Survival & Minimalism (Patreon)

Most of you should soon be receiving the end-of-month updates in your Messages Inbox! All patrons with processed accounts will find a URL granting access to the Meatier Showers Google Drive. This month's edition adds another 2 fresh draft pages to the previous comic file. While there are no actual dialogues at the moment, they should start making their way into next month's update once I'm settled into my new studio space.

Limited Internet Connectivity

Speaking of which, September will mark yet another new chapter in my life where my living conditions and lifestyle will drastically change. Aside from abandoning my actual home to seek better opportunities, the new studio space has no internet connections. This means that in order to upload any new content or updates, I'll have to tether my desktop PC to my mobile phone. Fortunately the Patreon iPhone app makes it fairly easy still to do quick updates as well as replying messages.

A Temporary Solution

The interesting challenge presented with the studio space is that it is not a long-term, cure-all solution. While I am glad that I still have a place of refuge to retreat to, so to speak, the studio is only leased to me and my friends for only a year. This means that I've literally bought myself 12 months, after which we'll most likely be asked to leave. If we're lucky, we could possibly extend the rent for another 6 months, but that's provided there aren't any new applicants already queuing for the project studio space.  This means that my studio solution is only a transient one, and while I'd like to rejoice for having such a nice space to take shelter in, I'm not exactly out of the woods either.

Disposable Comforts

Taking the above parameter into consideration, most of the decisions I've made between running away from home in July till now have been on the basis that I'll be on the move again in less than a year. This means that a lot of the furniture for the studio will have to go, one way or the other, after the lease expires. This also means that I cannot bring items that will otherwise become a liability along, since most things will either have to be sold, given away or thrown out ultimately. This condition has forced me to shop for the cheapest solutions possible at IKEA. The total cost of all the furniture that I've selected and moved into the space is around US$150 - some of which has been generously sponsored by my friends as birthday presents; some of which will be covered by my Patreon funds.

Sacrifices For Survival

The other relatively big change is that there are no showers at the art studio space. This means that I'll either have to make do with the toilet's bidet, or cross the street where (thankfully) the public pool is. That said, it's cold showers either way, and not something I'm particularly enthusiastic about, but that's one of the many sacrifices I'll have to make in order to get ahead in life.

This new chapter will be a test of my self-sufficiency and resourcefulness. I know that, I could've stayed home in my comfort zone, and simply kick back and work on my comic projects peacefully. I also know that, if I did that, I probably would not be able to push myself further in life, and provide myself the growth opportunities I need to become a better person.

There's no easy way out, and to be quite honest, I've been in a bit of a transitory funk this whole month. It's not a pleasant feeling, but hopefully once I'm settled into my new environment next month, things will start picking up from there.

Taking things in stride.

Snares
Aug 2016