Update #25 - June 2021

HELLO!

Before I start, thank you to everyone who has continued to support me, and thank you especially to my newest patrons: Sol, Althea Peters, TD Adams, Slater, Ashton, Kisato, Jeanelle Eros, Mitchell Madison, Julianne Klim, Shiloh Curtis, Merrit Langley, wolfslayingasahobby, Molly, and Amanda Sanders!

Thank you all so much; it really means a lot to me to have your support!

WHAT HAVE I BEEN UP TO?

I’ve been trying to get back into the habit of running; I used to go on runs pretty regularly, but fell out of the habit in early 2020 due to certain worldwide events. My partner, Aidan, and I have been trying to find time in the mornings to go to the nearby reservoir and jog there; failing that, I’ll do a bit of jogging on the dubiously janky treadmill we keep in our basement.

WHAT HAVE I BEEN WORKING ON?

I’ve been keeping up with the diary comics, freeform illustrations, and animations that I’ve been regularly posting, as well as the weekly lives I’ve been doing on my Instagram. I’ve also, of course, been continuing to design stickers and fulfill orders for the Sticker of the Month Club here on Patreon! None of this makes for a very exciting update, but it sure has been keeping me busy!

Other than my regular projects, I’ve also been working on a comic for an anthology I was accepted into. I can’t share any photos of it, unfortunately, but I’m pretty excited about it!

WHAT HAVE I BEEN CONSUMING?

This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews

I read this graphic novel after it was loaned to my housemates and I by a friend, and really enjoyed it!

The art is absolutely lovely: the character designs are delightful, and the colors, which shift palettes scene-to-scene, are gorgeous. It all has a whimsical, fairytale vibe that meshes well with the plot, which feels episodic not in the way of a TV show, but of a bedtime story that’s being told in installments.

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

I wanted an easy listen after the intense experience of shotgunning the entire Broken Earth trilogy in less than a month, so I returned once again to this favorite, which I’ve reread many times. Every time I reread it, I feel like I notice new things and make new connections between the different stories.

Playing the Palace by Paul Rudnick

I picked this book up because it seemed like such a blatant rip-off of Red, White & Royal Blue (which I hadn’t liked much, largely due to the bungled political message) and I was curious if 1. it would fall into the same trap of neoliberalist tripe and 2. if it really was the exact same plot.

While the plots were indeed different, the politics were about the same. Yes, the book is vocally self-aware, and yes, the main character’s black lesbian feminist roommate repeatedly points out how problematic monarchy is, but was that enough to counterbalance the grandmother queen that is obviously supposed to be Queen Elizabeth, complete with corgis, being portrayed as charming comic relief?  No, not really.

Outside my political quibbles, although there were sparks of charm, the plot was bland, and the turn into the third act was executed with stunning sloppiness.

Given (2019) dir. Hikaru Yamaguchi

I can’t remember why I asked Aidan to procure a copy of this anime about an amateur rock band, but apparently at some point in the past I did, and I’m now very thankful to past me. This was one of those series that I desperately didn’t want to be over. (Luckily for me, there’s a sequel OVA that i have yet to watch! Also a manga series, which I want to read.)

This anime has charming characters with good chemistry among the romantic pairings, and great group dynamics within the friend groups. The plot is pretty tight and moves through plotpoints and character beats quickly, though it never feels rushed. Also the theme song is a complete banger.

Tokimeki Memorial: Forever With You pub. Konami

I am once again playing Tokimeki Memorial (and also watching every Let’s Play on Youtube that I can find.) I’ve been using Jisho.org and Wikipedia’s list of kanji by stroke count to try and figure out the words I don’t know, which has been pretty great practice for my Japanese.

THIS MONTH’S MUSICAL JAMS

I bought a CD of Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA that I’ve been enjoying immensely. I’ve also been listening to The Doomstar Requiem a lot, since it’s my favorite album to run to.

THAT'S ALL FOR NOW!

If you have any questions or stuff you've wanted to talk to me about, do leave a comment below!

Hope you're doing well!

<3,

Dave