When the clock strikes dump him

Equinox nerds may quibble, but as far as I’m concerned, now is Fall. Goodbye, summer! You were tumultuous, busy, and hot, and you wore me out. Now all I want to do is snarf crisp air (not happening; outside is a swamp), engage in stimulating philosophical inquiry (also not happening: my speaking gig just got cancelled because of an impending hurricane), make meaningful art (I just scrawled “I WANT” in red paint on a piece of looseleaf), and eat soup (OK, this one is happening: last night I ordered chicken soup at a bar, when the rest of the party ordered negronis).

A few months back, I said I’d be re-upping my commitment to regular advice columns come Fall. Well, call me Nickel Lips, because this is me putting my money where my mouth is. I’ve even revamped my questions form. Ask yourself: would someone who wasn’t money-mouthed do that?

Submit your anonymous questions here!

So please write in, and I’ll do my best to promptly scribble my thoughts. If I don’t, call me out on it and I’ll eat some dimes in penance.

Speaking of new seasons: let’s get to this week’s question, which is about breakups. Read on!

x,
S

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Dear Sofia,
How do you know when it's time to break up with someone even though you still love them? We're reaching a point where it feels inevitable but the thought of being apart feels like the worst thing in the universe. We've been together for so long and they are my best friend. Help.

A few things:

• I’m teaching a beginners’ comics workshop through the Center for Fiction! It’s online on October 7th and 8th (a weekend). It’s gonna be fun! Sign up here.

• You may have seen that I’m now posting diary comics behind the paywall of this newsletter. If you’ve already upgraded to a paid subscription: thank you so much! It makes a real difference materially, and it puts another drop in my self-esteem cup. If you haven’t signed up but want to hear about, say, my cousin’s bonkers wedding, or my attempts driving a stick shift up the Alps, tap below!

• As always, thank you so much for reading: your eyes? On my drawings? It plucks at the heartstrings. If you want to turn that single heartnote into a sweet little melody, you can keep on plucking on these here buttons: