Back To Work

This week’s new Dustinland comic is about the current debate on whether we should all start going back to the office or not. And in this strip I literally debate myself, because I do see both sides of the issue.

All joking aside, if you ask me — which nobody will — I think what people want is freedom. They want to be treated with respect and given the ability to make their own decisions about how to be successful at work. For some people, that may mean 5 days a week in the office. For others, 1. Or zero. Of course, that is a very difficult thing for a large organization to achieve. Big groups thrive on order and routine, so it’s unlikely there will be a lot of “do whatever you want.”

But I think frame 7 of the strip really nails it — no matter what, you still won’t be happy.

Symptomatic Of

This new Dustinland comic is about how I’ve had COVID for about a week now. I think I am definitely on the mend, just mostly still a bit fatigued. The weirdest part of all this is all the symptoms. I feel like my body has gone through every possible symptom, one at a time, looking for a response to this new thing attacking it.

Did I mention I’m still kinda tired though? Yeah, that part sucks.

On the bright side, I haven’t had a drink in a whole week. Yay, I did it. So healthy.

I Did It

Hey it’s a new Dustinland comic about how I have COVID. Got it from my kiddo who got it from school. Meh. It’s okay. Mostly weird. Odd symptoms that come and go. Worst part is that I feel dumber.

Bliss 2 AKA “Not Monkeypox”

This week’s new Dustinland comic is not really about Monkeypox, but it sort of it. Basically, it’s about where I’m at right now, mentally speaking. Which is trying to avoid paying attention to stressful things I have no control over. Some people seem addicted to bad news and rage, and while I’m not saying to be uninvolved in the harsh realities that shape our world, I do think it is harmful to spend so much time either fuming or worrying.

And so… the dude abides.

Vaccine Truth

This week’s new Dustinland comic will probably get some people real mad, including friends of mine, but it’s literally just a quick set-up punchline comic about being middle-aged. The part that will upset people is the part where I suggest there are no vaccine side effects. Of course, I am speaking from personal experience, and that is in fact the case for me. The other side will respond by saying “yeah but just wait, you don’t know what will happen in 5-20 years mRNA experiment myocarditis did you see the one study that guy who sells supplements did OMG sheeple Biden Pfizer Bill Gates Epstein!” And then I will respond by drinking heavily and crying.

You know, the worst thing about all this is seeing the fabric of shared truth disintegrate to the point where you can go on social media and find two distinctly different worlds where millions of people don’t just think they’re right — they KNOW they’re right — and they have the links to back it all up. You really can believe whatever you want right now, and THAT is truly scary, no matter who is right in this particular case.

Variant Gift Guide

This week’s new Dustinland comic is inspired by yet another variant, the oddly pronounced Omicron. I feel like it should have an N in it — Omnicron. But I guess that would make it some sort of ultimate variant and not just the next letter in the Greek alphabet.

But yeah, like the comic said, I am exhausted. Not so much by the virus, which is stupid and annoying and dangerous yet not terrifying. No, I am exhausted by humanity. We just suck. That’s what this virus has brought out more than anything, more than Trump, more than war, more than terrorism. Just seeing the way we are all dealing with this, it’s just sad and pathetic. So much anger, rage, selfishness, lunacy… I mean, if you had any hope for the future of mankind, this has to just completely wipe that out. Or not. Who knows. I give up.

Jokes!

Resignation

This week’s new Dustinland comic is about what it’s like to start a new gig during a pandemic.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love working from home. But I love the freedom to WFH when I want or need to. What is wearing on me is the need to WFH all the time. It just starts to get depressing being in the same room all day, every day, and then even when you’re in this sort of life-changing situation, you’re still there, and the feeling of newness that usually comes with a new job is muted.

Have you experienced this? That would mean you’re part of The Great Resignation — the huge amount of people getting new jobs during 2021. Hence the title. See what I did there?

No Shot In Hell

This week’s new Dustinland comic is about vaccine holdouts. You know, I mean… this one was kind of low-hanging fruit. To be honest, the subject bores me, but apparently people still won’t get vaccinated so I figured the least I could do was mock them mercilessly. It will probably only get them to dig in their heels even more, but then again, nothing matters and we’re all going to die, so might as well get a giggle out of it at least.

Bloody Sunday

This week’s new Dustinland comic is a 100% true story about how I cut my finger this past Sunday and had to go to the emergency room. Except in real life my wife was more supportive. But that’s way less funny so I made her grumpy. But yeah, that sucked. Makes it harder to update the site too. Everything is slower with one hand.

Anyway, out of sympathy you should totes share with with everyone you know. Thanks!

Bohemian Crapsody

This new Dustinland comic is obviously set to the lyrics of a song we all know and probably love, or at least find amusing. But not the part most people focus on. I don’t know how it happened, but these lyrics came to mind as just a perfect illustration of how I’ve been feeling lately.

Of course the next logical step would be to follow with a panel that replaces “Mama!” with “MAGA!” but I like that I ended it on this mental health note, which is essentially saying we all need to step away from everything and just briefly say “I don’t care.” It doesn’t mean to actually not care or to give up and not try. It just means you can’t let it be your entire life, you can’t keep doom strolling. Turn it off, unplug, and just BE.