Day eighty-two of The 100 Day Project for 2021.
Yesterday's drawing is a bit wonky.
Just like life, eh?
Yesterday was calmer. Flat but calm after an emotional early morning.
Working for myself has many advantages. Amongst others, if I need to take time out for self-care, I can. And I don't need to explain it to anyone. I don't need to justify it. Excuse it. Or have an awkward personal conversation with someone I know doesn't care about me beyond the service I provide, the work I do.
I did some paid work yesterday, but I didn't have to drag a tired, emotional wreck to the desk first thing. I didn't have to worry about my manager grilling me for logging on half a second late.
I don't miss that kind of working environment. Where your bum being on a seat and fitting your real life into strict time schedules is rated higher than the work you deliver or the care you take in your job.
Let's not even start on the bullying, chauvinism, sexism and racism (the last aimed at others, not me) endured within working hours in many of my past roles. I don't miss those things at all.
So yesterday I worked as much as I could manage. Outside of that, I looked after my heart and my mind.
I winced to see damage to my youngest avocado plant today. I can only presume it was caused by the candle I lit close (but not that close) the night before to stave off the darkness of the power outage.
Later in the day, I drew my old-school Apple remote that, unfortunately, no longer works with any of my devices.
I used a 4H pencil for the initial sketch, then overdrew with a B pencil for the darker elements and shading, and an HB pencil for the rest of the outline.
Despite sketching it in plenty of time to post before midnight, I prioritised editing prospective photos for the next instalment of my long-overdue Love letter to London series.
As much as I enjoy partaking in The 100 Day Project, it can become a bit all-consuming. Especially while working part or full-time.
When I signed up for this year's project, I didn't have many commitments. So that, and other new projects, like my 'Love letters...' were no big deal to manage. But on top of paid work and life right now, it was probably a bit ambitious, in retrospect.
And the "loser" in this situation is my photography. Which makes me unhappy, as you may imagine.
I'm sure I'll write more about this in my wrap-up post once the project is complete.
That doesn't mean I have plans to "phone it in" for the rest of the project (though some of you may be wondering!) It just means that sometimes I'm choosing more simplistic subjects to take things back to basics and reduce the time commitment each day. I'm still learning with each sketch.
And I actually have more elaborate ideas for sketches once the project is complete and my sketching becomes less time-bound. Again, I'll save those thoughts for the end of project wrap-up.
I actually have some of my favourite objects in the queue to draw in the next week. So please bear with me.
Meanwhile, I hope you're all doing okay. Sending you love, if you need it. Or even if you think you don't. xx