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.

Middle of the night. And here I am Drawing as usual. Just from photos of people on the web. Here are a few that I just finished. I like the Artwork:

Cure Cancer. Please.

Excellent Caricatures. Most of the Photographs were fuzzy. But this event was too important not to post. I was hired (for the 2nd time? the 3rd time?) to draw at the Party at the McDonald's House in NYC. They help kids who have Cancer there -- apparently they have a Party for them every year.

It's interesting for me to realize that these aren't just 'People With Cancer'. They are fully-rounded people with all Life Experiences - not just the Cancer. I see teens and I wonder if this affects their Schooling and Dating. I see children and I wonder about their perception of Life. What could they be thinking - these young children - who are handed over for 'Treatment' ?

I approach this job as I do all my jobs. Trying to help people love themselves just the way they are. Self-Acceptance. So if someone is bald, I draw them bald. Bald and Beautiful don't have to be mutually exclusive of each other.

But understandably, some people don't want to see their Reality. That's what happened with beautiful Gia. The little pre-schooler stopped for a Caricature with her Mother. She was bald. I drew her that way. Just like I drew another girl (Megan) that way. See how beautifully I can draw what I see? No matter how heart-breaking it is, I try to look at Reality:

But little Gia freaked out when she saw her beautiful picture. Ran away with it, so I couldn't get a photograph. Her beautiful Mother actually took the moment to care about My feelings? I'm bowled over by how exceptionally kind some people can be. Who would expect this Mother to care about anyone else besides her daughter at this moment!?! Before running to catch up with her daughter, Gia's Mother quickly explained that the girl had had a rough day - She came to this Party directly from her 'Treatment'. And she handed me this card:

I hope you Readers of Fun (what my website is about) will be serious for a moment and follow up the plea on Giavanna's "business card".

So here are the most visible photos that I took that day. Some came out fuzzy, but they're very important. Pictures of people who had Cancer, and pictures of people who care about them. My heart goes out to all of them:

What a strange day I had yesterday. What a world.

First I got caught in the worst traffic ever - all the way from my place in Wantagh to my Caricature gig in Short Hills, NJ. The web said the trip would take 1 hour and 15 minutes. But it took me 5 HOURS ! From the moment I got on the parkway in Wantagh until I got over the George Washington Bridge, the traffic was so heavy that I was glad when we were able to creep along at 5-miles per hour. (Things like this remind me that I don't have to answer for myself because I'd charge a travel-fee or that I factor in 'fluff-time' between gigs.

And Bloomingdales - cross my eyes! My section at Bloomingdales had 'rap' music! At Bloomingdales! Turned out that they were testing a new line of products.

Here's a photo of my set-up. I like how I incorporated the mannequins into my setup (the blue backpack is usually hidden under a table or behind a curtain, but this time I made it look like a prop for the mannequin:

Then I was surprised. When I'd stray from doing straight faces, I actually got good responses from the fun Bloomingdales customers. Turned out that they were just nice wealthy people - WHO WERE OUT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME ! Just pleasant people who were open to having fun:

Then, tired from the long day (after not sleeping much the night before - last-minute Studio pieces with outrageous deadlines), do I go home? No. I had been invited to see the Arkhams at a bar in Brooklyn. Just a personal outing, but as usual, I occupied myself studying some ideas for Caricatures. And that meant that I ended up drawing some of the people there. In the dark bar.

Will the Fun never end?