by Marty Coleman | Jan 29, 2010 | Sweets - 2010, William Shakespeare |
I remember reading or hearing stories about the ‘good ol’ days’ when kids would get a candy treat or an orange for Christmas and it was the biggest deal in the world. A sweet dessert was something that happened very rarely and was akin to a special present.
I certainly don’t think that is now the case for most of in the US or most other developed countries. I wonder if just in general we lack joy and excitement in large part because we don’t have to wait for things. We get what we want pretty quickly, whether it’s a TV or a candy bar. We might be excited about something of course, but that uniqueness that comes from something being uncommon isn’t there nearly as much as it used to be.
I also wonder if some of our feelings of entitlement come from that abundance as well. The stores are stocked with candy. I want candy. I am in the store. I deserve the candy I will buy the candy. Candy costs a buck maybe, no big deal. But project that same entitlement to a TV or a Car and man, your debt balloons pretty darn fast!
Practicing the art of delayed gratification is not easy in a world of abundance.
Drawing and commentary © Marty Coleman
“Sweets grown common lose their dear delight.” – William Shakespeare
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by Marty Coleman | Jan 28, 2010 | Marty Coleman, Sweets - 2010 |
How many people do you know are stressed as they eat desserts? So, the key to peace, serenity and fulfillment is, by logical inference, eating desserts. Anyone care to argue with that?
Drawing and genius insight © Marty Coleman
Quote by lots of people, but I rewrote it my way so it’s by me now.
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by Marty Coleman | Jan 27, 2010 | Anonymous, Sweets - 2010 |
And it’s exercise as well!
Drawing © Marty Coleman
Quote by who knows
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by Marty Coleman | Jan 26, 2010 | Death - 2001-2011, Ernestine Ulmer, Sweets - 2010 |
Day 2 of my series on Sweets.
A few pet peeve contradictory morbid confessions here:
#1. I always feel morbidly curious about the following phenomenon. Not the people on the airplane that crashes, but the poor guy in the car that was driving over the bridge that the airplane smashed into. Airline passengers accept a certain level of risk, even if they do everything they can to avoid thinking about it. But a person sitting at home watching ‘Wheel of Fortune’ does not expect an airplane to come crashing in the front room and kill him. I feel for that guy. What an unlucky break, right?
#2. The idea that we should actually treat each day as our last. That would be completely obnoxious if it happened every day. People crying, confessing, forgiving, wearing their ugliest outfits (or no outfits) etc. Nothing would ever get done! There would be a lot of dessert eaten though, of that I am sure. The contradictory part is that because I was once almost killed unexpectedly (blown up in a boat explosion) I actually make a point of saying things to people in the moment because I know that I might not get the chance to say it later. Mostly they are just simple compliments. But I don’t go crazy about it. I probably did more often when I drank, but my last drink was over 16 years ago so I don’t have that excuse anymore!
Back to the quote. Of course really following this admonition is silly, you aren’t going to die any happier if you ate a bite of cake last or a bite of mashed potatoes. But if you imagine this simple idea. One day it will be your last day. Likely it will be when you are old, maybe it will be in your sleep. But then again it could be by comet or by stray nuclear fission, who knows.
But here is a way to make sure you die happy, or as happy as you can die considering you would rather keep watching Wheel of Fortune. Instead of worrying about eating sweets before the end, just be sweet until the end.
Drawing and commentary © Marty Coleman
“Life is uncertain, eat dessert first.” – Ernestine Ulmer, 1925-not dead yet, American Writer
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by Marty Coleman | Jan 25, 2010 | Sandra J. Dykes, Sweets - 2010 |
As I promised, a new series on a not quite as serious topic…..Sweets!
You know, supposedly the statistics say women prefer chocolate over sex…is it true?
Drawing © Marty Coleman
“Forget love – I’d rather fall in chocolate!” – Sandra J. Dykes
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by Marty Coleman | Jan 23, 2010 | Abigail Adams, Feminism - 2010 |
This is the 5th and final day of the feminism series. I hope you have enjoyed them and have passed them on if you were so inclined.
Who wrote this? Some radical, wild-eyed commie pinko feminist of the 20th century? No, it was Abigail Adams, wife of our 2nd President, John Adams. Obviously from the quote you can surmise she was not alone in this statement. The ‘We’ she is talking about were New England women, raised in a relatively traditional religious atmosphere.
But they were as smart and educated as their husbands. Maybe not in formal schooling, but they read the same books of the enlightenment. They read the same pamphlets. They saw the same spirit of liberty and equality rising up as their husbands saw.
But they knew that the liberty did not really extend to them. They knew lip service was given, but that is not liberty. They knew some men were inclined to agree with them, but that is not liberty.
Standing up for yourself and your cause is the act that forces those who are not voluntarily willing to give liberty to all to give it anyway. Adams didn’t see the day, nor did her daughter or granddaughter. Maybe her Great granddaughter did. But however long it took, you can see it now. Are you grateful for that? Are you aware of the blessing?
I am not talking to women here. I am talking to men and women. I am a man, but I have no interest in living in a world where half of the population, in many ways the smarter half, don’t have a voice, don’t have a vote and can’t contribute as they should be able.
Just don’t forget our history.
Drawing and commentary © Marty Coleman
“If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and we will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.” – Abigail Adams, 1744-1818, American mother, wife, writer, political adviser, revolutionary, activist
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by Marty Coleman | Jan 22, 2010 | Feminism - 2010, Henry Kissinger |
Day 4 in the feminism series.
This isn’t about cliche feminism, it’s about facing reality and oneself, no matter your gender. It’s about real feminism, the feminism of equality and differences co-existing in an atmosphere of forgiveness, understanding, admitting wrong, working sincerely for equality, examining self & society and taking responsibility for your part.
Those things are the signs of victory for both sides.
And enjoying each other, don’t forget that!
Drawing and commentary © Marty Coleman
“Nobody will ever win the battle of the sexes. There’s just too much fraternizing with the enemy.” – Henry Kissinger, 1923-not dead yet, German born American Diplomat
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by Marty Coleman | Jan 21, 2010 | Feminism - 2010, Rebecca West |
Does that voting booth look a bit dated? It’s a voting booth style that saw American women for the first time, in 1920. That was 90 years ago.
It’s hard to believe that not only didn’t women have the right to vote only 90 years ago but guess what? It was preached from churches, preached in congress, preached in the marketplace, preached in the home, that women weren’t CAPABLE of voting intelligently. And, not only men thought that, some women thought that too and were against having their own right to vote. I am not joking.
Who changed the mind of America? Was it politicians? preachers? theologians? businessmen? No, it was feminists. It was women who fought for what was right. Who argued and protested and were arrested and condemned and shunned and labeled and destroyed in some cases.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that type of thinking is long gone. It isn’t, and it will creep back as long as people, men and women, don’t see it for what it is. Fathers, are you teaching your daughters to be strong and to know themselves, or are you teaching them to be a doormat? Mothers, are you teaching your daughters to respect themselves and to know their value, or are you teaching them to be prostitutes of one stripe or another?
Drawing and Commentary © Marty Coleman
“People call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat or a prostitute.” Dame Rebecca West, 1892-1983, English Author Read about her amazing life and career here.
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by Marty Coleman | Jan 20, 2010 | Feminism - 2010, Florynce Kennedy |
Day 2 of my feminist series. That, of course, means these are feminine napkins.
In the US we seem to have made great progress (though not complete) towards equality in job opportunity among the sexes. I know it isn’t equal in all industries though and there are two reasons for this; men and women.
Yes, in most cases, it’s men in charge and men with the attitude that says women can’t do it. But there are also women in those industries who believe the same thing. They have bought into the idea that they can’t do the job.
For that to change, the mindsets of both men and women have to change. Women need the courage to fight for the jobs they want, men need to courage to overcome their outmoded prejudices and see that that the world will not fall apart just because changes come.
Drawing and commentary © Marty Coleman
“There are very few jobs that require a penis or vagina. All other jobs should be open to everybody.” – Florynce Kennedy, 1916-2000, American lawyer and activist. Read about her amazing life here.
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by Marty Coleman | Jan 19, 2010 | Betty Friedan, Feminism - 2010 |
Day one of a week-long series on feminism and equality.
Disappearing does seems easy sometimes, seems like a relief because you don’t have to make decisions about what you want to do, who you want to be, how you want to act, what interests you.
But what seems like the easy way often turns into a very hard way and this is why. Because sooner or later you are going to find that you want your own identity and you will be playing catch up, or you will have lived your life and found it is too late and you have none. That will be a depressing moment.
So, no matter how strong or domineering the people or person are who you are connected to, you have no other successful option than to be strong and resolute in standing up for who you want to be. If that means you have to argue, then you argue. The option of just keeping quiet to avoid an argument will work for a while, but in the long run it will only succeed in building resentment from you and imbalance in the relationship.
Oh, and don’t blame the other person or people. They may make it difficult, true. But you, and only you, are responsible for creating yourself. Saying someone is in your way is a sterile statement. Either fight your way past the person or rid yourself of the person.
Drawing and commentary © Marty Coleman
“It is easier to live through someone else than to become complete yourself.” – Betty Friedan in ‘The Feminine Mystique’, published 1963
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