I’ve been busy lately with all kinds of things… my own projects as well as a lot more people have been approaching me lately, whether it’s with ideas, art, or music they want me to look at or they are asking for help with life problems or whatever. I’ve given back when I’m able, but I’m also keeping good boundaries and only get involved when I feel up for it.
My sister sent me a message today telling me that my 15 year old niece is suddenly obsessed with mushrooms and wants mushroom art for her wall and she asked me if I would do some for her. I said I would and I am glad to try, plus if I make a copy of it, I can use the design for shirts which will probably interest a lot of people, most likely for the same reason my niece is interested. I wanted to say to my sister, “You do realize what a sudden interest in mushrooms is about, at fifteen years old, right? Especially since she is the one who also recently got into vinyl. I thought I might name the drawing I do “I Know Why You Like Mushroom Art” and write that on the back, but I don’t wanna make her paranoid. First of all, she has a good head on her shoulders, and doesn’t appear to be fucking up her life in major ways like I was at 15 when I was also obsessed with shrooms, but I actually never even did them as a teenager, even with my obsession, so she may just like the idea of it, and if she does try them, they aren’t addictive or particularly dangerous, although I don’t do them or any Psychedelics other than weed. I’ve already seen and understand the kind of things people take shrooms for. My brain lives there all the time, so I try not to add to it, but I’m gonna draw her some shrooms, cuz I am that uncle who can do that.
My boyfriend’s cousin texted me the other day saying she’s reading my first book and that it’s well written, fascinating, and that I am brave. She also said she told her 7 year old son that she was talking to a famous person.
It’s been an interesting week. I’ve made a few new friends too. Technically, I have gained like 350 friends in the last few months on Facebook, doubling my amount of friends, which is now around 700. Some of them have added me and I have added some of them. They are friend suggestions and are mostly either trans men or artists/musicians. Sometimes I get requests that seem to be fake people and I try to make sure everyone I’m adding is real, and if I request them, it’s after looking at their profile and public page to see if they sound like people i wanna know, and that I’m not just using them. So far, I have met all kinds of new people who are opening my eyes to all kinds of new stuff and ideas, especially since many of the trans men are in their twenties, and I am 42 and most of my friends for years have been around my age or older, so I see a lot of new things with these new people including a lot of face tattoos, excessive piercings (no judgement, I have a nose ring and earrings and had my eyebrow and tongue in my 20’s, I’m just saying, almost all these kids have tons of piercings), there are more of them openly battling addiction and mental illness, and there are a lot more poly people and openly kinky people and their pop culture references generally go over my head, as mine probably do theirs, but it’s been cool to meet these new people and a few of them right away feel like soulmate types, as I have soulmates around the world.
I’ve been working on my children’s book, framing art for my upcoming art show, watching His Dark Materials, and listening to records. Here is some photo evidence…
I showed some of my illustrations in a Facebook group for Children’s Writers and Illustrators and said I was an intersex transman with bipolar and PTSD and that I’m writing a children’s book that lightly touches on the subjects of gender identity and mental illness in childhood. I asked for advice and what people thought of the illustrations. Most people who responded loved the illustrations except one person said they could be brighter, but honestly, a lot of the art in there made me wanna gag. I’m not entirely anti-digital art. I do some digital art I’m proud of, but when everything is digital and cutesy looking, it’s a real eye sore. Children are not getting the same kind of spirit in their cartoons and books anymore. One of my favorite books growing up was “The Paper Crane” by Molly Bang who illustrated with cut outs, kind of like early South Park, but with much more artistic skill. I like my illustrations as they are, but I did ask. The other feedback I got actually triggered me and had me upset all day because of the tone and wording, whether she meant it to be rude or not, she responded with “Please get it vetted by a mental health professional.” It felt like she was saying “Please see a mental health professional because this is inappropriate and crazy, and you shouldn’t be trusted to write kids books.” Then, several people liked her comment, and neither her or them liked my pictures or gave a compliment, not that they have, to, but I felt ganged up on and triggered by it even though it’s legit advice and I have actually shown it to 2 mental health professionals already, asking for advice and they think it’s great. My friends have all given positive feedback too, so if that woman and the people who liked my post were hating, fuck em, it doesn’t really matter. I’m actually really proud of how it’s come out so far.
Another thing I’ve been doing is framing art for my upcoming show of art and photography I did in the hospital and during my psychosis.
Here are some of my 8.5 x 11 frames. these are on computer paper done with broken hospital art supplies…
And these 2 were done on bigger and better paper in the hospital in 2006.
I’ve been listening to some new albums.
Double K of The People Under the Stairs died the other day and I had their record on my wishlist and was able to grab it before they sold out and prices were hiked like what happened with MF DOOM. This OST is an amazing album from start to finish.
Here’s a couple to try by them…
What a sad loss. They were perfection.
I got a friend request from this dude Kevin who made a song with Skyzoo. He sent me the song and it’s pretty dope…
And then I got these 2 albums today. The Rebelution one was supposed to be Royce Da 5’9 and I thought I’d try it anyway. I’m not especially impressed. It’s okay, but kind of weak reggae. The other album I ordered on purpose even though I hadn’t heard it yet. It’s by Jean Grae and she is one of the best rappers out there.
Here is a good one off this banger of an album…
I’m not gonna share any Rebelution. they were mids.
That’s all for now. I have the Jam’n Java Open Mic tonight at 7 and I’ll be performing Loser by Beck, my first time doing a cover.
