Heya guys!
I am done most of my applications and I wanted to post this before I get caught up with robotics this weekend.
And of course, a preliminary announcement:
Iām still looking for a voice actor for Lily for the Telebuddies! For how to approach me on that please follow the details outlined in the original post here. Iāll post this in the collabinator if I donāt get another person, but Iām still in a tad of a tight spot here for time.
SO, first things first. You all are gonna make me mother fluffinā cry. Over December Iāve been happy to help @GeoKerulei with the Advent Calendar and see everyone being brought together with it. Special thanks to @Sevi who stepped in as back up since I couldnāt make it for Christmas. I canāt thank you guys enough. Thank you @BrandyBuizel for keeping everything in line for the collab too and @NickConter for the snow sculptures! The musicians weāre amazing too and I found myself humming the songs even outside of game. Everything was awesome and Iām excited to help again later on this year!
It was genuinely nice to see others draw me in their comical ways too for these last few collabs as well. Since October, I kind of felt a little divided. I had to run off to do all of my testing for college and I appreciate the patience from the entire Newgrounds community and my friends for all the insanity Iāve been in. It was lovely to come back to see the silly nonsense everyone was involved with and all the collabs and new animations!
@Snackers started up Duncan and Jones, and Iāve been loving it!Ā
@Dogl has been doing beautiful voice work everywhere and he has the voice of an angel let me tell you!
@Oddlem keeps coming out with beautiful pieces, sheās a goofball, but in the best way possible.
@irri is always keeping things fresh with his artwork and is part of the reason why I now have 6 succulent cactuses under my care.
There are so many others, and if I didnāt mention you, know that I love you too!
For this year, I have to say itās looking up.
As odd as it sounds, Iāve been learning more about myself through the college application process. The applications forced me to be completely and utterly open about who I am. My love for AI and my ultimate goal for Artificial Consciousness, my love for art and how it grew into my love for robotics, and how I came to be a person that tries to put my all in whatever I can.
Those, alongside talking to my friends, had helped me become more comfortable in who I am, in every way. I tend to be a little bit of an over thinker and fear the worst, but itās been ok. Iāve just been normal, absolutely insane, and āneeding to sleep versionā of me.
I do need to get used to my close affiliation with my art and Newgrounds though. In a way, itās like hiding the fact youāre dating from the rest of your family. You love them dearly but itās kind of awkward to tell your family because you donāt know how theyāre going to react. Thatās how Iāve felt through most of my college applications when I mentioned Newgrounds. Iāve been open about it in some of them where I felt comfortable talking about it. I am proud of the Newgrounds community and my affiliation, itās just something Iām almost used to since Iām the face for several other communities.
Speaking of communities, I wanted to do some updating about all the other ones Iām working with, mainly SkillsUSA and FIRST Robotics.
In SkillsUSA Iāve been training other competitors for 3D animation and Pin Design. Thatās about it, and Iām thinking about auditioning for singing the national anthem. Iām no opera singer, but I love to belt out singing!
In FIRST robotics our robotics build season started last week and Iāve been working on designing and prototyping (as much as I can since Iāve been exhausted). Iām still doing announcing, and itās such an exciting experience!
As for moving forward, In my last update I said Iām working towards an online store. Iām still keeping the ball rolling on that and Iām working towards preparing pieces for print.
But thatās just all the updates about the things Iām doing. What about me?
The months Iāve been MIA have been interesting. In the past my soul for robotics had been thrown to the way-side and was even scared to return. In October, it started to return at full force. Robotics is my true love and many pieces of my life make sense now looking back through that lens. I can say, fear most certainly gets in the way of things as while I work towards things, fear is usually what tells me I canāt do it. However, you have to be willing to take risks and experiment. As is true to me, my art style changes every week DUE TO experimentation.
Still, your guysā love and support is what keeps me going. I tend to pile work up for myself, if itās anxiety or my way of cheating death, I donāt know. Nevertheless, I donāt focus too much on everything Iāve already done and just keep working. Itās you guys that remind me that everything I do is important. You remind me Iām more than just a kid from New Jersey. And most importantly...
Ā You all make me proud to be:
-TheDyingSun