I promised myself I wouldn’t write one of those “sorry I haven’t written” posts, but here it is.

It’s been an interesting summer. I was doing very well until I experienced something that took the wind right out of my sails. It’s not worth going into detail here. But while the rational side of me is able to learn from the experience and grow, the sensitive artist-type inside me is feeling — I’ll be brutally honest here — crippled and shamed.

I have no doubt that I’ll recover myself and get back on track. But I have much to sort out. I’ve started acupuncture with a wonderful practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and I am taking creative comfort in my photography. I think I’m starting to find my “voice” in that area (if that makes any sense). And I’m looking forward to the next great challenge, wherever it comes from.

The bottom line is: I didn’t go to school for commercial art. I studied photography, print-making, video, performance, art history and critical theory. My current means of expression, design, isn’t just a means to an end or just a job. It is a passion. While I don’t spend wads of time reading design essays and theory, I think about everything I interact with every minute of every day. Fonts, colors, shape, etc. A problem to be solved. And though I may not have the technical skills to practice my avocation in the most efficient manner, the point is that I know my instincts are sound.

I love what I do, and I want what I do to matter to people. I don’t want to make a thing that looks like everything else. It is not the easiest (or most lucrative) path to take. But it’s the one that feels right to me.

A vacation where you end up more exhausted than when you started isn’t a real vacation.  It’s an ordeal.  But toss in the largest comic book convention of all time and a red-eye return flight with two already overstimulated kids? That’s what you call a gauntlet.

Yesterday I spent the day trying to catch up on sleep.  Today I’m trying to catch up with my real (as well as virtual) life.  And I don’t even know what day today is.  Figuring out what the next step of my employment quest will be. Resolving to clean my office. Freeing up space on my external hard drive so I can get the vacation pictures off Jane’s laptop, which I will then need to process and upload to Flickr. Writing to all of the amazing people I met at the Con. Eating. Unpacking. Laundry.  Avoiding clients for a few hours more until I can take care of the items above.  The list goes on…

Lullabye versions of Radiohead’s greatest hits? Surely, it must be a joke. But no. They exist.  AND IT IS GOOD.

There I was in the local hipster baby boutique this afternoon (shopping for a gift), when I spied the CD on the counter.  I came home and streamed it online.  I admit…I was lulled.  And I can’t wait to see what young, brash film director uses these tunes in his/her next indie hit.

Alright. I think I’m ready for the next big challenge. I think I’ve mastered table-less layout and now I’d like to take it to the next level. Where do I start? What books do I read? Who do I talk to?

Clearly, my next step is to get a decent job. One where I can learn something — I mean, I can only get so much experience sitting in my home office…