Sketchbook Diaries + Wall of Text about my Dog (Patreon)

Posting a quick update about life, and posting some of the artwork I've been making during the past couple weeks. At least...I'm trying to. My dog, Amber, is right next to me, demanding attention. Below is a wall of text about tonight's events and thoughts, written in between many interruptions by the best dog in the world. ****Amber does not bark to get my attention, she stomps. Her feet create a 'bop-bop-bop' beat, accompanied by the jingling of her collar tags. When I turn around to check on her, our eyes meet, and she waits for me to run through the questions.I have a list of questions regarding Amber's needs. She understands and reacts to them (or at least, the command words in them.) It's how I'm able to figure out what she needs my attention for."Do you need WATER?" Her tail droops."Do you want KIBBLE?" No reaction.Actually, I'm pretty sure what she wants. But it's not an option tonight, so I go through every other question, hoping she'll settle for one of those instead."Do you want a REFILL for your TOY?" Tail starts to go up, but stops.

She wants to see her best friend, who happens to be the dog of my new friend. And this past week, we've been visiting them almost every evening, catching up with each other and on the new Lord of the Rings series. But our next visit and watch night won't be for another week."Do you want PETS?" Nervous yawn.I sigh. If I don't use the question she wants, she'll stop trying to communicate with me this way. I won't know what she needs in the future. "Do you want to...GO OUTSIDE?" Amber's tail starts wagging so hard her hips are swaying back and forth. Her mouth opens into a wide smile as she starts jumping up and down. "Okay, okay. Let's go outside." 

We take a long walk around our neighborhood. Each time she tries to guide me towards our friends' home, I have to gently tug her the other way. Eventually, she catches on that we aren't visiting them tonight, and we head back.

It's sweet that she wants to see her best friend every day. And I realize, this past week was the first time in a long, long time since I got to see a friend every day, too. We get home, and as I sit down to the computer Amber stomps her feet and gives me another meaningful stare. "Do you want a REFILL for your TOY?" Her tail wags and she smiles. As Amber happily eats the boiled chicken treats out of her toy, I need to sit quietly and sort through my feelings. It's kind of sad to realize how little I talk and interact with people. Like, I'm somehow failing at being an adult by being alone so often.But, I'm not alone. Amber is here. We interact with each other pretty well, and together we've made new friends we'll get to see again soon. Plus, it's hard to feel like a failure when she's smiling at me like that.