It’s already December, and I’ve been a little quiet with updates from the Fox Den. Not for lack of excitement either -- maybe because of it :| This year turned out to be a real inflection point, both in my personal life and potentially even for the future of my art.

Earlier in the year, I got caught up in those high-profile budget cuts that affected a slew of NIH programs, bringing my 14-year career in tropical disease research to an unceremonious close. And well, as you can imagine, this was never the most lucrative use for a degree in microbiology, but the work meant a lot to me and I was happy to continue it for as long as funding allowed. Of course there’s other labs out there and I may even find work in one someday -- but turns out it’s not currently a great time to be hunting for research jobs, and I know I’m not the only one so affected.

Yeah, it’s been a little unsettling, especially considering university work tends to be pretty cushy in the job-stability department, and I may have grown used to that predictability. But if I’m going to make something positive out of the situation, this is now the best chance I’ve ever had to make a living off my artwork. I’ve been drawing for a while (mostly for free) and Patreon has been a great little source of income on the side. ("Little" being the operative word here). I started expanding my offerings on the site, and with some modest growth it wouldn’t be impossible to make a living doing this thing I love so much. Even if not, it could mean the difference between finding full-time or part-time work to make up the rest. Absolutely do not feel any obligation to join just because I mention all this; if you’re bothering to even read this far, you’ve got my gratitude. Just know that I’m putting special effort into making my Patreon a rewarding experience if any of the perks catch your interest.

Along with all the upheaval, I’ve had to reevaluate some old habits. I’m an introvert by nature, and for a long time I’ve been living in this mild psychic riptide of online communication. So I’ve been cutting back with the intent of getting a refreshed headspace, and to that end, I’m prioritizing an attempt at this art career thing, along with other little quality-of-life stuff. This year, I finally avoided hurricane season and made it to Playalinda nude beach. I had birthday lunch at a genuine Pizza Hut Classic ™ (just like in the Land Before Time VHS). I learned the 4-beat fountain.

And well, if that wasn’t enough to catch up on, I got one more thing… After finding myself freshly single last year, a longtime local friend also happened to break off a serious relationship of her own.  DeltaRedWolf, for the curious. So naturally we ended up hanging out more and musing on our respective piles of emotional debris. Friendship deepened, and at some point it took on a shape neither of us had planned but both quickly recognized. I’ve never been good with relationship updates, which is why this is capping off a general-update-type journal. It’s been a strange and gentle and startling experience. And I’m happier than I’ve been in a long, long time.

Love you guys -- thanks for reading.

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HD images, works in progress, and pages from my personal sketchbook on PATREON