by Marty Coleman | Nov 7, 2012 | American |
Here is my 2012 ‘America the Beautiful is Beautiful Today’ napkin drawing.
Reaching
Are you reaching for the good in yourself and your country today? No matter who you voted for, what color your skin is, who you love, how old you are, or what you have between your legs, you are just as free today to pursue your dreams as you were yesterday. No election is going to take that away from you. Pursue your dreams with passion and compassion and you will wake up 4 years from now, after another election, happier, healthier and with love in your heart. It’s up to you.
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Drawing and quote by Marty Coleman, Proud American always.
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Four years ago today I drew the first napkin I had drawn since my youngest daughter (at the time) had graduated from high school 4 years earlier. I drew the napkin because I couldn’t find an old napkin that said how I felt about the election of Barack Obama. I made up the quote, drew it and posted it very quickly the morning after the election. Back in that day I wasn’t on Facebook and Twitter didn’t exist. I posted it on my flickr.com site and on this blog, which I had started just at the beginning of 2008. Here is that drawing. This drawing is why I am the Napkin Dad today. I am very grateful I woke up that morning and decided to draw it.
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 6, 2012 | Uncategorized |
It doesn’t matter if you are in heels or work boots, male or female, tinted black, white, red, yellow, blue, green or gray, you get to vote today.
Proud To Be An American
I am never more proud to be an American than on Election Day. It makes me think of our founding and the principles that were set forth then. I look back at history and feel blessed that we are descendents of a group of men and women who worked out a pretty audacious and untried plan to create a new type of nation and government. They rebelled against all they knew for it. They lost their fortunes and their place in society for it. They lost their lives for it. And it came into being, against odds not many would take.
Believing the Best
I was raised thinking politics and public service was a great thing. I still believe that. I don’t see all our officials as corrupt or stupid or greedy or conspiratorial. I see them as people who have decided to see how they can help the rest of us. That doesn’t mean some aren’t those things I just mentioned, some are. But even among those it doesn’t mean they didn’t start out wanting to do good. As we see some fall and do bad, we kick them out and find others. But that doesn’t mean we give up on the rest and it doesn’t mean we should have the luxury of being stupid and simplistic ourselves about our nation and those who serve it in public office.
I don’t think they are selflessly altruistic either. They have mixed motives just as I do in my life. I am ok with that. But I do think more about the unknown sacrifices they make then the unknown gains they might get. I do think about the hard work they do for us, including all the arguing, all the fighting, all the emotional and practical compromises that they have to deal with every day. I appreciate that and I respect them for dealing with it all for us. So today, I just don’t go vote. I think about, and am thankful for, those who have put themselves up for me to consider.
The Example of the Great George
I am thankful that our greatest President, George Washington set such a great example of the voluntary giving up of power. He did it not once, but many time, in war and in peace. We have had example guide us for well over 200 years now. Every four years we see it in action. I don’t know how many Americans truly realize what a great blessing it is that we have had this system that allows us to move ahead every four years without violence and overthrow. It’s worth a moment to think about and be grateful for.
In the end, it’s easy. Go vote. It doesn’t matter if you are in a swing state or not. Your vote matters because you are part of a process that matters.
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Drawing by Marty Coleman, who cast his first ballot in 1976.
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Trivia question of the day
In 2008, President Obama was just the 3rd Senator to be elected President while still serving in the Senate. Who were the other two? By the way, McCain, had he won, would also have gone directly from the Senate to the White House.
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 5, 2012 | The Illustrated Colonoscopy - 2012 |
And finally I win something – even if I made it up myself!
I Was NOT Loopy
So I went through the colonoscopy procedure last week. I remember the anesthesiologist asking me what I did for a living and me saying I was the Napkin Dad, then I blanked out. I woke up and the nurse and Linda were there. I got my clothes on a few minutes later and was out the door. When I got in the car Linda said I had been pretty loopy after the procedure. I didn’t think I had been.
Oh, Yes You Were!
Later, we went to lunch and she started telling me about the Dr. coming in and saying how I had no polyps, nothing wrong at all. That I looked great and should keep eating what I am eating, etc. I stopped her and said, “When did we talk to the Dr?” She started to laugh and said, “He was in the recovery room, he was there for about 5-10 minutes telling us all sorts of things. You were Mr. Chatty, asking him the same questions again and again about all sorts of things, in particular you wanted to know exactly what diverticulitis was. He explained it to you and then you would ask another question about it. Then you went on and on about being a runner and about how you were going to run on Sunday with Lora and other people. Then you explained it again about how you were going to run with Lora. You were quite loopy.” I had NO recollection of that AT ALL. Very odd. Makes me wonder what else I said!
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Drawing by Marty Coleman, who has to get another one in 7 years.
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Fact of the day
Diverticulitis happens when pouches form in the wall of the colon. If these pouches get inflamed or infected, it is called diverticulitis.
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 2, 2012 | The Illustrated Colonoscopy - 2012 |
This is in the public interest.
Unconscious Self-Portrait
Here I am getting my colonoscopy today. It was uneventful, mostly because I was knocked out. The last thing I remember was the anesthesiologist asking me what I did for a living. I told her I was the Napkin Dad. She said, ‘Oh, I know who you are’ and boom, I was out. Afterwards they said I had a very nice colon and had nothing to worry about. That’s good news. Linda says I was a bit loopy afterwards but she always thinks I am so that isn’t that strange.
The rest of the day I supposedly was going to be taking a nap, knocked out by the drugs, but nope, I have been working away on various things ever since I got home. I have a feeling I will go to bed early though.
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Drawing by Marty Coleman, who also was knocked out in 1973 when I had skin taken off my butt for skin grafts after me being burned. This time was easier.
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Fact of the day
I was knocked out with drug that killed Michael Jackson, scary!
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by Marty Coleman | Nov 1, 2012 | The Illustrated Colonoscopy - 2012 |
I am flush with excitement over my first colonoscopy tomorrow!
The Long & Winding Road
Yes, I am getting a colonoscopy tomorrow. It isn’t due to any issues, just part of my annual physical. My last annual physical was 7 or so years ago and I didn’t have a colonoscopy that time around. My wife has been insisting I do this for many many years and finally it is being done.
Polyp Want a Cracker?
The fun part of this is today, or so I have heard. Today I get to be on a liquid diet all day (but that includes jello so all is right with the world). In the afternoon I take a magic elixir of frog brains and newt tongue and it will miraculously make my escape tunnel be all clear. Tomorrow the guy in the white coat and some other people in other colored clothing will search the same tunnel to see if there is anything for them, or me, to worry about. This is most likely going to consist of either nothing or little protuberances called polyps. This polyps are sort of like the weird fish in the aquarium that stay in the sand at the bottom and poke their heads out just a little bit to get little teeny weenie things to eat. If they find some of these pokey outey things they will snip them off with an official mini-snipper.
The Big Soft Hammer
The bad news would be if they found something bigger, like a tumor. Then they would tell me I need to get it taken out with something bigger than the official mini-snipper. That would suck so let’s hope that doesn’t happen. I won’t know what they found until later because I will be knocked out by the knocker outer person. They use a big, but soft, hammer to do it I have been told.
Loopy Is as Loopy Does
They said I will be loopy and will need someone to drive me home. My wife, Linda, will do that and laugh at me all the way home because I will say things like, ‘so, I think a horse would make a good tattoo for me on my face’ or ‘should we stop at the red cross and donate some pencils? Then I get to go home and do nothing in my loopy state except watch TV. I am only suppose to watch loopy shows though, so it will all make sense and I won’t freak out. Above you can see an accurate rendition of what I am expecting to look like this afternoon. Fun.
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman, who was last knocked out for a medical procedure in 1975 when I got me wisdom teeth taken out.
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