What an intense Yoga session I had today. I held "Hang Gong #2" correctly for 10 minutes - with no adjusting.

My Healer told me that there are 3 obstacles to growth: the desire for safety, the desire for recognition, and the desire for control(ling other people).

Made me think about how excited I got recently when I was chosen Best of the Best Caricaturists out in the Hamptons (See post of 10/8/08). I was thinking that he means that if I let those desires rule my actions, if the desire comes BEFORE the result, then it's something to be avoided. But if the recognition comes AFTER my actions, then it is not an obstacle, not something to overcome.

I think that works for 'safety' or 'recognition', but I can't apply the same principle to 'control'. Having led my adult life with principles like 'unconditional love' and mostly NOT CONTROLLING OTHERS, I believe that 'Controlling Others' cannot be beneficial. Neither Before Nor After my actions. And since the 3 obstacles were brought to my attention in one lesson, I think I'm supposed to apply the same understanding to each of them.

So that means that it's detrimental to my growth if I'm all excited to get the award? But I don't think it's healthy to ignore the things that make us happy. Is that something to think about?

I'm confused. Luckily, my Head-Master has been telling me for years "Don't think. Just feel." And "Thinking is Overrated."

I had an intense day. I love my life.

I did Fashion Sketches at a Sweet 16 this week. I've been wanting to make a page at this website to let people know that I do this also, but I haven't gotten up to it for years. The only people who hire me for Fashion Sketches are the people who've seen me do this elsewhere. It's so much fun! A different focus, a different type of picture.

Still don't have time to make a new page. If you'd like Fashion Sketches instead of Caricatures, just let me know when you ask about my availability. I'd enjoy doing them as often as I do Caricatures. It's all good. Whatever you want.

So here are some on-site photos of pictures I drew at a party and one sample that I made here alone here in my Studio. Maybe you can get an idea of the style and flow of my pictures even though you won't be able to see any details here. I think I should make a New Year's Resolution - in 2009 I will give attention to holding that camera still while photographing!

In addition to all the parties I've been working, I've been doing a lot of Studio Caricatures too. Including the Political Scene - it's so expected that it's a Caricaturist's place ~

Here's one where I tried not to sway the voters' opinions. A company that makes yummy Smoothies wanted to get people to vote for their favorite Smoothie - and it wasn't clear whether people would be voting for Drinks or Political Candidates. At first I thought I was making a banner for them:

But then I was told that it was for postcards. And the client had all sorts of changes requested. I preferred my own color choices, but of course I delivered what the client wanted. Both my original design and this new design - they both have something different that's good about them:

I was very fortunate when I was doing the Robeks job. Because my web-designer was around, and he taught me some neat things with PhotoShop - such as how to use 'Color Burn' with the 'Brush Tool' (He actually did the Color on the post-card-sized Obamas). So now my PhotoShop skills go way beyond 'Paint Bucket'. And someday, maybe someday, a Waakum Tablet (I hear the Cintiqs are fun.)

And here are 2 recent gifts created from the information that my client gave me about 2 men who were Retiring:

A Party of Grown-Ups