Back to the Future (Pause)

It's the end of the end of the month so its worth the time to look at what was accomplished recently, and what was not! As well as the reasons behind that. 

Initially, towards the end of June and the first half of this month, things were getting back into order. I had a rough time many months prior due to numerous issues, but somewhere along the line it started to change. I was feeling better, drawing some more and being much more active. Things were trending, I think, in a much better direction. And so I took the plunge! I made a plan, re-opened the patreon, and got down to being more creative in these parts!

And so it went. Art was made, I was hanging around more often, and overall it was good! But then came the latter half of the month. I began to slow down. Artwork that would in most other cases take not much more than a few days, or a week (like animation), fell back further and further. Initially I'd take half the day to work on something, and then the next day, a few hours, tops. As it wore on, eventually I'd spend less and less time on things. Though there was the occasional effort made, progress on what I started came largely to a halt.

Why was that? What happened? Why did my inspiration and motivation start to wane? Especially after so much promise? 

Maybe it was a bunch of things? At some point, even as things were improving I still sometimes could have moments and days where I felt pretty down! Sometimes due to external circumstances, sometimes not. And the further I fell behind on the work and schedule the further I felt pressure to keep up and the further I would start to think or feel like I was failing, again. All of it, a perfect storm.

So what now? What's the current status? After all the seeming progress? Fair question. 

I still want to complete everything I started over the prior month, be it sketches or animation, etc. But that may take a little time as I work some more through my personal concerns and issues. Don't get me wrong! I'm not here to put myself down after the effort that was made (and I continue to make). But I still have a ways to go to improve, especially if I aim to move forward with the plans I had and still have for the projects that I wanted to make here.

With all this in mind I will be pausing for the month ahead, meaning no current patron will be charged at the beginning of August. If things allow for it, I intend to do my best to have work up over the next month. But I will not be accepting funds in the interim until I am more consistently able to follow through on my end. You've all been nothing but kind and supportive, you've all done right by me. The least I can do is make sure I'm doing right by you all, too.

Keep swimming,

Glassfish

TL;DR: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the time of progress, it was the time of regress, a time of greatness, and darkness. So it shall be a time of pause, until such time that hope may spring again. In the meantime: be kind, be safe, and take care of one another.