turtlesoup | to see which was my better half

a black girl in a tank top and underpants and a white angel in a robe both fall out of the sky on opposite sides of 'Tumbling Down: a patchwork thesis project featuring two gravitationally challenged young ladies'

Talk about inconsistent posting, I know! But, today, I am giving my thesis presentation, which in my mind really kicks off the senior thesis portion of my grad school career. I don't much like public speaking, but I can't say how much I'm looking forward to that opportunity to focus. (Although, to prevent myself from focusing too hard and getting stuck, I'll be attempting to alternate between the two rather different flavors of storytelling referenced above - from eerie dream-inspired exploration into the unknown to goofy interpersonal antics with a Heavenly twist, and back.)

an annoyed Turtle shoves Mickey, who is scrunching up her face, sticking out her tongue and bracing her feet. quoth Turtle: 'oh, come on, do something!'

an annoyed Turtle shoves Mickey, who is scrunching up her face, sticking out her tongue and bracing her feet. quoth Turtle: 'oh, come on, do something!'

As my presentation notes, I had originally intended that Goodness Knows would be the core of my thesis work this year. However, over the summer I lost patience with the characters; trying to get into Mickey's head, in particular, has been like pulling teeth! I suspect that sitting on this concept for five years has not really helped it to flow easily. For that reason, I'm making it first alternate, and putting Ash's story front and center.

a poster featuring Ash falling through the sky from upside-down asylum to silhouetted nun-sanitorium on one side, and Luce rubbing her head ruefully from the pavement in front of a coffee shop on the other

a poster featuring Ash falling through the sky from upside-down asylum to silhouetted nun-sanitorium on one side, and Luce rubbing her head ruefully from the pavement in front of a coffee shop on the other

(Poster advertising my thesis. My graphic design skills could use some work, but it'll do.)

Hopefully the two very different ideas will play off each other in a way that will help me stay loose and stay energized, because remaining healthy and happy throughout these months is as important to me as making good work. I want to leave school with sustainable habits.

It's been a process.

a progression of images from years ago to the present, circling from aspiration to determination to burnout and a fresh start

a progression of images from years ago to the present, circling from aspiration to determination to burnout and a fresh start

In order to further discourage devouring myself with anxiety, I'm also planning to occasionally deviate into fun side projects, like messing around with these characters (who may eventually have a longer story of their own, but are still in development):

an all-women band rocks out onstage somewhere in Chicago

an all-women band rocks out onstage somewhere in Chicago

I'm incredibly excited to sink my teeth into all this now that I have a proper plan, and I'm intending to leave here with two major stories well underway ... carrying me out into post-school life with a good store of momentum. I hope!

Here are a mishmash of conceptual sketches for Ash's (still untitled) story, to give a taste of what a lot of future posts are likely to consist of ...

a girl wanders through a room of huge pillars of what appear to be drawers, stretching away out of the frame