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So. I thought I was going to be better at writing this than I am right now, so let me just make a bulleted list instead.
- – The computer I use to make Riot Nrrd got eaten up by a virus.
- – If you ever looked at this computer you might say something along the lines of “oh god why didn’t you throw it out years ago, I think its ghost is going to rise up and kill you, and then it will come for me, and all of us; I have never seen such an unhappy looking piece of technology and there’s no way you should spend money fixing it”.
- – I was trying to find another way to make Riot Nrrd without spending any money, which is looking like impossible.
- – I have a job interview tomorrow, which is relevant because
- – if I don’t get this job, I don’t know what I’m going to do, I’m going to be out of money by next month if I don’t get this job.
- – (If you can afford to kick some money into donations, you’re helping Riot Nrrd not shut down forever, for real)
- – Things have been bad with me, here in my brain, for a while before I ran out of money, and before all of my stuff started breaking down. Things have been bad.
- – I started sketching a comic for tonight, on three different programs on three different computers, trying to make it work, and ended up having a total meltdown.
- – It feels like someone not only smashed up my tools for no reason and is forcing me to find new ones that don’t cost money, but they also reached into my brain and took out all the parts about how to make comics.
- – So, like, if you like playing guitar, or knitting, or what have you, just try to think about the feeling of being unable to do that anymore. It’s shit. Utter shit.
- – I think I will figure out what I’m going to do about all this, but I can’t do it while I’m caught in a guilt cycle about not updating. So, I’m really sorry, and thank you for reading, and I hope to see you in a few weeks.
edit: It’s only 9 AM and the support, here in the comments and in donations, has already exceeded my expectations. Y’all are great, and I’m so thankful to have such understanding and compassionate readers. I love you all and hope I can get things sorted and be back real soon.
Riot Nrrd
geeky webcomics for grrls and other radicals
Riot Nrrd is currently on hiatus!
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That is all awful, RJ. Feeling obliged to your readership should be the last thing on your mind. I hope it all works out beautifully for you.
Hey, I’m really sorry to hear all of those things are happening to you at once. I enjoy your comic and your zine was pretty awesome but trust me, I know what it’s like when life suddenly decides to have everything go crazy at once. I normally read the comic in my RSS feed, so I’ve never commented before but I really do love Riot Nrrd and hope things look up for you soon. I’m going to toss you a donation — it isn’t much, I’m a recent college grad looking for work, but I hope it works — and cross my fingers for you that you’ll get the job you’re interviewing for. Don’t worry about continuing the comic, just take care of yourself. People are more important than the things they produce.
*hugs* I know it might not mean much, but I’m thinking of you and I really hope things start picking up soon.
If you don’t update for like a year and a half (or longer) I will still come back and read it when you get back to updating.
The more important thing is your self. You’ve done a real service to us by making this comic but you take priority. I know how bad it sucks when you can’t fulfill your creative side (three years of writing nothing). I wish I could donate but I’m just being made redundent so I have no money :/
I think you are awesome though and hope things get better soon because you are awesome, not because I want more comics-though I do want comics too- please take care of yourself
Sorry to hear things have been so tough. I understand that quite well. Here’s to your job interview going well. I’ve never commented, but I’ve really enjoyed reading your comic and I’m willing to wait until you are in a better place and your technology is supporting you instead of making your life more difficult.
Don’t Panic! (In large calming letters).
OK, if your PC was eaten by a virus, the easiest and cheapest solution to get it working again is simple. Download an Ubuntu “liveCD” from here. Burn it (at a friend’s PC?) on a CD and then boot off of it. BAM. Working PC. It’s not installing anything, but rather just running off the CD, so all your data is safe.
It’s GNU/Linux so you may not have the same programs you’re used to on it, but you definitelly have similar alternatives, many times better. Also, it’s impervious to viruses.
If you like it, you can keep it by installing it. If not, at least it will give you a working machine without cost, until you can find a way to fix your system normally.
Send me an email if you have any more questions and I’ll help you out.
I’m sending some money your way as well to help you out with your costs. Don’t lose heart.
*hugs*!
🙁 Best of luck for the interview. I really hope you get it. You’re in my thoughts/prayers/wev. Hugs.
I’m going through something similar at the moment if it helps. 🙁 Good luck for your interview – I’m sure they’ll love you!
take care of yourself. i say that for selfish reasons- i like your comic and i think it’s a unique perspective in the webcomic world, and i imagine you can’t make a quality comic when you feel like the world is falling apart around you. so please, take all the time you need to feel better, and don’t rush yourself or overextend. best of luck to you.
I know this is probably weird, coming from a stranger on the internet, but I have a lot of extra computers.
…Would you like one?
if you want them, hugs are most certainly offered. i know how bad it sucks to have no money and feel like things are spinning out of control. i hope it all gets better for your soon.
Take care of yourself RJ! Here’s a hug if it’s welcome; if not, uh, how about one of those posters with the kitten that say “hang in there”?
And I am donating in honor of the Joss Whedon Puppy.
Take care of yourself, the best you’re able to. You don’t owe us anything. Really, truly. I love the comic and hope it comes back, tomorrow or next month or next year or next decade–but not if it’s at your personal expense.
Keeping good thoughts for you and for your job interview.
~Thom
Hey, I don’t comment much but I love your comic, and I hope things stop being terrible very, very soon. Also, here is an internet cookie (not the browser kind): (.*;) <- see? it even has chocolate chips. 🙂
Best wishes, truly.
It’s okay! We’re not your boss, we’re your fanbase. You give us something for free, and there’s no reason to feel guilty about being human. We can wait; always, always take care of yourself first.
Please do what you need to take care of yourself! I promise I’ll still be around and reading whenever updates happen again, and in the meantime I’d much rather know you’re doing what’s right for you than have comics.
Good luck, RJ! *crosses fingers* *sends good thoughts*
Please don’t feel like you owe us a comic; we’re lucky to have it, and will all be back to keep reading it when it comes back up.
Self care first. I love the comics, but if they’re only worth it if they’re making you feel good. I hope you can get back to a place where they do, soon. I may never have met you, but I care about you, and hope you can get through whatever you have to with a minimum of suffering. Thanks for trusting us, your readers, enough to share this with us and for turning to us for some support.
Take care, and all the best,
Lisa
Good luck for the job.
I don’t have anything new to add, but I’m just chiming in as a loyal reader who thinks you have nothing to feel guilty about. Good luck with the interview, and I hope things get better for you soon, whether or not that means updating the comic again.
Good luck for everything, champ. Dealing with a lot of shit at once is brutal, and then to have a bad headspace as well? Double brutal.
If I knew you IRL I would make you some dinner and give you a big hug, if you wanted it. But as I can’t do that, I am donating some money with which you can buy yourself some dinner, and pretend it’s from me.
Good kluck RJ.
Just take care of yourself, okay? You are worth more than a thousand webcomics. Sending my strongest positive vibes along, and a small donation too. Best of luck, and fluffy kittens too.
ohh dear God, this must be such a nightmare. I’m so sorry, I wish i could help you but I’m working two jobs and barely scraping myself through every month so that’s not really an option right this minute. but I feel for you, love. and I’ll probably continue to check this page every Tuesday and Thursday until you start updating again, which will be SO EXCITING.
You are awesome. Do not forget this. Life gets sucky sometimes. Your happiness is more important than updates.
We love you because you even THOUGHT of riotnrrd let alone you actually MADE riotnrrd. I hope things look up soon. You are super awesome and I hope you can remember that! Good luck with the job situation and take all the time you require.
Small donation (and, er, modest store purchase*) made. Riot Nrrd has given me a lot of smiles since I first tuned in upwards of a hundred strips ago and I thought I’d at least try and pay it back a little. I’ve got my fingers crossed that all goes well!
* I instantly started worrying that I’d made life more difficult for you by so doing. So, uh, if I have, please feel free to let me know if/how I can alleviate that difficulty?
…what they said. Luck on the interview! Don’t worry about not posting! First things first – keep body and spirit together. Second – keep body and spirit HEALTHY. and if that means no riotnrrd for a while, then no riotnrrd. we’ll keep vigil until you’re back.
I’m sorry I can’t donate, being unemployed myself, but I am sending all the good vibes i can spare to you!
I’m really sorry that everything is blowing up on you at once. That sucks a lot. I hope you get the job!
Big Hugs and calming thoughts are all I have to offer, and empathy for the shit falling round you.
Your comic strip has given me smiles and ‘mmm-hmmms’ of understanding. Thanks for all your hard work. You’re in my RSS feed so if/when you create again I’ll be sure to receive it.
I hope things turn around for you quickly and that you’re able to put the hardship behind you very soon as a growing pains memory.
Awh 🙁
If it makes you feel any better, I swear I saw some Riot Nrrd buttons for sale at Auckland Zinefest.
“* I instantly started worrying that I’d made life more difficult for you by so doing. So, uh, if I have, please feel free to let me know if/how I can alleviate that difficulty?”
I hadn’t even thought of that! RJ, let me know if having bought something in your store is going to be a NEGATIVE in your budget column, and I’ll help fix it. My kid sister’s looking forward to the Team Bella shirt for sure, though. <3
Take care of yourself. We'll be here.
Ordering stuff is not a problem at all. It’ll probably ship out more slowly than usual, but I’m happy to do it!
(I try to keep my comments in my comments threads all -business- but, uh! thanks everybody.)
I feel the same as everyone else – no matter how much time it takes to write again, I will wait patiently for more RN. I seriously love this comic and I’m sorry there’s so much shit going on in your life. Stay awesome and know that we’re all rooting for you.
I’m so sorry to hear life is giving you shit right now. Take care of yourself first; Riot Nrrd will be hanging out in all our RSS readers whenever you feel up to updating. I’ve enjoyed the hell out of reading it, and I’ll be here when you get back.
I know this is several days after you originally posted, but I hope your job interview went well. It really sucks to be worrying about that and have everything else pile on top of you. Catch your breath, take some time (and maybe take a sledgehammer to the defunct computer). Eventually everything will click again.
Hi RJ, I’m so sorry to hear that you’re in such an awful place right now – I donated, not much but perhaps enough to cover a meal or two – I love the comics and it renews my faith in humanity that there are awesome people like you in the world. Please stay safe.
I only just read this 🙁 big hugs for you RJ, take your time and get back on your feet. We will all be here when you get back!
Lost my job, so I can’t afford to send any funds, I regret. But I’m sending some love, which it sounds like you could use.
I posted a link to the t-shirts on my Facebook account. Most of my friends have seen my super cool Team Bella t-shirt and now they can get their very own! I know some of them have already placed orders. Bless you sweet RJ, hope everything stops sucking post-haste!