Goodbye, 2013...

Hey hey fellow deviants, Happy New Year! It is almost four in the morning here, and as I wait for the sunrise I thought I would finally, finally write an entry for all you lovely people out there in the deviantsphere. I am feeling good at the moment - good people, good music and a bit of alcohol in between.

2013 was a good year, a productive year full of its usual ups and downs. Thinking over it, I've actually done quite a bit. I spent about a week in Sydney and just over 24 hours in Melbourne primarily to meet a comic artist I admire greatly. I enjoyed all three of Adelaide's conventions: Oz Comic Con, AVCON and Supanova, admiring a number of voice actors (and maybe deafening the second Red Ranger ) and being amongst my own kind, so to speak. I have played Placebo's Loud Like Love and Infiltraitor's Severance over and over soon after their release, and had my mind blown by seeing Muse live. I started helping out with editing with DELVE mag here in the deviantsphere and working with some amazing people, and took up Tai Chi. I chipped a little bit more off my degree and worked a great deal. I finished working at my weekend job of seven years and saw the venue off in style working at the Bon Jovi concert. I completed two paintings - a gift and an inspired piece which ultimately became a tribute. I certainly can't say that the year hasn't been eventful.

As I said, life had its ups and downs. Trying to juggle life, work, study and art has been difficult to say the least, and each and every one of them have been affected in some way in doing so. I lost a good friend, not realising the impact he had in my life until wretched news led me to reflect - damn, he was an awesome person, and the world is poorer for not having him in it...at least in this life. There have been family issues that while directly involving me has affecting me nonetheless, and I've been feeling the need to step up to the plate and help out in ways that are objective and practical, rather than emotional. I have felt overloaded and stressed out of my mind, and there are still things I am not overly pleased about. But with each of these negatives has come a positive - they have all prompted a great deal of self-analysis, and I believe I am better for it...for one, I think I'm learning not to beat myself up so much, which is something I'm very good at.

I have come to the conclusion that despite how much my workload always tend to be, how much pressure I put myself and the disapproval and perplexity from other people that may come with it, I do what I do because I want to. I am a slave to my muse and my art, I love my job and I enjoy what I study. I still have issues with the balance between the three (as well as procrastination) but having the awareness that I can do what I want to do and enjoy it certainly helps. I am taking this attitude and doing my best to stick to it.

So what about 2014? Well, I want it to be awesome: I'm reaching what many would believe to be a rather important milestone and there are exciting things happening on the horizon - as long as I put in the work to make them happen. I want to travel a lot more (including a long-held dream of mine) and spend more time on my art. Really, I just want to make the most of my opportunities.

So how about you all? How do you rate 2013? Do you have any plans for 2014? I would love to know!

And now it is almost five, and I think I will welcome the sunrise with more work on a personal project that is near and dear to my heart. May you all have a wonderful and safe New Year - take care of yourself and one another, okay?

A New Years Day hug for you all!