Hey, everyone! I know I've been very quiet most of this year, but I hope that all of you are doing well and are looking forward to a prosperous and well-balanced 2023. I know I am!

This past year, I've been working quite a bit and have seen my art style take important, healthy forward strides that I can look back on with genuine pride. I got my own apartment, I adopted a very chaotic but affectionate kitten who is now nearly full-grown, I learned a lot about how to run and manage business matters, I learned how to set boundaries and realistic expectations for myself, and I took a lot of chances that delivered truly positive results.

These are the things I want to accomplish in this coming year:

1. Vehicle repairs. My current car has been through hell and back since I got it, and repairs have been slow to happen due to my financial limitations, but it's still hanging onto life and I couldn't be more appreciative and thankful of that. Still, I need to get the hood and front bumper replaced, as well as a realignment and new brakes. I want my car looking, running, and feeling like new, because it certainly deserves it!

2. HRT / Transition goals. I have an appointment scheduled soon for initial evaluation to start testosterone. My goal is get on hormones soon and begin the journey I've been waiting nearly thirty years to start. I'm so nearly there already, and I'm so excited to see what the future holds!

3. Czech fluency. I've been studying Czech for about a year now, but it's been difficult finding the time to actively practice, and Czech is one of those languages that requires a lot of focus, especially when English is my first language. By the end of this year, I want to be able to have a conversation without having to double-check my vocabulary and stress about whether or not I'm following grammar rules. Even if I'm only on the level of a six- or seven-year-old, being able to have a conversation confidently with someone in my grandmother's first language would be a huge achievement for me.

4. Improved business acumen. I want to be able to forge ahead with my artwork in confidence! My goal is to table at at least one convention, even if it's a small one, by the end of the year. There are so many ideas I have, so many things I want to do, and I feel like now is a good time to start making those childhood dreams come true.

5. A stronger community. I am very fortunate to have the friends that I have, but I want to build a local network as well. The queer and fur communities in Houston may be small, but they are mighty, and even though I live in a small town outside the city, distance in Texas is no excuse. I want to be able to put more faces to names, give and get more hugs and attend more local events with larger groups. We are all stronger when we have a community to connect with, and I want that for me.

6. Quitting smoking. It's a bad habit and it won't do me any favors in the long run. I've done it before, and I know I can do it again!

I've learned that, above all, when setting New Year's resolutions, it's important to remember to practice self care and be kind to yourself. Set realistic goals, and don't beat yourself up if they don't all happen immediately. Even if you achieve none of your goals, the important thing to remember is that you tried your best and you learned! Use the experience you gained in the past year to make this next year even better, and remember that even if you don't believe in yourself, there are people out there in the world who believe in you!

So what are some of your goals for 2023? Share them in the comments! I'd love to hear them.

The good news is that I have submitted an application for a small studio apartment in town. I'm also getting a new position at my current job, which comes with a nice little raise.

The bad news is that I don't know when the rent application is expected to be approved, or if it'll be approved to begin with. I will most likely be staying in a hotel until I get an answer. This new work position comes with a full-time night shift schedule as well, which is why I'm having to move housing again on such short notice; I am not allowed to sleep during the day in my current location.

While I get this figured out, there may be commission delays, and I will most likely be unable to take new commissions. This is because I don't like making promises I don't know I can keep, and to me, a commission with an accepted payment is a promise. It's a promise to each client that I will have a piece of fresh, high-quality artwork completed for them within a month's time or less. Being unsure of where I'll be living and sleeping means I'm also unsure when I'll be able to set up my tablet and monitor and get that artwork happening.

I'm genuinely sorry that this chaotic living situation has negatively affected my art production schedule. I promise this is just as frustrating for me as it is for all of you, as well as significantly nerve-wracking. If you want to cancel your commission, please send me a note or DM me on Discord so that I can refund your payment as soon as possible. You will always be welcome to recommission me at a later time.

Here's hoping that everything works out for the best!

It's with a mix of genuine frustration and regret that I write this, because I love working on commissions, I love drawing, and if I could have everything my way, I would be able to do this without any interruption perfectly to schedule.

When I take commissions I do it with a personal goal of having the piece completed in a month. I try to not overwhelm myself, but I also try to complete these projects in a timely manner so the client isn't kept waiting, and that potential clients can get through the door sooner. Unfortunately, circumstances being what they are, that isn't going to be an option, at least not until the end of this year.

I'm moving back to Texas again due to factors beyond my control. It might be a hell state, but at least it's a hell I'm used to, and the fire will feel like home. I'm not sure what's going to happen once I get there, but things will at least be easier to navigate due to the familiar locations and laws.

I'll continue to work on commissions in my spare time, but at this moment, I don't know when that spare time will be. As a result, commissions will be delayed, and I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

Want to star in your own feature film?

How about representing your favorite film genre for an entire month?

fireside.cooperative is at it again with our sensational pin-up calendar series, and the theme chosen for 2022 is Cinema Junkies! This means every month will have a beloved film genre assigned to it, and the YCHs will all take inspiration from classic scenes and posters from that genre.

I was given the opportunity to design the YCHs for October and April. April will be taking heavy inspiration from the sci fi horror genre in the vein of Alien and Prometheus, and has already been snapped up! Of course, I had to make October about horror as well, inspired by films in the possession genre (The Last Exorcism, Hereditary, Jennifer's Body). You can see it here!

The YCHs are open to any species or gender and are first-come-first-serve!

I am personally super excited for this project, as it's one of my Fireside Favorites. I hope you all are as hyped as I am, because these YCHs won't be available for long!

For more information, a chance to purchase one of our six remaining months, or preorder the calendar itself, follow this link >>> https://www.furaffinity.net/view/43514037/

Many of you probably don't remember this, but back when I was a wee baby artist, I used to stream my WIP art on Twitch. Now that I'm a little bit older and wiser, I'm back at it!

So come hang out, chat with me, listen to some chill, royalty-free lofi tunes, and watch me draw things. There's no cool or nifty chatbot games, because my brain gets foggy when I think about that sort of thing, but it's a great chance to vibe and shoot the shit with your favorite mongoose.

I look forward to seeing you there!

https://www.twitch.tv/creatureofhabitfa
https://www.twitch.tv/creatureofhabitfa
https://www.twitch.tv/creatureofhabitfa

Hello, everyone! A massive series of changes happened recently, and I need your help to stay afloat!

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*⛧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

First of all, I lost my previous home on July 22d, with only forty-eight hours allowed to find a place to live and pack my things. Fortunately, I had already been planning to return to Kansas and live with my best friend and their partner. I had been saving up for the event, but we hadn't expected it to happen for at least another month or two. With determination and a few lucky breaks, we were able to put together enough cash to offset the cost of this emergency change-of-plans.

Already having my driver's license, the plan was originally for my new roommate, Beanie, to drive down to Texas, help me load everything I owned into our cars, and then make the long drive back up together. Unfortunately, Houston traffic is Houston traffic, and after Beanie got stuck behind a surprise brake check, I rear-ended them. Miraculously, their car was mostly fine, but mine was totaled.

Again, with determination and a few lucky breaks, we managed to load everything from my car into their car and resumed the trek, this time resigned to down energy drinks and drive all the way home with as few breaks as possible. We completed the trek in one go, arriving at our house in Kansas exhausted, manic, and somewhat delirious, but fine.

Our current concerns are paying rent and getting much needed repairs to the house. Our front door doesn't lock or shut; we have to pin a chair underneath the knob to get any peace of mind. We also do not have running hot water. Our property manager has been very reluctant to help us, even lying about contacting services to address the water problem. We cannot afford to move out.

If you would like to help us with any of this, you can do so by purchasing a commission! You can find my Terms of Service here, my price sheet here, and you can browse my gallery of completed artwork here!

Hello! This is just a bit of an update and an announcement of opportunity for you all!

Myself and three other artists with the fireside.cooperative are collaborating to create a casual spring-themed coloring book — starring your fursonas in a series of custom fullbody lineart commissions. Each piece of printable, colorable art comes with a connected single-page short story, written by our talented author MetroFox2 . Physical copies of this coloring book will also be available, and the price of that will be announced soon!

If you'd like to commission a coloring page of your own for $25, follow the link here: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/41092468/

Current Slots Available

 VantheCheesenOne - 3/4
 CreatureOfHabit - 0/3
 percyd - 1/3
 5thsun - 3/3 (SOLD OUT)

Myself and three other artists with the fireside.cooperative are collaborating to create a casual spring-themed coloring book — starring your fursonas in a series of custom fullbody lineart commissions! Each piece of printable, colorable art comes with a connected single-page short story, written by our talented author MetroFox2 . Physical copies of this coloring book will also be available.

To kick this project off, we are currently holding a raffle for one lineart commission. Participation is simple! Follow this link to find out more: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/41090874/ This raffle ends April 1st.

If you'd like to purchase a commission for this project directly, follow the link here: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/41092468/

As with all our projects, each artist has a limited number of slots available and it's only a matter of time before they're all gone! For early access to our future projects, I highly recommend joining the Fireside Discord Server.

I am so, so sorry for my disappearance! My computer took a bit of a tumble, and for the past month or so, I've been doing everything I can of to get it back to life. The hard drive completely failed, so all of the work-in-progress art, all of my references and studies, my brushes and presets, even pieces I'd finished but hadn't worked up the courage to post yet — they were all lost.

Now that the Tank is back in action again (That's his name - Tank) I can start drawing and interacting with you more! I will admit, I did go a bit stir-crazy, hence the slough of traditional art now on my Instagram, LOL. By the way, just in case this ever happens again, it would be great if you could follow me on Instagram so you're kept as up to date as possible!

I missed you all so much ; - ;

I keep drifting between two feelings lately: frustrated and hopeless. It doesn't matter what I'm trying to do. Nothing seems to go anywhere. Nobody seems to notice or care, or show any interest in anything I try to do, past a fleeting, dismissive, "oh, that's cool, I guess" before moving on with something way more interesting than Habit having ideas again.

Everything I try to do feels meaningless and pointless as a result. It's like I'm stuck alone in an empty room. Occasionally, people pop their head in to take a look around, but they don't really say anything. They just shrug, leave the room, shut the door, and forget I was even in there. Sometimes, they throw a few scraps into the room, a broken crayon, some pennies, trash they found lying around on the floor outside, but nothing else ever really happens.

Meanwhile the whole world and everybody in it, everybody who ever knew me, who ever claimed to give a shit about me or my efforts or goals, moves on, not even pausing for a second to wonder where I am. Sometimes they glance back and ask for free shit, if they're bored enough: free entertainment, free company, a free conversation to kill time. And I give it to them, of course, because otherwise, they'll just forget about me. They'll stop pretending to care.

If I say anything about it, they deny they forgot about me, or they claim that I'm an attention whore, that I'm too needy, that I should focus on motivating myself and not rely so much on others' support for motivation and encouragement. And yeah, I know that's sort of true. I shouldn't have to rely on the company of other people to make my life worth living, to make my passions worth pursuing, because everybody disappears in the end. I need to break this desire for social interaction, for peer support, for encouragement from those I consider friends. I need to be enough for myself, I need to learn to be okay with loneliness and being alone... but it's so hard. It's difficult. It's painful.

I keep feeling like I've been left behind, and I can't help but feel like it's pointless to even try to catch up, or to even bother finding a new path, new friends or connections. Who would care, anyway? A few people might say or do something that's vaguely encouraging, but it doesn't really help. It just reminds me of how forgettable and insignificant I really am.

I feel like I shouldn't even post this, like I'm going to disappoint someone or hurt somebody's feelings and just make everything ten times worse, but I'm going to anyway. This needs to be said at least once, and if it ruins everything, well... Fuck it. What's the point in trying to save this, anyway?

Hey, guys! I haven't been very active (or at least not regularly active) for the past few months, and I'm very sorry about that. I want to explain why, what's going on, and what my plan of action may be going forward.

In August, I managed to get a full-time job as a receptionist at a small veterinary clinic. I knew it would probably take away time from my artwork and limit my ability to market my gallery, communicate, and get eyes on my artwork, but I accepted the job with an optimistic outlook. It was a paycheck I desperately needed, and an opportunity that could potentially help pay for important steps, like getting a car, going back to college, and maybe even getting that degree in Library Science I've always wanted.

Things have gone down-hill, though, as they usually do when working with small businesses. Nepotism, gossip, and general toxicity have made the office a very stressful and unhappy place to work. I love my coworkers at the reception desk and I respect the veterinarian very much, but mistakes have been made. Come April, I will have been without health insurance for a year. My mental and physical health are being affected by the amount of seemingly-neverending grievances and problems, putting me under a level of stress and legal violations no corporate business would let stand. The clinic is struggling to pay their bills and is pinching pennies everywhere they can, including telling me on random days to "plan on not coming in tomorrow".

I may soon lose this job, and I've already begun searching for another. I was taken to the back office yesterday after my lead had already gone home, ganged up on by the one technician we have left and the office manager, while the veterinarian stood uncomfortably in the background. I was blamed for others' mistakes, accused of being a poor team player, told that I'm not thinking, that I shouldn't have to be trained (I suppose I'm supposed to learn the job via osmosis or something?) and informed that if things keep going wrong, then I "may not be a good fit" for the company. The office manager spoke down to me like I was a child. It was revolting, and all I could do was keep saying, "Can you please give me an example of what I'm doing wrong?" "How would you advise I do things differently?" In response, I was not given an answer, but was told I was making excuses and, again, not "thinking" on the job.

What frustrates me the most is that, while I was putting so much energy into this, I was neglecting my artwork, something I'm truly passionate about and would love to do full-time. Without a steady schedule of new work, I've sort of faded into invisibility, and I feel like I'll have to start from scratch if I'm to get any commissions again. People don't know who I am; they just click the link, see my slow, dead gallery and think "This person is barely ever online. Why would I commission them?"

The good news is that I've finally saved up enough to afford a car. Once I have that, I may be able to look into artist alleys as an alternative to online commissions. I'll still need to find a more stable source of income, though, and have pretty much resigned myself to working in retail again. I don't know if I'll have the energy or mental fortitude to work in another office, not so soon after this.

If you have any advice as far as what I can do to revitalize my gallery and add more credibility and appeal to my username as a commission artist, please let me know. I would love nothing more than to draw for others, but I don't even know where to start to get things moving again. I feel like I've lost everything I gained as an artist last year, and it's really demoralizing to think that I worked so hard only to lose what truly mattered to me.

Here's to happier returns, I guess.

Hello, everyone! I am currently accepting a maximum of four commissions per month.
I draw both feral and anthro, human and animal, lined and lineless, halfbody, fullbody and reference sheet!
Have a look at my prices below and contact me via Furaffinity note or Discord DM to start your commission today.

IMPORTANT: Please read my TERMS OF SERVICE before commissioning!

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*⛧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

HEAD ONLY / BUSTS
USD $15 - 20
EXAMPLEONE • EXAMPLETWO • EXAMPLETHREE
Subject's head, neck, and shoulders drawn at any angle.

+1 Bust USD $10

♦

HALFBODY
USD $20 - 30
EXAMPLEONE • EXAMPLETWO • EXAMPLETHREE
Subject's full frame drawn from the waistline up at any angle.

+1 Halfbody USD $15

♦

FULLBODY
USD $35 - 45
EXAMPLEONE • EXAMPLETWO • EXAMPLETHREE
Subject's entire body drawn in any non-pornographic pose at any angle.

+1 FullBody USD $30

♦

BACKGROUNDS
Simple Backgrounds Free!
Detailed Backgrounds USD $10

DIFFERENT STYLES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

BADGES, ICONS, & WALLPAPERS

I will be more than happy to create a custom badge, icon, wallpaper, or a la carte reference sheet.
The price of each will be determined by the details above. Icons and chibis are not discounted;
I put the same amount of work and detail into every piece, no matter the style or intended use.
When you order a badge, you will not only get a digital copy or traditional scan (depending on
your order), but the laminated physical piece as well to clip on your lanyard!

Sorry, I only accept transactions through PayPal!

OoOoOoO, SPOOKY!
It's my favorite month of the year, and time for a new round of commissions!

IMPORTANT: Please read my TERMS OF SERVICE before commissioning!

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*⛧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

HEAD ONLY / BUSTS
USD $15 - 20
EXAMPLEONE • EXAMPLETWO • EXAMPLETHREE
Subject's head, neck, and shoulders drawn at any angle.

+1 Bust USD $10

♦

HALFBODY
USD $20 - 30
EXAMPLEONE • EXAMPLETWO • EXAMPLETHREE
Subject's full frame drawn from the waistline up at any angle.

+1 Halfbody USD $15

♦

FULLBODY
USD $35 - 45
EXAMPLEONE • EXAMPLETWO • EXAMPLETHREE
Subject's entire body drawn in any non-pornographic pose at any angle.

+1 FullBody USD $30

♦

BACKGROUNDS
Simple Backgrounds Free!
Detailed Backgrounds USD $10

DIFFERENT STYLES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

BADGES, ICONS, & WALLPAPERS

I will be more than happy to create a custom badge, icon, wallpaper, or a la carte reference sheet.
The price of each will be determined by the details above. Icons and chibis are not discounted;
I put the same amount of work and detail into every piece, no matter the style or intended use.
When you order a badge, you will not only get a digital copy or traditional scan (depending on
your order), but the laminated physical piece as well to clip on your lanyard!

Sorry, I only accept transactions through PayPal!

I know, I disappeared for about a month and it's horrible! ; - ; But things are finally beginning to settle down for me outside the computer screen, so now I'm ready to jump back into the art things!

What would you like to see me draw? I'm taking suggestions! Humans? Furries? Fantasy races? Reference sheet practice? Background and set piece practice? Clothing designs? Animationed GIFs? Please don't recommend your own characters; if you want a commission, those are open too. ^^

Hey, everybody! Happy August!
It's about that time again: time for a new round of commission slots!

IMPORTANT: Please read my TERMS OF SERVICE before commissioning!

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*⛧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

HEAD ONLY / BUSTS
USD $15 - 20
EXAMPLEONE • EXAMPLETWO • EXAMPLETHREE
Subject's head, neck, and shoulders drawn at any angle.

+1 Bust USD $10

♦

HALFBODY
USD $20 - 30
EXAMPLEONE • EXAMPLETWO • EXAMPLETHREE
Subject's full frame drawn from the waistline up at any angle.

+1 Halfbody USD $15

♦

FULLBODY
USD $35 - 45
EXAMPLEONE • EXAMPLETWO • EXAMPLETHREE
Subject's entire body drawn in any non-pornographic pose at any angle.

+1 FullBody USD $30

♦

BACKGROUNDS
Simple Backgrounds Free!
Detailed Backgrounds USD $10

DIFFERENT STYLES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

BADGES, ICONS, & WALLPAPERS

I will be more than happy to create a custom badge, icon, wallpaper, or a la carte reference sheet.
The price of each will be determined by the details above. Icons and chibis are not discounted;
I put the same amount of work and detail into every piece, no matter the style or intended use.
When you order a badge, you will not only get a digital copy or traditional scan (depending on
your order), but the laminated physical piece as well to clip on your lanyard!

Sorry, I only accept transactions through PayPal!

I've made my alternate links available before, but here's an easy-peasy master list in case FurAffinity goes down again!

DeviantArt: https://www.deviantart.com/thecreatureofhabit
Discord: Habit#6076
Instagram: creatureofhabitfa
Tumblr: megamongoose.tumblr.com
Twitch (not updated): https://www.twitch.tv/the_creatureofhabit
Weasyl (not updated): https://www.weasyl.com/~creatureofhabit

It's not a big list, but I hope it helps!