Comics in Category : The Grustle Monster
Grustle Hours
Bonus Panel
Strip Info
- Title
- Grustle Hours
- Date
- July 14, 2024
- Tags
- bonus panel, capitalism, cell phone, couch, grind, hustle, Kevin, productivity, relatable, self care, side hustle, social media, The Grustle Monster
- Notes
-
I think about time a lot. Like a whole lot. There’s so much I want to do in my lifetime. So I worry that, unless I make the most of every minute, I won’t get to everything. This anxiety has made me very susceptible to productivity and hustle culture. The Grustle Monster is, obviously, the embodiment of my anxiety. I have conversations like this with him every day.
But lately, my relationship to time and achievement has been changing. Part of that has been due to several big personal events in the last year. Part of it is due to reading the book 4000 Weeks by Oliver Burkeman. Now I’m trying to think about time as this beautiful, limited resource of unknown quantity. This lovely video from my old boss Ze Frank sums it up nicely.
So do you have a Grustle Monster in your head? How do you deal with him?
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Int. Kevin’s Apartment – Day
-
Kevin lays on his couch, looking at his phone. Behind him, The Grustle Monster stands with his arms crossed.
-
- Grustle Monster
- Eight hours for sleep. Eight hours for work. Two hours for meals. One hour for exercise.
- Panel 2 : Int. Kevin’s Apartment – Continuous
-
The Grustle Monster continues.
-
- Grustle Monster
- That leaves five hours per day for your side-hustle. You say you don’t have time, but it’s your discipline that’s lacking.
- Panel 3 : Int. Kevin’s Apartment – Continuous
-
Annoyed, Kevin retorts.
-
- Kevin
- You forgot: two hours for commute, three hours for family, two hours for bathing and chores…
- Panel 4 : Int. Kevin’s Apartment – Continuous
-
The Grustle Monster does the math.
-
- Grustle Monster
- That’s twenty-seven hours per day.
- Kevin
- So piss off.
- Bonus Panel : Int. Kevin’s Apartment – Moments Later
-
Kevin, still on his couch, still looking at his phone.
-
- Grustle Monster
- Where does ‘Scrolling Social Media for Two Hours” fit?
- Kevin
- SELF CARE!
Touch Grass
Bonus Panel
Strip Info
- Title
- Touch Grass
- Date
- June 25, 2023
- Tags
- bonus panel, capitalism, computers, creativity, guilt, Kevin, mental health, nature, park, productivity, relatable, rest, self care, shame, The Grustle Monster
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Ext. Park – Afternoon
-
Kevin lies in the grass of a field on a sunny summer day. Eyes closed. Hands behind his head. Smiling.
-
- Kevin
- Aaaaah. There’s nothing like a lazy summer afternoon…
- Panel 2 : Ext. Park – Continuous
-
Closer on Kevin’s face as a strange shadow creeps over him. He opens one eye to see:
- Panel 3 : Ext. Park – Continuous
-
Kevin’s POV: The Grustle Monster standing over him, blocking out the sun. Furrowed brow. Frowning.
- Panel 4 : Ext. Park – Continuous
-
Wider to reveal The Grustle Monster looming over Kevin in a menacing way.
-
- Kevin
- Damnit I’m allowed to rest!
- Panel 5 : Ext. Park – Later
-
Later, two passersby notice Kevin sitting on the grass, his full, two-monitor desktop set up in the grass in front of him.
-
- Passerby 1
- Did that guy bring his desktop to the park?
The Side-Hustle Shuffle
Strip Info
- Title
- The Side-Hustle Shuffle
- Date
- February 26, 2023
- Tags
- couch, crafts, entrepreneur, grind, grustle, hobbies, hustle, Kevin, knitting, side hustle, The Grustle Monster
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Int. Apartment – Day
-
Kevin sits on his couch, smiling, knitting a little scarf.
-
- Kevin
- What a relaxing new hobby I’ve found!
Behind him, The Grustle Monster rears up.
- Grustle Monster
- TURN IT INTO A SIDE HUSTLE!
- Panel 2 : Int. Apartment – Continuous
-
Shocked, Kevin turns around to address The Grustle Monster.
-
- Kevin
- C-can’t I just enjoy it?
- Grustle Monster
- NO! MAKE YOUR PASSION YOUR PASSIVE INCOME!
- Panel 3 : Int. Apartment – Continuous
-
Kevin begins to interject, but The Grustle Monster yells in his face.
-
- Kevin
- But-
- Grustle Monster
- MONETIZE YOUR FREE TIME!
- Panel 4 : Int. Craft Fair – Continuous
-
Kevin sits, cross-armed and scowling, behind a table at a craft fair. On the table, several of his knitted scarves are displayed. A sign above the table reads “Kevin’s Stupid Scarves. $20 or whatever.”
Prime Grind Time
Strip Info
- Title
- Prime Grind Time
- Date
- December 30, 2022
- Tags
- capitalism, grustle, holidays, Kevin, productivity, relatable, self care, The Grustle Monster
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Int. Office – Day
-
Kevin sits as his desk, looking over at calendar hanging on the wall. The calendar reads “December.” All of the days are crossed off except for the last week.
-
- Kevin
- Ahh! The week between Christmas and New Year’s: when no one expects me to work…
- Panel 2 : Int. Office – Continuous
-
A wider angle reveals The Grustle Monster standing behind Kevin, arms crossed.
-
- Grustle Monster
- EXCEPT ME.
- Kevin
- …Except my Grustle Monster.
- Panel 3 : Int. Office – Continuous
-
The Grustle Monster looms over Kevin as he draws.
-
- Grustle Monster
- NO DAYS OFF, BRO. THIS IS PRIME GRIND TIME.
- Kevin
- …Which is why I feel compelled to draw a comic instead of relaxing.
- Panel 4 : Int. Office – Continuous
-
The Grustle Monster continues.
-
- Grustle Monster
- YOU’LL THANK ME WHEN YOU’RE RICH.
- Kevin
- From comics? Do you even hear yourself?
The Dedicated Practice of a Future Prodigy
Strip Info
- Title
- The Dedicated Practice of a Future Prodigy
- Date
- September 11, 2022
- Tags
- capitalism, couch, esports, gaming, grind, grustle, hustle, Kevin, productivity, self care, The Grustle Monster, video games
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Int. Living Room – Day
-
The Grustle Monster sits, arms folded, next to Kevin, gaming, on the couch.
-
- Grustle Monster
- GAMING IS A WASTE OF TIME.
- Kevin
- -Sigh- C’mon, man. Please just let me relax.
- Panel 2 : Int. Living Room – Continuous
-
The Grustle Monster continues.
-
- Grustle Monster
- RELAXING DOESN’T GET YOU CLOSER TO YOUR GOALS.
- Kevin
- Fine. What if my goal is to become an esports pro?
- Panel 3 : Int. Living Room – Continuous
-
Kevin continues.
-
- Kevin
- Suddenly, this isn’t wasted time, but the dedicated practice of a future prodigy.
- Panel 4 : Int. Living Room – Continuous
-
The Grustle Monster retorts.
-
- Grustle Monster
- YOU’VE BEEN STUCK ON THE TUTORIAL LEVEL FOR WEEKS!
- Kevin
- IT’S HARD!
The Grustle Monster Cometh
Strip Info
- Title
- The Grustle Monster Cometh
- Date
- September 4, 2022
- Tags
- creativity, creator economy, fomo, grind, grustle, hustle, Kevin, motivation, productivity, relatable, self care, The Grustle Monster
Transcript
- Panel 1 : Int. Bedroom – Night
-
Kevin lays in bed, startled awake by a large, purple monster kicking in the door. Across the monster’s chest, the word “GRUSTLE” is written.
-
- The Grustle Monster
- WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN BED? AMBITION NEVER SLEEPS!
- Panel 2 : Int. Bedroom – Continuous
-
The monster jumps on the foot of Kevin’s bed, causing it and Kevin to shoot up at attention.
-
- The Grusle Monster
- WHILE YOU’RE IN HERE, SOMEONE’S OUT THERE STEALING YOUR SUCCESS!
- Panel 3 : Int. Bedroom – Continuous
-
The monster bellows.
-
- The Grustle Monster
- GET UP! GET OUT!! GET TO WORK!!!
- Kevin
- AAAAAAH!!!!
- Panel 4 : Int. Office Breakroom – Later
-
Hunched over his coffee, disheveled, with a crazy look in his eye, Kevin twitches as his coworker makes a dry observation.
-
- Coworker
- Dude, you look like crap.
- Kevin
- Can’t sleep… Grustle Monster will get me!
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