Weekly Update - 122 (Patreon)

First I'd like to welcome our newest Landlord-tier patron, Jesse!  Thank you so much!

I'm not sure I've mentioned the fact that we put our ad back up on FA, so we're likely to see another influx of new patrons as a result... which means I need to stop slacking off and hammer out that character sheet queue so I can be sure to thank you all properly for your generosity and your support!

Comic this week: Yes!

Drawing: Page 145, and tackling the Kuserran Hero queue this Friday.

Playing: World of Warcraft

Ye Olde Weekly Ramble:

*Smashes head on keyboard several times* I dunno why it is that I'll always have a great discussion topic on my mind yesterday, but I never seem to be able to remember it today.  I need to get better about writing things down.

Annnd, probably things in general, honestly.  No time like the present, I suppose.

I did meet a young artist at a little local friend meet-up last night.  He's your typical shy, closed off, introverted type, focused solely on drawing and generally ignoring social interactions in the meantime.  I've seen this person a few times before at similar gatherings, but we've never really said much to each other, namely because I'm also shy, closed off, and usually focused solely on scrolling on my phone until the social setting is over and done with.

At one point last night, us two awkward introverts found ourselves alone in the kitchen because everyone else had gone outside.  I thought about joining them to try and force myself to be social, but for us introverts, blissful silence often begets a sense of relief, as the calm clarity of thought returns.  I remained in the quiet.  Glancing over at this artists' busy hand, I asked a simple question.  I don't remember the details but he was drawing a character I recognized and I thought starting a conversation might be a good way to actually meet this person who I've only otherwise been peripherally aware of for like a year.  A novel concept, I know, but there are few things harder for me than starting a conversation.  It was a quiet place, just the two of us, with no where else to go because outside thar be socializing and neither one of us was about to risk that.

But it must have been the right question, because it was an absolute joy to see this person open up.  Cautiously at first, always, but the conversation continued, and soon he was flipping through his entire catalog of art and explaining everything he'd drawn there.

It was honestly a lot of fun for me.  Knowing how stressful it can be to be the shy and awkward person at a social setting, I also know how the simple gesture of someone showing even a mild interest in what I'm doing (over here by myself) can be really uplifting.

Eventually the social people started to trickle back inside, because the mosquitoes were eating them, and sure enough, as the room returned to its normal noise level I watched as this artist closed off again. Little by little, the doors closed and the locks and deadbolts fell back into place.  The giant backlog of fun tablet drawings became off-limits once more.  Again, I know exactly what that's like.  The walls and barricades that go back up as we retreat inwardly to the relative safety of introversion, where none from the scary outside world can scrutinize, prod or judge us.  Safe inside our little mental fortresses.

And I guess this is another of those, raw and poorly thought-out rambles (isn't that all of them?) but I guess my biggest takeaway from it all is that this is exactly how I behave at parties and social gatherings, but it's very very rare I get to observe this whole process from an outside perspective.  And I was totally okay with it.  I'll normally worry constantly about appearing strange or awkward or being socially inept and other people judging me, but it was completely and totally fine.  Because it's just being an introvert, and there's nothing wrong with that.  Some people like their own space and like to be inside their own heads, and that doesn't seem odd or weird or strange or awkward in the slightest.

Still, it made me really happy to see this introverted person come out of their shell a little bit and make a connection, even if it was a fleeting one.  Perhaps when the stars are right and the setting is nice and quiet and safe, I'll try that a little bit too.

Just a little bit.