cheerfulmonk.com

In a comment to yesterday’s post, Ginny wrote,

I have to hand it to you; I can’t even draw a stick man. And you have represented joy with just a few strokes!

The truth is I spent months thinking about how to draw this one.

I searched for countless pictures of people weeding and tried to simplify the ones I liked best. I kept playing with it off and on and it gradually evolved.

They say anyone can learn to draw — it just takes patience, practice, and the willingness to keep looking closely. It’s like the old joke,

How many therapists does it take to change a light bulb?
Only one, but the light bulb has to really want to change.

I’ve gone through the Klutz book Drawing for the Artistically Undiscovered twice, and I believe in its advice:

…you will find yourself frequently unsatisfied with your efforts. Our recommendation? So what. Take a fearless experimental approach. Wield your pen or pencil with spirit and take bold chances. Your successes will shine all the brighter and the rest—nothing but necessary steps to greatness….

Around here we honor mistakes and botched details. Please make many.

The second time I went through the book was in 2022, and I just looked at it again. One of my favorite assignments was to fill in the Chomp-Chomp tree:

This is what I ended up with:

It was inspired by Zoe, of course,

I had forgotten all about it, but it still makes me laugh.

July 13, 2026

I’m like Tom, a visual thinker, so both of these remind me that

The quality of our lives depends on how we focus our energy and our attention.

The doodle on the left represents life as a garden and me as an active gardener.

Pulling the weeds, nurturing the flowers, delighting in watching things grow.

That means savoring the little joys in life and minimizing the distressing things — dealing with problems when come up and doing our best to not let them ruin our lives. Very much like James Clear’s advice yesterday,

This is one of the arts of living. It’s the art of enjoying the imperfect days. It’s the art of making all the moments count.
—James Clear

The sun and stairs in the doodle on the right represents an empowering question:

What is little step can I take right now to make myself happier?

Both doodles represent patience and persistence and the power of little actions in creating a well-lived life.

July 12, 2026

This is one of the arts of living. It’s the art of enjoying the imperfect days. It’s the art of making all the moments count.
—James Clear

That’s definitely worth working on! Especially as we get older and older. 🙂

July 11, 2026

The Other Coast

What motivates you?

July 10. 2026

“Do you like it? I made it just for you.”

I saved that quote years ago and came across it a couple of days ago. The idea is instead of just training ourselves to notice and be grateful for the little things in life that touch us — the morning light coming through the window, the sound of birds, the feeling of a gentle breeze brushing your cheek — treat them as precious gifts someone made just for us. Can you picture yourself saying that? If so, what do you think your reaction would be?

When I use that sentence I feel loved, cherished, and cared about. So I would be a fool not to use it more. But I know we’re all built differently and some tools work for some people and not for others. For instance, affirmations are powerful for me, and a lot of people say affirmations make them feel worse — instead of empowering them, affirmations make them feel inadequate.

So what about you? Would “Do you like it? I made it just for you.” work for you too?

July 9, 2026

B. C.

July 8, 2026

I was looking for an old post yesterday, but I couldn’t find it. I came across this one from 2019 instead:

Friday evening we received a package from Amazon containing three thermometers. We checked to be sure we hadn’t ordered them, but no. Eventually Andy remembered that one of the pups had chomped on one of our thermometers up on the land and destroyed it, so he figured they must have been sent by Torben and Kaitlin.

Sure enough, Torben had ordered them. Why three? Because, he said,

I figure Tempi will eat them eventually.

It pays to be realistic and plan ahead.

I’m afraid Tempi is much more sedate now. Kaitlin and Torben got her in 2016, so she’s over ten years old. She mostly prefers the couch to getting into mischief.

July 7, 2026

Yesterday for me it was the link Angus gave to this video,

I love it because

1. Auld Lang Syne is one of my favorite songs, and
2. I love St. Andrews. Kaitlin did her junior year there so I spent a long weekend there that November when I had a business trip in Germany, and Andy I went there for a week during her spring break. We have some wonderful memories.

Since the videos show the students celebrating Robert Burns Night, I looked up some of his writings. I was already aware of

Oh would some power the gift give us,
to see ourselves as others see us!

and

The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men,
Gang aft a-gley,

But this one surprised and impressed me:

While Europe’s eye is fix’d on mighty things,
The fate of empires and the fall of kings;
While quacks of State must each produce his plan,
And even children lisp the Rights of Man;
Amid this mighty fuss just let me mention,
The Rights of Woman merit some attention.

Burns lived from January 25, 1759 – July 21, 1796. So he wrote it about the time Abigail Adams was telling John to “remember the ladies” when they were creating a new government here in America. (Not that John listened.)

So yesterday was a deeply happy day, rich with connections. Thanks to the internet and my iPad and computer — my windows to the world.

July 6, 2026

The Other Coast

July 5, 2026

Pexels

April 19, 1775 — “the shot heard round the world,” the start of the Revolutionary War.

July 4, 1776 — the idea that was, and still is, heard “round the world.”

The Declaration of Independence did three things: it announced separation from Britain, it justified that separation, and it grounded politics in human rights rather than royal authority. It claimed that all people are created equal, endowed with unalienable rights, and that legitimate governments derive “their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

How to do that, and even whether it is a good idea, is an ongoing challenge and debate. There will always be powerful interests opposing it, but it’s a document and idea worth celebrating.

Happy 250th Anniversary!

July 4, 2026