Category: cartoons

Writing Prompt: Story Thread Chart

Life is full of possibilities! Create a story thread chart to explore writing ideas that might lead to unexpected places!

HINT: Handwrite the chart. All those little arrows were difficult to make on a computer!

Inner Life

I must be working for pay in a company again because I’m pissing people off without even trying – it’s my superpower. But since I can leave this job if I want, there’s a certain joy in pursuing an ethical course without worrying about my relationship with a large corporation.

I process anger and grief through my art. I’m feeling these because of worldwide politics, wars, and injustice. I’m okay with negative emotions; they produce action. Their by-product is art and writing, which makes me feel happy again, as does the actions I take to directly change the insanity of our human existence.

Irritating People

I take a certain satisfaction in knowing I piss a lot of people off. I pissed off my employer this week by asking about how to get my therapy notes translated into Spanish. I pissed off a comic who made an anti-Semitic and anti-Chinese joke by yelling (so the whole bar could hear), “That’s not funny.” I pissed off a snobbish person in my club by chatting her up in an incredibly upbeat voice.

Sometimes, it’s a delight to be obnoxious.

Break the Pattern

Which drawing do you like better? I used 2 different filters and can’t decide between the two images.

On Retirement

Retirement is wonderful! I recommend for everybody. I abruptly retired from a stressful job as a speech-language pathologist in public schools because we were ordered to return to in-person schooling when vaccines weren’t available. I was 62 years old at the time and had asthma. Although I planned to work until 65 years of age, it seemed silly to risk death just as I was reaching retirement age. I had no idea of what I would do next.

At first I just enjoyed laying in bed, sometimes until noon, idly reading and journaling in a notebook. Then I realized I wanted to learn how to write better. I enrolled in a Masters program for Creative Writing at Towson University. It was fabulous! Not only did I improve my writing, but I found a community of writers. I was intellectually stimulated and met new friends. Many of them are younger than me with different perspectives and wisdom.

After graduating I continue to write poetry and short stories. I’m a journalist for the Peninsula Post, a local newspaper. I also draw cartoons, paint, and play guitar. It is amazing to have tons of time to create and socialize. I have energy for exercising and cooking healthy meals. Along with the time when I was raising my sons, retirement is the best period of my life.