I always have a fantasy dream: I eat my noodle and hop on my way.
Category: Uncategorized
aSoSS 08 | Shift
You’re my last customer of the year!
Mobil, 4:00PM, 12/29/2023
as you cross a border you realize how much you left on the other side. pockets of people remind you of the little things in life. she will come to work next week; what has changed? the antique clock in the back room needs to be physically adjusted — it cannot handle the shift of the season. like dividing by zero, the clock face freezes, unwilling to continue, unable to comprehend. the cuckoo sings to itself. when the sun rises, the truckers line up for their coffee, now one year old.
See, when the restaurant seats two people at a place for four people, during the rush hour, you know they’re going out of business!
California Pizza Kitchen, 1:00PM, 11/24/2023
the cafe shutters its windows and chains the doors. you used to work there, and i used to order the simplest drinks and pretend that they were spectacularly made. now in place of the latte swans lies a stretch of dust, hold the sugar. i like to imagine someone will buy the land and convert it into a forest. one of the workers is allergic to pollen, i remember. stuck in the heart of the city is the best place for her. count the crows on the parkway — they paved paradise, and put up a parking lot…
Coaches are giving too much info. We just need them to figure it out! Two new plays and a whole new group of defenders come out and get the ball…
Starbucks, 2:00PM, 12/2/2023
just from the phrase, nothing is revealed. the sport remains elusive; the magnitude remains hidden from view. a new year brings a new list of expectations, but what do you do when the expectations exceed reality? i look you in the eye and tell you not to smile, but your eyes betray you. is it the universe hidden behind your iris, or is it glaucoma? as you blink, a third play — a tear.
the tide crashes against the mountain. the wolverine peeks out from beneath the storm. day has its eyes, night has its ears; up above, the howl of a husky splits the sky into two.
Capturing Campus: December
Violent Midnight
blurry eyes
heavy face
itching for sleep
that won’t come
because the ball will drop at midnight
shining in a million colors
levitating like a God
among men
the crowd stretches
blocks away
counting down
destruction in ten
shattering
fracturing
an explosion
ringing ears
ring in the new year
new excitement
five minutes until midnight
and I’m starting to question
the expense, an effort done
just to destroy the ball
why ring in the new year
with violence
one minute
thirty
fifteen
ten
nine
eight
seven
six
five
four
three
two
one, it drops
but doesn’t plummet
falls but doesn’t break
why did I expect it to
b r e a k ?
Observer: Christmas
Merry Christmas Wolverines!!! Hope everyone could have a great Christmas in the Bachelor Gown！
S3 Scribble #10: Zu Spät
“Eines Tages werd’ ich mich rächen.” (“But one day I will take revenge.”)
It’s only fitting that my last post for the year of 2023 is a song in German by a band from Berlin and of my favorite songs of all time. My love for the song (Zu Spät) and band (Die Ärzte) were major factors that inspired me to look into Berlin as a study abroad destination in the first place, and my semester in Berlin was the highlight of my 2023 by far.
“Ich werd’ die Herzen aller Mädchen brechen.” (“I will break every girl’s heart.”)
For me, the new year is a time for reflection but it is also a time to look ahead. At this time of the year four years ago, I was stressed because I did not know where I would be going to college. This year, I am stressed because I have no idea where I will be a year from now – I graduate from Michigan in May 2024. However, if time has taught me anything, it’s that patience is a virtue. If my experiences have taught me anything, it’s that things will all work out in due time.
“Dann bin ich ein Star und Du läufst hinter mir her,” (“I will be a star then, and you will run after me.”)
A year ago, I would have been shocked to know what 2023 had in store for me. It has been a year of love and of healing and of making new friends and cherishing old ones. This year has been full – full in the busy sense and in the emotional sense. Between studying abroad in the winter and spring, working in Ann Arbor over the summer, and returning to my University of Michigan classes in the fall, this year has been eventful. I have said many hellos, many goodbyes, and most of all, “see you later,” “until next time,” or, when I was abroad, “wir sehen uns!”
“Doch dann ist es zu spät, dann kenn’ ich Dich nicht mehr!” (“But it’ll be too late then, I won’t know you anymore then!”)
So here’s to 2023, here’s to 2024, and here’s to more art, blogs, and great music in the new year! Until next time… and see you next year!
“Zu spät!” (“Too late!”)
Listen to Zu Spät by Die Ärzte here: https://youtu.be/ShPkW-JIlA4?si=wdvid0shhU92fz3e
Industrious Illustrating #51 – 2023 in Review
Happy holidays! I’ve been alternating between seeing my family, vacationing, and making art during break. Something I wanted to share with you guys before the end of the year is my 2023 art summary:
Template made by @Taxkha on Twitter/X
I tried to pick from a variety of art styles/subjects I drew this year to represent how I’ve progressed as an artist, as well as how my thoughts have continued over the course of the year across each month. It’s pretty obvious that I’ve been drawing a lot of mecha lately, so I’ll likely set aside some time to draw humans and furries next year more often.
Some notes: I had the hardest time picking out a single piece in July, August, October, and December to represent my art progress, as I had so many good pieces to pick from for those months. Meanwhile, February, March, September, and November were relatively easy to pick from as I hadn’t finished as many pieces. Not coincidentally, those were also mostly the months where I was starting new semesters of college and therefore had less spare time/energy to spend on my artwork. And in November’s case, I had two cons back to back that month and also had to deal with semester project deadlines creeping closer ahead of the end of the semester.
In terms of what I want to do next year art-wise, I do want to keep giving my follower/customer/client base what they want — which is largely fanart and acrylic charms — and make great sales online and at conventions, but I also want to do more original art and make my portfolio more solid to apply for well-paying art or design gigs. There’s only so much time I have in the day and year to make both of these aims happen, of course, but I am enrolled in a scientific illustration class next semester to make the second aim more achievable. I’ll likely be posting assignments from that class next semester as I try to strike a balance in this column between art business topics and talking about my art practice itself.
That’s all for this week, and I wish all of you a happy and restful holiday season!
