This journal has two categories:

Alien Romance

My graphic novel in progress. Draft 2 is done, and while I work on cleaning it up for Draft 3, I'm doing a little daily webcomic strip which gets posted on my Patreon and mirrored here. I add commentary because certain elements refer back to the events that came earlier. Additionally, I describe and transcribe each comic because I have at least two visually impaired readers, possibly more. (And I'm quickly joining their ranks.)

The year is 1990. Maurice, the son of immigrants who grew up in the family store in rural Midwestern US, meets Cathy, a struggling artist from an intellectual family in Lyon, France. They don't speak each other's languages, and after a whirlwind romance, they settle for being international pen pals... until Cathy unexpectedly shows up on Maurice's doorstep.

She has big expectations that her dreamy American rockstar will whisk her away and show her the world, and is dismayed to find that Maurice is a regular Joe with a blue-collar job and a whole set of friends to support.

There is an alien, and some ghosts, and a lot of questionable decisions as this group of young misfits try to navigate the end of the 20th century without any guidance. It's kind of a period piece, so if you grew up then too, you'll have plenty to reminisce about, and if you showed up later, you're welcome along for the ride.

Memoir stuff

I write about the tribulations and joys of being a comic artist, my nutty cat Typhoon, my memories of the 9 years I lived in Asia, gardening and nature, politics, human rights and diversity, and whatever else pops into my mind. Some of those posts will be public and some will be access only. I'm always happy to exchange access with anyone! But I'm a big believer in reciprocity. If you read my writing, I'll read yours, and I like my friends lists to all be 'mutual'.

I'm a caregiver to family members, too, and I don't do much else. That's quite enough for the moment!

As far as the rat race, okay, I'm not participating very much in late-stage capitalism, except for buying overpriced groceries and supporting my local, privately-owned cafés by sitting in them for hours with a sketchbook and a fistful of good intentions.