.
▪ Your personal rights to your image means that you can:
• Print Your Commission (if digital) for personal use
• Share your Commission publicly so long as you make sure to credit me as the artist.
(Typically making sure the watermark is visible is enough)
• You do not have the rights to make profit off the image unless prior consent was
given.
• Logos/banners are the only commissions priced with the intent that the
commissioner will have FULL rights to sell/redistribute as they please so long as
credit is still given.
4. Price Quotes & Payment
• Payments are all in US dollars. I use square and paypal for online/shipping orders only,
and cash for IN PERSON delivery. I will not accept cash or checks via the mail.
• Quotes are good for 30 days upon first inquiry.
• Prices on the Commission link are used as a GUIDELINE ONLY. These are not final
prices. Use these to get an idea as to what you want. Then, request your
order/commission and I will consider what you are requesting and then give you a final
quote.
• For commissions, a NONREFUNDABLE deposit is requested before the commission
will be started.
• For digital commissions the nonrefundable deposit is 10%, with the 90% being due at
completion. You may pay the entirety up front if you wish.
◦ Failure to pay the entire commission when requested will result in you being
blacklisted from being able to order any future commissions.
• For traditional commissions, the nonrefundable deposit is 25% with the 75% being due
at completion or at pick-up. If the traditional item is to be shipped, payment for both the
item and for shipping costs must be received before item is shipped.
• For all payments, the nonrefundable deposit must be paid within 48 hours of the invoice
being sent in order to reserve your spot and for me to start.
• Once the final commission has been completed and approved, payment must be done
within 48 hours of the invoice being sent unless otherwise stated (for delivery).
5. Approvals and Revisions
▪ All custom commissions will receive a 'sketch/work-up' for approval. This means it will
be the initial design/sketch phase. Once it is complete you will get a watermarked
version of the sketch/work-up. I will not continue work on the order/commission until
you have approved it or have responded back with any issues I need to correct or fix.
• There are only 3 attempted corrections/revisions I will make (with the exception of
Logos or Banners)
▪ For custom ITEMS, such as T-shirts, cups, or anything else that requires VINYL of any
kind, once the vinyl is applied (especially on heat transfer vinyl), unless it is 100% a
mistake of my own doing, if you request a revision an additional fee MAY be added due
to the use of more material or new media (new t-shirt, new cup, etc). For this reason,
before I even permanently apply the vinyl/media, I will be contacting you immediately
and will not continue until you have approved.
6. Deadlines and Turnaround
▪ Turnaround can be anywhere from a few days, few weeks or few months depending on
queue, complexity and type of commission.
▪ Other delays could include materials. If I don't have the materials already, it could take
time depending on my supplier's stock and how fast it can be shipped. Regular updates
WILL be sent out though.
▪ If the commission is needed by a certain date, please let me know in your initial contact.
There may be an additional 25% additional rush fee for this depending on how fast you
need it by.
7. Warranties/Limited Guarantees
▪ Every custom order I make will come with some sort of limited warranty or guarantee.
Depending on the type, it will most likely be anywhere from 30 days to 60 days.
However, to keep these warranties/guarantees you MUST follow all appropriate
care/instructions that have been included with your order.
8. Cancellations and Refunds
▪ I have the right to cancel your commission or order at any time for any reason.
• If I cancel your order/commission for personal reasons (such as family emergency,
illness, etc) – even if I have started your commission, I will refund you the
nonrefundable deposit. The only reason I would not is if you became rude or nasty
towards me once I explained the situation.
▪ If I have to cancel the order due to behavior from the commissioner/buyer, there will be
NO refund of the nonrefundable deposit.
▪ Once a commission/order is completed and delivered/shipped, a refund of ANY sort will
NOT be sent until that item is delivered/shipped BACK to me. Once it is shipped back
to me then I will inspect the item to see what the issue is.
• No refunds will be given due to damage from shipping. There is shipping insurance
if the commissioner/buyer wants it. If you do not purchase the insurance then you
ship at your own risk.
◦ EXCEPTION: If it is because of my own faulty packaging that the item is
damaged, then I will fix it the best I can.
◦ If the item is damaged during shipping and no insurance is purchased, I can
attempt to fix the damage but the buyer/commissioner will be responsible for
shipping the item back. If the damage can be fixed without needing to purchase
more supplies, I will fix it and ship the item back. If it requires ordering
materials or needs to be fully replaced there may be an additional fee.
▪ Every physical item that has been shipped or delivered will come with an
instructional/care sheet on how to properly take care of/clean your item. If you fail to
follow these instructions and there is damage to your item, a refund will not be sent even
if it is within the warranty or guarantee.
• If you have followed all care/instructions for your item and your item fails within the
warranty or guarantee timeline, please take adequate documentation (pictures) of
where/how it failed. I will then send a shipping label to have you ship the item back
to me. IT MUST BE SHIPPED BACK. Delivery is also an option if you are local.
Regardless I must have the item back.
◦ I will inspect the item once it arrives and try to figure out what happened. If it is
an easy fix, I will fix it at my expense and ship the item back. If it cannot be
fixed or repaired, I will replace the item.
• In any other cases, I reserve the right to decide whether or not a refund will be
offered, given and how much. I put this here just in case there is something I have
forgotten.
• In ALL CASES, for physical items, the ITEM MUST BE RETURNED to be
considered for a refund. (The only exception is if the item is lost during delivery. If I
find you have lied about receiving your order and did in fact receive it and are still
trying to claim it was lost, I will file a dispute.)
• FOR DIGITAL ILLUSTRATION/COMMISSIONS
◦ Refunds will be limited. Remember, 10% is a nonrefundable deposit and I don't
expect payment until it is FINISHED for that matter. Once you have paid, that
means you have accepted the commission. Trying to receive a refund after will
not work. Going behind my back and trying to file a dispute or claim through
square or paypal will not be tolerated. This is why all commission
transactions/communication will be kept up via email or some other traceable
media. If you attempt this you will be blacklisted and blocked from ordering
from me.
◦ Minor exceptions: You have me print your commission and have it shipped to
you and it is damaged during transit, etc. Then I may consider a refund for the
PRINT/SHIPPING, but not for the actual work done on the digital item.Alive!
Posted 6 years agoSo, here I went and created a new account and then life got in the way again. Right after I created this account I ended up getting an internship which took up most of my time. Immediately following that internship I ended up getting into a relationship with someone I've known for a few years. It started off just to see how things would go and now - well, let's just say we are now planning a wedding for March 13 of 2020 ;) . Yes, we haven't been together a year yet but..we've known each other four years and things have just clicked so well. My family absolutely adores him (which is a big plus and a big first)..our friends love the fact we are together. Hell, everyone keeps saying we're perfect.
Another thing that happened is between August and September I applied for a new job - a career, mind you, and I ended up landing it. It's not my dream job but it's a career I can excel in and promote. Plus its a state job and comes with plenty of benefits including health insurance and such. I'm actually now in law enforcement. I ended up going through 12 weeks of training and I succeeded without too many issues. In fact, my average for all the classes and tests was a 98.5% and I passed my state exam with a 97%. I recently just got signed off on recently which means I'm now certified. My time while training and such was fairly limited. They had me on a five day shift of 8 hours...But for me it was more like 10 hours because its close to an hour drive to and from. And on that 8 hour shift it sometimes turned into 12 hour shifts...and sometimes it would turn into 16 hour shifts. My days were mostly spent recuperating. Now though I'm on a rotating 12 hour shift which means I have more time off (some weeks I work five days other weeks I work two days) and I can get back into the swing of things. Commissions will be limited still however. I actually just found out that I don't have to get permission to do art commissions because I'm not receiving a 'check' so to speak..and I don't earn enough doing commissions to have to worry about taxes. I do have to get permission if I were to get another job that gives me an actual taxed paycheck because I am technically a first responder and my job is priority. Essentially if something major happens - I have to be able to report to duty. My second job can't interfere with that. Because art/commissions are done at home and on my own time there's no worry.
Anyways, that's that. I'm back into the swing of things.
I'll be opening for special type commissions here shortly.
Another thing that happened is between August and September I applied for a new job - a career, mind you, and I ended up landing it. It's not my dream job but it's a career I can excel in and promote. Plus its a state job and comes with plenty of benefits including health insurance and such. I'm actually now in law enforcement. I ended up going through 12 weeks of training and I succeeded without too many issues. In fact, my average for all the classes and tests was a 98.5% and I passed my state exam with a 97%. I recently just got signed off on recently which means I'm now certified. My time while training and such was fairly limited. They had me on a five day shift of 8 hours...But for me it was more like 10 hours because its close to an hour drive to and from. And on that 8 hour shift it sometimes turned into 12 hour shifts...and sometimes it would turn into 16 hour shifts. My days were mostly spent recuperating. Now though I'm on a rotating 12 hour shift which means I have more time off (some weeks I work five days other weeks I work two days) and I can get back into the swing of things. Commissions will be limited still however. I actually just found out that I don't have to get permission to do art commissions because I'm not receiving a 'check' so to speak..and I don't earn enough doing commissions to have to worry about taxes. I do have to get permission if I were to get another job that gives me an actual taxed paycheck because I am technically a first responder and my job is priority. Essentially if something major happens - I have to be able to report to duty. My second job can't interfere with that. Because art/commissions are done at home and on my own time there's no worry.
Anyways, that's that. I'm back into the swing of things.
I'll be opening for special type commissions here shortly.
I'm back
Posted 7 years agoFor those who recognize some of my art style, I come from 
ramen.noodle and 
ramichan. I can't get into the latter anymore and honestly got tired of fighting it. For personal reasons I sort of left ramen.noodle. IRL and a bunch of things got in my way. I'm sorry for my disappearance but life went full throttle for me. I was back in school for three years full time while managing full time and also, during that period, was the lead admin of one of the local groups. What free time I had was spent working on school work. I lost touch with personal art after focusing entirely on school projects - though I still came out with some awesome drawings that I'll feature here.
Anyway, things are getting back on track. I've been on facebook and telegram and my deviantart on occassion. I sortta just lost interest in FA for some time but now I'm trying to start ENTIRELY fresh.
So some new updates on me:
I've been single for over a year now. I have dated a few but it never went serious or things started happening I didn't like and I quickly got out of it. To be quite honest - dating is the last thing on my mind. Last March (2017) I closed on my house, so I'm now officially a home owner! And, May of 2017 I graduated with a BA in Fine Art. I'm currently now managing at my job of five years full time with the option of taking over later. I also have a new car as of 2016 since my old car Deathtrap finally died.
For the bad news - also a reason for my lack of presence on FA and other areas:
Three years ago my father was diagnosed with something called MDS (Mylodysplastic syndrome) which is a bone marrow form of cancer. We found this out in my first semester back to school and it pretty much devastated me and put so much stress on my plate I pretty much left all art sites for some time. I barely could concentrate on my classes and I actually broke down during final critiques in one class trying to present my final because of how emotional the piece was to me. I still have to thank all my friends for getting me through those rough times. The good news with this is that while it is NOT curable, it is treatable. With monthly chemo shots (15 shots over the course of 5 days), the disease is at bay. My dad has put on weight and is stubborn and still strong. Without the chemo however this disease can turn into aggressive leukemia within six months and then he'd have less than a year to live. He's been fighting this for three years and is holding strong.
My mom was doing pretty well during all this but we recently almost lost her in November. She had been having issues with anemia for years and they were going in for a heart catheter procedure Nov 2 to check on her heart bypass stuff. The cath proved clear and she was okay but while in recovery things went down hill. It was terrifying. I was in the room with her when the nurses were trying to wake her up and she couldn't respond - she kept passing out. They rushed us back into the waiting area. Turns out she had suffered a stroke but thankfully she was in the hospital and they administered TPA (a clot buster) and saved her. By that night she recovered moderately well. She is still not 100%. Her vision is extremely impaired. She sees double of everything and its blurry. She's weaker now, gets tired easily, and her memory I have noticed is not 100%. SHe's strong though and getting better every day. Docs are certain that over the next 6-12 months she may make almost a full recovery.
Unfortunately, because of these issues, neither of my parents can drive. Dad has bad cataracts that can't be fixed because of his disease and chemo. Mom can't drive because of her eyes. That has left it to myself and my sister and her family as well as one of my best friends. My time off is now divided between helping them and taking care of my own personal stuff. It's been tough but we have this going now thankfully. There is public transportation they've been using now that allows them to get to doctor's appointments in case we can't help out.
But, my family's strong. We're holding in there.
Anyways, that's it for now. If anyone has any questions about anything else, let me know..
Oh, as for Rami - don't worry, Rami is still mine. I've just been focusing on some other characters for now.
ramen.noodle and 
ramichan. I can't get into the latter anymore and honestly got tired of fighting it. For personal reasons I sort of left ramen.noodle. IRL and a bunch of things got in my way. I'm sorry for my disappearance but life went full throttle for me. I was back in school for three years full time while managing full time and also, during that period, was the lead admin of one of the local groups. What free time I had was spent working on school work. I lost touch with personal art after focusing entirely on school projects - though I still came out with some awesome drawings that I'll feature here.Anyway, things are getting back on track. I've been on facebook and telegram and my deviantart on occassion. I sortta just lost interest in FA for some time but now I'm trying to start ENTIRELY fresh.
So some new updates on me:
I've been single for over a year now. I have dated a few but it never went serious or things started happening I didn't like and I quickly got out of it. To be quite honest - dating is the last thing on my mind. Last March (2017) I closed on my house, so I'm now officially a home owner! And, May of 2017 I graduated with a BA in Fine Art. I'm currently now managing at my job of five years full time with the option of taking over later. I also have a new car as of 2016 since my old car Deathtrap finally died.
For the bad news - also a reason for my lack of presence on FA and other areas:
Three years ago my father was diagnosed with something called MDS (Mylodysplastic syndrome) which is a bone marrow form of cancer. We found this out in my first semester back to school and it pretty much devastated me and put so much stress on my plate I pretty much left all art sites for some time. I barely could concentrate on my classes and I actually broke down during final critiques in one class trying to present my final because of how emotional the piece was to me. I still have to thank all my friends for getting me through those rough times. The good news with this is that while it is NOT curable, it is treatable. With monthly chemo shots (15 shots over the course of 5 days), the disease is at bay. My dad has put on weight and is stubborn and still strong. Without the chemo however this disease can turn into aggressive leukemia within six months and then he'd have less than a year to live. He's been fighting this for three years and is holding strong.
My mom was doing pretty well during all this but we recently almost lost her in November. She had been having issues with anemia for years and they were going in for a heart catheter procedure Nov 2 to check on her heart bypass stuff. The cath proved clear and she was okay but while in recovery things went down hill. It was terrifying. I was in the room with her when the nurses were trying to wake her up and she couldn't respond - she kept passing out. They rushed us back into the waiting area. Turns out she had suffered a stroke but thankfully she was in the hospital and they administered TPA (a clot buster) and saved her. By that night she recovered moderately well. She is still not 100%. Her vision is extremely impaired. She sees double of everything and its blurry. She's weaker now, gets tired easily, and her memory I have noticed is not 100%. SHe's strong though and getting better every day. Docs are certain that over the next 6-12 months she may make almost a full recovery.
Unfortunately, because of these issues, neither of my parents can drive. Dad has bad cataracts that can't be fixed because of his disease and chemo. Mom can't drive because of her eyes. That has left it to myself and my sister and her family as well as one of my best friends. My time off is now divided between helping them and taking care of my own personal stuff. It's been tough but we have this going now thankfully. There is public transportation they've been using now that allows them to get to doctor's appointments in case we can't help out.
But, my family's strong. We're holding in there.
Anyways, that's it for now. If anyone has any questions about anything else, let me know..
Oh, as for Rami - don't worry, Rami is still mine. I've just been focusing on some other characters for now.
