September 27th, 2023 “I may have been sober, but I didn’t start to get well until I could accept who I had been, who I was becoming and accept any distance there was between the two.” – Nadia Bolz-Weber I got my oil changed yesterday morning. They put a little sticker in the upper-left cornerContinue reading “Oil Change”
Tag Archives: Growth
The Weirdos, Part VII: The Universe is Bigger Than God
August 30th, 2023 I didn’t finish college (obvs) and I don’t believe in God (sorry, fam), and The Weirdos is what it is because of it. I quit college three quarters in. I frequently tell people that making this graphic novel was my education; most art students have to do a final project, and it’sContinue reading “The Weirdos, Part VII: The Universe is Bigger Than God”
The Weirdos, Part V: The Wait
August 28th, 2023 Das wasn’t supposed to be a Weirdo. The Wait actually started out as a comic book about the restaurant industry, after years of people telling me that I should write about the experience, which explains its title and setting. It was a separate thing altogether, until I realized that I had writtenContinue reading “The Weirdos, Part V: The Wait”
Writing With Dennis Vogen!
August 22nd, 2023 I’m finally doing it! Class is in session and I’m the teacher! On Wednesday, November 1st, from 7 pm to 9 pm, I will be at Labyrinth Puzzle Rooms in Downtown Lakeville to discuss: – Writing short stories, novellas & novels– Publishing your work– National Novel Writing Month And any questions youContinue reading “Writing With Dennis Vogen!”
FIGHT!
August 21st, 2023 I look like an idiot. I haven’t been on my usual bullshit lately, writing about my messy emotions or mental health, or about politics or the climate or philosophy or grief or sobriety. It’s not that I don’t think about these things anymore; they’re all I think about, the things that keepContinue reading “FIGHT!”
The Weirdos, Part I: The Flying Squirrel
August 7th, 2023 It’s no secret that Ashley Maypole, the main character of my comic The Flying Squirrel, is the Weirdo most like me. He’s an alcoholic comic book writer with Imposter Syndrome and an unhealthy obsession with squirrels. He has a son and a Boston Terrier and a best friend who looks a lotContinue reading “The Weirdos, Part I: The Flying Squirrel”
The Words I Needed Then
July 31st, 2023 Today is the last day of Brushfire month, which means I can shut up about it for a little while now. I tell people that I don’t write for an audience, and that is generally true; I don’t sit down and think of a target person, their age or gender or preferencesContinue reading “The Words I Needed Then”
Brushfire: We Don’t Decide Who It’s For
July 27th, 2023 The best (online) conversation I ever had about my graphic novel The Weirdos was with a fellow dad who let his 13-year-old read it. (The dad and his kid shall remain nameless out of respect for our private conversation, but they are two of the coolest cats I know.) My immediate reactionContinue reading “Brushfire: We Don’t Decide Who It’s For”
Faribault High School Reunion ’23
July 15th, 2023 I had a ridiculously good time with these kids last night. We had our [loudly coughs]th high school reunion, and reunions are so stupid, which is why I love reunions so much. The further away we get from who we used to be, though, the less stupid reunions get. You get remindedContinue reading “Faribault High School Reunion ’23”
Bad Brains + Bad Hearts
July 1st, 2023 The world lately has me feeling a kind of sick, and I’ve been having to remind myself of a lesson I learned early in sobriety. When I got better, my first instinct was to help everyone else get better, too. It’s not a bad instinct, but it’s a naïve one, and itContinue reading “Bad Brains + Bad Hearts”
The Den 