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Transcript: Boot: zzz... Boot: zzz... Boot: zzz... Bunson: zoomies...zoomies...quiet zoomies... Boot: zzz...
 

Quiet Zoomies (comic #807)
Posted on December 19, 2025 by liz

Every month I try to make it to Jessica Abel’s Simplify to Amplify Round Table. It’s a great free coaching call she does to help creative folks achieve their goals AND have happy, balanced lives. I’ve done free and paid courses with her and have always gotten something useful and unexpected out of it. The December call helped me remember stuff from my Creative Focus Toolkit, but more importantly it reminded me that art is a thing I turn up to do. It’s part of who I am as a person. 

I’ve been working pretty hard on Ngombor, because I am my father’s daughter and I don’t do things by halves. Ngombor Community Development Alliance was formed to create an empowered and prosperous community in Nebbi, in Northwest Uganda, and is a fantastic permaculture model farm, IT skills hub, and social community. It builds on a 20 year friendship between Vincent Ulargiw and my dad and is a testament to how friendship, empowerment, and sticking around are powerful things. 

Friendship really is magic and can create a continuity of support that doesn’t depend on what job or posting I have. It is a lovely thing to be able to help a community, to be a bit of extended family to amazing community builders in Uganda. It’s nice to be able to draw on my experience in the non-profit sector, draw on all the stories I’ve heard from my various aunties and uncles who create change, but sometimes it does mean I forget myself creatively. As you can see, even now I get distracted talking about Ngombor. Where was I?

Right. After the coaching call, I thought yes, drawing is part of who I am, even if my agent never buys my book, even if I’m doing my career all the wrong way and upside down. So I sat down to draw something social and joyful and this emerged. I scribbled the first draft in ballpoint pen in dim lighting and I just love the expression that comes with that.

Thanks to all my patrons and a special big extra thanks to Kate Webb, Erik Owomoyela, Stuart Barrow, Jesse the K, Brian Fies, Jay Hedtke and Xander Odell. 

Ngombor has a fundraiser that ends on the 15th if you want to chip in and help awesome people do awesome things.

Good things,

Liz

 

Transcript:

Boot: zzz...

Boot: zzz...

Boot: zzz...

Bunson: zoomies...zoomies...quiet zoomies...

Boot: zzz...

Joyfully Uncanny Things Need Your Kickstarter Support

Posted on August 30, 2015 by liz
Originally posted over at lizargall.com In March I read a short story by Kat Howard over at Uncanny Magazine called Translatio Corpus. I liked the story so much that the Things responded to it.
Kat Howard's Uncanny Magazine story is responded to be things webcomic characters
This is also a call back to one of the earliest Things comic, Spoons!
  After a very successful first year Uncanny is running a Kickstarter to support year two (and asking for a lot less money as wonderful Patreons and Weightless Books e-subscribers come on board). They would like your money and will use it to bring more wonderful diverse stories, poems and non-fiction to the world. If Uncanny makes it through all the stretch goals there will be a Things Respond to Fiction comic for EVERY EPISODE. We are so excited about this on so many levels. We are so honored to be part of the Kickstarter. Less than 10K to go at 16 days, not an easy goal, but most definitely doable. Join the Space Unicorn Corps! Go check out the Kickstarter!
Things Webcomic #14, back when I was learning how to do everything… so some things don’t change in 13 years, still needing to learn everything!

Bear Facts

Posted on August 24, 2015 by liz
Sometimes the creator of the Things is commissioned to make art for other things. This was an illustration for the Norwegian American Weekly’s short story, “Bear Facts.“

Chuffles Cover!

Posted on July 27, 2015 by liz
I’ve been working on a children’s picture book, Chuffles Misses the Moon. One thing it has revealed to me is that cover design is best left to the professionals! Here’s a thing, part of the work in progress, so much to learn in life. I’m not really happy with the cover, but I do like the heart of the 32 page picture book! I had to share a little taste of it, especially when the comic I had planned for today told me there were some comics that had to come first and I couldn’t quite figure them out in time!

Maggie Sketches

Posted on July 22, 2015 by liz
As the writer of the things adjusts to new work the update schedule might get a little rocky. We shall do our best! Here are some more sketches of Maggie. Poor Maggie, she came into the world of the Things and this Liz story arch just took over!!!  

An Open Letter to Boggle the Owl

Posted on June 20, 2015 by liz
Boggle the Owl is pretty special. Seeing how Boggle articulated complicated feelings, talked about anxiety, depression and gave comfort is inspiring. It makes me want to make my own comic better all the time. Boggle expressed the wall of anxiety so well, and the comfort that can come when someone sits with you. What Anxiety Feels Like. Boggle is good at unconditional love. And articulating the difference between making and helping. Or the connection between Self Centeredness and Self Hatred. Boggle’s been away for a little while, it can be rough being a sensitive, caring owl. I’m glad they’re back, I’m glad I could write an open letter articulating why we like them. If you haven’t read Boggle, go do it!

Transcript:

Dear Boggle We’re sorry you had a rough year. We like you. We admire you. And you inspire us. We like how open you are. How you listen, love and care. Being vulnerable is a choice, and we admire your courage. We how this year is better. Wherever your wings take you. <3 from the Things Without.

A thank you to our fabulous Airbnb host

Posted on May 28, 2015 by liz
The creator of the Things went on a road trip with her dad and sweetheart. We went from Seattle to San Francisco, taking the Redwoods Highway for a goodly length of time and spending a lot of time undulating along the coast on highway one. The scenery was ridiculously beautiful and the beaches were gloriously wild. Once we got to San Francisco we stayed at an airbnb in Inner Richmond near Golden Gate Park. The space was kinda perfect to noodle around in, cook, have our own space without it being too big or too small. Our host downstairs is an amazing horticulturalist who trains Bonsai succulents and is a compost specialist! He also makes shovel faced art and photographs bugs! It’s quite a sight to see.   A letter from the Things to AirBNB host Vernon in Inner Richmond. Dear Vernon, Thank you for your lovely hospitality, we had a great time and thought your garden was amazing. .... seriously this guy does bonsai succulent plants that are out of this world. He doesn't sell his stuff that often, but if you get a chance go grab some!