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What started as a short December break in 2024, turned into an almost eight-month hiatus.

I did finish my master’s degree in Instructional Design and Technology (🎉 hooray for that!), but I’ve also been navigating some medical issues. That’s put me in a strange creative space. For me, creativity runs on energy—and when the energy dips, so does the output.

Most of what I have been able to create lately has gone into my day job: designing training for Fair Housing and onboarding new hires. By the time evening rolls around, I’m usually not in the mood to fire up my iPad. Instead, I’ve been working on better sleep hygiene—less screen time, more analog art. Hence, Mr. Broccoli in pen and ink.

“It’s a good way to do stuff. For no good reason.”

—Ralph Steadman

Maybe someday I’ll fold this season back into my creative work. But for now, when the energy really bottoms out, I pick up an actual book—the paper kind. Which I guess has become the quiet theme of this season: less screen, more page.

Sometimes, there’s just no other option—you take the season as it comes.

Eat your broccoli.