How to groove on life

or... Why i LOVE Lynda Barry

or... Let's all stop being all fakey

I went this week to see Lynda Barry speak at the Free Library of Philadelphia, which by the way has an excellent author series and many of the them are absolutely free. Many of their events turn into podcasts. (I'll keep my eyes out for this one; if it comes up as a podcast I will post that later.) 

This was the best photo I could take of her, cute piggies!
She spoke for more than an hour and used no notes! 

My friend Beth and I make our way downtown, arriving early to get good seats. Finally, the talk begins, and there she is, standing a few feet away from us, the illustrious Lynda Barry. And what does Lynda wear? Doggonit, she wears pigtails! Woman after my own heart. Lynda, you had me at your pigtails! 

I could write accolades about her, but I guess what I'd most like to do to share with you my favorite Lynda Barry strips. Below are three excerpts from Ernie Pooks Comeek, a syndicated column that ran for almost 30 years. Lynda has also written novels and published many other books about writing and drawing and how to free yourself up and stop holding yourself back from from the person you might really be. Stop editing yourself. 

Each strip has four boxes.

First up is the voice of Marlys, a happy-go-lucky, quite egotistic girl who is blessed with confidence and has a huge heart. She gives her best advice here, in How to Groove on Life. 

Right on, Marlys! Thank you for that, I will never forget that great advice! When I am a very old lady I'll still be enjoying dancing, being kind to animals and fixing everyone's hair up all gorgy. 

The next strip is in the voice of Marlys' far more complex older cousin Arna. Arna breaks my heart. She wants what we all want: love, friends, popularity, acceptance, a boyfriend who likes her, being able to trust people. Why do I suspect she will never get it?

Maybonne is Marly's big sister. This next strip is in her voice, and it's another quite serious one. Oh, it almost makes me cry to read it. 

PS.  I hope Lynda will forgive me if I am breaking copyright laws. She does not seem the type to sic her lawyers upon me. I'll just hope.