Here’s my newest flipbook.

You can also read it on Instagram as panels instead of a flipbook.

I had Nino read it when I was doing the final edits. Thirty years ago, when we were dating, I discovered he was a good editor, and he edited most of what I wrote for the first seven years we were together. Then we had kids and things became chaotic. But here we are, with two kids in college, so I thought I’d try having him edit again.

He’s still a good editor. But when I gave him this flipbook he said, “You should have given me a trigger warning or something.”

I said, “What? You already know the whole story.”

He said, “It upsets me more now I guess. I’m really sad for you. You have to find someone else to edit this.”

I did find someone else to edit. But I think I found something in Nino as well. After all these years he loves me so much that he can’t be impartial with the stories. That made me feel really loved. Like, all these years I’ve been through with him. So much disappointment. But it doesn’t feel disappointing to be cared for.

 

I really want to call my friend Minami even though its the middle of the night. I want to wake her up to ask if this picture is a good one to post here. I want to ask her if the frame on the picture is too thick. I want to ask if the blue on the coat is too thin.

But I promised myself I’d post tonight and I’m not going to wake her up, so here’s my newest flipbook.

I’m trying to get better at finishing projects; I notice that often, when I’m very close to finishing something I get scared that it’s bad and I leave the last 3% unfinished so I never have to find out for sure.

I might have become a hoarder of unfinished projects. You know what those homes look like on the TV show Hoarders? That’s what the inside of my head looks like.

And you know how on Hoarders the person works all day to get one little bunch of stuff packaged to go? And they’re so proud? That’s me. Giving this package to you.