さあすべてを超える♥

now, while i've got you, please help to circulate this fundraiser!

i've shared ahmed's fundraiser on my blog before, and this campaign is thoroughly documented. you can find it linked on line 163 of el-shab-hussein and nabulsi's spreadsheet, line 79 of the butterflyeffect project spreadsheet, and listed as family #76 featured by paliliberation. funds remain low nearly 2 months after my first sharing his fundraiser, sitting at only £9,860 of the £81,000 goal.

@ahmedkhabil needs help to provide for himself, his parents, his wife, and their two children until they can evacuate to egypt. his father is terribly injured and their child is sick. they need far better medical treatment than is currently available in gaza, as the cost of medicine continues to rise. the campaign has just been updated today (october 5th) with this photo, describing the ever increasing cost of food:

costs continue to rise for food and medicine. cold temperatures are an added threat. a recent update from ahmed's campaign reads: "My child Khalil’s message to you today is that he does not want to die from the cold of winter I cannot buy winter clothes because of their high price. Can you help me buy clothes for my children?"

it is completely normal to want recognition for the things we create. that is a basic human emotion. I made something and put it out there, witness me! it feels good to be seen. it nourishes us.

that said, we also have to find the balance between that craving for validation and finding validation within ourselves. I've worked with creatives for most of my life, I've BEEN one most of my life, and if you require a nebulous level of external validation to maintain your love of the thing, you will always be left wanting. it doesn't matter how much, how big, how known, how admired, how applauded. it will never be enough. you will always need more. the next hit. what that person has. what that OTHER person has. what that OTHER-OTHER person has.

this isn't to say that you should NEVER need validation. of course you do and should. it's one of the core tenets of raising any human being -- people of any age need to feel seen and heard. but we also need to be able to self-soothe, self-regulate, and self-help.

it's really easy to say "do something because you love to do it," but creative endeavors aren't that straightforward. sometimes you will, in fact, HATE doing it. it will be difficult or draining. that's normal, too. creation is not just an act of joy. it's an act of pain, of labor, of never feeling good enough.

here i am yet again.. planning ahead a little bit in my work schedule! this is another round of linework-only headshots, to be finished in the first half of October 🫡 click here for the ko-fi listing!

Children are the most affected group during times of war. They lose their safety, their families, and are deprived of their basic rights such as education and healthcare. Their childhood turns into a nightmare filled with fear and destruction. The scenes of violence leave deep scars in their hearts that may never heal. When we see children dragged into these tragedies, we must remind ourselves of the importance of striving for peace and justice because children deserve to grow up in an environment filled with love and hope, not amidst the horrors of war.

Please help 👇

https://gofund.me/76949a5a

max keeps answering with two words at best at the press conference as a sign of protest 😭

Q: "How much has changed on the car overnight because it seems there's a big upgrade on performance?"

Max: "A lot"

Q: "Can you elaborate?"

Max: "No. I might get fined or get an extra day [of community services]"

Q: "Are you confident with the race pace?"

Max: "Maybe?"

Q: "How much of a a step into the unknown is the race given the problem you had yesterday in practice?"