So I’ve been working two jobs for a while now, with little to no time for my art or a social life.  I can pay my bills and eat my dinner, then go work some more.  I’m berated daily about my life choice, my artistic career and whether or not I’ll be getting married soon.  Everyone around me seems to be looking at their watch and reminding me that I need to get a move on, lest I find myself years down the road with nothing to show for my college eduction.  Contrary to seemingly popular belief, this behavior does not help me in this struggling time.

Everyone always has the answers to the problems that are not their own.  “Why don’t you move to California and work for Pixar? Or Florida and work for Disney?”  I have applied to both aforementioned studios with no response and I highly doubt going to these places and assaulting them with my resume in person will convince them of my caliber.

But, being a persistent optimist, I find myself enjoying my work and finding artistic inspiration regardless.  A colleague and I were sweeping floors and remarking on the amount and size of the dust bunnies we happened to be evicting.  This lead us into a discussion about how cute actual dust bunnies would be and how terrified they would look at us destroying their home.  I’ve since then added the “Dust Bunny” character onto my list of things to do, since I think it would be a good challenge to make a character who is not quite solid, not quite dirt, and not quite cute.

These kinds of ideas are what keep me going.  Maybe it’s not progress, but it at least keeps reminding me that I love what I do, and that someday I’ll turn that into the best job in the world.

~Sarah Keeps the Flame Burning