The End of January

A page from my sketchbook.

A doodle.

I am not a doodler by nature. But I am trying to doodle more. And play more. And “lighten up” more. Funny – she doesn’t look very “light” does she? Not intended to be sad – I think she looks sad – intended to be more “wishful.” Or is that “wistful?” I was thinking about how much I don’t remember from high school and how much I would like to still learn and understand. I wish I could have known when I was younger how interesting I would find math and science when I was older. And history. School was so easy for me – I didn’t have to study, didn’t have to try very hard, and I didn’t comprehend the importance of hardly anything – let alone academic stuff. I would have paid more attention then if I had only known.

Here’s another page from my sketchbook.

Warning: Rant to follow

I heard about Zentangling and was curious about it. The doodle above the bird is a Zentangle pattern. I have been playing around with it a little bit and while it is fun, sort of mindless, kind of relaxing and a bit of a mental vacation – I also find myself having mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I applaud the “founders” of Zentangling who have taken age old patterns and designs, registered and trademarked the name, systemized it and made a business out of it. Good for them. I love an entrepreneur!

On the other hand it irritates the heck out of me that just like Al Gore and his cohorts found a way to make money out of thin air with carbon credits – these people have found a way to make money from free and ancient patterns and designs.

I lean more toward rooting and cheering the Zentangling people on than not. It brings a lot of people joy and healing and fun, and unlike the Global Warming people, no one is trying to force anyone to buy into their program. Totally the opposite of the nonsense that the Al Gore crowd tries to pressure, guilt and foist on us.

Yay for the Zentanglers.

End of Rant – for now…