a_natural_beauty | Entries tagged with writing

I can't believe we are already halfway through 2025... It's been quite the first 6 months. Some things I feel like I've been able to keep up with and work on and enjoy while other things are just sort of on the back burner. It's funny how interests can change overtime, even over the span of a few weeks.
Like last year for example I feel like I was on comic fury all the time, putting more effort into my comic and I think I was working on my stamps more. My stamps are pretty much where I want them. I have a few new ones I need to sort but other than that my collections are stable. But my interest in comic fury still sort of surprises me. I used to go on there so much and do so much reading. Now it's hard to get motivated anymore. And same goes with my comic. Maybe that passion will pick back up again someday.

I do find myself wanting to work in my adult coloring books again. How many of you guys used to or still do adult coloring books or sheets? I got a few of them back when they were all the range and have a good number colored in most pages. It would be a calm and enjoyable activity while I would have YouTube on or music. I'm going to get those out to color again soon.
Another activity I want to do again is my puzzles. Mike and I are going to clear off the kitchen table soon and get one started again. Gosh, I have sooo many. Our collection has grown over the last few months because of the library having a nice selection out with their book sales. Another peaceful thing to do while listening to music or a podcast.
As I get older I feel I am becoming more of an introvert and that's totally fine.

What have you guys been doing this first half of the year? Hopefully you all have been doing well. The world seems to be going through so much right now... the unknown, hate, fear, misinformation, worry... But trying to focus on the good we are able to in our lives and in our control helps. It may not fix anything but for some time it can help ease all of the bad out there.

Current Mood: content
Current Music: Whimsigoth dream Mix

Alright - it's been a few weeks since I've been on here! Sorry about that! I mean a big sorry - I do love being a part of this community. But I just haven't felt like doing much on my lap top. I haven't even been working on my comic, but now I am back at it again slowly. Plus my internet has been having issues with staying connected. The last time I was on here it would cut in and out with my connection.

I'm trying to think what else has been going on. I feel like a-lot of changes in my life. Wiley is out of his splint now. He needs to take it easy for the next few weeks but is putting more weight on that back leg. It's weird how he's lost some muscle mass from not using that leg for nine weeks. And they had to shave it, so it's been growing hair back again. He's been in a-lot better spirits which is nice to see finally.
Sapphire has been still doing good. She's been making bubble nets near the front of her tank.

Mike is pretty much all moved in. Which is also nice. It is hard getting used to having someone in my space again but it's a positive change. We've had to rearrange furniture and move things around. I've been going through my clothes and belongs which has been sort of an exhausting time. You never realize how much stuff you collect over time and I don't think I want to go shopping for some years for basic clothes. (I sort of hate shopping anyway)

Nothing too new has happened with my yard as of lately. But that's okay. Just keeping up with the mowing and the heat and the rain has been enough. I did have a bleeding heart grow back after I thought it died last year - that was a nice surprise since they are one of my favorite plants.
My indoor plants are all still doing just fine. I should write a list of what I have around here to let you guys know. It's a fun collection. My indoor plants bring me a-lot of joy.

I've been reading still like no tomorrow! Also again I need to update you guys on my books. I'm still getting through reading those interesting art books. There is a summer reading program going on at my public library which if you read for 30 minutes you get a ticket to put in for some prizes. The prizes are so-so. But it's nice being in involved. Our library has gotten over 200 people to sign up!

My parents are doing alright but my mother's health has again just gotten worse. She's now at I think she is today 74 pounds... which is insane to me. I worry a-lot about her. I fear she doesn't have a lot of time left. Some days she seems to have more spunk but other days she is just tired and falling asleep on the couch peacefully. I think helping care for her has been stressful at times for my dad. But they are pulling through together. Each week my sister and I come over to spend time with them and visit. Anymore we come over and help with stuff around their house. But we've talked about it and are happy to do so. It's nothing terrible, just things like help with their laundry, dishes and trash.

Of course I feel like there is more to write here but I will do so later. I plan on trying to start up writing again on here weekly - maybe bi-weekly again. Later tonight I will go through my reading list and my updates. Hopefully the internet issues are behind us! It feels like to be back.

Not much to write this week. I'm starting up again on my comic Promised Memories again. Now I'm on chapter 19 finally! Then chapter 20 and I'll be done with part 2 of my story! I'm thinking of making it a total of 5 parts? Maybe up to 100 chapters... that feels like a-lot but already it's been 18 chapters which is a good accomplishment. It feels nice to work on it again.

The weather here has been pretty crummy. Wet, stormy, windy and cold. Climate change is a thing! I've gotten a bit of gardening done but not much. I need to learn what this one ground cover plant is that I have on my hill. I got it years ago from a patient I took care of when I did home health care. It's been growing nicely along with my lilac bushes I'm planting and hoping to have spread-out so I don't have to mow. Earlier this week I got my mower stuck several times on my hill and it was annoying. So the sooner I don't have to mow the better.

My house has sort of become a mess - not too horrible... but enough that I'm over it. But it's hard - I have moved a-lot of my hobbies and projects to the living room to keep an eye on Wiley since we've been keeping him closed off to just a few rooms in the house - mainly just the living room. It'll be nice when I can get my office together and set back up the way I wanted/needed. I have several books I want to organize better on my book shelves.

Bits and pieces of the news has stressed me out enough to remind me why I hate the news and that it's good to avoid it mostly. I do hear bits of NPR in the mornings and afternoons to and from work. Thinking about the damage he has been causing in this country and the world reminds me of a migraine that doesn't seem to go away. It just lingers. I wonder how many of his supporters still support him after the things he has done in the last several months.

Current Mood: peaceful

Lately it's been hard to get motivated to get up here and start typing and checking things from my lap top. It's not that I don't think about this beautiful site but the days just seem to get away from me. And I get lazy sitting on my couch lately. Reading, drawing, watching YouTube, napping... some days I just don't feel it. But I'll try writing a few entries this week and get back into the swing of things. I think I have a touch of the winter blues, too. Which normally doesn't happen to me but it has been the last few years as I've hit my mid to late 30's.
How are you guys doing? I'm also going to check my reading page and see how you guys have been & if there are any updates.
<3 <3 <3 <3

Current Mood: lazy
Current Music: Ghibli piano collection on Youtube

Just as the title says, I took a bit of a break. It was hard to get motivated to get up here and write and check things on my laptop. What have I been doing as of late? Well last week I was at Kalahari for my birthday celebration. Mike took me and we spent one night there. I loved it. One thing about me is I love water. It was a nice time. Just getting away for a night was refreshing.

I've been playing Pokemon Go a-lot more. There has been a nice event this week and it's been a new variety of Pokemon to catch. Also I added some new friends from two Facebook groups I recently added. Because of the stress related to politics I have been spending more time playing this game - it calms me down and makes me happy. So I'm sticking to those vibes.

I've been reading more books. I started this cute little dinosaur encyclopedia. I've been reading more of Nana - I'm on volume 6 now. And I'm reading volume 6 of Lore Olympus. I'm caught up on the first 5 volumes of The Promised Neverland. All three of those graphic novels have been great. Finally I am also reading this other book called The original Sin. That one is a bit hard to explain. I think I will write about it in another book related entry.

I think I've been getting better sleep. I've been doing to bed a bit earlier than I was lately. And I feel like it's made a bit of difference with my overall health.

And lastly this week I finally got a page done for my comic to post on Comic Fury. I need to get back into posting on Global Comix.

Current Mood: busy
Current Music: Irish pub rock radio on Pandora

Between last week and this week I have been busy with various things. When I get on my laptop I've been typing out pages for my comic, to post on Comic Fury. I'm at a point where I am now sharing the early ideas of what is now "Promised Memories". This may be hard for some of you to believe, but I can only stand so many hours of being in front of a screen a day. :-p I'm not the best at typing, and after an hour or two of it I just need a healthy break. I'm close to being updated on all of that and then getting back to the story itself.
Overall life has been good, I've just been keeping busy with usual hobbies and other things around my house and yard. Hope you guys have been well, I plan on going through the reading page. And finally catching back up on being here again. I've missed Dreamwidth.

Current Mood: grateful

So it's been about two weeks and I haven't wrote a Comic Fury review. And that's okay. To be honest it was starting to feel repetitive and I'm not sure if my writing has gotten better as a result. So I am just taking some time off. I think I will go back to every other week or every three weeks. But I just wanted to let you guys who like to read them know. Instead it has been nice taking a break writing about what I am grateful for in my life and answering those questions. But I will go back to them someday soon. I just need time to breath.

Current Mood: calm
Current Music: The radio (which has a mix of older & newer stuff!)

After logging on and writing a quick, positive review today I had read through all of the kind words you all shared about my family and recent stresses. It made me feel very touched and cared for. I have known some of you for a year or two now, some of you just a week even... and I am grateful to you all. I didn't want to tell anyone outside from my family (besides my best friend and boyfriend), but writing online helped. And having you guys listen helped more than you know.
A big thank you goes to Matt Zimmer, a good friend who introduced me to Dreamwidth and I'm glad he did. This is my second favorite site to visit now and each time I am on my laptop I have to log in and see what's going on with all my new online friends. You guys are amazing and your kindness warmed up my heart today.

My dad came home yesterday. He is taking it easy and they don't want him leaving the house for two weeks until he is fully recovered. Last night and tonight I had dinner with them and it was nice to sit around the table with my parents and nephew.
I hope you all are doing as well as you can be. Life is a rollercoaster, I'm hoping mine is going to take an easy glide for awhile. :-p

Current Mood: awake
Current Music: The radio (which has a mix of older & newer stuff!)

I am a member of discord (if any of you want to add me _Lady_Jess_#6121 you can). I've been trying to becoming more active in all the servers I am in. Which has been a good experience honestly, it's nice to connect with others, share my art, view theirs and just be around creative and like minded people. Well since I've been back on, checking it more often I've come to the same thought over and over again this morning: Sharing your art is a brave thing to do.

We live in a society where people are harsh beyond words. Especially on the internet where trolls lurk around every crack and corner. Someone can say some pretty hateful and hurtful things within a few seconds and not think twice about it. But to the one having those words cast on them and their art, it has lasting effects. While on comic fury I only share positive comments. With my reviews I've been writing on here, I only share positive ones.

But I just wanted to make note of that. That I give each and every one of us credit. To share our art, music, words, creations.... whatever flows from our emotions and mind to others. That is brave. It inspires me to see all sorts of different art, in all forms. I hope over time we can do more to build each other up than tear each other down. We are all going through battles and struggles no one may know about. Let's be kind to each other.

Current Mood: sympathetic

Gosh, it took a-lot for me to get up and wake up from a nap! But words won't write themselves.

The month of April came and went in what felt like a blink of an eye! I felt like socially it was a-lot, working on sketching for a CF 30 day event, my comic, creating new characters for my comic, starting to get back into doing yard work again, going through stuff for my yard sale, keeping up with regular upkeep around my home... It all felt very rushed.

I did start on some new projects - like sewing up old jeans that just had one or two little holes in them. I don't see the point in throwing them out, so I wanted to repair them and keep them. It felt good the other afternoon with all my sewing materials out and sewing, listening to videos on youtube. Eventually I have other sewing projects I want to do like fixing old purses, lunch boxes, dresses, ect. Things that I can fix up and still use rather than throw out and have to buy again.

Drawing was a good improvement. I came up with a new cast for Promised Memories. They will be showing up in chapter 14. And drawing out 30 characters/mystical creatures for the hue islands in which my story takes place was good practice.
Either this weekend or next week I want to finally write that new chapter and add the new characters into it. I'd like to get back into doing painting again next month -lets see how that goes! :-p

If I had to take a guess I would say I'm about all ready for this yard sale. Besides maybe one last look through my kitchen and then just set up on the weekend of and to wait and see what gets bought - I am one step closer to decluttering. In all honestly I should have done this a few years ago! But it's never to late to make some lifestyle changes. It's amazing how tiring it is going through stuff and making that big decision if I want it or if I can part ways with it. Most days I'm mentally prepared to do this. But once in awhile I feel sort of down and it can be harder to decide, so I wait till I'm in a better place.

I've been reading a-lot more, like usual. I feel I turn on my T.V. less and less to watch it these days. Mostly just Youtube for some background noise while I do artwork or sewing. I'm proud of myself for reading so many books to decide if I want to keep them or get rid of them for the yard sale/donate. If I keep it up, I like to think I can read 2 - 3 books a month. For someone who used to binge-watch Netflix for years I think this is a healthier choice for me. All of these beautiful books around in my house have been here for years and they are all filled with amazing stories.

Pokemon Go has been still keeping me busy. Which is a fun break from social media on my phone. Not much to report with it, other than I still love it.

I'm still keeping up writing the reviews for CF comics and trying to post 1 to 2 other entries on here to practice my writing. I truly do love Dreamwidth. It's been a nice experience. I've made a few more new friends on here which is a plus. I'm trying to go through and check on my DW friends when I don't see entries from you all. And then I go through and try to comment on a newer one or an older one, just to learn more about them. It's sort of neat to go through and read one's older thoughts.

Sapphire is doing good! She seems to like feeding time the best and is somewhat aggressive when it comes to feeding! But I've read that is normal for Crowntail Betta fish. I'm currently trying to train her to eat from a spoon since some of her pellets fall and sink quickly.

Copying the family photos from my parent's albums are still an ongoing project but have been going well. I'd like to write about that once I am done. I feel like I'm halfway done with it. I just need to label them better.

So far I think that is a good update for last month. I' hoping to get better about taking these naps of mine. Today I took a very long one and just didn't want to wake up and do anything. I felt depressed. Not as bad as other days in the past, it's just sometimes writing up my thoughts and feelings can feel tiring. Thank you guys for reading these and keeping up!

Current Mood: sleepy
Current Music: Arcade Fire Radio on Pandora

I still feel somewhat new on here and recently made a very helpful and kind friend (I think I can refer to you as that ysabetwordsmith ^^;) that shared some useful links with me that I thought I would pass along to whoever may befit from them. I know I will be checking them out overtime. At least this is one way to find new people with similar interests. I like being on here and finding others who enjoy it makes it all the better.

https://dw101.dreamwidth.org/ - How to get started on Dreamwidth

https://followfriday.dreamwidth.org/ - Recommend people/or communities to follow

https://ysabetwordsmith.dreamwidth.org/13330527.html - To find new friends on Dreamwidth

https://dw-community-promo.dreamwidth.org/ - Community promotion

https://friending-memes.dreamwidth.org/ - Making friends through friendly memes

https://fandomcalendar.dreamwidth.org/ - Finding others through Fandoms on Dreamwidth

https://fandomweekly.dreamwidth.org/ - A weekly short challenge

https://fandom-on-dw.dreamwidth.org/ - Fandom activities on Dreamwidth

Current Mood: hopeful
Current Music: Twenty One Pilots Radio on Pandora

Here's to a new year in a few days. Overall 2024 has been a mix of good and bad for me. I have mostly been looking at the good points. That's been getting me through to be honest. So much has happened in the world as a whole. Wars, politics, climate change, rights given and taken away, important issues voted on... I feel the list goes on and on. I feel that so much change has been happening this past year alone - not only to you or I but to everyone, together we make up such a complicated world. As I've aged and lived through my ups and downs I feel the butterfly effect more than ever lately.

I think my biggest accomplishment has been Promised Memories. Never did I think I would ever pick it back up and work on it again after 10 - 15 years when I first created it. But I am so grateful I did. From dating a person who writes stories and comics regularly suggesting I go into a character tournament on Comic furry to now it's been close to a year that I have been on the site. Like I mentioned before, every cause has an effect and here I am sharing this story and comic to so many. It has gotten support that I never thought it would.

Art and writing goals for 2024:
Finding another platform to share Promised Memories on
Possibly finding a new site t share my art on (maybe like Deviant art?)
Getting back into side art projects to improve my skills with new mediums and mastering new styles of art
Keeping up with writing one review a week of my Comic Fury subscriptions
Doing one fan art a month of the Comic Fury subscriptions I enjoy
Making character bio sheets for my main cast
Typing out the notes I wrote on the older past stories that have made PM what it is today
Making time to come on here to connect with everyone more often

I hope you all have a fantastic new year. I have a good, positive feeling about next year. I'm grateful for our friendships and support of each other, here is to another year with you guys. Thank you for all you have done for me, your kindness means the word to me.

Current Mood: thoughtful

Getting back on here after a few days offline I figured I would write a post about art and how I feel it can give us all who create it purpose. I know that introduction sentence may come off a bit mellow dramatic, but it feels right to me. So bring it on.

After being back online in the community of writing and sharing my comic as well as reading others, it has opened my mind up again to a new creative type in the world. We may go by all different titles... story tellers, creators, artists, authors... I feel there are many more. I feel we open up a part of ourselves to the world we decide to share our art and stories to.

For me there was a time in my early life when as a mid to late teenager I had few friends. The ones I did have were good to me and we had good memories I look back on. But there was a bigger part of my soul I opened up from time to time. And that was writing stories and starting to create comics. Alone I would sit in my room, or in whatever room in my parents house at the time and I would just write and draw. I was highly influenced by anime and manga and some American cartoons and comics, as well as the random graphic novel I would pick up. These would inspire me and I felt that someday maybe I could do what they have done. As I created these comics I felt connected to the characters, the world and the possibility that I could do whatever I wanted with it. It was a secretive and powerful feeling. And now as an older adult about 20 years later and I have been looking over and reading my old creations of Promised Memories I can feel who I was back then. Even now I have a pretty quite social circle and just like back then, these stories and comics are giving me a certain calm in this crazy, fast paced world we live in. If that makes sense and doesn't sound weird at all.

It was a safe place for me. And even now, I have a-lot to be grateful for and happy about - but I can still find myself being depressed from time to time and when I do, falling back into my stories and focusing on them has given me a feeling of purpose. I live alone, some days it is pleasant and other days it is sad. On those sad days I can turn my thoughts and energy to my comic, story, characters and word I created.

I don't want this post to be looked on with pity. But just to express myself and how I feel some days. I feel as creators we can all be sensitive and I feel at least one of you reading this may relate. The world feels like a harsh place at times. It gives me comfort to know I can hide in one of my stories, comics and world for awhile and forget about all that is around me.

Current Mood: okay
Current Music: Pandora - Iron and Wine station