Self care.
In 2020, I have come to understand the term more than ever.
I have always been someone who has, in times of stress, simply put my head down and worked harder. In times of stress, I have always put the needs of others ahead of my own. While noble sounding, it has sometimes got me into trouble. (In fact, this very site was created out of a need for self-care, a creative outlet to talk about something I loved. A way to get away from problems in my life for 45 minutes.)
If I ever needed self care it has been 2020.
In late 2019 I began divorce proceedings, proceedings which are still on going.
I have been living on my own for the last 6 months.
More than any other year, I needed self care. And something that has always provided me some important 'me time' has been the summer comic convention season. And more than any year, given a newfound sense of individuality and (frankly) freedom, I needed this year's con season.
And then, in 2020, the COVID pandemic hit the United States. That carries its own stressors. Add my profession and there is an added layer.
Sadly, that meant that conventions, such as Terrificon (my favorite con), have been canceled. That meant this little slice away from it all ... a time to hang with friends, a time to meet creators, a time to just be Anj ... was gone.
And now, there is the frank reality of systemic issues within our national police forces as well as civil unrest rampaging across the country.
More than ever I would love to go to a place where I feel united in a group. But cons aren't happening.
No Terrificon.
No Fan Expo Boston.
No Plastic City Comic Con.
These were things I have been looking forward to for months, maybe selfishly.
It sounds so privileged to be talking about this when tear gas is being fired.
When people are dying.
When events like the death of George Floyd keep happening.
When protests to create change become riots with stores being looted.
When people are still dying from COVID.
I can only hope the world is a better place in 2021.
I grew up in 1970s Britain. It was a fraught and horrible decade of strikes, power cuts, violence on the picket lines and the slaughter in Northern Ireland. School was unpleasant and there were all sorts of family troubles. Comics were one means of escaping from the world around me and I can’t imagine what life would have been like without them.
ReplyDeleteI’ve been very fortunate during the present crisis in that I’m able to work from home and my job seems safe. No-one I know has succumbed to covid-19. Nevertheless in order to switch-off from the here-and-now I’ve spent a lot of time re-reading comics and my post-lockdown resolution will be to make sure I set time aside to continue re-reading comics - including the Supergirl comic reviewed yesterday and the other issues in that series.
That's an outlet you needed after so much going on - sorry convention season is just not happening. With your occupation and the other personal stresses, you need and deserve stress relief easily as much as or more than just about anyone could - and with any luck over the next year or two we'll settle back to some tolerable new normal.
ReplyDeleteT.N.
Hello from a french fan of supergirl,
ReplyDeleteThe situation between France and Usa is very different. With your blog and my research to learn more, now i understand better the problems in your country and so in the world.
Anj, thanks you.
We are all having a a very heavy burdensome challenging year, but we must be equal to our times. Our host, with respect to his life and his chosen profession, is having a very heavy year indeed. I feel his pain, I've got some burdensome things going on in my life as well. Perhaps as a palliative, some sort of real time social media presence could be arranged? A sort of digital Supergirl Comic Box Commentary On Line "convention"....a watch party maybe (they have them on Facebook, they can be fun)...
ReplyDeleteIn all things I beg our honorable host to please relax, be good to himself and solace himself with the notion that if things change, then be a positive active participant and make the change work for everyone.
JF