I feel the opposite of the woman in the cartoon — I have trouble believing it’s already the end of January. And that (meteorological) winter is two-thirds over, and that tomorrow is Groundhog Day already.
What about you? Does time seem to be zipping by, or does it seem that winter will never end?
February 1, 2026
The balloon is drooping more, but it is 5 weeks old:
The bean plant is over 3 months old and is still gradually fading away.
The bean pods were filling out, then started withering:
The blossoms on the plants on the right didn’t do anything except drop off, but it looks as if a new one is forming.
I wasn’t expecting much, but it’s been fun to see what they do.
January 31, 2026
These comics were drawn in October, 2015 — a long time ago.
I had to go back to old posts to remember what that time was like — a lot has happened since then. Phil reminds me of the phrase “do the work of worrying” — he’s asked if he worries about the future and he says he thinks about it and prepares for it, but he doesn’t waste time or energy fruitlessly worrying. He focuses on things that he can influence or control.
I posted the comic when it first came out because I thought it was a great illustration of how to handle worry. Nowadays when I try to keep track about what is happening, it’s not just about the future, it’s about the destruction and cruelty that is going on right now. So it’s not just about preparation, it’s also trying to figure out if there’s anything, even if small, I can do to make a difference now. That’s a big change in just 10 years.
January 30, 202
but it’s getting closer!
Enjoying what we have, while we still have it. Doing the best we can with what we have left. And I wouldn’t trade my life with anyone. 😀
January 29, 2026
Would you like to be an innocent kid again and not be concerned about the state of the world? (I wouldn’t.)
January 28, 2026
That reminds me of two cartoons I drew years ago:
I haven’t thought of them in long time.
January 27, 2026
The pup is so happy. It’s a good balance to my keeping up with what’s going on in the world.
January 26, 2026
For higher resolution click on the comics.
Spending a little bit of time on Spanish each day, and having fun in the process, is working just fine. I’m gradually recognizing a few more words, which is an added treat. The real reward is it reinforces the idea that patience, persistence, and enjoying the process can be the super powers of a happy life.
At least that works for me. What works for you?
January 25, 2025
https://youtube.com/watch?v=R27LLnyeDYQ%3Fsi%3DgTSbTVMdVJDtn2xs
January 24, 2026
Item 1: an article I read about 60 years ago on being “nostalgic for the present.” The author noticed that every time they moved she was nostalgic for parts of the old location. Then she realized it was often for things she hadn’t consciously noticed while she had them. She decided that was dumb, so she consciously decided to start noticing and appreciating more parts of her present life, not waiting until she lost them.
Item 2: a TV version of Thorton Wilder’s Our Town that I saw about 70 years ago. Emily has died in childbirth but is given a chance to go back to life for one day. The other dead warn her not to do it, but she chooses her twelfth birthday.
She returns expecting joy, expecting to relive a happy day. Instead, she can’t bear it — everyone is so hurried and distracted. They take life, and its everyday moments, for granted. Emily has to leave because it’s too painful to watch.
Needless to say, those two incidents made a big impression on me! And those two messages explain why a lot of people are happiest in their 70s and beyond — if health problems don’t intrude too much. They do understand how short and precious life is, so they pay attention and savor it.
January 23, 2026
