Dear sweetlings

Hello, how are you all? I hope you are well!

I'm currently reshuffling my patreon (and rather all of my business, alas) so that the tiers are more accurate, and so that I can ACTUALLY deliver what I'm promising. As most of y'all will know, I was sending out physical goods monthly for a minute there, but it was getting overwhelming for me, so I'm cutting that from the tier.

I because so overwhelmed last year after falling into an exploitative job. I thought I was doing family a favour, but in the end I wound up burning myself out and loosing sight of myself and my goals. After they made one too many bad decisions, I quit. I have also been dealing with added strain from my volunteer work.

The balance has been off for a while. I've been doing so much unpaid work, and not bringing any income in to actually live comfortably. I've been thinking desperately that I should just pack it all in and get a "real job", because this freelance artist life so often feels like I'm not achieving anything, that I'm wasting my time. I put too much energy into volunteer stuff and have left my business to fall to the wayside...

So, I'm kicking myself in the ass as of today. I need to establish boundaries. I need to stop saying yes to every request made of me in a voluntary capacity. I am simply hurting myself so much.

I have found my safe space is drawing as of late, it is immersing myself in my comic. I want to get to a point with it that I can start uploading a good chunk to the public, but y'all, my patrons, will be getting it first. This patreon page will become geared more towards Lone, with the tiers reflecting that. I think I need to drop any physical rewards, as it was too much stress on me before.

And sincerely, to all who have stuck with me during these months of quiet, know that I am truly grateful, and that you are so so special to me. Even just the few dollars you send me per month has made a difference in  whether or not I eat a nutritionally balanced diet. 

Thank you so much.

If you have any ideas or want to simply chat, please don't be afraid to speak up in the discord, I know it's dead, but I'm trying to revive it.

Love, and so much thanks,

Helen