Hello, hello!
To set today’s scene, I am writing from a too-cool café in a too-cool neighborhood in hopes that maybe it’ll make me too-cool, too. I’ve had two mugs of coffee and one peach cobbler muffin. Regina Spektor’s new album serves as background music, and I’ve only thought about the climate crisis twice since sitting down. Not my worst, tbh.
But still, my anxiety has been spiking lately. I could blame it on so many things (the aforementioned earth warming, the news, work, forgetting to fill my antidepressant prescription for a whole week, etc). And in times like these, my anxiety ends up transfixing on the smallest things. Today’s comic is about just that.
Enough of that! Allow me to introduce a new recurring section:
A Few Things That Soothed My Anxious Brain
Three episodes of Love Island UK’s latest season, watched along with my friend Sam on the train from Boston, MA to Portland, ME. It really passed the time (we love to dissociate over here).
Drawn Together by Olivia De Recat. This is the most heartwarming book about love in its many forms and stages. If you live in Seattle, you can come to Third Place Books in Seward Park this Thursday (8/18) to join Olivia and me in conversation about her book, love, and more. Click here to RSVP (it’s free, baby!).
I KNOW EVERYONE IS SAYING IT, BUT I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy blew me away. I recommend listening to the audiobook — she reads it herself, which only further enhanced this vulnerable, heartbreaking, and ultimately redemptive memoir.
Nathan Fielder’s new show The Rehearsal. I’m a long-time Fielder Fan (lol), and his latest project is nothing short of a masterpiece. Watch it on HBOMax (or find the trailer here).
What have your anxiety soothers been lately? Leave them in the comments (asking for a friend).
That’s all for now!
-Haley
Catch me disassociating to some Love Island UK or disassociating during my pilates class or disassociating as I stare off into space during work. Disassociating really soothes my anxiety
Just found you via a Mardou Patreon post (she's @Mardou_Draws on Insta), and I love your work! Also love that you're a Seattle girl too :) And anxious?? That's the trifecta right there, LOL. So happy to have found your work, and am going to jump in to the archives and swim around :)