Mid Feb Blog 2012
Welcome to another fun week in Bogworld. I had a pretty productive weekend so I am feeling particularly good today. Artists are funny that way. We can literally drive ourselves into depression just by being lazy. But our mood brightens right up when we lose ourselves in one of you projects.
For me its writing my second novel. I have been writing it on and off ever since the first one got completed. But novel writing is a marathon, not a sprint. Its takes months and months just to get the first draft banged out. That’s what I am doing. Banging out the first draft. This weekend I got a couple more chapters done. The creative juices are flowing again. Yay me!
I have the Grammys on the TV behind me. I think LL Cool J’s short but inspirational moment remembering Whitney Houston was wonderful. Maybe its because Whitney and I are the same age, I feel like she left us way too soon. But her life is also filled with important lessons for all of us. Lessons about squandered time and talent. Its hard not to look at Whitney’s amazing success in the 80s and wonder if she might be something so much more if drugs did not side track her in the 90s and the 2000s. She probably would be in the same respected class as Ella, Aretha, and Etta. But enough what ifs. For the moment we had when she was her brightest she gave us so much amazing music.
Soon I am going to add some links here to some of my very creative friends. I am truly blessed to have marvelously creative people in my life. I’ve decided its time to create a hub where all of you can find them easily and see their stuff. Keep an eye out for that coming soon.
In a couple of weeks I am taking a week off. I am going to Walt Disney World. I have not been to the mouse kingdom in a decade. The folks at Disney travel looked it up. Its almost ten years to the day. All the literature they have sent me since I made my reservation starts with “Celebrating Joseph’s Ten Year Return to Walt Disney World.” I love it when a company goes that extra mile to make me feel special. Don’t you? But that’s what Disney does so well.
I have not given myself a vacation in more than three years. After my Dad had his stroke, I’ve spent every moment I can looking in on Mom and Dad up in northern Minnesota. But the time seems right to sneak away now and recharge my batteries. Not only is it February in Minnesota (usually more than enough reason to leave right there), but Dad and Mom seem to be in a happy stable place. Besides all that, my creative battery needs a jump start.
Some people ask me, “Why are you going to Disney World? You’re a grown adult and you don’t have any kids. Isn’t Disney for kids?” No. Its not. I used to go to Disney almost every year. I can tell you Disney is really whatever you want it to be. Sure, its a great place for kids. But as an adult it can be appreciated on a whole different level. There are plenty of adult things to do there. Night clubs, comedy clubs, world class restaurants. Those are the obvious nods to grown ups. But I’m still talking about the amusement parks. I think its important now and then to remind ourselves of the importance of fun, imagination and creativity. Especially as an adult. Kids usually have that. Well younger kids do before they get over stimulated and jaded. But adults REALLY need this.
As a cartoonist and writer, I REALLY need this.
I joke with my friends that Disney is my Mecca. Its my church. Its the place I find my soul and my inspiration. I think most creative people kind of get this. Its healthy to have a place on earth where vast riches have been spent to literally bring dreams to reality. Where castles somehow perfectly fit next to space age sci-fi inspired mountain. Where giant costumed mice are treated like rock stars and even “mature” folks like me can gets a taste of what its like to go on an African safari, or venture into the stars or be a star in an action movie.
These things are just good for the soul.
So when Bogworld goes a little quiet in a few weeks, you know where I am.
The cool thing is I will be teaming up with my friends from WelcometoAmerica.us to capture part of my vacation. They are going to be there the same time I am to shoot a little bit of Disney history. During the Leap Day of this Leap Year (Feb. 29th) Disney is going to be open 24 hours for the first time in their history. The same thing is happening out at Disneyland by the way. But with this award winning travel film production team there I am bound to get some amazing video to share with you after I get back.
And yes I am going to blog about it. I wont be posting anything while I am down there. But I plan to post one heckuva fun story chronicling my travel adventure in detail when I get back.
Its still a few weeks away, but I wanted you to know something fun is coming.
For me its writing my second novel. I have been writing it on and off ever since the first one got completed. But novel writing is a marathon, not a sprint. Its takes months and months just to get the first draft banged out. That’s what I am doing. Banging out the first draft. This weekend I got a couple more chapters done. The creative juices are flowing again. Yay me!
I have the Grammys on the TV behind me. I think LL Cool J’s short but inspirational moment remembering Whitney Houston was wonderful. Maybe its because Whitney and I are the same age, I feel like she left us way too soon. But her life is also filled with important lessons for all of us. Lessons about squandered time and talent. Its hard not to look at Whitney’s amazing success in the 80s and wonder if she might be something so much more if drugs did not side track her in the 90s and the 2000s. She probably would be in the same respected class as Ella, Aretha, and Etta. But enough what ifs. For the moment we had when she was her brightest she gave us so much amazing music.
Soon I am going to add some links here to some of my very creative friends. I am truly blessed to have marvelously creative people in my life. I’ve decided its time to create a hub where all of you can find them easily and see their stuff. Keep an eye out for that coming soon.
In a couple of weeks I am taking a week off. I am going to Walt Disney World. I have not been to the mouse kingdom in a decade. The folks at Disney travel looked it up. Its almost ten years to the day. All the literature they have sent me since I made my reservation starts with “Celebrating Joseph’s Ten Year Return to Walt Disney World.” I love it when a company goes that extra mile to make me feel special. Don’t you? But that’s what Disney does so well.
I have not given myself a vacation in more than three years. After my Dad had his stroke, I’ve spent every moment I can looking in on Mom and Dad up in northern Minnesota. But the time seems right to sneak away now and recharge my batteries. Not only is it February in Minnesota (usually more than enough reason to leave right there), but Dad and Mom seem to be in a happy stable place. Besides all that, my creative battery needs a jump start.
Some people ask me, “Why are you going to Disney World? You’re a grown adult and you don’t have any kids. Isn’t Disney for kids?” No. Its not. I used to go to Disney almost every year. I can tell you Disney is really whatever you want it to be. Sure, its a great place for kids. But as an adult it can be appreciated on a whole different level. There are plenty of adult things to do there. Night clubs, comedy clubs, world class restaurants. Those are the obvious nods to grown ups. But I’m still talking about the amusement parks. I think its important now and then to remind ourselves of the importance of fun, imagination and creativity. Especially as an adult. Kids usually have that. Well younger kids do before they get over stimulated and jaded. But adults REALLY need this.
As a cartoonist and writer, I REALLY need this.
I joke with my friends that Disney is my Mecca. Its my church. Its the place I find my soul and my inspiration. I think most creative people kind of get this. Its healthy to have a place on earth where vast riches have been spent to literally bring dreams to reality. Where castles somehow perfectly fit next to space age sci-fi inspired mountain. Where giant costumed mice are treated like rock stars and even “mature” folks like me can gets a taste of what its like to go on an African safari, or venture into the stars or be a star in an action movie.
These things are just good for the soul.
So when Bogworld goes a little quiet in a few weeks, you know where I am.
The cool thing is I will be teaming up with my friends from WelcometoAmerica.us to capture part of my vacation. They are going to be there the same time I am to shoot a little bit of Disney history. During the Leap Day of this Leap Year (Feb. 29th) Disney is going to be open 24 hours for the first time in their history. The same thing is happening out at Disneyland by the way. But with this award winning travel film production team there I am bound to get some amazing video to share with you after I get back.
And yes I am going to blog about it. I wont be posting anything while I am down there. But I plan to post one heckuva fun story chronicling my travel adventure in detail when I get back.
Its still a few weeks away, but I wanted you to know something fun is coming.