Hmm. It's a reasonable question... I think my mood has certainly darkened, though our times have darkened too these last 2 years, so it's hard to assign cause and effect. Would've thought I was more *morose* than cranky—but I'm hardly an objective observer. 🤷‍♂️ Sincerely curious how others feel... - ThreadSky

scottmccloud.bsky.social • 329 days ago

Hmm. It's a reasonable question... I think my mood has certainly darkened, though our times have darkened too these last 2 years, so it's hard to assign cause and effect. Would've thought I was more *morose* than cranky—but I'm hardly an objective observer.
🤷‍♂️

Sincerely curious how others feel...

Reposted from Ferdinand F. Zebua

I don't know if it's just me & my colored perception but it does feel to me like Scott McCloud has gone at least 50% more cranky & curmodgeony nowadays after his wife passed away...

Not a major problem though. Just another "lens-filter" I need to "adjust focus" for.

Comments

carlydraws.bsky.social•329 days ago

I think they have no business talking about you that way, and I hope you are doing as well as you can be in these wretched times.

scottmccloud.bsky.social•329 days ago

Be nice! It's okay!
This wasn't an invitation for everybody *else* to get cranky!

carlydraws.bsky.social•329 days ago

😂

cantocomics.bsky.social•329 days ago

I mean, the environment is wheezing in a hospital bed; the fascists have taken over one of the two meaningful political parties in one of the world's biggest superpowers; the billionaires keep trying to convince us it's okay to make plagiarism machines...I think you're permitted.

indigo-k.com•329 days ago

the results of the 2016 election broke my brain in a way that I have not yet recovered from. It's like, reality isn't what I thought it was, and I'm having a hard time adapting to this 'new normal'.

scottmccloud.bsky.social•329 days ago

Many of us, yes. But something's worse now. The lies are growing along with his power. This feels like the late '30s.

indigo-k.com•329 days ago

This is certainly true. I am definitely dreading this November - I worry that, whatever the outcome of the election, our country is primed for a violent reckoning.

jtsw.bsky.social•329 days ago

I feel like something broke inside of me in 2020. And it feels like that with everyone I know personally.
Like there’s no more joy in the world and nothing to look forward to.

jdcburnhil.bsky.social•329 days ago

I wouldn't have said "cranky" or "curmudgeonly", but I do think there's been a noticeable difference.

The easiest way to say it is, if I was assigned to write dialogue for Before Scott and After Scott, my key would be "Before Scott has some negative thoughts that he doesn't air, because he ...
/

jdcburnhil.bsky.social•329 days ago

thinks 'would it make things any better to say this?' By contrast, After Scott has the same thought and thinks 'why not say it? it's not like it could make things worse.'"
/

jdcburnhil.bsky.social•329 days ago

I hope you understand that I'm writing that entirely without judgment. I doubt that I myself have ever been up to the high standard of Before *or* After Scott, when it comes to patience and good humor.
///

scottmccloud.bsky.social•329 days ago

Thanks for your thoughtful answer!

fourteenacross.bsky.social•329 days ago

I think it's just a side effect of life in 2024, tbh 🫠

zaratustra.bsky.social•329 days ago

if he's saying that because you make your political positioning clear, there's documentation going back some years

https://www.scottmccloud.com/1-webcomics/mi/mi-24/mi-24.html

bojanglespaladin.bsky.social•329 days ago

At the risk for f sensitivity, I would kinda hope that the loss of a spouse would make one noticeably less chipper overall. For years. That kind of loss & grief should change one's demeanor, right?
Anyway, you're entitled to be somber, crotchety, grumpy, morose, cranky, darkened, ... whatever.

keezyyoung.bsky.social•329 days ago

when i think about my parents (married for 35 years), i know they end up tempering and balancing each other's more negative/unhappy/cranky attributes. i have to imagine that if either of them passed, the other would need quite a bit of time to re-learn to balance those traits from within

keezyyoung.bsky.social•329 days ago

(i don't know you outside of your work, so i can't comment on any change directly, but i just wanted to mention this because i think any change along these lines would be completely normal and expected, and it's only really a problem if /you/ think it's a problem!)

scottmccloud.bsky.social•329 days ago

I hear that. Definitely applies to my 34 years with Ivy.

sanakism.bsky.social•329 days ago

If you got more cranky at some point I'd have said it probably happened more around 2015/2016. The last couple of years I'd have said you seemed more subdued than anything. Both of which perfectly understandable!

sanakism.bsky.social•329 days ago

(But! Curmugeonly is a different thing altogether, and while I have no idea what you're like personally, from your published and online presentation for the last thirty years, it's hard to imagine that!)

lesleymath.bsky.social•329 days ago

I've never thought of you as cranky or curmudgeonly. I enjoy your posts quite a lot.

laurahudson.bsky.social•329 days ago

nah you’re not cranky you’re just alive in 2024

lisamedin.com•329 days ago

I think your compassion, thoughtfulness and friendly approach to things is one of the main reasons why I enjoy being on this app.
As far as I have seen, you’ve continued to shine brightly despite everything. I’m so very sorry about your loss.

scottmccloud.bsky.social•329 days ago

That's very kind of you to say. Thank you.

scottmccloud.bsky.social•329 days ago

And be nice to Ferdinand!! I have zero problem with the question, seriously. 🤍

teresasm.bsky.social•329 days ago

Honestly, I feel like I spent the last 6+ years hoping the next year won't be rubbish (both personal and global things) and shit just keeps happening. I feel very curmudgeonly, too.

summervillain.bsky.social•329 days ago

some might see this itself as more evidence of your fundamental generosity of spirit ;->

mattzog.bsky.social•329 days ago

I've been impressed with how dark you *haven't* been these past few years, given it all

nat.gertler.com•329 days ago

I would judge you more morose than cranky. I might even suggest slightly resigned to the world.

There were times that Ivy expressed anger at the state of affairs and all you had to do was concur, that didn't mean you weren't carrying it.

maritzac.bsky.social•329 days ago

I have not felt it, even if you would have to be 100% in your right to be. Anger is a perfectly reasonable reaction to sudden, unfair death. I guess you just seem a bit more pensive now.

scottmccloud.bsky.social•329 days ago

I like "pensive." 👍

That's maybe how I feel more often...

mikal-el.com•329 days ago

I’m sorry for your loss.

gailrenard.bsky.social•329 days ago

I'd be surprised if you haven't felt morose, to say the least, after your great loss. Your universe has been shaken. But I'm sure you're still the same wonderful Scott. Be kind to yourself. x

scottmccloud.bsky.social•329 days ago

🙏💜

gailrenard.bsky.social•329 days ago

Let me know when you're next in London. 💜

scottmccloud.bsky.social•329 days ago

You bet!

davidgoldfarb.bsky.social•329 days ago

And, y'know, if you should ever find yourself in Houston....

ferdizebua.bsky.social•329 days ago

Morose would be a better adjective, I do admit. Pensive too. And maybe 50% is too high a percentage (though admittedly it's a subjective "pseudo-statistic" from inside my head/heart). Thank you for being kinder than might be reasonably expected. Considering *waves hand all around at everything*. ✌🙏

scottmccloud.bsky.social•329 days ago

✌️🤍

nkwiw.com•329 days ago

i think we don’t judge people’s response to grief

scottmccloud.bsky.social•329 days ago

Oh, it's fine! Like I said: "reasonable question."

I'm a semi-public character, and fair game for such speculation...

marypcbuk.bsky.social•329 days ago

you don't look even slightly cranky from here, but then I am notorious for being snarky myself

jeffmcclelland.bsky.social•329 days ago

I think we all just want to say, we love you and hope you’re doing okay.

davidgoldfarb.bsky.social•329 days ago

This!

nkwiw.com•329 days ago

you’re a bigger person than i am for sure then! and less cranky — i got cranky-by-proxy just reading that

randomjeweler.bsky.social•329 days ago

Lol yea. I was going to be like I don't even know this guy! I'm not going to tell him how to feel.

artyewok.bsky.social•329 days ago

I think you've changed because you lost an important piece of your life and grief does very much change us.

I don't find you cranky, you have less tolerance for crap and I don't think that's a bad thing.

I work in healthcare now and if you want to talk about cranky, that is me. Mr Cranky.

artyewok.bsky.social•329 days ago

Adversity changes us, whether it's the death of a longtime spouse, estrangement, a global pandemic, all of the above.

I was so angry for over a year I'm surprised I didn't spontaneously combust.

bowsette.bsky.social•329 days ago

I don't blame anyone for being morose or cranky or wherever they land on the curmudgeon spectrum these days; feels like there's less and less to be happy about with each passing day.

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