tmichaelmartin

[tmichaelmartin]

New sketch from this morning. I like this one!

I’ve been trying to teach myself to draw the last couple weeks. I was a stick figure-only guy in mid-July, and although I’m not amazing, it’s been really fun and rewarding to make progress.

Here’s yesterday’s daily sketch.

[tmichaelmartin]

A few quick sketches today.

[tmichaelmartin]

I’ve been trying to teach myself to draw the last couple weeks. I was a stick figure-only guy in mid-July, and although I’m not amazing, it’s been really fun and rewarding to make progress.

Here’s yesterday’s daily sketch.

[tmichaelmartin]

I'm glad to see you're doing okay! You answered an ask of mine a few years ago now that really helped me when I was going through a tough time mental health wise. I don't think I ever thanked you for it, so thank you! I wish all good things for your future!

How wonderful to hear! Thank you, and ditto!

[tmichaelmartin]

It has been a while since I've seen you around these parts, I hope all is well and you're taking good care of yourself!

Hi there! I appreciate you reaching out, @should-be-sleeping!

To tl;dr it: Things are going well, and I’m doing a mostly good job taking mostly good care of myself.

Maybe the best way to structure the longer version of my response is to explain why you haven’t seen me around these parts.

In the years since I was really active here and regularly created on YouTube, I’ve consciously stepped back from the social internet. This is partly because I now work at a famous public company and fear that things I post could be misconstrued (innocently or maliciously), or otherwise taken as representing company policy or philosophy or etc.

Additionally, my personal life has changed in ways that have been ultimately profoundly positive, but were, in process, tectonic and traumatic: Two years ago, I left my marriage to a woman I’d been with for literally half my life. Because it was so painful for us, it felt somehow disrespectful to post anything — as if in doing so, I was acknowledging or even gloating about my ability to move on. (I don’t know if this was “right,” but there it is.) Even if I were to someday become more engaged online, I’ll keep my personal life — to the degree it involves other people, anyway — private.

One last thing: I just didn’t know what to post. I felt — and continue to feel, mostly — kind of bewildered about why I would even do so. Like, I’m not saying this is correct (and please know I’m not fishing for compliments), but it is my belief that in a world of essentially infinite content choices, I cannot necessarily offer anything of unique value. And if that’s true, it just seems wiser to not expend energy merely contributing to the noise.

Put another way, I kind of informally committed that I wouldn’t be a regular Internet Person until and unless I could figure out a way to make A Something that was 1) unique enough to feel undeniable and 2) be worth the inevitable hardship of creation.

Part of me wants to end this post by hinting that I’m working on A Something that fits that description. I’ve thought that before, though, and felt disappointed in myself when it didn’t come together. And honestly, if it never happens, that’s okay! In the best possible way, I don’t really care.

So that’s how I’ll end this post instead: by saying that although my life looks very different from the one I presented years ago, and looks virtually nothing like what I’d imagined back then, I’m actually very happy and content. I hope y’all are, too.

[tmichaelmartin]

Guess what I just did for the first time in 4 years? https://www.instagram.com/p/CIvrafspoUlHD4Bk6uDTLx1YQVZSqolyRD4-yk0/?igshid=nd8rcgdvkjln

[tmichaelmartin]

Met this guy at work last week. Super nice! Not much of a talker, though. . #selfie #silentbob #kevinsmith #sprucegoose #myjobisprettyneat (at Google Spruce Goose) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3ufOEFgJHf1C8EDsfnVPUruAHI6Oq9i-szlXI0/?igshid=p16nybxdbktc

[tmichaelmartin]

You guys, I built my own #lightsaber at #Disneyland!! It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done and I can’t get over how much I love this thing! 😄 . For my fellow nerds, I went with the “Peace and Justice” type of saber, built from scrap metal rumored to have been recovered from Jedi temples. 😍😂😍 The blade I built it with is blue, as you can see, but — and this is crazy — I also bought a green “crystal” that goes inside the hilt, and when you put it in, it changes the blade to green! . I can’t recommend this experience highly enough. It’s not cheap but what a joy it is. Thanks for making this #StarWars Geek’s dream come true. (at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1OtHrcAdwF/?igshid=19m2wnjjqdmvj

[tmichaelmartin]

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A post shared by Phil the Pug (@philisapug)

This an orange tunnel. It make me happy. I hope you all have orange tunnels in your life, fwends. . #dogsofig #pugsofig #pugvideo #pugs #dogs #dogvideo #dog #doggo #pupper #pug https://www.instagram.com/p/B1HKYzQHgZb/?igshid=1oq3ques77t1n

[tmichaelmartin]

This pic of my doggo taking a nap in my home office encapsulates much of what I love most in this world. 😍😂😍 . Backstory: I was using my stationary bike in my office, and @philisapug woke up and started to whine in the other room. This usually means he wants to play, so I let him out of the crate he sleeps in. But when he ignored the toys and went straight to the footrest in the photo, I realized: He didn’t want to play. He just wanted to sleep closer to his dad. 😭❤️ . #dog #pug https://www.instagram.com/p/B0_E0N-gqSI/?igshid=1g8vfa6jd6yw2

[tmichaelmartin]

This pic of my doggo encapsulates taking a nap in my home office much of what I love most in this world. 😍😂😍 . Backstory: I was using my stationary bike in my office, and @philisapug woke up and started to whine in the other room. This usually means he wants to play, so I let him out of the crate he sleeps in. But when he ignored the toys and went straight to the footrest in the photo, I realized: He didn’t want to play. He just wanted to sleep closer to his dad. 😭❤️ . #dog #pug https://www.instagram.com/p/B0_D2DVgwry/?igshid=2s7etwxot4yw

[tmichaelmartin]

I saw #PaulMcCartney Saturday night. Near the end of the show, he surprised Dodger Stadium by bringing out #RingoStarr to play with him. And that was honestly one of the best moments of my life. ❤️🎶❤️ . #thebeatles #concert #concertphotography #beatles (at Dodger Stadium) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz_Nf7uBGe9/?igshid=1epwyoe89ncbb

[tmichaelmartin]

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A post shared by Phil the Pug (@philisapug)

My first #Dog #Agility class at @zoomroomcc and I ❤️ it so much! . #dogsofig #pugsofig #pugvideo #pugs #dogs #dogvideo #dog #doggo #pupper https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz-6pdAnpqJ/?igshid=14pxmriols2r5

[tmichaelmartin]

Happy Sunday, fwends! . #pug #pugs #puglife #puppy #puppies #dogs #dog #cute #cuteanimals #doggy #doggo #doglove #doggies #doglovers #pup #pugpuppies #pets #pet #doglove #dogsofinstagram #pugsofinstagram #dogsofig #pugsofig #pugsmile #dogsmile #dogsmiles https://www.instagram.com/p/BzV3epqH9_r/?igshid=7m3kpbkjjs48

[tmichaelmartin]

Memories. ❤️ - #vidcon #tbt (at Vidcon 2015) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzNvS4QAiJ3/?igshid=w295jnnwif2f

[tmichaelmartin]

I just posted the first part of a “Choose Your Own Fun” tweet story an hour ago and 1,500+ people have already voted on it so I guess I’m gonna have to finish it now. 😂 . Read & vote on my Twitter, @ tmikemartin . (PS - I stole the idea from @stdennard & hers is better.) . #writing #writingprompts #susandennard https://www.instagram.com/p/BybDlDFAgSI/?igshid=1w68i8xe5vtwt

[tmichaelmartin]

I meant to post this a month ago but luckily the sentiment is not time-sensitive: @stdennard is an astonishing writer & even more amazing human & I am grateful to be her friend & to have (finally!) met her IRL. . Also, yes, I have lost weight, thank you for asking. . #selfie #authorsofinstagram #susandennard (at Santa Monica, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByX7vqIgLHL/?igshid=12m1h4llovyf9