2017 Reflections

2017 was a big year for me. I turned 40, finished my Doctorate, settled into a new life in Melbourne, and began my first permanent lecturing position at Swinburne University. I taught 10 courses at JMC Academy, who were gracious enough to give me a go when I arrived in Melbourne, hat in hand and jobless. I became a member of Squishface Comics, a fantastic open comic studio space in Brunswick and have spent many afternoons and a couple of all-nighters making comics with some local heroes and all round talented people. I took up circus training at The Circus Spot, gaining some small proficiency on trapeze and silks, and achieving one of my weird bucket-list items of doing a gymnast’s backflip/sault from the ground, as well as a semi decent cartwheel and roundoff. I tried Brazilian Ju-jitsu with the good folks at 10th Planet Jujitsu and trained in Russian Systema for a few months, which was brilliant, but made me quite painfully aware of my slowly aging body. And most amazingly of all, I managed to stay married despite being busy and occasionally grumpy.2017 was a good year, on top of a run of good years, but somehow I feel as if the hard work is only just beginning. For 2018- I’ve got three comic projects I’m juggling; a collaboration with my biologist wife about inter-group communication, a superhero/science/psychedelic romance comic with Dr Mike, and my ongoing Autofictographic novel. From March I’ll be teaching again; new uni, new courses, new information and new ways of doing things. I need to publish the good bits from my exegesis and make my mark upon the world of academia. And comics. Cats too.Great things ahead. squishfacestudio.combenhutchings.tumblr.comnakedfella.comthecircusspot.com.au10thplanetjjmelbourne.commelbournesystema.com.aujmcacademy.edu.auswinburne.edu.au