As I get older I tend to look back on some of the choices I’ve made in the past and wonder ‘what was I thinking?’. (Did I really wear platform shoes and polyester suits with bell-bottomed pants? Yes. And actually dance to disco music? Yes again. Did I dare mix peanut butter and chocolate before Reeses was invented? So true)
Is having these thoughts of ‘what if the road I took was a different one would my life be markedly different’ the same for everyone as you age? Do we all have a white John Travolta-type suit hanging in our closets waiting to be worn during that next disco dance to stardom? Or will it simply stay in the closet protected by moth balls, never to be used again? Have I ‘evolved’ or simply gone along for the ride?
Someone once said to me that he was an expert in his chosen field because he had twenty years experience on the job (and with the same company for the entire time).
I was suitably impressed then sat and thought more about that statement a bit. (while I ate a few peanut butter cups in my now chocolate stained white suit.)
What was he really saying?
Was it, “I have twenty year’s experience on the job” or rather, “I have one year’s experience twenty times.”
Had he ‘evolved’ or just remained relatively the same?
Perhaps that is a question that can only be answered by a higher authority than I.(my wife)
Perhaps there is no ‘right’ answer; only ‘lefts’. (and sometimes the odd middle)
Perhaps every bone is connected, and it doesn’t matter what road you take so long as you don’t fall over a rock (or from platform shoes) and break any of them.
Maybe I need to make a list of things that had circumstances been different I might have done.
Maybe I need to actually ‘do’ some of those things on that list. Experience them fully without bumping into, well, you know, the boney guy in the dark robe. (Question: Did ‘Death’ ever have any ‘life’ choices? Just wondering.)
Maybe I need to ‘walk the walk’ and not’ talk the talk’.
Maybe I should check my thesaurus and find another word (s) to use instead of ‘maybe’ all the time.
Life is definitely full of multiple choices.
You say ‘tomehto; I say ‘tomahto’. You say ‘potehto’; I say ‘potahto’.
Everything is relative.
And, speaking of relatives, I wonder what this fish did evolve in to? (maybe me) But, it would have stayed the same had it not left the security of the pond.
So, is it time for a change? Are you ready to leave the warm waters of ‘same old, same old’?
If so, then I humbly suggest you take along some scuba gear. You may occasionally wish to return to your humble beginnings for a bit of familiarity from time-to-time, and to visit those whose road was not as dry and traveled as yours.
Remember, evolution waits for no one. And no one evolves waiting.
Here again is my cat Subira. (I’ve mentioned her before in a previous post) She is an absolutely adorable sweetie, and as you know I always run my cartoons by her for an opinion. (for this photo I shot it through my glass back doors. She is waiting patiently for me to take her out for her walk, which I do everyday on a leash. Weather permitting of course. She does not like her delicate toes to get too wet or too cold.)
Today, she asked if I would let her pick some of her favourites from the catalogue of Mustard and Boloney cartoons to place into this post. I said sure! So, take it away Subira!!
This one (just completed) seemed to catch her eye. (oddly enough, even though Subira does not
drink when she is playing those beautiful blue eyes turn completely blood red. Mmnnn. I do check her breath; nothing but kibble odour there.)
She even has a habit of lying on her back with her tummy exposed. Life imitating art?
This next one she wanted in as she loved the twist on a familiar theme. She has nothing against dogs; as a matter of fact she actually likes them, and when we are out walking she goes right over to meet them. She is extremely social. 
As you know cats need their beauty sleep and Subira is no exception. Here she has curled up into my clothes box for a quick snooze. (all this cartoon picking has worn her
out) This momentary break gives me time to create fresh material and do some much needed laundry.
(Her naps can take a while so you may want to go to the fridge for a beer and a sandwich. Maybe even take in a movie.)
She’s awake again! But we’ll be a few minutes more as she needs a snack, some play time and a quick walk around the block to meet and greet her other furry friends. Ah, to be a cartoonist’s cat.
Again looking back over some of the past panels she selected this classic as her next offering.
Actually, it was the very first cartoon Alexandre (Boloney) and I ever did. (it still actually makes me laugh out loud) This cartoon is also
featured in our latest book entitled: ‘Butt Seriously’. (get your copy here)
Every time Subira sees this cartoon she rolls over onto her back and smiles. (and every time she does that I immediately check her breath; still kibbliy)
Good choice!
I read the paper every morning over breakfast to know what goes on in the world. And Subira – like any cat – likes to flop down onto the newspaper, causing me to have to read 
around her body.
She chose this next cartoon in response to what we have read together. (she bribed me with some of her kibble to print it.)
I find cartoons great in that they can convey so much in so little space – one frame!
As you can see Subira is resting now after having done the bulk of the work for this post. (it would be even more helpful to me if she could type.)
I must let her do this again sometime.
Perhaps on her birthday in April.
She is so purrfect at selecting cartoons!!
DEATH. Now there’s an attention grabber if I ever wrote one. It’s a fascinating subject and people throughout the ages have often wondered what exactly comes next.
Take this fellow here who clearly feels very optimistic about his afterlife. His idea of heaven definitely involves taking in all those network pay-per-view programs, (ones he could never afford while alive) now for free! And unlimited!! (I’m sure God has access to everything – including HBO and his streaming speeds must be out of this world!) The guy in the coffin can now relax and watch ‘The Walking Dead’ he’s heard so much about. (It would probably royally screw up his day if he – in fact – turned into said Zombie or went to Hell).
As for me I feel that once it’s over, it’s over. So you’d better enjoy it now while you can.
Why do they call ‘him’ the Grim reaper anyway? It’s not like we ever see his face hidden inside that robe of his. Maybe he’s a happy sort who has things to do just like the rest of us. His job just happens to be a little different, agreed, but hey, somebody’s got to do it. Right? (at least with that robe on he won’t need strength 50 sunblock. We wouldn’t want his bones to be tanned now would we? And, I’m sure he’s wearing a thong under there. Just saying.)
Interestingly in 1934 a film was made entitled: ‘Death Takes A Holiday’. It starred Frederick March (an excellent actor) as the ‘Grim Reaper’ himself. The premise of the picture was that he (Devil) takes on human form for a few days to walk amongst the living to find out why they fear him and dying so much. Duh. He needn’t have gone to all that trouble. He should have simply gotten a paying job at the NSA and taken it from there.
Friends? Well, I’d say he has a few at least, although I doubt they serf. (Here they’re enjoying a few brews and discussing how a turkey like ‘Horrible Bosses 2’ ever got made.)
When I go I want it to be a joyous occasion; one not marred by the fact I’ll never write another 
noteworthy or humourous post again. (some readers are probably praying for that right now).
As Woody Allen says, ‘I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it through not dying.”
I say just pack me in water when my time comes! We began in the sea and back to the sea we go. (although, I can’t swim so I’m liable to drown, again)
Actually when an environmentalist such as myself does eventually go I’ve asked for an eco-friendly burial. This is where you are simply placed into a sack (no chemicals added – especially aspartame) and buried in the forest. Instead of a marker, wildflowers are planted.
Oh, and make sure the remote control is tossed in with me.(it’s in my will) I wouldn’t want to miss an important game.
As Bill Shankly so aptly said, “Some people think football is a matter of life and death. It’s much more serious than that.”
You think?
As I get older I tend to look back on some of the choices that I’ve made in the past. (did I really want fries with that? Should I have gone with salad? Or would I have been happy enough with just the burger? ) Is it the same for everyone as you age? What might the outcome of something had been if I’d chosen a completely different menu path? (I’d probably not be as heavy if only I had of avoided those tasty fries; thank heavens for Lipitor) Have I ‘evolved’ or simply gone along for the ride?
Someone once said to me that he was an expert in his chosen field because he had twenty years experience on the job (and with the same company).
I was suitably impressed then sat and thought more about that statement a bit. (while I ate a few fries) What was he really saying? Was it, “I have twenty years experience on the job” or rather, “I have one years experience twenty times.” Had he ‘evolved’ or just remained relatively the same?
Perhaps that is a question that can only be answered by a higher authority than I.
Perhaps there is no ‘right’ answer; only lefts.
Perhaps every bone is connected, and it doesn’t matter what road you take so long as you don’t fall over a rock (or untied shoelace) and break any of them.
Maybe I need to make a list of things that had circumstances been different I might have done.
Maybe I need to actually ‘do’ some of those things on that list. Experience them fully without bumping into..well, you know..the guy in the dark robe.
Maybe I need to ‘walk the walk’ and not’ talk the talk’.
Maybe I should check my thesaurus and find another word (s) to use instead of ‘maybe’ all the time.
Life is definitely full of multiple choices.
You say ‘tomato; I say ‘tomahto’. You say ‘potato’; I say ‘potahto’.
Everything is relative.
And, speaking of relatives, I wonder what this fish did evolve in to? (maybe me) But, it would have stayed the same had it not left the security of the pond.
So, is it time for a change? Are you ready to leave the warm waters of ‘same old, same old’?
If so, then I humbly suggest you take along some scuba gear. You may occasionally wish to return to your humble beginnings for a bit of familiarity from time-to-time, and to visit those whose road was not as dry and traveled as yours.
