I got an email yesterday afternoon with a signed proposal, something that will make the next couple of months very busy, and hopefully profitable as well. I can’t stress how much of a good a thing this is, considering the (in)frequency of checks coming in the door lately.

We seem to be fighting the familiar first-year battle of balancing our incoming and outgoing cash flow, something that leaves us both exhilarated and terrified at the same time. I think I could speak for the both of us when I say that we’re probably busier now than we ever were at 9-5 jobs, with the added roles of bookkeeper, project manager, systems administrator, and salesperson. However, having my best friend work over my right shoulder is a lifesaver—we each provide the other a welcome mix of business advice, sanity check, and aesthetic criticism at those points when judgement is impaired by stress, fatigue, or creative block.

At this particular moment in time, I’ll say that it’s been a great experience. I’ll also admit that I’ve got less in my savings account than I’ve had in ten years, I’m living week to week, and sometimes it takes me several hours to fall asleep at night on account of the worrying. However, I’ve got several long-term projects lined up that I’m excited about, a developing portfolio just about ready to promote, and the freedom to take in a half-price matinee on a Tuesday afternoon with my wife (not that we’ve taken advantage of that yet.)

I finished an illustration of Ken Lay last night at about 1AM, one that I’ve had rattling around in the back of my head for the last couple of days. It went very quickly and turned out well, even though I changed it up at the Photoshop stage and added a new section. Let me know if you like it.