The Bully’s Fear – Bully Week #1
It’s not bullony that it’s officially Bully Week at the NDD!
Tell us a bully story of yours and what your thoughts are about it now.
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Drawing by Marty Coleman
Quote by Eric Hoffer
Being Perfect is Being Alone – Perfect Perfectionist series #4
It may be another week but it’s still the perfect day to continue my perfection series.
Do you know anyone who is perfect? See, proves my point. All perfect people are alone. And all who pretend to be perfect, they end up alone too. Maybe not physically alone, but emotionally and socially they quite likely will be. This will be especially true if they combine their perfection with judgment.
But wasn’t Jesus perfect? Personally I don’t think he was. I think he had imperfect reactions at times. For example, I think he was often annoyed and impatient with his followers (including his mother) instead of being understanding and patient. Realistically, I think he might have been grumpy and short with people if he was too hungry. He seems to have been harsh and a bit mean to whole groups of religious folks (the pharisees come to mind). He certainly was inconsiderate to his parents when he stayed behind in the temple when he should have been with them on the journey home. I think of Jesus as one who moved towards perfection much faster and with more courage than others (especially me) but I don’t think he was perfect.
Are you perfect? Or perhaps you just play a perfect person in real life? Either way you are probably much more alone than you wish to be. It’s not fun being #1 and alone. I bet you will find a lot of loving people ready to support and help you when you allow your honest, imperfect self to show through.
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Drawing, quote and commentary by Marty Coleman, who humbly submits that he has perfected the art of being imperfect.
Worth Sharing:
Perfection and Progress – The Perfect Perfectionist series #3
It’s hard to improve on yesterday’s I know, but here is #3 of Perfectionist week.
I doubt many perfectionists would agree with this. But if you are a perfectionist and you believe in improvement how do you explain your constant belittling of yourself and your efforts while in the very act of improving? You know that you have to not be perfect in order to improve, otherwise you would already have achieved what you were attempting, right? If you believe in improvement in life, work, relationships, hobbies, creativity, art, and more then you should aspire to improve, not to be perfect.
What do you perfectionists think? Do you agree with the quote and with me or do you disagree?
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman, who is Wabi Sabi.
Quote by Mr. Anonymous
Worth Sharing:
Nice and Imperfect – The Perfect Perfectionist series #2
It’s a perfect day to give you #2 of my Perfectionist series.
Really? How you stand apart from others, how you are imperfect, brings joy? Sometimes it brings the bad kind of joy that isn’t really joy at all. It’s gossipy, mean-spirited, resentful, entertaining judgment disguised as joy. That is what much of today’s reality TV is based on. Real housewives, top models, bad restaurant and salon owners, locals who aren’t local to your locale, celebrities who wear something odd, anyone who can be seen as displaying what we would never do, wear, say, eat, play or believe. That is the ‘I will look at you, laugh at you and judge you so I can feel better about myself’ sort of joy. If that is what you indulge in, you are not only not doing yourself or your world any favors, you actually are doing damage to yourself and those around you.
So, can how you stand apart, how you are imperfect, bring legitimate joy? Yes, you can obviously bring joy when you are a good example in your imperfection. Maybe overcoming an obstacle, maybe fighting back from a setback. Or perhaps you are a going to only be a vehicle for joy by being a warning to others about how not to proceed in life; not a good example, but a bad example.
By the way, I allowed a few ‘imperfections’ to stay in the drawing, can you find them?
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I happened upon a fantastic TED lecture this morning by Brene Brown. It addresses the idea of shame and vulnerability in a very compelling way. And it struck me that it really was addressing the issue of perfectionism and the fear of judgment as well. Find some time today to watch (or just listen to) this 20 minute presentation. It is well worth it and illuminates many ideas that are worth considering. Plus she is funny as all get out.
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Drawing by Marty Coleman, who is ashamed to admit many things.
Quote by Doug Larson, 1926 – not dead yet, American journalist
Worth Sharing:
The Perfect Perfectionist Series #1
You know what would be perfect? If I did a series on Perfectionism.
First, a disclaimer. I am not a perfectionist nor do I play one on TV.
A regular reader and commenter on my blog, Agnes, said I should do a series on perfectionism. it was perfect timing for her to say so because I had just finished giving a presentation at the 2nd annual Social Media Tulsa Conference on ‘The Six Stop Signs on Creativity Road’ and one of the stop signs is about perfectionism. As I gave the presentation I wished I had more time to spend on that topic. Now I do.
Let’s start Perfectionism week out with 2 questions to set the stage and get our definitions out there.
What is your definition of perfect?
What, within humankind’s thought and creation, can be, or is, perfect?
I will give my answers in the comments after a while.
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Drawing by Marty Coleman, who thinks Oreos are perfect.
Quote by Winston Churchill, who liked a good cigar.
Worth Sharing:
When In Doubt – Writing Lesson #8
Here is another in my ongoing series of Writing Lessons. I think I will go to 10 and then the series will be complete. Any good lessons you can think of that I should consider for the final 2?
What does a man coming through a door with a gun do for a story?
It causes anticipation. If you are in doubt about the direction of your story it is likely due to you yourself having lost that anticipation of what is going to happen. So, gun or not, door or not, make something that will cause you feel anticipation about the future of the story and you can guarantee your readers will feel it too.
It causes mortal fear. If you are in doubt about issues you are really dealing with in your story add in the fear of death and it will clarify your thinking on your reasons for writing the story. It will also clarify the course of the story for the reader.
It causes anger. Someone is about to violate one of the prime tenets of civilization, respecting other people’s right to their life. What is causing this person to reach that point in life? Or what is causing the person to protect others from that threat?
It causes humor. Nothing is more absurd than seeing a man or woman out of their comfort zone. Put the gun in the hand of a pageant queen or a elitist intellectual who has never seen a gun before and it could get pretty funny.
It obviously doesn’t have to be a man with a gun. But when it doubt, think about what might reignite anticipation, fear, anger or humor in yourself and the reader and you will be well on your way to clarifying your doubting thoughts.
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman, who last fired a gun while skeet shooting as a teenager.
Quote by Raymond Chandler, 1888 – 1959, American Novelist and Screenwriter
Worth Sharing:
Pissing in the Wind
While I am attending and speaking at Social Media Tulsa I thought I would post selections from my ‘Networking’ series that I drew in 2011.
Ok, so I am speaking at the 2012 Social Media Tulsa Conference today. I am not too worried about the information I let out while I am there. I don’t drink so it’s not likely I will get drunk and say something stupid. Then again, I can say stupid things while totally sober. But I do have information to give, that is why I am speaking there. And I don’t want all of that information to get out beforehand, at least not in it’s complete form, until I am ready to present it. Some is good, but all would diminish my presentation and I don’t want that.
But for me to have a successful trip it will come down to editing my information. Not just my presentation information, but ALL my information. Is what I am talking about while I am at SMTulsa going to be focused or is it going to be just a big hot mess of whatever. Am I going to be on plan, on target while I am there, trying to learn and help others learn or am I going to be distracted in both my commmunication and in who and what I pay attention to? I don’t mean I will not allow serendipity and casual conversation, of course I will. but I don’t want to spend an hour talking about some digital tool I have no intention or ability to use just because they are giving away something shiny. I don’t want to forget why I am there and what my goals are.
I don’t want to be pissing into the wind.
Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman of The Napkin Dad Daily
Quote by Keith Henson, 1942-not dead yet, American electrical Engineer and founder of the L5 Society – promoting of space colonization.
Worth Sharing:
Networking 101 – Who Knows You?
I am off to the Social Media Tulsa Conference today and tomorrow. I drew this series originally right before going to Blog World in LA in 2011. They fit perfectly once again as I network here in Oklahoma.
I am not a blogging superstar. I am a blogger, and I do have plenty who read and follow the NDD but I am not a superstar in the national blogging community. But I am going to be at Social Media Tulsa and in Tulsa I get a fair amount of publicity for myself. Some people will know who I am and I won’t know who they are. But there are some bigger names who will be there whom I follow on twitter and Facebook, read their blog and generally think are pretty awesome. I will introduce myself to them and if I am lucky they might have noticed I like a lot of their photos or tend to say interesting things in their comment section. It’s just as likely they won’t know who I am at all.
In the world of networking it’s critical to realize that networking goes on about you even when you aren’t there. Do you say dopey or belligerent things on people’s blogs? Do you force transparent personal advertising on people? Do you have an agenda for every conversation, every interaction? Then guess what? People may indeed know you by knowing of you. And what they know, well before they meet you in person, will not be favorable.
If you want to have people know and care you in the networking world you have to care about knowing them, not just having them know you.
Drawing (originally posted Nov. 2012) and commentary by Marty Coleman
Worth Sharing:
Networking in the Social Media World – Social Media Tulsa #1
I drew the napkins I am going to post over the next few days back in October when I spoke at Blog World in Los Angeles. I thought they would be appropriate to post again for the people attending Social Media Tulsa this week, where I am speaking.
It’s such a well understood idea that it is a cliche: You must cultivate relationships in networking to get ahead. I agree with it, as far as it goes. The problem is it doesn’t go far enough. It is not enough to collect contacts like so many vegetables at harvest time. For me to feel and be successful at networking I want to transform my private garden into a community teaching garden.
I have many areas where I need the expertise of other gardeners in the Social Media world. Wordpress, twitter, publishing, database development, monetizing, you name it, I need help with it. But I also have some expertise as well; art, design, writing, content creation, If I want my fellow gardeners to help me in my areas of need then I need to be willing to help them in theirs.
But wait, isn’t that what I am doing by speaking at these conferences? Yes, it is what I am doing and I am very hopeful my session, Six Stop Signs on Creativity Road (Friday 2:15 pm) will be of great benefit to many. But my session is going to last an hour. With people talking to me after (if I am lucky), maybe another 45 minutes. The Social Media Tulsa conference lasts 2 days. Am I going to single-mindedly pursue harvesting from other people’s garden during the other 46 hours or am I going to set in my mind that I am in a community garden where I will look for opportunities to plant encouragement, motivation, inspiration, knowledge and friendship in at least equal portion to what I harvest for myself?
I like a community garden.
Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman, The Napkin Dad
Worth Sharing:
Artists I Love – Andy Goldsworthy – Winter Weekend Series
We are getting into contemporary artists now and we also are moving away from painting and drawing. Here is one of the artists that most inspire me and keep me looking for joy and wonder in the world, Andy Goldsworthy.
Andy Goldsworthy – Dandelions and Hole
Goldsworthy is a British artist who works exclusively with nature and natural elements. He explores his environment and takes from it, creating all his pieces using only what the environment provides. That includes the binding elements that keep the pieces together. Usually those binding elements consist of stems, ice, grass, or just gravity.
Andy Goldsworthy – Boulder Covered in Green and Yellow leaves
Here is what it’s all about for me: One of my favorite joys in the world is turning the corner in life and discovering the unexpected before me. It might be a woman with a cool hat, it might be a funny looking stick on the ground, it doesn’t really matter. I just love the joy I feel at that moment. Can you imagine taking a walk in the forest and seeing this at the edge of a creek without knowing it was there? Not knowing how it could exist? Goldsworthy takes me to that place artistically more than any other artist. His pieces can be happened upon by unsuspecting folk. It’s the most elemental of artmaking and I love that.
Andy Goldsworthy – Gold Banded Tree
Andy Goldsworthy – Stone Circle Gray
Goldsworthy – Rocks and Sticks
Andy Goldsworthy – Green to Yellow Leaves
Andy Goldsworthy – Stone and Tree
Andy Goldsworthy – Winding Wall in Winter
Andy Goldsworthy – Pink Wall
His output is extraordinary. I have only seen one of his pieces in person and that was with my daughter Rebekah at the National Museum of Art in Washington D.C.
Andy Goldsworthy – Roof
His work is ephemeral in that none of it is built to last. The pieces either float away, melt, disintegrate, fall down or otherwise go away. His museum installations aren’t permanent either. If you would like to see more of his work the best way is to get his books, he has published many. I have the book called ‘Stone’ and it’s beautiful. He has a movie you can find online or on Netflix called ‘Rivers and Tides’ that is well worth watching.
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Fall/Winter 2016
Winter/Spring 2015
Summer 2014
Winter 2012/2013
- Week #5 – Francisco Goya
- Week #4 – Robert Irwin
- Week #3 – Veruschka
- Week #2 – Albrecht Durer
- Week #1 – Roger Brown
Winter 2011/2012
- Week #10 – Coco Larrain
- Week #9 – Nina Levy
- Week #8 – Andy Goldsworthy
- Week #7 – Wayne Thiebaud
- Week #6 – Richard Diebenkorn
- Week #5 – Roy Lichtenstein
- Week #4 – Thomas Hart Benton
- Week #3 – Edward Hopper
- Week #2 – Henri Matisse
- Week #1 – Rembrandt
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Worth Sharing:
The Napkin Dad