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2018-11-27

Reaching out (revised)



[click images to view in higher resolution]

   One year ago today, I posted a comic about wanting to get back in touch with people but having a hard time doing so. That comic spread much faster and farther than anything I had ever made before. Tens of thousands of those sharing it used it as a way to reach out to someone they missed.
   Yesterday (for Remake Monday), I redrew the image and improved the typography of the original. For today, I made a more substantial change to the original. The words in the thought bubble remain a totally valid thought process to experience, of course...but after experiencing them, consider sending something closer to the edited version in the second frame as an alternative to the first frame's stream-of-consciousness word-vomit.
   
   I'm now calling the 27th of November "Getting Back in Touch Day". Please feel free to use this comic (or yesterday's) and/or the made-up holiday as an excuse to reach out to someone you want to keep in better touch with. 
   And if you haven't already, go read the now-public post about it at: [patreon.com/posts/getting-back-in-22837722].

EDIT: Now available as shareable, printable images and greeting cards for Getting Back in Touch Day (...or Week/Month/whenever...you don't need my permission to reach out to a friend).

2018-11-26

Getting back in touch

[click image to view in higher resolution]

   One year ago tomorrow, I posted a comic about wanting to get back in touch with people but having a hard time doing so. That comic spread much faster and farther than anything I had ever made before,. Tens of thousands of those sharing it used it as a way to reach out to someone they missed.
   For Remake Monday, I've redrawn the image and improved the typography of the original. I'm going to start calling the 27th of November "Getting Back in Touch Day"; please feel free to use this comic and/or that made-up holiday as an excuse to reach out to someone you want to keep in better touch with. And read the now-public post about it at: [patreon.com/posts/getting-back-in-22837722].
   Full transcription:
* Basic text of the comic:
I want to get back in touch with you, but I feel like I'd have to start by apologizing for being so bad at keeping in touch and reassuring you that your friendship really is important to me, but I'm always paralyzed by the dread that this apology will inevitably devolve into a lengthy explanation of why I've been incommunicado for so long, which would make the whole thing all about me and my problems and would make me feel like an even worse friend, this sudden reaching out only to suddenly unload a crushing amount of personal baggage on you, without warning or context— But so anyway...hey. How's it going?
...and the same text but with structural line breaks, if you prefer it that way:

I want to get back in touch with you,
but I feel like I’d have to start by apologizing
for being so bad at keeping in touch
and reassuring you that your friendship
really is important to me,
but I’m always paralyzed by the dread
that this apology will inevitably devolve
into a lengthy explanation of why
I’ve been incommunicado for so long,
which would make the whole thing
all about me and my problems
and would make me feel like
an even worse friend,
this sudden reaching out
only to suddenly unload
a crushing amount of
personal baggage on you,
without warning or context —

But so anyway...hey. How’s it going?

2018-11-12

Everything and more


Remake Monday. Original posted on 15 November 2013.

Note:
While I believe this comic makes a valid point in general, its message clearly doesn't apply to the entirety of the human condition. Sometimes the answer to the first stick figure's question is "yes", unfortunately; for reasons beyond an individual's control, "just turning around" might not be an option (e.g. some mental and physical illnesses, inescapable life circumstances, terrible superglue accidents).
So let me be clear: I, the author, fully and wholeheartedly condemn anyone who tries to invoke this comic to put the burden of "choosing to be happy" (etc.) on anyone to whom that choice is not available.

2018-11-09

Uncanny encounters


I considered a lot of possible lines of dialogue and captions for this one, but ultimately decided to let the pictured moment speak for itself. I'll be posting the discarded drafts on the CrustaceanSingles Patreon in a minute.