Thursday, October 2, 2008

My Bad News


Everyone has been wondering where I've been and what I've been up to recently, as I haven't been posting very much. I did say in the last post I had some bad news, and I couldn't announce it at the time. It's really bad, depressing news, the kind where you just think you're living in a nightmare and hope to wake up any minute. And then you realize you're not going to wake up, no matter how much you want to. On August 15, David - my 21-year-old brother and best friend in the entire world - passed away. It was so unexpected, it still feels unreal to me, even to this day, so I had to take some time off from work. I am so fortunate to be self employed, to be able to take off the time I need during times like this.

I had spent some time out of state for the funeral, and when I got back I found I was really depressed and had very little motivation. David was very close to my family - me, my daughter, and husband - he lived with us in Alaska in his teens, he even went to college with me and we took classes together. Since he graduated college and moved in 2006, he'd called me nearly every night, and we'd talk for a few hours, and it's what I looked forward to each evening - telling him about my day, the good and the bad. Something I can no longer do, which makes this an even harder time for me. 

Although I have not been doing much illustration, I have been using my creativity in other ways. I've learned how to use movie-editing software (which will certainly come in handy when applied to creative work later) to take clips of home videos and make presentable movies for David's Memorial Website, something I created for him as a remembrance. 

It's been a very rough six weeks. I'd like to thank those of you that knew for your thoughts, concern, and kind words these past few weeks. My brother was such a special person. He was so funny, kind and exceptionally smart - he had a college degree at age 19 - and it is so hard without him. I will miss him every day for the rest of my life.

I'd like to thank you for dropping by today. I hope you have a happy and safe first weekend of October. I'll be sure to share my upcoming work and creative progress with you, so check back soon.

9 comments:

Nikki said...

Chrissy,

I am so sorry to hear about your loss... I send happy wishes your way and a thank you. You have been posting comments on my blog about my artwork this entire time. I look forward to reading what you have to say each time I post and now, knowing what you have been going through, I hope that you were able to get some sort of happiness from the little illos....

On your last comment you said something about snow.... I am certainly not a snow person. It was the best thing ever when I was a kid, but now I find myself dreaming I never had to see it again!

You are in my thoughts!

Lisa M Griffin said...

Chrissy - I know this was a hard post for you to make and am so proud of you for doing it. Your brother sounds like an exceptional individual and will certainly live on through all your beautiful memories. Please know that I think of you often and have you and your family in our thoughts and prayers.

FAVREAU said...

Thank you, Lisa and Nikki for your kind words. It's always nice to have creative friends who think about me.
~ Chrissy

Lisa M Griffin said...

Hey Chrissy-
Just dropping a quick note to say "HI" and let you know that you have been on my mind. Hope you are doing well.

Scooter said...

Hey Chrissy- so sorry to hear about your brother. Scott

Alicia PadrĂ³n said...

I'm so sorry about your brother Chrissy.. my heart goes out to you..

FAVREAU said...

Thank you, Scott and Alicia.

Tom Barrett said...

So sorry about the passing of your brother. I know how hard it is to lose someone so special. My youngest brother was was died at 17 in an accident almost 8 years ago. Know that though the hurt will never fully go away, the pain will lessen in time. You did a nice job on the memorial site. IMHO, one of the best things to help the healing process is to create some sort of remembrance such as this. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers!

FAVREAU said...

Thanks so much, Tom. I am so very sorry to hear about your young brother ... I think losing people so very young makes this especially hard. Thank you for your kind words, and I am glad you like David's memorial website.