I'm nearly out of my old apartment. I had more apartment than I had sense, I believe, and so, I accumulated more stuff than I required...
I sat in the old empty master bedroom today, listening to NPR. Emptiness feels comfortable to me. I think I have to seek more of it. I think it would make me more productive.
I remember some years ago at the Small Press Expo listening to Carla Speed McNeil (writer/artist of "Finder") on a panel talking about the history and future of indie comics. We were coming into the last year of Dave Sim's epic "Cerebus", and Carla -- an acquaintance of his -- had mentioned a recent visit to his home. She said stepping inside was "awesome in the original sense of the word"... He had rid his home of everything, absolutely everything, except a bed and drawing table.
I don't need to go to that extremity, but I have far too much stuff... Too many magazines, too many books, mostly. Comes from having a librarian for an aunt, in part... It's practically oppressive.
It's interesting, the things that show up when you're moving, as well... I found photographs of an old co-worker and his family. He'd given me them years back, asking for a family portrait... I dread doing portraits in point of fact, but if someone asks nicely and is willing to pay, I have a tough time turning them down. So I was given these pictures, and he didn't need it immediately, so I procrastinated. Then he disappeared. One day, he just didn't show up to work.
For a bit, I figured he was out sick, but when I finally asked around, it turned out that his affair with a fellow staff member had been revealed to his wife. This was all news to me. So he left -- out of shame from the scandal, or to save his marriage, or whichever, I'm not entirely sure... But I was left with these pictures, and I wasn't sure what to do...
He'd cheated on his wife and broken his family. Should I complete the portrait? Or would that be hurtful? But didn't he deserve that hurt? Does he have other pictures of his family, or maybe he gave me his only copies? Should he have them back?
I don't collect payment until the work is complete, so I felt no financial imperative to hunt him down. In the end, I decided that if he wanted them back, he knew where to go.
But I still have them.
Egads, am I tired. I've been doing so much packing and moving lately, I've been totally out of touch... Hope you all are having a wonderful and very Happy New Year.
Later, all!
I sat in the old empty master bedroom today, listening to NPR. Emptiness feels comfortable to me. I think I have to seek more of it. I think it would make me more productive.
I remember some years ago at the Small Press Expo listening to Carla Speed McNeil (writer/artist of "Finder") on a panel talking about the history and future of indie comics. We were coming into the last year of Dave Sim's epic "Cerebus", and Carla -- an acquaintance of his -- had mentioned a recent visit to his home. She said stepping inside was "awesome in the original sense of the word"... He had rid his home of everything, absolutely everything, except a bed and drawing table.
I don't need to go to that extremity, but I have far too much stuff... Too many magazines, too many books, mostly. Comes from having a librarian for an aunt, in part... It's practically oppressive.
It's interesting, the things that show up when you're moving, as well... I found photographs of an old co-worker and his family. He'd given me them years back, asking for a family portrait... I dread doing portraits in point of fact, but if someone asks nicely and is willing to pay, I have a tough time turning them down. So I was given these pictures, and he didn't need it immediately, so I procrastinated. Then he disappeared. One day, he just didn't show up to work.
For a bit, I figured he was out sick, but when I finally asked around, it turned out that his affair with a fellow staff member had been revealed to his wife. This was all news to me. So he left -- out of shame from the scandal, or to save his marriage, or whichever, I'm not entirely sure... But I was left with these pictures, and I wasn't sure what to do...
He'd cheated on his wife and broken his family. Should I complete the portrait? Or would that be hurtful? But didn't he deserve that hurt? Does he have other pictures of his family, or maybe he gave me his only copies? Should he have them back?
I don't collect payment until the work is complete, so I felt no financial imperative to hunt him down. In the end, I decided that if he wanted them back, he knew where to go.
But I still have them.
Egads, am I tired. I've been doing so much packing and moving lately, I've been totally out of touch... Hope you all are having a wonderful and very Happy New Year.
Later, all!
