Word of the day: perfunctory

So I don't want to give the impression that I'm not doing children's books anymore with that last post. (maybe I just outright said that...I don't remember and I didn't go back and read it) I just liked the feeling of freedom in so far as drawing pictures and not feeling like I have to do any of it with a reason and an agenda.

I think I've decided on a layout for my website. It's pretty simple. I'm a big fan of simple.

Also, they're coming out with a Pirates Who Don't Do Anything Veggietales movie..consider me way pumped. Those movies/shows are too cool.

The weather for the past three days has been absolutely amazing. s'got me jonesing for the fall time. I like fall the most of all the seasons..maybe that's why it seems like God made it the shortest..so that I'll long for it when it comes around. I love the leaves, the pure blue sky that you can see through empty branches, the crisp air, jackets, pumpkins, mountains..man. Makes my heart swell up.

So I've been leading this small group down here in Charleston...and it's been a huge blessing for me. It's good to have others looking in my direction..keeps me accountable with what I do and how I spend my time when I'm away from my brothers and sisters. My brother (from the same mother) came to the group this past Monday night, which I was really glad about and my sister has been coming too...those two, man...God's got a lot He wants to do with them.

Only a week and a half before I'm up in Rock Hill again. It may not be this trip up, and if it's not that's ok, but I want to go hiking at crowder's. Or somewhere. Because that's what the fall is for. I want to maybe carve a pumpkin too. Not at the same time, however.

I leave with the old version of Pedro...

Apparently, I'm a fan of blueish backgrounds and looking to the left.

fog is good at hiding things.

I think that maybe I've been going about things the wrong way. I keep getting hung up in certain points of my life and then find myself frustrated when it happens. Maybe it's supposed to be happening? Sometimes life and thoughts and expectations and plans need to be completely re-evaluated. Rehauled.

I've been holding onto this children's book career idea for a long time. Family, friends and teachers have been incredibly supportive and encouraged me to do it. But I have to wonder if I've let them have more influence than they should have. I've been told "That's so cute - if you don't get that published, I'm going to have to kick your ass" or something along those lines. (A threat-compliment, as odd as those are...)

I could make a lot of money with it..I won't put on a false modesty about it...I think I could do it and be successful. But I keep hitting these walls, and I can blame it on lack of discipline and not being able to make myself do it,...but I think the real reason is that my heart isn't there. So while God may still lead me there, I'm not going to put that as a focal point for what I'm going to do with my life.

And coming to that decision is somewhat liberating, opening up the doors again for anything to happen, and not trying to force a square peg into a round hole. And it should allow me to just do art for the sake of loving it, to be passionate about it.

That said, here's Jared:

Ok, so this is an update to the original post. I had this other drawing of a kid that I was coloring and it gave me the idea to do this next thing. I call it "16 years down the road: Retribution".

As in, Jared Jr. Annoying Jared Sr. :)