Lady Liberty's Self Esteem

I feel sometimes like I am alternatively flailing and skating through life— words that could be considered opposite, in my case they fit my feelings. I think sometimes in order to skate, you have to flail a good bit. I think also it has something to do with the pandemic still with us. I did a cartoon this week using a made-up word: “overish.” Things have shifted in our world, and I am learning how to navigate it—hence the more frequent feeling of flailing. I have adjusted to the new over the years pretty consistently. For example, I have weathered four new editors and three new cartoon editors at The New Yorker; I love technology and always embrace it wholeheartedly. But in the last two years, change is so abrupt and not easily understandable. But we will get through it. Cartoons can help—at least some—can help, I am sure.

That said, here is a cartoon that I sent to The New Yorker the week before, and they rejected it, as I suspected they might. Like with our favorite iconic statue below, I have been noticing how social media can affect me in negative ways. I thought I was immune (why did I think that? I’m not sure), but I’m not. Let’s hope Lady Libery doesn’t pick up a cellphone! These things contribute to flailing, for sure.

I hope your week is skating along!

My new book is Very Funny Ladies: The New Yorker’s Women Cartoonists. You can preorder it now anywhere. I will be having a book launch with Oblong Books on Feb 15th, virutal on zoom. Join me, Roz Chast, Kendra Allenby and Kim Warp as we talk about our work and The New Yorker! LINK to zoom here.