A WIP, Semester Anticipation and Healthy Life Changes!

Per usual, it has been too long since my last post. I had hoped to finish the drawing I am working on, but it has been causing me some trouble, so I'll just show you lovely people what I've done so far in the event that it never gets completed.

Oh look, it's Gollum!!

I decided to draw this little monster after my last blog post (some of you may remember the visual about fighting with myself while writing in my journal). I doubt I am the first to admit to others that I relate with Gollum, and I am certainly not the first to feel a connection to the character. His story such is a tragedy. That isn't to say that I think I am a complete tragedy, but there are similarities.

Much like Smeagol before the ring, when I was a child, my life was pretty simple and happy. Unfortunately, as many others who have come before me, I experienced some uninvited trauma in my later childhood. Smeagol didn't ask for the ring to come into his world, but once it was there, it dug its hooks in and became a damaging force for the rest of his life.

I have spent and continue to spend time and effort towards repairing the damage I inherited at a young age. The love and compassion of those close to me have fostered an environment in which I can really explore my own thoughts and feelings and heal my wounds. While most days I am able to compromise with my psyche's id, there are days when the angry child within calls to me like the precious. And so, you now understand why I feel a kinship to Gollum. However, I refuse to give into the darkness.

On a lighter note, class is back in session starting Tuesday!! This, by far, has felt like the longest break due to my employment status, or lack thereof. My goal for this semester is to procure a part time job that I can continue working at once summer arrives. Another goal is to quit smoking... I haven't been doing so well with that goal in the last 48 hours, but I continue to try.

Finally, I am making the switch to a whole foods plant based diet... Mostly. Josh and I watched a documentary called "Forks Overs Knives" the other day, and it inspired me to change my eating habits. The two main scientists in it showed the decades of research (done independently without knowledge of each other) showing very convincing evidence of links between the development of cancer cells and a diet heavy in meat and animal products.

I'm not going full blown vegan or even vegetarian at this point. I am not ready to quit drinking coffee, so I'm still getting some dairy consumption there from milk or creamer. Also, I love fish too much to cut it out of my life completely. At this point, though, I've managed to cut it down to one meal a week. Outside of those two things, my diet for the last week or so has consisted of mainly vegetables, fruits and grains. I feel pretty good... Well, except for the fact that I ate a bunch of nasty food at a late Christmas party last night, but no one's perfect.

Anyway, I think that about does it for now. With regular assignments coming in, hopefully I'll have more material and inspiration to post here more frequently. Until next time!