Friday, July 1, 2011

Summer Breakage



Readers - I'm making a few changes in the publishing schedule here for the summer and basically throttling things back a notch. Oh, I'm not disappearing (unless I'm dragged kicking and screaming into a black helicopter), but I'll be publishing cartoons only on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (although I may make occasional exceptions for jaw-dropping, dumbfounding idiocy or breaking news).

And I won't be doing the weekend "vault" cartoon updates for now...though you can certainly peruse all of the old cartoons in the archives (they're searchable by keyword, you know. Though if you enter "Obama" you'll get about 700 hits).

I'm glad to say that the reasons for this temporary slowdown are all of the "good news" variety. My dedication to the strip (and readers!) hasn't diminished, nor has my contempt for the Left. But there are a variety of other exciting projects and opportunities I'm working on (some political, some not) that are heating up to the extent that I need to make a little more time for them, at least on a short-term basis. And summer seemed like a good time to do it, before we get into the real bareknuckle (or brass knuckle?) days of Campaign 2012.

So enjoy your weekend, thank you deeply for your support and loyalty, and I'll see you back here on Monday!

-Stilton Jarlsberg
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25 comments:

CT Yankee said...

Keeping us informed and entertained at the same time on a daily basis is no easy task. You certainly deserve a little breather now and then, not that you'll be getting much of that and not that you'll be able to stay away as much as you hope because I have a feeling your wheels never stop turning (and this administation never stops doing something stupid). Thank you for ALL that you do for us, your grateful readers, and try to relax and enjoy a little summer livin'!

Theo Spark said...

Enjoy your break

Dave said...

Hmmmm I wonder if you're really taking a bit of a break because of other projects or if there are just too many black suited government type drones crowded around your desk at the moment. Or would that be TSA agents trying to pat you down?

Jim Hlavac said...

Waah, sniffle, pout.

Oh, wait -- I have a great idea -- just take days off when Obama takes days off -- that should give you oh, 4 or 5 days a week of rest for a while, to go golfing or Martha's Vineyard. :)

Just don't run your life like he runs the country, or you're doomed. :))

Don Surber said...

Vacations are for the weak.

(Typo earlier)

Earl said...

Yesterday was Glenn Beck and today it's YOU! But it will be fun to see how well you can avoid commenting on the daily, sometimes hourly idiocy of this administration. Good luck with your endeavors.

Brian R said...

...because less is more?

Well, if you take the extra time to add color, then it's well worth it!

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@CTYankee- The wheels do keep turning, and it will be hard (maybe impossible) to resist posting some days. Maybe I'll actually start sending tweets on my Twitter account (shudder).

@Theo- Thank you!

@Dave- You're much too suspicious. It's entirely my choice to enjoy a vacation at Guantanamo Bay.

@Jim Hlavac- I thought about taking as much time off as Obama does, but my work ethic won't allow it.

@DonSurber- Thank you for salting my wounds (grin). And actually, this won't be a "vacation" because I'll be working just as much or more than before.

@Earl- Happily, Glenn Beck isn't disappearing either...just letting up on one commitment (Fox) to devote more time to others (GBTV). And you're right that it will be a trial to resist commenting on the news every day as it's breaking. For instance, in speaking to manufacturers, the president just told America that it's time to "up your game." To which I'm compelled to reply, "UP YOURS!"

@Brian R- Yeah, yeah- "less is more!" That's the ticket! And I do like doing color cartoons when I can, but I find that it can sometimes distract from the actual joke. I can pretty much promise you, though, that the 4th of July will get the colorful treatment it deserves!

WMD said...

Stilt, you do what you gotta do. Most everyday I wonder how you come up with this stuff on a daily basis. And I'm grateful for it because you also let us vent in our own way without being censored.
God Bless America
God Bless Our Troops

Buzz Bannister said...

Rest well

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@robert- There are always stories worth commenting on, but there aren't always stories that will easily lend themselves to the 3-panel comic treatment. So one of the really time-consuming things can be waiting and waiting for that "right" story to turn up. That can make the difference between one hour and four hours in prepping the cartoon and commentary each day.

@Buzz Bannister- YIKES! I appreciate the sentiment, but "Rest Well" sounds like it should be on a floral wreath at the head of my casket! I'm still going to be here every day, checking and responding to comments, and I'm guaranteeing cartoons M-W-F as a minimum, but may post more frequently if inspiration hits.

Bobo said...

I will be "pain"-tiently standing by on the off days waiting.

Duke of URL said...

WHAAAAAAAAAAAA! Less snarky! Sob sob sob cry cry...

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@Bobo- On the in-between days, you can check out "Johnny Optimism."

@Duke of URL- If it helps, I'll try to be double-snarky on publishing days!

Dave said...

@Stilt--Nah I'm not suspicious except when people who are outspoken against the current regime start all getting quiet. I wouldn't think things like my computer usage is monitored or my phone tapped at times, especially not by this awesome law-abiding, Constitution loving administration that inhabits the White House. Why would you think I was being suspicious......Oh hey my computer is running really slow, my phone lines are all full of static and what's with the black helicopter hovering outside my window...not to mention all the purple shirted union members outside my door....You have a good time working on your other project, because we all know that the Commander-in Chief is such a wonderful President and person of outstanding honor and patriotism!

Time to go back to time to go back to my room for some more medications and electro-therapy.

P.S. -- I am posting from 3 years in the future after Obama has won a second term and created the New Social States of America....Please vote him out!!

JustaJeepGuy said...

Wait a minute--Johnny Optimism is also on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. How can he be on in-between days? Or am I missing some special cartoonist time warp thing?

@Dave, like Ebeneezer Scrooge, I must ask--is that 3 years in the future how it MUST be or only how it MIGHT be?

CenTexTim said...

I'm constantly impressed by the creativity and insight you bring to HnC. My morning cup of coffee won't be the same on Tuesdays and Thursdays anymore, but hopefully this will be a short-term situation.

Best wishes for your other opportunities.

Suzy said...

I'll miss the daily comic, but very excited for your new opportunities! Congrats!!!!

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@JustaJeepGuy- Yes, "Johnny" is also Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I was just suggesting that you could fight the impulse to check out his new cartoons immediately, and check them on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday...giving you six consecutive days of Jarlsbergian whimsy!

@CenTexTim- This is intended to be a temporary situation. For instance, in the case of eBooks and apps, there's quite a bit of work upfront but after that there's not a lot of maintenance. So I'm trying to get more projects launched into the stream which, eventually, should translate into more free time for HnC.

@Suzy- Hey, I'll still give you accurate information and food for thought at least 3 times a week. That's better than the New York Times!

Anonymous said...

You have to do what's best for you and your family. I will miss your comments everyday.

It's nice to spend time with like minded people.

Chuck said...

Let me join the chorus: THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO! ... And how you do it is a total mystery to me! We'll live with less, albeit unhappily, but gosh darn, we can't figure out how you do this so well in the first place!?

And, with the “... I may make occasional exceptions for jaw-dropping, dumbfounding idiocy or breaking news." proviso coupled with the government we have, I suspect you'll be posting more than you plan to. I'll still be checking daily for anew post, comments on the last post, and updated comments on the posts before that post...

SC said...

Stilt, Hope that you enjoy your new projects. It's sometimes nice to have a change of pace & try different things. No doubt, no doubt that your talents will be illuminated in anything that you tackle.

@sablegsd & Chuck: It is really nice to visit this site, I feel "at home" here.

HAPPY 4th of JULY
God Bless the USA

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@Readers- Thanks for all the kind thoughts. And AGAIN I'll mention that I'm not going anywhere... I'll just be producing two fewer new cartoons a week.

pryorguy said...

Happy 4th, good luck and thanks

JustaJeepGuy said...

I wish we would all say "Happy INDEPENDENCE DAY", especially to the Lefties, in order to remind them that our forefathers declared INDEPENDENCE from their GOVERNMENT. That scares the Left, as it should.