Hey gang! I don’t know about you, but whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed by all the things out of my control I turn my focus to the things I CAN control. You know, the things that bring me joy! Like my (growing) collection of sex toys! Treating myself to a little storage makeover for my birthday tickled my brain just right and left me one fewer thing to fuss over. Let’s all strive to remember what brings us joy and keep it close to our hearts.
Matt’s added note!This week I want to call out and thank our amazing long-term supporter David D Levine! He writes sci-fi steampunk fair that’s pretty gosh darned fun, while also supporting independent creative organizations such as ours. As we move into 2025 during a turbulent time (this week our new Reddit was suspended, Tumblr let us know they’d not restore our page, our Facebook remains under censorship attack, and just yesterday our Patreon has been temporarily suspended (hopefully only for a day or two), David is helping us keep the lights on. If you’re feeling generous, go take a peek at some of his work this week!
David isn’t the only one! I owe Violet Olson and Ryan Hill both huge thanks yous too for the continued support. They’re the other two faces, along with David’s, on the left side of the site and are both amazing, kind and generous. Truly this month has been a doozy, but having such supportive company on our side of the fence has kept us sane and alive.
FINALLY a lil reminder of all the places you can still find and follow us at!
Bluesky
Mastodon
Pillowfort
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
Patreon (you can follow us for free here too – once it’s restored there)
↓ Comic Transcript
Ripley LaCross draws in a realistic-ish cartoony style, using a color palette of orange, orange-red, black, white, and gray. The author is a nonbinary person who uses they/them pronouns and sports glasses, shaggy orange hair, and a smattering of facial hairs.
Page 1
An assortment of panels show well-organized spots around a house. A drawer is pulled open to reveal neatly folded and horizontally stacked clothing. Containers on a desk hold sorted pens and mechanical pencils. Petite plastic drawers are labeled with their contents. In a closet hangs black t-shirts on one side and black hoodies on the other. Jars a labeled with their different rices.
Narration: Ever hear that joke, "Their idea of an exciting Saturday night is organizing their sock drawer?" That person is *me*. It brings me peace to bring order to disorder. (And these days I'll take it where I can get it.) So if this is how I live my life...
Ripley kneels at an open box on the floor, gesturing in disgust at the sexual paraphernalia erupting from it and spilling over the sides as they shout at us, "...Why the hell is my sex toy boy such a FUCKING MESS!?"
Page 2
Narration: It's not for lack of desire, it's just, y'know, out of sight, out of mind! Heck, even during playtime I hardly see it.
In the dark, Ripley dangles over the edge of their bed, squinting as they try to discern one dildo from the other as they pull them from their sex toy boy.
"...You need a hand down there?" Asks a voice from the other side of the bed.
"No! I mean, maybe." Replies Ripley in frustrated concentration. "I can't find Little Blue... THEY'RE ALL BLACK IN THIS LIGHT."
Narration: I think it's time to treat myself to a makeover.
Now well-illuminated in the light of day, Ripley sits in bed thumbing through their phone.
Narration: For inspiration I of course took to the Internet, and there's some real above and beyond stuff out there. But let's be real, most of the stuff that makes it online is flashy, expensive, or just plain silly.
Cocking their head, Ripley asks their phone, "Are those dildos hanging from a wine glass rack...?"
Page 3
Striking a jaunty pose as they gesture with their hand, Ripley informs us, "I'm a simple, cheap dude. I don't need a velvet-lined, leather-bound, standing trunk with bells, whistles, and a lube warmer. I only want something that meets my needs."
As an aside, a chibi version of Ripley ponders a bottle labeled LUBE next to a steaming mug labeled NOT LUBE which sits upon a corded heating coaster. "(Though a lube warmer would be cool, could use it for coffee...)" They observe.
Title: SOME IDEAS: A Tool Box
Next to an illustration of a classic toolbox with fold-out compartments is a list of details, reading:
+Easy to clean
+Inconspicuous
+Can cover in stickers!
+Travel-ready
-Not very big
A mini-Ripley leans against the toolbox, holding a hammer by its head so the handle points proudly into the air like a phallus. They say, "Incredibly on-brand for me."
Title: That Vintage Trunk I saw at the Antique Store Last Week
An old-fashioned steamer trunk with a removable compartment is accompanied with the list:
+Super cool
+Removable tray
+Large capacity
-Smells funny
-Has it ever been cleaned?
Now in pirate-garb with a hook for a hand, Mini Ripley adds "Yarr, like a treasure chest!"
Title: Well-Known Swedish Store Under-Bed Drawers
Two rectangular drawers with little rollers under their corners sit side-by-side, accompanied by the list:
+Blends in
+XL Capacity
-Expensive
-Blocks power outlets
An extremely simplified, stylistic humanoid illustration appears, the only way we can tell it's Ripley is because it has several orange hairs on its head and wears glasses. "Most of my room is IKEA anyway, may as well!" They chirp.
Page 4
Lil' Ripley stands with a very fancy large container, holding part of its top open with one hand. It is large, flat-ish, rectangle with wheels at each corner and many, many removable, modular mini-containers within it.
"Ultimately, I chose a system that's a little basic, but perfect for me!" Says Ripley with a thumbs-up.
Title: Generic Under-Bed Storage Bin
List accompanying storage bin:
+XL Capacity
+Lid stays attached
+Removable, dishwasher-safe trays
+Easy to clean
+Color-coordinated satin bags
+Landing tray for dirty toys
Caption: HOT TIP: Shoe bags, tarot bags, and wig bags are the same as bags sold for sex toys, but without the upcharge!
Stretching out next to the open container which now holds sexual accoutrements in a nice, orderly fashion, Ripley explains as they point out various compartments, "It's so beautiful, I may just have a brain-gasm. Look, all the random charging cables go here... Lube n' stuff lives right here... Booty business goes over here... Each toy gets a new bag and a dedicated home. Struggling to find something in the dark will be a thing of the past!"
Page 5
Fully in the buff, Ripley sits on their bed with several sex-toy-filled containers around them, plus the container with two bottles of lube that they hold in their hands as they tell us confidently, "Since I'll know where everything is, playtime will be easy-breezy. Just grab my trays of choice and go to town!" The "landing tray" sits empty next to them.
Now in the bathroom, Ripley is in the process of sliding used toys off of the tray and into the sink with running water as they continue, "Dirty toys get quarnatined on their own tray and it all gets washed at the same time. I'm all about efficiency."
"And then!" Ripley announces, standing over the completely closed-up storage box which looks incredibly discreet. "The best part! When evertying's clean and ry... it all goes back where it belongs! Inner peace frickin' ACQUIRED!" Stars and accentuations marks shine around this marvelous box.
Ripley's phone fills up with the selfie they've just taken of them and the organized contents of their storage box while they wink and give the peace sign. Emoji stickers of stars and a tongue-sticky-outty-face adorn the image, along with the caption, "Just another WILD Saturday night!!"
Transcribed by Erika Moen on November 18, 2024
Page 1
An assortment of panels show well-organized spots around a house. A drawer is pulled open to reveal neatly folded and horizontally stacked clothing. Containers on a desk hold sorted pens and mechanical pencils. Petite plastic drawers are labeled with their contents. In a closet hangs black t-shirts on one side and black hoodies on the other. Jars a labeled with their different rices.
Narration: Ever hear that joke, "Their idea of an exciting Saturday night is organizing their sock drawer?" That person is *me*. It brings me peace to bring order to disorder. (And these days I'll take it where I can get it.) So if this is how I live my life...
Ripley kneels at an open box on the floor, gesturing in disgust at the sexual paraphernalia erupting from it and spilling over the sides as they shout at us, "...Why the hell is my sex toy boy such a FUCKING MESS!?"
Page 2
Narration: It's not for lack of desire, it's just, y'know, out of sight, out of mind! Heck, even during playtime I hardly see it.
In the dark, Ripley dangles over the edge of their bed, squinting as they try to discern one dildo from the other as they pull them from their sex toy boy.
"...You need a hand down there?" Asks a voice from the other side of the bed.
"No! I mean, maybe." Replies Ripley in frustrated concentration. "I can't find Little Blue... THEY'RE ALL BLACK IN THIS LIGHT."
Narration: I think it's time to treat myself to a makeover.
Now well-illuminated in the light of day, Ripley sits in bed thumbing through their phone.
Narration: For inspiration I of course took to the Internet, and there's some real above and beyond stuff out there. But let's be real, most of the stuff that makes it online is flashy, expensive, or just plain silly.
Cocking their head, Ripley asks their phone, "Are those dildos hanging from a wine glass rack...?"
Page 3
Striking a jaunty pose as they gesture with their hand, Ripley informs us, "I'm a simple, cheap dude. I don't need a velvet-lined, leather-bound, standing trunk with bells, whistles, and a lube warmer. I only want something that meets my needs."
As an aside, a chibi version of Ripley ponders a bottle labeled LUBE next to a steaming mug labeled NOT LUBE which sits upon a corded heating coaster. "(Though a lube warmer would be cool, could use it for coffee...)" They observe.
Title: SOME IDEAS: A Tool Box
Next to an illustration of a classic toolbox with fold-out compartments is a list of details, reading:
+Easy to clean
+Inconspicuous
+Can cover in stickers!
+Travel-ready
-Not very big
A mini-Ripley leans against the toolbox, holding a hammer by its head so the handle points proudly into the air like a phallus. They say, "Incredibly on-brand for me."
Title: That Vintage Trunk I saw at the Antique Store Last Week
An old-fashioned steamer trunk with a removable compartment is accompanied with the list:
+Super cool
+Removable tray
+Large capacity
-Smells funny
-Has it ever been cleaned?
Now in pirate-garb with a hook for a hand, Mini Ripley adds "Yarr, like a treasure chest!"
Title: Well-Known Swedish Store Under-Bed Drawers
Two rectangular drawers with little rollers under their corners sit side-by-side, accompanied by the list:
+Blends in
+XL Capacity
-Expensive
-Blocks power outlets
An extremely simplified, stylistic humanoid illustration appears, the only way we can tell it's Ripley is because it has several orange hairs on its head and wears glasses. "Most of my room is IKEA anyway, may as well!" They chirp.
Page 4
Lil' Ripley stands with a very fancy large container, holding part of its top open with one hand. It is large, flat-ish, rectangle with wheels at each corner and many, many removable, modular mini-containers within it.
"Ultimately, I chose a system that's a little basic, but perfect for me!" Says Ripley with a thumbs-up.
Title: Generic Under-Bed Storage Bin
List accompanying storage bin:
+XL Capacity
+Lid stays attached
+Removable, dishwasher-safe trays
+Easy to clean
+Color-coordinated satin bags
+Landing tray for dirty toys
Caption: HOT TIP: Shoe bags, tarot bags, and wig bags are the same as bags sold for sex toys, but without the upcharge!
Stretching out next to the open container which now holds sexual accoutrements in a nice, orderly fashion, Ripley explains as they point out various compartments, "It's so beautiful, I may just have a brain-gasm. Look, all the random charging cables go here... Lube n' stuff lives right here... Booty business goes over here... Each toy gets a new bag and a dedicated home. Struggling to find something in the dark will be a thing of the past!"
Page 5
Fully in the buff, Ripley sits on their bed with several sex-toy-filled containers around them, plus the container with two bottles of lube that they hold in their hands as they tell us confidently, "Since I'll know where everything is, playtime will be easy-breezy. Just grab my trays of choice and go to town!" The "landing tray" sits empty next to them.
Now in the bathroom, Ripley is in the process of sliding used toys off of the tray and into the sink with running water as they continue, "Dirty toys get quarnatined on their own tray and it all gets washed at the same time. I'm all about efficiency."
"And then!" Ripley announces, standing over the completely closed-up storage box which looks incredibly discreet. "The best part! When evertying's clean and ry... it all goes back where it belongs! Inner peace frickin' ACQUIRED!" Stars and accentuations marks shine around this marvelous box.
Ripley's phone fills up with the selfie they've just taken of them and the organized contents of their storage box while they wink and give the peace sign. Emoji stickers of stars and a tongue-sticky-outty-face adorn the image, along with the caption, "Just another WILD Saturday night!!"
Transcribed by Erika Moen on November 18, 2024