“Living with Ed & Co-Eds”

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I found this comic from 2007 where we reference “Girls Gone Wild” and one of my favorite shows, “Living With Ed.”  Personally, I’m so happy that the “GGW” thing is in our past. . . it always pissed me off how these people were using young women and denegrading them. . . we’re all young and impressionable at some point- why do people have to abuse innocence for profit? If girls want to get topless, fine. . . I’m not against that. . . but getting them drunk and selling their images pisses me off.

“Living with Ed” was fun though. . . I liked how he was struggling to have his wife and family see his “visions.” Ed Begley, Jr. continues to be a role model for me. . . keep seeking information and live by example. I should talk to Ed about having topless girls on a new show introducing new energy concepts and helping Ed clean his solar panels. . . Girls Gone Eco?

I emailed Ed back in 2007, showing him our work and his caricature- and he replied in person, telling me (and Peter) to keep at the Green House, that we were ‘kindred spirits and he was glad we connected with him.’ Really nice guy who loves to share information. . . I like his style. He has a new book out about Sustainability and a great website: http://www.livingwithed.com

Here’s a great interview with Ed, where he gives us a fantastic tour of his home and his sustainable concepts. . . he should be an inspiration to everyone. . . he is to me.

 

Don’t Rush Through This Journey. . .

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I listen to all kinds of stuff on the radio, NPR (mostly), Red Sox Games, Rock Stations, Country Stations, Clark Howard, Late-night weirdness on Coast To Coast with George Noory. . . and yes, sometimes Rush Limbaugh. I like to hear everybody’s opinion because it’s all about balance for me. . . I have my liberal side and my conservative side. . . and I really only turn the radio off and put on Pandora when I get disgusted with pomposity, rudeness and self-serving rhetoric. . .  Politically, I hear this from both sides (but mostly from Rush).

So. .  I went to a Melanie concert last night (yes, “Lay Down Candles (in the rain) Melanie!) , and started getting back to my hippie-dippy green roots. . . and realized that she’s still out there with her original “love one another” message. . . and that’s what I need to focus on now. . . being an old guy with a young heart and a green mood. . .  t’s about surrounding oneself with positive words, music, people and vibes.

I’m working on all new material for The Green House, including a book about Composting – and I decided that I needed to start motivating myself with reading ten minutes of inspiring writing every morning before I start work. I pulled a few books off the shelf to sit on my coffee table, including: “Lit Up Inside” by Van Morrison,  “The Simple Living Guide” by Janet Luhrs, “Beautiful and Abundant” by Bryan Welch and “It’s Not Easy Being Green,” by Jim Henson- the Muppets and Friends (compiled by Jim’s daughter, Cheryl). After reading my ten minutes worth of Jim Henson quotes, I found myself feeling the spirit of Jim Henson once again. . . reminding me of 1981 -86 when Guy and I were creating  “Jim Henson’s Muppets Comic Strip” and channeling the soft-spoken, gentle philosophy of the amazing Jim Henson (and Melanie was playing on my cassette deck).

Working with Jim was about creating something “good.”  Something that made people smile and remember the child within themselves. . . open up to the world around them and let it all in. . . and this little book is full of that goodness. I grabbed the right book first, friends! Since those early days, I believe Jim’s spirit has helped shape my philosophy on creating. . . do it because it’s good, it’s right. . . it makes life more fun for people.  As Jim said, “Life is meant to be fun, and joyous, and fulfilling! May each of yours be that. . .”

And mine is just “that”. . .  and I need to remind myself every morning (noon & night) that I’ve been blessed with wonderful family, friends and friends I haven’t met yet. . . and it’s all about making the journey fun, joyous and fulfilling.

In essence, what I’ve discovered about being a “Greenie” ties in to what the words in “It’s Not Easy Being Green” represent. . . caring.

Peter and I are working on new material and new versions of The Green House that we’ll be debuting by the end of October- – and I’m so excited about the work Jim’s words have been inspiring me to do. . .    Shutting off the mid-day talk shows and focus on being green. . . as my friend Kermie would say, “Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyy!”  And as Melanie would say, “Let your white birds smile up- At the ones who stand and frown.”  She might also say “yaaay!”

Gonna share the positivity. . .

 

 

Seat of The Soul Revistited

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INTENTION and How To Find YOUR Authentic Self & Spiritual Path in a Comic Strip. . .

That one little moment. . . when you peek out from under the covers, see a tiny ray of light shining through the curtain, and something awakens deep within you. . . that awakens the whole of you and gives you the strength to get out of bed and seek the light. . .

Yes, it’s all there on a tiny note under the shoe that Mantis is meditating on. It’s about INTENT. I intend to keep this post brief so more of you will read it. . . so I won’t elaborate each point. . . but Peter Menice has been a sensei to me and hundreds of other people. . . he’s been my Mantis since we began the Green House, whether he likes it or not, he has often been the teacher and the light. He led me to Gary Zukov, Oprah Winfrey and Jim Carrey. . .

I wrote a fun little strip about Mantis trying to meditate while Link is digging through some Swap Shack CD’s. . . both are seeking nirvana. . . one finds Pearl Jam. Some may be seeking Pearl Jam and find Nirvana. . . which is how Peter works his sensei magic. Peter takes my “gag” (what cartoonists chokingly call a strip idea- no, I don’t think “chokingly” is a word, but it fits the description). . . so he takes my gag, and places Mantis on an old shoe and puts a tiny note on the bottom of the sole. . . “Seat of the Sole.”  Days later, while we’re discussing the gag, Peter barely mentions the note, except with a few words that carried a tone of satisfaction that he shared a message that is both a good pun and a valuable lesson.

I said I’d keep this brief, so I’ll just let you take the same little journey I took. . . I googled, I found, “The Seat of the Soul,” by Gary Zukov. . . I read some excerpts. . . I found that Oprah Winfrey credits “The Seat of the Soul” with changing her life and how she conducts herself and her business. . . discovering the power of Intent, which told her that “Intention is at the heart of authentic power. . . how do we intend to serve?” Learning about Intention from Zukov’s book changed her life in a powerful, spiritual and authentic way. I also found a profound piece by Jim Carrey. . .

If you’re reading this, you’re finding the note on the bottom of a shoe and you may be thinking, “I’m going to put that shoe on and find a path.” I’d recommend putting two shoes on and make the trip more comfortable. . . so I’ll share two quick videos here. Fifteen minutes total that could change your life. AND. . . ( just a little inside tip from the Swap Shack)- The Audio Book of “The Seat of the Soul” is available on YouTube completely free. Thank you, Mantis. . . thank you, Peter!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEOW_uhF8bk

Take Your Meds or Med-itation for Motivation. . .

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In the creative moment, there’s one side of me that wants to check out mentally and meditate . . . and there’s the other side that is struggling to create the piece, whether it’s writing, art or any project.  Finding the balance is the key- and for me, I’ve  always been able to find the creative spot of productivity easier with a partner.  I have the hardest time doing work when it’s just “me.” Put me in a room with someone else and I’m a brilliant, creative dynamo. . . by myself, I seem to start creating a second (or third) personality so my brain has someone else to play with, get approval from, create synergy.  I’m always happy, energized, excited by the opportunity to solve a problem for someone else.  By myself, I think about it WAAAAY to much.

Everything gets twisted up and complicated when I’m trying to work by myself.  But when I’m working with Peter, I get it done- the cords get neatly wrapped and the solar panel is connected and producing energy.

Maybe it’d be easier to be a worm and draw another face on my tail to create that second entity in my mind. . . Any thoughts. . . please share them, I need the connection. . . :0)

Cloudy with chance of sniffles. . .

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It’s Herbal Awareness Month. . . not really, but I couldn’t figure out an attention-getting opening line. I’m a little under the weather today. . . my brain’s a bit cloudy and I do have the sniffles. I do not have any Echinacea tea in the cupboard, but will be getting some later today. Meanwhile, Link is healing up from his fever and you’ll be getting to know him a bit more tomorrow. In the meantime, you might want to check out another “link” below and get a quick description of the benefits of Echinacea and 12 ways to use it. We have lots of it planted in our perennial garden and I can attest that the bees and butterflies love it! It’s just starting to pop out of the ground now, so here’s a pic of what it will hopefully look like in a few months. . . monarch and all- although we seem to attract a lot of yellow swallowtails. . . enjoy the article!

http://www.diynatural.com/echinacea-benefits/

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Help yourself to some well-aged advice. . . and share YOUR secret . .

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Who’s old enough to remember “The Secret?” It was THE Self-help mega-hit back in 2006-2007. . . Here’s some Wikifact material:

The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne was released in DVD format in March 2006. The tenet of the film and book is that the universe is governed by a natural “law” called the law of attraction which is said to work by attracting into a person’s life the experiences, situations, events, and people that “match the frequency” of the person’s thoughts and feelings. From this, the book argues that thinking positively can create life-changing results such as increased wealth, health, and happiness.

The book is very much influenced by Wallace Wattles‘ 1910 book The Science of Getting Rich,[2] which Byrne received from her daughter during a time of personal trauma in 2004.[3][4] Byrne read and synthesized several classic books and the words of modern-day teachers who spoke about ancient wisdom and the ways for people to attract what they desire into their lives.[citation needed] The book includes many quotes from these people.

After being featured in two episodes of The Oprah Winfrey Show, the book reached the top of the New York Times bestseller list, where it remained for 146 consecutive weeks. The book has been translated into 44 languages,[5] and has over 21 million copies in print.[6] Thanks in big part to the appearance in the Oprah TV show, the book and film have grossed $300 million in sales, according to a January 15, 2009 article by Forbes.[7]

The Secret posits that the law of attraction is a natural law which determines the complete order of the universe and of our personal lives through the process of “like attracts like”. The author claims that as we think and feel, a corresponding frequency is sent out into the universe that attracts back to us events and circumstances on that same frequency. For example, if you think angry thoughts and feel angry, it is claimed that you will attract back events and circumstances that cause you to feel more anger. Conversely, if you think and feel positively, you will attract back positive events and circumstances. Proponents of the law claim that desirable outcomes such as health, wealth, and happiness can be attracted simply by changing one’s thoughts and feelings.

The book begins by introducing and explaining the mechanisms of the law of attraction, then goes on to describe its historical applications and the great men and women in history who are claimed to have harnessed its power. The book describes the law as a magnetic power emitted through one’s thoughts. The power of thoughts is likened to a transmission tower that sends out a frequency to the universe and then returns the same frequency in a physical or elemental form.

Next, a three-step creative process for manifesting dreams is introduced: Ask (visualize in the film), Believe, and Receive. This creative process is based on a quote from the Bible:[10] “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive”. (Matthew 21:22

The Secret highlights gratitude and visualization as the two most powerful processes to help manifest one’s desires. It asserts that being grateful both lifts your frequency higher and affirms that you believe you will receive your desire. Visualization is said to help focus the mind to send out the clearest message to the universe. Several techniques are given for the visualization process, as well as examples of people claimed to have used it successfully to manifest their dreams.  Wikepedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_%28book%29

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So. . .  this is the big Secret? Conceptually, it’s spot on.  .  . why was it so successful? Great marketing. You see, these concepts aren’t anything new. If you read through the description above, you’ll remember that Byrne reintroduced many concepts she derived from  Wallace Wattles’ 1910 book The Science of Getting Rich. An even older influence is the quote above from the Bible, “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive”. (Matthew 21:22). . . Ask, believe and receive. . . ask in prayer or meditation, visualize by living in the positive energy of gratitude and receive, the manifestation of your dreams. Old stuff, repackaged, but still great material to study.

Now, what’s the big Secret I want you to take away from this reading? . .  Recycle. Reuse. Repurpose.

There’s SO much great material out there that’s “old,” aka tried and true. I’ve found amazing books and self-help CD’s in the swap shack, at yard sales, on eBay. There’s really no need to go out and pay hundreds of dollars for the “hot new program.” If a book from 1910 energized Rhonda Byrne, it can certainly energize you. Example: Napoleon Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich,” first published in 1937 gave motivation and guidance to Jim Rohn, who mentored Anthony Robbins who. . . well, all three have been an inspiration to me. I’ve purchased $1,000 programs on eBay for $29. I bought a copy of “Think and Grow Rich” for $2.98 NEW at Barnes and Noble. Almost all of the best self-help material in the world can be borrowed for $0 from your Public Library. I even found myself re-reading Susan Powter’s “Stop the Insanity” last week, and you know what? . . . it’s still relevant, inspiring and vibrant! It just needs repackaging for a new market.  Still great advice: Stop the insanity. . . find the old stuff and take it in. . . “Seat of The Soul,” by Gary Zukov, “The Way of the Peaceful Warrior,” by Dan Millman, “Season’s of Life” by Jim Rohn. . .

What old treasure chest of wealth, knowledge and inspiration would you recommend? What book, DVD , CD or movie changed your life? Share your thoughts here or on our Facebook page where we have the forum for awesome, life-changing discussion. Or, you could just e-mail us. . . Just don’t keep “it” a “secret.”

Here’s a re-packaged video of Jim Rohn lecturing on the seasons. . . hip new music, visuals. . . slightly annoying echo element. . .

Green Resolutions- Bugs & Buds

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It’s a good time to check in on our New Year’s Resolutions. . . if we made any. I stopped making resolutions years ago and began setting goals instead. There’s so much “greening” I want to do this year- and getting the Green House back online was goal #1.

Goal #2 was cleaning my basement. . . subject for a month’s worth of blogs at another time. . . Back to Goal #1. . .

The Green House came to life around 2006-7 and was shown to all the Comic Syndicates at a time when Newspapers were having a really rough time. We had no luck getting syndicated, and decided to invest in ourselves and try self-syndication. We gathered a group of about 30 newspapers who ran the comic for their “Free 6 Month Trial” and after that, they still wanted the strip, but weren’t able to pay or just weren’t paying for it. We found the Editors were getting reassigned, or let go- or they didn’t want to make permanent changes to their lineups. . .  and as Elaine would say, “Yada, yada, yada.”  Financially, Peter and I found we couldn’t maintain the schedules of creating a comic, marketing a comic and at the same time- making a living. So, we tried just selling the feature to Weekly publications and posting on green websites- and we gained a fantastic following. . . yet still, with minimal financial support.  Remember, this was pre- Facebook being a huge sharing space. . . blogs were just starting and the internet was just starting to figure out how to make money for content.

Long story short- Peter and his wife, Danielle had just had their 3rd child, Lily, I was getting ready to leave writing tasks on the comic, “Nancy,” and we both needed to find “jobs” and help keep our “houses” happy. . . So, we “put a tarp over the Green House,” and hoped with all hope that we’d get back to it soon. Well, Peter and I stayed in touch like brothers over the next 7 years and through that time, we discovered that The Green House wasn’t just a comic strip idea- it was us. . . it was our passion, it was what we really wanted to create to share with the world.

There was a lot of composting going on under that tarp and new ideas were growing. . . friends were asking about it. . . we were aching to have it be “WHAT WE DO.”

That’s really a fantastic moment, when you have that realization . . . “this is what I want to do, what I need to do.”

The people we’ve met throughout our first time doing the comic, were/are the kind of people we want to be surrounded by. Amazing people doing amazing things. Caring people. Loving people. People who help each other and our planet- and work at making it better. So, our reality, beyond wanting to do it, and needing to do it, was clearly. . . that The Green House and it’s characters were going to be our contributions to this amazing sphere of people- a daily dose of humor with a green tint. . . tiny green steps taken by people and “critters” that we can all share the journey with.

So, as Pam sprays her house plants with an organic pest solution and turns over a few leaves, she may find some bugs. . . she may find some buds sprouting out from underneath. Some solutions will work, Some won’t. But we are back with new resolve– alive and growing and doing what we need to do. We so appreciate you joining us, supporting us and being part of our journey. Please share your comments here and on Facebook to help us develop and grow our Green House community. There’s plenty of room, soil, water and sunshine on the shelves for all of us- if we work to keep it so!

We’re back working!

Brad   (for Brad & Peter)

Mr. Breeze. . .

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I love this throw back strip from 2007 as it shows our liberal blogger being honest about another liberal’s potential.

If you can’t win an election, at least do something positive and create a different kind of power for the party.

Concepts for collection of power from wind turbines have certainly grown in eight years . . . check out the wind trees in this video- slated for mass production in early 2016 . . .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvWYVoCwjBY

Perfect Form Friday

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I’m showing you all this Sunday strip from 2007 for two reasons. . .

1. How bad my writing can be. . .   and 2. How tremendous Peter’s drawing can be.

This is not the worst strip I’ve ever “approved” and finished, but it represents perfectly those times as a writer when you’re “real close, but still far away.”  The basic idea that Todd’s physicality is badly lagging behind Pam’s get’s across, but there’s something not quite right about how it’s presented IMHO. I liked it well enough back when it was composed and sketched out- but it hasn’t stood the test of time for me. I know it’s hard for you all to believe, but I’m not always brilliantly funny and clever. Not so  hard to believe?

Seriously, what I LOVE about this strip is how Peter drew it. . . drew Pam in the background and then interwove her perfect yoga poses into Todd’s slow-paced sit up. He saved the strip with the depth of his caring about the art and connection to character.

Below is a larger version of the strip if you want to click on it and study it more closely. I love doing that with Peter’s stuff. . .

Have a great weekend and see you back on Monday at the Green House!

“I am the. . . inspiration.”

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What gets you into the groove, the writing mood, the working space, , , the I am the walrus and I CAN Imagine vibe?

I have several affirmations posted on my walls to remind me of my purpose. . . to affirm my intention. . .  but there seem to be creative triggers I sometimes need to set my mind into a creative mood.  When writing comic strips, I used to pick up a paperback of one of my favorite comic strip collections, BC, Hagar, Hi & Lois, Shoe, Calvin & Hobbes. . .  my favorite for getting into the writing rhythm was Hagar. My former editor at King Features (from the Muppets days) Bill Yates, always said that Dik Browne and Hagar was the perfect blend of writing complimenting art and art complimenting writing. There’s a magical pace, paired with a delightful looseness that you get reading Hagar. That’s what I tried to do with the Muppets- keep that pace, find that rhythm of words, conversation, connection of the characters and connection to the reader.

Writing these blog posts is a totally different discipline. . . it’s more like writing music and finding a mood to let the words flow.

Writing the Green House is again, something completely different. It’s more of a Calvin & Hobbes scenario, where I have to move into a mood of recalling experience and all the thoughts, conversation and tone of that moment and then find the moments that the characters would share in that space. I’m making it all sound kind of “magical” and it’s really not- it’s just thinking about who the characters are and what they’d think about or say in that moment. . . and imagine their physical presence too. . . what they’d be doing or how they’d be standing. . .the expressions, the gestures. Just like a director, you take it all in, and hit the pause button to jot down the best moments. The tricky part is finding the things that get you to that place, the creative triggers. What are your creative triggers? A walk? A run? The right music? A nap? A cup of coffee? . . .

Ah, the magical cup of coffee. . . It’s more than just the stimulation . . . it’s the process of creating that coffee, being conscious of the process, mindfully preparing and enjoying the coffee, the warmth of the mug in your hand. . . that’s kind of the same as creating a comic or blog. Maybe that’s why coffee seems to be a staple in most creativity. Plus, it wakes us up a little and says. . . “Yeah. . . goo goo g’ joob!”

That would make a great name for a coffee company. . . “Goo Goo G’ Joob Organic Jamaican Roasters.”

“Jam-aican me some fresh coffee, Mon?”

Okay, now I need a cup. . . seriously- tell us about your creative triggers or what you think about mine. . . you can comment below or as always, join us on our Facebook page where the best discussions always take place. Goo goo g’ joob!

A Sketchy Character. . .

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“Link-ed” In. . .

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This week we’ll be introducing you to our liberal blogging rat, Lincoln. . . his friends call him Link. He loves everything from the 1960’s and idolizes John Lennon (hence his usual army shirt outfit, round glasses and long hair). His blog is called, “Link’s Underground,” and you’ll see Pam & Todd reading his blog on occasion at The Green House.

Writing a comic strip with environmental themes, we naturally attract a more liberal audience. Often it’s of the extreme liberal variety. When we first started The Green House, we would get “strong” suggestions to get really liberal with our story lines, but our goal was to always keep a good balance. Link gave us the ability to get a little “out there” and have fun poking fun at the extreme right wing media, especially Rush Limbaugh, whom Link loathes. . . but also listens to. Maybe it’s the old “keep your friends close and your enemies closer” philosophy, but he listens, as do I from time to time.

As time has gone by, I find myself inclined to mellow out Link’s attitude a bit, and have him be more into technology and pushing the green agenda more than being political- although sometimes those topics intertwine. To be totally honest, it’s just that politics are a subject I’d rather not focus on in my writing. There’s so much greater good I can do finding humor in everyday life. . . it reaches a broader audience and tells the kind of stories I like to tell. It’s also too easy to fall into a reactionary position and spend too much time in negativity and the hot political topic of the media day.  I do LOVE how Walt Kelly handled politics “back in the day” with Pogo. . . but I don’t feel that’s where Peter an my strengths are as story tellers. In that regard, it’s important to have well defined characters with easy to recognize personalities. Link is a character with a lot of character- and personality. It’ll be fun sharing his quirkiness with you. He angers easily, but is also a true friend. We hope you enjoy spending some time with him this week.

As Kelly and Pogo said, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.” I don’t want to be my own enemy in the world of promoting green concepts and lifestyle. I don’t want to preach my philosophy, but instead depict a world where our characters are positive role models, working to find peace and harmony. . . along with a few laughs along the way. For ideally, that’s what life should be about. . . and I believe Walt Kelly and John Lennon would approve.

Rush- Shower. . .

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I’ll admit it. . . I listen to Rush Limbaugh. I occasionally watch Hannity. I also listen to NPR and love Colbert and The Daily Show. I’m a firm believer of listening to everyone. We tend to listen to people who we know we’ll agree with and believe the news that suits our position. I’ll watch a movie I’m told is terrible, read books “no one else liked,” and be open. Every artist has fans, every speaker has followers and admirers. It’s sometimes very difficult to see what others see in a person or work, but if you look closely and observe with open ears, open eyes, open mind and open heart, you’ll hopefully (at the very least) find something of value.

Link is a liberal blogger and listens to Rush. . . it’s something of a “know your enemy” approach and a motivator. Plus, apparently, it saves a few kilowatts. . .

 

Monday, Punday. . .

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Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time. . . create power from moonlight?  Not likely anytime soon, but the idea shone like a lighthouse beacon toward a really good pun. What I like about this strip is connection to the characters that we get in the small moment in time it captures in the life of the Greens. Beyond the attempt at humor, we see that Todd’s reading his favorite blog, Link’s Underground. . . Pam’s doing yoga and you see the small, intimate space they share. To me, the “atmosphere” of the strip is as essential as the words. . . it brings you in and sets the scene, creates familiarity and comfort. This is where they live, it’s where they relate and we’re getting a sneak peek in. This week, we’re focusing on just that- establishing the setting, getting inside the Green House, which as the strip starts out, is a small apartment in Barely Green, USA. . . I just made that up. . . Anywhere, USA is overused and suffering from economic depression I’m told. Even the dentists there are having to get creative to make ends meet!

I love the molar panel idea though. . . if there’s no sun where you are- get out and suck up the moon beams and let that energy carry you till morning. Enjoy the day, enjoy the sunshine if there’s any where you are -and if not, store up all the moonshine you can! Uh . . . make that moon light!

Peter’s Sketchbook: Out To Posture. . .

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Matters Of The Art

I have a confession to make.

What I do doesn’t matter.

You may be thinking; “Oh, c’mon Peter, you’re doing some good in the world… what you do does really matter”.

No it doesn’t . And what you do doesn’t matter either.

I used to think that what I do matters. I would work on my skills and hone my talents holding my work to sometimes impossibly high standards. I would compare my abilities to artists I admired. I tried to be as good as them. I even held back on putting my work out in the world because it never seemed to measure up.

Boy was I ever wrong.

I made the mistake of thinking that my value comes from what I do. But that could not be further from the truth. I put way too much emphasis on the craft . But the craft alone is not where the value is. The craft is just the vehicle that expresses who we are. The craft delivers the value.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the craft. I love to play my way to excellence. I love how effortless the craft gets over time.

It’s not what we do, but who we are that matters.

I mean this literally. Who we are literally becomes the “stuff” of our lives. I heard it said this way recently; “You don’t get what you want. You get who you are”. When I was in doubt about my cartooning abilities, it wouldn’t matter how good I got at the craft, I continued to attract editors who were doubtful about hiring me. After all, I believed the value was in my skill and my skill wasn’t quite up to par yet.

Just like Bhu in the comic strip above, looking great at striking a yoga pose doesn’t make you internally aligned. You could work on perfecting your asanas for years. But if you believe the internal rewards and mastery comes purely from the poses, you may want to shift your thought. As one wise teacher of mine often repeated; “yoga is more about opening the heart than opening the hips”.

So get to the heart of the matter. Open your heart, align with your inherent greatness and let it out.

Because when you are aligned you can’t help but serve. You can’t help but give value. It doesn’t matter what you do, anything you do in alignment will carry this value. What you do doesn’t matter.

Who you are matters.

YOU matter.

Now imagine doing something that brings complete joy, something that is aligned with who you are. Align your passion (what you love to do) with your purpose (who you are).

Your value is unstoppable…

Is your job or career the perfect vehicle for expressing your inherent greatness? Do you dream of DOING something else that better matches how you truly want to be in the world? Let me know below. And join the conversation with the larger Green House community on our Facebook page.

What I do doesn’t matter. It never did. And that’s okay by me.

In Biblical Portions. . .

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Finding out what’s actually in your food is not a trivial pursuit. . . is High Fructose Corn Syrup the silent killer in our food? Is it the fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse? The actual fourth horseman of our impending demise is Famine. You could say that if you’re eating something with HFCS in it, you aren’t starving, but in reality you are. You’re eating a diet that’s filled with processed foods and additives that make food last longer, cheaper to produce and addictive. You’re giving your body substances that it doesn’t recognize as “food” or fuel and it doesn’t naturally know how to process these additives.  It does what it can with them, but it leads to many problems as we consume more and more. And HFCS isn’t the only bad thing we’re putting in our bodies. . . look at the labels on the so-called “Healthy” stuff in your pantry. . . if you can’t pronounce it, it’s probably not something your body wants to process either.

Below is an article I found on the Huffington Post by Dr. Mark Harmon, that gives you the whole story from a Dr.’s perspective. . . but don’t let it end there. . . start doing some investigation for yourself.  (Side note:  Don’t take everything a “Dr.” has to say as a truth, unless they’re also a qualified Nutritionist and one who is current on nutritional research. . . some Drs only want to prescribe meds to heal your symptoms, instead of tackling the core problem, what you’re putting in your body. All Drs are not created equal. . . Dr. Mark Hyman is on my recommended Expert List, along with many brilliant Nutritionists )-  There’s a new Sugar Detox making the news lately, where you take sugar (in processed form) out of your diet completely. My investigating has taken me a few steps past just the sugar detox- I’m in week 2 of the Microbiome Diet, taking sugar, dairy and grains (gluten) out of my diet and adding prebiotics and probiotics to my system to reconstruct my Microbiome. . . I’d recommend reading up on this to everyone. . .  But for starters, realizing that most food manufacturers don’t care what your ingesting as long as they’re making revenue from it is good information. . .

Dr. Mark Hyman:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/high-fructose-corn-syrup_b_4256220.html

Renaissance physician Paracelsus famously said, “The dose makes the poison,” meaning that even harmless substances can become toxic if you eat enough of them. Many people ask me, “Is high fructose syrup really that bad for you?” And my answer to this question is “Yes,” mainly for this very reason.

In America today, we are eating huge doses of sugar, especially high fructose corn syrup. It is sweeter and cheaper than regular sugar and is in every processed food and sugar-sweetened drink. Purging it from your diet is the single best thing you can do for your health!

In recent history, we’ve gone from 20 teaspoons of sugar per person per year to about 150 pounds of sugar per person per year. That’s a half pound a day for every man, woman, and child in America. The average 20-ounce soda contains 15 teaspoons of sugar, all of it high fructose corn syrup. And when you eat sugar in those doses, it becomes a toxin.

As part of the chemical process used to make high fructose corn syrup, the glucose and fructose — which are naturally bound together — become separated. This allows the fructose to mainline directly into your liver, which turns on a factory of fat production in your liver called lipogenesis.

This leads to fatty liver, the most common disease in America today, affecting 90 million Americans. This, in turn, leads to diabesity — pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. So, high fructose corn syrup is the real driver of the current epidemic of heart attacks, strokes, cancer, dementia, and of course, Type 2 diabetes.

HFCS contains dangerous chemicals and contaminants

Beside the ginormous load of pure fructose and sugar found in HCFS, as an added bonus, it contains other chemical toxins.  Chemical contaminants used during manufacturing end up in the HFCS and in our food.  What we know, for example, is that chloralkali is used in making high fructose corn syrup. Chloralkai contains mercury. And there are trace amounts of mercury found in high fructose corn syrup-containing beverages. Now, it may not be a problem if we eat this occasionally, but the average person in the country consumes more than 20 teaspoons a day of high fructose corn syrup and the average teenager has 34 teaspoons a day. Over time, these heavy metals can accumulate in the body, causing health problems.

Additionally, when we look at the chemical components of high fructose corn syrup on a spectrograph, we can see that it contains many weird chemicals that we know nothing about. That’s why I say better safe than sorry.

Look out for the red flag

The main reason you should give up high fructose corn syrup is that it’s a big red flag for very poor quality food. If you see this ingredient on a label, I guarantee you the food is processed junk. So, if high fructose corn syrup is anywhere on the label, put it back on the shelf. You should never eat this food.

If you want to stay healthy, lose weight easily, get rid of chronic disease, and help reduce the obesity epidemic, the single most important thing you can do is eliminate high fructose corn syrup from your diet and from your children’s diet. Just banish it from your house.

Purge your kitchen

I challenge you to go into your kitchen right now, go in the cupboard and refrigerator, and look at every single label. And I want you to count how many products you have right now in your house that contain high fructose corn syrup. Then, I want you to get a big garbage bag and throw them out and find replacements that are free of it.

If you want to have some sugar, that’s fine. Have a little sugar, but add it to your food yourself. Don’t eat food made with added sugar. Cut the high fructose corn syrup from your life forever. You’ll be healthier. Our planet will be healthier. And we’ll have a healthier generation of children.

Wishing you health and happiness,

Mark Hyman, M.D.

Mark Hyman, MD is a practicing physician, founder of The UltraWellness Center, a six-time New York Times bestselling author, and an international leader in the field of Functional Medicine. You can follow him on Twitter, connect with him on LinkedIn, watch his videos on YouTube, become a fan on Facebook, and subscribe to his newsletter.

For more by Mark Hyman, MD, click here.

For more on personal health, click here.

Oooommmm. . . My, My. . .

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It’s Wednesday. . . “Hump Day”. . .  a good day to let yourself get a little silly and groove any tune that may float in to your head.

Mantis is taking his role as a sensei seriously and not letting Wormy see his fun side. . . at least not yet.  I think if he did start banging out a tune by the Rivingtons, he’d find Wormy shaking his tail, finding his groove and most likely doing “The Worm.”

Seriously, who could meditate with that song in your head? Now here’s the real music geek insider stuff. . . The Rivington’s started out as a group called The Sharps and had a hit with a cover of the song, “Little Bitty Pretty One” in 1957. After a name change, in 1962 they had a big hit with a silly titled song, “Pa Pa Oom Mow Mow.”  They followed that quickly with another hit- a song with perhaps an even stranger title, “The Bird’s The Word.” Then, they tried recreating the “Oom Mow Mow Magic” by recording a follow up, “Mama Oom Mow Mow.” Not such a big hit. . .

To make the strange even stranger, in 1963, a group from Minnesota called The Trashmen, put “Pa Pa Oom Mow Mow” and “The Bird’s The Word” together as a new song called, “Surfin’ Bird.” Believe it or not, my older brothers, Joe & Mike owned this 45 and I played it a lot. The whole thing gets sillier as The Trashmen recorded the song, never crediting The Rivingtons for their input, which was basically the whole song. They later were threatened with legal action and gave the Rivingtons writing credit. Wow. . .  Wednesday’s are fun, aren’t they? I’ve been deliberating over which version to share with you, but I think you need to see The Trashmen’s version first. . . (yes, there actually is a video of a live performance of this song) and if you think the whole concept is weird,  you’re right- but watch the video anyway!  Then imagine Mantis breaking into the “final dance.”   Steve Wahrer was the group’s drummer, not lead singer, but his vocals and performance here may have inspired many future legends. . . David Byrne  comes to mind.

For the purists, The Rivingtons version is just below (along with another surprise!).

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICsBw6zJRSM

Ah, at least these guys have some real vocal talent! But, it doesn’t end here. . . Family Guy loves the song too. . .

And I hope to never, ever, ever top this as the strangest blog post ever. You’re welcome!  Share this if you dare. . .

 

 

 

Peter’s Sketchbook: Easy Recipe For Cooking Up A Comic

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When I was in my twenties and living in  San Diego, I worked as a breakfast cook at the trendy “Sweet Beats” cafe in south Mission Beach. I was a messy, hard working, high energy cook juggling many tasks in the kitchen at once. I moved quickly and was often covered in enchilada sauce, guacamole and pancake batter.

Not a pretty sight.

But despite my penchant for messiness and for wearing the colors of the Mexican flag, I made it a point to put out the most beautiful and artistic plate arrangements. Before my customers feasted on their meal, I whet their appetite with a feast for the eyes.
They always came back for more.

It’s all in the presentation.

The same is true for cartooning.
I’m still cooking up a storm but Brad is doing all the presentation work.

Let me explain. Brad and I will get together like two chefs and brainstorm a menu. This is fun. We consider who will be attending the big feast, come up with some themes and begin writing ideas about what and how to serve these ideas.

After we’ve decided on the main course we begin to write strips that will tie into the main theme. When we were writtng the Rockin’ Rhino story line, we thought; “Hey, what if Todd went to the zoo to live sketch real rhinos for the project?” This prompted Brad to write some funny zoo gags.

After the menu is down and we have a couple of weeks worth of strip ideas, Brad goes to work on refining the story, writing character driven humor with only the best quality and organic ingredients. He then sends me a rough layout of the strip. It’s basically the menu.

I take the menu and start to prepare the ingredients to order. I’m cutting, slicing, adding spice… I’m still a little messy here. My goal is to get the arrangement just the way I want it. When I am satisfied with the finished pencil, I’m ready to ink.
This is the cooking process. I’m adding heat with just the right touch. No undercooking. No overcooking. We don’t want it well done, but we do want it done well.

When done, it is almost ready to serve. This is where Brad comes in and gets all puckish with his plate. Wolfgang Puck-ish that is and garnishes a masterful presentation. He adds color, attitude, texture.

See the penciling, inking and coloring process below. Brad’s refined palette is done completely with photoshop. And there’s no messy clean up!
I’ve come along way since San Diego.

(The finished ink page, using Windsor Newton Series 7 brushes)

 

(colored in Photoshop)

(From 2007- featuring recording artist and friend, Jon Michaels,  and vegan cooking superstar, Christina Pirello. Jon wrote Christina’s theme for “Christina Cooks.” He also wrote our theme song, once featured on our Green House website, “The World Goes On.” This comic shows an earlier incarnation of the Green House concept, where Todd has created a superhero earthworm character, that follows him around like Hobbes to Calvin. No one else sees “Earth Worm-the World’s Most Down-to-Earth Superhero” except Todd.  . . and us, I suppose! Our plan for the new version of The Green House is for a similar relationship to develop. . . but Earth Worm’s is going to have a little different personality. . . stay tooned!)

Back on our heels . . .

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Do you remember Earth Shoes? . . . all the rage back in the early 70’s. At least they were among my friends. Do you still wear them? I wasn’t aware that they were still around. . . then again, I never consulted my three female family shoe experts. I would have probably gotten a little eye roll, head shake and a reply of, “Zappos, Dad. I can get them here tomorrow. Times have changed! Then. . .

And now. . .

Same old brown tree, funky logo though! Do you have any fond memories of your first Kalsos?

Share them here or on our Facebook page: At the Green House

Peter’s Sketchbook: The Little Blue That Connects The Green

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I love looking at pictures of the Earth from space. It looks like a colorful marble with the blue connecting all the greens. Not so different than my little Blue Heeler, Bhu, the star of my comic strip “Buddha’s Dog” that I created during the Green House’s few year interim.

In 2010 I got to thinking what it would’ve been like to be Buddha’s dog for 20,000 or so lifetimes, fetching him sticks, guarding the stupa, expertly barking the 8 fold path. And what would happen if Buddha was forced into exile and sent Bhu out into the world to continue with Buddha’s mission? He would grab his good friends Deepak, a deep thinking Hindu pachyderm and Master Chi, a Tai Chi playing, bamboo floor licking panda to help him bungle the job further.

Here we see the three wise guys try to bring some peace into Chance’s stressful world outlook.

Buddha’s Dog. Waking Up Humanity With A Cold Nose.

How do you align with peace? Do you meditate, take nature walks, play music?

In what little way to up lift humanity by lifting up yourself?

Your little connection to joy goes a long way.

Let us know below and join in the conversation on our facebook page.