Love Is a Boat
This is the speech I gave seven years ago at my sister’s wedding in November 2013. I still believe every word in it to be true.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Crisis Resources
We’ve put together a list of helpful national and local Portland, OR and Seattle, WA resources for mental health and suicide prevention, updated for COVID-19. Please let us know if any of these links are broken, or if you have new ones to suggest. Thank you, and be well.
Helplines
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 (formerly 1-800-273-8255) provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. Telephone and online chat available.
https://calltosafety.org A Call to Safety advocate can connect you with resources through the crisis line, or you can explore some Portland Metro resources below. Learn more about domestic and sexual violence, stalking, and sex work on our site.
https://oregonyouthline.org For teens, they can call, text, chat and during certain hours can talk to peer support.
https://www.crisistextline.org Crisis Text Line, text HOME to 741741.
http://communitycounselingsolutions.org/warmline A peer-run program of Community Counseling Solutions.
IAPMD.org The International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD) is a not-for-profit organization providing education, support, advocacy, and resources for those affected by Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and Premenstrual Exacerbation of underlying disorders (PME).
https://www.translifeline.org Peer support, hotline, and resources for the trans community.
https://www.thetrevorproject.org A national 24-hour, toll free confidential suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth.
503-575-3764 – Crisis Line for Racial Equity Support – Answered by BIPOC counselors M-F from 8:30 AM -5:00 PM.
877-226-3111 – Addiction Hotline
1-855-227-3640 – Caregiver Help Desk Hotline
503-300-1633 – Clackamas Senior Loneliness Line
844-228-2962 – Eating Disorder Hotline
877-455-0628 – Self Harm Hotline
888-640-5174 – Depression Hotline
Clackamas County Mental Health Crisis Line (503) 655-8585
Multnomah County Mental Health Crisis Line (503) 988-4888
Washington County Mental Health Crisis Line (503) 291-9111
Seattle Mental Health Crisis Line (866) 427-4747
Community Resources
https://www.nami.org NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. Oregon NAMI Chapter: https://namior.org/
http://gettrainedtohelp.com – Suicide First Aid. Free trainings in suicide prevention for the general public, youth workers, and more. Includes the ASIST curriculum.
https://grantsforseniors.org – Website to guide seniors and retirees when they need help. Includes categories such as financial help, health care, food, housing, and transportation assistance, as well as help and resources for daily life.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/stjohnssuicideprevention – St. John’s Suicide Prevention Team. A community group helping reduce the incidence of suicides in Portland, Oregon and the St. John’s neighborhood.
https://multco.us/mhas/mental-health-crisis-intervention – Multnomah Crisis Intervention Resources (includes walk-in clinic).
https://www.co.washington.or.us/hawthorn – Walk-in trauma intervention program in Washington County.
http://www.seattlecrisis.org/counseling.html – Counseling and mental health resources for Seattle, WA.
https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org – Nationwide organization providing training to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a crisis.
https://mesotheliomahub.com/mesothelioma/patient-resources/suicide – Suicide Prevention & Cancer Patients
Substance Abuse
https://www.samhsa.gov/ebp-resource-center/ – Federally funded Evidence Based Practices Resource Center for mental and substance abuse disorders.
https://www.drugrehab.com/guides/suicide-risks/ – A guide to understanding the connection between Substance Abuse & Suicide.
https://www.detoxrehabs.net/ – This site helps you find centers in your home state or out of state. We also provide information for different community needs, such as help for our veterans, LGBTQ+ friendly programs, free or Medicaid accepting treatment, and pet-friendly facilities.
www.AlcoholRehabGuide.org – This guide doesn’t promote any specific clinic or service, but it does provide valuable information to help people understand the effects of alcoholism and the variety of ways to find help.
www.alcoholhelp.com – Browse resources and get connected to treatment that is right for you.
Hashtags
#endsuicide #worldmentalhealthday #suicideawareness
Suicide Resources
I’ve put together a list of helpful national and local Portland, OR and Seattle, WA resources for mental health and suicide prevention. This list reflects that there is no one-size fits all solution — text or online chat may be a better option for somebody who doesn’t have privacy to talk, and with “warmlines,” people may wish to seek help even if their life is not imminently in danger. Please let me know if any of these links are broken, or if you have new ones to suggest. Thank you, and be well.
Founding Members of the St. John’s Suicide Prevention Team: Elizabeth Gadwa, Laura Bee, and Kristen Gray
Helplines
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 (formerly 1-800-273-8255) provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. Telephone and online chat available.
https://oregonyouthline.org For teens, they can call, text, chat and during certain hours can talk to peer support.
https://www.crisistextline.org Crisis Text Line, text HOME to 741741.
http://communitycounselingsolutions.org/warmline A peer-run program of Community Counseling Solutions.
IAPMD.org. Resources and support geared specifically to individuals living with PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder).
https://www.thinkpacifica.com/anxiety-peer-support-groups Free online support peer support groups for stress, anxiety & depression.
https://www.translifeline.org – Peer support, hotline, and resources for the trans community.
https://www.thetrevorproject.org – A national 24-hour, toll free confidential suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth.
503-575-3764 – Crisis Line for Racial Equity Support – Answered by BIPOC counselors M-F from 8:30 AM -5:00 PM.
877-226-3111 – Addiction Hotline
1-855-227-3640 – Caregiver Help Desk Hotline
503-300-1633 – Clackamas Senior Loneliness Line
844-228-2962 – Eating Disorder Hotline
877-455-0628 – Self Harm Hotline
888-640-5174 – Depression Hotline
Clackamas County Mental Health Crisis Line (503) 655-8585
Multnomah County Mental Health Crisis Line (503) 988-4888
Washington County Mental Health Crisis Line (503) 291-9111
Seattle Mental Health Crisis Line (866) 427-4747
Community Resources
https://www.nami.org NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. Oregon NAMI Chapter: https://namior.org/
http://gettrainedtohelp.com – Suicide First Aid. Free trainings in suicide prevention for the general public, youth workers, and more. Includes the ASIST curriculum.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/stjohnssuicideprevention – St. John’s Suicide Prevention Team. A community group helping reduce the incidence of suicides in Portland, Oregon and the St. John’s neighborhood.
https://multco.us/mhas/mental-health-crisis-intervention – Multnomah Crisis Intervention Resources (includes walk-in clinic).
https://www.co.washington.or.us/hawthorn – Walk-in trauma intervention program in Washington County.
http://www.seattlecrisis.org/counseling.html – Counseling and mental health resources for Seattle, WA.
https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org – Nationwide organization providing training to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a crisis.
https://mesotheliomahub.com/mesothelioma/patient-resources/suicide – Suicide Prevention & Cancer Patients
Substance Abuse
https://www.samhsa.gov/ebp-resource-center/ – Federally funded Evidence Based Practices Resource Center for mental and substance abuse disorders.
https://www.drugrehab.com/guides/suicide-risks/ – A guide to understanding the connection between Substance Abuse & Suicide.
www.AlcoholRehabGuide.org – This guide doesn’t promote any specific clinic or service, but it does provide valuable information to help people understand the effects of alcoholism and the variety of ways to find help.
Hashtags
#endsuicide #worldmentalhealthday #suicideawareness
Wellness Gift Guide
Over 50 Great Healthy and Positive Gift Ideas
The PDX Local Wellness Gift Guide celebrates independent, local, and woman-owned businesses while making it really, really easy to beat traffic and do your shopping online. But what exactly qualifies as a “wellness gift?”
Well…
That’s a tricky concept. Maybe you’re thinking it’s anything that doesn’t involve mindless consumption, booze, strippers, or chocolate. Except… we have beer yoga. And pole dancing workout classes. And chocolate, like that made locally right here in Portland by 
For me, wellness means taking care of yourself—and giving others the tools and resources to do the same. I put this list together by asking friends, allies, and colleagues on social media, as well as going with a few old favorites and items from my personal “wish list.” I hope it inspires you to think past the obvious and create wonderful experiences and memories for the year to come.
Have fun! Shop local.
Stand and Deliver
Maybe someone on your list works from home, but their office is a cubbyhole in the corner of the kitchen? Support their goals and dreams with a healthy, ergonomic home office.
Jarvis Standing Desk Bamboo Top Electric Adjustable Height Sit Stand Desk – by Fully. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Swopper Air Motion Chair With Wheels – by Aeris. There are plenty of adjustable ergonomic chairs out there that can be configured to work with standing desks. I’ll be honest. The Swopper is here because it looks the coolest.
Anker Wireless Vertical Ergonomic Mouse
Olander Earthworks makes quirky desktop zen gardens that many therapists and wellness advocates use as a fun anxiety relief tool. So many ways to customize. Portland, Oregon Local Business.
Fitness
Seriously. Who doesn’t need a little Lululemon
Go “Ruck Yourself.” Seriously! Rucking (walking with a weighted backpack) is one of the easiest and safest ways to lose weight over time. If you don’t have a sturdy backpack, you can pick up the weighted kind at goruck.com. For the 80% to 90% who have our own (or our kid’s) Jansport sitting in a closet somewhere, adding weight to a day pack is a great way to try out rucking. I recommend custom rucking weights over hand weights because they are less likely to shift and potentially damage the pack.
Comfort and Joy
You know how we always say “practice self care?” Well, sometimes that’s easier to do when somebody else helps out with the little things. The people on your list will know they are cared for with these thoughtful and practical gift ideas.
Full Belly Fare – Do you have a loved one who’s had a new baby, surgery, or other stressor? Although you may not be able to deliver a meal yourself, Full Belly Fare is the perfect gift solution for family and friends who want to provide meaningful support to someone experiencing a life transition or challenge! Personal chef Lyla prepares hand-crafted meals, including vegan gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, soy free, and paleo meal options. Use discount code PDXLocal15 for $15 off all first orders (new customers). Portland, Oregon Local Business
Cassarole – Handmade and vintage items. Only shop features tinctures, body butter, and this extraordinary geode soap. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Seagrape bath + body is a queer owned natural brand with a focus on artisan crafted goods for self-care. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Hot Cherry Pit Pillow Square – Red Denim, Natural-Dyed Natural Moist Heat or Cold Therapy for Muscle Pain, Tension Relief, Headaches, Arthritis, Aromatherapy – Microwavable
Mama Tea-a Inspirational hand-blended organic herbal teas. Portland, Oregon Local Business.
Cherryriver.net. CBD products for Bath, Beauty, and Wellness. They offer gift sets, along with a line of topicals, a sports line, bath bombs, and have just released a high potency tincture. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Back to Broth. Organic, local, pasture-raised medicinal bone broth. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Briar Patch Herbs. Culinary and medicinal herbs. Receive compassionate guidance from an experienced Herbalist. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Gather Around Nutrition. Johanna is a private therapeutic chef with a Master’s Degree in Holistic Nutrition who does in-home meal prep, custom meal plans and in-home cooking classes. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Molly Muriel. The best lip balm I have ever found. Even better, it’s vegan! Read our interview with founder and apothecary Branda Tiffany here. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Optimistic Soap. Optimistic Soap makes unique, handcrafted soap with all-natural ingredients! 20% of all profits are donated to charity. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Recreating Society self care holistic products and tea. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Whole Tree CBD. Hand-crafted hemp CBD products that aid in healing of the mind and body. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Yo Soy Candles Handcrafted eco-conscious candles. Each beautiful scent is paired with its very own “I AM” statement to inspire a positive mindset + empower transformation by practicing the self loving ritual of I AM. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Gift Certificates
So many people will tell you that they don’t need more “stuff” in their life. So what is the perfect gift? Consider health and wellness services from a local practitioner. From massage to coaching to astrology, a gift certificate gives someone the opportunity to explore a path that they might never have discovered otherwise.
Anna DeSalvo. “I offer productivity coaching for working moms juggling it all.” Sound like anyone you know? Portland, Oregon Local Business
Avani Massage. Head and neck pain specialist, online gift certificates available for multiple locations. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Beaverton Neurofeedback. Brain training for better sleep, memory, attention and more. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Beginning Within – Massage therapy, pelvic floor therapy, newborn therapy. Offering hypnobirthing classes and childbirth consultations, and a range of gift certificates Portland, Oregon Local Business
The Bodhi Tree Clinic. Gift Certificates for Massage and Chiropractic. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Body Awareness Massage. Wellness collective, NE Portland. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Brass Tacks. Strength and nutrition coaching. Portland, Oregon Local Business
FOXO3 Sauna. Infrared sauna sessions. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Goals with Tracy. Holistic in-home personal training for whole women. Portland, Oregon Local Business
H.O.P.E. PDX. Ear reflexology, trauma release, reiki, and pranic healing. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Indigo Healings. Specializing in energy work: Reiki, Access Bars for people and Animal Healings for beloved pets. Intuitive readings are included with the bodywork. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Jenee Woodlief. Massage gift certificates. Located in NE Portland. Portland, Oregon Local Business
The Herbal Apothecary: 100 Medicinal Herbs and How to Use Them
by J.J. Pursell Portland, Oregon Local Author
Love Your Skin Day Spa. Lacey offers organic facials, massage, organic airbrush tans, facial waxing, Microderm, LED and oxygen treatments. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Marchick Counseling. If you’re a GenXer like me, eldercare is already on your mind, and probably on the minds of other family members as well. Daniella is a licensed therapist and consultant who makes it a little less scary to address this daunting topic. She specializes in caregiving and aging concerns, and offers give gift certificates to interested individuals who want to consult about caregiving. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Meet at the Spa. Chelsea has massage therapy gift certificates available. Contact her for the most up-to-date-information. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Pathfinder Wellness Clinic Black Friday offers through Monday 12/2. They have holiday gift certificates available for these packages and for gift packages of any size. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Pink Moon PDX. Facials, lashes & waxing & dermalogica products. Portland, Oregon Local Business
PDX Local Coaching. Yes, I offer gift certificates! My coaching practice focuses on entrepreneurial coaching and wellness coaching for individual with depressive and bipolar disorders. Contact me to find out more. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Portland Cuddle Shop. Connection and Cuddle Therapy. Gift a Connection Session to someone this winter. Hold or be held, think out loud, take a nap, play a game, color, cry, laugh, reminisce. Relax in a judgement free zone with you-centered attention. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Beatriz Reyna. Inner child work/shadow work/journeys into your inner world.
From Beatriz: “YOU WILL BE SEEN. YOU WILL BE HEARD. YOU WILL BE UNDERSTOOD. YOU WILL BE FELT INTO AND EXPERIENCE ATTUNEMENT. YOU WILL EXPERIENCE THE LOVE AND PRESENCE YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED.YOU WILL HAVE MAJOR SHIFTS.”
Portland, Oregon Local Business
Root and Branch Fitness Personal training and integrative fitness. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Royal Treatment Skin. As a dual licensed Acupuncturist and Aesthetician, Melissa offers a ton of awesome services to help you look and feel your best. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Sabrina Wright. Massage therapist with gift certificates and massage packages available. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Showgirl Temple. ShowGirl Temple offers gift cards for Burlesque classes and merch, for some sexy selfcare! Portland, Oregon Local Business
SkinSense Spa. Debbie offers holistic facials using Naturopathica and ISUN skin care lines that is organic, vegan and gluten free and wildcraft. Holistic facials for tweens, teens and adults specifically with acne, also pregnant mamas and clients recovering from skin cancer. She also offers Intraceuticals Oxygen facials to target aging and preventing fine lines and wrinkles and Cryoskin treatments to slim and tone for facials. Black Friday Special: use promo code BF20%
Sofia Angelina Photography. Sofia offers healing portrait sessions, in which she combines energy healing and portrait photography for folks who are looking to celebrate themselves and embrace their bodies with empathy. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Whole Being Massage. We have massage gift certificates and also sell some very nice aromatherapy oils and self-care tools that make great gifts! We can do couples/friend massages, prenatal, new mama massages, and more We are in inner SE PDX. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Therapia Wellness Clinic. Massage, chiropractic and acupuncture gift certificates available. Portland, Oregon Local Business
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to give health or fitness advice. Exercise at your own risk. Consult your doctor or another health professional if you are unsure whether a product or form of exercise is safe for you to use. All opinions expressed are those solely of the PDX Local blog, and do not represent its sponsors, affiliates, or guest contributors. No paid advertising or paid endorsements have been provided for the products featured above. The reviewer makes no claims regarding the efficacy, workmanship, utility, or safety of any of the products listed above. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Use and purchase at your own risk.
Biking When the Air Is Bad
Did you know that if you run, hike, or bike on a day when the air quality is labeled “Unhealthy,” you can permanently damage your lungs? Don’t take a chance. If you want or need to be active outdoors in areas experiencing air pollution due to heavy industry, car traffic, or forest fires, these products will help keep you safe.
Everything listed below is washable and reusable. I specifically chose affordable products available online. You can save a few dollars and buy a cheap disposable ventilator mask from a hardware store, of course, but it will be less comfortable, offer less protection, and as a throwaway product, contribute to the problems we are all concerned about.
If you have yard work to do this weekend, or if you want to keep walking or biking to work—even when the air is bad—considering investing in a reusable mask.
Disclaimer: This site is not intended to give health, medical, or fitness advice. Exercise at your own risk. Consult your doctor or another helaht professional if you are unsure whether it is safe to exercise or to be outside. All opinions expressed are those solely of the PDX Local blog, and do not represent its sponsors, affiliates, or guest contributors. No paid advertising or paid endorsements have been provided for the products featured above. The reviewer makes no claims regarding the efficacy, workmanship, utility, or safety of any of the products listed above. Use and purchase at your own risk.
Nine Twilights and Counting
Interview with Portland comics artist Andrea Rosales
Artist Andrea Rosales
Can you summarize for our readers briefly what happens in Nine Twilights?
Nine Twilights is a magical girls meets Norse mythology coming-of-age action adventure webcomic series written by Anne Mortensen-Agnew, drawn by myself, and edited by Chris Hansbrough.
The comic tells the story of 16-year old Wanda Dusekova, a Romani girl from the Czech Republic who discovers that she is the modern reincarnation of the Norse god Odin. With her mentor Baldur (The Norse god of light and life, and her son from her previous life as Odin), she has to journey across the world to find the other reincarnated Norse gods (other teenage gals) to join her in fighting against various monsters and beasts from Norse folklore such as draugar and frost giants in order to prevent a second Ragnarok brought about by an unknown foe.
This comic isn’t your usual coming of age story as Wanda and her friends have to not only navigate their own lives, but they also have to deal with the consequences of the decisions they made with their past lives as the Norse gods. Each of the girls have different circumstances compared to their past lives and it makes a great difference in the types of decisions they make as they come to terms with their new powers and responsibilities.
The central theme of the comic is being better than you were before, and having the courage to make the right choices having a second chance at life. This comic explores those themes of redemption and internal strength in depth.
Many of our lifelong passions and inspirations can be seen in the pages of Nine Twilights. This comic is inspired greatly by the likes of Sailor Moon, Thor, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer to name a few. What we were drawn to in these stories were the ideas of reluctant protagonists struggling to find their way as heroes, making sacrifices to do the right things, and growing in tremendous ways as individuals.
How did you and the writer and the editor find each other and begin working together on this project?
Anne and I know each other from college. We both went to Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California and were introduced to each other by mutual friends within the animation program there. I was a graphic design major and animation minor and Anne was a screenwriting major, so we find a lot of common ground and overlap in our interest in wanting to tell stories via comics and animation. Anne and Chris met online by arguing about a long-dead RPG video game series from Konami (Suikoden). That argument turned into a friendship and Anne told Chris that she had a concept for a comic series. Chris told Anne he was a comics editor and they teamed up and went about their search for an artist. In the summer of 2014, they came to me, Anne recalling my interest in creating comics, and the rest is history. We started working on concept art of the comic in late 2014 and early 2015 and made our launch in fall of 2015. Our first chapter concluded in early 2017. Currently we are in the middle of chapter two and our teamwork and friendship is going on strong. We meet pretty regularly to chat story, go over pages, coordinate social media promotions and plan convention appearances.
How has your time in Portland shaped your artistic style and evolution as a creator?
I think that growing up in Portland shaped my artistic evolution significantly in that the fact that it was almost always raining meant that I was indoors much of the time, reading and/or drawing. All those rainy days resulted in many drawings and paintings! I grew up in the Aloha/Beaverton area and I fondly recall my parents often taking my siblings and I to the libraries near us. It was my love of reading that inspired me to want to tell stories of my own. I also loved spending days at Powell’s City of Books downtown and perusing through galleries in the Old Town Chinatown area and around the Pearl District. I always gravitated towards comics and the presence of comic shops and major comics publishers has been a significant source of inspiration to me. Growing up in Portland definitely meant I read a lot of comics. I went to university and lived in Los Angeles for a few years before moving back in 2016. Since coming back to the area it has been incredible to see how much the area has grown and changed. I’ve certainly taken notice of the growing big comics scene here of incredible creators and it’s something I’m excited to be a part of. I think Portland has always been a major hub for creative folks from all walks of life and from all sorts of different places and I hope it will continue to remain so for the foreseeable future.
As a woman and person of color in comics, do you feel like you have a supportive community in the local region?
As a woman I’ve definitely noticed a really encouraging community of ladies making rad comics and I’m over the moon that I’ve been able to befriend many of these fantastic artists through conventions and I look forward to meeting even more! I feel like I’m greatly supported with the friends I’ve been able to meet through comic-creators meetup groups around town. I like to frequent “Crafty Night” on Tuesday evenings brought to my attention by the amazing Rebecca Hicks of Little Vampires Comics and I love hanging out with the PDX Comic Crew Group organized by incredible Nichole Robinson that meets every Thursday night at the Books With Pictures comics shop. Being a part of these groups has helped me a lot in being able to combat the sense of isolation I’ve tended to feel in creating comics. I’ve been making comics on my own for a while and it’s really nice to feel like there are places I can go to work on them with other creators, I’m far from so many of my friends still in Los Angeles, and in other places, and while I keep in touch with them, I have also made new friends in Portland and it’s great to be a part of this growing community. This year I’ve been able to connect with incredible comics creators such as Terry Blas (Dead Weight, Briar Hollow), and Luis Silva (Creatively Queer Press). I’ve met more Mexican comic artists and other creators of color and it’s refreshing to be able to meet folks who have similar experiences and share in my wish to create comics that are more inclusive and offer cultural representation for a new generation of comics readers. I’m endlessly impressed and appreciative of just how welcoming, supportive and encouraging these communities have been.
Who are your greatest influences?
My greatest influences art wise have been Marvel superhero comics, Studio Ghibli films, classic Disney animated films and Japanese shojo manga, as well as art nouveau, art deco, impressionism, Mexican folk-art. From all of these artistic styles and mediums, I’ve been drawn to the expressiveness and energy of characters, and the vibrancy of the colors. The compositions of these art styles and movements have also been exceptionally influential to my work as an illustrator, graphic designer and illustrator.
Out of all the Norse deities, who is your favorite?
Of the Norse deities, my favorite has to be Freyja, the goddess of love, fertility, beauty, wealth, wisdom, life and war. She’s a member of the Vanir, who were gods that specialized in fertility, wisdom and the ability to see into the future. I love very much that she rides around on a chariot drawn by cats. While Freyja is very revered among the gods and is graceful, her incarnation in the Nine Twilights is a bubbly, clumsy, energetic girl named Aishwarya “Aish” Narayan who loves playing games on her phone, taking selfies, and living her best life. To an outsider she seems to be taking a lackadaisical approach to life, but Aish is always ready to get down to business when monsters come to attack. The Aish/Freyja character is considered the “tank” of Wanda’s team of magical girls, as she has the strength to easily dual wield a giant battle-axe and a chain whip sword at the same time. It makes for some fun battle scenes to draw. While the Aish/Freya character hasn’t been introduced yet to the main Nine Twilights storyline, readers can see her in action in the Nine Twilights mini-comic up for sale on Gum-Road right now.
Nine Twilights posts on ninetwilights.com on Wednesdays!
My artwork can be seen on my portfolio site: http://www.andrearosales.com/
My artwork can be purchased via my online shop, Good Walrus Goods: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GoodWalrusGoods
Twitter: https://twitter.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
Nine Twilights comic: http://www.ninetwilights.com/
Nine Twilights mini-comic (Gumroad): https://gumroad.com/l/wRLh
Art That Sticks with You
Artist and mom Maria McConnell makes beautiful, accessible prints and decals inspired by Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.
How long have you been making art?
Since I was a kid, but professionally for four years.
What types of work are you best known for?
Landscape paintings and decals!
State of Oregon Decals
What inspired you to start? What inspires you to keep going?
My grandpa, travel, and my crazy imagination.
Your studio name is Bittersweet Canvas. Where does that come from?
Honestly I don’t remember, I believe I randomly thought of it.
How has living in Oregon impacted your work?
The beauty and diversity in our landscapes are the heart and soul of my work.
How has technology impacted your work?
It’s enabled me to have my etsy ship!
What is your favorite medium to work in?
Watercolors and acrylics!
What are you most proud of, creatively?
Mostly that I get to work from home with my two year old!
Pacific Northwest Decal by Maria McConnell
Will Small Business Go the Way of the Pay Phone?
Originally published on October 2018
Tomorrow, a beloved St. John’s neighborhood restaurant, Dub’s St. John’s, will be closing. The decision to close was a matter of economics, the owners say. Even though they appeared busy and popular, they simply could not keep the doors open. I have spoken with the owner, and we hope to run an interview on their new catering business in the near future. But news of this closure got me thinking — or rather, it jumpstarted some thoughts that had been a long time rumbling.
I would like to invite you to a focus group about technology, community, and sustaining independent businesses. Time, location, and date TBA. Snacks and drinks provided.
The purpose of this session is to brainstorm actual features and requirements for a new app, to be developed for launch in January 2019. Format will be based on the IDEO design thinking methodology.
You are welcome to attend, if you are A) over 21; B) a resident of the Portland metro area; C) a user of the Internet and/or social media. We will cap the session at 20 respondents; if we get more than that we may organize additional sessions. We have about 270 person hours earmarked for this project, and we’re hoping to do something memorable and cool.
Please use the site’s contact form to respond if you are interested; let me know what times and dates are good, and also any dietary needs and preferences.
Under the Bridge
Please note: This article has been updated since its original publication. In Fall 2023, I received a new diagnosis from my doctor: PMDD (Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder). She believed that PMDD was the best way to describe my medical history, because it gives insight into causes as well as symptoms. PMDD explains the mood swings and reactions to hormone-based medication that impacted me over the same 7-year period when I suffered from severe fibroids.
Regardless of the label or diagnosis assigned, individuals with bipolar symptoms deserve the same level of compassion, support, and empathy as anyone suffering from a life-threatening physical disease. Discrimination and ignorance make a serious condition that much worse; social isolation actually produces changes in the brain and can lead to worsening symptoms. Many — perhaps most — bipolar people lead full and healthy lives. It is the fear of stigma and bias that renders us invisible.
Me, standing under the bridge in my neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. The bridge is the site of weddings, festivals, film shoots, and deaths.
How to Save a Million Lives
It starts with being visible.
November 2, 2019
In anyone’s memory, certain dates stand out forever.
I remember standing in my aunt and uncle’s sunny family room in San Mateo, California on April 18, 2018. That was when the customer service rep on the phone told me I did not qualify for life insurance. This was a problem. In fact, it was a huge problem. It meant I would not be able to obtain what is called “Key Man” Insurance, which shields professional investors in case of the accidental or untimely death of the CEO or other essential team members. Key Man Insurance is a must for any startup seeking serious investor funding (seed round or VC). Unknowingly, I had raised funds from friends and family for a venture that could not succeed with me at the helm.
I checked it out. I got a second quote. It didn’t matter that I was healthy and had managed the condition successfully for 19 years.
This wasn’t a case of bias, or stigma. It was a numbers game. The diagnosis is bipolar disorder. The reason I couldn’t get life insurance was that my diagnosis carries a 15 – 20% lifetime fatality rate. That means that as many as one in five people with bipolar disorder may die by suicide. (National Institute of Mental Health, as cited by DBSA.)
If present trends continue, over 855,000 of the 5.7 million individuals living today with bipolar disorder in the U.S will die by suicide. That’s almost a million people.
We are living in the middle of an epidemic. And one ever seems to notice.
Our company’s investor woes seemed pretty trivial in comparison.
Which brings me to the other date. Just over a year ago.
October 17, 2018
On that single day, in my home city of Portland, Oregon, we lost three people to suicide. One of the deaths happened a few hundred feet from my apartment, when a woman jumped off the St. John’s Bridge. I found out when I heard the sirens and saw the flashing red lights. I took some roses out of a vase, went outside, walked down the hill, and put the roses by the police line.
For me, that death brought home the reality of the suicide epidemic in America. I don’t know whether any of the three people who died had a diagnosis, but given the high risk factor and the fact that 1 in 23 Americans are bipolar, it is likely. Suicide fatality rates are actually higher for people with bipolar disorder than for those with unipolar depression(NCBI). Because suicide is a social epidemic, the death of one individual can result in the deaths of other individuals, who may not even share the same diagnosis. There a lot of reasons why this post has been hard for me to write. One of them is that this year, in the time since I started writing this blog post, about three weeks ago, I learned of two other likely suicides in my home communities: one here in Oregon and one in Massachusetts. The taboo around speaking about suicide is strong, just like the taboo against discussing bipolar disorder. I went to a walk this month by the American Society for Suicide Prevention. It’s a worthy event, and it does a lot of good for survivors. But nowhere — nowhere — was bipolar disorder mentioned as a cause or a killer. Talking about America’s suicide epidemic without talking about bipolar is like trying to talk about heart disease and never mentioning high blood pressure.
Last fall it felt like the bodies were literally dropping from overhead. Those deaths, in particular the one so close to home, jolted me out of complacency. I kept thinking to myself, “If fifteen percent of bipolar people are dying by suicide, why don’t we hear about it? Why aren’t we doing more to stop it?”
I had been marked as a plague victim and I didn’t even know it.
I found a replacement CEO for my startup. After stepping down, my plan had been to take a course or two in data science and rejoin the corporate world. Instead, I found myself on an entirely different path. I earned a certification in Life Coaching, another as a Peer Support Specialist, and completed the excellent QPR suicide prevention training which is offered for free to lay people in the Portland area. The goal: work part time coaching bipolar and entrepreneurial clients from around the world. Spend the rest of my time learning a new coding language and building something cool.
The crazy thing is, one year later it actually seems to have worked.
The people I have coached confound my expectations. They are C-level executives, computer programmers, bankers, and accountants. Leave every expectation you have surrounding bipolar people and their temperament or personality type at the door. Just know, above all, we are here. And there are a lot of us. Mostly you can’t tell us apart from anybody else. Because when the medication works well for us, like most other Americans, we’d much rather concentrate on our lives and families and hobbies than on getting riled up with anything that resembles activism.
Coaching is intense. I have had more than one occasion where the client burst into tears during the first session. Unlike therapy, the emphasis is on achieving short term goals. Most of my service offerings are designed to last 3-6 sessions, although some clients stay on much longer. I think my favorite sessions are the outdoor fitness sessions, where we do the coaching during an hourlong walk or hike. I never agree to work with a client unless they are also seeing a licensed doctor or clinician. Confidentiality is key. In the event of a situation where someone’s safety is at risk or where someone expresses suicidal thoughts, I will of course contact emergency services, as well as other members of a client’s care team.
Whatever assorted coaching gurus may promise, my type of coaching won’t make you rich. That’s not why I do it. I just know that it’s important for bipolar people to be visible.
This is where the saving lives come in. It’s about much more than the coaching, although I believe that’s important and meaningful work. It’s about being visible, and letting people know that bipolar gets better. Coming out is risky, and it has a cost. You may not get asked on that second date. As a programmer the last thing you want is your supervisor wondering what medications you were taking when you pushed that last commit! But I’ve come to believe that the cost of silence is greater. Silence equals death. Stigma equals death.
Here’s how we can save one million lives over the next generation:
1.) Make stigma against bipolar people unacceptable. End the jokes. Stop using bipolar as shorthand for a personality disorder. Educate yourselves. This shouldn’t be my job, as the person with the disability, but I need to take responsibility first and foremost for my own actions. I am not “out” in every professional or social social situation, but I try to live my life in a way that I can communicate to others, who may be more closeted, that there is hope.
2.) Improve quality and access to mental health care. Bipolar people face special challenges. We encounter more stigma than people with depression or anxiety disorders, and if we are misdiagnosed, the consequences can be serious. But all mental health conditions deserve treatment on a par with physical health. The quality of generic medications has taken an alarming dive. I have experienced these issues myself, and heard alarming reports from others. Legal or regulatory action must be taken to ensure that vulnerable populations do not suffer.
3.) Work for a cure. Amazingly, for a disease that affects millions of Americans and people the world over, we still do not understand the causes of bipolar disorder. It receives only a fraction of the federal funding for diseases with a similar mortality rate. Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical industry shows off its latest advances: a pill with a tracking device to make sure the patient complies and takes their medication. We are solving for the wrong goal here.
You may have noticed that the beginning of this piece promised to tell you how to save one million lives. And you may have noticed that based on the figures above, we’re still 145,000 lives short. There’s a reason for that. The reason is that bipolar people, when we are well and healthy, save lives.
The reason is that bipolar people are our best and our brightest. We are leaders. We are artists. We are entrepreneurs and innovators. We are mystics. We are heroes. We feel deeply, and we act on the courage of our convictions. From Winston Churchill to Kanye West, the names of famous bipolar people read like a roll call. Bipolar people who are able to live out their lives to their fullest potential will design lifesaving vaccines, help mitigate climate change, and create songs and stories that sustain and offer hope for an imperiled planet. We give back every day. We are mothers and fathers, aunts and uncles, teachers and mentors, some of the best and most loyal friends you will ever find. We are generous. We go the extra mile. Maybe we are still trying to prove we are “good enough.” Maybe deep down we know that we different, and also blessed. There is a reason we are in this genome.
We have so much to give, and we are irreplaceable.
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Listen to a radio spot:
Keep On Trucking
Illustrator and puppeteer Geahk Burchill is homeless. That hasn’t stopped him from telling his story. A Portland resident for 18 years, and local to the St. John’s neighborhood since 2005, he spoke with us about his experiences and shared his newest project, a webcomic called Trucked Up.
How long have you been in Portland, Oregon?
I first moved to Portland, from Oakland, California, in May 2001 because of a sun allergy. I made the decision after getting a bad sunburn that February and felt like I could choose a place less difficult for me. I loved Portland instantly but didn’t have much savings. A minor fender-bender drained what saving I had and I spent a few months living in my VW van. Fortunately, I got work as a carpenter, and an apartment, relatively quickly. I had no idea it wouldn’t be the last time I was homeless.
Dr. Hadrian in his Library. (Photo: David Emmite)
I moved to St. Johns in 2005 after starting a marionette company. I worked days for Michael Curry Design, and nights on my own puppets, building up a small theater company. In 2010 I left Curry to start my own design/build business and did reasonably well until about 2013 when I received less and less work. By 2014 I had a personal unraveling after working very long hours and losing money on multiple jobs. I let go of my house, first, and lived in my studio; in late 2017 I lost the studio as well. I converted the old puppet-truck into a live/work space and put everything in storage.
Describe your current living situation.
Oakland, where Burchill grew up.
I live in a decommissioned bread truck in which I built a bed, a kitchen, and work space. I took all the tools which used to make up my studio and made a condensed wood shop to try and continue getting work. For a long time I was parking on the street, moving the truck constantly, from spot to spot, to avoid cops. It made jobs difficult and I delivered projects late. That made it harder to get further work. It was also deeply demoralizing.The body of the truck is aluminum. In the summer it’s an oven inside, and a freezer now that it’s winter. In October the truck broke down and I had to have it towed. It’s now parked in the side yard of a friend, whom I pay to use utilities. Even at the amount he’s charging, I’m often late paying. It’s still a very unstable situation. I’m looking forward to repairing the truck, if I can, and having a bit more control over my life again.
Would you describe yourself as homeless?
I’m not sleeping rough. I’ve made my space as comfortable as I can. I have my cat, who sleeps on a heating pad, and my art desk, which I built to perfectly suit me. I have a microwave, and toaster oven, to make hot meals; an electric kettle for coffee. It’s about as cozy as homelessness can get but there’s a lot of room for improvement. It leaks in places. It was unsafe at times. Someone cut my gas line and stole fuel in the middle of one night while I was inside. It’s old and unreliable. At the same time, it represents a certain amount of freedom. I like the space despite its problems. I can see myself driving to jobs in the future and working out of the back.
Your artistic style for the panels of “Trucked Up” is amazing. What is your process, and what tools do you use?
I started with traditional materials. I grew up poor and my medium was usually pen on copy paper. Five simple supplies. Paper, a good pen, a blue pencil, an eraser and a ruler. Later I began drawing with nib-pen on translucent vellum with India ink. That allowed me to sketch on cheap paper and then trace onto the expensive vellum with the nice dip pen for really crisp results.
I currently can’t do anything very messy in the truck, but I did an ad project a few months ago which earned me enough money to buy an iPad with Apple Pencil. I then recreated the way the vellum and dip-pen work in an app called Procreate. It allows me to be very portable and draw in cafes, where I can get wifi access.
Unfortunately, I bought the iPad just before the truck broke down. For a while I was kicking myself. It was a lot of money, but as I’ve kept drawing, I feel it was the only choice to keep me motivated and focused on the future. It’s become the tool I use for everything, including this comic I’ve started. I’m learning to animate and make videos for YouTube. It’s my connection to future work. A little bit of a security blanket too.
How has living in a truck impacted your artistic journey (thematically, pragmatically, etc.)?
Though I started drawing comics when I was fairly young, most of my career has been spent with sculpture and engineering. I’ve made puppets for nearly twenty years, including sewing the costumes, and painting the sets. In the truck I’ve been forced to narrow my focus to what I could accomplish in the space. Drawing and writing, mostly.
Even traditional drawing is hard to do in the truck. Ink gets too thick to use in the cold. My career has been built upon getting new work out often. It has to be in the internet age. Returning to comics is something I can accomplish with limited space, wifi, and access to power. It’s also a way to process the frustration and panic I frequently feel about my situation.
I’ve always talked about poverty, to one extent or another, in my work, but now it’s in sharp focus. I find so many situations that are darkly funny about the basic things I struggle with.
I have far more comic ideas than I’ll ever have time to draw. I’ve also wanted to do a video game which utilizes real scenarios I’ve found myself in as puzzle elements. So much of this is MacGuyvering my way through problems that come up. The comics are accomplishable though. Each one takes about five hours, which I can find time for. It’s a resource I have.
What’s next for “Trucked Up?”
I’ll keep drawing and posting to Instagram and Webtoons. I see there are some people who make decent money, once they get noticed, and build a following. I’m currently working on a mural for a client and that’s my main source of income, but it would be great if I could have something more stable and reliable. My income has been feast-or-famine for ten years, with almost constant stress. It would be nice to have some consistent money that I could plan for the future with.
I feel like I have a lot of ideas which extend beyond the scope of just living in the truck. I have a lot of life stories. Just the autobiographical content is enough for hundreds, or thousands of future comics, not to mention all the fictional stories I’d like to tell. Plus there are educational and instructional ideas I have. I’ve been teaching puppets over the years, and I can fold that into didactic drawings, maybe into a book.
Lennie & George from Of Mice and Men (Performed in 2012)
Website: www.geahkburchilldesigns.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/CastIronCarousel
Trucked Up comic: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/trucked-up/list?title_no=253073
