Solitude and Sanity

[Scatman]

I've been fortunate enough to take a little time off work and evaluate my career options. I think we can all see how cartooning can be a career that could make one feel isolated from the world. I know it takes good old fashioned discipline to keep from procrastinating when I have free time. But in the face of so much solitude, how do you keep from climbing the walls? When you need a break from your work, what do you do? Do you turn on the tv and watch what ammounts to so much garbage? Do you feel the need to get out and mingle with people? Do you exercise? Please give me a few ideas, because I'm starting to wonder what my dog would look like if I shaved all her hair off!

[ThrobbinJohnny]

Free time can be a productivity killer, IJO. Sometimes having to make time produces better results. Cartooning sure is a lonely pursuit. rewarding, but lonely. Johnny misses the college days, when there were 7 peeps in one classroom, and 9 across the hall. You could walk around, bounce ideas off each other, have peeps check out your work. Feedback and commorodiere(sp?). Wish Johnny could find other local toonists to share a workplace with. Our pursuit takes so much time to create, you basically become a recluse, IJO. And, it's not like music, where you could have peeps over and have drunken sing alongs

How to keep social? Johnny bodybuilds, hangs with friends on weekends...post on toon forums...between work, cartooning and the gym, relationships are tough to maintain...criiipes, Johnny's post reads like a country song

"Throbbin' Johnny Cashola

[GregCartoonist]

Lots of nasty deadlines are a sure way to keep you at the drawing board.
A manic sense of responsibility will do it, too. In that light, the Stock Market crush is a good thing- we can all try to re-earn the money we threw away to the corporate evil-doers.

As for input and diversion. I use chat-forums.

[Scatman]

Procrastination is one of my big obstacles. On days I don't procrastinate, I'm amazed at how easy the work can be and how early I get done with the strip.

As far as corporate evil-doers, I'd say I'm pretty conservative politically, but lately I've started to wonder if I'm gullible. Do most of the laws and rules in this country exist to protect the wealth of the rich and influential?