Mary Poppins is a...

Prologue

Creativity and stress don't mixed well. My thoughts speed up, darting from topic to topic like a panicked bumblebee. It's all I can do to handle the non-writer bits of my life.  My productivity plummets.

This month has be plenty stressful. There's family and friend drama, paperwork/tax season, and my regular spring migraines - plus the cold damp is making my everything ache. I've done some proofreading on my WIP and a smidgen of networking. That's it.

However, even though I can't harness it, my brain is still running.  

Mary Poppins to the Rescue

On a particular wet and windy day, Kid Brother and I were making a marathon of doctor's appointments in Tulsa. It was an umbrella day. ...and Kid brother was doing his level best to keep me and the brolly from lifting off.

Naturally, that led to Marry Poppins jokes and then a bit of reflection.

(The following conversation has been summarized. Perfect recall isn't one of my gifts)

“You know,” I mused opening the car, “When I was young, I read those. I felt she came off a bit cruel, denying that anything magical happened. She holds the children at arms length.”

Kid Brother, who has wonderful recall for trivia, quoted, “'Can you imagine what would become of me if I gave my heart to every child?' She's trying not to get attached.”

“That's the Disney version?” I asked. In our house Disney is called 'The Mouse that Ate Everything.' Yes, they still produce some good stories, but the brand doesn't always adapt well. Mrs. Travers practically had to babysit the script. (Can you tell this is one of my pet peeves?)
As Kid Brother and I drove to the next stop, our conversation bounced around from Disney to Star Wars. ...then my mix-and-match brain made a connection.

“Mary Poppins is a Jedi!” I exclaimed. “She comes in, fixes things, the leaves for the next mission. She avoids attachment, has hidden powers, and can talk her way into anything!”

Kid Brother snickered, and I continued.

“She'd be a better Jedi than the Jedi Council! Think about how they raise younglings. Mary Poppins would have sorted Anakin out long before he fell.”

That had the both off us chuckling all the way home. Mary Poppins could fix anything. 
Mary Poppins vs. JarJar. Mary Poppins vs. C3P-O. Mary Poppins vs. the Emperor.

“This will be be your next update?” Kid Brother asked.

My poor scrambled brain latched on to this lifeline. Stress puts a block on my words. However, the muse was more than willing to grab a drafting pencil. Something was better than nothing at this point.

And so there's the Something.

Mary Poppins, with her parrot handled lightsaber

Done in various pencils on Card Stock.
Many thanks to my Gran and Pops for that first pencil set those many years ago