Duwhantetenaever

This week’s new Dustinland comic is about how I’m trying to cut down on coffee and I hate it. Also alcohol for that matter. Basically all the liquids. We’ll see how it goes. I’m still having at least just one cup of joe in the morning, otherwise I don’t think I could function. But man, it’s boring. And I just miss that energy burst from the caffeine. I read that Michael Pollan book about how we’re all addicted to caffeine, and it’s true. But it’s fun. And weening off it is not.

Last Laughs

This week’s new Dustinland comic is a pretty dark one about the dread many of us feel — I certainly do — regarding the future of mankind. I know some people are simply blissfully unaware or capable of denial to an OJ level, which I guess is nice for them personally, although also part of the reason we are where we are. But as for me, well, I’ve been reading and learning and talking about this stuff for so long, it’s hard to not see the writing on the walls. Maybe I’m wrong. I would looooove to be wrong. But it just feels like the clock is running out on us and the problems are simply too big for us to solve considering the dysfunction inherent in being human.

Sometimes I wonder if we’d be better off with the minds of ants. Just serving the hive, following along. Sure, it would be way less interesting and “fun” but at least we’d be able to accomplish things and serve a greater purpose. Now we can’t even agree on what’s real and what isn’t. Oh well. We had a nice run — except for that part when we killed all the other lifeforms on Earth. That part was bad.

But yeah, it’s depressing and ridiculous to see how everyone runs around pretending things will just “work out” when we are headed for the ultimate disaster. I do it too. I live my life. What else can I do? I really don’t know at this point.

Clean Thoughts

This week’s new Dustinland comic is about compulsive cleaning as a sort of therapy. I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing, but in some ways, if you think about it, it’s kind of like what monks do. Chores… constant chores, almost as a meditation. So yeah, despite my cynicism, maybe it’s not such a bad thing after all.

I actually do kind of enjoy vacuuming. It’s very before – after. Also weeding. That’s 100% my favorite chore. How bout you?

Another Day

After starting my day by having to tell my son about what happened in Texas, I felt compelled to create this new Dustinland comic.

Not much more to say here than what I already said in the comic. It’s just a harsh reality we live in. Very hard not to think humans are just generally shitty and hopeless, even though most of us are nice (maybe). As a whole… it just seems we are doomed to stand in our own way. Hard not to feel hopeless, but still gotta wake up and give it your best every day.

The Point

This week’s new Dustinland comic is about the point of life, more or less. I think when you’re a parent, these sort of things take on a new urgency, because it’s one thing to stumble through life believing whatever you believe, doing what you can to stay sane, but it’s another thing to teach a new human what to believe and what ideas should guide their life.

As I say in the comic, I don’t really know what the point of it all is, obviously. I’m not religious, so I don’t have that to guide me. And I try to be a good person and all that, I try to live in the moment. It’s just hard. These days, the more information I receive, the more depressed I get. And yet a life of blissful ignorance also feels irresponsible. So I’m really not sure what to do or think these days, and that certainly makes it hard to be responsible for someone else’s life. But kids grow up and figure things out and adopt their own beliefs. The best I think we can do is make sure they turn out to be good people, kind, nice, grateful, insert positive adjective here, you get the picture.

Man, now I’m bumming myself out as usual. Sorry! Next week I’ll go back to wacky zany honk honk clown horn.

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!

Purpose

This week’s new Dustinland comic is about purpose, and it’s a very New Yorkery style strip. Partially because I was busy, partially because I was too depressed to spend serious energy drawing an 8-10 panel strip this week. But I did draw you three new Birdys, so at least there’s that!

As for the strip, just in case you need it explained — which you don’t, but I’m going to anyway — the joke is that most people are soul searching for purpose in their lives, while I am telling a therapist I actually have too much purpose. Which is probably not true, I’m likely just substituting responsibility for purpose, but either way I don’t go to therapy, and nothing matters.

Happy Monday!

America Unmasked

This week’s new Dustinland comic is actually a combination of two comics I wanted to draw. One is just a quick two-frame zinger, so if you wanted a late-night talkshow host kinda gag, you can just stop there. The second part is a broader strip about… well, sort of everything. Just the general mental state of everyone in Western society right now. And I know no one cares anymore or wants to hear it so I made it into a song and dance.

So now you know, and knowing is really not that much of the battle, I’d say maybe 10% tops.

Hangry

This week’s new Dustinland comic is a quick in and out. One panel. One zinger. It’s very New Yorkery. I usually don’t write this way but every once in a while I do. And then people say “you should send this to the New Yorker, you should get this published, you should do XYZ.” All very nice comments that mean well, but would require me to put in effort and engage with other humans in a way that would involve submitting my art for judgement, and those are all things I dislike. I like creating. I like sharing my work. The business of that is something I don’t enjoy.

But oh yeah, the comic. It’s about being depressed. But it’s like, a totally hilarious take on it. Just a quick little zinger, a sharp little jab, a tiny barb. Maybe I should submit it to The New Yorker.

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?