Umm... All this project does is play some weird gato music and make the 2024 text wiggle. If that fancies you, just click the green flag (but be gentle - cursors hurt). Now then... I'm just gonna ramble, if that's ok with y'all. Things to get off my chest. Get your reading glasses if y'need them. There's quite a bit. To be as honest as I feel I can get... 2023 has been my worst year for Scratch yet. Sounds harsh, but it had the least projects (unless you count 2017), the most takedowns (6, with 3 appealed, 1 getting re-removed after said appeal), the strongest burnouts, the closest I've gotten to having to move. On the bright side, it's also had the least mutes of any year since I started keeping track (3), but that's not saying much. And maybe a recent cold spell has gotten me drowsy, maybe it's my continuously awful sleep schedule giving me the blues, but I just feel like I don't care anymore. No more cares for my ongoing projects. Total apathy. Zero drive. Zilch motivation for any art at all, save for aimless doodles... which I don't even do because I'm worried it'll be a "waste of space" in my sketchbook. I put this questionaire project off until the last moment, and if I didn't feel like upholding this annual tradition was so important I probably would've skipped over it entirely. And the only reason why I'm spewing all this is because I feel like there's no time to think of four less serious questions. I really wanna concentrate on doing more art, more animation, more steps towards my dream career, more organization, more teamwork, more self-love... and less lollygagging, less procrastination, less burnout, less setting of unrealistic expectations, less despair. The day where I can draw something as soon as I get the idea for it AND make it look good will be a really good day. As will the day where I can consistently get the bravery to look up references without fear of weird or slimy fanart derailing my thought train. As will the day where I try out more handdrawn animation, or the day where I experiment more with my characters and styles, or the day where I start working with a team effort to speed up and spread out production, or the day where.... the day where I "grow up", whatever that means. More independence around the house, I presume? Or maybe it's sorting out how my phone delays a good night's sleep so much. But for now, I just don't feel like it. I'm tired. I'm unmotivated. My hands would rather pick up a remote control or a Switch pro controller than a pencil. It no longer really matters to me if my current projects are delayed for forever, or even cancelled in lieu of new focuses. Again, apathy. For now, my interest is elsewhere, and elsewhere is off Scratch. Sure, my dreams for the future remain, I'm just not ready to begin my journey. So for now I'll just write down any big ideas I get for sometime later on... No rush. But... time will keep going on, and I don't wanna leave things too late. I'll have to stop this lazy idling and get back into the flow of toon artistry some day SOON. So... Yes rush? What counts as too late in this world? The point where I'm considered "too old" to succeed in society's judgemental eyes? 30 years? 25? 20?? The modern pressure to succeed young is so strong, I just find myself asking... Can't time just wait? No, it can't. I wish it could. Anyways, about that question... What was I gonna ask again? Actually I haven't even thought of it. Here's one on the spot: How did your 2023 go? And what do you hope to do in 2024? I'm not really gonna set a "new year's resolution" as traditional, but instead have a few aspirations... like resolutions, but a lot more long-term and useful. With some skill, they should help me outta this rut. In 2024, I will... affirm myself every day with warm loving confident comments to boost my self-esteem. Over the course of a few months - most likely three - I shall recover my motivation, regain my desire and passion for drawing my toons without scrutiny over quality, hone and develop skills both old and new, and perhaps dabble a bit in handdrawing some animation sequences... while not forgetting my family and friends in the meanwhile. And thus, I hereby declare 2024 my Year of Opportunity. Opportunities to get back into my old flow, to try out new things, to aim high without overwhelming myself, to go places, see the world, break barriers, take a few steps closer to a blissful brilliant dream coming true. An opportunity to live happy again. And an opportunity to care about my projects again. Only question now is... will I take these opportunities, and make 2024 one of my best years ever? I know I can, I know I should, so I might as well. Have a grand ol' new year, everyone. ((credit to nobonoko for the music - go check him out, his tunes are maximum cool beans))
