Tag: IT ME

Squiddle: Adorable and Dangerous

Hello, dear reader! In lieu of writing something that requires analysis, emotional wherewithal, and sources, I made a thing!

My current job involves screening and editing academic articles, one of which was titled, “Squiddle: The Octopus with a Unicorn Horn.” It’s about a totally academic topic, but the title stuck in my brain to the point that I just had to draw Squiddle, as you see below.

Squiddle’s a good octopus, but sometimes Squiddle makes mistakes.

Mr Squish has been working on his art skills the past couple of years, and I’ve watched videos with him and his process. So I actually did some experimental sketches before putting Squiddle together. I stole his alcohol-based markers, which allow for better blending, shading, and a smoother finished product. As you can see, I’m still getting the hang of it as it was my first try with them, but I’m pretty pleased with how the water turned out.

Any who, there ya go. Something not depressing! Hopefully Squiddle will gently squeeze your heart so you feel happy. Squiddle does Squiddle’s best.

Nature’s Beautiful?

There’s a lot going on in the world right now, but for a moment I will turn away from the intensity of fear and hope in order to navel gaze. I am apparently a millennial after all.

I love nature shows and documentaries. I am especially susceptible to their excessively emotional scores. So when I watch something like this:

I usually end up verklempt.

via GIPHY

Ohmygod that was so beautiful and the world is full of breathless mystery and I swear I’ll never eat meat again and I’ll hug a dog and look into its huge, warm eyes like Krishna’s mother seeing the world in his mouth and I’ll bike everywhere like a Communist to save the Earth.

When I’m confronted with actual nature, that is, in real life without a score, it looks more like this:

My heart’s in the right place, kind of, but I have no idea what the hell is going on. Then I have an Italian beef or something and drive three blocks somewhere.

Perhaps there’s a message here about the difference between eliciting emotion and eliciting action, or perhaps it’s more evidence that sometimes I’m just kind of a crappy person.