Cathy is back!

Aaaaccccckk!! Cathy is back! :)  (And I couldn't be happier! :)  )

Over the past year, Cathy Guisewite, now 68 years old, creator of the classic "Cathy" comic strip (1976-2010), has revived her "Cathy" character in single-panel cartoon format, posting them on Instagram & Facebook (the first one read, "Aaaccckk!  Social media!" lol).

For women of a certain (cough cough -- MY) generation, "Cathy" was a touchstone. Not everyone loved her as I did, but she was definitely a trailblazer -- a reflection of the times we lived in and of women's rapidly changing roles & expectations.

Next month, Guisewite has a book of essays coming out, "Fifty Things That Aren't My Fault." Both Cathys were featured in a a recent article from New York Magazine's "The Cut," titled "The Feminist Paradox of Cathy Guisewite."

Guisewite shared the article on social media -- and fangirl me could not resist commenting:  "I was 15 when the Cathy strip began, and it was a touchstone for me my entire adult life. Miss it, and so glad to see you back in the spotlight... Looking forward to your new book! 👍❤️"

So of course I was totally giddy when Guisewite responded, "Thank you so much, Lori. That means a lot to me. ♥️"  Not only a "thank you" but a puffy heart one too. I was in heaven. As when Donny Osmond liked my comment on his Instagram post, I took a screenshot & shared it, lol. To quote a friend's comment:  "AAACCCKKK!!"  ;)

As I said when I shared the article on Facebook, "Maybe Gloria Steinem was the ideal; but Cathy was my reality." I wrote about Cathy & her influence on my life back in August 2010, when I first learned the strip would be ending after 34 (!!) years (essentially spanning my entire adult life, from age 15 to 49) -- and then my (not-so-happy) reaction to the final strip that October.

I sadly sent the books & mugs to the Sally Ann store when we moved to a condo three years ago & had to downsize drastically -- but I am looking forward to buying & reading the new book when it comes out soon! :)

(I was just about to hit "publish" on this post when I saw that Guisewite had posted another article -- this one from Time -- about her & her book.  Also worth a read!)