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Hi, Lynn -- Thank you SO MUCH for so many years of enjoyment. I just read in your publisher's note that you have dystonia. I, too, have been diagnosed with dystonia, about five years ago. I have never talked to anyone who suffers from this ANNOYING condition!! My question to you is: how old were you when you noticed signs of it? And how old were you when you were diagnosed? What skills are noticeably difficult for you? Does it get worse and worse and worse, or has it stopped progressing at some point? Do you still write by hand? How do you compensate? (i.e., I try holding my pen in different positions.) Dystonia doesn't affect my typing at all, and I still type 65 words per minute. It's so very WEIRD!!! Not to mention extremely annoying!! I know you're extremely busy, so any input you could give me, or any personal advice, would be so very much appreciated. Thank you.

Arlene

Hi Arlene. I had dystonia in my neck. I say "had" because it was triggered by hormone replacement medication. When I went off it, the spasms died down and after five years are almost gone. It started in my 50's - called "late onset dystonia". It's genetic and varies in location. Yours is in your hands - many artists and musicians suffer from this. You must be seeing a neurologist who specializes in motion disorder. Ask about the support groups - there are MANY around, should be one in your area. Whereas your GP will only understand and treat common problems, this requires specialists and for us the input of fellow sufferers. It can go into remission, but not completely - spasms will come and go in intensity and are augmented by stress. Hoo - doesn't that sound like a pro? But, you do become well versed, right? Check out the Internet. There are lots of informative sites. The mother ship is on Wacker Drive in Chicago. They'll send you books on the subject! Thanks for your wonderful letter and good luck! Lynn

I have read comics for 60 years on a daily basis. From childhood I questioned how Huey, Louie and Dewey were able to look like children and not like Donald. The answer, of course, is in the proportions of a child's face. The eyes in a child's face are at the halfway point to the top of the head. Adult eyes are about two-thirds of the way up, or more. Also, of course, children's eyes are a bit larger in proportion to their heads than are adults'.

Lynn's children resemble adults because she doesn't make this adjustment. Does she do this on purpose? It is disconcerting for someone who is a devout reader of comics and her strip to see this obvious omission.

Still - LUV U LUV U LUV U!!!

Jeffry D, New Jersey

A cartoon has to be an exaggeration of the norm in order to get the feeling across. Also, "funny" requires stretching and simplifying. The unfortunate part of having done this strip for so long is that my style is more realistic now, than I'd like it to be! Sometimes an improvement is an impairment!
-Lynn

After just short of 30 years of receiving a home delivery of a newspaper in the Central Florida area, I cancelled the subscription. That was a very tough decision --- and the funny part was when my partner (of 11 years) and I discussed it, we came down to only one issue -- We would miss your daily strip. So that began the search for your on-line work.

Thank you for taking the time and expending the effort to make the web site as wonderful as it is. Every morning you are now the first thing I do, when I sit down at the computer. I look to see what has happened to the Patterson family.

This is a heartfelt "thank you" for all your work over the years, especially the Lawrence's Story of 1993 -- that one really got the attention of myself and many of my friends who looked forward to your daily doss of humor, life, and the unexpected. The "placing of a face", for the lack of a better phrase, on a process that so many go through (some better than others) truly showed your kind and gentle nature. That will always be appreciated by these two readers.

Keep up the good work, we all look forward to the daily strip and the adventures within.

Francis F and Ricky P

Thanks for your wonderful letter. I'm glad you've found our site - and find it enjoyable! I'll let our web designer out of the basement today and feed her. She deserves it. All the best, Lynn