There are times when you start a project and then you stop. You start up again and then you stop.

It seems that you should be able to just work on the thing and finish it. But that’s not how life works.

When I reviewed my inside passage journal, I thought this spread had a good visual story to tell:

I had the idea that I’d make a comic out of the journal- maybe one that was a little more legible and neater- not made in the cockpit. Josh, the editor of Small Craft Advisor, was kind enough to humor me by saying he’d publish it in his fine print magazine.

Despite the encouragement, I started and stopped, sketched, drew, and threw away a lot of paper.

I wasn’t pleased with my work. It lacked the mystery and magic of being there. I felt I could do better, but instead of doing better, I did nothing.

I abandoned the whole project for a while, then slowly, panel by panel I redid the whole comic.

Three times.

And then I sent it to Josh.

Unannounced, it was published and arrived in the mailbox yesterday.

I hadn’t seen or thought about it months. But when I opened the spread, just one word came to mind: Satisfied.