This selection of short comics is about my relationship with Mel—she keeps me real! I included many of my favorites. Some of these memories still make me smile, and all of them were fun to draw.

Sometimes I draw just to share something I think is funny. That’s why I like drawing comics about Mel. She’s sharp and has a great sense of humor, and she’s not afraid to tell it like it is. When I read these comics, I smile to myself, because I remember how I felt when she said these things.

A short four-panel comic is the perfect form for a fun commentary on relationships and life. Sometimes, I’ll do two or three comics in a row to make a longer story. Other times, each one stands alone like a little poem.

Sometimes ideas come to me at the strangest times: on a walk, in the middle of the night, or when I’m at work. If something makes me laugh or think, I know it’s something I want to share with other people. That’s why I take my drawing pad everywhere I go.

My slice-of-life comics start out as sketches. I use a mechanical pencil to rough out my thoughts on a situation, sometimes while things are still happening. If there’s time, I might even start inking right then.

At one time, I had the idea of doing comics journalism, trying to draw comics in real time while events were happening. But it was challenging. First, it is very difficult to draw that fast. Second, it makes it hard to be present with whatever is going on. When I’m hanging out with friends, I just want to be with my friends instead of staying by myself and drawing. These days, instead of trying to draw things as they happen, I just jot down a few notes so I don’t forget what I noticed.

I draw comics to help me remember and share how something made me feel. Most of the time, they’re about happy things, but I also share things that made me angry, sad and a rainbow of other emotions. I try to be honest and share my true self so I can connect with my readers through shared experiences.

The nice thing about drawing short comic strips about life is the opportunity to notice things even if they’re small. Something tiny but relatable can be very interesting. I think about things that are even smaller, that I haven’t drawn comics about yet—like the sound a paper cup makes, or the feeling of the second sip of a cup of coffee in the morning. There are always things to observe and share about the world, and I hope some of these things will resonate with you.

Thanks for reading these comics! I hope you find them relatable. Please take the time to let me know what you think, and check out my Instagram for more!