"Very Asian" Food Therapy

When society breaks my heart, I subconsciously crave the comfort foods that connect me to my history and heritage. The older I get, the more the foods my grandparents fed me as a child mean to me.

It's a rough time in the world. Hope you are finding ways to cope and comfort where you can. 

Thanks for reading.

[4-panel comic of a frayed-looking woman with a braid, remembering foods she ate as a child. Panel 2 is a flashback of a young girl with bowl-cut hair, peeking at a table full of Chinese foods, like dumplings, turnip cake, rice bowls, and steamed bao. In panel 3, she opens wide for a dumpling being fed to her with chopsticks. Back to present day in panel 4. Woman with a braid sits in front of a laptop. The text of the comic reads, "When society breaks my heart, I subconsciously crave comfort foods...that my family made for me as a kid...and it soothes a part of me...to watch the hell out of Asian cooking channels on YouTube."]

Everything Is A Lot

I imagine I'm not the only one who's feeling it these days. I don't have any better ideas, but I hope you have what you need and are finding ways to cope the best you can. 

Thanks for reading. 

[Single-panel comic of a girl with a bun, wearing a full astronaut outfit, next to an elephant. Caption reads: "I don't want to feel numb and desensitized, but everything altogether is a lot right now." Elephant in the room comments on new outfit: "Ooh this is new..." Girl responds, holding a cup of hot tea, "It was either this or pay somebody to hold me."]

Favorite Pre-Pandemic Pastime

Drawing on New York City subways used to be my favorite pre-pandemic pastime. It used to calm me and make me pay more attention to life around me. I haven't done it in a while and gave it a try again recently. It feels different, but I like how it makes me feel a little bit closer to other people in a city of strangers. 

Thanks for reading

[3-panel comic of a girl with braid, remembering her favorite pre-pandemic pastime. Panel 1, black and white frame of a girl sketching in a subway car: "My favorite pre-pandemic pastime used to be drawing on the subway." Panel two, full color, girl wearing a mask, standing stiffly on the subway, not touching anything. Text reads: "I haven't felt at ease enough to do it in a couple of years. Recently, I pulled out a sketchbook again on a long subway ride." Panel 3, full color, wide angle frame of a subway car of people, mostly wearing masks. Girl sits in the subway car with a sketchbook on her lap. Text reads: "Of course, nothing is the same anymore, but it did remind me of how much I miss -- [she crinkles eyes] -- creepily watching other people." Although the scene implies that the pandemic is ongoing, there is also a coziness in the subway car of people just living their lives. Two masked young people share a "shimmy of laughter."]

Pink Bear Head Hoodie

I don't know if this is disrespectful to bears in general, but it was a cool winter look. Kid looked happy.

Hope you're keeping warm and cozy through the season. I think it's been a hard start to the year for a lot of parents with young kids. I see folks trying hard and doing their best to keep their families safe and happy. A lot of unsung heroics. May the worst of the latest covid surge pass soon. 

Connie on Ko-fi

[3-panel autobio comic of a girl with a braid walking in Central Park in winter. She passes a kid who is holding hands with an adult and wearing a pink bear head hoodie with a bear nose and ears, which make it look like the kid's head is in the bear's mouth. Caption reads, "Yesterday, I saw a kid wearing what looked like a fuzzy, pink bear head hoodie." In panel 2, the girl with the braid walks on. In panel 3, girl turns to look back at them. Text reads, "My first thought was -", followed by a thought bubble that says, "I wonder if they have that in my size."]

Hope and Optimism on Twitter

Happy new year! The moral of this comic is to stay off of Twitter on the Monday after a holiday.

Wishing you an easy transition into 2022 and the strength to face anything. 

Connie on Ko-fi

[2-panel comic of a grave stone, inscribed with the text "RIP Hope & Optimism on Twitter, Dec. 31, 2021 to Jan. 3, 2022." In panel 2, Elephant and girl with a braid walk across an exposed, overcast landscape. Elephant remarks, "Wow, that was quick."]