Heart to Heart (Creative Notes #70)

Sometimes, all we can do is listen to our hearts beat and write it down.

Thanks for reading. Look for new episodes of my webcomic series on the app: https://tinyview.com/connie

[6-panel comic of an artist with a bun in front of an art easel, with lightbulb and a large red heart on a stool. Panel 1: Artist says to heart: "Okay, ready." Panel 2: "Go ahead, we're listening." In panel 3, heart speaks: "Well, I feel kind of sad and I don't know how to fix it." In panel 4: After beat, artist says sadly, "I don't know what to do about it either..." Panel 5: Artist starts to draw something on the blank canvas, "But I guess I could write that down." The heart says, "Thanks." Panel 6: Close-up of the heart saying, "Who knows why, but it helps." From the original webcomic series Creative Notes episode 70 on tinyview.com/connie by Connie Sun, cartoonconnie, 2022.]

Society To Women

It's hard enough being a woman without taking away the legal right to healthcare. 

Thanks for reading. Connie on Ko-fi

I also have another comic up on Tinyview this week: https://tinyview.com/connie/2022/06/29/episode-73-healing-heart

[2-panel autobio comic about the inescapable cues that women get in society, on top of losing the legal right to reproductive healthcare in the U.S. with the overturning of Roe v. Wade. In panel 1, a woman with a braid is running with a backpack on, looking at her watch. Text: "All my life, I believed all the cues I got from society that I'm ugly and unworthy of love. (Honestly, it's hard not to.)" In panel 2, the woman is waiting at a bus stop, when a man walks by and sneers, "Fat p-ssy Asian b-tch" at her. It's 7:20am and she's minding her own business. Caption text: "Learning self-love is still something I have to work at everyday." Comic strip titled "Society to Women," by Connie Sun, cartoonconnie, 2022.]

Unprecedented Times

My mood all day. Stay angry, stay focused. 

Thanks for reading. Connie on Ko-fi

[3-panel comic of a cartoon girl with a braid, scribbling in her diary, reflecting on recent events. In panel 1, the girl sits at her desk, looking agitated and writes: "Dear Diary, Yet again, we are living in unprecedented times..." In panel 2, she pauses writing and thinks for a moment. A beat. In panel 3, she crosses out the word "unprecedented" with a red pen and inserts "highly disappointing" before the word "times." Comic strip by Connie Sun, cartoonconnie, 2022.]

Future Self to Present Self

You're not alone and it's okay to be angry. Note to self. 

Thanks for reading. Connie on Ko-fi

[Single-page, two-panel comic about once-protected human rights being taken away. Heading: "Future Self to Present Self." A cartoon girl with short hair sheds a few tears, with her head down and back turned. Inset image of two hands holding a red heart with a deep gash in it. Panel 1 text: "In the absence of empathy and compassion from those you put your trust in, remember that you have untapped power inside you..." Text continues in panel 2: "-- and you're not alone, even if you haven't met all your people yet." In panel 2, the girl is comically comforted by an older girl with a braid, who says, "There, there...Buck up, kiddo...'cause you're gonna need all your strength." Sketchbook comic strip by Connie Sun, cartoonconnie, 2022.]

Pace Is Arbitrary

I don't know if this is really true or not, but the joke is in the irony. 

Thanks for reading and supporting. Busy writing these days, apologies for lower output.  

Connie on Ko-fi

[4-panel borderless comic strip of a cartoon girl with a braid, hugging her knees. The heading reads, "It's totally okay to be still figuring it out at any point in your life." Panel 1, the girl has her head down and says, "I keep making mistakes and getting it all wrong..." Panel 2, she flips her head back and exclaims, "Why am I such a slow learner!?!" In panel 3, a tortoise ambling by says wisely, "Don't worry. Pace is arbitrary." In panel 4, there's a beat, then the tortoise starts walking off and adds, "Come on, I'll race ya." Cartoon by Connie Sun, cartoonconnie, 2022.]

Heart Speak (Creative Notes #69)

When your heart speaks, don't ever take it for granted!

Update: Find new Creative Notes episodes every Wednesday on the app https://tinyview.com/connie

[5-panel webcomic strip of a cartoon girl with a bun, busy with household chores, when her heart decides to open up and talk. Panel 1: illustration of a girl in an apron, doing dishes. Panel 2: a thought bubble of a creativity as a lightbulb is taking a nap. a cartoon heart walks over and announces, "I have something to say." Panel 3: girl throws a wet sponge up in the air and exclaims, "ACK! OMG!" startling the lightbulb awake. Panel 4: girl is running, with the heart under her arm like a football, yanking the lightbulb along, and leaving the apron and dishwashing gloves behind. Panel 5: girl looks down at the heart sternly and says, "You'd better not chicken out on me." Cartoon caption reads: Whenever there's a chance that your heart is willing to talk to your creativity, drop everything and run with it." Episode 69 of Creative Notes, a webcomic series by Connie Sun, cartoonconnie, for Tinyview https://tinyview.com/connie]

Sketchbook: Return to the Gunks

Sharing a messy drawing from my sketchbook. After a lot of self-work and therapy, it was great to relearn how to climb outdoors again. 

Thanks for reading. Connie on Ko-fi

[Color sketch of a cartoon girl with an orange helmet on, standing at the edge of a high cliff ledge, towards the rock face, belaying a climber with a rope, while raptors soar at eye level over the summer green of the Hudson Valley. The drawing is titled "Return to the Gunks.*" The caption below the drawing reads: "June 2022: I got to climb outside again for the first time in several years. I had to relearn everything all over. The biggest difference between now and then is that I don't hate myself anymore. I mean, I'm still no picnic, but it's forgivable." Sketchbook illustration by Connie Sun, cartoonconnie, 2022. *Note: Gunks is short for Shawangunk Mountains, a popular climbing area in Upstate New York.]

Introvert-Libra Brain in Action

My fellow Libras will understand.

With apologies to long-suffering friends -- thanks for being patient ':)

Connie on Ko-fi

[Two-panel comic of a cartoon girl with a braid, being characteristically indecisive, titled "Introvert-Libra Brain in Action." Panel 1: Friends say, "Do you want to grab dinner with us?" Girl freezes, with ellipses indicating both thought and speech. Panel 2 heading: "A little later." There's an awkward pause before friends add, "Um, yes-no question?" Girl gestures to wait a moment, ellipses still over her head, and says, "Hold on, my brain is still typing." Webcomic by Connie Sun, cartoonconnie, 2022.]

What the Heart Wants (Creative Notes #66)

It's a long day whenever these two aren't getting along ':)

Update: Look for new episodes of Creative Notes every Wednesday on the Tinyview app! https://tinyview.com/connie

[4-panel comic of a girl with a bun at her desk, trying to get her heart and creativity to work together. Panel 1: the girl says in frustration to a heart and lightbulb, not speaking together, "Seriously, what's it going to take for you to work together?" Panel 2: the heart whispers something inaudible in her ear. Panel 3: the girl paraphrases the heart: "You need to feel loved and validated?" Panel 4: the light bulb rolls its eyes and thinks "Oh puh-leaze," while the heart angrily stews and the girl walks away wearily and says, "Gonna be a long day." From episode 66 of Creative Notes, an original webcomic series by Connie Sun, cartoonconnie, 2022, for Tinyview comics https://tinyview.com/connie]

All I Really Want

When you don't get what you want in life, sometimes there are alternatives ;)

Have a blessed weekend. Thanks, as always, for reading. Connie on Ko-fi

[3-panel comic of a girl with a braid describing what she wants in life. Panel 1 text reads, "All I really want is to be understood and accepted and a little bit loved from time to time..." In panel 2, she looks down, hands on her hip, and says, "But that is asking a lot these days." After a beat, she says, "Maybe there's a dog around I can play with." Panel 3 pans out and the girl walks off the frame, followed by an excited-looking elephant, who chimes in, "Oo-ooh me too! Dogs are sooo agreeable." Original webcomic strip by Connie Sun, cartoonconnie, 2022.]

Next Fashion Cycle

I have never looked good in crop tops, but fashion trends cycle, so who knows? Maybe next time :')

Thanks for reading. Connie on Ko-fi

[Two-panel comic strip of a short female with a braid, wearing a brightly-colored but unflattering crop top and skirt, looking dismayed at her belly fat. Panel 1 text reads, "Me, every time crop tops are back in style." In panel 2, text reads, "Oh well. Maybe I'll have abs the next time around." Girl walks off, hunched over an ice cream with a neutral expression of resignation. Comic is titled "Next Fashion Cycle," by Connie Sun, cartoonconnie, 2022.]

Little By Little

Some things do get better over time, little by little.

Trying to find courage to write, day by day. Thanks for reading. Connie on Ko-fi

[Single-page diary comic titled "Little by Little. Heading reads, "On Shame." Main character drawn as a younger girl in warm monochrome tinted frame, sad, hunched, anxious and wringing her hands. Text reads, When I was younger, I could not imagine my life without paralyzing shame and super secret anxieties. The girl thinks, "It would be better to die than tell anybody." In panel 2, the palette is bright and the main character is drawn with a braid, standing upright in full color. Text reads, "Now that I'm older and after a lot of self-work..." The girl says, "Weirdly, I've learned to live with myself." Diary comic page by Connie Sun, cartoonconnie, 2022.]

Moment of Okay

Here's to chasing those moments of okay <3

Thanks for reading. Connie on Ko-fi

[3-panel comic of a cartoon girl with a braid fretting. In panel 1, caption reads, "Maybe things are not okay..." In panel 2 , the girl startles, looks at her hands and thinks, "Am I??" while the caption says, "But if you can find a moment of okay in your day..." Panel 3 text continues, "-- it's something." Girl says, "Whelp! Still here!" while an elephant ambles by unfazed and thinks "so dramatic." Comic strip by Connie Sun, cartoonconnie, 2022.]

The Zen Of Regret

Regret is its own punchline :')

Thanks for reading. Hope all is safe and cozy in your world. Connie on Ko-fi

[4-panel comic strip of a cartoon girl with a braid, speaking directly to the viewer about lessons she has learned in life. Panel 1 and 2 text reads, "With everything that is going on in the world, I've come to the conclusion that all that matters is love." In panel 3, an elephant appears next to the girl and, after a beat, says, "You live a solitary, loveless life though." In panel 4, the girl responds with an almost patronizing expression, "Yes, I know, and I regret it." Comic is titled "The Zen of Regret" by Connie Sun, cartoonconnie, 2022.]