15 Comments

Dear Erica, your shear desperation continues to amuse. When I got to your “Be My Friend!”I chuffed and grinned.

Congrats on 2 years!

I still recommend bringing you & your baby to a contact improv jam. You can just draw while people love your baby.

And, yes, Sometimes farts happen between dancers….🤯

Enjoy!

Christian

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Thank you so much, Christian!

What is contact improv?? I have seen cartoonists go to stand up comedy to draw the performers, would it be similar to that in anyway? I am definitely intrigued.

I'm familiar with improv of course, just not knowledgeable in the "contact" part?

I'm always down for farts!

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Yay Erika!! Ive loved reading S4B these past two years! (ive even made a label in my gmail so i dont accidentally miss one) I love always keeping an eye out for the errant butt appearing in every issue and keeping up with your new perspectives on baby having. Still a scary concept for me. Did you see that one episode of the bear yet? ( iykyk)I was an absolute wreck for deeply subconscious reasons. Seemingly for no reason it just shook loose all the emotions and fears and self-thoughts and doubts and dreams i have and made me sit with them for nearly an hour... talk about a work of art.

<3

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AW, KAYLEE!!!! Thank you so much!!! I didn't realize you were still reading and I am SO FLATTERED!!! For real, that makes me so happy. I miss you so much!!! I was casually flipping through my diary recently and stumbled upon an entry I wrote about our day in Pinnacles and it was so incredible to be reminded of what a fucking amazing day that was. I really wrote down all the details. I will never forget that day. <3

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Thanks for sharing your feels...I'd love to be a paid, but too many debt collectors also want to be paid.... also, the flaming lips are coming to my town this month, envy me!

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I'm glad you enjoy my ooey gooey feelings.

I very much understand not having discretionary spending. We are both (all?) fighting for our lives out here! I believe in us! *sob*

I am envious that The Flaming Lips are coming to your town! Are you going to see them??

I hear their shows are super fun!

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congrats on the terrible 2's (chaos goblin) played the Lips song while reading this as always looking to add to playlist (when you get older music can provide a window to past emotions, cutting through the dementia) and Band of Horses briefly came to mind their particular vibe reminding me of a much younger and troubled live-in gf around 2008 and much confusion, love, hurt there

we did laugh alot though and thats the key your substack always makes me smile and you already have my opinion on the videos you don't look half as stressed as in your anime (?) cartoons here ha

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Lol, thank you Appleton. I do draw myself to look a bit more dramatically stressed looking than I actually look. It's more of an expression of my internal state, I guess.

I just looked up Band of Horses bcs the name sounded familiar and now I'm seeing all the bands they're associated with and I have no idea how I missed them growing up?? I'm listening to their stuff now. Def has Iron & Wine vibes.

I do know your opinion on the videos. It contributes to my pondering new segment ideas for it!

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Congrats on two years! I feel the same about the dark side of the web which is why I like supporting your Substack. I genuinely smile every time I see there’s a new post. Well worth the subscription. Keep up the good work and don’t be so hard on your self. There are those who just talk and then there are only a few like you who actually do something instead of just talking about it.

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Thank you, Diego! I really, really appreciate your kind words. It helps give me the energy to keep making more S4B! I'm extra flattered by your last comment. <3 Thank you! Also, actually, also that you smile when you see there's a new post. DAMN that makes me feel good!

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As soon as I saw the lyrics in the drawing, I was immediately excited.

I too was listening to "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robot" in 2002/3. And revisit it every year.

I often think in lyrics. And the Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize?" is one that comes up a lot when I think of my wife and two daughters: "Do you realize that you have the most beautiful face?"

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UGH, don't even get me started on "Do You Realize?"! First time I heard the line, "... that everyone, you know, someday, will die" hit me so hard. Largely because I was so young that I hadn't really fathomed that truth, but it kind of reminds you to appreciate what you have, which is really nice. Such a powerful, reflective song. I love the line you reference too, now I need to play the song and sob while looking at my baby. I'm so into crying now, lol. Maybe it's the hormones, maybe it's just being alive, maybe it's Maybelline.

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Just beautiful— 

"She travels more and hopes less. She’s the same and completely different. Her life is both bigger and smaller."

—And so true in the big universal sense.

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Thank you so much, Matt. <3

I'm always trying to lean into the grey area / nuance these days.

It feels so much more empowering and calming.

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Jul 15
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Thank you so much, Lynn! Glad to hear that video drawing sounds interesting. It's sounds fun to make too, honestly!

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