That sad moment when you realize that you’re operating in the grown-up world, with the settings permanently set to “Adult”.

Now, of course, Joe and Juni have had to face very mature situations– a deployment to Iraq, war, death, and dealing with people coping with death, and Joe having to step up and take responsibility for people. right? All very true, in my opinion, but I’ve always been of the hypothesis that the military provides a solid social structure that allows for a lot of solid personal growth in some areas… but it is not always guaranteed to be applicable in other areas.

The military, especially in the combat arms fields, teaches us that direct action is the best way to solve our problems. But direct action isn’t always useful or even feasible. Paying bills, studying for degrees, getting a job– there are “short term objectives” in all these things, but in the long run they are just adapting yourself to a long-term steady application of effort that may see no immediate payoff– definitely not the kind of immediate, gratifying payoff that a military objective would have. Life is a process, not a goal, and military objectives are a series of goals strung one after the other that, later on when you look back, give the appearance of having been a carefully laid plan all along.

The settings are put on “Adult” when you start taking up those ongoing, daily-grind tasks –and planning– that have no immediate gratification but are necessary. And except for mental breakdowns (not recommended), you can’t go back. Your life is its own victory, and victory is your life. One of the few instances where circular logic seems to hold some water.

On a note about the art: I’ve been super busy with a comic book project, so I’ve had to do some of that art where people are just having a conversation and art gets re-used for each panel. The comic project is only recently done, but in order to accomplish that I had to plan for a few episodes where I can quickly re-use art. Conversations rarely involve a lot of dynamic movement so there will be a few re-uses of art from time to time so that I have time to devote to other projects. Doubtlessly, when I sign a fat contract with Spielberg or Disney, I will be able to hire minions to do some of the art and provide each panel with total originality, but until that golden day happens, please bear with.

Check out the Facebook page for some of the art samples I have been working on:
https://www.facebook.com/bohicablues/?ref=bookmarks