#112: The things behind things
Hello craftspeople,
What am I going to do? What are you going to do? What are we going to do? Sometimes everything just feels like a mountain too tall to climb. And sometimes, you need a few cartoons along the way. Like these!
This week we look at the thing behind the thing, and celebrate a morning routine.
Getting out the ribbon,
Chris
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Caption: “Should we turn on subtext?”
He said that, but what did he really mean by that? What are we missing here?
These are the questions I ask myself all the time. And then I find myself running off to something, anything, that can give me some sort of subtext.
But wouldn’t it be easier if there was an academic on hand instead?
A little artist’s note: The idea for this one came from a time just after a recent election. There were people, politicians, saying things and saying them with such conviction. And then there was me saying: hang on, I think there must be more to this. And so, there was then also me exploring the deep darkness of the internet to find out if, after adding the subtext, the politician’s conviction was justified.
Visually, I drew this after a few days without picking up the (Apple) Pencil. I was at a random cafe in a random town. We were on a road trip and this was my only chance to draw anything before the wheels went up again. And I remember finding myself so self-conscious about every little line. Almost like our academic here was in the room with me, watching over my shoulder, suggesting that maybe his hair could be a little longer or curlier.
In the end I think it turned out okay. The professor would be proud.
Caption: “Margaret can’t do anything before her morning routine.”
Are you like Margaret? I know I am.
Okay, so I’m not twirling a ribbon, but I am living by a morning routine that acts as a gateway to the rest of my day.
Only my ribbon is coffee. What’s yours?
A little artist’s note: I drew this one sometime around January of 2025 and I remember umming and ahhing over whether to let it out into the world. It’s not the funniest cartoon. It’s certainly not the most visually interesting. But in the end I realised that there was just something I really liked about it. Did it speak to me on a deeper level? Or did really just love the idea of a housewife twirling a ribbon like an Olympic routine? Whatever the answer, I think I really did see myself in Margaret, albeit likely without the ribbon or the Olympic intent.
Visually, I really wanted to show this as a loose take on my late grandparents. Or, at least, the way I remember them. And, before you ask, my Nan didn’t have a thing about ribbons, but there was just something amusing about thinking about their mornings this way. It was also nice to bring some colour into it. But just enough for the ribbon.
How’s your morning routine working out for you?
Thanks for reading The Mid-Week Squiggle.
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Seeking more from me? Check out the newly-resurrected (is a) Good Thing. It’s an occasional newsletter celebrating the things we take for granted. You won’t find anything too deep here. Consider it more entry-level observations from a largely unqualified source.
