Updates

Update Journal: I haven’t written one of these in a while, woweee wow. I guess I’ll start off on status of the projects.

Ichabod and Noodle Doodles: It’s been continuing at random, as usual, I have some more ideas planned out for both of these to do in between story stuff.

Sanity Within Dystopia: We’re still in planning with thumbnail stage here, because it’s a big chapter with a lot of ideas we want to include, and an ending for this one in mind. 26 pages are planned, and it’s looking like it’s going to definitely stretch past our usual around 30 pages. The plan is keep going, see how long it stretches out, and either cut stuff out, extend for an extra long chapter, or possibly save the rest for the next one.

Anyway, how’s it goin’ in like, life? Things here have been a little slow, since I had gallbladder surgery I’ve been having a little trouble keeping my energy up. I think I’m just hitting a little bit of a burnout/depression. It’s not super bad, but I’ve been really tired and a little withdrawn. Tav’s been feelin’ a bit the same with work stress too, so we’ve been just chilling out a little. I’m somehow still getting art done so that’s at least better than it’s been in previous years with this. Even if I don’t post everything online, I’m still drawing something, even just sketches, every day. I’ve been thinking a lot about Twitch and starting more streaming, I had a lot of pretty bad social anxiety that prevented me from doing this too easily, but I have been practicing speaking and just going on there and it’s actually helping me get over that fear, and boost my mood. It feels really good, because I love talking to people, and especially making them laugh, I just got pushed inwards because of past experiences that made me afraid to talk. This year I’ve made so much progress with coming out of my shell. Anyway, I hope to continue Twitch soon and do more with drawing and games, I’m excited to keep trying at that.

To our followers: I don’t think we’d be at this trying so hard without you here encouraging us to keep on going. Thanks so much for sticking around and supporting our stuff, it means so much to us.

Just updates from me on my main artist page.

A Sunny Flight Delight! My favorite Spyro drawing I’ve done so far!

Hey, everyone. Jo's other half here, asked to make a quick post to share the following: Jo will be away for a while as she recovers from gallbladder surgery. There will be no updates on any comics, of course, until she's recovered, which should roughly take about a month's time from now. We thank you for understanding the situation.

These bees are trapped and they’re very angry. See what this is about on my stream as I draw another comic. https://www.twitch.tv/jollyjolea

Updates

Hey, it’s Jo here.

 I know things have been a little dry as far as new posts have gone, well, there’s a lot of reasons for this. We have been working constantly on Sanity Within Dystopia, it is time consuming, but it’s been a very good distraction from the current situation. Having so many ideas for the story, and so close to finishing the next section of pages. I have been avoiding a lot of social media and any kinds of news outlets for my own mental health. Which, is another point I really need to make here.

 I’m not doing too well. 

I started out strong, like, thought I was gonna be just fine, I’ve been through hell before, making jokes like usual, but things started to make a turn as it all dragged out.  I am having recurrent panic attacks, frequent and extreme mood changes, and insomnia and nightmares. One day I’m flying high, next moment I’m knocked back into the ocean and drowning in depression. I wake up feeling like a different person every day it seems. This is all stuff that I thought I was working out, but stress brought it back out again. I moved, I cut out as much as I could that stressed me out, I thought I was making myself better, but I just can’t keep AVOIDING things that make me stressed my whole life. 

 Yeah, this isn’t a first ride on this terrible train, I’ve been here before, on and off for years. 

 I had some help from a friend who experienced trauma as well, and I learned a lot about myself and why I act the way that I do, and I started to understand things better, I did untangle a lot of wires, but my brain is really doing it’s own thing a lot of times.

 I’m currently in the process of getting help for myself, I should have done this years ago, but a lot of circumstances prevented me from being able to, and I’d also have periods of time where I felt like I was just fine, so I was in denial that anything was actually wrong.  I just needed to suck it up and keep going, right?

I turned myself into thinking, I really want to help other people that are in pain, I really liked that I could have that effect with my art, especially Ichabod. It became a bit of a burden for me though, because I’m not always feeling well enough.  I thought, it made me useful, I was helping, but when I wasn’t able to make any for a while, I felt useless.  You notice if you look at how I posted them up in bursts usually, it was definitely only when I was in a good enough mood I could do it.  It’s hard to be a happy little optimistic dog when you aren’t feeling so…optimistic.  

 I can’t burden myself so much with it, because I myself, am like the people I was trying to help. I can’t help heal when I need to be healed. 

 I know with the way things are, it’s going to be a lot harder to get help with this, I’m afraid I’m going to be trapped this way for a little while, but I’m trying my best. I’m focusing on my favorite comic, and my relationship with my partner and best friend.  It’s going to be rough, and I’ll feel like I’m breaking, but we just have to keep riding through it together, we made it this far already.

I know you all have told me that you guys need me to be here for ya. I'm sorry, I wish I was stronger.