I have spent the last week on a writing streak. I’ve written more than five thousand words, not including my blog posts. I know that doesn’t seem like a lot, but when I consider how little I actually wrote in the last year or more, I feel like I accomplished something.

It’s much easier to keep the story thread going when I write about it every day. Yes, I can hear a lot of writers out there saying, “Well, duh.” And it really is something I already know. Honestly, writing has been problematic since the fire. Every time I would sit down at the keyboard, all I could think about was losing it all. So, that’s what I wrote about.

Being back at the virtual table, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and role-playing again has helped spark my storytelling. I want to thank the guys that participate in our storytelling evenings for helping me find that outlet once more.

I’ve also been making it a point to draw a new picture at least once a week. At first, I would find a picture I liked on the ‘Net and use it to create a new piece of art. Yesterday, I tried something different. I had an image in mind and tried to draw that.

I’m still very much an amateur, but I enjoy trying to see what I can come up with. Eventually, I’ll add more than just a silhouetted tree or four. I’m still trying to get the colors and blending right. I’m not quite ready to commit to canvas yet, so everything I’ve shown so far has been drawn in my sketch pad. It’s not the optimal medium for what I’m trying to do, but it’s an excellent place to practice.

These activities and my dog walking me daily have my mental health in a much better place than it has been in a long while. It’s taken me some time to get here, but here I am!