The Anti-Muse

That's what I call it.  It comes in various forms, whatever takes me away from my work.  Negative feelings, obsessive-compulsive distractions, or just mundane obligations.

You ever have one of those Summers when everything needs to be fixed?  The stove exploded, we had to sell a car, we're babysitting dogs, the deck needs painting, the gutters had to be repaired, the garage has to be emptied, and the backyard....

We have a pool.  And a spa.  Which makes it sound like we're rich or something, but we're not.  So when a huge branch fell on the pool cover during a winter storm and tore it all up, it was a headache.  But then we have to OPEN the pool when the weather turns, because otherwise the whole thing goes to Hell, and it's a chore.  Then it springs a leak that lowers the water level by several feet, which is a problem.  So then we have to order a water truck after getting someone to repair the lining, which is going to have to be entirely replaced next year, which is a bother.  Then the motor dies, so the algae grows, and we have to get a replacement, which is a nuisance.  Then the computer which controls the motor has to be replaced, which is a twist of the knife.  Then the water level stays low and I gotta fill it intermittently with a hose, which is a hassle.  Then I accidentally leave the hose on for too long at a stretch and our well gets drained so we have to avoid flushing the toilets for half a week, which is nasty.  Also, the spa somehow sprung a leak too and will also need to be repaired, which is a joke.  And we still haven't fixed the pool cover, because the pool company changed management and the people who work there got terrible, terrible illnesses, which is honestly tragic.  So now I'm struggling to talk with the pool cover company directly, but of course the thing is so old that no one can figure out when it was ordered and they won't return my messages and it'll be at LEAST another month before we can close this damn water hole for the winter, which is daunting.  And then the bills start coming, and that's some brutal money on top of NY State taxes.

I don't even LIKE having a pool.  I haven't set foot in it this whole year, but I have to go out and rescue bugs and animals that fall into it constantly.  I can flick the spiders and ants and beetles back onto the grass, but salamanders and frogs need to be relocated, so I gotta trudge through the backwoods all the way to a stream to deposit them in a better place, which is awkward since a big damn tree fell on the forest path and I gotta brave the tick-infested marsh to get around it.  Yeah, we need to take care of that tree, too.  Add it to the list.

Woof.

Hey, don't mind me.  I just feel awful about not giving you more content so I'm waving my arms in the air a little, but I'm hyping myself up to start the new comic before the year ends.  It still seems kind of impossible, but interim projects are helping me feel capable again.  Actually, I already started a comic, but I'm not sure you would approve.  It's fan art, which is something I really never do.  I hope it's alright with you, I'll show it off when it's closer to done.

I've also been writing the last footnotes of the Omnibus (believe it or not), and I've got a particular passion project for the Halloween season, which I hope you'll enjoy.  See, I'm working!  I'm not always posting, but I'm working!  On one thing or another!  You'll see the fruits of my labor soon.  If I can just beat the Anti-Muse.

That said, today is a heavy day for a lot of us for far more significant reasons than anything I listed above.  I can gripe about housework and art and distractions, but this is the anniversary of something that still affects many people very deeply.  If that's you, then I send my best wishes.

As usual, I'll provide a few links if you have the inclination and means to help make things a little better for someone, somewhere.

Thanks for listening.

Everytown for Gun Safety

Top-Rated Charities for Ukraine

The Trevor Project

National Abortion Funds

- Joe