Don’t panic! Just draw more cartoons.

Don’t Panic.

When I was a kid, I remember really enjoying The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It was my kind of weird and short enough that kid me actually read the whole thing.

In many of the more relaxed civilizations on the Outer Eastern Rim of the Galaxy, the Hitch-Hiker’s Guide has already supplanted the great Encyclopaedia Galactica as the standard repository of all knowledge and wisdom, for though it has many omissions and contains much that is apocryphal, or at least wildly inaccurate, it scores over the older, more pedestrian work in two important respects. First, it is slightly cheaper; and secondly it has the words DON’T PANIC inscribed in large friendly letters on its cover.

Don’t panic also appeared as advice at the end of an email I received last week from one of my bigger clients. The problem is that it’s hard not to panic. And it’s even harder not to panic when someone tells you not to panic.

Uncertainty and Shock

Last night the US president proudly announced his support of ethnic cleansing, and his willingness to use troops to accomplish that cleansing…for real estate reasons. A couple of days ago we heard about El Salvador’s offer to hold any incarcerated individual sent from the US in their prisons. Meanwhile, the president’s unelected, unconfirmed, billionaire buddy is doing everything he can to shut down federal agencies he doesn’t like. I could on and on as everyday brings new crises.

As an evaluator and designer I work with a wide range of clients. Most of my paid contracts are related to public health, global development, and non-profits. All of these areas are directly implicated by this shock.

I’m happy to say that at the moment, as far as I know, I am still funded. And even if I lose all my contracts I should be okay financially for a bit.

But I am worried about my peers, especially the ones who have lost their positions over these last few weeks. And I’m worried about the future of program evaluation, as this administration actively spurns evidence. And I’m worried about the world my 15 year old is going to get when she becomes an adult.

Cartoons and my Happy Place

When I’m at home and my anxiety goes up, I go to the kitchen. Cooking, baking, and even doing dishes puts me into a kind of trance that calms my nerves. And at the end, we have a meal, a batch of scones, or a clean kitchen to enjoy.

When I’m at work and my anxiety goes up, I pull out my iPad. Cartooning calms my nerves. It helps me process the overwhelming world we live in. And at the end, I have single-panel comics to share.

A couple of years ago I got overwhelmed. One of the ways I responded was by leaving Patreon. But today in early 2025, I’m happy to say that I’m back.

Patreon gives me a space that’s just about my comics. But this time I’m not setting up any special offerings for the people who provide me with more financial support. Everyone who follows me on Patreon will get to see all the comics I share, even if you just click the Join for Free button!

FreshSpectrum the blog is mostly about data design. It’s become more and more specialized over time. But FreshSpectrum the Comics can be about anything that inspires me to draw. And with Patreon, I have a space to share all of those comics (even if they have nothing to do with data design).

How are you holding up?

Let me know in the comments and know that I always read every single one!