Vin Brocki: Blogging

Meet Pilly.
He’s an old prescription bottle well past his expiration date — dusty, cranky, and armed with more sarcasm than tablets. Once the pride of the medicine cabinet, now he’s stuck in the back of a drawer, reflecting on aging, relevance, and why everyone left him for a gummy.

Beginning in October, you’ll see this fellow on my home page in a weekly cartoon series titled “Side Effects May Include,” my co-creation with ChatGPT. Each panel is hopefully a tiny dose of humor, with side effects ranging from eye-rolling and a little chuckle, to an irresistible urge to clean up the bathroom sink.

Because if laughter really is the best medicine… Pilly’s got more to give than a cure for acid reflux.

So stop back weekly for a refill, because when your shelf life ends, the sarcasm begins.

Vin Brocki, Erie, PA, USA

September 14, 2025