May

Visual diary continues! It's an interesting exercise. While they're still all pretty rough and frequently a bit rubbish, it's forcing me to think about things in new ways, both in terms of my creativity and my life. I've read saccharine articles about optimism that suggest simply writing down a good thing that happens to you every day in order to feel happier in the long run. Well this is kind of what I'm doing here. Except they're not always good things. But um... overall there's an optimistic tone? Anyway.

Not much of worth happened on May 1st so I did a pattern. The sun did come out though. Which makes a change.

 

On May 5th we went on a lovely walk from Glynde to Lewes. Well, I say lovely... It was a lot of fun but I always forget how ridiculously hilly it is. When we got into Lewes we went to a pub and I had a bag of cheese and onion crisps and an appletiser and they were just the best tasting bag of cheese and onion crisps and bottle of appletiser I've ever had.

Oh man. Candy Crush Saga. Just say no.
(As a side note, although it's a bit skitchy sketchy pencil, that background drawing has all it's perspectives SPOT ON and I'm pretty smug about that.)

So this was me pondering on how my Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for my emetophobia was going. I had my final session last week, and I'm pleased to say it has been worthwhile. So I'm still absolutely terrified of vomiting myself, and have the associated slight obsessiveness regarding avoiding germs. But my fear of seeing vomiting in films and on the telly has totally disappeared, and my fear of others being sick around me has lessened by probably about 90%. It hasn't yet been tested, but I do feel totally ready to face that now, which is good. So yes. I just hope it's not all an illusion though.

It's the exciting time of the year at work where we start work on the year's brochures. This year I have total creative control! Ooooh!

So we went to the bead shop, and I got ridiculously excited and carried away and made ambitious plans about how I was going to start making loads of jewellery and it was going to be great and I'd get fimo and make my own beads and and and and.... and then I basically forgot about it. Oh well. Maybe one day. Beads do excite me in quite an irrational way. As I child I inherited a whole load of biscuit tins full of buttons and beads from my Nan and decided I was going to set up a button and bead shop. That ambition also failed to materialise. Hm.

Bought these ridiculous trousers and I'm pleased to say they're SO GOOD I actually went out and bought another similar pair today. I don't care if I look silly. I love them.

This is Lara. She came to stay with our housemate David. I tried to do a super quick drawing of her. I still can't do faces but other than that it's okaaaaaay...

Lots of stuff on at work. So I went for a big cycle by the sea and felt better.

Had to go on a work trip to Oxford. Messed up. On the train to Gatwick I popped to the loo, leaving my bag on the seat where I had been sat. I looked at the two ladies next to me, and gestured to indicate what I was doing, and they nodded to indicate understanding. Went to the loo, came back, women had gone, bag gone too. WHAT. The women had got off at Three Bridges, loads of other people had got on, no one knew whose the bag was, so they assumed someone had forgotten to take it with them, and they chucked it off onto the platform before the train left Three Bridges. I was gone TWO MINUTES. I was visibly stressed, although in a bizarre twist, there was a CLOWN there, and he offered me a magic trick to make me feel better. I declined. Anyway. I had to get off at Gatwick, go back to Three Bridges and get the bag, thus missing my connection and seriously grumping me out. Here's a drawing of the bag. (It's one of my favourites, so I'm glad it's not lost forever)

CAKE CLUB! Well, baking club. A group of friends decided it would be a fun thing to do if we all occasionally bake stuff then meet up at someone's house and share it around. It was great fun but about three cakes in it did become a bit of an effort. A delicious effort.

This isn't a particularly good entry, but I just wanted to discuss how great virgin bloody Marys are. It's like delicious cold tomato soup! Perfect when you're a bit hungry and a bit thirsty! I have to be in a very particular mood, and they do vary dramatically from pub to pub, but I'm definitely into them.

Feeling a bit rough for no apparent reason, but in quite a good mood regardless.

Had a super fun day full of lots of good things so decided to comic-style it. It's very evocative to me, but probably to no one but me. Still, good practice at drawing things from memory.

Did a typographic thing for Alex. It's not amazing but the tracing paper folded down looks quite pleasing to me...

Went to the Design Museum for their Designs of the year show. Well worth a visit if you get the chance - and the other shows on at the same time were just as good. A selection from the archives including some of my favourite classic utilitarian designs (National Rail logo, 'Transport' typeface), and a fascinating (if somewhat high-brow) future UK life scenarios construct.

This is how it goes. (I'm stuck on level 92. There are over 350 levels in total. It will never end.)

I know it's silly but I kind of love going to the supermarket with Alex. I mean, I kind of love going alone too. I kind of love the supermarket. Don't love the inevitable uphill walk home though.

Hopefully to be continued...