Overstated

I once worked for a power generation museum that educated school groups on how electricity was made and transported to our homes. One of the team working there was quite keen on educating students about the long term effects of burning fossil-fuels, and he used to regularly tell groups, “Every time you turn on a light switch, a little fish like Nemo DIES!” (Finding Nemo was a pretty big deal back then).

This was all good and well for a long time, until one day he said this to a group of students who were maybe a bit to young to cope with his poetic description of everyday pollution. A gasp went throughout the room, some tears were shed, they asked if they could turn off the lights in the museum and, needless to say,  they were more than a little traumatised.

Exaggerating is fun, and enhancing stories with near-facts is a raw and creative poetic licence for our often routine lives.  But in a world where so many causes compete for our attention (global warming, morality, human issues, marketing, relationships, Facebook) it seems that everything is blown out of proportion. My life is so larger than life, that it no longer all fits in: it’s bursting at the seems.

The world will end in 2012! If you eat your crusts your hair will turn curly! Your Ipad is ‘Magical’! Nine out of Ten Nutritionists recommend…! Certain unspeakable acts will make you go blind! If you litter a Kitten will get axed! All of these extreme messages, all of the time.

And do we believe it all? Or do we come to expect that things are less satisfactory than they present. After all, marketing must be based on convincing people that their experience of a product will be completely satisfying, life-alteringly so! And to convince you that those needs are actually met after you do purchase the product, they reduce your expectation of what a satisfying, life-altering experience is.

So here’s my thought, let’s start to talk about the world more accurately. Not the worst, not the best. Just is. And then let’s raise our expectations of what satisfactory is. We’ll strive for more and love even harder and ironically, I think we’ll be more satisfied. Thanks for reading, I love your comments!

Absolutes

Hazel is a lovely girl who is very sure of herself. She must live in an inconstant yet very exciting world.

It struck me yesterday that every development she makes allows her to explore her world more. First she began to see, then she began to reach out and touch things, then she began to put everything in her mouth. Soon she’ll start to be more mobile; rolling, crawling and then walking. Then she’ll begin to communicate more effectively… and so on and so forth.

I wonder now if that remains true of us as we get older, I wonder if I keep being able to interact with this world in new and exciting ways. I wonder if I can do it at the pace that Hazel can. Maybe there’s just something special about her youth, or maybe I can learn something new this week.

From little things…

I literally kill everything I try to grow. I think I lack the emotional intelligence to grow plants. They’re all “Theo, we’re thirsty!” and I’m all, “Hey plants, you need some fertilizer!” and they go,”No Theo, we’re thirsty, we’re dying!” then I say, “Have some water!” and they say, “Yay! Water!” and I say, “More water!” And they’re all, “We’re drowning! Please stop…” and then they die.

Hazel is not like this:

She’s all “Theo, I’m thirsty!” and I’m all, “Hey Hazel, you need some fertilizer!” and she goes,”No Theo, I’m thirsty, I’m dying!” then I say, “Have some water!” and she says, “Yay! Water!” and I say, “More water!” And she’s all, “I’m drowning! Please stop…” and then Jess takes her off of me and says “What are you doing with this fertilizer inside?”.

Page Turner

 

This drawing is based on a ‘post it’ I did a while back at work (below). It’s done completely on the computer with a Graphics Tablet that I borrowed (thanks Esther!). It’s about balance and distraction, Though it feels a bit fake and corny with the ‘gun vs bible’ motif. The objects in either hand are just symbols of conflicting priorities that I have, and how they’re proving more and more incompatible.

Mobility Fail

I’d like to say something but I think this is pretty self explanatory. I often feel stuck in positions that are completely my choice to be in. I’ve found that picking up new bright behaviour is a good way to let go of another old dull one. I took up the project of this blog so that I could use my time constructively and stop playing so many violent computer games. I’m quite enjoying it. So the exciting part about this comic, I guess, is that he’s/she’s only a few steps away from what he/she desires. Sweet!