Little victories

Sometimes life is all about the little victories. The small, easy things that make you feel good, even if only for a few extra days.

When you're an artist or a writer, those moments probably happen a little more than normal. Most everyone I know is just happy to get through the day without some major catastrophe happening. Creative people, though, need some kind of inner reassurance that they've made something valuable with their time. It doesn't have to be a lot, but there has to be something. Without it, that's the catastrophe.

When Brinkerhoff began, I had a great head start because I had already assembled a syndicate submission packet, which consisted of 6 weeks worth of weekday strips. It felt tremendous to have such a buffer. It was empowering and even a little sexy to feel that prolific. I kept it up for quite a while, but then Life interjected. Life told me I had to spend my time doing other things. I had an instructor in college once tell me, "There are 30 hours in a day and somewhere I lost track of 6 of them." I've carried that statement because I think it's true for most creative people and deep thinkers. It's our constant struggle. Life gets in the way of our craft and the first loser is us. (Somewhere in there is a They Might Be Giants, song, I'm sure.)

Wednesday I felt really good. My buffer is down to a week out, where it's been for a few months now. I felt good though, because I was done with the next week's strips on Wednesday, and not Thursday or Friday (or, God forbid, the weekend!) I love creating the comic and it felt so great that I had gotten the work done that early, even if it was only by a day. It allowed me to take a breath and, dare I say, admire the work for a moment. It allowed me to start writing on Thursday for the strips that would come in the next week. It allowed me to continue working on preparations for the comic con. Best of all, it allowed me to step away from my desk and schedule other things into my Personal Life.

Wednesday I scored a victory. I got to live a little bit of Life.