Mission Complete.

Having finished the project, I can say I feel a sense of accomplishment and relief. Obviously nothing that can compare to the magnitude of Barbara Kingsolver's emotions resulting from surviving and enjoying a year of eating locally, but I believe that it's the same feeling on a miniature scale. The feeling, I think, stems from overcoming obstacles and challenges that come with tackling any project. For Kingsolver, this included giving up foreign-grown favorites and hoping she had enough food to feed her family through the harvest-less months of January, February, and March. For myself, this was a battle against procrastination and forcing myself to reach out to fellow pet owners for interviews and photo shoots. My own nature was also something I needed to get over, as I typically demand perfection from my own drawings. This was obviously impossible with subjects I had not drawn before, and was something that frustrated me for quite a while.

The better parts of the experience also connect to Kingsolver's work. While she was trying to better her carbon footprint and become healthier over all, I was attempting to learn more about animals and better my drawing ability. Though the total time put into each project varies, we both successfully completed our objectives. Completing a task that you've set for yourself is a good boost for your self-esteem. I'm sure Kingsolver noticed this as well, evidenced by the uplifting tone with which her book ended as her turkeys finally produced a second generation without needing her intervention. In the end, our projects may not be connected by a central theme, but the emotions and experiences run parallel to the same events on different timelines. The parts are all the same, even if they're colored just a bit differently, and they all fall into place to create the same picture of success.