2020 Year in Review

Well, it’s that time of year again, we’ve somehow almost made it 365 days around the sun and oh boy was this a monumental year. Most of it was spent joking about how with economic collapse, a pandemic, dictators rising in the world, and more it’s definitely the 20s for sure! If I were to ever recap a year, this is absolutely the one to do with all the crazy things that happened, so without further adieu, let’s get started!!

January:
I wrote the 2019 year in review that you can read Here
We had an ever so cheerful chat about prognosis that you can read Here
I decided to actually start to write more frequently on this blog again and have so many WIPs and scheduled posts still to do since I had finished the first semester of senior year
I finished applying to colleges and got some decisions!
For the first time in awhile I participated in an art friend’s draw this in your style (that was pretty out of my comfort zone!) that you can see Here
Since the Witcher is one of my favorite series I made a sticker design, and my first animation with everyone’s favorite bars, Jaskier! You can view that on my Instagram (please give me a follow I’m more active there and I really appreciate the support) Here
While not being a very big Harry Potter fan I decided to do a little painting of Ginny that I then turned into a digital painting! You can see it on my Instagram Here  And on my redbubble  Here
I opened commissions! If you’d like custom art please feel free to reach out! You can view the information about commission pricing and such Here
For the first time I submitted my art to an auction, and it sold! The auction was for the bushfires and did quite well. You can see the piece that was entered Here
I launched my own Australia fire relief project and was able to raise about $30 for bushfire relief. I still have a couple of stickers left over if you’re interested! You can see the cute koala I created Here
After on and off work I finished another character design for my comic, you can read about her Here

February:
Instagram shadowbanned me so I took the time to improve my sketching and took a trip to NYC during February break. You can see what I did during my two weeks of being shadowbanned Here
I made a huge inchstone and walked around NYC BY MYSELF and went to see a friend who I hadn’t seen in over a year and a half! Also got a ton of cute stationery :) and are lots of good food
I redrew a sketch of Anna that I made when I was just starting to learn to draw, you can see the much improved re-drawn version on my instagram Here
I reposted my commission info on the blog so all you you could see it. You can see that post and the accompanying commission information Here
The fellowship and I took an excursion for lunch a couple of times when classes got canceled and had a lovely time just hanging out before coronavirus took over the world

March:
I celebrated my birthday in Quarantine, you can read about that Here
I compiled a list of handwriting tips for children with disabilities, you can read my tips (many from personal experience) and tricks for writing Here
I participated in March Meet the Maker on Instagram for the second year in a row, you can see my favorite post (and all the rest) on my Instagram from the month of March Here
Finally after a solid couple of years I finished my entire Morrowind painting series project and posted them all together, I’ve linked my favorite but please check them all out, I worked so hard on them! You can find my favorite painting in the series Here
After months of waiting I had my neuropsych evaluation and had a horrible headache for the two days after the testing was completed, and therefor missed my last two real days of school :(
Coronavirus intensified in the US and Massachusetts closed down

April:
School reopening was canceled, school moved to online learning with no April break
After getting back into the swing of writing I posted a short domestic fluffy drabble, a super cute short read! You can read it Here
Schools were closed for the remainder of the year, you can read about my thoughts on it Here
I finished up posting my Morrowind series, you can see the final painting Here
Since quarantine wasn’t finishing up anytime soon I decided to paint baby Yoda and Mando just for fun along with a few other paintings that have become personal favorites you can see it Here
I posted the first page of my comic!! You can read it Here

May:
After a lot of procrastinating I finished 2 silly Morrowind comics. One can be found Here
With a lot of help from staff a graduation parade was planned for June 6th with a ceremony in July
I started writing a lot more due to the quarantine and finished a number of WIPs and posts which will be posted at some point eventually
I finished illustrating my first book in remembrance of a little girl who passed away from cancer in february of this year for her family

June:
The graduation parade happened! Which can be found
It was official, I’ve been sick for 6 years. You can find my thoughts on that
I launched my art website/shop, you can visit it  here 
America and the rest of the world finally started to change the ways of systemic racism though there was a bit of civil unrest and borderline chaos at times as it coincided with a pandemic that was by no means over
I lost my summer job and had to navigate unemployment for the first time

July:
I wrote even more, and worked more on updating this post, as well as going through the archives and getting rid of some older posts that are not really relevant any more 

The pandemic showed no signs of stopping nor did protests and discussion about racism in the US

School officially decided we would start remotely after a previous attempt at putting together a hybrid model of schooling. International students who were unable to leave campus would be allowed to stay

August:

Due to severe dehydration and abdominal pain I ended up in the ER not once, not twice, but three separate times, including two days in a row because of a less than ideal resident who sent me home with no fluids.

School started remotely on August 24th and I officially began college after a couple of days of very boring remote orientation

September:

Classes picked up and math is absolutely not my strong suit

We celebrated Deaf Awareness Month with a special etsy shop update and charity sticker/print

I spent most of the month doing classwork or calling doctors offices about continued abdominal pain

October: 

A much awaited halloween shop update

I participated in TES Inktober 2020 you can find them on my instagram @thedisc0panda

Midterms happened as did many more doctors appointments

I miraculously passed math

November: 

The United States had an election

I explained how I passed math, and the question of if my technical failure at math was due to a lack of knowledge or a math related learning disability, or perhaps both

I finally finished some fluffy borderline sin for friends? Also binge watched the Mandalorian season 2 while friends were home on thanksgiving break the first time we had gotten together in some way shape or form in about 9 months

December: 

Finals happened and now we are off on Winter break until February with January term being optional I plan on taking a class on Digital Design Fundamentals

The annual holiday fic post feat Anna and company, Valan hates the cold

I shared my culture paper that talks a bit about how disability has shaped my culture and the way that I experience the world around me

The COVID19 Vaccine was approved for emergency use in the United States and hope was finally in sight in the new year, but with holiday travel as expected cases get worse before they get better. Nonetheless, the holiday season was a welcome time of happiness

2020 was arguably the worst year for the world on the whole that I have ever seen, here's to hoping that in the new year things will begin to get better and we can begin to heal as a people from this exceedingly dark year.

Until next time,

Max