Some Things Don't Change.

This is one of those inane ponderings that really should only be interesting to myself, but hey, this is my blog, and if you don't like me writing about myself you wouldn't be reading this.
It's just - I like change. I'm one of those people who get nerveous when things seem to get too routine. The kind of person who, when he has to take the same route somewhere every day, he'll take new routes from time to time just to get some variation and to try new things. The kind who'll shake up things around the office and other things he's involved in from time to time, just for the hell of it.
But even in my little world there are constants and I enjoy those.

Like eating kibbeling for lunch every monday and thursday if I'm at work. It's always a nice walk to the market, and since I've been getting kibbeling (for those of you who don't know what this is, it's a deep-fried kind of balls of cod, marinated - it's really good and a well-known snack in the Netherlands) at that fish stand for five years now, they basically only ask me anymore how much I want. I always get them on buns, with the same sauce. I know the price, too, and it hasn't changed (much) in that time. It's a nice constant. People in the office look surprised if I skip one of those days and ask me what's wrong. It's a reassuring kind of part of my personality, my life, now.

Or like getting home, no matter how late, and cat Satan running up to the door to greet me and claw the hell out of my legs while I check my snail mail and phone messages. Or going to my favourite bar which also hasn't changed too much in six years' time. It's little elements in your life that you know will be there, you know what to expect, you can relax, switch on cruise control, and sit back and enjoy it.

Or seeing the same people at the bus stop every morning and evening. Sure, they get older, and there are visible signs which life phases they are going through, but they're still the same faces. They're sort of in it together with you, you know ? These routine people and things sort of reassure you that you're not really alone and if all else falls apart, these things will probably still always be there.

It's the same reason people will like your comic, most of the time. Because they sort of know what to expect and they know that they'll probably like it. Because it comes from you, it's in a certain style with a certain kind of humour that has proven entertaining and/or interesting in the past and they can be pretty sure that as long as you're working on this comic, it will remain something along these lines. A reassuring, nice, routine stop on their internet walk. It's the 'secret' of the webcomics and newspaper comics etc. that have been around forever and are highly succesful: they have their appeal and they treasure this appeal. They try to be that good old friend that'll always be there if you need them. They're like big old mighty oaks you see on a late evening walk that have always been there your entire life and will be there for many more generations to come.

Being 'on the road' (well, rail road) for four days a week for years now also means I often have breakfast at the train station. Unhealthy and expensive, perhaps, but it means I get to sleep in some fifteen minutes longer than if I'd have breakfast at home. And I don't really have to put effort into my food that way, which is good, because that early in the morning I'm in full zombie mode. For years I went to the same place and had a tuna salad ciabatta with a small bottle of milk. Every morning. The people working there knew my face and often could guess my order. I have that impact on places I frequent a lot, apparently - people recognize my face and remember my routine orders. I like that.

And then they changed something. They took the tuna salad ciabatta off the menu and replaced with egg salad ciabatta.
I tried it a few times. After all, change can be good and I'll always be the first one to try out something new, no matter how small. Even in zombie mode early in the morning. But I didn't like the egg salad. I tried it and I really just didn't like it. And I stopped going there. They lost a regular client. This was, I think, about a year ago.
Some time last week I passed the place by and I saw an image on their menu of the tuna salad ciabatta. And the thought lingered in the back of my head since then 'hmm - I wonder if it's back or if it's just an old image they forgot to replace'.
So this morning I went back there. And saw the tuna salad ciabatta on the display. My heart rejoiced a bit and I got in line. And sure enough, I ordered a tuna salad ciabatta with milk. Early morning, so I half mumbled my order, but the girl behind the counter already knew what I wanted to order. She recognized me. She was glad to see me again. And as I ate my tasty, tasty ciabatta (apologies to Eric Burns here) on the perron this morning, I realised that where the ciabatta was a routine reassurement for me, my order was the same routine reassurement for her. And so my routine orders elsewhere are the nice, routine, reassuring element for other people and that's why they remember me.
And also, I left and after a while they changed the menu back. I'm not egotistical enough to think they changed it just because of me, because this is a national chain of food places, but I'm one of the people who made them change it back. My simply not going there enough contributed to its return.

I guess what I'm trying to say, sappy as it may seem, is.. treasure your routine, reassuring elements. And if they're people, perhaps let them know you like the routine, from time to time. That you appreciate them. And if they're comics, let their creator know how much you appreciate their work. Because if you don't, who knows - things might change. And that change may not be for the better.
Just a thought. Treasure the unchanging elements in your life. You might miss them when they're gone.
(And hey, I know I often say I don't care about my audience, but that only means I'm doing my own thing and not actively catering my readers. However, if you feel like my work is such a routine element for you, feel free to let me know. Appreciation, in whatever form, is always nice - I don't care who you are, if you say you don't want any appreciation for the things you do, you're lying.)

Tuna salad ciabatta. Hmmmmmmm, life is good.