Hey, guys,

I’m sorry about not making this post earlier so as to give you a heads up, but there will not be a comic this weekend or–most likely–tomorrow, either. Let me explain a bit about my job so that you understand a little better.

I work security for a major power company here in the U.S. and we are scheduled for 12-hr shifts on a rotating week (meaning, at it’s most basic and under the strictest definition of a “normal schedule” that on one week my crew works 2 days and the next week we work 5 which, on paper, adds up to 80 hours a pay check). Now, when things are running smoothly (which they haven’t in about 3 years), this schedule is pretty awesome for anyone with a family. Sure I’m gone for a majority of the day on the 7 out of 14 days I actually work, but I get 7 of those 14 off; and 3 of those are Fri-Sun. That said, however, my department is one of those that requires a specific number of people be at work on any given day which means that there is required overtime whenever someone is sick or there are projects that require we utilize a number of people above our base. When things are at their best, this would simply mean that those who are on the schedule above those numbers–or “extra”–would move up the schedule and fill in those spots left vacant by illnesses or vacation and we would be none the worse for it.

But for three years running, things have been anything but “at their best.” Our department has been “at numbers” for this time which simply means that we have enough people on each crew to fill the spots we’re required to fill; but, take into account the fact that there has been non-stop construction and various other projects for at least that amount of time and then factor in any innevitable illnesses a workforce that opperates so closely is likely to suffer as well as any contractual vacation time those of us who enjoy time off will use and you wind up with a sittuation where every single day requires at least two spots of overtime on the schedule; though, usually, it’s more like 4-5. There are those of us who don’t mind the occasional extra day on their check once a pay period when you can control what day that is. But this hasn’t been the case for a little while and, with a hours limit (which is far too complicated to explain here) it gets harder for you to plan your days off.

Now, I don’t tell you all this in an attempt to build sympathy. Fact of the matter is, I choose to continue working here because the pay is good (I single-handedly support a family of 4 and still have funds on most checks to spoil them once in a while) and, to be honest, the work is never all that difficult. It’s boring, tedious somedays, but never physically gruiling and generally rather pleasant. I work with a variety of people that run from tollerable irritations all the way up to people I am proud to call friend. No, the reason I told you all that, was so that you could better understand the reasons I will occasionally be late (which, as you know, has happened several times lately) with the strip or, like this weekend, might not make it at all.

There are days where I can do the strip at work (provided my laptop doesn’t crap out on me) but, for the most part, I have to produce a comic from scratch when I get home or during the day on those Mondays and Fridays I’m actually off. Each comic takes me roughly 2-3 hours to complete from start to finish unless I have a template set up from a previous strip. I admit that I am getting faster with each strip I produce given that I’m getting more comfortable with each of the characters and find myself referencing previous comics less often, but, at this point, I am a far cry from being able to pound a comic out in less that two hours. This means that if I’m completely drained from spending an entire day on my feet, the likelyhood of my pumping out a comic drops dramatically.

However!

I thuroughly enjoy making the comic. I love that it’s slowly building a reader base and that you guys keep coming back for more. In an ideal world, I could get paid to do this, and only this, but I am simply not on the level of greats like Gabe and Tycho or Scott Kurtz or Danielle Corsetto. These people make comics that are worth giving your money for. I make comics that are, at best, a cute little distraction. But, I do it with enthusiasm and I will continue to do it until I simply can’t lift my stylus. Or the internet shuts down.

So, I hope you guys like the what I do enough to fogive the occassional hicup here and there and continue to come back when I do get back on track. I really appreciate those of you who have been following the comic since its relaunch and will appreciate those of you who are just not getting on board. Thank you for your patience and support.

Now, just so I don’t leave you completely empty-handed. There seemed to be a massive surge in views for my recent Doctor Who strips and this is in large part due to Jennifer pinning them on Pintrest, but also due to them being…well…Doctor Who strips. So, with that in mind, I thought I’d leave a little poster I did last year for you guys (especially those who’ve never been to my DeviantArt gallery). Hope you like it!

“You’re his ‘companion,'” John Smith asked, his face twisting in confusion as he pleaded with her. “Can’t you help? What can you do? Why does he need you?!”

Martha could only think of one thing to say. Only one answer that spoke to the truth of it. She gave him a sad look and said, simply, “Because he’s lonely…”

Have a good one, guys!

–Ray