An important message. (Patreon)

The revenue I've made with advertising on the site has never been very good.  Not enough to live on certainly, but for a long time it was enough to keep going just because I couldn't really do anything else.  Patreon changed that.  I finally started making enough money that I could go to the dentist, doctor, buy stuff for the Teen, and whatnot.  Stuff that people with regular jobs can do.  The money I made from advertising is still important because it tips me just over the poverty line, except when it tanks.  This month it tanked hard.  It's been shaky for a while, but December finally broke it, possibly permanently.  I can't say exactly why, but the worst started when Trump was elected.  I think a lot of artists are afraid of what's coming and are settling in for at least 4 years of terror.  I also lost about 2000 regular readers in the span of a couple of weeks.  The absolute worst dropoff of readership in ten years.  Long story short, I'm down about $400 - $500 dollars a month, for who knows how long.  It's been really hard to take, after the last 5 years of really hard times wearing me down this was really kicking me when I was down.  

As of right now virtually all of my income is coming from you 500 or so really dedicated readers.  You're bearing an unfair amount of weight, and keeping the comic going for people who just casually stop by from time to time.  I can't thank you enough for that, but I know no one else will. 

Maybe things will turn around, maybe they won't.  I'll keep making the comic as long as you guys want me to though.  I'm finally getting to a point where I can finish a page in only two sittings again, so maybe I'll be able to start clawing my way back to not having to scramble to finish pages minutes before they are supposed to go up...  

Anyway, I just wanted to tell you guys since you are basically my employer and deserve to know exactly how important your support is.  Even the one dollar many of you give every month matters when so many of you contribute.