Sometimes you just can’t time things accordingly; luckily I caught this before it went to press. It’s now become a tribute strip. Who knew?
Is there a term for a lazy blogger (lager??)? Well, that’s me. Guilty as charged. Part of it is because I’m writing about a strip which is about a woman who keeps a journal. Therefore, I’m blogging about a blogger. That wears me out psychologically.
The other excuse (at least, this month’s) is that I’ve got summer fever. In fact, I’m watching my kids play on our neighbor’s giant inflatable waterparkamathingamadoozy (an intricate series of water chutes and slides that costs more than all our furniture combined). They’re enjoying themselves, shouting, “Watch this, Mom!!” every 3.2 seconds as they hurl their lithe bodies on top of a dozen other lithe bodies (there are 15 kids total just within our four adjacent homes).
The shouting, fighting and pure glee makes me realize how as adults, we really do live vicariously through our kids. I have absolutely no urge to throw my half-naked self down a bouncy chute (although the image of all those bodies does weirdly make me think of ancient Grecian orgies)…yet, watching them experience this summer joy gives me such a “boring-adult” thrill.
Brings to mind a strip I did about 3 years ago. Our old neighbors had an inflatable bouncy castle they set up in their front yard. My kids would spy it as we pulled in our drive after a long day of preschool. This was the witching hour – that time of day the girls were tired and hungry…and so was I. I had to get home and start cooking. But all the kids wanted to do was raid the jumpy castle. My mistake was muttering, “Well, just for a few minutes.” Yeah, right. Enough said. Check out the product of that inspiration:
These days I’m thankful my girls are old enough to go on bouncy castles and watermathingies without constant supervision. I’m also thankful for portable laptops. And, of course, I’m thankful for the ability to relax and live vicariously through the young.
Peace out from one happy lager.
Instead of focusing on a single strip in this blog entry, I thought it’d be fun to share brief commentary on an entire bunch.
This one is close to my heart. I’ve come to realize that – despite its obvious advantages — working from home is extremely isolating. Before kids, I never thought I could do it. Thankfully, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. But I do remember the first year of not having coworkers to share banter with…very hard to get used to. The service people that rang my doorbell knew to stay clear.
I threw this one in here because I was surprised by the enormous reaction to it. I love this strip…it’s one of those that hit home with so many women. I guess we all need to know that we’re not the only ones who lose it sometimes…or even more than sometimes.
Okay, this one I’m just plain embarrassed about. Turns out I made a huge grammatical error – and it took a couple of retired English teachers to point it out via email (separately, mind you). So…can you non-English/journalism majors spot the mistake?
The error is the word “amount.” Amount pertains to measurement. “Number” would’ve been the correct word since it pertains to numerical value. Did anyone else know this?? I claim pure ignorance and stupidity.
I’m always fascinated by the so-called mommy wars. I know there are judgmental types who stigmatize working moms or stay-at-home moms. But I wonder if this sort of battle is as prevalent as it may have once been.
My question is: is there anyone out there who regularly experiences this type of “discrimination”? I did (but not overtly) when my kids were much younger. Nowadays, I’m in my little cartoonist shell and don’t get out much, so I’m not really subjected to it anymore. Also, I think as women mature as mothers, we become a little more relaxed and open to different styles of parenting. We also become members of the “been there, done that” club, which mellows our outlook. At least, that’s what I’ve observed with myself and friends. So…what do you think?
*Update: I have a fun (well, for me, anyway) story line coming out in July. Make sure your local paper doesn’t shut down before then!
It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog entry. I was caught up in presentation preparations during the past few months. So let’s see, where were we? Oh yeah. Poor Rob got canned.
Yes, harsh economic times have caught up with the Kaplans. As I said, I wanted the strip to reflect a certain reality to the current climate. Originally, I thought of making one of the side characters lose their job, but I realized the story line would be more poignant if it affected the main family.
Now here’s the strange life-imitating-art-imitating-life thing that’s come out of this: so many people have asked me if my husband (my real hubby, not the inked & scanned version) was laid off. I wasn’t too surprised at this questioning. However, I was surprised by the sheer volume of it. Actually, I’m pretty touched by the concern.
To answer this question…no, luckily my husband is still employed — although he’s taken quite a lot of ribbing at work because of the strip. I did suggest to him a “Stranger Than Fiction” scenario, where I can control his life just by writing it (new furniture, anyone?). He wasn’t amused.
Occasionally, I’m asked the question, “Do you have these story lines all mapped out, like, say, a year in advance?” My answer: usually no. In this case, I’d like to explore the job loss situation as it progresses in real time. So I guess we’ll all wait and see how this pans out.
(Note: new sample strips will be posted soon, including the reader favorite “Libido-meter”…so don’t forget to check back)
I have a special affinity to this strip. It’s completely based on life. Not because this particular incident happened, but because it could have.
Growing up, I was very shy. My main form of communication was doodling. Kids always asked me to draw something for them and I was always happy to oblige. I felt like I was able to somehow share a part of myself without having to say a word.
And this still holds true. I’m no longer so reserved, nor do I have time to give away drawings on the spot, but I do try to extend myself through the strip –in my shyer moments it helps to convey my thoughts on paper. Who knew humor could play such a connecting role?
There’s no doubt about it…times are tough. The Kaplans have had some ups and downs lately on the financial front. Jill lost some freelance gigs. Rob has to pick up the slack. And they’re just cartoon characters. Things MUST be bad.
Just as America is feeling the pinch of the recession, I’d like PD-land to reflect the current climate. After all – bad take-out habits aside — these are characters based on some semblance of real life. They age, they go through changes, and they freak out about the changes. Financial burdens are a part of their reality. Like mine. Now excuse me while I go hurl over my IRA statement.
Happy belated new year! It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything, but there’s a good reason for it…my wonderful sister-in-law and I have been busy updating this site. I should say, Ricki’s been busy updating it and I’ve been busy micromanaging her. Yes, folks, there’s a reason I normally work alone.
Although the site has been in full upheaval, the changes look relatively minor to the average layperson. We just wanted to make it more user friendly for all the major browsers. This means shrinking some imagery and adjusting the layout. Every page has been changed except for the blog, which will hopefully catch up soon.
Most notably, we added a widget to each page. It’s hard not to notice as it’s the only animated image on the site. The widget is a link to The Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel’s COMICS KINGDOM page. This is a new way to see PD online every day for FREE!
Comics Kingdom lets you read Pajama Diaries and all other King cartoons for free with a 30-day archive. Daily Ink is still a great way to go: you pay a measly $15 subscription, and you have access to all King comics plus other features like puzzles, games, editorial cartoons, and customized e-services.
S’all good. Oh yeah, and we cartoonists profit from both Comics Kingdom and Daily Ink, so please click away — we can always use more ink in our wells!
Very occasionally, I’ll finish a strip that crosses the line and can’t be published. So…what to do with it? Throw it on the blog, of course!
Risqué or not, I think many wives would appreciate this one. As for the husbands, that’s probably a different story…
My mom has a great sense of humor. She has to. Otherwise she wouldn’t put up with Judy, her alter ego on the comics page. Judy is the intrusive, chatty, kvetchy mother from Florida who likes to drop in on Jill Kaplan with half her belongings (to give away, mind you) and countless newspaper clippings about Jill’s highly successful acquaintances and various rampant diseases.
In reality, my own mother is a tamer version of Judy. She’s a chronic worrywart and a kvetcher. But she’s highly creative, appreciates what I do, and gets a big kick out of her alter ego (what are mothers for). I remember when I introduced the character in my first Thanksgiving series three years ago; I sent my mom the rough cartoons beforehand because I was so worried about her reaction. When I got her on the phone for the verdict, she was laughing hysterically. I guess it was apropos she got a kick out of “herself”…it’s a lesson that we shouldn’t take our own selves so seriously.
This has nothing to do with the strip — As a proud sis, I’d like to give my brother a plug for his wonderful new photography book featuring his home state of NH (yes, he beat me to the publishing punch). Brad has been capturing nature imagery all his adult life; before that he enjoyed torturing his siblings. For more detailed info and a comprehensive look at his work, check out Brad’s website .
Now Available to order: “SIGHTS UNSCENE: NEW HAMPSHIRE” !!!136 pages, 123 images, 9 1/2 X 9 1/2 inches.Interspersed with quotes from Philosophers, Artists, and Scientists.Divided into Rural, Scenic, and Urban sections.Soon to be available through Borders, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.Com, etc
To order, send $39.95 for each book plus $8 shipping to:
Sights Unscene
PO Box 5445
Weirs Beach, NH 03246
OR call for more information or credit card transactions at: 603-366-7700 (Mondays and Thursdays)
OR for even more information, send email to: brad@sightsunscene.com or call 603-491-3297
“New England is a special place, ripe with treasures for an artist in any medium. Brad’s work provides us the pleasure of experiencing these places through his distinct perspective and, whether traveling with him 1000 feet above the landscape or following him along a seldom traveled back road, we are allowed to see moments that are all too often missed.
Brad journeys through the bounty of New Hampshire’s four seasons and graciously allows us to walk or even fly beside him then stop and consider that unique moment: a page pulled from his visual journals. It is a harvest of personal insight and an adventure well worth taking.”
by David Mendelsohn (”Among his many awards and honors, [David] has recently been declared a Nikon Legend.” Foto Magazine)
I received a few emails about my Yom Kippur strip from 10/9. I was obviously off the mark when it came to portraying this High Holy Day. This is one of those instances where the joke came first and the details seemed less relevant at the time.
In hindsight, it’s hard to justify Jill doing laundry and Amy watching TV. In my mind, I was thinking the family had come home from temple and was trying to stay distracted from hunger in the remaining hours leading to the break-the-fast. Of course, this was never apparent. Not being overly religious myself (though observant in my own right), it didn’t occur to me how dismissing this was to others. Oops. Point well taken, folks. Not to happen again.
On a different note…
I received a nice email from a reader who enjoyed the 10/18 Sunday strip (below).
She shared with me this photo of a sand angel she happened upon while visiting Yellowstone National Park this summer. As she put it, “It seems any medium is appropriate for angels!”
Well said.
Poor Nanci. Poor, poor Nanci. She’s a mess, people. At the end of September her husband left her and now she’s picking up the pieces.
I’d been toying around with the side character, Lisa’s, relationship for a while. No huge story line, just small teasers here and there. She and her business-travelling hubby have had issues and are seeing a marriage counselor. But Nanci’s marital woes seemed to come from thin air.
I did this intentionally – partly for the surprise factor, and partly because Nanci is meant to be a proud person, afraid of showing her vulnerabilities. So with her, bad news is dealt with at the last second.
It also shows a side of Jill that’s unique …her judgmental side. Not the everyday domestic variety, but a holier-than-thou attitude with her friends. Usually she’s the vulnerable, indecisive one in the crowd. Now she’s starting to feel a little superior when it comes to doling out relationship advice. Thankfully, her friends keep her in check:
Stay tuned for more Nanci drama. We’ll see what the new year holds…
As you probably know, the much-beloved comic strip, “For Better or For Worse” has gone into a modified rerun format. I have always been an admirer of FBOFW, but as an up-and-coming comic strip artist hoping to get into papers and make a living from something I love, the cartoonist part of me is gratified that some papers decided to publish/test Pajama Diaries in its place.
There has been, of course, controversy surrounding any strip that has taken this golden spot in the funny pages. Some readers welcome the change, some think it’s a travesty. For the cartoonist, it’s a catch-22. We don’t want the backlash, but would be crazy not to jump at the opportunity. So we patiently wait out any controversy and hope the readers give it some time to (at first begrudgingly) embrace the new feature.
Let’s put things into perspective. Comic syndication is a dog-eat-dog business. Usually the only way a comic can get into the papers is if something else is booted out. This makes it tough for new talent, especially when dealing with tight real estate. I really hate this part of the business because I love so many other comic strips myself and know how much work goes into them. But I also knew the rules going in, so I deal.
Which leads me to…
I recently came across this archived article by Dave Kellett (“Sheldon”). It really explains the business side of cartooning in a humorous, inclusive way, so I thought I’d share (side note: I definitely identify with the “bag of tricks” reference when it comes to writer’s block).
Cartooning is tough: writer’s block, competition, relentless deadlines. But knowing my cartoon is following in the footsteps of a beloved classic or even running side by side…well, that’s what makes it so rewarding.
Ah, the start of school in the Cleveland suburbs. The charged atmosphere. The nervous kids. The relieved parents. The nerve-racked decision-making of whether or not to send a nearly 6-year-old to kindergarten or first grade. As you’ve probably guessed, this series is based on our actual decision-making process.
To non-parents, this problem probably seems irrelevant, but to those with “fall babies” (kids who missed last year’s Kindergarten cut-off date), this is an agonizing, life-or-death situation (at least to neurotics like me).
Our child is academically ready for first grade. She can read, write, and knows preliminary math. She already conquered private kindergarten (which acts as a pre-K if necessary). But socially… that’s another story.
My daughter loves to play the “baby.” That is, she looks up to older kids and her maturity level is on par with preschoolers. She’s also on the small side for her age and in group situations can have the attention span of a gnat.
So…we’re holding her back. Better to have a head start than fall behind, I think. My husband disagrees. He wants her to forge ahead and challenge herself. But he graciously took the backseat on this one. That is, until Kindergarten screening takes place and she beats the training pants off the other rugrats. Or so he thinks.
I have a feeling I’ll be getting some feedback this week. Why, you ask? Welllll, maybe because I’m publishing a series of strips all about Rob’s…yes, vasectomy. Why would I do that, you (again) ask? Because as invasive and painful as this procedure is, it’s relevant, topical, and…c’mon, admit it…humorous (assuming you’re not one of the unlucky ones who’ve had some nasty post-surgical side effects).
I actually wrote a preliminary version of this series a year and a half ago. I didn’t want to publish it until I felt comfortable. But the more prevalent the topic became (I couldn’t wave a stick without hitting a friend or neighbor who’ve proclaimed to have had it done), the more I thought, why not? It’s become so mainstream to talk about and is often a subject openly discussed among parents in the 30-40-something set.
My husband and I agreed from the onset we only wanted two kids. So he had it done a few years ago amidst – surprisingly — my reservations. I was very superstitious about it, the prevailing thought being: what if he has it done and then through some kind of Karmic retribution, something happens to one of the kids? I eventually got over myself and hubby got snipped. Later, I thought those underlying fears were something to explore in the strip. I channeled similar reservations into Jill’s character, adding some irreverent humor along the way.
Originally, I was going to include the child characters asking their parents questions about Rob’s surgery. After all, my own kids were obviously around when my husband had it done; believe me, they couldn’t stop asking questions (it’s hard not to when dad is lying around with a bag of frozen peas on his crotch). We had opted to be honest with them without mentioning the grisly details: “Daddy had an operation so we can’t have any more kids.” I think my “independent” older daughter was thrilled…no more sibs to annoy her. Anyway, I tried my hand at a couple of kid-related strips in this series, but they just didn’t measure up to the others. So they were…ahem…cut.
I hope you enjoy this series, which ends Saturday. Commentary (good or bad) can be directed here. Personal vaz anecdotes are welcome.
If you’re a habitual Pajama Diaries reader, you’ll notice this is a subject I periodically focus on (in fact, the term’s so familiar to me, I just call it SR). Our kids, who are so sweet-natured alone, become the spawns of Satan anytime they’re around each other for more than 3 seconds. Okay, I’m exaggerating. In actuality, it’s about 50% best of friends, 50% hatin’ on each other.
We had a reprieve in the fall/early winter when they joined forces and decided to become roommates. We pushed our younger daughter’s bed into the older child’s bedroom. It seemed perfect: they kept each other company and also kept each other from getting scared at night. Then came the spring chill. Like the effects of an exorcism, the winter reprieve served to keep the demons temporarily at bay; now those demons are back and more spiteful than ever.
We’re taking steps to calm the storm again. I’m reading everything I can get my hands on about SR, and we’re trying to get the kids to work things out themselves. The one ray of light is that when they DO get along, they’re extremely close. ‘Course, that’s usually when they’re conspiring against us…
Thankfully SR makes for terrific comic fodder…
I’ve created more on this subject…be on the lookout in July and August.
Well, despite my fear of planes (four in this case), Mike and I made it to and from the Reubens in one piece.
We had a wonderful time in New Orleans. I’m already learning that the longer people cartoon, the harder they drink. Don’t know if it’s the isolation or the long hours…all I know is that when hundreds of cartoonists gather in one spot, they collectively lower their IQ’s. It’s a rare, wonderful, slightly disturbing sight to behold.
Believe me, I’m no exception. Still, I tried to stay at a respectable sobriety level just so my head wouldn’t hit the floor before things got hopping. Here’s a semi-brief summary of the long weekend, categorized by day:
Thursday, May 22:
Mike and I arrived in what appeared to be Hurricane Katrina, part 2. It was actually a terrible downpour that thankfully subsided for the rest of the weekend. We ate, talked, and fell into the world’s softest bed at exactly 6:02 pm Central Time. We did not get up until 12 hours later. Could it be nature’s way of saying we needed not a vacation, but bed rest?
Friday, May 23:
Mike and I gathered with many other folks in the lobby of the hotel to embark on an NCS-sponsored Habitat for Humanity project. We travelled roughly two hours to the house sites (split up in three groups), where lots of hammering, shingling (is that a word?), and sawing ensued. Mike helped saw siding, while I helped hammer it onto the back of the house. Man, did I feel empowered. After a brief adrenaline rush, I proudly announced to my husband I was ready to dry wall our entire basement. I claim temporary insanity.
Anyway, it was a very touching and rewarding day. I know its cliché, but it felt gratifying to help do our part. It was also a very connecting experience for the people in our group (there was, of course, the running joke about the stability of a house built by cartoonists). Afterwards, the bus driver took us on a tour of the 9th district, where we saw the devastation of Katrina, still very much evident today.
On a different note: Back at the hotel, we attended the NCS Welcome cocktail party…thankfully indoors, as the humidity was starting to make my hair resemble a troll doll’s. I must say, now that I’ve been in the “business” a little longer, it was far easier to meet people and talk shop. Mike and I also had fun catching up with people we’ve gotten to know in the past few years.
Saturday, May 24:
More schmoozing at the NCS brunch. Lots of eating. Mike and I stole some time away in the sweltering morning to tour around the French Quarter. I saw Bourbon Street in a slightly less hazy, more sober view than 20 years ago as a college freshman attending Marti Gras (is it me or is there too much drinking reference in this blog entry?). I ate a really good eggplant po’boy, which filled me up for the rest of the year.
In the afternoon, I attended a Mort Gerberg seminar (he was one of my Habitat hammering partners, by the way) and a Sandra Boynton seminar (also in my habitat group, I found out later…I think she was on the roof). Both sessions excellent and informative. Sandra Boynton was wryly funny…something I would’ve expected.
Mike and I had a great table at the Reubens banquet. We sat with other King Features cartoonists/industry folks and enjoyed the ceremony. We then collapsed back in the ridiculously comfortable bed, knowing that would be the last night of peaceful bliss for at least another year.
Sunday, May 25:
Back to Cleveland, early morning.
All in all, a great time, a fun and gratifying vacation, and validation that most cartoonists lead the same kind of solitary, time-consuming, rewarding, stressful, passionate, fantastic existence!
Some pics from the weekend:
Mike’s impressive panoramic shot of the Mississippi
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Cheesy but necessary photo op while touring French Quarter |
Some balcony décor |
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Mirror/tile mosaic floor of tourist shop. Very cool. |
At the Welcome cocktail event: Carla Ventresca, Henry Beckett, Terri |
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At the Reubens Banquet: Terri, King Features comics editor Brendan Burford, Rina Piccolo |
Hillary Price, Mort Gerberg, Terri |
Another panoramic view: The Banquet Hall
(We didn’t take too many event pictures. You can see more online on other cartoonist blogs/sites. I think I snuck into a few.)
Normally this blog centers around the creation of a particular PD strip or strip series. But as my husband, Mike, and I gear up to go to the Reuben Awards (Oscars of cartooning) this Memorial Day weekend in New Orleans, I thought it’d be fun to backtrack and share some musings on the first and only Reubens we attended in Chicago, ’06.
With my strip barely launched – it had only been syndicated for two months – this event was intimidating to say the least. Surrounded by some of the greats, I relied on my outgoing husband to do much of the meeting and greeting while I stood there, open-mouthed, as he launched into conversations about the field of cartooning (mind you, he’s an I.T. guy) with giants like Jerry Scott, his wife, half the King Features executives, and countless other bigwigs. Most people outside King assumed he was the cartoonist and I was along for the ride.
Barely into the weekend, I started attending the seminars alone while Mike explored downtown Chicago. This forced me to introduce myself to other cartoonists and industry folks. Normally shy under these circumstances, I started to make friends and acquaintances. By the time the big awards show was underway, we were having a grand old time. The one hiccup was my choosing a long turquoise dress which stuck out like a sore thumb among the (mostly) black-clad attendees. Luckily a few glasses of wine got me over it.
One of the fun highlights was meeting some of Lynn Johnston’s posse (also known as her professional staff) in the ladies room. They were so lovely and friendly, and invited Mike and I up to a private “after party” somewhere in the depths of the luxury hotel. Unfortunately, the famed cartoonist was nowhere to be seen. But earlier, they managed to snap a quick photo of me with Ms. Johnston.
Here are a few photos from the event…the only photos I have, in fact:
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This is a candid of myself and Mort Walker at the Friday night cocktail event. He had no idea who I was. Since this photo was taken, I’ve had the opportunity to meet him on another occasion. He now may be able to pick me out of a lineup. |
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This one of the terrible twosome was taken in our hotel room (using a camera timer) before the Reubens Award banquet. |
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Here’s the infamous photo with the gracious Lynn Johnston (excuse the fuzziness). I found out later she had made this “cartoon” dress herself. Will the talent never cease. |
This year, Mike and I look forward to meeting some new faces and greeting some familiar ones. I’m sure it’ll be a weekend to remember, and something to post about.
I thought I’d send a shout-out to readers, family, and friends who have given great comic inspiration in recent months (mostly intentional). I really do file the ideas I receive, so if you ever get struck by the “great idea” lightening bolt, feel free to share.
Also, you can now subscribe to the entire PD blog and not just to specific entries. Here is the info for an RSS reader:
As an aside, a reader recently asked me to post the March 9th strip. Since I now can contractually, here it is.
I decided against posting it with the new samples because it caused some controversy (see “Re: Skinny Bashing”). Also, there were other Sundays I prefer.
A final thought: sometimes I receive emails from readers asking how they can see PD in a paper that’s not currently running it. I can’t stress how important it is to email the editor or features editor of the paper (better yet, ask your friends to help out, too). See the “Support the Diaries” link for more info.
Thanks, everyone!
Of course, anyone who follows cartooning and comic strips understands that a creator’s drawing style usually changes throughout the years (just look at old Peanuts or Bloom County cartoons). Even PD, which is still relatively new, has undergone character transformations. Some of this has been unconscious, some completely predetermined.
The unconscious part was due to my being out of drawing practice when the strip launched. As I regained my skills, my drawings simply improved. Also, in the beginning, I had attempted to caricaturize the people in PD (i.e. making arms and legs rubbery, bodies shortened). This went against my inherent nature of naturalizing figures…that is, making their bodies/gestures a bit more realistic-looking like they are now.
Earlier I used thicker Micron pens, so the line quality was heavier. The colors I selected were also brighter. I seem to prefer a more subdued palette these days…still love the gradation, though.
The predetermined part stems from the characters aging…especially the kids. The girls are taller, more mature-looking. All the characters’ eyes/noses are a little larger and bulbous, the adults’ faces slightly elongated. As for editing, I scrapped Amy’s baby talk early on (yep, you’re welcome).
Samples from early 2006:
Samples from 2008:
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(Sunday title panel – Amy and Jess)
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(Rob close-up)
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(Sunday title panel — Jill & friends)
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| Kaplan family in 2006:
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*** | Kaplan family in 2008:
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This May, readers who look closely may notice one very subtle change…hair. Amy and Jess’s hair will start growing a little longer. My older daughter always had short, kinky curls that tended to grow “up” rather than down. Gravity is just now starting to overtake it, which inspired the characters’ hair revolution. Anyway, I like the idea of toying with the characters’ hair a bit – short of sticking a thousand clips and bows in it like my kids do.
As for future parallels and whether Jill’s hips will someday expand and Rob’s hair will completely fall out (my husband shaves his head, so who knows what’s left), that’s yet to be determined. For now, I’m still in denial.
(PS New strips on the samples page coming soon. Stay tuned…)
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