Changes

The changes just keep a'comin'.
As of this year I have been cartooning professionally in one form or another for 39 years.
For the first time since 1978 I find myself without a newspaper editorial page to call home.
After 38 years with the Littleton Courier, 29 years freelancing to the Concord Monitor and an eight-month run with InDepthNH.org I am now on my own.

I am pursuing alternatives to fill my editorial cartoon void, but I do plan to continue churning them out
occasionally. Above is the first editorial cartoon I've drawn since early August.
It looks noticeably different than my previous work as I've drawn it with pencil rather than ink.
Two reasons for this - - one, I can draw faster and looser with a pencil which I've always liked and two,
the joys of late middle age - arthritis is making it increasingly difficult to draw. It has reduced my control when inking and has made lettering especially difficult. Readers have no doubt observed that I have been relying more and more on digital type for my lettering.
And just to make it even more interesting I have benign essential tremor. Which means my hand shakes when I draw. It always has but up until recently I've been able to compensate. Meds help but not entirely and it, too is getting worse with age. 
Which also explains why I'm making my two webcomics The Beach and UP on the HiLL mostly
on computer -- faster with less wear 'n' tear on the hand joints.

That's it. Not complaining, just explaining.
Things may change, but I will continue cartooning.
:)
-MM