My days are often filled with these moments.
The times when I say “I can” seem to be increasing.
June 28th, 2014
Category Archives: Comics
June 27th, 2014
Living with anxiety.
And yes, I do sit with my knee in front of me like that constantly throughout the day and yes, I recognize that this might be part of the reason it bothers me.
June 26th, 2014
Hope is a beautiful thing.
Except when it’s completely unfounded and makes you a little crazy.
The frustrating thing is that you never know the difference between the beautiful version and the crazy version until after the fact.
June 25th, 2014
A moment from therapy.
Roles
In 2009, my former art teacher, Mr. Joe Bell called me to ask if I would be interested in helping with Highland High School’s production of Grease. He didn’t have enough boys for all the roles and no one who could pull off Beauty School Dropout. He’d gotten permission to have a alum come in alumni to come in and perform the song.
He didn’t know it at the time, but I truly believe that his phone call saved my life.
I was sliding into a suicidal depression that continued into late 2010, one that nearly claimed my life. Without the catharsis and connection that the stage offered me, I don’t know that I would have survived this period.
The years since have been some of my most difficult, but also some of the absolute best. I’ve seen things and felt things I couldn’t have imagined. I’ve met people who have changed my outlook on the world and been, in some small way, an inspiration to others around me.
All because of a call from a high school art teacher.
So, I dedicate this to all of the teachers that ever reached out to me and specifically to Joe Bell. You changed my life. You saved my life.
June 24th, 2014
Sometimes online dating and online comics that reveal your deepest, darkest secrets don’t go together all that well.
June 23rd, 2014
Sometimes, art is hard.
June 22nd, 2014
The quote from a loved one (as best as I can remember it) was, “Jesse, when you pull yourself down, you pull down the people around you who love you.”
She was right, and while I can honestly say that I don’t do this as much as I used to it is still a struggle from time to time.
June 21st, 2014
I made it.
June 20th, 2014
For those that know me personally, if you ever find yourself wondering “Has Jesse thought this through? Does he realize how dangerous/risky/uncertain it is?” I just want to very clearly state that the answer is always “Yes.”
I have thought through every terrible thing that might happen, including at least a dozen you probably couldn’t have without first having read the wikipedia entry for unusual deaths (which I’ve read at least twice).
The question for me isn’t whether there’s risk, it’s whether the rewards are worth it. If my choices are to risk everything or stand still, standing still feels like death to me these days so I’m going to go for it.