Hey all, it’s been awhile.

So as this year is wrapping up, I’ve been reflecting a bit on not only this last year, but also the whole decade that is coming to a close. Since it’s been awhile since I’ve literally posted…well…anything, I wanted to post a little (big) update; even if for no other reason than to write things down for my own sake to remember later on.

When 2010 kicked off the decade, I was a naive, scrappy little 15yr old. Now at the end of 2019, I am a sad, dull 25yr old.

That’s about it. Yup, the end.

Alright jokes aside, I initially felt like not much had changed in my life. I mean, in the grand scheme of things, 10 years really ain’t a long time, even if these ten landed during a big transitional part of my life. My hobbies shifted from playing baseball, video games, snowboarding, and bible quizzing (yeah, I did that); to drinking beer and liquor, smoking weed, doing drugs, and- 

Okay, okay. I’ll cut back on the depressing jokes and try to take this more seriously.

Just within this decade I…

• …graduated from homeschool (if that means anything)
• …survived college and escaped with a Bachelors degree of art
• …moved from rural Montana, to Idaho, and eventually to Seattle
• …spent almost a month in another country where I didn’t really speak the native language (which is something I totally recommend by the way)
• …made my first online account (FurAffinity, for better or worse)
• …discovered webcomics and started my own (and a few other short-lived comic strip series)
• …went from seeing my first major concert to becoming a regular concert goer
• …juggled a mixture of jobs ranging from cleaning toilets, traveling for tech support, doing construction, selling anime, to woodworking
• …transitioned from hating coffee and beer to consuming each quite regularly
• …shifted my obsessive interests from video games to music

…and that’s just the first 10 things from these 10 years I can think of off the top of my head.

Mutt in the Middle has obviously been one of the decade’s biggest surprises for me. Sure, it’s not really grown into anything special, but I only had a passing interests in comics before tackling the project. While I’ve read comics for about as long as I can remember, I actually would not have considered comics a big part of my life. When I first discovered webcomics I was intrigued though. Here was a vast array of comics that incorporated a range of styles, genres, and could literally be about anything. You could read one that was total trash, but then turn around and find one of your favorite stories of all time. The fact that these were largely made by ordinary people with sometimes only the bare minimum amount of art and writing skills instilled a dream in me that anyone could make something great if they were willing to invest the time. 

I was in high school, I had loads of time. 

My arrival to college may have taken away from my available time, but now I was really learning how to improve my artistic abilities. While I didn’t really learn about comics from my graphic design department (and they didn’t seem to have a terribly fond opinion of illustration), I did learn elements of good design that I was able to incorporate into my artwork. 

As I moved on from college life to the average adult life, my time and motivation as an artist began to take a dive though. While I currently have a job I find enjoyment in, it does tend to leave me tired and drained after the normal 40hr work week. If any of you have been following MitM, you will already know that there really hasn’t been much to follow recently (the last page was like what? September?). What free time I have had recently has been more and more focused on my interests in music…

…and well beer. No seriously.

I have made several good friends in the craft beer (and cider!) industry, several of which are also big music fans. We meet up at breweries and share the weird, obscure (or mainstream) music that we most recently have been geeking out about. My music tastes (which were, mind you, already extremely broad in college) have probably doubled or tripled (if not more!). My extensive love for music and sharing it with others is the primary push for me to get off my sorry butt and start this whole YouTube channel dedicated to discovering music. 

Alright, so I’ve only created the channel and I have yet to actually post a video, but I am still very serious about kicking production for this into high gear. I have a few scripts already finished, some recorded bits started, and even artwork done to incorporate to the project. 

Of course this does kinda place Mutt in the Middle in…well…sort of a pickle (ha, puns). Currently it lies in limbo in the middle of an action scene that I’d argue is really important (at least to the story). I have had the next few pages sketched (and half forgotten) within my sketchbook for awhile now, so I really should…well…”just do it!” Theoretically, I would like to finish the chapter and then “officially” take a break from MitM to focus on this potential YouTube project.

So…yup, that’s about it I suppose. If you managed to make it all the way through this lengthy, arguably unimportant blurb…well…good for you (I guess?). I do want to wish you a Happy New Year and the best of luck for the upcoming decade. 

I will now leave you with a song. 

A song released earlier this year that I love dearly, and one that instills me with hope.

Cheers, Grill.