What Are You Doing New Years Eve?

I don't have the luxury of a wealthy family and so many other risk takers have a spouse with a good incomes and there are other factors in lives that support entrepreneurial endeavors but I can boast of none of that. Without an inherent amount of dough it becomes necessary for the cook to get creative and since creativity is my business, I should get to cooking.

Mindset is number one. I have a lot going for me and if I can focus on that and not the real or perceived obstacles, I'm certain we'll have good results in 22.

Talking no more. The time is now.

Making Up for Lost Time

The Continuing Story

I've often described drawing as a form of writing. I'm also aware that good writing and good drawing, when combined, has the potential of providing the artist/author with a much better chance at success. Of course, there are other factors involved but to own those two attributes is like owning an untapped diamond mine.

Countless occasions I've used sketchbooks as a graphic diary and it brings much credibility to the adage "a picture is worth 1000 words" because, upon opening an old sketchbook, I can recall the circumstances I was under at the time I drew the picture. 

I also write much. In fact, writing might be as much of a habit to me as drawing and when I combine the two disciplines there's no end to the possibilities. 

So, tomorrow is my 60th birthday and I've yet to succeed at drawing, writing or drawing/writing. What authority or credibility am I using to make the above claim? Has it simply taken me this long to come to the realization that I possess skills that will take me to the top as others have encouraged me to do? Am I a victim of my life-long habit of being a working stiff; a belief I was indoctrinated into from childhood?

Stay tuned.

Mice and Men

I've come to discover, especially in these last days of 2021, that some of my best days have been when I wasn't feeling so well. The work I do is generally fun but it isn't always fun.

I've laid out my plans for the year to come and if the past is of any value, I need to accept the fact that I'll be punched in the face. I need to be flexible, improvise, adapt and overcome.

It's mine!

We all are familiar with the post Christmas blues and even though we still have New Year's Day to celebrate  (and I personally have a birthday sandwiched in there) it seems I consistently suffer this malaise. Is it because the joy of Christmas is over? Is it getting back to the routine work week, the thought of which can be depressing? Is it the prospect of just repeating another year? Is it that I feel I could have had a better holiday if I had a better year?

In all my years, especially since my self-employment ventures, I've concluded there are as many theories and formulas on success as there are people, and for me, the truth is that the best method of success is the one that works for me. 

The bottom line is, I can't find inner peace and self-satisfaction by copying someone else's ways. I can learn from others. I can emulate and admire them, but whatever works for me needs to be mine alone. 

It's not unlike my artwork. I have my own style and when I copy someone else, my work looses power and credibility. My work must be my work. So, in extending that to all things, I can't find satisfaction at years end if I sought someone else's approval but only if  I was productive enough to get my results. 

The other side of that coin is earning a living and if we can earn a living with our calling, it's even better. I'll save that thought for another post.

 

Santa Takes Round Two

Boxing Day in England is something I never really understood or cared to, for that matter, until I married Tracy. She brought so much more to Christmas I've never been exposed to and among other things,I learned of Boxing Day. Her mother, being a Brit herself, contributed to my Christmas expansion of knowledge.

Scrooge the Protagonist

There have been some in the literary world who are sympathetic to Scrooge because he is the most authentic amongst all the characters. Scrooge regards Christmas as a "humbug" because for 364 days a year, people are the usual cruel, self-absorbed rabble who on Christmas day cover up their true self with counterfeit benevolence. He, some say,  is the only one in the story with the courage necessary to call them out. 

 

Yule Get There.

I've had an actual "yule log" in the garage for about 5 years anticipating having a place to use it instead of these restrictive apartments. In lieu of the actual log, I burned a candle.

One Small Step for a Man

As we're all approaching the end of the year, it's common to reflect back on the year just passed in review. In my case I have to confess I've had worse years. 

I set a goal to publish a book and I did. I committed to selling t-shirts and I did. I committed to more drawing instruction, more gigs and I did. I also vowed to focus more on illustrations and less on my window cleaning line of work, which I've done with a small degree of success.

Needless to say, there are many areas I could use improving such as book publishing, more t-shirts and other merch, more and permanent drawing instruction, more gigs and commisions and having BDI as my only means of income.

If I were to use historical analogy, I'd say 2021 was the equivalent of the first year of the Mercury project in the space race. I've made a couple of suborbital hops but better things are ahead.

Right Song, Wrong Year

I posted the above illustration on social media and it's turned out to be wrong because the information is correct except for the date. Jingle Bells was played in 1964 on a Gemini flight and not on Apollo 8 in 1968.

Let's hope no one does a fact check. 

Drawing is Sexy?

I've never been the sexy type as I've been a rather plain looking fellow all my life but I'd like to think drawing brings out the stud in me.

Actually, I view my artistic abilities as one of those rare and enviable talents most people see as a gift which isn't a gift at all. It takes hard work.

Minute Man

In the middle of a quiet dinner at home on Saturday night I got a request to draw for a small party which was to be held within an hour of the phone call. Since it was close by and the people were friends, I accepted. 

No Excuse

Having no job, but rather being self-employed' there are disciplines required of me that are not required of those with jobs. Among these practices is the necessity to remind myself of the projects and requirements I've set for which I alone am responsible. No one is available to order me to get to work or remind me when something is due.

I've made the commitment of 1,000 blog posts in 1,000 days and I've already let yesterday slip by without a blog post. In todays environment and technology I have no excuse for missing it. In fact, no matter which era in which I could have lived, there is no excuse.

 

I Don't Feel Like Fulfilling My Destiny Today

Mornings have always been the best time of day for me. It's when I feel best, I'm most optimistic, I'm most productive and I feel like nothing is impossible. Then the problems of the day, my energy levels and life in general slap me around as the morning turns into afternoon and the  optimistic productivity I had early on, begins to wain. This is a great reason why looking outside myself for a source of strength is so critical. 

Doing only that which I feel like doing is a recipe for disaster and to either pace my morning glee to proceed into afternoons or keeping the same or near same energy levels throughout the day requires a commitment to having the right mindset. 

 

The Dickens You Say

 Reading Dickens when I would rather be abed is a habit I've owned since childhood. It's been said that "going to bed the same day one eats breakfast is uncivilized". He mustn't have been as stricken as I. 

Alone Again, Naturally

So often my best times are the times I I spend alone. It's been said that so many people can't spend 15 minutes doing nothing. I don't have that problem.

State of Denial

It's been said others recognize our gifts before we do and it may be true but it's also true that others see our laziness before we do. It's not unlike an alcoholic who dosent admit he's is an addict even though everyone else clearly knows he is.

Not So Unsolicited Advice?

 As I was drawing caricatures at a company Christmas party in Baytown yesterday, a mother and her 6 year old son sat down in the hot seat for me to draw. Much  of the time, during these moments, I'll  exchange small talk with the customer and so many of the conversations veer toward the parent mentioning how talented their child is at drawing. Frankly speaking, it happens so often I hardly recognize it but this one was a little different.

This lady mentioned how so many have told her to steer her kids in directions other than art because there isn't much of a future in it and I bridled a bit at that statement and, without going into it very much I mentioned how that is a general perception among non-artists. Most people are unqualified to make such a statement just as I am not qualified to make any presumption about any vocation I know nothing about, like nuclear engineering for example. 

People can succeed or fail in anything and, in fact, do. There are successful doctors and mediocre ones. There are successful writers and mediocre ones. The same is true in any career: carpenters, welders, lawyers, educators, firefighters, garbage collectors, janitors, insurance salesmen, window washers. You can name any profession and you'll find success as well as failure. The same is true with art.

I advised her that if her son is interested in art then encourage him to commit to it and ignore everyone else. 

 

What was I Thinking

The wind was doing about 25 mph and the wind chill was in the 40s but even doing doing fun things isn't always fun. Today in Baytown was a company Xmas party gig and I must admit, it made for squiggly lines from my shivering cold reaction to the weather. 

1000 Days of Blogging

I recently gave a presentation to a small group of people about how learning to draw can help people do everything better and it included a brief rundown about everything I do in relation to my artwork. The list was considerable and included caricatures, merchandise, sales, commissions among other things, including work which has nothing to do with Bob Doll Ink but is necessary for me to make ends meet. 

After the presentation was over I considered an issue that arose in my mind which is, if I have these various projects I'm working on, why am I living a life of scarcity? I have enough projects so that I should be earning more income.

I know there are people and artists with no more talent that me but are far more successful. and without getting into the particulars, I've been around long enough, and have enough experience in self-employment to know the answer. 

Years ago, as a young Marine, I learned early in boot camp that it doesn't matter how well armed a warrior is or how athletic he is or how well supported. Victory or defeat lies between the ears. It's all about mindset.

I commonly listen to a podcast by Vincent Pugliese called The Total Life Freedom Podcast and on his December 3 show he described his commitment to producing one podcast everyday for 1000 consecutive days to gain followers and customers among other things. I thought about it and even though I have no plans for podcasting (my work is visual), I am a blogger. So, I've made a commitment to 1000 blog posts in 1000 consecutive days, starting today, for the same purposes. I know the why and how of the posts which, for now, I will keep to myself to save for other posts, but suffice it to say this is just one tactic I'll use in making BDI a success and quit living a life of scarcity.